Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looking good. I'm not looking forward to my metal work. Probably about like yours.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

yeah normally I don't mind but I'm just so pressed for time. I already have 23 hours into all the cab work. Lot of that is game planning, fitting pieces and only using a cut off wheel. Be nice to get a chopsaw (very soon) and a bandsaw or some good makita electric shears. Its getting there though, but next build I really want to find a decent cab. My 52' I'm doing the cab needs all this same work, so I'm hopefully gonna be looking at a cab I came across, my coveted 5window split windshield, which is what I really want for that truck.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

2-16 Got about six more hours in today. Put a patch up on the driver side firewall. Then onto the trans tunnel, and floors. Put some more 1x1 in and finally getting some floor covered. Should be plenty solid enough so I can make my cab mounts and mount it. Then she'll come off for final welding, patches, seam sealing etc. I still gotta finish driver side cowl area and floor. Then onto the back of the cab, as the back has some rotting issues as well. Hoping I can score some more 18g and 1x1 this week, I'm all out.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Moving right along and looking good...Jim

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

2-22 Well my first and only child is turning one in about 2 hours from now, very exciting. Todays work went ok, still dealing with pathetic water leaks in my garage, I spent almost 2 hours shoveling ice and water off my roof, then shop vaccing my garage. It dont look like much progress today. I put another patch in on the cab, where the heater hoses go, I'll have to drill out the stock hole still. I cut out the original cab mount washer and rewelded it back in to my floor. This side I custom made the mount underneath, there is no stock cab mount member under this area. I sprayed the floor with some rustconverter primer, so it won't flash rust. I'll be seam sealing all the welds and sealing all the metal with epoxy or por15 etc.

Finally got two outta four cab mounts made up. I used about 1.5 cutoff wheels to cut these and the top plates out. I spent some time realigning my cab again as it moved while I was working on it. So I go that final and tacked some temp braces in the back and in the front, I got these two mounts in. I went with 3.5" off frame, that includes the 1.5" thick bushing. I used the HF hole saw bits and I have to say, not bad so far.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Last pic for the day. Still gotta button up some things here and there as far as cosmetics to the cab. Lastly, if any of you plan to do an s10 swap for a second time. Which this is mine, and I have more builds coming of all sorts. I'd say make a jig of your cab mounts so you can place it on your next builds frame and save yourself a ton of time aligning the cab, which dictates EVERYTHING. There are so many variables with the s10 frame, the front dips down a little, the thing starts kinking outwards also. You gotta be square left to right and have your height set while keeping it forward to back where you want it. It takes two people usually to do so. Anyway, thats my rant on that, can't wait for the next build to try it out.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Coool build! I like your style.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

ave joe, thanks man. My heart has always been for AD trucks lowered and Patina, I dig paint too. I like stockers, sbc, inlines, LS swaps you name it I love it.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Great job! What to you paint or coat the insides of panels with that you can't get to after? Such as in between in inner and outer cab panels? Keep showing us your progress..

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Sid, I spray the inside panels with rust converter primer. To be honest that stuff holds up well. I've sprayed everything on my 51' with it and its been about 3 years and sits in a sweaty garage and is holding up. I do plan on getting up in to all those nooks with some raptor liner or por15, something to really take the abuse in those areas. I'll seam seal what I can get to as well.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

2-25-14 Money has been real tight lately, but slowly chipping away at some engine parts I needed. Got my GM hotcam, which I thought I had to abort because I didn't know they made them with and without fuel pump lobes. I'm running a mech pump so I needed that lobe, different part numbers. Got it through my friend that works at GM. Put the felpro rear main seal in. Got block and heads painted. Got my true roller double timing chain. Little tricky finding one of these because A. they say it won't fit vortecs (only reason is, it won't clear the stock plastic timing covers, which I'm not using). Got to also make sure on the timing chains you order the ones for roller applications as they have different bolt patterns. Since I'm running a double timing chain, I can't run an aluminum cover (I'm sure there is one out there, but I'm not spending hundos on it). So I'm going to run a steel one, made in USA. Gotta wait for a new balancer before I can degree the cam. Also if you want to run the stock vortec balancer you have to run a spacer as it will bottom out on the different timing cover, so I planned on running a new balancer anyway. I am waiting on few more things like ARP head bolts and a new oil pan, some gaskets and odds and ends and I should be able to button this up by end of month, can't wait to fire it up.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

cool!

