Regulators BOV (pic heavy)

[Blasphemous]

Not sure about what years and the varieties of tops, but mine is just like yours minus the sliding windows.

This time last year I moved and my truck was my main moving vehicle... overuse of the tailgate and the constant cranking up and down of the window several times a day over the course of a week destroyed what was already a rickety crank and regulator.. I opened it up and the mojority of the crank and lock components just fell out. The lock and the gear interface pinion are pot metal, though the gears are steel the frigen pot metal they were riveted to just disintigrated. If I could figure out a lift up style window I would and just eliminate the 'crank the window down into the tailgate' option all together.

Also, that's some mighty fine welding... I sure could use your help on my truck..

As for paint... Needs more ZS...LOL

M

Have you seen the new uparmored Humvee windows? If not, see if you can find a picture on the internet. They use a "lift'n'lock" window system. It's what I am going to use on my Dodge since the regulator on it is crapping out too.

[Matsuo]

Trust me I could comment at length on the subject, but I dont want to hijack Regulators thread.
I might just look for an intact camper shell lift up window to retrofit at the junkyard, beyond that I'll save for a replacement or rebuild.

M

[WhatThaFrig]

Very nice work.

[Regulator]

6UNF1GHTER, The smoke is from a smoke generator. Talked about it a bit HERE in my Rolling Weapons thread. I don’t imagine I’ll be adding any of the “cool but useless” gadgets until next summer.

MrMendigo, I like having my flag above me, I also have the pledge of allegiance on my dash. I know about flag etiquette. That cheap printed flag started fraying on the end well before it was otherwise damaged. Now, I wasn’t gonna burn my flag just cause of a bit of frayed ends. Hell we all get a bit frayed once in a while. As a headliner that flag has gotten more attention, respect, admiration and positive comments than it ever did on the pole. I think it’s happy there. Ironic that it is a symbol of my freedom to do exactly that. Isn’t America great?!

Matsuo, Yeah the tailgates can be a PITA for sure. I’ve always been able to repair mine but sounds like yours is past that. Maybe just swap out the entire tailgate. I have considered putting Suburban type doors in place of the tailgate. I think it’d be handy, but damn, a lot of fabrication.

[Matsuo]

If a man loves his flag so much he wants to put it on his headliner... I see no wrong in that.

RE: Gate, yeah I knew I was f***ed when I opened it up and a bunch of pieces fell out.

True story, I stopped by a gas station in my old neighborhood that I hadnt been to in several months and there, kicked over into a crevase by the pump stand was a piece of pot metal from my window crank lock...

BTW I've had the exact same daydream about suburban doors!

M

[USMCSergeant]

Appreciate you posting the pics up for me . I love it man, the work you did on the dash is amazing. When I was first reading it and you were posting wire and fiberglass, I was thinking oh god. Then I was shocked how nice it turned out. For paint maybe some kind of two tone look that wont stick out. Hood-top maybe primer gray. Mid-Bottom level, maybe some kind of spray on protectant like bedliner to seal the rust out and wont scratch no matter how many Prius's you decide to run over. Or just flat f'ing black.. murder it out.

ETA: I did not know how to pluralize Prius, and hopefully I'll never need to do it again.

[Rigor Tortoise]

Thanks for taking the time to post, I'm really enjoying your build. I dreamed of building a truck/blazer like this when I was a kid. I would like to know about welding and fabrication work like you've done here. Does it take much welding experience to produce good sturdy components like your roof rack, bumper, etc.? Or, is it more of a grab a welder and materials with plan and go at it? Can you offer any advice or recommend starting points for someone that would like to learn the basics?

Thanks,
Ken

[johndoe]

Very nice! I'm always envious when I see someone with the skills to do these sort of projects.

[Regulator]

Rigor Tortoise, Like most things it is easiest to learn from someone who can personally instruct you. However, that’s not to say that you can’t teach yourself. The basics are in books and I’m sure online. The hardest part (actually welding) becomes easy pretty quickly with a bit of practice.

If you really want to learn to weld and fab things up my suggestion is to grab a book, get a welder and some scrap steel and just start practicing. You can get welders fairly cheap and a little 110 gasless wire welder is very handy for a lot of work. You can buy bigger down the road if you find you like this type of thing.

I like being able to make and repair things for the usefulness of the item but also for the creative control and the money savings over buying or having someone else repair things for me.

Good luck



johndoe, Thanks!

[neilbilly]

Nice fab work, especially on the dash.

Just my .02 but why not shoot the whole rig in bedliner material?

Again, great work on the rig, thanks for sharing the build.

[Regulator]

Hey thanks! I was pleased with how the dash turned out too as it was my first attempt playing with fiberglass. Now I’m tryin to come up with other glass projects to try. As far as bedliner goes, my intention is to spray the bottom 12” or so all the way around and about 4” around the wheel wells. Sprayin the whole truck would look badass but damn it’d be heavy, lol.

I’ll be updating this thread as things get done, but all is on hold till warmer weather.

I saw your Land Rover in the BOV porn thread. Nice! Awesome paint. Your comment about slammin your finger in the door till the feeling passed made me lol for real.

[hminus]

Dude.. you are an artist with a welder... Also, how did you make the seat covers? I want to do the same thing to my 1980 Jeep J20 bench seat.

