2002 Z71 Restoration

[JoeliusZ28]

This is what it looked like when i pulled the bed off, and sitting outside the past couple months probably hasn't done it any favors. Hopefully i will get it indoors again soon.

[DynoDave]

Very interesting. Always learning new things here. Thanks for all the photos and info.

[mikewoods]

Awesome project Joel! I just picked up a 2002 Silverado 2500hd from Texas, hoping I don?t have a similar project in the near future. Looking forward to your updates .

[MP81]

Hopefully the "Texas" part of that equation helps you out there.

[JoeliusZ28]

Awesome project Joel! I just picked up a 2002 Silverado 2500hd from Texas, hoping I don?t have a similar project in the near future. Looking forward to your updates .

Less corrosion and more metal, so i doubt you'll have any issue at all with that one. Half tons like mine are pretty flimsy. If i was more confident in my ability id consider fabricating an entire new back-half of the truck with stronger steel.

[JoeliusZ28]

Got the momentum back on this project today. Took less than an hour to get the bedside off and i suspect putting a new one back on wont take much longer. This was the right way to go, it lets me take care of all that rust i couldnt get to with the bedside on, and i bought a bad ass metal scaler to make quick work of it. hoping a few more nights in the garage and I'll be ready to dump it at the body shop for paint and wash my hands of it. I'm thinking about hanging the passenger bedside in my living room as wall art. Too bachelor of a move?

[MP81]

One of my favorite moments in South Park to use as a gif!

Good work!

[DynoDave]

Wow, nice job. You'll be happy with the result.

[JoeliusZ28]

image_59750.jpgimage_59747.jpgimage_59751.jpgimage_59749.jpgimage_59748.jpgimage_59746.jpgimage_59752.jpg Some more progress. My goal is to have this back together and be daily driving it by May 1st. In the last week and half I've done:

-Coated one inner bedside with painted with 2 coats of POR15.
-Got the hitch and bumper assembly off and apart. Hitch is still solid unlike how it appeared but will be replaced with a new class 5 anyway. Bumper needs a new main brace and a couple brackets which should be here today.
-The new bedsides came in last night and my heart sunk when I saw how they were tossed onto a shipping pallet. Thankfully i lucked out with only a minor ding exactly where the body molding will cover it up but I'll have Curt fill it in anyway. Not worth the hassle of returning.

With any luck I'll have at least one of the bedsides completely finished this weekend. Hopefully more.

[JoeliusZ28]

Some more progress. Realized im going to have to set the bed back on the truck before i can weld the new bedside in place because there?s nothing to positively align the fit. (with body lines on the cab). But im getting there. Also pulled out the bedliner and started making note of all the spots in the bedfloor i need to patch, hopefully ill get that knocked out over the weekend.

9540CFB9-BB73-4235-BD10-D973364E91FE.jpeg2CBD798F-023C-4C1D-B969-CADF944B1384.jpeg76E4DAA6-FE0E-477A-A1A4-584F54B0CCB7.jpeg56AD0611-6E2F-4356-8241-EA965F5D3524.jpeg4396AA0B-8987-4782-882B-7ACAD1D83EA8.jpeg9B95B701-4296-472D-B280-4A3602EFA780.jpeg

[MP81]

[JoeliusZ28]

Bed will be coming back off again before the project is done, but i got the passenger side tacked permanently into position today. Driver side is just hanging, hope to get that one tomorrow if the weather is nice enough.

[DynoDave]

Looking good Joel!

[JoeliusZ28]

Got a lot done this weekend with the beautiful weather. Still have more welding to do but driver side is mostly done. The passenger side fit perfect, but the driver side did not. It was as if the top of the bedside was not properly aligned with the rest of the panel so that the way it hung on the truck left a huge gap on the tailight. It was a good 3/8? inch or more that i had to force with a prybar and then reshape the front edge by the back window. Doing that pulled it exactly into alignment with the old spot welds too. Guess thats what i get for cheap panels but the finished product looks pretty darn good, and actually look better than i expected.

[MP81]

Wow, that looks great - way to go.