Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

In case you were wondering, the black on the patch (in the previous post) is epoxy panel bonding adhesive. I welded the main part of the patch in then "glued" the lip on the panel. It will be dry in the morning, ready to grind down.

Here's a couple more door pics...

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

sick, I love seeing this stuff. keep it up

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Here's a few pics of the outer panel repairs started today on the driver's door.The patch is made, rusty parts trimmed out...ready for welding. Before I weld on the outer patch, I'll clean up the back side of the welds (on the inner patches) and then "seal" them with the same epoxy adhesive I use for bonding.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Even though the outer panel doesn't look too bad, it had about 30 pencil tip sized "pin holes" rusted through.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

looking great keep it up.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I got the door all welded up today...Time to start straightening and filling, then prime and block.

When this door is done I'll take a little break from rust repair and start strightening the front fenders.

Talked to our former paint rep (the shop I work at changed paint lines...)he's going to get me the paint formula for the color I'm going to paint my 51...We have left over paint from the change over of paint lines so hopefully I can get enuf mixed(for free) to at least do a little jamming and painting some small parts.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I finished the body work on the drivers door and got it in epoxy primer. Need to do a little priming and blocking, then on to the next part of my project...front fenders.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I got the drivers door all primed and blocked out. I decided to make my cab mounts since I hope to get an s10 frame sometime in the next month...(tax return $$$.) Bought a 4" sqauare tube and basically used "Jeffs 51" plans for the mounts. Front mounts are done and will do the rears this week. I'll post a few pics when they are done. Also made a deal on a small block 327 with the TH350 originally out of a 69 chevy truck.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

lets see some pics!!! sounds like everything is coming together pretty well.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Cleaned up and repainted the vent window frames. Here's apic of the drivers door in primer, still need one last prime and blocking....

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Here are some pics of the front cab mounts...

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Front mounts done except for drilling the mounting holes!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

hey glad to see you running the vent windows. I love them. you're moving right along man. keep it up.
P.S those cab mounts look like mine, was about the only 4x4 tubing I could find and that is about 3/8th or so
thick heavy as hell!! Mine might even be thicker, I was embarrassed to post pics because they are so overkill!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

99 to life,
Yeah, the mounts are 1/4", it was the only piece at the discount steel yard that was 4" and about the right length. They are a little "chunky". Scroungers can't be too picky!! As far as vent windows go, I'm not planning on having A/C as of now, I will maybe add it later, but for now it's not in the budget. So, the vent windows and the fresh air intakes will be used!! I also saw a sliding rear window in the LMC catalog, but I don't know if it will look okay or not. Just got back from Home Depot with some more cut off wheels so tomorrow I'll cut out the pieces for the rear mounts and probably weld them up on Wednesday or Thursday.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

yeah I hear you, I was struggling to find some 4" tubing and had to go to a welding shop and buy some from their scrap pile. As for cut off wheels, I have used all kinds of them and honestly the dewalt metal ones are by far the best. You can get em at tractor supply for $2, I forget what home depot charges. I swore next project I'm gonna try and find them bulk cause I must have went through 100 of them. BTW I bolted my mounts on, so good luck drilling all those holes if you go that route. Looking good though.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Door and cab mounts look good....Jim

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Finally got the drivers door done and rear cab mounts made. I will be taking the mounts to a buddy's house tomorrow to drill the mount holes where it bolts to the frame. He's got a drill press. Then eventually I'll bring them back to work for painting.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Here's a couple of pics of what I do to make a living, to feed my family and fund the work on my 51!

The car is a 2012 Mercedes Benz E550.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Atommik,The door looks great and the mounts do too. The ones I made were made out of 3x3 3/16 tube because I had it. Somebody had a bad day when they wrecked that.


Shannon

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks Shannon, We do see alot of people's "bad days", luckily with todays safety technology, we don't get many cars in that people were seriously hurt in.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Again door and mounts look good....Jim

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

great work man. I tell you what, you prolly have a lot of patience with your profession. Glad you have the motivation to work on truck considering your profession. I can't stand working on new vehicles. Something old however, I can get real excited. I'm sure we all feel that way though.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

nice metal work Atommik.
good start on your project.
people in non rust belt areas don't understand what real rust repair is... :D:D:D

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Ogre, 99 to life, thank you!

