Shaving Rain Gutters/Drip Rails

[Jeffs70]

I Know I have seen quit a few people asking how to Shave the Rain Gutters/Drip Rails.
So I figured while I do mine I will take Pictures and give more info on how I am going to go about doing this. Hope this info does go to good use for someone.

First of all You will need these Required Tools:
Safety Glasses
Welder
Grinder
Grinding Sandpaper Wheel
Sheet Metal
Sheet Metal Cutters
Always nice to have a Magnet
Sawzall or Angle Die Grinder with Cutting Wheel Or use a Cutting Wheel on your Angle Grinder.

Grinder


Sheet Metal Cutters, Magnet, and Sheet Metal


Die Grinder with Cutting Wheel


Sawzall


Grinding Sandpaper Wheel



Step #1.
If You have your Windshield and Rubber Seal still in your Truck you should Protect it/Cover it before starting this project Unless your replacing them like I am before this truck is finished.

[Jeffs70]

Step #2
Cut the Rain Gutter/Drip Rail from the top down around an Inch in Length at a Time.
Cutting to much can cause the roof to flex and move out of its original place.
Be careful not to cut to close to the roof till you get a visual of what your working with and how you want it to look. some people have different tastes how they wish theirs to look so mine may not be the look you desire.


Step #3
After Cutting the Rain Gutter/Drip Rail off take your grinder with your Grinding Sandpaper Wheel (Disc) if needing to grind alot of the rail still off to get closer to the roof and grind away till your happy.


Step #4
Cut some Small pieces of Sheet metal to fit in the bare area where needed (Good Place to use your Magnet to hold the small Sheet Metal Pieces in Place) and Tack weld them in. Other Helpful Tips and Info in Step #5

Notice the Big Gap with no Sheet Metal in the Picture - This is where you will Add Sheet Metal If going the way I am with my Shaved style


Step #5
Weld each side of where you have cut off the Rain Gutter/Drip Rail to keep it secure and not allow the roof to move or flex at all.
Remember do not weld to much in one area. you want to just tack weld it up (one touch at a time in each spot) if you heat the metal up to much you will warp the sheet metal. each time you Tack weld it move to the next spot far enough away. Knowing when to quit and take a break inbetween is a good thing. (See Picture 1)


Step #6
Sand down the welds smoothly with your Grinding Sandpaper Wheel(Disc). Do not use a Hard Grinding Disc also Do not sand to much of the Sheet Metal. Dont allow the Sheet Metal to turn Blue. That is what Causes it to Warp

[Jeffs70]

Here is the Passenger Side View of the Drip Rail with Primer

[steelscout]

That is awesome work! I always wondered why Chevy used seam sealer instead of just welding it?? I hope this makes it ino the FAQ
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[Jeffs70]

Originally Posted by steelscout

That is awesome work! I always wondered why Chevy used seam sealer instead of just welding it??
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Thank you steelscout, I never could understand why they used the seams like this either. I know these trucks leak often but man they are ugly lmao

[steelscout]

Originally Posted by Jeffs70

Thank you steelscout, I never could understand why they used the seams like this either. I know these trucks leak often but man they are ugly lmao

Agreed, good welds =no leak
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[OARNGESI]

Looks good are you fixing the window frame I didn't realize how much the drip rails hide as fAr as door gaps untill it was too late
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[Jeffs70]

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

Looks good are you fixing the window frame I didn't realize how much the drip rails hide as fAr as door gaps untill it was too late
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Thanks OARNGESI, I will add some sheet metal along the bottom of the roof of the door gap and weld it along there to create a nice gap around the same diameter as behind the door and in front of the door. yeah I noticed that on the passenger side it gave me a headache till I finished it lol.

I will provide pictures of that here in the next day or two for the door gaps.

[Shane]

you think they leaked WITH drip rails ...

[Jeffs70]

Thanks for your comment Shane.

[ChevLoRay]

The front of the roof, when you look at it from the side, is taller than the rear of the roof. Joe McPherson eliminated his drip rails and changed the contour of the roof on the truck. He also changed the way the glass is installed, going to a glue-in installation. He used '88-98 wheel openings to get rid of the round openings of the '67-72. It took Custom Classic Trucks, or Classic Trucks magazine 2 issues to cover all of the changes to this truck. Then, when Squeeg was through building it, it was driven from San Francisco, to Miami, FL.

[coggonobrien]

any idea what it takes to convert to glue in glass??????

[OARNGESI]

Have you thought of shaving the rear roof Seem
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[OARNGESI]

Originally Posted by coggonobrien

any idea what it takes to convert to glue in glass??????

I think opp makes a kit
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[Jeffs70]

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

Have you thought of shaving the rear roof Seem
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Yeah that thing is off and odd ball in my book also. but I dont know if I will be digging into that any time soon.

[Jeffs70]

ChevLoRay Thats a nice truck.

[(joey)]

another little tip if the wind shield is removed, just fit it back in place every once in a while to make sure wind shield frame is not warping.because i didnt and the lack of metal in my windshield frame and front inner roof panel ,by the time i was finished i was way off.you can see what i mean in my build thread

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Jeffs70

ChevLoRay Thats a nice truck.

I just saved the pic. I wish I had access to the file, on-line. It is even more impressive when you see the chassis. The exhaust system is tucked up inside the frame rails and fed through holes cut into crossmembers. It's all polished stainless, as I recall. After looking at the articles, and then reading that it had been driven to Florida from San Francisco, I was amazed. That cross-country trip was the shakedown cruise. I'm doing good to want to try driving around the block!