Harold's '48 S10 LS1 Build

[99 to Life]

so much work in door gaps. dreading it on my one and only painted truck I will ever build. Its been on my never ending list. I can't stand the door rubber either. Once that stuff goes on, seems like my doors fit like crap. So watch out for that.

[Tikal48]

I finished up the gap on the back side of the door, and started mounting my first door handle. I drew up a design and a friend of mine with a CNC mill machined the handle and base for me. I still have some final shimming and aligning to do. This handle is made out of aluminum. I may remake them out of 300 series stainless.

I also have some tweaking to do on the bear claw latch assembly. I obviously had one of those WTHWIT moments, when I designed my latch assembly. I will have to cut it and raise up the striker plate. No major problem. At least I now can finish the body work on the door and get it primed for winter.

[reaper71]

Looking really good....kinda Kindigit style handle

Mark...

[99 to Life]

nice engineering

[Tikal48]

I can't believe that its already been 2 months since my last post. I've done a little more work on the passenger side door gap and cast the other wheel tub, but that is about all that I have done. With the rain and cooler weather, I haven't been in much of a mood to work on it.

I have a few fiberglass projects that I may try to work on if the weather permits, but I don't see much progress till spring. Happy Holidays to all!

[99 to Life]

its hard to get motivated with the weather and holidays. come out swinging in the spring!

[Tikal48]

I picked up a center console from a Hyundai Genesis to get the matching arm rest that went with my seats. I decided that I wanted to reproduce the top side of the console. I made a mold of the areas that I wanted to reproduce.

I re-cast the top side of the console in fiberglass. There were a lot of surfaces to try to pull from the mold, especially with the compartment under the arm rest. I would up sacrificing the mold and cut it up to remove it more easily.

[Tikal48]

I made a simple frame and covered it with 1/2" styroform board, and covered it with aluminum foil. I applied 4 layers of glass over the sides, and tied them into the top piece.

[Tikal48]

I checked the height and clearance to the seat. I fabricated a bracket for supporting the center console and for mounting of the emergency brake handle.

[joedoh]

nice work!

[Tikal48]

I worked a bit more on the passenger side door. Most of the door lined up good, except an area at the bottom of the window frame. I did not want to build the edges up with just body filler. I welded in a filler piece of metal and smoothed it to the correct contour. I used All-Metal to blend out the repair. Just a bit more touch up work, and an area on the front side/bottom door gap that I need to finish out.

[mongocanfly]

Looking good..I like the center console

[reaper71]

Look's nice Harold!

Mark

[Tikal48]

I finished rough shaping the center console. I'm making a skin for the back side of the cab that will tie into the center console. I received my B&M shifter, so I will start fabricating the front section of the console to accommodate the shifter. I'm still trying to decide exactly how to finish the back skin into the cab corner radius. I also need to decide how to split the back and front section of the console, where I can actually get it in and out.

[oldman3]

I've used black door board (normally get from uphol. shop in 4'X4' sheets) before and it worked good.

Here's a few pics showing work...Jim

[Tikal48]

Thanks for the tip Jim!

I was a short day today, but I spent it on the shifter bracket. I fabricated the shifter support out of strut channel, and bolted it to the emergency brake support bracket. Now I just need to figure out the final details of the console up to the dash and firewall.

[Tikal48]

I sanded the fiberglass back and added another layer of glass to stiffen it up. I used a thin gauge metal to form the contour of the corners. I also cut the metal in smaller pieces and layered them. It was easier to form the complex corner this way. I got one corner cast in fiberglass, and the other corner ready to glass. I will finish that up next weekend, and start smoothing the contours.

I plan to mount the battery behind the backing. I have an idea for the access panels for the battery access and storage.

[oldman3]

Corners look great, nice job...Jim

[99 to Life]

dang thats alot of glass work. keep it up

[Tikal48]

I've been working a bit more on the fiberglass console. I had to cut the height down behind the arm rest for clearance when opening. I also cut an access hole for installing the arm rest hinge. I didn't imagine that this would take two days.

I re-installed the console back in the truck, and I am going to tie the corners into the cab corner pieces. I want to move the parting line over about 1-1/2" on either side of the back skin, where I can make a lap joint a bit easier. I'll start smoothing things out before I re-split it.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Nice work. I wish I knew something about how to do fiberglas - I haven't a clue.

I don't want to do much, maybe just some kick panels that would let me use my factory fresh air ducts and still house good speakers or maybe some kind of rear cab corner cabinets for speakers. I just know nothing about how to form for it, what's "enough" "support", release agents, mixing the resin, what cloth to use, nothing.

[Tikal48]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Nice work. I wish I knew something about how to do fiberglas - I haven't a clue.

I don't want to do much, maybe just some kick panels that would let me use my factory fresh air ducts and still house good speakers or maybe some kind of rear cab corner cabinets for speakers. I just know nothing about how to form for it, what's "enough" "support", release agents, mixing the resin, what cloth to use, nothing.

Youtube is a great start. I first spent a while watching videos of different fiberglass projects. The top console on page 4 was my first attempt using a skeleton covered with flannel cloth. (Finish product on page 7) Not a big fan of that method. I wound up with too much sag in between the ribs.

Kick panels would be a great learning project, and fiberglass is relatively cheap. I'm using the Bondo brand cloth, mat, resin and long & short hair filler. The long hair and short hair filler will cover a multitude of sins. I've never been a huge fan of Bondo, but I love this stuff. I'm loving everything about the fiberglass work, except the itch . . . jajaja!

[dug224]

Thanks for the "how to" on the center console. I'll be revisiting this post when my console moves up the list! Love the detail.

[reaper71]

Just for reference:
Another product that I have been using is called Fiberall it is also fiberglass but it is a lot smoother and sands easier when cured (I wont go back to the other) It's made by Upol and spreads as easy as regular filler. just my .02

Mark

[99 to Life]

good to know, upol seems to make good stuff. I use duraglass on stuff and I'v also used the jelly bondo brand stuff.