The backburner 1980 build

I found this 1980 D50 in my buddy's neighbors front yard.Shoe polish on the front window said $800 takes it,the bed was elevated and fell in love. The numbers matched and the date in the door read 12/79....almost a 70 something minitruck! The current owner drove the truck 20 minutes to my house and then I pulled the top off and drove around the neighborhood a while. Next day I loaded my two sons up and our dog for a romp around the neighborhood and it shut off after two blocks.After a push back home I discovered that there is no fuel coming out the carb,fail. I fixed the worn out horn button in the newish Grant wheel and test fitted the pair of 1972 Benz horns I got from the pick & pull. I am saving for the Weber carb and not even going to bother with the oe carb that was just cleaned,until then I will try to be wrangleing up other parts. heres a few pics of my new addition.Attachment 3702Attachment 3703Attachment 3704Attachment 3705Attachment 3706

Wow nice score and it even has a body kit on it already. That thing is a true 80's mini truck with the removable roof and dump box.

the damn thing is like a time capsule. The rear roll pan is there also not pictured. Also has a broadway mirror in cab.

Need to see better pics of the front end, especially the front air dam. I had a different one on my truck that got damaged and is about ready to put back on. I have a whole hottops kit like the one on your truck; the wink mirror is definately an 80s throwback too. The horn button can be disassembled and cleaned, or it can be easily replaced - try Pep Boys or autozone.

i fixed the horn just sanded the contacts and i'll try to get a front pic from my fone to upload

great score on a neat old pickup!

Dude,,,, you have got to pick out the right 80 paint job to go with this truck. Something like you would have found on Miami Vice. That would push it over the top.
I'll see if I can get some pictures of this 1980 blown flat bottom boat that they just had over at the machine shop. The paint would look good on a truck. But IDK if I will be able to get them. It was a yellow to blue fade and looked so cool.

well if you see the xB on the picture thats my money pit, bought this as backup/project/kid first ride and resisting urge to money at it.
That being said i plan to buy a white plasticdip kit with glossifier. Its cheap, easy to spray not permanent. Could do a pastel vice styled vinyl down the side. I did order a Budwieser tap for the shifter today. thanx for all the input!

Take a look in the gallery for my pics of Geronimo - he is an 80's mini also with some very rare accesories, such as a Zaxxon joystickshifter handle, "floating" markers, 4 color fade on dash and front to back, and a levan flex thru rear window- its tempered glass not plexi. BTW, check your fuel filter - its back at the tank - it could have clogged up with crappy gas from sitting.

Attachment 3707here is the front end. Missing a bumper cap and kinda tweaked.
My fuel is coming out of both the "ports" up front,it comes out the pump to a canister(I thought was filter at first) and coming out pretty good from both hoses

and how about them headlight grills lol! I will check out your pics pennyman1

I had a set of those but never put them on - had the mesh clipon ones on instead back in the day. My airdam went behind the bumper - i vagely remember that airdam, but it was out of production before I could get that one. Its as rare as the one on Geronimo - is it in one piece?

it is one piece

and undamaged?

no visable from outside, havent been under it yet to see if any repairs made. So you think it was a rare kit? it is rivited to the body, dont like it but gonna prolly stay that way.

If it is unrepaired, I would love to get a friend of mine to make a mold off of it - it may be the only one left of that type of airdam. That way you could have a spare in case that one gets damaged. Mine was attached with carriage bolts and screws on the fender lip inside the wheelwell to make it easily removable.

Wish i could find a truck like that up here in B.C Canada, thin picking for 1st gens up here.

Aight upon much closer review the front kit has a very small crack starting to form,small but there. If you need me to pull this thing off lemme know. Also side note....can anyone tell me if this dash work for me? http://www.jcwhitney.com/dashtop-cov...50685y1980g2j1

That's a Dash Cap that goes over the original,you have to have an original dash in already. They are made to go over an old worn out dash to make them look new again but they always end up looking like crap on most cars. You will still need to hunt down an original dash. If you can find one in good shape you can use the spray die to make it any color you want so it doesn't matter what color you get from a wrecker.

kinda figured that,,dangit . I guess the search continues!!!!!!!!!!:thumbup:

Nice, I've also just got a '80 Ram 50!

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...119_125430.jpghttp://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...1-20122640.jpgA few updates and pics. I started laying down some white plastidip but it was too windy and cold to get much done. I swapped out the 195/60's to some 195/45's and solved the rubbing issue and dropped it moar. I messed with the beer tap shifter. And I took her out to play with my buddy's Nissan I just lowered. http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...1-20122615.jpghttp://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...1-20122655.jpg

Great looking truck to get the way you want it to style in:thumbup::clap:

I'm getting excited about it,just ordered the Weber carb kit and talking with a guy on ebay about a new dash panel and a few other parts

Is that the steel roof that they covered like a convertible top - I have never seen one like that where they left the dome light in. I actually have 3 NOS vinyl convertible top kits without the frames that might work with your truck - they are ragtime minis top kits.

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Originally Posted by pennyman1

Is that the steel roof that they covered like a convertible top - I have never seen one like that where they left the dome light in. I actually have 3 NOS vinyl convertible top kits without the frames that might work with your truck - they are ragtime minis top kits.

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yessir that'll be the oe roof covered . It just happens that I have a soft top frame with no cover. I really am trying to get the dash and bumper cap too hint hint lol.

I have a left cap, haven't found the right one yet. The only dashpad I have is so bad a dashcap won't cover it - its in about 5 pieces and I have a replacement that is split but not as bad that the dashcap can cover it. Do you know which brand the convert kit was - hottop/AIM or ragtime?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pennyman1

I have a left cap, haven't found the right one yet. The only dashpad I have is so bad a dashcap won't cover it - its in about 5 pieces and I have a replacement that is split but not as bad that the dashcap can cover it. Do you know which brand the convert kit was - hottop/AIM or ragtime?

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I only need the left cap. I don't really know the brand of frame it is. I will dig it.up and look again for any markings.

Let me know when you dig it out and we'll go from there.

I forgot to post the pictures of the convertable top here,there is no name of markings period on the frame. Maybe one of ypu OG'S can help . http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psdbcdf96f.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psda951683.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psda951683.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psdbcdf96f.jpg

Looks like it might work with the convertible tops I have - I will take a closer look at them tomorrow.