What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by my56chevytruck

I had painted the CHEVROLET letters on my tailgate, but found where I had cut the tape around each letters, CUTS appeared into the body color. So NOW, I had to sand that down, tape up the letters and will be repainting the tailgate. I've been told repeatedly that the "smart" thing to have done, is to paint the letters before painting the body color. Sunday will be a great time to complete this.

Yep, it's difficult to cut masking tape without going through the paint below it, but your tailgate looks great in the pic. I used the chrome stick on letters on mine.

[Russell Ashley]

I needed something to get me out of the doldrums and make me want to get back to work on my truck so I ordered an Ididit tilt column from Scott's today. Considered black since that is what color my original is but went with chrome. Pricey, but got the column drop, lower column bushing, gear indicator, and what ever else I need to install it and hook it up to my transmission. I dealt with Cameron at Scott's, said it would take four to six weeks to get it. My truck is running and driving so I won't take my old column out until I get the new one. I never measured for it but he said I need a thirty inch column. I have already shrunk my steering wheel and that's what I want to use.

[MARTINSR]

I was dead, absolutely dead tired falling asleep on the couch and I forced myself into the 5 minute a day plan and got up and dressed went out to the garage and drilled some holes in my shims. Found what I needed to make the nut plates on the top. Got something done!


Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I was dead, absolutely dead tired falling asleep on the couch and I forced myself into the 5 minute a day plan and got up and dressed went out to the garage and drilled some holes in my shims. Found what I needed to make the nut plates on the top. Got something done!


Brian

Good to have your posts back, Brian. This thread was getting pretty dead without you!

[idbeast]

Today didn't go very good, I couldn't find my speaker wire so I ran down to the Ace hardware and got some, then stopped by the local tavern and had a quick beer, then as I was leaving several people were looking at my truck so after chatting for a while I started to get into the truck to leave and one of the guys who showed the most interest asked if I would step on it when I left so I did... busted a motor mount which stuck the throttle wide open, so I stood on the brakes front brakes engaged rears couldn't stop the rears, rear end started to swing out to the right, I took my foot off the brakes with the throttle still wide open and tried to straighten the truck up but the rear end was still powering around, shut to key off and went sideways through someone's yard... now I need to get some Prothane motor mounts before I can drive the truck again... There is real truth to the saying horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you push the wall... But on a positive note I got my amp and 4 of my speakers hooked up.

[Russell Ashley]

Man, that had to be an exciting ride.

[oldman3]

Whoa...Jim

[idbeast]

I'm sure most of us have seen videos of people in hot rods start a burn out and then lose control of the car and run into something, well other than stupidly I can almost say most are due to a stuck throttle for some reason. I'm a experienced driver with training, drove ambulance for 12 years. But that 517hp with 499ft lbs of torque made me respect that old girl, the Nova front clip and 4 wheel disk brakes didn't stand a chance, but did their best!

[idbeast]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Man, that had to be an exciting ride.

Exciting is an understatement... all 5 to 7 seconds of it!!!

[idbeast]

Working on getting the interior looking better...

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by idbeast

Today didn't go very good, I couldn't find my speaker wire so I ran down to the Ace hardware and got some, then stopped by the local tavern and had a quick beer, then as I was leaving several people were looking at my truck so after chatting for a while I started to get into the truck to leave and one of the guys who showed the most interest asked if I would step on it when I left so I did... busted a motor mount which stuck the throttle wide open, so I stood on the brakes front brakes engaged rears couldn't stop the rears, rear end started to swing out to the right, I took my foot off the brakes with the throttle still wide open and tried to straighten the truck up but the rear end was still powering around, shut to key off and went sideways through someone's yard... now I need to get some Prothane motor mounts before I can drive the truck again... There is real truth to the saying horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you push the wall... But on a positive note I got my amp and 4 of my speakers hooked up.

I hope the spectators appreciated you nearly wrecking your truck for their entertainment...

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

I hope the spectators appreciated you nearly wrecking your truck for their entertainment...

RIGHT? WOW that is not good!

Got the nut plates made for the top of the rear cab mounts.

Brian

[DransportGarage]

I hadn't posted in a while, but the exterior is about done now, except for the rear view mirrors and wipers.

The tips of the exhaust are now clipped at an angle and are moved to be symmetric. Making aluminum holders for the blue dots in the curls of the bed sides was fun. No two were the same size.

Even the wiring is complete at the front and rear. I have put a TON of hours in lately, but thankfully the wife sees the end in sight and is getting excited. I estimate about 100 hours to go, but I am REALLY slow. If I did this for a living I would have starved a long time ago.

I now have my rear tires (P275/60R17 Hankook Ventus RH06 on 17" x 9.5" polished Torq-Thrust IIs w/ 5.5" backspace).

I have about an inch clearance on the inside and outside, and had to do a little surgery on the bed cross brace in the rear and the bed side in the front to be sure I didn't do surgery on the tires going down the road. I didn't want to go off shore, but the tread pattern was just too cool. I was also limited by what my tire guy could get me at cost.