Fortunately, collision work and restoration are different enough that MOST of the time I still enjoy working on my truck.

I'm grateful that even though I've got some rust to deal with, mine's not as bad as many that I have seen on this forum!!

Shannon, got your PM, Thank you!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Atommik, no problem.

Shannon

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Nice build project!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

52 Rat, Thanks!



Started doing the staightening on my front fenders today (right side first, the worst of the two). No rust holes to deal with, only surface rust and countless years of "farm dents"!! Removed the large top mounted turn signal and welded up the hole. I wouldn't mind using them somewhere else on the truck, any suggestions?

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Also, a couple weeks ago I converted the parking lights (clear lense in the grill) to a dual filament bulb to work as turn signal and parking light. If I decide to, I may install LED bulbs. (I didn't take any pics...didn't think it was that exciting...)

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I was thinking about doing the same with the parking lights. Was this an easy modification?
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Awsome build. That trick with the headlights has me saying hmmmmm I might want to try it as well. I'm subscribed

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

52 Rat

The conversion was pretty easy. I just bought a couple of 1157 bulb sockets with wires(try to find some that are small as they need to go inside the housing). Take the light apart, remove the old socket then fit the new socket in it's place. I was hoping to attach the socket coming in from behind the housing, but it is a very tight fit against the grill when installed so I just put it inside the housing. While it was all apart I cleaned up and repainted the housings.I also attached a ground wire from the body of the housing. Even though it is supposed to ground through the housing, a little extra will be good. I took a couple of after pics...

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Here's the pics...

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Sounds easy enough. Thanks for the info! I've seen the 1157 sockets with the pig tail wires at Norther Tool.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I started working on the fenders this week (right side first). I'm trying to be really patient and trying to smooth them out enough to not use any filler, just primer. I wish I could afford new fenders...but there is some satisfaction in repairing all those dents!! (And there are alot of dents/ creases!!) I've got the top surfaces mostly done...just a few small areas left.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

looking good. I'm all about using OG parts. I'm working on some rear fenders for my next truck. I just started, but I'm having crap luck just sanding the rust off, because my air compressor is a baby. So I gotta get some priorities straight. But I love seeing bare metal and pounding out dents is fun. I love seeing guys bring things back to life rather than just buying it off a shelf, on most things of course.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I just got the engine/trans I bought, dropped off at my work. We had a really heavy duty steel cart laying around the shop so I "borrowed" it temporarily and mounted the engine and tranny to it. Now I can move it around as a single unit. The engine is a 327/ 250 horse from a 68 Chevy truck, Currently has a 4 bbl Edelbrock carb...probably will keep it as is. It's pretty dirty and greasy so I will post a few pics after it's cleaned up a little, hopefully tomorrow. Trans is a TH350.

Also, fit the doors on my cab this weekend. Everything lines up really well. I will need to do a couple of minor tweeks, I'll take care of those when I do the rust repair on the cab corners, and filler neck hole. What are everyone's opinons on welding up the rear cab seam...Worth the effort??

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Still working on cleaning engine and trans. I bought some better degreaser. I will definately need to do some engine painting! I think I will keep it original looking with orange block, intake, vavle covers and black air cleaner. I'll try to find a "327" decal for the air cleaner.

Also ordered and recieved rear cab corners (left, right, inner and outer). One of our shop vendors is a distributer for Goodmark products...paid less than retail and had the parts delivered to my work, next day...NO SHIPPING CHARGE!! However, they did not have front cab corner parts. Probably will order from LMC. I'm hoping to bring the cab into work in a couple of weeks and do the rest of the rust repair.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Hey Atommik, that,s a great looking project you,ve got going together. I.ve been folllowing the build thread from the beginning. It,s funny that one of the first items I restored on my 51 truck was the heater assembly too!
i like the way you are headed and plan many of the same mods....
Keep posting the updates!! thanks
John P

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks, one wing angel!! Do you have a build thread started?

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Here's a couple pics. A little painting is needed...