The slight rake provided by the Belltech-dropped-suspension stance makes this truck a driver that will easily negotiate even the sharpest of driveway approaches and the steepest of parking lot speed bumps. The finishing touches included the right wheels and tires. We chose a set of polished Boyds Vintage 6 billet wheels and BFGoodrich tires. The Boyds added just enough of a hint of the contemporary while maintaining an early-truck flavor. |
The new steel roll pan definitely gave this truck that modern sport truck look we were trying to capture, while retaining the clean body lines of the 1979 Chevy. Dual polished stainless steel exhaust tips added a little flare. Note the fabric covering the tailgate straps; it insulates the straps from rubbing against and marring the brilliant red paint finish. |
Every inch of the truck was either re-worked or touched up, and the wood bed was no exception. Golden State Pickup Parts supplied the new polished hardwood and even finished the hold-down straps in satin black. The wood and the strips really stand out against the polished stainless steel bolts. |
With the paint process completed, it was time for reassembly. New vent window glass from Golden State Pickup Parts was installed in the upper regulator channels. The factory window regulators were cleaned up and regreased. |
Despite their age, the factory door hinges hadn&8217t sagged, so we saved a little money by simply giving them a fresh coat of red paint. Once dry, the hinges were installed on the doorjambs and the doors were attached. |
Each door was adjusted to fit the door openings. The final adjustments weren&8217t made until the front fenders were installed. All the gaps will be even along the closed and installed pieces, so until everything is in place, the finished pieces are being held temporarily in place. |
All project truck builds should include new window felts. Not only will the felts help to seal out water and wind noise, their fresh look makes the truck appear brand new. So, once again, Golden State Pickup Parts was called on to do the job. The felts snap into place after the old ones have been removed. |
Due to the age of and the numerous pits on the OEM side glass, we elected to have Best Glass Installers fit Operation Retro Ride with new glass. Once the glass was fitted into the side channels, it was bolted to the window regulators. |
Best Glass Installers also handled the windshield installation using brand-new window gaskets. |
We chose to install the inner fender panel onto the truck prior to installing the fender. With a fresh coat of paint and new mounting hardware, the inner fender panel was ready to go in no time. |
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The fenders were now ready to be mated to the radiator core support and frame (extreme care should be taken not to damage the freshly painted finishes). |
To aid the assembly process, we used new rubber body mounts. You don’t necessarily have to use new body mounts, but the added cost is minor, new mounts will make the assembly job easier, and you&8217ll get better-looking results. |
Once both sets of fenders were installed, a final alignment was made to ensure that all of the gaps would be the same when the doors are closed, and that the lower body seams were equal. |
As with most any other 20-year-old parts, the hood hinges were worn out. So, Golden State Pickup Parts supplied our project with a brand-new set. Once the hinges were painted to match the underhood finish, they were installed onto the truck. The newly painted and smoothed hood was also installed and aligned. |
The Golden State Pickup Parts wood bed kit was next on the list of to-do items. Each wood bed kit comes complete with new wood slats, powdercoated metal hold-down straps, and all the necessary mounting hardware. We chose to have our hold-down straps powdercoated black, but you can have them chrome-plated, which is how they are on trucks sent from the factory to dealership showrooms. |
Once the tongue-in-groove wood slats are laid out and arranged, the metal straps are placed in between the wood strips. The entire bed kit is then bolted to the underside bed crossmembers using the stainless steel mounting hardware provided. |
Using four strong CSR technicians, Operation Retro Ride’s pickup bed was lifted onto the back framerails of the truck. Once it was positioned, Golden State Pickup Parts stainless steel hardware was installed to ensure that the bed won’t move or creak on the truck&8217s framerails. |
With the installation of the exterior sheetmetal completed, attention was turned to the truck’s inner confines. Again, Golden State Pickup Parts supplied us with a complete interior kit which included a new headliner, carpet for the floor, door panels, seat covers, and rear panels. First on the agenda of items to install was the headliner. It simply fitted up under the cab&8217s roof. |
Carefully position the new headliner in the desired location while you attach the plastic rear panels. The new door panels reinstall in place of the old ones. Golden State Pickup Parts door panels include mounting clips which attach in the OEM location. |
After the stock bench seat was rebuilt using new foam and springs, the Seatz Manufacturing cover was slipped over the framework. It’s truly amazing the effect a new set of seat threads has on a truck&8217s look. |
The supplied hog rings hold the new Seatz Manufacturing cover in place. Seatz even supplies hog ring pliers to lessen the hassle of trying to fit the rings to the seat frame and the cover. |
New carpet completes the interior rebuild. The carpet in each kit is formed specifically for the truck’s year, make, and model, so be specific when ordering, and like us, you’ll be confident that it will fit perfectly. |
After any finished sport truck project build, we like to sit back and admire the results (like the beautiful red finish that adorns the sheetmetal of Operation Retro Ride). And at the same time we lament that the project is over and we have to turn our attention to upcoming projects.
Before we show the final assembly of Operation Retro Ride we want to remind you, our readers who are working on or just completing your very own sport truck builds, to keep in mind that the final assembly process shouldn't be a hurry-up-and-throw-the-pieces-on procedure. The same amount of time and devotion you spent tearing the project apart needs to be spent when you reassembe the project. Care should be taken to prevent scratching the freshly painted surfaces or nicking that freshly chromed bumper, and when tweaking that ultra-hard-to-find interior piece.
Again, top-notch quality standards must be maintained to ensure a well-constructed retro sport truck. Just as the expert folks at California Street Rods have been an integral part of our past builds, they again stepped up to help in the final assembly.