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Project Brusier (Trooper-UP)

37K views 119 replies 34 participants last post by  VX1032 
#1 ·
So here she is as she sits now, except for the broken tranny pan bolts, and the piece of exhaust missing, she is ready to start the body work, or finish, since the top has already been chopped. I will keep everything in this thread so you can all stare in wonder at my trials of learning to weld.



Have to lose about two inches in the rear window area for my tastes, but that's my baby!
 
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#2 ·
That is one hell of a project. So what is the vision for this machine?

For your comfort I would try to pick up a set of used Jeep softtop windows and cut them down to size and install snaps so you can try to keep some of the heat in in the winter. Besttop sells a kit just for repairing or replacing softtop snaps. I still have mine from my Jeep days.

Good Luck!!
 
#3 ·
Once the rear section gets welded on, I need to build a rear wall to seperate the cab from the bed. I have a rear pickup window from a 91 pickup that will go in as the rear window, and the side windows will be glass, cut down from the existing windows I took from the trooper, well I hope. If I can't I might just sheet metal over it and make it a big B pillar, that would be easier.
 
#8 ·
thats awesome! this one looks more original than other troopers ive seen with the roof chopped off. it looks clean also.

im guessing your thinking on a roll bar?
 
#9 ·
Sticker space would be pretty big!!

Actually, at the moment I am not thinking of a roll bar, but I won
t rule it out. there is a lot of beef in the D pillar and it is close to the B pillar, though it does rest on the door that isn't all that reinforced, so that might be the solution instead. Not sure yet.

Yes, doors are getting welded shut and eventually you won't know they were there, or that is the plan.
 
#12 ·
Been spending a little time working on the truck. I needed to buy a welder and all the other toys since I have never welded anything prior to this project. Yeah, I picked sheetmetal to learn to weld on. I like living on the edge.



Here is the roof welded together, lapped with the rear going under the front. Gonna need some bondo to level the gaps and make the transition smoother, but overall, it is serviceable I think.



Here is the drip rail, lined up, needs a little push up at the joint, but not too bad. Nice how the body barely changes from the front to the back on the early troopers.




Drivers side is all I have worked on so far, tying the rails together with a piece of 1/8" steel and then the door to the rear tub. Tomorrow I tie more of the 'C' pillar to the rail.



The door is mostly welded shut now. I took a small piece of steel stock into the gap and welded it over. Bondo should take care of the dimples as the door was not flush with the rear quarter anyways.

I need to tidy up the drivers side then move to the passengers side. I also need to make a rail for the entire tub area to cap the bedrails and pinch weld, that way the 1/8" steel will never be seen.

A friend suggested I leave it open, Bronco style, but I an still going to put the wall up and make a true pickup.
 
#15 ·
Mostly trails, but used as a pickup around town on the needed occasion. It will have paint, black and blue, hence the name, but it will also have some body dents and the paint will be done by me probably, so far from perfect.

Haven't gotten to the rear door handle yet. I have a couple rust spots to fix too. Need to figure out the best way to cut sheet metal, and to buy some. Been using the scraps from the roof chop for the current patches, but the rear wall is going to use most of the roof so I need to find a local supplier.

Measured the pickup bed and it comes out to 52", 3" longer than a SportTrac bed, enough room for some bark mulch and concrete!
 
#16 ·
Most definitely going to be a cool ride once it's done! I'll be watching, and as far as your 'chopping' goes, how much did you take off the top? I love the first gen Troopers, just find their stance a bit.... Top heavy?
 
#18 ·
Audacity said:
Most definitely going to be a cool ride once it's done! I'll be watching, and as far as your 'chopping' goes, how much did you take off the top? I love the first gen Troopers, just find their stance a bit.... Top heavy?
Go to the link in my signature and you can see all the pics. Sawzall and grinder.

Supposed to do more work today, but the garage is 46 degrees and the welder is just about out of gas. Might only get an hour or so in. Oh well football and beer afterwards since no one around here sells gas on Sundays!
 
#19 ·
VX1032 said:
http://picasaweb.google.com/RyanVehiX/ProjectBruiser#
Keep those photos coming, Ryan! --- You're inspiring me to build a makeshift tarp garage and start getting something (anything!) done on the Rodeo 8)

Cheers!
Smiley
 
#21 ·
Well, Joe, if you want to teach, I might have an extra bed at the house here. If you got the time, I might be able to come up with the fundage!!

Kinda wishing I would have played with the welder more before I went at it, but they all look functional to me, though not pretty. It is VERY relaxing though to go and work on it after everything else, nice release.
 
#23 ·
Pictures below of the progress this weekend (today). Seems like I am out of town every weekend, so thank god for days off. I think I got a little high from the fumes from the work this morning.

Don't pay attention to the dates on the pictures.

Left Side C pillar, old D pillar, welded in.


The next two pics are the sheetmetal piece I had to cut out and weld in to seal off the rear door. Now there is no access to the rear door hinges and it will be a cleaner door jam for the driver's door. The pictures don't give the lack of room to the rear weld justice. It is tough getting the MIG torch back there. Welds on the front seam are looking better.



There rear portion of this rocker had a piece of silver tape, bondo, and blue spray paint that hid the hole in the rocker. I knew about it so I knew this patch was coming.


What I didn't know, was that there was a hole here. While welding the bondo just kinda krinkled up and the wire brush exposed this. That will be next week. But on a nicer note, that line of spot welds is looking much better.


Now I just have that hole on the rocker to fix, fill the door handle in, and then grind grind grind. Once that is done, I can flip the truck around and start work on the passengers side.

I remember some one saying use an 86 2dr to start because it would be a lot easier. I wanted the AT tranny, and axles from an 88 instead. I am beginning to think it might have been easier swapping the axles and tranny. Oh well. My first roll of welding wire is just about up, second bottle is 2/3s gone as well.
 
#24 ·
Wow! Wish I had the time and money to do projects like this! Also wish we had clean bodied Troopers here in the midwest! All the older import trucks are all rusted out. Gotta go south just to find a decent one... Great project!
 
#25 ·
Two more weekends, and a good deal of progress.

Drivers side has been completely welded and ground down.

Swapped the VX and Trooper in the garage for better light and started on the passagers side.

Passangers side as it is now, just needing some grinding, all welded up.






The passangers side has the wires to the brake lights running down it. Normally this runs along the roof to the c pillar and then drops down on one side for the RR door adjar switch and then to the rear for the license plate light and brake lights, while also branching across above the c pillar to the drivers side for the LR door adjar switch.

I drilled holes in the door jam prior to welding and had to line with hose to prevent chafing. Also had to drill a hole in the 1/8 plate that goes across the top of the door prior to welding.





After it was al welded up I rant the harness back through, starting with a hole I had to drill in the new C pillar.





All to get to this little connector.



As she sits now. Path the hole I took the photo of the wires in C pillar and a rust hole in the bed and then grind it all down and the passangers side is done. Another 2-3 hours.



Need to learn how to make C channel out of sheet metal without a brake soon for the structure of the rear wall. I will hopefully be doing that next weekend.
 
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