Project Outdoorsman

Today on trucks, we'll show you outdoorsmen how to build a perfect home away from home out of an F 150.

After showing you how to catch your limit and comfort, we'll show you a 72 blazer that was built to catch your eye on the boulevard. Then it's time for a lesson on the Ds and don't of buying used parts at a swap meet.

That's all today on trucks.

Welcome to this week's show everybody. If you've been hanging around the truck shop, the past few weeks, you've seen us dinking around with off road on road and show quality trucks. But there's a huge number of outdoorsmen out there who use their truck during the week for work and when the weekend rolls around, it's that same vehicle that takes them to their favorite fishing hole or hunting ground.

Now, the key to that type of vehicle is reliability and function

because when you're out in the wild hunting down your favorite fish and game, sometimes you have to spend the night

and when you're out there and have your limit, you wanna be able to get back home without getting stranded on the side of the road. So we're gonna take this 99 F 150

upgrade it with the outdoorsman. And my

first thing we're gonna do is give him a place to lay his head at night with a top up camper that sleeps as many as four adults without losing the function and storage of the bed. The kit comes with a tono cover, lifting rails, hydraulic pump and all the hardware. You'll need to turn your truck into a home away from home

to get started. We're gonna take the lift assembly

and set it on the bed rail.

Have mel give me a hand to hold it in place.

All right,

measure an inch and a quarter from the front bed rail to the center of the bolt.

This centers the lift in the middle of the bed.

And once you have your lines marked, connect your lift assembly to your bed rails using these clamps.

Now is a good time to check and make sure everything's working right,

not binding on you.

Then we're gonna bolt on what they call the torque tube

and what this does is connects the two lift mechanisms together, so they won't flex on you.

Now, we have to run the wires for our hydraulic pump. You can do this a couple of different ways. You can either go up over the bed rail in between the bed and the cab itself or if you have a bed plug, like we do. You can drill through that and run the wires through to the engine compartment from there.

Now, we want to be able to use our top with the ignition switch off. So we're gonna take our power directly from the battery.

The kit comes with a fuse block that I've mounted to the firewall using this existing screw.

This pole will go to the on off switch in the cab.

This pole will go to the battery and the fuse slides right in here.

The switch can be mounted wherever it's most convenient for you.

Once you have the switch where you want it, hook up the hydraulic pump wires a ground and the power wire that's coming from the fuse block under the hood.

Now, the hydraulic system is basically the same setup that you'd find running a standard convertible top.

You've got your hydraulic pump and two lifting cylinders.

Now, the pump mounts to the floor of the bed

and tucks into this little spot here in front of the wheel. Well,

to keep it out of the cargo area,

once you have it bolted down, go ahead and make your electrical connection.

Now that all the connections are made, we need to raise the lift rails so we can attach the cylinder brackets,

make sure the red locks are engaged. So the rails don't come crashing down on you.

That'll definitely ruin your day. Will

the brackets are split. So mount the inner piece first,

then you can slide the cylinder onto the stud and secure it with the outer bracket

and with the cylinder in place, you can see how the bracket not only supports it

but also allows it to pivot as well. If I can get mel to hit the switch inside,

that'll extend the arm so we can hook it to the lifting scissor.

The kid also comes with these plastic panels that cover the pump and the cylinders to protect them and to finish everything off.

Now that the lifting system is in place, we can top it off with the tunnel cover. Now, this one sits a little bit higher than most of the covers we've done in the past. But since we wanna be able to use our truck for work during the week, the extra four inches gives us more cargo space when the cover is down.

Once you have your tunnel in place, raise the lift about halfway, this will give you access to the bolt holes up underneath.

Now, we can start turning this thing into a home away from home.

The first thing we need to do is stick on these velcro strips on the front and rear of the bed.

Now it's a good idea to hit this area with some wax and grease remover to make it stick better.

While space gets the velcro laid down, I'll go ahead and slide in the rods to support the back of the cover.

Then I can install the front and rear vinyl panels that will give us access to our top up camper.

The bunk platforms come next, just slide them into place with a support leg underneath,

then hook up the support cable.

As you can see these things are strong enough to support even the stoutest outdoorsmen tell you what we're almost finished with this state. So all we gotta do now is put on the canvas. All right,

this is pretty straightforward from inside the bed. Pop the black plastic blade into the J channel,

pull

the panel over the bunk platform and fasten it.

Once the sides are on, rotate the support hoop and hook up the support rods.

One of the neat features with this kid are these truck stabilizer bars.

They slide between your frame and the ground

to keep your suspension from moving on you

and believe it, you'll be glad you have when you start climbing in and out of your camper. But right now we need to climb into a break. Don't go away. We'll be right back. Oh,

this is great. It's awesome.

Later in the show, we'll take a look at a custom 72 blazer. That'll blow your mind.

But up first, we have a few more additions to add to project outdoorsmen.

