My 60 Chevy Shop truck build

[frmula505]

After work last night scraped, sprayed some degreaser, and power washed the rear section of the frame. Ordering some drop springs, and gonna paint it black.

[frmula505]

Worked on it a bit over the long weekend. Ran into a little problem.I am installing a 5" rear drop kit (springs, shocks,and panhard rod). Well the bottom spring bolts were frozen onto the trailing arms. I cut the bottom head off, hoping I could pound them up. No dice, had to get my air chisel and destroy the lower cup. With the springs off I cut the top of the bolt, still froze. The I got my drill and drilled out around the bolt. Let it soak with penetrating spray over night. Finally was able to pound them out. Sorry I was so busy cussing that I didn't take any pictures. Well the parts should be in any day now. I'll paint everything tonight and post some pics.
As i was looking at my now upside down bed (to dolly out the bed panels behind the fenders) I noticed a couple of rusty areas. Took care of them.

[DPowers]

Nice

[frmula505]

Weather was nice and cool last night, so I was able to do a little work. I got the bottom of the fenders and bed undercoated. Yes it looks like I missed a spot at the rear cross sill. I'll take care of that this afternoon.


Also got the rear half of the frame painted. I'll have to lift the truck( once the rear suspension is back together waiting on parts) to get to the front half.

[Chevy Fleetside]

Maybe you might want to try this. It is still coming along nice though.

[frmula505]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

Maybe you might want to try this. It is still coming along nice though.

After looking at the thread where this mod is done. I don't think it will match with the smoothie tailgate cover I installed. I decided I didn't like the way mine had come out either. So I changed my design a bit. What do you guys think?


Since I have most of the body work done, it was time to start on the interior. I still had it striped from the floor board welding. I had to do a little welding. on the dash. they had installed a huge tach (#2), there was some type of cup holder (#3), and the last 4 holes who knows what was there (#1)


On the area behind the drivers side door there was the bottom of a coffee can screwed on. Probably had a speaker at one time.


After taking it off I found a PP, actually part of a Colorado license plate with the letters "PP". Covering what looks to be a hole for a CB antennae.


Got started welding, and of course ran out of wire, another project stopper.

[frmula505]

The leading edge does look flimsy once the roll is filled. I like your idea. Will update thanks

[Dan in Pasadena]

Just curious, what did you spray the rear portion of the frame with? Since it is a "shop truck" did you use an automotive paitn or just a Rustoleum type product?

[frmula505]

They sell Rustolium by the quart. I just buy that and use one of my spray guns. On my other truck (the 59 chevy see thread in sig) I used farm implement paint. It's a strait enamel thinned with reg paint thinner. I durable as all hell. but takes forever to set. Can't use it on something you are going fast on. And your right it is a gonna be my shop truck, I just get carried away when working on my vehicles. Nothing wrong with a nice looking shop truck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Don't feel bad about making it look nice. My feeling is - if I don't like how it looks I'm not going to enjoy owning it/driving it.

As soon as my '46 gets home from being re-wired (tomorrow, fingers crossed) I plan on doing the same to the rear portion of my frame. My bed wood is already out so I know my frame it is good shape..well, all but the rearmost cross sill. It has a small bit of rust through - guess I'm gonna have to buy a MIG welder. I haven't welded in 20 years (no MIG's then) but I guess a cross sill no one will ever see is as good a place to practice on as any! I'm considering buying a Harbor Freight cheapie, or a small used Miller, Hobart, or Lincoln from Craigslist. Advice appreciated.

Anyway, I'm rambling but I like what you're doing to your truck. I'll be following along and posting more stupid questions like this one: When you weld up the stake holes, won't rust form on the underside of the welded plate/inside the tube? What, if anything can be done to try to prevent that? I was thinking if you could slosh some POR 15 or other rust converter using a long handled brush or even by turning the bed side upside down? Or am I worrying over nits?

[Chevy Fleetside]

1 7/8 j bed exaust tubing.

[frmula505]

I don't worry about rust on the underside because I live in a dry climate. Your pretty far from the beach you should be ok. We only get rust where water settles. If you have the bed off you can paint with brush and long handle or just drop it in there like you say. By the way i used to live in El Sereno right down the way from you.

And no question is stupid, other than the one not asked.

[Dan in Pasadena]

El Sereno, huh? I am a Metro employee working TWO different construction projects right now. One is in Culver City and the other in ELA; just a hop from El Sereno. In fact I drive through it every day I work in ELA.