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-1 So glad its finally March, just few more weeks of crap weather and clocks turning back will really help out. been a rough winter for sure. So today was one of those days where not a whole ton to show for. So I found some tubing around in my stash which really saved me some money and allowed me to work on the back driver side of cab. There was hardly any support for the cab mount member, so I boxed in around it. Have a temp piece tacked to the frame to hold up the rear of cab until I finish up my mounts. I'm going to run this a pattern similar to this on the pass side rear, once that is done, most all the bracing will be done. Just a matter of putting down some 18g for the floor, and patch the back outter cab and cab corners. Got to wrap up my pass side front floor and the trans tunnel. Then floor is done. I wanted engine and trans in there to make sure the tunnel is good to go, which I knew it would be. So soon I can take cab off flip it and do all the final welding and details and seam sealing/coating. I put a patch in the seat crossmember that ties the rear door jams together.

Took almost 3 cut off discs to get these bolts cut off of the stock motor mounts, I couldn't break em loose and is a pain getting a wrench in there anyway. Bolted trans to
engine block and got mounts on there, so I can start moching up engine etc. had to jack up the frame so the picker can roll under the Aarms. It was the end of the night and had no help so I went home. I'll pick up on that next sat, hopefully get back to the floors if I can get some sheet metal.

Oh and spent prolly half hour atleast trying to fit two seats that I had in there and my god both didn't fit. I didn't know 73-87 trucks had diff width bench seats. the one in my 51' is about 55-56" wide on the back part, the two seats I have are 58ish and the other is 59-60". So now I gotta find a bench seat that works, pretty pissed about that. Just glad I didn't have my cover made before I put it in.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looking good 99... you may beat me on on the '49!

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

thanks sarge, we racing!!!! hope you can stay in the states. I couldn't imagine being in your shoes. Couldn't imagine serving a country with such trife leaders.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Thanks bro. I hope I can deter them from this as well. Bad timing, that's all. I have the next 3 projects committed, puts me out to May already.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-5-14 tues and wed evenings I have some time to work on things like the engine and dash etc, smaller things that fit in my garage at work. I started back on the engine as its getting near time to fire it up and make sure that piece of the puzzle is how it needs to be. With all this LS stuff going on, this will be a stand strong for the SBC, should have about 400plus ftlb of torque and HP and should get good gas mileage. Full roller set up. So as you can see, I got the cam in. My double roller chain did not clear the oil galley plugs. The pic of the original roller chain (which looked plenty beefy) has a taller cam gear so it clears those gallies fine. So I grinded them down, and got to degreeing the cam. Well partially my dumb move and or the timing gear's fault. They have a big dot on the tooth of the crank gear which I lined up with the dot on the cam gear for a straight up cam. However after degreeing the cam, I realize my numbers are off, so I found out that on the keyway of the cam gear I'm at 2*advance. So I gotta take that off and reset everything up as I ran out of time. Played with my pushrod length and unfortunately I gotta order new push rods, I'm still pulling to have it buttoned up by the end of month but might be a little longer before I get all the parts to button it up for fire up.

I'll be posting some updates on my work for saturday, tonight. Which is already a bust because of a death in the family unfortunately. I did however stop out to a salvage yard yesterday and came across quite a bit of older stuff. This art deco chevy is actually someone I know, which he just dropped it off that day, its really rough, as is most stuff out on their lot. I thought I had some rough stuff but wow these were bad. alot of tri5 stuff, so I'm thinking if they'd come up off a dash (almost the only thing salvageable off some of them) I might try and buy one for my 54' AD truck, as I actually don't like those dashes too much and wouldn't mind something different. 47-53's I actually really love the dash so I don't forsee swapping one of those.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-8-14 Today was beat, but tomorrow I might be able to get four hours in, today was a couple at best. Spent a little time centering up the engine and getting it somewhat situated, still need to make the plates that will be under the motor mounts and weld to the crossmember. I need to jack the trans up a nuthair to get then degreed in. I measured off my 51' to double check dist clearance which is very healthy, and also trans clearance. All is good. I need a driveshaft for moch up to see if I need to notch out any more of the cab in the back, I'm hoping to knock that out soon to finish up the floor.

Jumped back up on the driverside cowl area. Made this patch piece for the door hinge as the top part of it was gone, so I just welded up some nuts on the back of this piece and will weld this piece into the existing one, probably should have just made one whole piece instead of this patch.

Lastly, after being all jacked about two of my seats not fitting last weekend, I hoped on old faithful CL and boom, found an 89' bench for dirt cheap. Glad I did cause its in perfect shape as opposed to my others which would have needed padding. All I gotta do is get the pleated seat cover made and I can't decide to go black and white or maybe match up some of the copper theme I'll have.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looks good! Beautiful sunny day here so I will be in the shop fabbing too.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looking good 99. If you are interested, I have designed a modular frame swap for these. Pick your tire height, pick your ride height, build your mounts, slap the body on. All the measurements are ready. No mock up, just weld on stands and start bolting stuff together.

