Extreme Makeover, Ugly Work Truck Edition...

My project for today.... changing bed and both bumpers, (got for 300) and adding my new ARE topper, (200 from craigslist)

Starting pix...

At least you already got the rims on.

Yeah, I needed some tires a few months go and they were on sale, I couldn't resist at $100 ea.

I will be puting a new cab and front fenders/ hood on later this season.

Now it's time for some natural medicine and an impact gun. Best part of the new bed is it is the same color as my truck is. Bonus.

Would it not be easier to just lift the radiator cap up and drive a new truck under it ?

One thing I am glad we don't have here is all the rust.

The topper looks nice lol

Cole

Probably would be, lol. She's rusty but trusty. And after the rims, tires, HD shocks, full break job, starter, water pump, tune up, now bed and topper. I've decided to put a decent body on it and keep it for a while, i'd give it to my baby brother when he graduates in 2 yeas but I doubt he could afford the gas.

While the bed is off you should consider using a rust converter on the frame and anything else that is effected by road salt.

Rustoleum makes a converter that is $5.99 for an 8oz bottle. It works great and you only need to get the loose scale off, clean it with soapy water before application..no need to get to bare metal.

Atleast you won't have to roll your fenders to accommodate bigger tires.

I use to dump that crap all over my old bondo bucks that I drove and they still fell apart the next year, I don't think it does a darn thing.

Not being rude here, not at all!

But that truck looks pretty rough man, I'd either keep running it in the ground, or find another.

The time and money your going to spend getting it up to par,...you'd be money ahead to find one a little nicer to fix up.

I've always drove old used vehicles myself, but I would never invest to much in anything that rough.


Best of luck to you, sincerely

It doesnt work on bondo.

I got over the shiny new truck phase many years ago.
We now have a new (old) saying in our family. "Drive it until it dies".
Haven't lost one in a really long time.

As far as what other people think ph*** 'em.

I had limited cash and about 12 hours to get another truck as our other one was tied up on a job 3 hours from home when I bought it. Normally I would agree with you.

The back was not nealy as bad before it got plowed parked in front of my house at 5:40am a few months back. Mechanicly the "big ugly" as I refer to it, is sound and I would not hesitate to hop in and drive to california at a moments notice.

She's been very good to me, and for 500 invested, I can't go wrong for what I'm doing today. Especialy because I got 800 from their insuance company.

I've also never "been through" a vehicle t this extent efore, i'd like to put another 1500 into a decent cab and front end for it and have a solid beater truck when I move into something nicer next year.... I'm thinking 1 ton single axle diesel.

I am full aware I'll have 6k in it when I'm done but this ones worth it to me.

Sorry typo, bondo buckets, as in old beat up vehicles.

If image is the concern ,it goes under Fail,, I have a pickup but it wasn't a good buy anyhow, in retrospect after getting the brakes done twice because the parts are such crap these days and then add on new tires , I sure wish I shopped harder, I'd like a cap and I could have got one with a whole truck included that sort of thing parts separated from vehicle make an it expensive but as a whole far cheaper, also considering repainting my astro to match the sign but extra 1100 seems near as cheap to replace it even though it runs good, Take a look under neath your box and see it it would fall off completely if you hit rail way tracks too fast , I've seen a few of those

Gotcha, I was being a smart A anyway. There is a limit to what a converter will do for rust but it does work.

I have to make best with what I have at the moment. Switching the beds gives me a weekend activity.

It took a 45mph shot while parked and totaled the car and went to work that day with no issues other than cosmetic damage. The truck was on their hood.

I gotta admit I was thinking the same thing some of the other guys are saying, but you sound like you have a plan & some decent parts, so my money is on you having to rename "Big ugly" when you're done.

I was once the person who always bought old stuff and patched it together on a weekly basis. Every repair I said "oh well its better than payments every month". My last three vehicles have been new and I make payments every month...but I don't miss crawling under them changing parts in the winter one bit.