[neilbilly]

I'd of never guessed it was your first fiberglass mod attempt, nailed it man. Looks good.

All of the other spot fixes look buttoned up tight as well. I really like the hydraulic winch. If you don't mind I might have to hit you up for specs and capabilities on that. I'm kicking some ideas around in my shop looking to mock up a light vehicle powered by a motorcycle engine. Likely an older Yamaha air cooled inline 4 but still in planning mode on that. Found a 1980 Maxim 650 but it was in too good a shape for too cheap to hack it, so I'm doing a fun bike build with it.

Totally serious on the Rover thumb in the door thing. I have spent the last 8 years trying to figure out why they did some things the way they did them. I know they started with a heater core and worked their way out, but I'm convinced most of the design team was inbred. It's capable and well made, but things like having a lockable CDL with no way to actually lock it make me scratch my head. I solved that issue with a couple of pieces of scrap metal and a few bolts, so at least I can lock it up if I want to.

Didn't think of the weight with a total cover in bedliner. Good point.

Keep us posted on the project, it's going well.

[aa1pr]

It is going to be one mean heavy chevy when all is said and done !

Nice fab skills.

[762Coyote]

This truck is bad ass. I have an 89 Suburban back in Texas that I am going to start rebuilding into a BOV when i move back next month. You have definitely given me some good ideas

[Anlushac11]

Excellent work!

Was especially interested in your interior pics, Im now driving a 90 Suburban and your dash and center console is identical to mine. Had to laugh at your 2 DIN box on the dash as I was looking to doing the exact same thing, dont like stock stereo location.

Where did you get the MOLLE seat covers as I was looking at somthing liket hat too, wanted to mount all the quick access tools like de-icing tool, screwdrivers, tire iron, etc. on the seat back for easy access

What size wheels and tires are you running? Im running 31x10.5x 15 but was thinking of going bigger. Main thing holding me back is I know it detracts from gas mileage and I am already cringing at 11mpg because mine is my daily driver.

I also want the Burb barn door rear as I have seen some cool mods that had a fold down table and big tools mounted to door inside.

Love the truck, keep up the excellent work, looking forward to seeing more.

[wyominglostandfound]

great work on that blazer! i am a fan of early 80's GMC and Chevy trucks , have 2 myself and my best friend has a Jimmy identical to mine. he has fabbed and modded the hell out of his and i have been pondering several mods myself. thinking about attempting a full multicam paint job on my 84 Jimmy. i got it burried up to the axles yesterday and sad to say had to get pulled out by a Ford but it was in the gumbo pretty deep and a good buddy had a double braided inch and a quarter tow rope to get western with it. not the first time i got buried and won't be the last either. i'm going to get another set of the TSL Super Swampers when i can afford it. heres a couple pics. hope you get some use out of that tent Regulator!

[Regulator]

hminus, the seat covers are just JC Whiney products. The mollee panels are surplus for Hummers. I found them on eBay.

neilbilly, there’s a link a bit further back in this thread on that winch that’ll tell you everything about it. As far as motorcycle powered toys, I have a 500cc Ninja motor in the shop for just that reason. I’ve always thought putting it on a go kart would be fun, lol.

Anlushac11, That box is about 2 din size, I hadn’t thought about that. I put it in for my scanner a couple safety switches and a vac gauge. The mollee panels came from eBay as stated above. I’m running 33x12.5 and will go to 35’s next time around. Your gas mileage will not go up,

wyominglostandfound, Thanks! I too like the 80’s stuff, easy to work on and has attitude. I don’t know why but I was thinking you had a Suburban. Nice truck though. Multicam would be cool, I have been considering going digital urban on mine much like my bike. Not sure yet tho, many things to do first yet.

As tempting as it is to just blow it in place as opposed to being pulled out by a Ford, I too have had it happen. Of course I have pulled out my Ford driving buddies a few times to so we generally just don’t speak of it and continue to talk shit about what ever we don’t drive.

I’ll definitely get some use outta the tent and post pics when I do. Thanks again.

[grand94jeep]

Glad to see this thread still going.

[Regulator]

Damn, now that it's bumped I'm gonna have to get off my ass and post new pics

[rockingthe2]

Damn, now that it's bumped I'm gonna have to get off my ass and post new pics

While your at it lets see some pics of that urban digital bicycle you have, I wanna see how it looks!

[0122358]

Hey regulator, how do you like that T350 tranny? Any advatages over the ole' 700R4 tranny?

[Regulator]

Hey regulator, how do you like that T350 transmission? Any advatages over the ole' 700R4 transmission?

I've had a couple 700's mated to 305's in Blazers and they sucked. Of course the 305's suck too IMO. I have heard stories about 700's being setup just right and being awesome tranny's, I've just never met anyone who could actually do it.

I do like the 350/350 combo. Simple, easy to fix and get parts for and never given me any trouble I didn't deserve. I drive a little easier now, but at least I know what they're capable of. I'd go 350 first, then 400, then 700 given a choice.

[Regulator]

Damn, now that it's bumped I'm gonna have to get off my ass and post new pics

While your at it lets see some pics of that urban digital bicycle you have, I wanna see how it looks!

Sorry man, not sure how I missed your post. Here's a couple pics of the bike