48 Chevy COE custom diesel build

[Chance48]

I got a little bit more done with the door. Next is set up the sand blaster and clean up the inside of door.ill have to repair the end of the door, but I need to blast it first to see how much of it is solid, if any. After that I'll be able to hang it and start reassembling it, well I'll need to get my outside skin rolled and shaped. I break a small lip into the panels so that it gives it some rigidity at the joint/seam. That will help minimize any warpage that can occur.....fixin to find out.



This is rough fit, I'll get it better.




Little scary here. I suppose if this was a pickup, I'd just hunted down another door.



Some pics of the rot.








Until next time.

Chance

[Advanced Design]

Darn rust! Maybe a little go kart slick action on the inner piece would help with the contour.

[99 to Life]

better you are tackling now than years down the road. Inside of doors are always atleast surface rusted which relates to future rust on solid doors. So since your are a bust inside and out, to me doesn't hurt so bad as to busting open a solid door. But.... yours are def rough. You got a good jump on them already. easy peasy

[47 Fasttoys]

Hey Chance, looks like good progress on the metal work. By the way I'm pretty sure a standard pick-up door can be converted to a COE door. On another interesting note: I have a minor water leak on mine, I found this because my heat was not as warm as normal. The point is this: Due to the cab being higher then the engine getting coolant to the heater may be a challenge. In my case I use the Silverado overflow tank which is part of the pressurized system and is also the fill point. In my case it is mounted slightly above the heater core, so low coolant, low heat. Just something that came to mine (when I was freezing, LOL)
Rob

[Chance48]

Hey Rob, thanks. Never thought about the heater issue. I was gonna go the route of a pressurized remote tank, but now with my cutout at rear of cab I can actually just reach forward and fill the rad from under the cab. I still might do the remote tank. I know I'll need to block off the line at the original fill neck but wonder if it be fine to leave the cap? I guess though, it would be easy to just weld it all closed seeing how I got my spool gun now.

Speaking of... I been bangin my head thinking of how I can use my stock fuel tank, but it just isn't gonna happen. Fuel tanks are ignorant expensive. Suppose I'll get a sheet of 1/8 aluminum and fab my own. I'd love polished aluminum round tanks on each side but can't find any that fit the bill. I searched a lot, maybe I'll revisit that. I'd pay a premium for a feature like that.

I hadn't got anything new done to the truck accept I fab bed up the lower door jam side of the door, it is now time to paint inside of door, hang it and start reassembly.

I took a hiatus from the build and am building a little smokehouse. It is very therapeutic and now has me wanting to jump back on the build. Funny how that works.

Until then, peace.

Chance

[Nut Case]

Alu beer kegs, MAYBE? Nut Case

[Chance48]

That's an idea nut case....also, I wonder if 16ga. Aluminum is heavy enough to make a tank? I could roll that myself and use 1/8 to cap the ends. I'm given up on it yet.

[47 Fasttoys]

What, no updates? I'm sure your still working on it, so come on give it up. We need updates.
Rob

[Chance48]

Very little Rob. I took a hiatus and built me a smoke house. I did manage however to remount the door, fab my outside skin and assemble it. All my gaps are turning out great, and I'm pleased with the rebuilt product over all. I need to cut the lower access hole, fab that cover panel, weld out and clean it up. I'll do my Altman easy latches while the door is mounted, I'll remount the driver door and do that latch aswell. Then move on to the rear inner cab skin. I've decided that I will do all my metal work but will send cab to body shop for actual final body prep and paint. That way all my hard work will look it's best. My inexperience will show in the final body work, besides I want a killer red paint job, so a booth and such are in order.

Also I've decided.... The bed won't be long enough for a car of any size but.....my farmall would look real cool up on the back of there with a nice wood slat side, cab painted red to match, but with metallic flake in it. I'll dove tail the bed, kinda steep. When aired out I'll be able to drive the old M right on her back. I'll take it to car shows like this. I think it'll be a real eye catcher, and unique as hell. I've had several visions for this build as I've been building it....I think I've got my final vision for it now....no, I know I've got it this time!

Anyways, here a few scattered pics of the door. I didn't document each move very well, but you'll get the jist.











