So I got a heck of a deal on an 89RC from a member on here. ALL the parts came with it but it needs to be put back together.

I told him he needs to tell me when he's ready to get things started. SO he did just that this weekend.  

It's a 2wd body on an 84 4x4 frame. So the steering column was too short for the 4x4 box.

That's fixed, I cut out 2 3/8" of old steering rod I had laying around, split the stock rod in 2 and put the small filler in the middle then welded.  

The proportioning valve has been changed also and the brake lines hooked up. They all came loose and went back on with no problems. (that never happens on my trucks)

So here's the pics this will be a long process since he will be doing 90% of the work.  

Yes it is and I was waiting for him to ask I wasn't going to push him.

It's my stepson But I've been the only "father" he's had since he was 6 so........ 

OK well he got some more done today. 

He took the seats out, stripped the paint off the floors sprayed it with rust converter since there was surface rust, and painted it with POR-15. 

Yes he's doing a good job.

he just got done patching in the "4 speed hole" that was cut in the floor. YES he did the welding too. 

Yes it's just a wire feed for now till I get the gas bottle. Yes he did a great job for 15 mins of training. 

I hope you are a good welder, I wouldnt recommend making a steering rod out of welding three pieces together, should be one piece. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Some things you dont mess with, like steering components. You should get a proper one, cant be more than $50 at a wrecker. Remember your son is gonna be driving this vehicle.

Floor looks good, his welds beat mine and I'm almost 2x his age!  Cool project with your stepson, I can only hope mine cares about something like that when he is 15.  (my boy is 6 now, got a few years before he can do too much)

Well Monday he cleaned the front carpet, tues he put it back in and put "my" seats in it. 

They are reclining van seats I was going to use in my 77RC but they are the same color as his interior so......... 

lookin good !!!!
so cool you guys get to do a project like this together 

Yes they look very good in there. They need a good cleaning too. but 

Yes that is the point, for him to be able to say he put it together and did the work on it. 


At this point it's just me telling him what to do and him doing it while I'm at work. When the motor and trans work starts I'll be there with him. 


Yes it did. There are a few "bald" spots but for the most part it's in great shape. 

Little did you see the pic of him cleaning the rug? He's 5'9" at 15 years old!  His real dad is 6'3" so he's gonna be big. 

Wisenhiemer! 

They were supposed to go swimming with the cousin's Sun BUT he told his Mom he wants to stay home and work on the RC............ 

I guess he's on a mission now........... 

sounds like you brought him over to the darkside 

if u plan to put the 86 and up front grille on it ull have to changhe the rad cradle cuz the 86+ grille wont fit right on a 81-85 rad cradle for some reason the headlights are about and inch higher and the bezels wont fit right cuz i thought about putting the newer grille on my 84 and i got it on and it didnt fit.

oo well then thats perfect it looked like an 81-85 grille on it.. my bad

I guess this after noon we'll work on getting the gas tank and fuel lines in.

Maybe we'll work on cutting out the ONE spot of rust, that's right, yes, I said ONE spot of rust on the whole truck. 

I'm just going off what the vin sticker says. 

looks good ... you wanna send him up here he could get lots of practice
on my truck 

lookin good lookin good

your right it will though

Sweet project..I wish I got into these rigs when I was that young...I was 26 when I got my 1st RC (Doom) and now I'm on my 3rd (so far) one. Keep up the good work and the pics!

yikes! scary !