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

Thanks so much.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

I bought a bunch of small stuff today at the Car & Truck Shop. I hope I don’t end up regretting buying the windshield and rear window rubber from Soft Seal instead of Steele Rubber like I had intended. They were also out of the chrome lock strip I intended to get......but I was there and I need it so....:waah:

I bought the polished stainless bolt kit for the bed, the rubber pads that go under the bed cross sills, side glass window wipers, felt channels & glue, polished stainless tail lights and probably more I’m not remembering right now. Tomorrow and Saturday I should FINALLY get some things installed!

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

I called Steele to buy the rubber for my BBW and they said they didn't have the chrome lock strip. I definitely wanted the chrome so ordered one from BowTie Bits. I fits and looks good so I'm happy with it.

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

Saturday, December 16, 2017

I picked up the bed sides today. They’ve been final cut and polished and look incredible. We bubble wrapped them and I’ll leave them that way until assembly starts. I’m beginning to be concerned I can put it together without messing them up no matter how careful I am.

Sorry the pictures rotated. I don’t know how to fix it either.

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

Hay Dan

I'd think twice about assembling the bed by yourself .

The other day I tried to hang the rear fender on my junk truck bed by myself , that was not going to happen so I got my wife to help . It was still a challenge to get a bolt lined up without the fender moving all over the place. If this was a finished painted bed it would have been a disaster.

Heck I even had an outline to line up with on the body side and still it was a pain to get even close to the step alignment .

It might be easer to mount the fender to the bedside before the side is vertical but that might make the bed assembly a pain.

In any case lots of blue tape on the parts to be put together.

Get a friend to help or have the shop assemble it .

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

Thanks Glen. Yeah, more and more I’m thinking I’m likely to chip or scratch the parts, and that would kill me. Not to mention cost to get touch ups made right.

But I will use LOTS of tape and I’ll have to have a friend come over for the event.

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

Dan are you going to use the welting sandwiched between the fender and bedside like stock? or just metal to metal? I have a pack Im not gonna be using if you dont have some already, let me know.

If you put the fenders onto the bedsides laying flat first then assemble the sides to front and rear panels it works better than trying to hang the fenders vertically. Just saying.



https://www.classicparts.com/1941-72...ctinfo/37-521/

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

Nah, I don’t think I’m going to use welt. I considered it but since they didn’t come that way from the factory I guess I don’t need it.

Thanks for the tip!

Correct me if I’m wrong but the side panels bolt to the front panel, the rear-most body color cross sill and the angle strips, right? From the factory they were welded to that rear cross sill but I don’t plan to do that, did you?

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

You are correct. The rear cross sill now bolts into place. My bed is from a '56 and it bolted together. Played hell trying to get the old bolts out but everything is new and stainless steel now. I didnt use any of the other cross struts as my bed frame had to be customized to fit my rear 4 link clip. The front panel bolts from the front so dont try to assemble it on the truck.

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

Me too. I broke nearly EVERY bolt taking them apart. They were rusted solid.
Mine will be all stainless bolts too assembled with Never Seize.

^^^ Huh? I don’t understand what you’re saying here^^^

From the YouTube video I’ve seen you lean the front panel against the back of the cab, assemble the bed wood & strips on top of the cross sills (bolts hand tight), then raise the bed sides on with a helper and then will bolt to the front panel. At this point I’d bolt the 3-sided-assembly to the rear cross sill, square everything up, then add the angle strips and VERY carefully measure/mark for drilling through the painted bedsides to bolt the strips on. So I have this about right?

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

The front panel bolt heads are on the front side of the panel. I wouldnt build it on the truck. I would build your bed on saw horses, at least:

1. The sides with fenders first
2. Then the sides to the front panel with all bolts into the stake corners
3. The rear sill install loose so the boards can go under it.
4. Then install all the support rails from beneath.


You are still going to need 2 people no matter what to do this portion with your beautifully painted truck, a couple miles of painters tape for all the edges and a TON of patience! ----

Then get 3 others to help you install the complete bed onto the truck. Rather then building it on the truck with everything in your way.

It will work out.

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

Yeah, I’m sure it will work out. I’ll probably use TWO miles of painter’s tape, ha ha. The only tough thing for me will be the patience part. I may need to mediate or some such to get through it!

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

How exciting it must be to have freshly painted sheetmetal just waiting to be bolted together. I would have started putting the box together the moment I got home...

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

How's the bed coming Dan? Did you have a chance to get the windshield put in? Hope everything is going ok...

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

Hi Bob,
Thanks for asking.

There are 3 auto glass places within a mile from my house that I could drive the truck to via residential back streets (since it has no glass, no bed/fenders, headlights/signals/brake lights, grill, hood) I stopped by each of them in the last week and all said they don’t do vintage vehicles. One said nothing before 1980. Safelite said they won’t do any vehicle with glass or rubber provided by the owner, only their own - I have all the glass and all the rubber so that doesn’t work for me. I gave my name/number to one shop that said they had someone on staff that would do it at my house as side work. He hasn’t called.
Still considering my options.

Nothing happening on bed wood yet. Last of our holiday house guests didn’t leave until last Friday so I’ve been procrastinating. Now it’s ACTUALLY raining in SoCal so I’m delayed a few days longer but will be getting to it soon. Sorry I don’t have any progress to report or photos to show.

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

Pasadena is the home to Hundreds of OLD SCHOOL hot rod shops... theres gotta be one that will do it for ya. Use your AAA towing to get it there, thats what I did... and then drive it home. I wouldnt trust it to just any ya-hoo with a glass shop. At least they are being honest with you... they cant do it.

