Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

I'm sorry I almost died on that one....

Was it at least a shag carpet/disco van?

EDIT: sweet build by the way been silently following for awhile :chevy:

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Ha! I die a little bit more EVERY time I think of passing up a pristine black '55 Chevy two door hardtop Belair for a van.

It was Chevy butternut yellow with huge Goodyear Bluestreak slicks on 12x15's in the rear and Tiger Paw raised white letter tires on 8x15 Ansen slot mags in front. A whip antenna, brown paneling, "Oxblood" colored naughahyde seats & engine cover with yellow fog lights and of course the requisite Elton John, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" cassette blaring from the Pep Boys speakers!:lol:

I thought I was badass, and I WAS...for those days. I even got it in HotRod magazine one month. Not a feature, just captured in a group shot with a lot of others but it looked good.

PS: Thanks for having enough interest to watch my thread. You must also enjoy paint drying!! lol

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Well watching paint dry has been my profession for awhile know so you can say that its my favorite activity! :lol:

You should look for that feature get a little nostalgia for that old van haha awesome

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Just don't buy it baaack..........

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Funny you mention that but I have a soft spot for all the old cars/trucks I've had. Probably wouldn't actually pull the trigger on the van but I HAVE given consideration to another '41-46 Chevy. But my one true love of that era is '39-40 Fords. Yes, I'm NOT a "Ford guy" but I love the trucks and the two door sedans.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Stopped by the bodyshop this morning. My rear fenders are done except for final blocking before colored primer. They looked perfect to me. Since I'll write the check I guess that's good enough!

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...ss5ddpxdj.jpeg

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...sygjwn1si.jpeg

I'll break down the bed into its four sides next week and detailed photos because I think my 60 year old bed is amazingly straight. There are a couple minor dents on the bed front and the only rust through is the bed front panel in the bed roll. Appears to be only about an inch long - but we'll see after blasting. I'm planning NOT to weld shut the bed rolls because everybody does it and I'm considering installing those lights in them. Not that I like those all that much but the stock lights are low and I don't want my b!tchin new paint rear ended! I've also considered a third brake light in the rear window but I assume they're not as bright as the roll lights. Not totally sold on this idea, open to suggestions

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

maybe you could make the bed roll lights the third brake lights?
Is that what you were alluding to?

On Ebay, you can buy extremely bright LED lights individually, and If you hooked the brake light wire on each side to the roll LED. the roll would flash with the turn signals, and come on with the brake lights.
You would have to use a 470 ohm resistor to use them with 12 volts, since they are only good for 1.5 volts just hooked to a D cell battery.
I have aluminum plugs in my bed rolls, and was thinking of adding LED lights in the plugs using a counterbore, and running the wires from the tail lights up the rear stake pockets into the rolls to the plugs.
I would have to use phenolic or some other insulating material to mount the LED and resistor. Then I will have to figure out a way to make the LED sturdy enough to withstand the wires pulling at it over bumps.

Hmmm, I do have some yellow ones that are way too bright. Wonder if I would get pulled over if the roll lights were "amber"

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

I had fully intended to use the polished bed roll
plugs Mar-K sells and still might if I don't put lights there. I hadn't thought abou using them as both stop lights and as signals but that's not a bad idea. Why not get multiple functions if you can?!

Thanks Chris!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Not sure I posted these before now or not But in the interest of keeping my "log" complete I will post now. These are the Trique/Altman latch kit I bought probably a year ago. I didn't know then there is a kit option to buy the sheet metal portion shown here in a larger size that extends the full length of the door panel, or I'd probably have considered it.

As is the door panel doesn't fit properly so I've directed the bodyman to cut the factory door panel at the corner and trim it to appear as though it came that way from the factory. I THINK kit sheet metal is stainless. If it is I will polish it rather than paint it.

Anyway, here are the two pic's I took:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...sayotclyd.jpeg

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...sfcqfxitf.jpeg

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Looking real good.
Kim

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Thanks Kim. I can't recall if you put the Altman latch kit on our truck or not? If you did, did you paint the sheet metal included with the kit or polish it, or what?

