1947 Panel Truck Frame swap with ’88 k2500

[Second Series]

Originally Posted by dsraven

I like the work you have done so far, and how you think outside the box. also how you aren't afreaid to try making your own stuff. nice inventions so far.

Thanks!

I went after the original mirror bracket holes. There is a reinforcement bracket under the cowl for the mirror bracket. I was unable to get a copper backer on the holes. I cleaned the area and started with the O-A. The upper holes went well, but the heat revealed a good amount of lead, it melted and dripped away. I finished the lower holes. After grinding down the welds, body filler took care of the profile. I used the inside bracket to locate the upper hole with a drill, and then used the new mirror bracket to locate the lower hole. The cowl side vent bracket had to be reattached. I used the MIG for that. It was hard to get access to clean the metal inside the cowl. The welder head wouldn’t fit in much. I tacked the top and bottom of the bracket, it’s satisfactory.

It was warmer for a week. I cleaned up the doors and painted the inside as much as I could, and the interior. I installed the rubber wipers. I read that they could be slid in from the gap in the channel, I tried for 2 seconds. I then placed one edge of the wiper in the channel and worked the other edge into the channel with a large flat blade driver. It went in without much trouble. I cut a hole for the lock retainer in the drivers door.

I wanted the best weatherstrip for the doors so I got some from Steele rubber. I attached it with the 3M adhesive. I had watched a couple videos on the procedure, but they didn’t really cover applying the adhesive. I laid down a bead, but I did not smear it flat. I taped it down but it looks like it could have been a tighter fit towards the door. In the videos I didn’t see how the 20+ foot weatherstrip with adhesive applied was dealt with befor attaching to the door. My weatherstrip was dragging in the gravel at my feet, so I applied adhesive every few inches as I worked it in place. It’s on there now! I worked the hinge pockets to easily accommodate the hinges. It was a struggle removing the door from the hinges, I wanted an easier install. It was easy, attach the hinges to the truck, set the door on the running board, lift up and slide on to the hinges, place bolts. Adjusting the door was interesting. Hinge to truck for vertical, hinge to door for horizontal. The door would not close, weatherstrip is too big! After that I read a bunch of threads about door weatherstrip woes. One solution was to strap the doors closed and increase tension, the weather strip will conform after time, like years. I’ll do that for now, and have the option to swap out the larger weatherstrip for something else if it doesn’t work.