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

Dan consider rubber washers between the fenders and bedsides - no squeaks, no chips. BAM told me and it worked great. Agree with the others on building bed on the ground if possible, fenders first! Your paint is outstanding buddy!

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

^^ Yup, this is true. I’m just gonna make a lot of calls and see if I can find someone who truly sounds like they know what they're talking about.

When it was in shop truck shape I had a random shop in Burbank change the windshield because it was covered in pits. They never got the driver side top corner to seat properly. So I know that just any shop cant do it.

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

I was watching one of the hot rod shows on TV and they had tried to install the windshield in a TF 3 times and broke at least 2 without a successful install.

Then they tried another shop , the first thing the new shop noticed was the pinch weld had a slight bend near the corner . They straightened it out and the glass went right in .

Sometimes its the small stuff that escapes one . The next set of fresh eyes sees the problem.

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

Thanks Glen. As I said above the random shop I used before tried & tried and couldn’t get the driver side top corner to go in fully. They took it out and re-installed it 3x, pounded on it with the flat of their hand over and over from both inside and out but stopped because they thought they’d break the glass. I never got it fixed because I ended up fully tearing down the truck. But I have the same brand new windshield still to re-install! Fingers crossed.

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

Finally got off my ass and did something today.

Laid out the bedwood I’ve been sanding and applied a pint of Minwax Natural stain. I think it came out good and about the color I wanted. It has to dry overnight so hopefully it will and I can begin applying the varnish tomorrow. Not sure how to keep the finish from dripping below the sides and forming a hard drop? I guess just go slowly and be careful.

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

Wood looks real nice.
Kim

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

Keep it from dripping, spray it. Just dont run it;)

That dude sure is red, love it!

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

I’ve never sprayed anything, though I DO have two HVLP guns and a 60 gallon compressor! Compressor works, I just need to plumb in the drain and I guess I’d have to buy a water trap.

I’d be concerned I’d get a bunch of runs etc. I’m no painter. I suppose a nice thing would be I could screw an eyelet into the ends of each board, hang them and paint all sides & edges all at one time. BUT, I’m planning on 6-8 coats by brush so I don’t know how many coats that would be if I sprayed?!

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

hang it, spray it a board at a time, then take it down and lay it flat. hard to run if it is laying flat. more chance of dust in the paint so keep the door closed or filter the air into the shop.

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

test spray something else similar first to get the spray pattern correct and the amount of product laid down to be what you want. worst case scenario you lay it down and brush it after.

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

keep a light at one side/end and watch the reflection of the paint as it goes on. it should be uniform and not too orange peely (not enough product or too much air with the product so it dries as it is aerosolled) or too glossy (too much product being laid down so too slow gun travel or the product delivery needle is open too far)
anyway, it's just wood so shoot it and if it looks bad right away just lay it down and brush it. it's like you used the gun to apply the paint prior to brushing. better than dipping the brush, lol.

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

I don’t gain anything if I have to take it down after spraying to keep it from running - it’d still be wet.:waah::lol:

I gain time IF I hang it, spray all sides and let it dry.

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

thats right. get'er done.
you will find it aint that tough. i figured it out, you will too. try it on the garbage can or something first, lol.

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

Cut to the chase, the first coat went on with a brush and looks fine.

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

Seat belts going in today too. I’m not super happy with Seatbelt Solutions even though their belts look to be top quality.

Reason? See photos. The long black part shown on their website photo is not what you get so the belt can’t be installed without twisting it. I waited too long since purchase to try to ask for an exchange so I had to install them. I made sure they won’t bind but it just irks me that they don’t send what their site shows.

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

Nice work on the wood Dan. I did about 20 coats on mine and block sanded every 2nd coat, time consuming but worth it...

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

Black Sheep - Yours looks EXACTLY like I’d like mine to come out. Very classy sheen.

I don’t mind doing however many coats necessary to get the look I want. Yours is satin or semi-gloss, I assume? What brand varnish or polyurethane?

What grit sandpaper and was it wet sanding? I remembered someone had posted about sanding every other coat, not every coat - good tip, thanks! Sorry for so many questions. Same number of coats top and bottom? Any/all advice really appreciated.

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

Ok, so apparently every job I do (myself) on my truck is required to be a PAIN IN THE ASS! Lol....or maybe I’m just a lousy mechanic;)

Got my seatbelts all installed except the passenger side shoulder mount. Painter left some bondo (I guess) in the threads. I used a thread chaser to clean them and must have cross-threaded them. I cleaned the driver side similarly and it worked like a charm. Anyway, I boogered them up and I’m guessing the only fix now is to step up to the next size bolt with a blind hole tap. If anyone has another suggestion I’m all ears.

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

Ouch :(

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

well, the wood looks awesome anyway. sorry to hear about the threads. like you say, bigger bolt hole if you have enough meat in the nut back there for a larger bolt.

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

I would do a heli coil insert to repair the threads , that way I could use the original bolt.

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

x2 on the Heli coil.

:uhmk:

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

Thanks JJ. I’ve never installed one before. Searching online makes it look pretty easy. Except this is a blind hole. So I don’t know if the installation tool provided with them will work alright? If not, what to do? Get a same sized tap made for a blind hole? Or is it a special tap of some kind?

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

Ok, you guys talked me into it. Just ordered a heli coil installation kit from Amazon! Fingers crossed. When the helicoil fails and I bounce my face off the steering wheel I’ll blame it on you! Ha ha ha.

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

Lot's of info on You Tube!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-uxtuE1xKM


:uhmk: