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

Love your seat.

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

Seat turned out great.
Kim

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

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I wish I could show the color more accurately. My buddy says it looks like typical Toyota Camry color - that’s NOT a compliment coming from him. But it IS much richer in person.

Here’s a bad photo of the seat in process. Foam hadn’t been final trimmed/shaped or bonded to the backing. We just sat it in the cab to see the fit. I like sitting high. We opted to trim the seat back foam thinner than in this picture.

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

HELP!!

My 2 rear seat bolts are broken-off flush (or slightly below) the surface of the floor of my already-painted truck - so I can’t use heat to get them out.

I successfully drilled through one of them but because it was broken off below the surface the hole isn’t exactly centered - still haven't figured out how to get the remainder out without destroying the threaded hole? I may have to just open it up to 3/8” and tap it for a larger bolt.

BUT the big problem is I broke off a drill bit IN one broken off bolt! DOH! DOH! DOH!

Online I found Denlors Tools offers something they call a “Rescue Bit” but they’re pricey as hell. $64.98 plus $5 shipping on Amazon for one 1/4” bit. Yikes. Anyone have a cheaper or better suggestion that won’t bugger up my new paint...much?!

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

Hello Dan. Maybe this will help you. There might be enough bolt underneath to use vice grips, tack weld a nut on or ???. Just another idea. Its worth crawling under your truck for a look see.

Earl

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

do you have an arc welder? place the ground, bust a little flux off a rod, stick it down in the hole, connected to your stinger, then get a buddy to turn the welder on for a sec untill the broken drill bit gets "hot" and then turn the welder off. that should take the temper out of the drill bit and also possibly heat up the bolt at the same time without damaging the paint. then it is drillable maybe.

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

No arc welder so this option won’t work for me.

I have been thinking about jacking the truck up tomorrow, climbing under there to see if there’s any length sticking out. If there is NOT, I may drill up to expose the end of the drill bit then use a punch to push it up and out from below. Then I can finish drilling through and gradually widen out as much as possible. I don’t own any easy-outs but it seems like this is the time to order some and figure out how to use them!

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

I think the seats bolt to a sheet metal channel spot welded to the floor. that means you can't see the broken off bolt from the under side. you could tack weld a nut to the remains of the broken off drill, if possible, and try to back it out. again, a welder is required though. how about a burr on a grinder that can possibly dig out the drill. or zip disc around the hidden nut to remove the whole piece and reweld a new one in? gonna be some paint damage but again, a welder required. try a BIG drill bit, like 1/2", maybe get it down to the broken bit and then keep breaking the old bit off with a center punch till it is gone. the hole would be bigger though so, again, a welder required or possibly an insert of some sort, or drill through the second layer of the floor and install a dowel long enough to reach through the space and then use a longer bolt and install the nut on the under side of the floor.
outta ideas now,sorry.

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

In my experience drilling and easy outs are successful maybe 1-2 times out of 10, you have to be able to drill straight in very near the middle of the bolt, rarely are you able to do that with success. I assume since your are near completion that the bolt broke because it was tightened beyond its ability to hold down. If it's one that is still in there from disassembly it's a different story. So assuming its in a clean hole it shouldn't be that tough to get out now that the head is off of it. If you can't get at it from the bottom you need a welder and somebody who has done this before. Lay something non flammable around the hole to protect the paint from splatter, use a flat washer the same size as the bolt right over the hole with a like sized nut right on top of that. I use a pair of old needle nose vise grips to hold the nut down tight and clamp the ground to the vise grips. A Mig welder works much better on these small bolts as the wire can reach down to the top of the bolt and get hooked on. It helps if you have somebody holding the vise grips tight so the welder can hit the hole with some accuracy. Fill up the nut with weld, doesn't take long. let it cool a bit and put a wrench on the nut and start working it back and forth slow and easy. Have had to repeat this process several times to get success but will work 9+ times out of 10. You may have a bit of scorched paint right around the hole but should be minimal as long as the flat washer and nut are held tight and flat. Best wishes, just my experience.

