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

She looking good Dan!

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

Thanks everyone, I'm so pleased too and with the price, man how can you beat that?!

Leonard, There are no markings on my rims that I could find so I dont know what brand they are and I confess I don't kno just by looking. If anyone else has an opinion, please let me know, THe guy I nought them from put GIbbs oil on them to protect them from corrosion. He had them a long time. It protected them but kinda dulls them and I'd like to remove it, but nothing seems to work, I've tried mineral spirits, axetone and MEK.

She's a driver so she doesn't measure up to the stds you guys that are doing frame-offs have. MAn, I'd LOVE to have the time and space to do that but I'm happy with her so far.

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

PS, Why is the "edit" button not visible on my screen? Only the "Quote" button. I can't correct those mispellings without it; bugs me.

JEEEZ! I no sooner posted that and the Edit button shows...but ONLY on this #203 post, none of the others. Weird.

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

Dan
I think the edit button is only available for a short time after your original post and then goes away.
Kim

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

Hmmm, you must be right cause I just got bac ktop my compueter and its gone again. I still think that's weird. I'll stick to working on old trucks.

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

I took off my headlight trim rings to polish them. The chrome is pecky but not where its too noticeable and for the time being, they'll be fine. One thing lead to another and I ended up sading and painting the passenger door and front fender. I was gonna pull the door panel to remove the door handle and mirror but you know what THAT woulda probably lead to!:lol: So, for now this will do:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0588.jpg
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0589.jpg

Which got me wondering what the pecky side badges would look like if I took some 000 steel wool and paint to them. They didn't fit quite right so I took them off.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0592.jpg

Just noodling around with colors. Chevy engine orange (cause I already had it). Looks ok on the bench but I think a little too "artsy-craftsy" to put on the truck. Opinions?
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0598.jpg

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

sweet. looking good dan. i like that color of primer.... i think i would go with the black fender badge, but thats just me.

leonard

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

I think it looks pretty good. I would put them on and see how they look on the truck.
Your final truck color may change my opinion though.
Kim

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

Oh, I totally agree. All these colors are just for now. I just tried the orange because those are '56 (I think) badges. They're two piece to make essentially an identical badge as my '55 badges. Two sets of badges came withthe truck otherwise I wouldn't have them. The final truck may not even have badges at all!

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

yo dan !

hey man! ''you don't need no stinking badges '' (lol)

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

Funny! Yeah, I like the badges for now while I'm just trying to make it a clean driver. I'm really uncertain ab out using them later, after final paint..... But that could be years.
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Been working on refurbing my instrument cluster. Some wins, some losses as you'll read:

Here's "Before":
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0837.jpg
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0835.jpg

Here's "In Process":
Everything blown apart
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0840.jpg

Bought new numbers. My old ones were faded and chipped. The current miles were so faded they were BARELY visible at all; 85559. Since it sat from '92 to '10 I'm wondering if that's total original miles? Guess I'll never know!
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0841.jpg

I bought all the goodies to update the Water Temp guage to an electric one. $58 only to find it doesn't bolt right in - as you can see. Made the mods but then it sits up too high by about 1/4" making it unusable-damn! Hopefully they'll take it back. Anyone have any experience with updating their '55 2nd series to an electric temp guage? What's the secret?
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0844.jpg

Found that Rustoleum satin apple green comes reasonably close (well, close enough for me!) to the original cluster interior color and mine was flaking off. http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0845.jpg
I tried to just clean the black background but a lot of it came off on the rag so I resprayed it with some no name cheapo flat black I had. Came out great I think:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0846.jpg
My needles were totally faded so I sprayed them too. Masked the little guages with aluminum foil, but pulled the speedo needle to respray.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0848.jpg

Stopped because the little green lenses for the signal indicators were so faded they were white. I'll buy replacements Tuesday and finish the refurb. I WAS'NT gonna buy a new chrome bezel yet, but I think I can't stand it and I'm gonna. Mine's a bit pitted and scratched...which was fine when it looked like azz, but not now.

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

very nice job

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

Thanks Kim.

Another "small potatoes" improvement but most of mine are.

I wonder if I should post a separate thread on something like this because if someone is later searching for "Instrument Cluster Restoration" or some such they'd never fin it in this thread. Whaddaya think?

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

Your cluster is coming out real nice.
Kim

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

naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa keep it as is just my humble opinion

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

Hey Dan, here's the pic of the parking brake in my 88 donor truck. Looks like a simple bolt on set up. I'll mount it up as high as possible with just the pedal showing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...c/pbsetup1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mc/pbsetup.jpg

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

Thanks Sarge!
Interesting that it bolts to the kick/vent panel. I think Orrie's bolts to the firewall and the unseen bottom lip of the dash, but I could be wrong on that.

Is there some kind of reinforcement behind the sheet metal? I ask because I wonder if stepping on/releasing the mechanism over and over will fatigue and eventually tear the sheet metal? But if there's no reinforcement in the '88, there's no need in our trucks with the heavier gauge metal.
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Small update:

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0883.jpg
Here's my rebuilt instrument cluster. New chrome bezel and lense. New odometer numbers and signal lenses, repainted needles and interior. If you saw it earlier I since have done the background in Rustoleum Sage Green to sorta/kinda match my truck's temporary exterior. Temporary but probably for a couple years.

