boneyard grille guard - restore
 

picked up this gem for 30 bucks.
i figure i can wheel the hell out of it and etch prime and paint/ bedliner in a can this bad boy.

anyone have any advice before i get to work, as in having done this and any areas i should be aware of. should be straight forward restore and rust treat.

thanks

Nice find!! Wish I could find something that cheap.
As for the restoring, looking at how rusty it is you may want to invest in some Rustoleum primer just to ensure the best bond possible. Either that or some specially formulated rust primer. Obviously try and get as much of the rust off as possible. It looks like mostly surface rust so I don't see you having much of an issue.
Couple coats of primer and a couple coats of paint should do it. Any thoughts on using undercoating for a finish?

BTW - Your Blazer is nearly identical to mine but 4dr lol. We both have the painted rims and the tinted lights. Lookin good!

great minds think alike...mine is four door because i needed a family cruiser that i could still play with.
yup the steel is still solid, only surface is rusted. it came off pretty easy which was a bonus. the only hang up is that it came off a cherokee. the width is fine, just needs a little massaging with the cutting wheel. to small bumper mount brackets that are coming off.

i fig. i would wheel it and use some rust "converter" primer and/or metal etcher.
i also was going to finish the job with the good old bedliner in a can that i used on the rockers. it is cheap and easy. then later light that baby up!!!

Sounds like a great plan. Keep us updated...I want progress pics!

use POR-15 for the base coat. it's a primer & a sealer-works amazing! the only draw back, it's not UV friendly. but considering how your truck sounds alot like Alex's, it'll work just right for you.

the UV rays turn any of the blacks to a dull "flat" finish. the paint doesn't come off-in fact it's pretty durable. it lasted 6 yrs on my drive shafts before any indication of rust (probably guessing stones finally chipped the paint).

if you use the POR products, just follow their directions-to the "T". in fact, if you just brush off the loose 'n flakey stuff off the push bar, it'll stick better than using a wire wheel to remove it.

here's a link to their site;

POR-15 paint

GL with your resto job.

well, i haven't given up on the guard...holidays are slowing my progress a little bit.
i have it stripped and am working out the mounting details (cardboard mockup)
i will report in when i make some progress.

damn it man! get out of my build! first you pull off my dream two tone rockers now you are converting another grille guard to work on you truck! damn you and your ability to finish all of what i put off!!!

that being said, my brush guard only has some surface rust. a lot less than yours, but my plan was the same: wire brush it clean, converting primer, bedliner in a can, reassemble and mount to fabbed brakets! hope you make some good progress! keep us posted!

Hey hey hey. Curtis, let's not forget where you're getting a lot of your ideas from. You rip me off, he rips you off. It's a cycle :icon_laugh:

If you dont want to spend much money, Rustoleum Rust Reformer works great. Spray it on, let it dry and top coat it. It holds up well. Used it on some jeep bumpers some time ago.

Good find.
Looks like it won't need too much work.

whats even weirder is that we started with almost identical base blazers before mods.....great minds think alike.:icon_beerchug:

yeah, but you have me beat on the roof rack. very nice.

i have to also admit i have been admiring your bedliner interior job as well...just the cargo area though...not as brave as you. couldn't have the daily driver down for that long.

oh, and i am planning to apply some white "rally stripes" up hood roof and tailgate....now if you are doing this too, well i am going to have to start to wonder if there is something going on?....u part of c.i.a. mind reading projects?....nahhhhhhh :icon_eek:

Nice find. LIGHT 'ER UP!

Rally stripes are all you. i toyed with the idea, and i like the look. if you pull it off, i would LOVE to see it :D

as for the whole interior, you can do the whole thing in a weekedn.
friday night removal, saturday morning prep, saturday afternoon break, saturday evening mask. sunday morning first coat, an hour later 2nd coat, let it cook for 8 hours and put the seats back in.

it would be best on a 3 day weekend when you can let it cure, but with the time line i laid out, you would be ready to roll monday morning :D

and x2 on the lights! you gott deck out the guard :icon_steer:

i am working on the guard as best i can. with winter set in my options are limited as far as paint work (no garage) soooo..... i am trying to borrow a garage for the weekend when holidays are wrapped up.
the interior bedliner is gonna have to wait for warmer weather. but it is on the to do list.

i have lights picked up :) .

i have mock up madeof guard (a lot easier to maneuver), just need materials and time for mounts.
any ideas/suggestions for material thickness?
was thinking just some steel plates, cut to fit and drill out, for mounting hardware.

get angle iron. with the set up you have there, go to the front of your frame rails, mount the angle iron on the inside of the rail capping the frame rails OVER the tow hook mounts
use grade 8 bolts.


see below

lol! i am kicking around the same design for mine ... i figured since we are the same guy working on the smae project for the same truck...why not go with the same set up :icon_teeth:

maybe you can have him do your spell check for you as well! bwahhahahaha!

ok, i'm putting away the "old man glasses"-as you called them-now. too bad i don't have any though. :icon_razz:

i never claimed to be good at any of this: typing, spelling, making coherent sentences.
:icon_slapcry: and i will hit an old man with glasses :icon_badrazz:

that was my thoughts as well x2 on diagram.
what thickness u using?
1/4" at least?

yeah i have 1/4". 1/4" is what my frame is made out of so i figure it should hold up :p
the idea being that the brush guard SHOULD be able to knock stuff down (i.e. brush) with out being just for looks.
MY PLAN:
cut out 2 L shaped brakets and clean 'em up.
mock up the brackets and mark the frame
grab a torch, cut 2 holes in the fame at opposing ends of the short leg of the L and hog them out with a 1/2" bit.
drop 2 grade 8 bolts through the frame and mount the brakets.
line up the guard and mark the long leg of the L.
hog out a hole to 1/2" and drop 1 grade 8 through it.
line up center line to the bumper, knock out the holes and mount the flush plate INSIDE the bumper.
wham. bam. thank you ma'am. It's time to plow some black berries!

*mounting hardware will be based on the shortest bolt i can get 2 locking washers and a nylock nut on with no more than a 1/4" protruding

careful Curtis, my Dad still likes to wrestle, so you might be getting in over your head.

but if you do manage to knock off his glasses, you'll be safer-he is quite blind without them! :icon_laugh:

here is the mockup "installed" now to measure twice and cut...then drill....then possibly curse...correct and then install.

looks like you have it all figured out :D


damn! with a mock up that nice looking, i'd be tempted to Urban Wheel and get a nice landscaping vs. "brush guard" shot after the measuring is done :p

well finally time to show off a little.
i will have some more detailed pics in album soon.
but this will do for now.
just have to swap out bumper and valance...yes i know i should have done it all at once...but ehhh couldn't resist.

thanks for all the help

Looks like it's coming along nicely.

looks pretty awesome.

lights mounted...chk album for pics

one last pic

Looks great! How are the lights?

pretty sweet with all six and brights...lights it up.

i will take some night pics on days off.
well worth the work and not bad on lights for 25.00 a pair.

Same lights I put on my roof :). They're pretty popular. I've seen them on a lot of rides around here. Anyway, the project turned out really good!! I'm impressed with the results. Nice work

(refering back to post #29)

sweet pic!

truck came out great. remove the bug deflector, and you've got a 4 door version of Alex's truck (better make sure that bar is bolted on nice 'n tight!)

thanks guys.
yup that puppy is bolted on to the frame where the tow hooks would be (2) ea. side and (2) each side where the guard meets the steel angles, grade 8 bolts all the way.

i have to tell ya this forum is addictive to modding. i had this blazer for 5 years now and i have done more in the last year than i have in the first four. just a lot of great things on here.
to the bug deflector..it stays, just no liner on it though :)

hell yeah! i haven't check up on this a few days but damn that came out nice. i'm digging the large truck style center guard on the blazer :D and with those 6 lights you could track in coming air craft!
also stay strong brother. we few, we happy few who rock the bug guard proudly need to stay strong!!

truck is turning out very slick. i wish i had your drive :o

yup with all those lights i am now on air defense grid...hahahah

well, as to the drive and motivation....i am married with two kids.
this is my one and only hobby. its amazing how much you can get done after 9pm (kids bedtime) when that is the only time you have....sleep or work on blazer??? hhhmmmmmmm

LMAO dude. the same taste in paint schemes, the same truck, the same mods (though you get them done and i stash them in the garage) AND the same family life/truck time....

are you sure you weren't seperated from a brother long long ago?

billy bob is that yous...its me's billy bob joe....i just knows i did finded ya ones day...
if i done bought a truck like grand pappy's had...i just news i would...with a bugs deblocker just like grand pappy, its was a sur things

ok, final pics of the face lift.
before (chrome) and after...painted (bedliner baby ohhhhh yeah)
and customized valance...a little trim here and there.