Project: Montezuma

[May70]

Ah, just realized it was a year ago I started tearing into this thing....

Anyway, cut out a small rust spot out on the side and fixed that. Got the cup tacked in place, seems to have gone smoothly. Tomorrow (hopefully) ill get out there and finish the cup and maybe get a game plan for the inner rocker.

[KMC3420]

Progress is progress! Good job. Keep doing something every day.

[May70]

Just a finesse work update..

[May70]

More finesse work continued. Haven't had time for much of anything...

My buddy and I spent the past weekend getting a 1950 Plymouth business coupe he bought. Has the original flat head, running and driving. Was a partial restore, needs a few small things.

Hoping to get to the PS inner rocker maybe tomorrow afternoon...

[May70]

Also, I missed a cool tip. When trying to cut off the cup to transfer over to the new one, instead of trying to measure and cut to the same line.... just use a tape template, no measuring.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by May70

Also, I missed a cool tip. When trying to cut off the cup to transfer over to the new one, instead of trying to measure and cut to the same line.... just use a tape template, no measuring.

Thanks for sharing that tip
Looking good.









.

[May70]

Made my own inner rocker.

Just about got this side ready to burn in.

[May70]

continued

[KMC3420]

Very nice! It’s all coming together now. That hard work is paying off.

[619atv]

Thats amazing work.....i can tell alot of hours went into it all and im stoked to see your outcome.....you my friend are a metal artist

[May70]

Thanks. Yesterday I was out there working and recalled reading a post over a year ago about how many times I would have to take everything ( rockers, door, fender) on and off to get it right.... I thought to myself wow what a PITA that sounds like haha.....

They were right....

[May70]

Preliminary fit-up of the sill plate with the door rubber in.

Im definitely okay with that...

[May70]

Inner and outer(inside) rockers sealed and next is to put the PS rocker on for the last time!!

After I sealed it I threw some rust encapsulator on her for extra measure.

[May70]

I sprayed weld through primer on the places where the outer rocker will weld to the inner rocker. I also burned in the cab corner.

I have been putting in a lot of effort to make sure rust wont be as likely as before. From what I've read modern day paint (SPI in particular) is far superior to the lacquer based paints of the day. So I hope between better paint and lessening 'problem spots' where mud/water collect will reduce the rust issues later on. I will never sell this truck so I am trying to do the best I can...

[KMC3420]

Nice job on getting this wrapped up. These trucks lived hard lives and were likely not taken care of like they are today. We worry about rust and use every preventive measure possible, but most trucks after finished live a much easier life. I say you will be happy for quite some time to come.

[May70]

Burned in outer rocker and put some sealer down on it and the fender I had done work to...

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looking good man! Excellent job

[KMC3420]

All that hard work definitely paid off! Looks great.

[May70]

Im going to try and record the Drivers Side to show people how to do this from start to finish.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkS..._as=subscriber

[KMC3420]

Good videos and conversation. You’re still making good progress.

[Love 70 Chevys]

Fantastic work and thank you for posting all of the trials and tribulations! I will soon be undertaking the floor replacement. I have been trying to educate myself as much as possible and I very much appreciate the ones who have gone before me and share their hard earned knowledge. I also bought the LMC high hump floor about two years ago when it first became available, so if there is an issue with the stamping, I am sure I have it also. I just don't completely understand yet why you had to cut off the outer flange. You mentioned the floor seemed too high. Here is a picture of my floor before I start. Unpatched floor, but old re-pop outer rocker is on. Outer rocker appears to be in correct place as everything lines up well with the door. The floor is about 7/8" of an inch above the outer rocker. Is this the dimension that was wrong, or was it something else? Thanks!

[Love 70 Chevys]

Or is it the surface with the red arrow that is too high? If it is, I see how that might create an interference with the outer rocker.

[Love 70 Chevys]

Wow! Your video was really good. Now I completely understand the problem. Great explanation. Now that I see what you ran into, I think I might try just cutting a "window" like the sketch below before doing anything. Then, when it comes time to put on the outer rocker, I can let the door and fender decide how high it should be and then slide a simple "L" bracket up from the bottom to kiss the underside of the rocker. Based on what you have been through, do you think that could work? Please keep posting your progress, you have come a long way.

[May70]

The arrow you put in post #122 is the ledge that is too tall on the stamp. The way I see it you have a few options:

• Cut out the entire inner rocker like I did and make your own inner rocker with the proper ledge distance. The way you create the custom inner rocker is you actually fit the outer rocker and use self tapping screws (dont weld in). Create the cuts and tweaks you want to in order make the outer rocker fit how you want it. Then you can go from the underside and make a template to bend your own inner rocker. I did that by making a paper template then making a small 1" wide trial piece and tweaking it the way I wanted. If you're careful you can actually mark your bends on the test piece and bend it out straight to have exact measurements to mark off on your full inner rocker.

• Cut out the entire inner rocker, install your outer rocker and after you have it all burned in create an "L" bracket. The problem with that is, you don't have much support on the rocker and dirt/mud/water/salt will sit up in the rocker because it will act like a big shelf. You would be surprised how much rigidity and support the inner rocker provides to the outer rocker. Plus when you get in the truck, you put all your weight on the outer rocker when you step on it. Pic of an "L" bracket below.

• If you cut out a 'window' like you proposed in post #123 (that was my first idea) the problem is the inner rocker will now not be tall enough to reach the bottom lip of your outer rocker. Essentially if you cut the window out to lower the outer rocker, the distance you lower the outer rocker will now be the distance of the gap between the bottom of your inner and the bottom of your outer. So instead of patching in a piece on the bottom of my rocker, I elected to make my own so there is no seam and its cleaner (all one piece).

[Love 70 Chevys]

Thank you for taking the time to give me such a detailed explanation and I appreciate the tips on the template. That is double trouble if the length of the flange is also not long enough! I am going to go the route you did. Something is still bothering me though. I have collected a few sources on floor replacement (all low hump), but the pictures of the low hump step do not look as large as what you had to make it. It seems like there is no way yours could be in the wrong place if all your measurements to the top of the floor are the same as the original. The only other thing that could potentially throw a monkey wrench into the height thing is if the distance of the cab support rails underneath the floor are "shorter" than the orginal. If that were the case, Then the top of the new floor would need to be lower than the top of the old floor to make the whole cab be at the right height when it mounts back on the frame. Is the distance in the pic below the same on the original and repo floors? I mean it should be, but you never know with a copy!