nice, cant wait to see it....ive got some caddy tails waiting to go in also.
Cadillac tails project thread
3
Ok guys and gals, I'm just now starting on my trucks ass remodeling (again). I thought about doing a how-to, but I like progress threads much better, they're more fun to read and somehow seem more interesting to me. Anyways, the point of this thread is to let those who are interested follow along as I finish off the rear of my truck.
I'm not a body expert by any means, but I can get it close enough to right so that my body man doesn't hate me when it's time for paint. The techniques I use can be used for basically any body mods, so if you want to learn keep up. If you already know how to do this stuff, just ignore me, I'm probably doing it all wrong LOL.
Anyways, to recap, here's what I've got:
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That's an old pic... everytime I see it I miss the ZQ8 wheels more. For those of you who don't know what you're looking at, that's a grant fab roll pan, shaved gate handle, and the SS urethane spoiler. Pretty much your typical over-done "mini-truck" (I despise that term) mods. The spoiler is getting removed for the sake of cleanliness. Here's some old pics of some of that work:
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Yes, it was white once upon a time. Hell, it might end up white in the future, that"s still up in the air.
![]()
If you've got a keen eye, you also noticed that this rollpan was installed pre-body drop.
This is all old news if you've seen some of my older threads, but stay tuned in, there's new stuff coming up after the break.
I'm not a body expert by any means, but I can get it close enough to right so that my body man doesn't hate me when it's time for paint. The techniques I use can be used for basically any body mods, so if you want to learn keep up. If you already know how to do this stuff, just ignore me, I'm probably doing it all wrong LOL.
Anyways, to recap, here's what I've got:
That's an old pic... everytime I see it I miss the ZQ8 wheels more. For those of you who don't know what you're looking at, that's a grant fab roll pan, shaved gate handle, and the SS urethane spoiler. Pretty much your typical over-done "mini-truck" (I despise that term) mods. The spoiler is getting removed for the sake of cleanliness. Here's some old pics of some of that work:
Yes, it was white once upon a time. Hell, it might end up white in the future, that"s still up in the air.
If you've got a keen eye, you also noticed that this rollpan was installed pre-body drop.
This is all old news if you've seen some of my older threads, but stay tuned in, there's new stuff coming up after the break.
1 - 20 of 168 Posts
7
Gas filler is already gone lol... those are OLD pics.
I had a thread on the carolina355 forum, but I'll post some of that here too since you brought it up.
First off, I recomend just buying a filler. Sure you can make one, but they're dirt cheap (think 10 bucks) and cutting a circle isn't as easy as you think. Once you get a filler, it's usually cut oversize for an exact fit. Just trim it until it fits perfectly and tack it in place:
![]()
Continue to tack all the way around the filler, using a uniform spacing. Notice I knocked the paint of where I'm tacking to get a solid weld. Probably should have mentioned that earlier.
![]()
Take your time. If you go too fast, or use too much juice here, you will warp the panel. Even if you do it absolutely perfectly, you'll probably still warp it some, so don't sweat it.
Keep tacking around the filler. Stop and let it cool every time you make a complete 360 degrees. Ocassionally, you'll want to grind it down and check for porosity and fill any holes you didn't see before with weld:
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Getting close... it's not pretty, but it works:
![]()
Last pass with the welder:
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Some black primer to help me see any holes:
![]()
What it looks like today after a little bit of mud and a lot of sanding:
![]()
I had a thread on the carolina355 forum, but I'll post some of that here too since you brought it up.
First off, I recomend just buying a filler. Sure you can make one, but they're dirt cheap (think 10 bucks) and cutting a circle isn't as easy as you think. Once you get a filler, it's usually cut oversize for an exact fit. Just trim it until it fits perfectly and tack it in place:
Continue to tack all the way around the filler, using a uniform spacing. Notice I knocked the paint of where I'm tacking to get a solid weld. Probably should have mentioned that earlier.
Take your time. If you go too fast, or use too much juice here, you will warp the panel. Even if you do it absolutely perfectly, you'll probably still warp it some, so don't sweat it.