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

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Stopped by the bodyshop today. The bedsides, tailgate and front panel have all now been sprayed and cleared. Marcos had all the panels color sanded and will final polish them this week. The side steps are painted too. I THINKthe only parts remaining to be sprayed is the solid cowl panel I brought to him late - he had already sprayedthe vented cowl panel. I will keep both and probably use on the non-vented panel. He said I can pick up the bed parts on Saturday. Yeah, we’ll see.

The rear fenders and hood also need final P.O. list but they had been sprayed a long time ago.

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

Dan, it's moving along (slow), but at least it's something...Jim

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

Yeah, I agree. Now it’s mostly ME that is the delay....so I have no one to blame, dammit!

But I am retiring at the end of the month so I will have a lot more time then to plug away at it. I’ve been a procrastinator, and then I got spoiled paying others to do the majority of the work so now I am really a useless puke!:lol:

As soon as I can figure a way out of the broken seat mount bolt situation I will drill for the retractable shoulder and center belts and mount them. Then the seat goes in. Then the truck goes around the corner for glass installation - NOT gonna scratch up my new paint doing that myself. And while all that’s going on I will be sanding/staining/clearing/flipping, etc, etc, etc bedwood so I can start installing the bed.

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

Dan, I'd put a bunch of tape around the anchor plate on the underside and working carefully you should be able to get the damaged parts out.

:uhmk:

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

Dan I know you have had alot of advice on your bolt hole already, but I have always had the best luck just drilling it out first with a centering drill (available at machine shop supplies or McMaster Carr)- its a small drill head that gets a center punch drilled perfectly. Then use a small drill (pilot drill) to go through the old bolt.

Youre using 5/16-18 bolts for the seat mounts, so something about 1/8" should work - use a new sharp drill bit and let the drill do the work -DONT FORCE IT THROUGH.

THen use a tap drill for 5/16-18 to go through the the pilot hole. Then just run a tap through the hole. Get a new tap drill and a new tap. they cut much better. The tap is hard enough to get the bolt bits out.

For the broken drill bit -get a carbide cutting bit. It will drill it.

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

A centering drill, huh? Never heard of them before. Thanks for the head’s up BUT that ship has already sailed. I already drilled all the way through the first broken bolt and of course it’s NOT centered as it should be. I always wondered how guys could center punch a bolt broken off flush or below the surface because they never break off cleanly.

At this point my options for the broken drill bit are either a burr on my die grinder or drilling around the broken bit with a smaller drill to loosen it enough to grab it with needle nose pliers.

If JJ is right^^^ that the underside of the anchor plate is visible from below then I will drill UP through what remains of the bolt and use a punch to get the bit out.

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

EDIT

I JUST realized I am a complete idiot! The bolts that are broken off are NOT the rear seat mount bolts. They are the front two stock gas tank bolts! DOH! I could have left them broken off flush as they were. Damn. I was reviewing what everyone wrote and Clarence’s photos reminded me.

It would have bothered me to leave them broken off but now with one drilled through and one with a broken bit? I can’t leave them. They would drive me crazy! I HAVE to get them out just to install a clean bolt to cap the unused holes. CRAAAP.

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

Seat looks great !

As for the broken bolts , are two bolts on the same rear mount or each rear mount .

If only on one you can delete the second without compromising the mount.

BTW ...

It's only 20 days 'till the big elf comes looking for cookies and milk ....

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

See my last post, Glen. I am a moron! I was confusing the rear seat mounts with the stock gas tank mount bolts. I briefly wondered why the rear seat mounts only used one bolt while the front mounts had two bolts, but I quickly dismissed it out of stupidity!

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

Looking great , Dan! What did you use for a trans dipstick tube? Stock or aftermarket?

Thanks,
Mark

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

Stock.