Welcome back to trucks. If you're just joining us for project outdoorsman, we're taking this 99 F 150

turning it into the ultimate catch for those of you that like to spend a lot of time in the great outdoors.

Now, we've already put on a top up camper so we can comfortably spend the night in the wild. So now we're gonna upgrade the wheels and tires to help get us to those spots nobody else knows about. But first, we're gonna replace the rear stock window with an electric sliding window to give us easy access and some fresh air by pushing a button on the dash.

This kit from Cr Lawrence is called the power slider.

It comes with a wiring harness and switch

the special adhesive sealant,

the cable drive and the electric motor

and a brand new window assembly.

Now, before you start shaking your head, you can relax because you don't have to mess with the headliner to remove the stock window. We are gonna have to unbolt the seat belt on our Ford. But after that, everything should pop right out

as you can see on our new Ford, the rear window was actually bolted in

so just pop these nuts off

and it'll pop right out.

I'm putting on this rubber gasket to show you guys with older trucks

how to get your window out without breaking it all to pieces. Now, remember you can sell this glass to help offset the cost of the project.

Now, if your rubber is still soft,

you can just peel it up like this and push the window out and make sure you've got somebody on the other side to catch it.

If the rubber is too hard,

you have no choice but to take a razor knife

and cut down the center of the gasket, this will release the window

so you can push it out.

One last thing do not take a screwdriver, reach in there and pry because you'll break the glass every time.

Now, we can prep the new window with the adhesive sealant that comes with the kit. This stuff not only helped hold the glass in place but makes a waterproof seal as well.

Make sure you apply it in a continuous bead just outside the mounting bolts.

All right, I'm ready for that glass. There you go.

All right. A little bit to the left here. Ok. Down

right there.

All right. Push it in.

That's it.

Now that we have the window in place, it's time to mount its motivation.

I'm positioning the cable drive on the floor against the back of the cab

and then running the cable up behind these panels for a nice clean look. Now, remember this is a cable drive system, so try to avoid any tight bends here. It won't work right

now. You can snap your trim back in place. Make sure to notch the trim where the cable comes through

on our Ford. There's a perfect place right here on the dash to mount the switch. That'll give us great access.

It's easier to mount the switch if you pull the panel from the dash.

Now, just tuck your wires under the kick panel and run them to the rear before you hook it up to the motor.

And the best part is it's really easy to install.

Now that we have the camper and the sliding window in the Ford, it's time to address the wheels and tires.

Same.

And we've decided to go with these Mickey Thompson all

season Baha

radios because this truck's gonna be a daily driver too

and these offer great traction off road and they're quiet on the highway

and the Mickey Thompson Challenger wheels are obvious. They're just plain cool.

All right, sis

chapter one of project outdoorsman took about two days to complete and in the weeks to come, we'll continue to prep it for the hunt. Don't go away. We got more trucks for you right after this.

If you're looking for a good deal on used parts, a swap meet can be a gold mine. We'll show you what to look for later in the show. But up next, it's a 72 Blazer that was built to spin some

hands.

Welcome back to the show, everybody. You know, one of the coolest trucks ever built has to be the first series blazer that Chevy introduced in 1969. It was the first True Roadster pick up of its kind. And if you picked up a custom truck magazine within the last year, you'll recognize Mike King's low belly, which is one step beyond one of a kind.

He started with the 70 blazer added a 67 grill with all kinds of subtle custom touches like shave trim and emblems and topped it all off with a smooth bumper.

The top of the windshields been filled with metal. It's also been chopped two inches and laid back at a 45 degree angle

on the cow. Both the vents and the wipers have been shaved.

The most striking thing about the interior is the dash out of an old six Chevy that's been fitted with modern gauges, column and steering wheel.

Now, after you get done gawking at all that you're immediately drawn to the custom made console that water falls down between the bucket seats. Finally in true Roadster fashion, this chariot has no windows or top.

Now, the tunnel cover was built using a framework of tubing

that begins at the interior and runs back to the tailgate.

Then it was all filled in with sheet metal.

The smooth look continues down the tailgate and into the roll pan.

Now inside is the gas tank and the battery and about enough room for a toothbrush and maybe a pair of socks

under the hood is a healthy 400 small block with an Edelbrock intake Haley carb as well as headers and flow master exhaust. As you can see, the inner fenders are smooth

and everything's coated in the same color red that makes this entire package pop.

This blazer sits on an Art Morrison Pro chassis with a nine inch Ford rear end.

It also has an air ride suspension

that drops the body down on 17 inch American racing wheels wrapped in BFC rubber. Mike King paid $400 for this 70 blazer and put nine months of labor into it. Now, his ride is up for custom truck of the year. I'd say that's a pretty decent return on the investment. Speaking of returns, we hope you do after we pay some bills. Let's hit it, man. All right.

You better hold on. I'm, I'm holding, I'm holding

still to come on trucks. Stacy has this week's quick tip for you. That's after we show you the D's and don't of buying used parts at a swap

meet.

Thanks for hanging with us. Now, scrounging for used parts of swap meet can not only save you a few bucks,

but heck, you can find parts that aren't even available anymore. Now, granted you have to buy some parts new for safety reasons.

But man, if you're on a budget, there's nothing like wheeling and dealing. You have to be smart about it though. You could end up with a raw deal and a wagon full of parts that are useless for your project. So we're gonna give you a few tips that'll help you hunt down that awesome deal

first. And most importantly, you have to be familiar with the parts you're looking for.

If you want heads for a Ford or an intake for a Chevy, you better know what they look like. You can't trust the seller. He's there to make money. Not friends.

Now, an intake manifold can be a good buy with no moving parts. It seems like a no brainer.

Well, there's a couple of things you do need to check, make sure it's drilled for your carburetor application.

Look at the thermostat housing, make sure it's not eaten up with electrolysis. A lot of times they'll put a housing on to cover that.

And most importantly, make sure it's not cracked or broken and the threads aren't stripped

and I don't even consider buying a used cam or clutch.

It's always a good idea to avoid some assembly required. A box of parts that used to be a carburetor is very hard to assess and there's usually a reason why it didn't get rebuilt. Don't get the wrong idea though. A swap

meet car can be a great deal as long as you expect, rebuild it. And the price should reflect that no matter what the seller tells you a couple of things you always wanna look for is whether or not you have a warped base plate or broken mounting phalanges. It's also important that everything's complete, especially the linkage and that it's not all seized up.

Now, when you hit the swap meet circuit, you need to be able to understand what they say. So, Mel and I are gonna give you some pointers on how to understand what they really mean. Now, when they say it just needs to be put back together, what they might really mean is I just took it apart, found out it's wasted and I'm trying to unload it on you

or the one that says this is the exact piece to fit your truck, which probably means I don't have any idea what this fits exactly. Now, these are just a couple of the things you might hear and believe us, there's a lot of very trustworthy sellers at swap meets along with some great deals. You just have to know what you're after and watch your back.

So,

one of the biggest questions that people ask is how do I measure my bolt pattern? So I know what wheels will fit.

Well, if you have a 46 or eight L pattern, it's very simple,

just measure from the center of one hole

to the center of the hole directly across from it. And this is showing 5.5. So it's written six meaning six lugs on 5.5. And that's your measurement.

Now, on a five lug, it's a little more tricky and unfortunately, that's what most people have.

You go from the outside of one hole

to the center of the hole across from it. This is showing five and a quarter. So it's written five meaning five lug on five and a quarter. See very simple.

After world war two, returning G I wanted an indestructible truck like the one they used in the war. Dodge answered the call by producing the legendary WDX, best known as the power wagon of the big three. Dodge was the first to offer factory built four by fours something Ford GM didn't produce until well into the 1950

and now truck gear, parts, tools and equipment for pickups and sport utilities.

Now, this one's for all you off roaders who use your vehicle as a daily driver interco. The makers of the famed Super Swamper have designed a tire that's great on road and off, it's called the Super Swamper Radio.

Now, the SS sr is a serious option for people who aren't ready to modify their trucks but want the off road performance of a Super Swamper.

It has a slightly lighter tread pattern, Syed

for wet pavement traction and greater side wall protection. Interco has OEM sizes for light trucks and suvs starting at about $100 a tire.

Now nothing will mess up a set of polished aluminum wheels like brake dust.

Not to mention that most of today's custom wheels have large gaps in them. So you're always seeing a brake caliper, a spindle or parts better left unseen.

Well, the answer to both problems is the wheel plate by air ride technologies. Now, it's available in polished stainless or black and will fit any five lug pattern.

Clean your wheels with these plates for about 100 bucks a set

in the past dirty hands like this always been a trip to the sink. But Castro has made a clean break from that ritual with the only waterless and towel less hand cleaner called Super Clean.

Just squeeze about a dime size amount in the palm of your hand,

then briskly rub them together until it flakes up and falls off. This stuff removes grease, oil and dirt and is perfect for around the shop or remote job sites.

Keep it clean with super clean for about six bucks a bottle. That's gonna do it for this week's truck year. Here's a preview of next week's show.

Next week on trucks, we'll start a total frame up restoration of a classic 55 Willy's wagon.

We'll show you how to prep the frame before dropping in a motor

small blocks

project. Wicked Willy.

After that, we'll take you for a ride in the latest creation from Ford's special vehicles team.

How does a production truck with a blower and 360 horses sound. Let's just say Ford is struck lightning once again

and it's back to the shop to reprogram the computer on your late model pickup. That's all next week on trucks.

That's gonna do it for this week's show. Don't forget to come back and truck with us again next week. Ready for this. Ready,

I think. Sounds help

it out.

Trucks is an RTM production.