Any recommendation on the MIG purchase? What are you using for patch panels on misc. repairs like those stake holes? At first I figured I'd just go to a salvage yard and get a big, flat 70's hood or something but now I wonder if Home Depot would carry any sheet metal stock in the right guage I could store more easily?

[frmula505]

I just have a small Century mig (125A). I would look for an old hood from the fifties. By the 60's they had started using thinner/cheaper metal. I use the hood from a 49 Plymouth parts car I have. I am building a 51 Plymouth leadsled also. Haven't worked on it in ages but It's still there.

And I know all the places you work at, cool.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the heads up on the lighter gauge metal by the 60's, I hadn't thought of that.

I know "you get what you pay for" applies to all tools but I expect to do only minimal rust repair and a very few custom touches like the stake bed holes and welding shut the bed tube ends, so a minimal MIG welder should work fine.

Thanks for the advice, Dan

[glendale]

Originally Posted by frmula505

I just have a small Century mig (125A). I would look for an old hood from the fifties. By the 60's they had started using thinner/cheaper metal. I use the hood from a 49 Plymouth parts car I have. I am building a 51 Plymouth leadsled also. Haven't worked on it in ages but It's still there.

And I know all the places you work at, cool.

i dig your truck please keep us posted. then get back on the plymouth! here is mine it also was hardtop.



and the color for the roof and dash of my truck is kinda similar to your truck.

[jchav62]

Hey frmula,

Are you just using regular paint thinner with your Rustoleum. I know it says not to, but if you use lacquer thinner, 50/50 mix, it will spray the same and dry to the touch in 1/10 time. Give it a shot... Looking good, BTW!

[frmula505]

Originally Posted by jchav62

Hey frmula,

Are you just using regular paint thinner with your Rustoleum. I know it says not to, but if you use lacquer thinner, 50/50 mix, it will spray the same and dry to the touch in 1/10 time. Give it a shot... Looking good, BTW!

The rustoleum is thinned with regular thinner. I use just enough to make it sprayable. nowhere near 50/50. It dries to the touch in about 5 minutes. Also when you use lacquer thinner it affects the gloss a bit. The farm implement paint can take up to week to dry completely. But when dry it's the closest you can get to powder coating.

[likaroc13]

i guess scraping, degreasing, & power washing the frame does a pretty good job of cleaning the frame...once painted, how does the finish look (hard to tell in pics)? i guess if you want it slick, you have to use a power tool w/ wire brush or sandblast it

[frmula505]

I scraped and cleaned, then degreaser with a power wash, then went over the exposed parts with a 5" wire wheel. It's far from a perfect finish. But it looks good enough for me. once the metal has surface rust, it's hard to get a perfectly smooth finish.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by frmula505

I scraped and cleaned, then degreaser with a power wash, then went over the exposed parts with a 5" wire wheel. It's far from a perfect finish. But it looks good enough for me. once the metal has surface rust, it's hard to get a perfectly smooth finish.

cool, sounds good...i guess i'll take the same route for mine then...i'm not looking for show quality, as mine will be a routine driver as well

what did you undercoat with?

[protrash64]

Lookin good frmula505. I always clean stuff up too. Takes time, sometimes I wonder why, but it makes it nicer in the end.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

cool, sounds good...i guess i'll take the same route for mine then...i'm not looking for show quality, as mine will be a routine driver as well

what did you undercoat with?

I think for most of usthis level of frame refinishing is probably MORE than we need - of course unless you're anal (like I am) and can afford (like I CAN'T) to sandblast and powder coat!

As for the undercoating, has anyone used the do-it-yourself stuff they sell at Pep Boys? I think that stuff is put on by a gnarly looking foam roller but you might be able to do it with a special made spray gun. I even think I've seen such a gun at Harbor Freight for way cheap - you wouldn't wan to use an expensive automotive gun for that anyway.

Also, what about those giant rattle cans? I'm sure they're expensive and would be prone to plugging up but for doing one fender at a time, maybe they'd be worth considering?

[frmula505]

Your taking about the roll on herculiner. Dont use it, it chips and peels with time. There is a liner called al's liners that I've heard nothing but good about. One of the site vendors sells it. As for under the fenders and hidden places (Places that arent abused) I just use the canned rubberized undercoating.

[frmula505]

I got my lowering kit. A few problems first of all they sent me the wrong panhard rod. I specifically told them it was a 1960 and needed a 33"-34" rod. They sent me a 27".


Next not sure if this is a problem. Seems so to me. But are these shocks to small. They are fully extended, and the truck frame weight is on the springs. will the weight of the bed bring it down this much?



The springs fit fine.