I'm into the next step, which is spec'ing the front wheels and tires. The wheels will be TT IIs as well, 15" x 7"s. I stuffed the "Fatman V8" springs in, and the truck's nose was bleeding like a gasser. After discussion with the great guys at Fatman, the standard spindles went into the mail, to be exchanged for 2" dropped spindles. Even after 6 years - and with them painted - Fatman will exchange them for the cost of shipping! GREAT company!

The radiator and condenser are installed, and I gotta say. I was not impressed with my Champion radiator and shroud. In their defense, I bought it on Ebay, so the guy selling it may have gotten one done by a novice welder. The bends in the shroud only had a vague resemblance to the bends in the radiator flanges. MAJOR re-work. Nuff said.

The windshield is IN! Last Sunday four of us attacked that Taiwanese beast (fifth time). We narrowed the gasket across the top and ground the upper corners about 3/16". In and out 5 times. I'll be stuffing a rope between the gasket and the edge of the windshield in the lower corners to get the gasket to fill the corners. There was never any indication that the upper cab was damaged. I'm just glad it's in. If I ever get a rock chip you'll see the aftermath on the news.

The elephant in the room is the interior. My console and door panels have been at the upholsterers since early November. He called me this week, so that's a good sign. The plan is for them to be done next week. We'll see.

Sorry the pics are all over the place, with a duplicate of the front end. I stuck two of the pictures in the wrong place and couldn't figure out how to un-stick them.

[MARTINSR]

My 5 minute a day plan at work. Got all my shims for the cab mounts finished up tonight. I'll paint them tomorrow. I can't tell you how much better I feel the last few days after getting back on the plan!

Brian

[idbeast]

Bob, your truck is looking fantastic! I did have to chuckle as I read it, because I've had several of the same challenges!!!

Jim W

[idbeast]

I drove the Beast to work this morning with no heat hooked up yet and 26 degree clear weather, it was so much quieter with the interior panels in it!!! Then ran some errands at lunch time, and drive home getting on it a little bit on the freeway, it ran great. took it home and gave her a good bath, then decided to run down to the local tavern, got right to the point of it's misadventure the other day and she sputtered and died... I started her again she ran a few more feet and died again for good. No spark... had a couple older guys stop asking if they could help, one of them had been trying to meet me for sometime as he's seen my 56 pulling out from my road and he only lives a quarter mile away! Both of them are old car guys with several 30's and 40's hot rods!!!
They towed me home and said if I needed ant help to give them a call, and told me they hoped I would join them in some car shows! so I had really great day!!!!!

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by idbeast

Bob, your truck is looking fantastic! I did have to chuckle as I read it, because I've had several of the same challenges!!!

Jim W

Thanks, Jim.

Mick53, just wanted to say that when I see your pics I know it's your post before I see your name. You're doing some crazy work!

Brian, glad to see you're back in therapy, even though it's only your usual 5 minutes a day!

[MiraclePieCo]

My area has been enjoying our annual "False Spring" for a couple of weeks now. Today the temperature hit 70 degrees, so I shook the cobwebs off my panel truck with a 70-mile drive. First stop, the non-ethanol gas station for a tankful of fresh clear premium. Next stop, the pizza parlor. En route, I ran across a guy with a '53 AD truck on an S10 frame (but I didn't hold that against him ;-) I'm kicking myself that I didn't get a photo of our trucks together!

Here's my truck at the pizza parlor. I hope this inspires you guys still working on your trucks!

[MARTINSR]

I got my cab shims and nut plates all prepped and painted.

Brian

[idbeast]

I think I found my no spark issue, HEI module, Power at battery plug and no spark on cranking, new one will be here tomorrow.

[62 Barnfind]

Moved an inch forward today. Cut down and welded in the tubs and installed hidden latches.

[evilokc]

finally got the crack in my inner fender welded. its been a while since I fired up the tig welder and it showed. I finally got a decent weld. I'm becoming an excellent grinder. I got a few coats of paint on it. should be dry by tomorrow morning and I can start the final install.

[MARTINSR]

I got some shimming of the cab done, a bunch of measurements side to side and most of what I am seeing doesn't make much sense. I ended up doing some massaging to the running board apron, lowering the running board a hair and I think I got it.


Brian

[DransportGarage]

Wired the oil pressure sender to complete the engine wiring.

Working on getting rid of some nasty "puckers" in the windshield gasket (inside). The glass needs to move toward the driver's side, but it won't budge even after soaping down the whole thing again. The glass really needs to be pulled back out again and sanded on the edge some more.

I removed the "T-clips" in the door weatherstrip, replacing them with double-sided tape. The tape works pretty well, but won't hold on the inside corners. I'm just going to put a little black w/s adhesive on those spots and declare a victory.

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

The glass needs to move toward the driver's side, but it won't budge even after soaping down the whole thing again. The glass really needs to be pulled back out again and sanded on the edge some more.

I wonder if it will gradually shift into position with the heat of summer and some driving?