I ended up having to take a little more of the outer skin, and technically, it could have just used an entire door skin, but I couldn't find one, or I mighta done that rather than fab my own lower portion.

Chance

[99 to Life]

looks killer

[Dieselwrencher]

Great work on it! I agree the M will look awesome on the truck's back!

[Advanced Design]

Nice work on the door skin. I agree, the tractor on the back will be a neat look. Great idea!

[Chance48]

Thanks a lot fellas!

[Purcell69]

The door looks great Chance. Nice work!

-Joe

[47 Fasttoys]

Looks good Chance. Question: what are you thinking on the louvers / heater intake area?
Rob

[lower50's]

I thought you said you didn't do much? Sounds like a lot to me. Figuring out the plan is part of the battle. Great job on the doors.

[Chance48]

Hey guys, hadn't done a lot. No pictures. I did get the Altman easy latches in. What a pain in the neck. Had trouble with alignment on one door but got it sorted. Locks are a problem. Will prolly do electric locks seeing how there is no inside of window mechanism to actuate the lock. Ideas welcome, cuz I'd rather just have manual locks and do the old crawl over from passenger side to unlock driver setup. On that note, why the hell did Chevy do one lock....ON THE PASSENGER SIDE?? Lol

Thanks lowers, and Rob.....I'll be filling in the louvers, the driver side vent and the cowl vent. Will be using one of the restomod a/c units.

[Advanced Design]

I remember...I think...seeing some threads with adding locks to Altman latches. Have that on the to do for my burb.

Locks were only on the passenger side probably because most parking then was done at a curb, driver would slide across bench seat to exit on the sidewalk away from traffic. They would get back in the same way. And it was cheaper to produce. That is my guess anyway.

[99 to Life]

AD has it correct, that is why locks are on Pass side. Most roads weren't paved back then, usually muddy. also trucks weren't used as daily drivers as much as cars.

Good to know about the altman latches. Makes me feel much better about the mega hours I have into my custom bolt on door latches which lock with an actuator. Its just so much work (atleast the first time around). The inside door handle works too, so no need for a dumb electric button to press to get door open from inside.

I bought actuators off ebay. get the highest rated ones you can find. I then made a bracket and about a 19" piece of flat steel welded together to hold the actuator down toward bottom of door. I then added some thinner metal or rod to connect the actuator to the bear claw. The actuator is powered by and AVS remote. The system is designed to power the actuator open and close, but I didn't wire it up that way. I just let gravity let the bear claw lever to settle and the actuator to settle back down, it just works somehow. Once you use the inside door handle you have to reset the handle to its original position. Honestly its very similar to how the stock door handles work. Lift up to open, center is neutral and stock (all way down is lock) on my system you just push the door handle down some and it resets the bear claw. Hard to explain shoot me a message if you want some more details. I have pics and threads.

[Chance48]

Good info fellas. Honestly, it is spring now, and I'm an outside person. It's garden time, starting to build my entrance to my property and doing some fencing. Work is busy aswell, so Im gonna put the project on hold right now. Might be a minute or two I'll drop in on it once in a while, but no real progress till fall/winter time. I haven't had time to look in on any of the threads I've been following either. Summer will pass quickly, then I'll be hiding in the shop from Jack Frost and making good progress again, haha.

Chance

[47 Fasttoys]

Good to see your still alive Chance, yes, it is hard to work on projects during the summer months. Just hang with it, it will be a really col ride when your done. Then again, sell it to me and I finish it. LOL
Rob

[lower50's]

Well in the fall you will be all recharged and go at it full speed ahead.

[99 to Life]

I feel ya chance. I'm doing the same thing, tons of house and yard work. The break should really give you that fresh look and vibes on the project. But.... if it was done already you could be hauling building supplies around! just saying.. Of course summer always flies by, prolly more as an adult than as a kid (when time was on slowmo).

[Chance48]

Heya fellas, so I'm not crazy, haha. I haven't touched the truck, but I'm feeling the desire build again, so that's a good thing. Will be a good winter for it. Gettin lots done and work is busy af. Chance

[iowaboynca]

Good to hear the build bug is coming back.