This has saved me a ton of time, I can actually build the cab mounts before the project arrives.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-9-14
Sarge, we think alike, once this body comes back off, I'm making jigs of the mounts, so next s10 swap will be a breeze. Just plop the jig on and weld up the body mounts. Hoping next truck flip will be IFS on OG frame, we'll see I
do have another s10 frame too. My 52' I'm doing will be on OG frame.

Today I got about 4 hours in, didn't get as much done as I'd like but I pissed around for a while getting the old inner cowl piece out. Realized I had to patch the last part of the rocker on this side as well so I did that. Made a little patch around the door hing area and also on the inside of the door hinge but you can't see it in the pics. I just have the hinge brace setting in there, need to weld it in. Made some final welds on the inside area while outter cowl is off. I'd like to get some POR15 to put up in there just for added longevity. 47.5 hours into every bid of cab work so far. Not including the dash.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looks good 99! Too funny! I was working on the same area yesterday. Going tonight after work to get some epoxy primer to brush in that area. I rehung the drivers door with rebuilt hinges and the belt lines line up pretty good. Only issue is the belt line on the door where it meets the front is sunk about a 1/4" inch. Any idea's? I think I may have to bend the top hinge a bit.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

thanks sid, you should put your built thread in your signature so people can click on it to view your build, rather than searching it. The belt line up front, could be a hinge issue. let me know how that works out for you.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

I don't really have a build thread. I don't know how you all have the time to post what you do. I probably should but........the time. Plus my build thread would stretch out over 3 or 4 yrs. I can appreciate the time that goes into a build thread. I kinda ask questions as I go. I am kinda proud of what I have done so far and have no problem showing things off. I get quite a few stop in's wanting to check out my progress which always leads into the pints. And I have no problem with that!

How'd you make out today?

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Sid, I like build threads cause they are kinda like a journal of your work. I love to document the journey, the progress and the time span so to speak. I look back at my 51' build and am like, wow I'v come along way in 4 years from knowing nothing and having nothing. I post pretty much anytime I work on my truck, which is mainly one day on the weekend. During the week I'm 100 miles away from it, so I can only work on things I have with me, like engine for example. Today i'd normally be in pittsburgh, but due to a funeral I had to hang home and watch my baby. Tomorrow night I hope to get couple hours in on my engine.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

I hear ya 99. I do take pictures as I move along. I do want to put together a photo album and leave it in the truck after it's done for people to take a peak at and see what it took to get the truck to where it's at when they see it. I have a lifted black GMC 2500 CCSB and I always get people asking me about it. I enjoy chatt'in with people that notice my junk.

I just got started welding on the front cross member that the core support mounts to and a hockey dad stopped in to chat so that ended the wire melt'in. Oh well, pucks gotta fly too.

Gonna keep the shop doors closed tomorrow night.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Whats the best fitting radiator to use in these AD truck S10 frame swaps?
I know there will be some bracket mods to do, but thinking of a 22"x 19" for automatic transmission.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

53kev I like the champion tri 5 chevy rads. I got a two core in my 51' works great. The mounting tabs have a 90 on them as opposed to most that are straight. Id get something with a warranty and customer service.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-15 sat, Doesn't look like a whole lot of work, however... Decided on drivers side to get rid of the stock cab mounting crossmember, so I put some tubing in and boxed that area in for my cab mount. Put some more bracing in the floor. Still got to get some 18g to finish up front of floor. The back of the cab needs some bracing and then I'll patch all the sheetmetal and cab corners later.

Started fabbin up a weird piece where the door pillar and outter cowl would meet. I think some repro parts of the outter cowl would have this piece on it, so I'm assuming. The outter cowl that I have is just straight, so this should be fun trying to bend this double 90 piece with no shrinker.

Lastly, I got one prototype inner cowl done up. Not bad for the first one. (on the left in pic)tricky to get in there in weld the whole thing. I designed the pieces and had them cnc'd out. I am going to be making quite a few of these for future projects and to possibly sell. However, if anyone needs inner cowls and wants to try mine out I'll only charge you shipping for a set. But first come first serve. I can prolly only afford a couple sets at first. Most repros sell for 45 a side, not including shipping. PM me if interested.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Nice piece...Jim

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Hey 99. I've designed a modular set of S10 to AD cab/bed mounts. Basically you decide the ride height, then build the mounts to suit your needs. I have all the measurements etc. to mount the stands on the frame with a perfect fit every time. I have instructions, diagrams, and measurements, if you'd like to take a look at them. PM me.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-22 Sat, I got to quite a bit of stuff today that I wanted to. First I tackled the double 90* piece, previous page last pic. It came out well I thought. Now if I had ordered a repro outter cowl piece I wouldn't have need to make this.

second order of biz was getting the engine situated. So I spend quite a while drilling through this 3/16 plate or whatever it is, and cutting it out with a cut off wheel. So just like I did on my 51' I can bolt the top two bolts in on the rubber motor mount, then get the engine in place, tack weld the metal plate down. Once the moch up engine is off, I can drill the bottom holes through the motor mount and into the frame. They get accessed through the factory slot in the frame, def annoying getting a wrench and nut inside there. I made sure the engine was zero degrees side to side, I then got it to about -1 deg for now by jacking the trans up. I also centered the trans up in the frame rails. I know I'm pretty centered in the engine bay since the crank centerline is lined up in the center of the xmember pretty good.

