Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[G&R's57GMC]

Yea ! You're getting closer to driving it !

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Yea ! You're getting closer to driving it !

I wish.

There’s a street parade of older cars in my step son’s town of Atascadero - that’s in the Central Valley of California. I originally thought I’d have it in the 2017 parade! DOH!

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I wish.

There’s a street parade of older cars in my step son’s town of Atascadero - that’s in the Central Valley of California. I originally thought I’d have it in the 2017 parade! DOH!

You don’t want to compromise to meet some self-imposed deadline. Just keep moving forward and pretty soon it will be finished...

[G&R's57GMC]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I wish.

There’s a street parade of older cars in my step son’s town of Atascadero - that’s in the Central Valley of California. I originally thought I’d have it in the 2017 parade! DOH!

Well I thought my Dart would be ready for K.A.N. this year , NOT .

BTW Atascadero is on the "Central Coast". Fresno is in the "Central Valley".

And yet Central Valley was the name of our town before we took a vote and changed it to the City of Shasta Lake or as we call it Shasta Lake City or Shasta Lake for short.

That just adds to the confusion when people think its Shasta Lake but they are referring to Lake Shasta .

Then there is Shasta , Shasta County , mount Shasta the mountian and the City of Mount Shasta .

But I digress .

You'll get to drive your truck to next years events ... with any luck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Status update for my record:

The angle strips are in though the bolts are not yet tightened.

The tailgate is on.
- But Marcos would like to use the factory trunions instead of the aftermarket poly ones. He says the aftermarket ones aren't "lifting" the gate quite as high as the stock ones and are going to cause chips in the paint. I don't know, we'll see when er swap them out.

- I dropped off the kick & door panels, lower hinge covers, ash tray, & dash block-off plate to him for installation. Windshield is still not installed.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wednesday, August 23, 2018

After saying I wouldn’t I got lazy (& cheap) and bought Soffseal windshield rubber from The Truck Shop. The windshield was installed today. Once the little area where two layers of sheet metal were slightly spread apart on the driver side top, it went in great - I’m a little surprised, BUT... now I have a question. This rubber has a groove or line in it like it’s supposed to have a lock strip, but it doesn’t. Is this typical? I decided I wouldn’t use the stainless trim. But if I were to change my mind later, does that fit with this rubber or does it require a different rubber made for that purpose?

Apologies for the bad picture. Windshield was very dirty and low
Light. Windshield wiper escutcheons have also been installed with new gaskets.

[Flysocal]

Coming along nicely! Windows can be a ***** to get installed so good job. Front glass has 2 rubber versions. One without trim slot and one with trim slot. The trim is installed in slot prior to installing on vehicle. Judging by the quality of your build you may want to get the correct rubber and redo. Or install trim but you will need to remove glass. I’m an expert because it took me 3 attempts to get my BBW installed!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Flysocal

Front glass has 2 rubber versions. One without trim slot and one with trim slot. The trim is installed in slot prior to installing on vehicle. Judging by the quality of your build you may want to get the correct rubber and redo. Or install trim but you will need to remove glass.

Thanks for the kind words on my build...but...

UGH! UGH! UGH! on possibly having to remove and reinstall the glass! Not having seen it I’m curious why the trim has to be installed in the rubber in advance? Is there no way to install it now, after the fact?

Of course I’ll be check the rubber to see if it’s a line or a slot. I bought it at The Car and Truck Shop locally and they sell both the standard and deluxe rubber. The counterman may have given me the deluxe and I didn’t know to check it. Too bad now because it’s been installed with sealer and would have to be cut off, so tough t!tty for me I guess.

[Russell Ashley]

Dan, my truck had the original glass and rubber gasket in it when I got it, and that looks like my original one to me. If it is the rubber for the stainless trim it will have a slot that would be about 3/8ths of an inch deep. You might try sticking a thin object into the indention and see if it is actually a slot or just an indention. Nothing wrong with SoffSeal as I think they make a lot of the rubber products that are available for antique vehicles.

[G&R's57GMC]

Hay Dan What's up ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Hay Dan What's up ?

Reassembly at body shop. Slow......as......water.....torture

I made the mistake (I guess) of going back to work as a consultant after being retired since the end of 2017. I’m hating getting up to an alarm clock again, the commute. But it’ll maybe replace some of the money I spent on the truck. It got away from me as I’ve mentioned here before and I spent more than I ever intended.

Truck is all together to look at it. Some trouble with attaching door latch actuators to Altman latches as you may have seen on a separate thread I posted. Ended up grinding the peening off the fasteners on the stock latches to spot weld them on the Altman latches.

