GMC Jacke's van

Installed my front door weather stripping. The Steele product fit very good, I would recommend them so far they have been a good. Correct top corners and bottom door corner edges. Letting them dry over night to assure no sag or bend from closing the doors before the 3M is totally cured. Doors will be much better, the old rubber was hard and seen it's day. Next I have too install the felt along window ledge.
Worked on the rear panels as well. Got two pieces cut and installed. Also did door check straps for my front doors. I did not want to cut into the doors to weld a original or replacement door stops. So the straps I made and the little 2" black oxide footman loops were perfect very low profile and just the right piece.

Watch those clips for the window fuzzy strips. The ones on the Repops kit are plastic and a few either broke or didn't hold in the slots, don't know about the Steele kit if that's what you have. I think the originals were metal clips? Solution is to use a dab of JB weld and hold them in place with a cardboard shim against the glass until epoxy sets. Also, the strips were too long and had to be trimmed to fit. Even with new seals, if the doors don't seal airtight (mine didn't even with hinge adjustment) simply add a strip of stick on weatherstrip to the body side wherever it leaks, no one will ever know...you'll hear if it leaks at speed....you can also do the paper test, close the door on a piece of paper and see if it pulls out easy all along the edges to tell if weatherstrip is making full contact!

Amazing thread and van!

Vantasia wrote:Watch those clips for the window fuzzy strips.  The ones on the Repops kit are plastic and a few either broke or didn't hold in the slots, don't know about the Steele kit if that's what you have. I think the originals were metal clips?  Solution is to use a dab of JB weld and hold them in place with a cardboard shim against the glass until epoxy sets.  Also, the strips were too long and had to be trimmed to fit.  Even with new seals, if the doors don't seal airtight (mine didn't even with hinge adjustment) simply add a strip of stick on weatherstrip to the body side wherever it leaks, no one will ever know...you'll hear if it leaks at speed....you can also do the paper test, close the door on a piece of paper and see if it pulls out easy all along the edges to tell if weatherstrip is making full contact!

Thanks! I will check it out. I have not opened up that box yet!

divisionbrewing wrote:Amazing thread and van!

Thanks very much! I can't wait to see what you are gonna do!

Okay, I am having a hard time getting the cut correct for the back panel with the gas filler coming up from the floor! I have ruined a good piece of wood now... I cannot seem to figure the correct measurement, doing a curved back rather than straight or a 45 angle. I never liked to measure as I am always just a few ticks off. In this case about a full inch off! So I guess I will make a template from card board. I really thought I would be able to do it with just the measurements. Trying to be a carpenter is not easy... I appreciate you builders out there!
So I may just need to work a little more patient... hmmmm. I am not patient!

You'll get there, Jacke. The cardboard cut out will be much more accurate. Not real easy to be accurate when cutting a curve from measurements only....I have faith in you!!!

A suggestion, get the opening close then add more pattern with tape.

If this helps, I just cut around it and covered it with glue-on speaker cabinet covering like my wheel wells...a flexible curved ruler is also useful for copying and laying out curves, any craft or office store sells them...

I had a bit of a stroke, slowed me down for a couple a weeks.  
But last weekend Rich came over and helped me quite a bit! He helped re-connect the rear license plate wires up. We started to install the front cowl, but were delayed as my heater/defroster was missing the inside flap. Luckily Rich had a spar flap which he is putting into the armature, I have a new heater core to install too. Not that I will ever need to use a heater as I have the 350 next to me.
But, maybe if I were camping and driving in 30 degree weather I might need a heater? No?
Anyway today I finished installing the wood for the panels to attach to along the walls. Tomorrow I will cut and install the roof pieces for the paneling to attach too.
I am getting closer it seems to actually seeing an interior come together!

You'll still need a heater in cold weather...when its real cold, the doghouse gets cold to the touch when moving at speed no matter what the engine temp is and the floor by your feet will get real chilly, always good to have working plus you'll need the defroster to work occasionally....although with a 1st gen, you can wipe the windshield with a rag pretty easy!

Well I have not been driving. But, Rich can over and helped me get some testing done to see if the van would die while driving. Hooked up Don's test light and off I went. Rich followed me , just incase I had any problems. But, the van ran like a top? Okay I will put on the bumpers now and even the license plate; Working again on my interior many curves and bends to work with. But it is starting to look nice! Here is the maiden voyage of "Goldie"

WOW! Goldie looks Fantastic!!!

So happy to hear you're feeling better and once again making progress...

Congrats to you and your Left Coast Gang who are helping you with Goldie. All your efforts are starting to be rewarded. I'm loving the stance Goldie has, are the rear rims slightly larger than the fronts? Whatever the combination is, it looks Great!!!

,,,,next test would be to let the van sit there in your driveway and let it run for at least 15 minutes,,,,,,,see if it dies after the engine heats up,,,,,,

Been working on the interior off and on... had a 40 ft tree fall on my roof, so I have been busy. Luckily I had time to move my vehicles!  
Not done by a long shot, but here is some progress pictures. I have been bending the wood to the inside shape. I have broken a few boards in the process. But I am learning as I go, I never worked with the curves like this before. I think it looks good so far. But we will see if my ideas really work. Big ideas, little knowledge... dangerous!  
I have been doing the panels alone with my handy boards to act as extra hands. Used some soft panel trim in the rear ceiling to accomplish the slope for the ribs. The panels will attach in three area's on the ceiling to help eliminate the sage from gravity.

Looks like you've got a good system working for you, Jacke! Looks like it's going to be nice and bright...Keep up the Great work!Nice Progress!

Coming along nicely! Making a cut out for the dome lights? I saved both of mine, the wire should be in there. Good used ones can be found and NOS lens are all over ebay, same as several later GM trucks....

I also am working on the door panels just the beginning of the build. Using some Parota wood for the trim. The lower part has the two tone wood. The inside will be the layup base for the vinyl I am going to upholster the panel the wood trim will be on top of the padding & vinyl.

I Love the grain of that wood...can't wait to see the panels all done and mounted. Nice work, Jacke!

I worked on the piece that will go along the inside wall at the bottom of the panels, also cut the back door panels out. That was enough for one day!

It is a raised relief on board.

Been working on the back door panels got them 95% done... just have some finish work for mounting the door handles. Cutting the wood around the door handle areas. I have had some fun as well with fun sticker placement!

This is Parota wood. The bottom is one piece live edge wood. Padded vinyl inside for a soft door panel. I like the different textures.

You've got good taste, Jacke! I especially Love that sticker! You go girl!!!