Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

I know what you mean about the sanding, shouldn't be long before primers, sanding, sanding, sanding, paint, sanding sanding sanding:lol::lol::lol:...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Every have one of those days, that a half hour jobs becomes 4 hours. Anyway back on the grill work today. I was having fitment problems, so I brought up the old wrecked grill for some help. Starting with the outside of the grill sides, they were hitting the fenders and would go in very far. Old vs new showed one problem.

Pic 1 Notice the nut that is sunken into the bracket, like most of the other parts.

Pic 2 Notice the nut is not sunken, but rest of parts are. Now WHY would you not also put the detail on the new.

Pic 3 Shows how much paint was damaged due to nut hitting fender.

Pic 4 I cut down the nuts, but still may need more.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Problem #2 When I tried to fit the grill into opening, the two braces that have an angled step that attach to the lower apron. These two braces were to close together and were removing paint. After taking some measurments from old and new the new braces where 1/2" narrower than the old. So time to take apart and move them over. I ended up oblonging the lower hole to allow me to move it over. Long story short had to do this twice to get the clearance.

Pic 1 How brace is attached.

Pic 2 Made hole 1/4" and oblonged the hole for button head.

Pic 3 Here's were it was cutting the paint.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Problem #3. After getting the grill somewhat into the opening, it also showed a problem I had seen earlier when checking the lights. The drivers fender doesn't have the same shape as the drivers. It is touching the grill at one point but it shows the angle is wrong.

Pic 1 Passenger side, even gap across the front.

Pic 2 Drivers side, not even and shows the angle.

Will wait until tomorrow when Mark comes, to decided what we will do...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Doing a great job!! It is really amazing to me how many after market parts are far enough out that you have to modify, just to make them fit.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Same issues I had. I took all those little nuts and bolts off and it was
fairly easy to tweak them back into alignment individually. Then I fastened them
together in a jig on the welding table. While I was at it, I adjusted all of the
lines to be more parallel between each row's open area. Also, the lowest bar needed to be shimmed up in the middle a little bit because it appeared to be sagging.

Good luck !

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Thanks lower and don. Yes I can now see why so many on the site complain
about fit. I had it lucky with mine being all origianl stuff. Now I'm looking at the old (original) to fix the new (repop) stuff. Also found that the fender I'm using had some work done along time ago. This is making it necessary to modify it first, then check the fit of grill again, and go from there...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

In the shop for about 4 hours today, and very little to show for it. Had the grill in and out several times. Finally after Mark and I both looking at the fender, we determined it had been repaired back in the day. Good repair, but far off compared to my passenger fender. So I have to start some where and decided to match fender to fender, and hood to both fenders first. Then make changes to the grill.

Pic 1 Here I've cut a relief in the fender to change the angle.

Pic 2 Here I've marked where more material need to be removed.

Pic 3 Cut out material. Now front part needs to go back about 1/4" to align with the side, then angle for hood to fit like before.

I know this is not the correct way, but the grill is so far off with all the holes, that I want to use what I know is correct, and change what isn't. Hope I'm right...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Almost the same as yesterday, not much to show, but getting it where I feel better on fit. Decided to loosen, align, and retighten front sheet metal, to have a good base. Also I'm hoping that any new AD guys will see what is sometimes necessary to get good gaps at fenders and hood.

Pic 1 After getting things better aligned, I put a level between the to front fenders at grill opening, and bubble showed level, here I'm just showing how I did it.

Pic 2 Level on latch panel, also shows level.

Pic 3 Made a longer cut to move the fender away from the hood.

Tomorrow I hope to have Mark weld the fender. Then I have to do some cutting on the latch panel were it was bent, it is worse than I thought and needs to be addressed. Right now it doesn't match side to side at grill. Till next time...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Nice fix. Apologies the fender was messed up, I didn't know!

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Hey Doug, NO APOLOGY NECESSARY. I'm very happy with the fender, I'm just a stickler for wanting things my way. Have no problem with cutting, moving and welding to suit.

