My long term 57 project

[ChuckDriver]

Here's a try at posting using the MS Paint to resize.

[ChuckDriver]

The Van column was shortened by Mike Chesser when he installed the camaro clip. I reworked it by cutting the shaft and having my Dad machine it for the a DD coupler. I also put two bends in the shift arm to get the Kugel linkage arond the stock brake pedal. It all works great. The mount on the engine side of the firewall is from Juliano's. I welded a tab on the inside to sandwich it all together.

[ChuckDriver]

There was very little rust in this truck when I bought it. The only spot was the cab corners and it's very small, just a few pencil eraser size holes in the outer panel. I saw an article were they removed the entire inner panel completly, so that's what I did. I made a pattern of the floor area and installed a panel to cover the hole, eliminating the cavity that always held water and dirt! All of the seams were sealed with sealer and painted with eastwood paint and dynamat on the inside and undercoating on the bottom. As far as the swiss cheese holes on the outer panel they were filled with JB Weld and smooth over. I didn't want cut out the corner until I'm ready for paint so its a temp repair, but it's hardly noticable.

[renegade6]

I like the idea of getting rid of the inner cab corner panel. Do you remember where the original article was?

[mylow53]

nice tank i like how the filler hole is in the back mine is more forward. how many gallons does it hold?
GT

[ChuckDriver]

I believe is 15 gallons.

[ChuckDriver]

Here are e few pics of the exhaust. I bought some 2 1/2 in. mandrel bends from JC Whitney and Flowmaster Super 40's from summit. Using the bends and straight pipes I layed out the system tucked as close to the frame as I could get it. I also wanted to get the mufflers out from under the cab for heat and noise. This is my first try at making my own and I must say it wasn't that hard. Once I figured were everything should be I just started cutting and welding. I did tack it togehter first just to be sure I liked how it looked. My plan is to run it out the back, but I think I'll have to go under the rearend. The pipes I painted with a high temp silver and the mufflers I just touched up the existing black.

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Kim

[Kabwe]

Nice tank, how many gallons is it?

[ChuckDriver]

I'd have to measure it for sure, but I believe it's 15 or 16 gallons.


http://http://www.tanksinc.com/index...rod/prd173.htm

The link is to the company I bought it from in '99. I looks like the design has changed slightly. It shows it as 16 gls.

[ChuckDriver]

Link corrected!

http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd173.htm

[ChuckDriver]

Here's a teaser shot of what I've been working on lately!

[ezekiel]

That looks suspiciously like a 57 Chevy car dashboard.

How does it fit? Like a glove or "some assembly required"?

[nickp51chevy]

I like what you've got going on! Keep up the great work.

[ChuckDriver]

Actually it's from a '59 and yes "some assembly required"!!

Thanks it's been a lot of work and fun! My 3 year old son loves it!!

[Bigblue29]

schwinggg! Sweet.

[Kabwe]

The dash will look good in there, seen it done before. I put a 55 belaire dash in mine. And yes some assembly is required, but thats what makes this stuff fun right? Good luck with your build and keep up the good work.

[ChuckDriver]

Bigblue and Kawbe,

Thanks for the kind words! I can't wait to get it back together. I'll post more pic's of the progress soon!

[ChuckDriver]

I hated to cut a nearly perfect dash. I had fixed the radio opening a few years back so it looked great. But I wanted to have a custom touch that some folks might not recognize.

The first shot is of the empty dash.

In the second I used the Dash trim as a guide to mark my cut.

In the 3rd it shows the under dash mount for the wiper motor, the black line shows where I trimmed it.

[71'tahoe]

Looking good!!

[ChuckDriver]

Here are a few more of the Dash Mod. I put a tape line around the back of the dash apprx 1in wide. After cutting the braces an each end I used a jigsaw to cut it out. You can see that the Impala Dash is about 4in wider. I sectioned it from the center, cutiing out the radio and ash tray openings. But I now plan to put the ash tray back in to possibly hide a radio controller.

[dennis57]

Very cool. I can't wait to see it in place.

[bensimmons_05]

Too sexy! Too sexy!!

[ChuckDriver]

A little progress made. The pics show how much has to come off the back of the Impala dash after the flange was cut off. You can see that I'm trying to get the two halves trimmed and lined up as best as possible before I tack them together.

[Kim57]

That is going to be sweet when its finished.
every time I see a different dash in one of these it makes me want to change mine.
Kim