Making the modifications work with other parts
If you have read this complete build thread up until now you should know that I’m building a 72 Chevy short box step side ½ ton pickup. The reason I’m stating it again is to clarify the pictures below (bed cross sills are located in different locations on short & long box models)
As I take a few days off from working on the truck for rest and recovery, I some times use pictures that I’ve taken to work thru projected modification problems for a solution that meets my requirements. Thought you might like to see the pictures that I’m using to solve one of the problem areas.
I’m going to be installing a Blazer stile gas tank under the bed (gas tank from Classic Heartbeat Pickup Parts). I’ve seen where others have just removed the bed cross sill that is normally positioned over where the gas tank is going to be installed or cut the cross sill shorter in height to clear the tank. Doing this is probably fine if you’re not going to put any heavy loads in the truck bed. But I want the support for the floor boards to carry any load I want and get as much clearance for installing the fuel filler tube to the tank.
From the factory this short bed did not have a short cross sill installed just fwd of the gas tank location at the stock floor fastener location. I will be installing one there as well and moving the one cross sill to just aft of the fuel tank edge where it dips down and adding a 16 gauge steel sheet to attach the sill to the stock floor fasteners. Doing this the only holes in the floor bed that will not be in the stock location is the fasteners that attach the bed to the frame thru the sill.
Before I get the question, yes the cap over the sending unit hole is from a mason jar and it fits pretty good to keep dirt out of the tank (HA HA)
Some times this method of generating modifications help me prevent other problems before I start cutting and fabricating metal. May all of your modification go smoothly with out problems.