Cab fuel hole and door handle patches?

[muddpile]

When I built my 72, pre-cut and bent patch panels were available to easily shave these areas. There was no thinking, just weld and grind. I haven't seen them for my 64, but maybe I haven't been looking in the right places. I don't have an in-cab tank anymore, and I won't have door handles much longer if I can find the patch panels to easily eliminate these things. Any help at all would be great, Thanks!

[Joey~AP]

I could use a fuel hole patch for a 66 myself!

[LILRED66]

Originally Posted by muddpile

When I built my 72, pre-cut and bent patch panels were available to easily shave these areas. There was no thinking, just weld and grind. I haven't seen them for my 64, but maybe I haven't been looking in the right places. I don't have an in-cab tank anymore, and I won't have door handles much longer if I can find the patch panels to easily eliminate these things. Any help at all would be great, Thanks!

The aftermarket does not offer a patch panel for shaving door handles or fuel filler neck for the '60-'66 Chevy Trucks.

[Imperial Kustom]

Gonna have to build some yourself. I have done ALOT of these and you have to take your time on the doors. They like to move around alot. Cut your fillers a bit bigger to alow for shrinking of the door skin. Too bad you aren't in boise, I do these all day and would make you a smokin deal!

[muddpile]

I was afraid of this.... Oh well, looks like I'll just have to take my time and carefully do it up. Thanks for the help!

[jonzcustomshop]

Not everybody has acess to these, but I am making a fuel patch out of the piece off the right side of a junk cab I have, I am going to try the same with the door handle.....
there might be enough room on one door (junk with a rusty bottom ) for patches for both doors, and the fuel filler....

[Fred T]

Have any of you tried fitting the 67-72 parts to see if using them is feasible?

[David Flores]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

Not everybody has acess to these, but I am making a fuel patch out of the piece off the right side of a junk cab I have, I am going to try the same with the door handle.....
there might be enough room on one door (junk with a rusty bottom ) for patches for both doors, and the fuel filler....

I did the same thing.

[muddpile]

I've heard of the junk cab situation actually. Come to think of it, I even have a junk cab sitting out at my farm, attached to an equally junk truck. Hmmmm.... This just might work.

I haven't tried the 67-72 ones, but the door handles are 100% different and the cab profile is quite different as well.

[SeanPaintsFlames]

I would think that you could just use any piece of flat metal and bend it to the curve of the door. As for the fuel hole- hammer and dolly?

Someone needs to make something like this so we behind-the-seat gas tank guys can be cool too. If I had a CNC machine I'd go for it and make millions! Nay, BIllions!




All the bikers have 'em!

[62 short step]

Originally Posted by SeanPaintsFlames

I would think that you could just use any piece of flat metal and bend it to the curve of the door. As for the fuel hole- hammer and dolly?

Someone needs to make something like this so we behind-the-seat gas tank guys can be cool too. If I had a CNC machine I'd go for it and make millions! Nay, BIllions!




All the bikers have 'em!

Man, that would be sweet!!

[Fred T]

What would be even better would be to machine the contour into the surface.

[Chevy Fleetside]

If you have an old door that will work also. Just cut out the countoured part put it behind the gas fill hole and trace it with a marker. it worked for me. I am sure you can do that with the handle holes also..

[muddpile]

I think I'm going to try out the junk door thing today. Thanks guys! I have a moon tank in the bed now, so I don't need the hole in the cab real bad anymore.

Also, here's some progress pictures:

Anyways, here's the new shifter and trans tunnel. The shifter is a Lokar 32" model. It may look like it bolted in, but believe me...... There was a LOT more engineering than that, including a lever as the TH425 has a reverse shift pattern from a TH400 and this shifter was designed to be trans mounted.





The trans tunnel is no longer a tunnel at all, as there is no longer a trans. Meet "Anti-Tunnel". It will continue this way up the firewall as well.



Remember that ugly plywood bedfloor and little gas tank? Gone as well, and well replaced in my opinion.

[David Flores]

nice work. looks sweet!
what steering column is that?

[muddpile]

The column is Ford Aerostar..... It works, but isn't that attractive and really doesn't fit that well. If all goes well tonight, a new Flaming River column will be in it's place.

[neto]

Well I made a patch hole then hammered on it till it looked curved enough to match. After welding it, I checked for pin holes and found none. I think a little filler and it should look pretty good. Will there be any trouble with the metal not being ground flush?

[neto]

The pictures were too big so I made them smaller to upload them. Here they are.

[jonzcustomshop]

find a strait edge that you can bend-I have a thin metal ruler- bend it over the curve, the metal probably shrunk around the weld, and you should see a tiny gap under the straight edge.
If it is a high spot grind the weld some more , or tap it down with a hammer.
you could also spray a thin guide coat over it and block it to see where the high and low spots are. then tap those up / down to get it as straight as possible before applying filler.

[neto]

Thanks Jon, I hadn't thought about the ruler or a straight edge. I will try to get it as close as I can.