Keep tacking around the filler. Stop and let it cool every time you make a complete 360 degrees. Ocassionally, you'll want to grind it down and check for porosity and fill any holes you didn't see before with weld:
Getting close... it's not pretty, but it works:
Last pass with the welder:
Some black primer to help me see any holes:
What it looks like today after a little bit of mud and a lot of sanding:
9
Ok, so here's the first NEW pics in this thread lol... been pretty much a waste so far...
Anyways, tail light on the left, filler on the right... wait, that's not right....
![]()
^^ those tail lights are for sale. Ebay clear lense black cheapies. I paid 100 bones for them a few months ago, they can be had for the low, low price of 50 bucks plus shipping. Flawless condition except for one piece of styrofoam packing material that ended up inside one. I was too lazy to get it out at the time. PM me for details.
Before you weld ANYTHING, disconnect your battery, and this little booger under the hood. Fried PCM not only smells terrible, it'll cost you 800 bucks too. Ask me how I know.
![]()
This area under the tailight has to go to make a smooth transition from the filler to the roll pan.
![]()
Tack the filler in place. I rolled these fillers by hand on my english wheel. Just fucking with ya, they're the grant fabrication pieces, and they are pretty sweet. The only thing I can roll by hand I can't mention on this forum :naughty:
![]()
Mark and cut off the excess:
![]()
Check fit. At this point, you're thinking your new shaved tail lights are looking pretty sweet. But we're not done yet, before you admire your handy work too much, it's time to hack up those new fillers:
![]()
Next, trace your caddy bucket onto the filler. The sir micheals buckets I'm using come with a handy metal template for this step. I didn't get any pics, but you basically tack it exactly where you want the light, then mark the spot. I used a mineral metal marker, a sharpie works just as good.
![]()
Now cut your hole out. I used a router to get the basic shape, then a grinder and cut off wheel to fine tune it. Still working on that actually, the buckets won't fit right now due to an inconvieniently place factory mount and the lower tailgate support button thing (whatever it's called.
![]()
Now at this point, I had to stop and talk to annoying neighbor guy (he's actually pretty cool, but has WAY too many questions), and I stuck the light in there just to see what it was starting to look like. Still needs some trimming, and you can see how it doesn't fit all the way at the bottom. I'll remedy that a little later.
![]()
So right now I'm running to work for a sec with an illegal single tail light. More to come soon.
Anyways, tail light on the left, filler on the right... wait, that's not right....
^^ those tail lights are for sale. Ebay clear lense black cheapies. I paid 100 bones for them a few months ago, they can be had for the low, low price of 50 bucks plus shipping. Flawless condition except for one piece of styrofoam packing material that ended up inside one. I was too lazy to get it out at the time. PM me for details.
Before you weld ANYTHING, disconnect your battery, and this little booger under the hood. Fried PCM not only smells terrible, it'll cost you 800 bucks too. Ask me how I know.
This area under the tailight has to go to make a smooth transition from the filler to the roll pan.
Tack the filler in place. I rolled these fillers by hand on my english wheel. Just fucking with ya, they're the grant fabrication pieces, and they are pretty sweet. The only thing I can roll by hand I can't mention on this forum :naughty:
Mark and cut off the excess:
Check fit. At this point, you're thinking your new shaved tail lights are looking pretty sweet. But we're not done yet, before you admire your handy work too much, it's time to hack up those new fillers:
Next, trace your caddy bucket onto the filler. The sir micheals buckets I'm using come with a handy metal template for this step. I didn't get any pics, but you basically tack it exactly where you want the light, then mark the spot. I used a mineral metal marker, a sharpie works just as good.
Now cut your hole out. I used a router to get the basic shape, then a grinder and cut off wheel to fine tune it. Still working on that actually, the buckets won't fit right now due to an inconvieniently place factory mount and the lower tailgate support button thing (whatever it's called.
Now at this point, I had to stop and talk to annoying neighbor guy (he's actually pretty cool, but has WAY too many questions), and I stuck the light in there just to see what it was starting to look like. Still needs some trimming, and you can see how it doesn't fit all the way at the bottom. I'll remedy that a little later.
So right now I'm running to work for a sec with an illegal single tail light. More to come soon.
1 - 20 of 168 Posts
