47-55.1 Hey you all, how the heck you doing? I'm working on my truck again!!!

[MARTINSR]

Ok, I made a challenge to start working on my truck again this year. I've been on my "five minute a day plan." Though I am retired so often I will put three or four hours into it. The only problem is I am retired, meaning I am an old man and man does it kick my butt! Blows my mind that I used to stay up till 1 in the morning painting a car when I had my shop 35 years ago. Now, I work those 3 hours on my truck and it feels like I have mowed every lawn in my neighborhood! Wow, it will kick my butt. And I go to sleep like my parents told me at 9 o'clock every night.

Soooooooo, I searched through our 4 "local" (a couple are about 20-30 miles away) and I looked at mostly van rear seats. Being my truck is chopped and sectioned I needed a very thin seat. I went with the measurements I needed and took notes of all the seats I found that were kinda close.

No kidding, this was crazy, I thought I would need to make a plywood bottom with holes on drivers and passenger sides with elastic straps across them. I had given up on finding the "right" thing so I figured I would just use the foam and set it on that plywood piece.

I gave up, then did the search again a few weeks later. And WHAMO at the closest wrecking yard to my house just a couple of miles away (I pass it often out shopping) and I found this amazing treasure!

Not kidding, I had the diagram of the measurements of my seat that I needed in the truck and this thing matched it PERFECTLY! We are talking within a quarter of an inch! The thing was custom made! I bought it and when I pulled it apart it was obvious that it was custom made for that van for some reason. It was much wider than all over van rear seats so somehow the owner who wanted a custom van had it made (or made it).

Not kidding, I got home with the seat and set it in the truck and got a little verclemp, it was PERFECT! The mounting would be easy, it was crazy, it's like it was made for me!

I went and bought a few large boxes of sodas and went and gave it to the guys at the wrecking yard.

The seat is all done and I have moved on to the next project, the gas door in the bed.

Hope you put up with my long posts.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

My first project as the year started was modifying the headlamp buckets setting the lights back a few inches so I could put the headlight grilles like a 53-55 Corvette had.

That is done and I will be having the bucket assemblies powder coated.

Brian

[Rickysnickers]

Which wrecking yard? Just curious.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

Which wrecking yard? Just curious.

The Jalopy Jungle in Boise on State.

I went to all four of the Jalopy Jungles. So funny, I just came across my notes with measurements from all the ones I found.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

The last step I am on is the gas door. I got the door assembly from a 49 Oldsmobile at the wrecking yard. I know, some of you may want to punch me for cutting it out of that Olds but it's been in the yard over a year and it's pretty stripped so I will get what I need (Ricky, Nampa Jalopy Jungle, they have a bunch of vintage cars.)

I had to section it to fit in the tiny area where the original gas filler stuck out of.

Brian

[dsraven]

great to see you back posting here again and also back to work on your truck. keep posting up thosepics and other info. awesome.

[nvrdone]

Martin: Glad to see you are back with us. And doing some work on the pickup.
Being retired, I understand not having as much energy as we did when we were young.
With the weather over here in Yakima, I've driven the truck more than when I lived on the "other side" Also got involved in a local car club which is great fun.
Anyway welcome back & look forward to following along on your build.
Bruce.

[mr48chev]

I've been following you on FB but it is great to see you back here.

I'm gong to stand way back and watch when you go to fill that tank with that setup though.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I've been following you on FB but it is great to see you back here.

I'm gong to stand way back and watch when you go to fill that tank with that setup though.

LOLOL I hear yeah, thanks for your concern. I have spent a LOT of time on the filler, thinking about it, not working on it. I have spoke with my brother who is a seriously experienced builder I think all is good. I am using a filler I got off a 70 Impala and no kidding, looking at that gas tank it looks very similar to what I am doing.

This is me, I lowered the gas tank all that I could to get the filler up above it. That amount, 3/4" LOLOL

Brian

[dsraven]

if you find it burps back when filling you could fab up an elbow riser extension pretty easily that would seal against the filler neck in place and could be used like a no spill funnel, stored in the filler area behind the door. sometimes things just work out that way but it's not the end of the world. I would put the filler and door as high as possible and then deal with the aftermath unless you want to cut the box floor and fab a part to cover the "inside the box" part to make it higher.
it's gonna be a one of a kind. it'll be great to see it finished with a side view that shows the whole area better

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

The Jalopy Jungle in Boise on State.