All glass is in, interior trim. Glove box and a few misc pieces to be done before hooking up tail lights, 3rd brake light in rear window, having upholstery finished. Just takes forever. Thanks for caring enough to ask. Believe me, when there’s anything to show, I’ll take pictures and post them.

[G&R's57GMC]

Update sometime this week ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Still in the shop, Glen. But thanks for remaining interested. I may stop by this afternoon though.

When I FINALLY get it back for good I'll take some pictures in some scenic spot - no idea where. I'll be out of town the next couple weeks but I plan to tell the painter I want it back for good when I get back.

[oldman3]

Tell the painter we are waiting for pics. He doesn't want to see us when we're angry...Jim

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by oldman3

tell the painter we are waiting for pics. He doesn't want to see us when we're angry...jim

lol

[Dan in Pasadena]

So I stopped by the painter's today and told him I will be back to get the truck October 11 or 12. Basically, everything he can do is done except putting the chrome lock strip in the rear window rubber.

I will have a little work to do when I get it back but not much: Side, hood & V8 emblems, mount the tail lights and rear license plate, etc.

I'll be making an appointment with the upholsterer soon but I know from last year that he does a lot of work for the SEMA show each year so I assume he'll be busy with that again this year and I will have to wait my turn in about November. Anyway, that's it for now.

PSW: Pics of the exterior; hopefully in some picturesque place, as soon as I get it back. Interior pics later.

[ChuckDriver]

Hope to see some pic's soon Dan!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks JJ,
I’m in France as I type this. On a walking tour of a small village along the Seine. I’ll be back next week to pick up the truck and pictures will be coming shortly thereafter!

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks JJ,
I’m in France as I type this. On a walking tour of a small village along the Seine. I’ll be back next week to pick up the truck and pictures will be coming shortly thereafter!

You will enjoy it Dan, this much I know...

[Dan in Pasadena]

OK so I’m back from vacation and went to check on the truck this morning. Marcoz was working on the final polish and the truck should be ready the day after tomorrow for pick up.

Obviously I need a front bumper and I’ll try to get that tomorrow. I also need longer rear wheel studs for for the spacers I’m using though I can get by with what I’ve got temporarily.

It still needs carpet and headliner, AC charged, tail lights connected and I’m sure a few more things but the majority of the work is “done” for now.

[Dan in Pasadena]

For some reason the site doesn’t wanna let me post more than one picture on that first post. I’ll try again now.

[58CameoAZ]

Wow Dan, Truck Looks Beautiful!!!!! Very Nice Sir!

Allen

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks!

I’m not sure I like the wheels. Well, actually I “like” them but I’m not sure they’re right for the look I’d really like it to have. A bit too blingy. They’re 17’s because I need something that will clear the Corvette calipers. 16” would but there is very little selection of both wheels AND tire sizes in 16’s anymore.

When I get it home I will see just how close 15’s fit and if it would be possible to do minor grinding on the calipers to allow them to fit. If so, I’ll have my vintage 15” Torq Thrust knockoffs restored and use them instead.

A lot of guys put 20’s on these trucks - I’m NOT one of them. I prefer taller, traditional sidewalls on vintage vehicles. I’d like 60 series tires ideally. What’s on it now are 235/55x17’s. Here’s a pic from when it was in process and the front calipers hadn’t been installed. The rims obviously need restoration before I’d use them but you’ll get the idea.

[57tailgater]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks!

I’m not sure I like the wheels. Well, actually I “like” them but I’m not sure they’re right for the look I’d really like it to have. A bit too blingy. They’re 17’s because I need something that will clear the Corvette calipers. 16” would but there is very little selection of both wheels AND tire sizes in 16’s anymore.

When I get it home I will see just how close 15’s fit and if it would be possible to do minor grinding on the calipers to allow them to fit. If so, I’ll have my vintage 15” Torq Thrust knockoffs restored and use them instead.

A lot of guys put 20’s on these trucks - I’m NOT one of them. I prefer taller, traditional sidewalls on vintage vehicles. I’d like 60 series tires ideally. Why’s on it now are 235/55x17’s. Here’s a pic from when it was in process and the front calipers hadn’t been installed. The rims obviously need restoration before I’d use them but you’ll get the idea.

Dan - I think what you have looks really good and not too "blingy". Even tho they may be 17's, the combination of satin finish and your taller sidewall makes up the look and IMHO, one needs larger diameter tires to fill the wheel wells. Just some feedback from one who likes more the old school look.

[Kim57]

Truck looks great.
Good luck with the wheels.
Kim