I spent quite a while tearing the front clip apart and started trial fitting my inner fenders. I go the pass side pretty good right now, still need some final trimming. I'm gonna be real close up front with the grille. On my 51' I had to clearance the grille a little. On this I'm gonna have to go a little more. I think I'm 3/4" farther back body wise on this build, which I don't mind cause I like the wheel alignment a tad better this build.

thought I'd toss in a moch up gas tank too. its out of a 52' chevy car. It would work well but they are like 200 bucks online, still not bad but I can squeeze a blazer tank in there, so I'm gonna go that route. I'm also going to run a 90 ohm sending unit and an aftermarket gas gauge on this build, I'll hide the gauge in my custom consol I'm doing and or in the speaker door on the dash.

can't wait to start stripping stuff down and getting it coated and get to the details, I'm so sick of looking at dirty, greasy everything. I'll hop back on cab floor once I pick up some 18g, hopefully wrap that up soon. Need a little more loot for my engine and I'll bring it up to my garage and get it fired up.
Hopefully stripping frame in April.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

couple more, the front is the tiniest bit back, but it really makes the rear fender line up better. Just depends on the angles you look at it. I always thought my 51' was perfect but some angles I can see the rear fenders just a snug too forward. Some angles it does look dead on though. Plus this is when slammed, might look a bit different at ride height. Nothing worse than a nasty wheel well mishap.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looks good 99. I hear ya on getting sick of the dirty stuff. Almost had enough working on the new firewall and floors. It's my third attempt on the firewall but now I'm happy.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-24 Monday, usually never ever get to work on my truck two days a week let alone on a monday, well today I got a few hours in. So I got the inner fenders trimmed to fit and some moch up fenders and grille on. Though these look cool, they aren't the actual ones I'll be using. I'm pretty happy with all the fitment so far. I should be able to fab up rad support soon, then fine tune it for my rad once I get it. I'll prolly use a trifive car rad like I'v used bf, they have a 90* tab on them vs a straight tab. I got a good game plan for it, hopefully it pans out as well as I hope.

The last pic with the hood off is actually with the fenders a tad lower than the other moch ups. I'm thinking it will be set at this, bottom of fenders are 5.25" off ground up front.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Looking good Henry!

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

thanks guys, where you been billy? yeah I'm diggin the front clip even though its not the one I'm using. I'm getting close to stripping it down and coating alot of stuff. Can't wait for reassemble and to actually get my engine done. I should also be getting bumper brackets on very soon too, makes a world of diff. Hate seeing these with no bumpers but thats my taste not everyone I'm sure.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

Dude, ive been around. Mostly lurking. Haven't made any progress on mine lately. Money has been super tight and weather hasn't let me get out and do anything either. I spent a little time out there tonight but mostly just looked at it and cleaned. I've got my engine on the stand, kinda cleaned up and got a new crank for it, but don't want to put it together yet until I decide what else I'm gonna do. Just not enough hours in the day.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

billy, I hear yah man. its a nice winter we are having this spring!! money has been def an issue for me too. Just doing anything I can that don't require it. But its almost impossible to make decent progress without it. I thought I'd get my frame blasted and epoxied, but I might just be doing it by hand and using some chassis saver. Its always time and money or one or the other. OH wait and weather! Building an engine from scratch feels like an eternity trying to save up for all the parts, I'm getting really close to wrapping mine up. Hope to see you back at it soon.

Re: 49' Patina bagged in PA
 

3-30 Today was crappy day, just didn't get alot of work time in and I started on my rad support, without my rad. I'm going to most likely use the same rad I'v used before, so it was good to take some measurements off my 51'. So this photo is basically what supports the inner/fenders up front. the rad will be tied into it some, but there is another xmember that you can't see that the rad will sit on. The PWS box just gets in the way enough to make things difficult. But I sectioned out a piece of tubing to go over the box and end to end of the frame. tacked it in. I then made two tabs with nuts on them, so you bolt the whole support together, incase you ever need to tear the front clip off, you can. I'm hoping to get the rad before I make the final mounts for it. This is just phase one.

I go got some 18g so I can start back on my floor, I'm gona have to make a tunnel in the back of cab some, I also have to notch out my xmember for my mechanical fuel pump. I have my engine a little farther back on this one. but if I get the radiator and get it in and see what clearance I have then I'll maybe move the engine up a snug.