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

April 25, 2016

Blew the bed apart today. What a pain in the butt. Again with the broken bolts and adding to the fun was a prior owner welded the bed sides to the rear most cross sill - gee, THANKS! Of course I had to cut the welds and that screwed them on a bit. Here's the bed broken down:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...pswo7hbyia.jpg
Just a few pic's of the details. The bed front panel is barely dented - good. But when I tapped it on the pavement a LOT of heavy rust fell out including some inch long solid pieces and the one rust-through spot I thought I had looks more like a running 8-10" of rust-through. I'll be replacing the front panel because of this, unfortunately.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...sa9p7fpro.jpeg
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...spzf8xibq.jpeg

Here you can see the welding of the bed side to the cross brace. Both sides were done of course. WHY would someone do this?
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...s5mvrtjej.jpeg

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

To bad about the rust and welded sides.
Kim

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Thanks Kim.

I'm complaining but I've got little to REALLY complain about compared to the guys replacing entire floors, etc. I'm actually pretty lucky!

Turns out a repop bed front panel is only $80 at The Truck Shop compared to $110 at Mar-K and other shipping since we're local. So again, lucky.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

I'm pretty sure the bedsides welded to the rear cross sill is factory. I'm on the third bed on my truck and every one has had the bedsides welded to the rear cross sill.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Yeah that's how they come. Mine was so poorly done i thought it was an after thought done by the previous owner, only to find out later it was done at the factory, hahaha.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Really? Wow, I'm surprised. Why would that be necessary?

For those of you that have blown their beds apart for paint, did you reweld it? Cause I don't plan to.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Glad to see you are still making progress!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Great question, i have the same one. I wonder if its to keep the bed square. i was thinking of tacking mine before i paint.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

April 27, 2016

Well, that was quick. The blaster called me back in less than 24 hours that my bed was done. I went yesterday to pay the bill and they offered to deliver my parts to the painter as I wasn't driving my other truck when they called but I was near their facility.

Anyway, this update is just a record that the parts are now with the body shop and I left instructions on filling a few extra holes that are in the bed rolls. I'll check in later this week and take some pictures.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Dan, When you mention "Truck Shop" I looked them up downloaded the on line catalog. Going to get sheetmetal form this business. Thanks a lot. Good build, I have pirated many things from your thread. Thanks again

Nut Case

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Hey, Nut Case I'm glad you've found the thread useful here and there. What I will tell you is there have been others that have not had good things to say about the The Truck Shop. Mostly having to do with their shipping and customer service.

I'm not exactly warning you off them just letting you know they have been as issue for others. I use them because they're relatively local so I can physically pick up what I'm buying, pay no shipping, and not have to deal with anyone but their counter men. Those guys are nice, helpful, etc. Just a head's up. -Dan

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

April 28, 2016

Picked up the new bed front panel, polished stainless bolt kit as well as rear fender bolt kit in polished stainless as well today.

My side steps appear to be drilled for the old school stainless steps with Chevy bow tie emblem and I debated whether to weld shut the holes or buy replacement steps? I bought the large flat steps the Truck Shop had to test them for fit. There is a second type of these steps with a kicked up lip but they're smaller and they were out of stock on them anyway. The blue bow tie would be painted black or red.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Looks real nice.
Kim

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Thanks Kim! I stopped by the body shop and the holes in my steps are MUCH closer together so these steps will be returned and the holes welded shut. I can always decide later to add step plates even after its painted.

Like I said, these things are old school (as am I, unfortunately!:lol:) so I run hot & cold on whether I want things like this or do I want a newer, cleaner look?

Things like chrome inside window & windshield moldings, chrome ashtray face, these steps, etc all used to be kinda standard on a "dressed-to-the-teeth" truck. Now? Not so much.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Dan, you can probably get by with not welding the bed sides since your truck won't be worked out of and the tailgate will most likely always be closed, but that's not how these trucks were intended to be used. Even though there's four bolts on each side holding the bed sides to the rear cross member I doubt that the bed sides would have remained square to the floor for very long under the typical usage that these trucks were subjected to if they weren't welded. The bolts are located at the bottom of the bed sides so a heavy object hitting the top of the bed side would likely knock it out of position especially if the tailgate was down. I would weld it like the factory did it if it were mine, but that's just my opinion. Either way, I'm anxious to see some updates on your truck.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Hi Russ! Long time no talk.