Here's the "Before" photo for comparison:
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0837.jpg

Board member TRi5Nerd aka Larry is SUCH a generous, nice guy (and a helluva builder too-you oughta see his '55, awesome!) that he offered me his old cluster to use the speedo/odometer as mine is frozen. Since I now had two backdrops, I decided to see how one would look in green. I'll likely return it to black later but for now I kinda like it. Opinions are welcome even if negative.

Here's the paint I used.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0884.jpg

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

Looks real nice Dan.
Kim

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

Thanks Kim. Its a lot of close work with tiny delicate parts - kinda annoying, I'm glad its done.

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

Dan that looks great!
I should send you my dash a six pack of your fav beverage.
I kid, I kid....
Nice job

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

Fredo,
I'll take a run at it if you want, or just drop me a PM and I can walk you through it. If I had a bead blaster I could make one come out looking almost new.

Now, I'd be more certain about what I was doing. Its not hard once you know how some of the smaller parts come apart from each other.

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

looks real nice - good job - i still have my original one - but got a great deal on a newer one w/ all new auto meter gauges - went with that one - always good to have a spare

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

Nice wrok Dan! I like the green too!

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

great thread dan. where is this eleclltrical guy at and how can i get ahold of him? i would love to be able to take it to him and solve my light problems. thanks. im in la so not very far from you
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Henry Morales Auto Electric
6909 Figueroa St.
Los Angeles‎ CA‎ 90042

A friend turned me on to him. I also checked online reviews-all were positive. Hole in the wall sized shop in a tough neighborhood but he made ALL my electrical problems go away for $200. Hard to argue with that! PS Nice guy too.

P.P.S. Post your results if you use him, ok?
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Quick comment: Been working on my interior cosmetics. Pix coming in a few days.
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Nice job with the gauge Dan, I want to see it installed and working in the truck now.

Tri5

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

Hi Larry,

Yeah I'm really please with how it looks. Installing soon but got caught up in "While I'm in there" syndrome. Cluster was out so...I'll sand/paint the dash. Oh but two tone would look good...oh if I'm doing that I GOTTA do the kick panels, etc.

Having truble figuring out hoe to remove headlight switch and cigarette lighter. But I'll figure it out so I can finish sanding.
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

im not too worried about the neighborhood i was born and raised in south central la. so ill be fine. thanks for the info. i train/work in pasadena. rosemead and colorado
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Hopped up,

I shouldn't have written "bad" neighborhood; it's not. Actually the neighborhood is better than it had been for a loong time. It's an old neighborhood and a working class neighborhood, but the residential parts are starting to get restored and even a bit gentrified where really nice architecture has survived the decades.
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PS: Rosemead & Colorado is walking distance from my house.

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

Dash gauges look great! overall, the whole truck looks great! I have a soft spot for a '55 myself!

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

Thank you Maximus, I'm trying. There's still LOTS to do but it is now reliable enough that I'd drive it anywhere within reason
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

thanks for the info dan , my buddy already called and is prob gonna take his 58 in sooner than later. ill be taking my 64 c10 if i cant figure out some prob im having. walking distance? then you prob know my gym Sityodtong,la. i have been fighting outta there for several years now
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

I told Henry I was going to put out the good word about him on the website I go to. I'm not sure he thought that would actually result in any additional work. I never did until you asked about it and now I'm glad I did.

I'm sure your buddy will be happy. What's he looking to have done?

I need to take my '55 back to him because the resistor built into my headlight switch was broken and he wasn't able to make it work without a new one to allow me to dim the dash lights. It's not that important but I want everything to work as its supposed to. He also asked me if I wanted my signals to function as running lights like modern cars do? I told him no, but now I'm wondering if I should have.

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

Well I'm at the gym pretty much everyday,so maybe I can check out your truck one day. I'm there after my regular job. That's my fun job. My friend wants to get a full wiring harness installed, got quoted a good price . He's gonna start posting on here soon too. Don't worry I'll tell them you sent me
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

When I had my '46 it needed a coomplete rewire and I knewofa shop in Whittier that had done excellent work (so I'd heard years before) so I went there. Yes, they did excellent work alright but I'm embarassed to admit it cost me over $1500!!!!!!!!!!!:waah:

Friggin killed by truck budget. I have a feeling this Henry guy would do it for a fraction of that cost.:waah: I'm itching to see what your friend's truck comes out like.

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

Yeah he was quoted alot less. I'll let him tell the details once he gets on here
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
 

Just a teaser on what I've been working on. It's taking me forever because of interuptions, but what're ya gonna do? Helping family move tomorrow...more delays.

Feel free to offer opinions as its not permanent. Its for "while I'm doing all the mechanical stuff". Later (someyear) when I get final paint on it all these colors may well change, we'll see.

BEFORE (Whole interior looks SO bad I can't enjoy driving my now-great running truck. I'm too anal to leave it that way long)

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0885.jpg

IN PROCESS, Krylon "Celery" color. It pops a lot more than these pic's show.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0887.jpg
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0888.jpg

"AFTER" - Celery with Rustoleum Sage green inset and Rusto Bright Metallic Chrome accent. Buggered it up a bit rushing to pull the masking tape. I'll fix it later either with touch up or possibly black pinstriping around the chrome paint.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0891.jpg
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/z...a/DSCN0892.jpg