Thread: 47-55.1 Bed side fuel door
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Old 04-12-2020, 02:01 PM   #4
dsraven
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: calgary alberta
Posts: 7,885
Re: Bed side fuel door

thanks.
I used the envoy one because I had it and I also wanted a round door to sorta go with the rounded look of the old style truck plus round is easier to bend into the shape I needed for the fender without causing weak spots on the corners that would want to "oil can". a wrecker or a kijiji check would probably turn up a cheap door. easy to get the surround as well and the envoy also has an inner "tray" if you want some extra rigidity and have the space. take a hammer and a chisel or a cordless recip saw or, fab up a homemade chisel from a thick putty knife with a cutting edge on the side, that way you can hold the handle of the knife while you use the hammer on the side opposite the cutting edge. take a file with you to keep the edge sharp (sorta looks like a hook knife when youre done sharpening the putty knife but the hook actually keeps the tool in the right place when cutting). it worked for me several times when the air chisel wasn't available, like at the wrecker. also works pretty good for cutting spot welds after a quick drill through to weaken them. buy a good quality putty knife so it will be tempered spring steel.
I used cleco fasteners to mock up the door but self drilling sheet metal screws (tech screws) work great too. you gotta weld the holes after but you also gotta weld the cleco holes so that part is a wash. a cordless drill with a hex head sheet metal screw is pretty fast if you use a magnetic tip to drive the screws.I also have a magnetic parts tray to hold the screws, it's handy because it can be placed on an angle and the screws still stay in the tray for easy grabbing.
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