That's why it took me so long the first time :devil::waah::uhmk::lol: ...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

You are so unlucky to came across a hard headed deer....
Now you have a ton of work to get it right.

Respect to you (and Mark) that you get it done the way YOU want it and not go the fast route!!
Keep at it, your work is simply outstanding!!

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Thanks Kees, appreciate the compliments, Mark and I were on today, still a ways to go...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Posting late tonight.

Pic 1 This is what I was refering to in the last update. Here you can see it has been pulled downward, will need to be corrected.

Pic 2 This is a close up.

I was gone several hours to nursing home, etc.. Mark knew what I wanted done and he worked while I was gone.

Pic 3 Here Mark has brought metal together and tacked in place.

Pic 4 Welded together.

Pic 5 Metal finished.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Pic 1 Checking gap from hood to fender.

After I got back, Mark and I worked on the grill. I had taken all three of the braces loose from grill and installed on truck. They all lined up OK by themselve and help straighten the latch panel.

Pic 2 Had removed the top grill bar and installed the grill into opening, better but still needs additional clearance.

Mark and I removed the fender, he did some more work on it and we reinstalled.
Better but still not what I want.

Pic 3 Now the latch panel and hood have same gap left to right.

Back again tomorrow to try some more. Mark even said if it weren't for the grill we would by a lot further along, oh well...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Jim, Everything's looking excellent! Congrats.

Hey, I may have missed it but what kind of insurance did you have on your truck? Collector car insurance or conventional auto coverage? I ask because I wondered if they wanted to total it since it's, "just an old truck" - from a conventional insurance company's point of view. And if collector, did they hassle you at all about repairing it yourself?

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Thanks Dan,

I have collector car insurance called CHROME, company is Anpac. Good rates and good service.

No on the total deal. No hassle on me doing the repairs, but they wouldn't pay me the same hourly rate for work, since I'm not a licensed shop.

But the payout was fair, and I know I'm doing it correct...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Coming along - body work is truly an art that in many regards is a lost art to this magnitude. Most body shops that do new(er) car repairs are just parts changers, remove the old and replace with a new one.... slap some paint on it, call it good! They wouldnt have the foggiest idea of where to even start with something like yours and all the little details to REALLY fix it to the extent needed. great job you guys are doing.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Thank you very much, appreicate greatly...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Jim

Fantastic work by you and Mark. It takes time to do it right and pay attention to the gaps and fitment details. On my 53 Suburban I think I will go with a chrome aftermarket grill a friend gave me (for free) in place of the very nice painted OE grill. Your documentation has given me some things to look out for as far as fitment.

looking great.

Marc

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Thanks Marc, this grill is giving us fits. Can't believe the hours we have in this already and still needs more. We'll get there. Will post some pics of todays work, tomorrow...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

This update is from yesterday.

Mark and I removed the chrome bars from the grill main frame.

The center brace lined up fine to the lower panel. We then worked on the right side and got the side piece aligned to fener, inner and side piece. We then moved to the right side and did the same.

Once that was done we worked on the right brace, had to cut and move the lower part to align with the hole in the lower panel. The top part aligned with the upper chrome grill piece, but the latch panel didn't. Mark cut out the old stuff, I cut a new piece and he welded it in place.

We then moved to the left side and had the opposite problem with the brace, it stuck out way in the front of all the other panels, so it will need to be cut, welded, etc. That's for later. We quit for the day. Can't believe we have 12 hrs already, not counting the times I've had the grill in and out, and finding what needs to be done, before having Mark work with me. So much for my rant, here's a few pics...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

And that persistence is how you build a really nice vehicle! I would be tempted to throw in the "that's good enough" towel.
Good example for the rest of us Jim and Mark.

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Doug, I know you better than that. Seeing what you have done in the past.
You and Marc on doing great on the burbs. Thank you so much for the compliments...Jim

Re: My 50 roadster pickup build
 

Very nice work!