Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

...Besides, you already have a pretty large gaping hole anyway, right

Ha ha, yeah. The only thing that WON'T fit in that hole right now is my entire head!

But seriously, I should be able to cut a square hole with straight sides much much easier than the way I've been trying to do it.

I'm wondering if I can cut my patch on my tablesaw if I put a metal cutting blade on it? Much straighter, cleaner cut & easier than by hand using my angle grinder!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Baldeagle SR]

Dan I use a saw zaw it works good for cutting , Just brace your metal in a vice or use vice grips to hold it . Rich

[rgunlock]

I don't think I'd use the table saw. I've had pretty good luck using a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade, but as Baldeagle said, be sure you brace the metal you are cutting firmly. Otherwise, it will try to bounce around and makes it tough to keep a straight cut going.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I've been planning to cut the "blank" out of the spare door using the angle grinder - but it is hard (for me) to get a true straight line. Which is why I mentioned using the table saw - to "square up" the blank prior to placing it over the hole for tracing.

Then there's cutting the hole out of the door after I've traced it. In my experience, a Sawzall or a jig saw will be hard to control on the wavy metal the doors have. I can try it but I've got minimal metal to spare here and still three blanks to make.

[SCHRUMGMC]

I've seen people cut the Panels half Assed, and it really makes me mad..My Ocd goes insane

[Kim57]

I use a cheap delta table saw with a metal cutting wheel all the time for cutting sheet metal. You just have to go slow and let the saw do the work.
Kim

[SCHRUMGMC]

In a perfect world, the Metal would cut itself the Perfect way by itself

[Dan in Pasadena]

I'm not a good enough welder to be able to get away with half-assed fitting patch panels. GOTTA be well fitting or I'm gonna blow holes. Hell, I may blow holes anyway!

I'm feeling a little case of "anal glaucoma" coming on (I can't see my ass going to work tomorrow!) so I may have photos to share tomorrow!

[Dan in Pasadena]

I know this is old hat for most of you but it's my first time attempting patch fabrication and weld repair. So I've been cutting, fitting, grinding, & cussing the last few days. I've got all four patches to this level of fit:



Each patch needs some touching up along the edges for final welding. I'm not sure if that'll happen tomorrow or have to wait for the weekend.

I DID go out and get some of those sheet metal clamp things but they leave a .040" gap around their perimeter and someone(?) told me the rule of thumb is the gap shouldn't be bigger than your wire - .023" in this case. So I think I'm just going to use the magnets shown in the photo.

Any/all opinions appreciated.

[Dan in Pasadena]

PS: A big thanks to "rgunlock" (Rick) for his advice to cut the patch first and match it to a square hole. It was MUCH easier than trying to make 4 wavy round patches.

Plus, I'm such a bonehead. I cut 2-1/2 of the patches before my jig saw blade broke. Went and bought a much finer blade and the rest of the cutting was butter.

[Kim57]

The patch looks good.
Kim

[Daze57]

x 2 ^

[SCHRUMGMC]

X3 !

[rgunlock]

Hot diggity!!! That may well have been my 1st actual useful post then
That patch does look like it fits very well.

[indynick]

Coming along nicely

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the positive comments guys.

Like I said before, it feels like Chinese water torture...one drip of work at a time...

I WILL get rid of all the rust, the feels like hundreds o miscellaneous holes drilled in it over the years, but there are SO many small areas to be dealt with!

[Indian113]

Looking Good Dan, like they say if you have to eat a elephant do it one bite at a time!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yes and I have to remember the rust has been "eating" my truck for almost 60 years. So I can't undo all that in an afternoon... but I WANT to! Lol.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Indian113]

I'm going to do a frame off on the 64 next winter so I may have to lean on some of your experience's. I'm so glad this forum is just like a great big family!

[Dan in Pasadena]

You're right, Indian...most of the time. I always say we're "friends that haven't met yet"
Posted via Mobile Device

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

You're right, Indian...most of the time. I always say we're "friends that haven't met yet"
Posted via Mobile Device

For the most part.lol

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

For the most part.lol

Bam,

You & I might end up being brothers from differnt mothers cause we already bust each other's ball and have never even met!

But eriously, I look forward to talking to some of you guys almost daily and when one of you says, "Hey, good job" it feels good. (I must be pathetically insecure, ha ha!)

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Bam,

But eriously, I look forward to talking to some of you guys almost daily and when one of you says, "Hey, good job" it feels good. (I must be pathetically insecure, ha ha!)

Dan there is never anything wrong with feeling good, especially about your hard work. By the way the patch is looking great man keep up the good work.

[dubie]

you know Dan, I took a look back at the beginning of this thread when you picked up your truck and then look at where you're at now with this project. I just wanted to commend you on doing so much in such a short amount of time. It doesn't even look like the same truck.

Forums such as this is what drives people to keep working on their trucks. When I did the build up on my 72 back in the early 2000's, there were people helping me out from around the globe with technically information. There were a bunch of us that met up in Indianapolis for the Super Chevy Nationals back in 2004. We all stayed at the same hotel, ate at the same places, tail gate partied every night, raced go-karts and made a bunch of life long friendships. And it all came from this forum.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dubie

you know Dan, I took a look back at the beginning of this thread when you picked up your truck and then look at where you're at now with this project. I just wanted to commend you on doing so much in such a short amount of time. It doesn't even look like the same truck.

Thanks Dubie. It feels glacially slow to me because when I look back I see the 9-12 months in the middle when I did NOTHING. Not sure why but I got side tracked. Getting the welding work underway along with some plans I've got for the seat belts, dual master cylinder & gas tank relocation this summer have me excited.

Originally Posted by dubie

Forums such as this is what drives people to keep working on their trucks.

You're right in my case. Seeing the progress others are making on much harder builds reminds me I don't have so much to do...relatively speaking.

Originally Posted by dubie

... There were a bunch of us that met up in Indianapolis for the Super Chevy Nationals ....and made a bunch of life long friendships. And it all came from this forum.

That's very cool. I may never meet the East or Midwest guys but someday I look forward to having the chance to meet more California and Southwest guys.
Posted via Mobile Device