I stopped by the body shop Saturday and Marcos was in the process of final polishing one of my bedsides. They look great - I hope I don’t screw them up by assembling/morning the bed myself. I’m gonna get some bubble wrap for them at Home Cheapo to carry them home/store them til assembly.

I’ll pick up most of the parts this week. I am officially retiring Friday, 12/29 so thereafter all the delays wil be on me!:lol: I thought I’d have the truck totally done by my retirement date but now I know it’ll still be awhile. But that’s ok. Gives me plenty to work on!

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

Congratulations on retirement Dan! Please keep pics of your build coming, they provide me with inspiration...

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

Congratulations on your retirement, Dan.

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

Retirement hmmm ........sounds like you need to start looking for your next project.:gi:

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

Congratulations on the upcoming retirement! And for the time you will have available to finish your truck. Enjoy!

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

Truck is looking great. Congratulations on your retirement. I still have a few years to go, but looking forward to working projects on my truck. Enjoy your retirement and truck.

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

Dan, add my congrats on your retirement, and welcome to the retirement group...Jim

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

^^^ Thanks you guys^^^

I kinda agonized over whether I should pull the plug even though I reached 63 on December 1st - which is the “magic” age for my CalPERS pension.

Then the week of Thanksgiving I found out my best friend in middle school and high school had died. We hadn’t been in touch in a long time but mutual friends told me he’d been struggling with alcoholism, was estranged from his whole family, and died at home alone and no one knew until the police were called days later. An awful way to go out in my opinion. It made me sad, and made me more determined to make the absolute most out of my retirement years. Sorry for the sob story but its the real reason behind the kinda sudden decision.

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

Go full throttle for as long as you can, then do a slow burn. Rustin out is not in my plan!!!

Congratulation.

nc

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

Congrats on the soon retirement!!! I have a few years to go yet.

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

Congrats Dan! Now get back to work on this awesome truck!

:uhmk:

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

congrats on retirement dan ---ive been at my job a very long time ----for me i still like what i do and keeping my hands and mind busy isnt so bad.
Enjoy your time -----you have earned it --truck looks great and you will have a great time with it

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

Me too. 26 years though I purchased additional time so 31 years “on the books.”

I still like what I do too. It’s HARD to take a lifetime becoming an expert in a unique specialty, then decide you won’t use that knowledge and experience anymore....it’s why I struggled to decide.

In addition to my old friend who passed away, i just found out a younger co-worker(52) already had a heart attack and a bout with cancer! I’d rather regret retiring too soon than regret retiring too late!

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

yeah man, no one ever dies wishing they had more money, they all want time!

see my sig quote, HDT said it and its true, retire and be happy!

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

Congratulations on the upcoming retirement!

I was more or less forced into retirement about 3 or 4 years ago when the price of a barrel of oil plummeted. It was only a few years earlier than was planned and I still had a few big jobs to do around the ranch but with all the time on my hands I basically did them myself.

I have also watched several of my friends and family members pass away way to early and not get to enjoy any sort of retirement. My step-father passed away at 70 less than 1 year after his official retirement. He worked hard to get to where he was!

Anyway enjoy! It great!

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

Congrats on your up coming retirement ! Or How did I have time for work ?

When my day came I loaded the last of the stuff into my '56 and as I pulled out of the building the dozer started tearing the place down . I stood outside of the construction fence watching as the dozer finished off my last place of work for the last 20 years , Then it hit me I'm retired ! Retired at last !

That was 1998 . My wife retired later that year . Then we bought a Casita and started traveling . Moved, designed and built my garage and shop addition, bought a new rental house and designed a second garage for it, still more travel, found a builder and split my old homes lot and traded 2 lots for him to build a house that I designed for me on my lot this was 2006 ,still traveling, Sold that house in 2011 and bought a second new rental here . 2012 Bought a '69 Airstream and started to rebuild it then the wife was diagnosed with cancer and started treatments in 2013 by 2014 she was in remission and I was back on the Airstream got it usable by 2015 and we took a long trip in it. Unfortunately she relapsed and died in 2015.

