Dug's 1959 Fleetside

[dug224]

Got the front clip back on with all bolts in place. Practiced repairing sheetmetal by MIG welding the fatigue breaks in the driver side sheet metal that covers the core support. Photo does not do it justice. The cracks were everywhere. When I bolted it back on, new cracks appeared. I will go ahead and weld a new tab next time the welder is on since the sheetmetal is worn so thin. Still have to design the core support mounts and get them in place. Will cut the cab floor after the core support so I can get the transmission back where it belongs and the driveshaft in place.

Real pleased with the gaps especially after shimming the fenders at the door. Got it all adjusted including the hood hinges and photographed before I put the hinge springs back on. Once I put the springs back on, it became evident pretty quickly that they are worn out. The hood now sticks up above the cowl about 1". Will replace with new soon.

To protect my shinny new wheels, I picked up some canvas wheel covers from Harbor Freight for $8.99 (pkg of 4). Comes with integral wire that keeps it clamped to the tire. Figured they would come in handy during painting as well.