I went to all four of the Jalopy Jungles. So funny, I just came across my notes with measurements from all the ones I found.

Brian

I figured it was that one. Glad to see you are back at it.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by dsraven

if you find it burps back when filling you could fab up an elbow riser extension pretty easily that would seal against the filler neck in place and could be used like a no spill funnel, stored in the filler area behind the door. sometimes things just work out that way but it's not the end of the world. I would put the filler and door as high as possible and then deal with the aftermath unless you want to cut the box floor and fab a part to cover the "inside the box" part to make it higher.
it's gonna be a one of a kind. it'll be great to see it finished with a side view that shows the whole area better

Believe me, this wasn't a whamo do it kinda thing. I have spent 348 hours with my head spinning figuring out what to do. This doesn't mean I'm right, LOL But that's what it's taken.

I didn't want to go up into the inside of the bed. The stock one came out of the bed right where I have this door. It bent up a few inches. I know this is way better, but I just didn't want that. Soooooooo, I lowered the tank a little, I have a 70 Impala filler tube that is bent up a little. No kidding, looking at it in the stock tank on that Impala, it's not much up from how I have it!
Anyway, so I will use a non vented cap. And, I am adding a vent from the stock filler on a 50 truck which is on the side of the cab with the tank behind the seat. I am putting that vent tube on this filler and running a hose down to the bottom of the tank.

When I fill it up I will be careful to not overfill it.

I know I am pushing my boundaries but I am thinking I will be able to pull it off. If you feel I am wrong, let me know, I am here to learn.

Brian

[crossfire84]

welcome back, missed you and your truck!
where did you get the headlight grills?

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by crossfire84

welcome back, missed you and your truck!
where did you get the headlight grills?

For regular 7 inch round headlights they sell "rock guards" that are chrome or stainless that we used to see a lot of and were a necessity for guys in Alaska.


I had a pair of chrome ones sold for VW bugs on my 48 until they rusted.

These aren't quite like what Martin has though.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by crossfire84

welcome back, missed you and your truck!
where did you get the headlight grills?

I made them out of a stainless steel mesh.

Brian

[dsraven]

good innovative thinking there with the stailess screen shaping idea, Brian.
gas tank may be a slow filler but, again, if you find it slow there is a work around with a removeable filler extension tube that would go on like a gas cap, with a gasket and a slight twist.
I was also thinking that possibly a one way flap inside the filler tube, one that the filler nozzle pushes out of the way when it is inserted to fill, may be a help if you find the fuel cap wants to leak with a full tank.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by dsraven

good innovative thinking there with the stailess screen shaping idea, Brian.
gas tank may be a slow filler but, again, if you find it slow there is a work around with a removeable filler extension tube that would go on like a gas cap, with a gasket and a slight twist.
I was also thinking that possibly a one way flap inside the filler tube, one that the filler nozzle pushes out of the way when it is inserted to fill, may be a help if you find the fuel cap wants to leak with a full tank.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm thanks

Brian

[MARTINSR]

WOW does this place have a lot of options! https://www.fillernecksupply.com/


Brian

[dsraven]

I'm thinking the kind of flapper that a newer vehicle has. Where there is a metal plate across the inside of the filler tube and it has a spring loaded door where the filler nozzle pushes through when filling. It helps with the burp back when filling too. Less fuel is able to get past the filler nozzle. Most also incorporate a small vent tube that goes down into the top area of the tank to help air vent as you fill.
Just a thought.

[MARTINSR]

Hmmmmmmmm You have me thinking.

Brian

[mr48chev]

The trouble with a 48 tank is that it has no other vent and gas going in pushes air out though the neck.


Add in that the filler neck is horizontal for several inches and yours would have no drop from the nozzle.

Tanks inc. has a sealed gas cap that is supposed to seal around a standard nozzle but you would have to add a vent tube of pretty good size that you could run a vent hose over to and up in the right front stanchion post of the bed to let the air out when you filled it and vent the tank. Here is the link to that cap https://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/p...n8TqPLhKWfehbY They also have a length of tube to hook it up with but that is 44 dollars and you still need a a piece of hose .

[crossfire84]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I made them out of a stainless steel mesh.

Brian

nice, would you mind if i tried that on mine?