A '54 named Busty

[Gregski]

So here's the driver side frame horn chopped off

[Gregski]

and then it was off to the driver side

[Gregski]

and here's the ever so slightly damaged driver side front fender, nothing a three pound sledge can't handle

[Gregski]

so using Ole Sarge thread 49 ls1 as an example I decided to lop off the bottom of the OEM radiator frame, this will allow me to slide the radiator further down, so I made the cut 23" down from the top to keep the most original metal that I could

[Gregski]

and progress on the driver side front fender, not bad for a rough first pass, this truck aint getting painted so we are not going for perfection here

[8man]

You do nice metal work.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 8man

You do nice metal work.

Thanks mate, not bad for an IT guy! hee hee

[Gregski]

put the front end back on for final fitment and alignment before welding in the radiator core support

it appears I am about 1/2 an inch off and the hood has a slight overbite and refuses to shut, the recommendations I am getting is to lower the front, which at the moment appears to be resting on the power steering box

[Gregski]

sneak peak at the black grille and the look I am going for, it's like lipstick on a pig, ha ha

mocked up front bumper as well

[joedoh]

looking good, I like the black grille!

[Gregski]

random things that need a doin' but I'll be putting them off

this aint bad at all it's a Nevada truck

[Gregski]

yanked out the rusted out L shaped bed side brackets - ordered 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" National Hardware N215-475 4060BC Solid Angle in Plain Steel off of Amazon, not the ideal place to source your metal, but desperate times call for desperate measures

fun level = 0

[Gregski]

one of the bed cross sills had a little English on it so it took some gentle persuasion to get it straight

[Gregski]

so bed cross sills wire wheeled, acid washed, baking soda neutralized, sun bathing, about to get some primer and paint (may be
throwing two extra in for strenghtability, we shall see)

please don't mind the two tone prime job, I was just trying to use up a can of light gray primer that refused to run out (wish it did that when I actually needed just a bit more, know what I'm sayin' fellas?)

[Gregski]

alright, after getting my front end realigned so that the hood could close, it was time to make that asymetrical radiator frame

it aint gonna win any beauty pageants but it's strong and I made it out of all my scrap metal cause you know I can't exactly run over to Lumberjack and pick up some more U chanel or square tubing

still gonna add some gussets up on top tomorrow

[Gregski]

where the magic happens

[LT7A]

Good job on the fender metal massage work. I would think that would be a difficult part of patina preservation. Getting it straight, but not wrecking the "original finish". By original, I guess I mean current.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Good job on the fender metal massage work. I would think that would be a difficult part of patina preservation. Getting it straight, but not wrecking the "original finish". By original, I guess I mean current.

Thanks mate, yes I lost the paint code for that paint mix so I can't risk ruining it, LOL

[Gregski]

added some more gussets at the top, and I must say I am pretty proud of the result, but am I the only idiot who tries to use weld beads as filler, with crappy results, ha ha

[joedoh]

nice work!

Originally Posted by Gregski

am I the only idiot who tries to use weld beads as filler, with crappy results, ha ha

no you arent, but I gotta tell you, I used to have trouble closing gaps on thick steel but now even a 3/16 gap on sheetmetal (you would bbe amazing how much this happens with a measure once cut once mentality) doesnt scare me any more. whether its learning better welder settings or experience, its getting easier.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by joedoh

nice work!

no you arent, but I gotta tell you, I used to have trouble closing gaps on thick steel but now even a 3/16 gap on sheetmetal (you would bbe amazing how much this happens with a measure once cut once mentality) doesnt scare me any more. whether its learning better welder settings or experience, its getting easier.

ha ha, as AVE says "I measured once and cut twice and it's still too short !!!"

[texxxan]

Awesome build. Wouldn't be possible without the beer.

[Chaplain]

Sup

[Gregski]

next it was time to fabrimake the radiator frame / core support brackets which would join that contraption to the Camaro frame horns

we start with a benign piece of metal slightly thicker than 1/8th I think, I measured from the outside edge of each frame horn to the radiator frame and it was approximately 9" on each side and this scrap piece just happens to be 18" and a gnats hair long

[Gregski]

you ever wonder why after measuring a piece, finding it's center, marking it with a SHARPIE, then cutting it, only to find out one piece is slightly longer than the other

well, today I was in a finding out kinda mood, so I measured 9 inches exactly from each side and drew a line with my SHARPIE

as you can see the lines were off, I recon it's on the account of the thichness of that pen, or it's fat shoulder, good to know either way, so for exercise we split the difference, (pun intended)