48 panel truck

[xpickup]

I finally going to have a thread on my panel. I have had it for around 13 years working on it off and on due to home, kids, and other projects. I always work on it over my Christmas vacation and a little here and there. It sits on a 81 malibu wagon chassis, Has a 1966 .030 over 396, turbo 350 tranny and a 9" ford rear. This weeks project is the drivers side which had been wrecked a long time ago. The bad thing is I am cutting out things that I already replaced. I do things a lot different and have a lot more tools than when I started. The quarter panel was up about 1/2" in the front edge and the back edge of the door was up 1/2" so when you looked at the side of it, it looked like a V. Also I finally welded in the new belt line piece. The upper side was all twisted so I worked the panel with my hammers and dollies and then used the shrinking disc to smooth everything out. The pictures do not do it justice. It will only need a little bit of filler. Then the back door gap was way off so I am in the process of fixing that. That will be done tomorrow along with the inner door edges. I made a new quarter panel and a new door skin. So here are some pictures.

Shannon

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This weeks progress

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more

[BlueJeep]

Looking good! See...you got your practice doing those beltline pieces for others and now that you're good at it you can do yours!

[xpickup]

BlueJeep, Thank you. You are right. That is why I have the die. Mine was hit on the drivers side and it was a bad fix ,so I cut it out and made a new one.

Shannon

[youngrodder]

Looking good....Keep it up.

Marc

[xpickup]

youngrodder, Thank you.

Well yesterday I managed to get a piece of metal in my eye so I did not get as much done as I should have. They should have a discount for people who are there all the time. This is the 5th time and I always have safety glasses with side shields. I did get the back of the door gap fixed and made the new inner door parts from having to cut them all up removing the lower door skin. Here are my latest pictures.

Shannon

[CHIZZLER]

door gap looks great.i had a piece of metal shoot off when i was grinding and went up my nose.it really hurt.nice work on the panel.chizzler

[youngrodder]

I too can join the metal in the eye club....Dr said "I have good news and bad news. Good news the eye heals fast... the bad news is it wil hurt like hell untill it does".

He wasn't kidding

Marc

[xpickup]

CHIZZLER, Thank you. The other one that really hurts is one one those weld balls going down the ear. You can hear it sizzle the whole to the end. It usually always happens when you lay down to weld something.

youngrodder, I know what you mean. At least this one did not rust and need to ground out!

Here is todays progress. The back of the fender was bad so I made a new one. It took a while but looks a whole lot better then the other one. Now I am pleased with it now. Another fix off the list.

Shannon

[oldman3]

Shannon, caught you new post today. That is some great re-repair you are doing. Everything is looking so clean now, great work.....Jim

[reaper71]

Hey Shannon nice to see your panel on here it will make a HELL of a nice party wagon!!!

Mark

[xpickup]

oldman3,reaper71, Thank you both. I feels great to be back to working on it for this week. At least now I am pleased with it now. Hoping to get it at least on the road for this summer. So I will be posting on it often.

Shannon

[Daze57]

really nice work you are doing on your panel - great look and great stance ! you have a very nice ride sir !

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Daze57, Thank you. Although I was B!@#$in at the stance when I tried getting the jack under it this morning. HAHA. I need air ride just to get the jack under it.

Shannon

[BlueJeep]

I echo the comments of it looking great!

Do you have an english wheel or how did you make that panel? Looks like it may have been done in several pieces but not sure.

Is that car hauler in the driveway where you keep your project while you're working on others?

[xpickup]

BlueJeep, Thank you. I do have a large English wheel, but have the frame built and have not had the time to finish it yet. Hopefully soon. I bought Hoosier lower wheels which are to be the best ones to get. I have to make the jack tube and the upper wheel yet. The way I did that panel was, I brake formed the radius then put it up against the fender and seen where to put the slits in it at. Pushed it against the fender and overlapped the slits. Cut the over laps. Tacked it and then took it over to the air planishing hammer I built and planished it to a nice radius taking out the flat spots. Then weld it all up and then ground the front and the back and planished it again. It was done all in one piece. Yes the trailer is my mobile storage shed. My garage is like 18' x 18' , but I think I might add on to it though. It is very cramped with all my tools. I have done a lot of work in that little garage and would not know how to act with a bigger one!

Shannon

[BlueJeep]

Mobile storage shed, I like that. How big is the mobile storage shed? Back in the 80's, a friend of my dad used his enclosed trailer as a garage for his finished 34 Ford. Kept the garage open for projects and kept sparks off the finished car, he did that for many years until he built a real shop.

[xpickup]

BlueJeep, It is a 20' trailer. I bought it from a buddy for $2000 a couple a years ago. Car thieves beware , you will be rained down with 5.56, 30 rounds at a time!

Shannon

[FRENCHBLUE72]

You dont see these build up very often tuning into this build also..

[BBEEP]

Nice Panel!! Maybe I am partial since I happen to own a 48 Panel with a 396, 4.33 posi F**d 9-inch. Great upgrade when I put in the 700R4.
I 'write it off' for my delivery service. It helps to justify upgrades. Do you have a business that you could do that with?

[Atommik]

Shannon, could you post a few pics of the forming process of the fender patch. I'd like to see how you cut the slits and work the curve into it. I'd like to make cab corner patches for my 51 pick up. I saw you made some for your last projects.

[xpickup]

FRENCHBLUE72,Thank you. There does not seem to be very many on here. I did notice that too.


BBEEP, Thank you. I love your panel. It is very nice. Great to see you towing with it. Do you have a build when you did your panel? I love what you are doing to the Suburban. Sometime could you post a shot of your side so I could see the amount of bow in the side. Maybe a foot out and from the middle of the door. I need a business, may be some time.

Atommik, No problem. I will try maybe Sunday or during the week.


Well here are todays pictures. First is the door patch. It had a bunch of holes , so I just ran a length of beading on the bead roller. Cut to fit and welded it all in. Next was the last of the bad repair that was done a long time ago. It was a overlap job so it had to go plus it was all bend up. So I made a patch to fit. Then hammered and dollied and used the shrinking disc and I have it a lot better than it was. I wish my arms were long so I could do it myself. I think I might need help with it for the rest. The shrinking disc is a real savior. It is amazing on how it works. It was the best $200 I could have spend( 2 discs a video and a craftsman 7" grinder). The last is a picture if my dash.

Shannon

[mud.man.rj]

Very nice to see some panels, just hardly see any these days, great project. I am liking it big time.

[reaper71]

Looking good Shannon!
I've used a disk before and they are awesome it's weird how it work's but the outcome is really nice..

Mark