I spoke with the body man and we both came to the conclusion the welding was just as you said: to keep the sides relatively in alignment after loads of sand or gravel, etc had been dropped in the bed. These trucks lived HARD lives. Mine doesn't appear to have been one of those - my original bedsides barely have any dents in them and the original bed wood was completely intact except for one board if you go back to my early posts! We decided wil will profit the entire bed together once the body work is done on each side. The "fit" of the sides to the rear-most cross member is TIGHT on mine so it'll definitely scrape the new paint unless we relieve that fit a little prior to paint.

Something I forgot to post is I DIDNT have the angle strips removed from the bed sides before blasting. My body man wants to remove them, sandblast where they were and rework where the drilled out spot welds were because without doing that there is rust left behind the angle strips. He's pretty thorough and I'm happy about that. But I think I need to post a separate thread about this to ask some questions.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

May 23, 2016

Just back from a week of vacation and stopped by the shop to check on progress. My cab interior was about to be sprayed with final red primer. These photos aren't as clear as I'd wished because everything looked great to me.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...srwefe8va.jpeg

After having had both rear cab corners replaced, the rust-out in the kick panel areas repaired and the extra radio holes in the dash repaired it looks so good.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...sfzd0ykt2.jpeg

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...spmdkym12.jpeg

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...s7g4uakko.jpeg

Re: My bed sides, the painter drilled out the spot welds holding the angle strips and resent them to the blaster (a block away) to blast behind where they'd been. They're not back yet, when they are they'll be finished and re-primed, readied for final paint. I will install polished stainless angles using buttonhead stainless bolts as described in a separate thread - thanks for the advice guys!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Looking so good! I bet you were ready to jump out of your shoes with a sight like that!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Thanks a lot for the kind words.


Actually, what's going to make me "jump out of my shoes" is to see some color go on it. I CAN'T WAIT for that. We're getting closer. It's taking a lot of time but I'm not upset about that - makes paying for it easier and I've seen the progress week to week and I know he's doing things the way I wanted them done.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Coming along real nicely.
Kim

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

....if s l o w l y, ha ha!

I asked about seam sealer along the interior steps. The bodyman said he puts that in after the color primer. I guess I thought it should be before, but what do I know!

The interior floor will have a bedliner type textured finish and
I will put Dynamat or Peel 'n Seal on it before carpet goes in eventually.

Also confirmed seam sealer along spot welded joints running around door perimeter. He confirmed that will be done as well. Self-leveling gutter sealant will also go in before color.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

I looked them up and it says TruckSHOP.com is closed.... is this the right one?

http://www.truckshop.com/


On the bed dealio ---- my bed is completely welded together now as I had to make it to lift off for access to my FAT TIRES. I made the mounts easy too by just removing 4 bolts to the frame rails and its loose. Unplug the wire connector to the tailights and Two guys can lift it off.

Trucks looking good Danny!!!!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

No, technically it's called, "The Car and Truck Shop". Here's a link to their site:

http://www.truckandcarshop.com


Thanks so much. It's coming along.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Looking real good Dan! How's the Altman door latch install coming along? Haven't done mine yet!!

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Hi JJ,
It went fine. Had to do a little "cut-to-fit" so it worked exactly right but not much. Go back to post #1249&50 for photos. Turns out my kit wasn't the one that replaces the entire door panel. Instead, the bodyman will cut the 90* bend off the door panels and grind/contour the edge to look aesthetically good in case I don't install full door upholstery panels later.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

June 5, 2016

Stopped by the body shop yesterday to see if my bedsides had been delivered to the shop by the sandblaster/powder coater?

The good news is they had.
The bad news is that the angle strips had NOT been removed as I had been told they would be before powder coating!

The painter was in the booth but I told his son about my concern so we'll see what happens. I'd been told he would remove the angle strips, the sides would be reblasted and THEN they would be powder coated with red as a primer before the real primer. According to him this was to remove the rust that had formed behind the angle strips over the years made sense to me. I didn't know to ask for this and now I feel like I want it done, ha ha!:lol:

A pic to prove it happened:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...s0sdugmzq.jpeg

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

They came out nice.
Kim

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Thanks Kim.
Yeah, they look kinda brick orange/red in all the photos but they're actually a darker true red.

Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Making good progress. dug