Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You've done this before! :)

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

That's a complex shape; what did you use to cut it out that left the original metal pattern intact?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I'd just whack in there with a 3" wheel, then round it out with a carbide bit, but that's me. That one looks like it's lazer-cut!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

A "nibbler" had it for years, use it rarely, but when I need it, it's there! These are the exact ones I have. They are not cheap, but I believe in using quality tools so it's less work on my body. Don't get me wrong, I have a few cheap ones but something like these, I want the best. And they don't disappoint. I bought an extra pair of tips and have never used them, the original ones have held up over the years.


https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Sheet...bler,2910.html

https://content.speedwaymotors.com/P...80e2f43457.jpg

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

It's funny you should say that, I would have grabbed my cut off wheel too but it was late and I didn't want to make noise to bother the neighbor.

I just drilled a hole and then snipped it out. But after doing that, I REALLY need to get these out more as it's much cleaner and safer than using the cut off disc. There is NO WAY you can get those tight corners with a cut off disc leaving it anywhere near this clean.

Now I did clean up the corners a little bit with a "rotory file" but not much, I didn't really need to, I'm just anal sometimes.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I got out there late after a very odd thing, I went to a rally at my daughters high school, wow what a bunch of great kids! HUGE party with everyone cheering everyone else, very cool. Well, right near the end a kid slipped out on the hardwood floor flipping onto his head and was hurt bad, looking maybe even much worse (news sounds pretty good) so the whole place was emptied (MANY hundreds of parents and kids) with an ambulance coming in. So leaving there and coming home was pretty funky.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Great tips, great tool!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Took the day off to complete some stuff around the house, some how I ended up working on the truck.
Finally got the engine running great and starting great, only took adding and repairing some wires. Finished the small details on the braking system. Finally and most importantly, my wife was finally able to take a drive in her grandfathers old truck for the 1st time. Well worth the time and effort put into the truck.

Now only to finish up everything else.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Things were going too smoothly, so I decided to spend the last few days figuring out how to screw up the paint job by putting a ghost checkered flag on the firewall. This is the MASK ONLY. I've also prepared a few test panels so I can practice since I've never done anything like this. (I did spend an hour with a buddy in the business and he painted a flag on a panel and showed me some tips, and there's stuff on You Tube, of course.)

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

AWSOME!

Brian:metal:

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I got the patch made and tacked into place. WHOO HOOOO! And yes the gap is a bit large here and there, I will plannish that smaller before I finish welding.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Flags turned out pretty cool.

That’s some nice patch work.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Monumental!

Cool. Rounded edges are much easier to weld without burning away than sharp corners.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

its good to see everyone making progress. flag does look cool.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

And much less susceptible to cracking than at those corners too.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Welded in the motor mounts and removed the bolt, I always had commitment issues.
Installed the exhaust wrap and it made a noticeable difference on cabin noise and finish wiring on the interior lighting.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Got the front patch on the RR fender all welded in, then cut out the old fuel door recess, made the patch and welded the new one in. Got some weld through primer on the front so I can weld that support in I made a few days ago and this fender will be ready tomorrow for striping and priming.

It's so funny, I made the recess for the fuel door and made the fuel door customizing the truck 38 years ago to now cutting it out to make it the way it was, funny stuff.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I also noticed the tail lamp hole I filled 35 years ago. LOL

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Very nice work. Did you use an English wheel to put the curve in the patch, or a bag and hammer, or something else?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Bent it over a wooden bench in the garage. :D I did simply plannish it with a round headed hammer on a large "dolly" I have on my bunch.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Started out Sunday morning getting a little done on the truck. I welded in the reinforcement on the RR fender so it's finished now ready for stripping and primer.

Got the lower grille apron all finished up, welded in the piece that had been cut out on the top. I decided to do it like Chevy would have and just plug weld the piece on the top and not butt weld it and finish it off like it never was cut out. I also repaired the bracket where it bolts to the rad support. So this part is finished up ready for stripping and primer too.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I managed to sneak in another shakedown cruise. 30 miles this time, no issues.


https://www.facebook.com/mark.wells....4459105591562/

I am going to straighten the steering wheel a little though...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Mark, great little video...Jim

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yep, that is friggin awesome!

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

After screwing up several test panels preparing for the "checkered flag" painting, I got cold feet. I called my artist buddy back and he came over for about 2 hours, showing me a variety of techniques on shading, contrast, use of pearl, etc. Tomorrow I'll give it a shot. I have a feeling at the end of all this I'll be doing a lot of sanding and re-work...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Brought this home this morning. The poor victim of another guy that can only turn a wrench to the left...
I went through my drawers and found enough of the proper bolts, hung the passenger side door and the hood (fun to hold the door in place and then thread the bolts in- the hood was easy compared to the door).
Needs a new rocker on the right side, but new repros were included. Most of the items removed from the truck are in the bed- except the bolts/screws. I assume he threw those away?
No engine but the trans is there. Odometer says 20,xxx and from the looks of it I’m guessing 120k on the truck.
I’ll update as I peck away at it.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Looks like a damn solid truck, going to be nice.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Thanks Brian- it really is solid. I was told it was a scrap/parts truck before I went there this morning. Hard to believe the guy was gonna crush her.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

What a shame that would have been! Thanks to you, this poor old truck will have a second chance.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Ha ha, that's hilarious - but a real syndrome. It's easy to take a car apart, but it takes money, know-how and dedication to put one back together again. My panel truck was a basket case; it looked like a whole vehicle, but I'll bet replacing all the little missing parts cost me nearly $2000.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yep, I have been effected with that disorter. It makes me want to vomit when I think that I took my FINISHED truck apart 25 years ago for a quick rebuild. :no:

This is why I will suggest to THINK ABOUT IT MORE when people talk about frame "swaps" and crap. I thought I HAD to have a Camaro clip. I cut up a FINISHED truck and ended up trading the frame I did the clip on, (hope he made a good choice and is enjoying it) and am still paying for my mistake.

Yep, this photo is what it looked like the day I started turning the bolts to the left. Can you believe it, I could have been driving it all these years! Geeeez

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Nice save four speed! Are those a couple AD panels behind it?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Shot two coats of clear laced with a small amount of copper pearl today, then unmasked. Dull areas are scuffed only right now. Definitely a "ghost" flag with no shading required, in my opinion. Will shoot an overall three coats of clear in the morning and declare a victory, I hope. Not a "Foose" job, but I'm ecstatic so far...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Very cool, I like it! Not overwhelming like many, I dig it.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You are a perfect example of why I have not done a complete restore. I do a little and put it back together. Maybe someday if I see large amounts of free time in my future.
I think it also reflects how much care you put into wanting the truck to be right and your demand for perfection has cause many delays in the process. Come completion date that is gonna be one sweet ride.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You've done a great job on that firewall. Different and beautiful, good job DransportGarage.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Looks Killer

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Thanks, lowdownstar, MARTINSR and my56chevytruck! Shot the final clear this morning. I may not even scuff & buff.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

That's pretty clean looking. Keep it up, gonna look nice under the hood.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Got the reinforcement removed from the Left fender and a little sand blasting and stripping. I have to say I did some hack work back in 79 on this fender! LOL

But when I think of that as I am working on it I also think of all the fun I had driving it all those years. THAT is more important sometimes.


Brian