2016 I met my future wife and we traveled all year. We got married in January 2017 and have been traveling ever since along with getting my Dart back on the road.

At this rate I may get back to my other projects sometime in the future . Hopefully sooner then later.

Good luck with the bed assembly but already painted that's a 2 person job who have done it a bunch of times before. Ya might want to rethink the idea of having the shop do it.

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

Ah Glen, very sorry to hear about your loss. It must be painful still. So sorry.

My retirement is coming at the right time. I have been “out of the office” assigned to heavy civil construction jobs sites in L.A. for over the last 10 years. This was good in that I had complete freedom and autonomy. But the bad part was guys in the field are completely overlooked when it comes to promotion. In fact getting passed over for the last one in favor of someone who admittedly knows nothing about construction and would never agree to work in a field environment tore it for me. I was looking for a way out after that. But I’m ok with it. I wouldn't have wanted to go back to the coat and tie, 8 to 5 environment anyway. I have 26 years service and another 5 years we’re allowed to “buy” for a total of 31. With my age that gives me the most pension I can get for the years. With some money I’ve managed to save for later when inflation hits me and a reduced Social Security I’ll get eventually because I have a pension from a public agency I will hopefully be fine.

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

Back to the truck, I picked up a bunch of my parts from the painter this afternoon:

Bed front panel
Side steps
Cowl vent panel (I’ll use the non-vented panel instead)
Door panels - Man, they look great!
Some small miscellaneous parts like ash tray, glove box hinge, etc.

I bubble wrapped it all so there could be no damage and put it safely in my garage for assembly later.

I REALLY need to get going on finishing the bed wood because it’s a time eater. I also need to drive the truck to a local place for glass installation. But to do that safely I need a seat installed. Those broken gas tank strap bolts^^^, keep me from putting in the seat, can’t put the seat in without putting in the seat belts first. And on and on. “Everything is waiting on everything else.” But I will have lots for time after 12/29 so it’ll get done.

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

"I REALLY need to get going on finishing the bed wood because it’s a time eater. I also need to drive the truck to a local place for glass installation. But to do that safely I need a seat installed. Those broken gas tank strap bolts^^^, keep me from putting in the seat, can’t put the seat in without putting in the seat belts first. And on and on. “Everything is waiting on everything else.”

HOLY ANAL-ITIS Dan! Don't let a little thing like this bog you down! I just crawled under my truck and the front tank strap bolts are visible from below. Go under the truck and clamp a vise grip onto the end of the bolts and turn them out from the bottom! If there is nothing to get a grip on them then seal the hole from the top, install your sound deadener and carpet over and forget about them. They won't leak and they won't be seen and nobody will ever know...:) Plus they are already painted/bedlinered to match lol Then put the belts and seat in and get the glass done, presto!

Also I've assembled a bed for one of these before in primer and although it could be done I would not want to do it single-handed in fresh paint FYI.

Congrats on your upcoming retirement! You are going to woder how you ever found the time to work a full-time job :ack:

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

Ha ha, this made me laugh out loud because you’re absolutely right of course.

You caught me thinking out loud when I posted that. I DO tend to think things to death. I arrange all the steps I need to take in order and think about the tools and time I need, how I need to jack the truck up as high as I can so I can get leverage on whatever tool I’ll use to turn those bolt “stubs” out, etc. Sometimes I need a slap or a splash of water to come out of it and you JUST gave it to me - Thanks, Bob!

Thanks for this advice too. The parts I picked up yesterday look PUURFECT. I am stoked over how great they look and the idea of messing them up kills me. As soon as I get the wood finished I will reconsider my options. By then the holidays will be over and maybe I’ll just let the painter do the reassembly.

Thanks again. This is what everyone says. I hope it’s true.

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

Really like your build, everything looks great!