What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

The other photo is a little safety device I decided to do after the wind blew down the garage door! I just drilled a hole through on both sides putting this bolt that I will remove to shut the door.
Brian

I often neglect to raise the garage door all the way up, then when I'm wearing a welding or grinding hood I smash my head into it as I walk under it. Laid myself flat out on the concrete once that way.

[MiraclePieCo]

I'm realizing that the build phase of my truck is done and now I've entered...uh...not sure what to call it: the finishing phase? Completion phase? Puttering phase? It's mostly just little jobs. For example today I installed the inside windshield trim. The shiny screws are too conspicuous on the black background so I think I"ll paint the heads black.

Anyone know where I can get the upper and lower trim pieces that connect these with the center post trim? Haven't seen them in the parts catalogues.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

I'm realizing that the build phase of my truck is done and now I've entered...uh...not sure what to call it: the finishing phase? Completion phase? Puttering phase? It's mostly just little jobs. For example today I installed the inside windshield trim. The shiny screws are too conspicuous on the black background so I think I"ll paint the heads black.

Anyone know where I can get the upper and lower trim pieces that connect these with the center post trim? Haven't seen them in the parts catalogues.

If it was a house I'd call it the "Punchlist Phase". Keep on keepin' on!

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

I'm realizing that the build phase of my truck is done and now I've entered...uh...not sure what to call it: the finishing phase? Completion phase? Puttering phase? It's mostly just little jobs. For example today I installed the inside windshield trim. The shiny screws are too conspicuous on the black background so I think I"ll paint the heads black.

Anyone know where I can get the upper and lower trim pieces that connect these with the center post trim? Haven't seen them in the parts catalogues.

I searched and searched and searched and gave up. Then fell upon these by accident. You owe me big time!

https://www.tuckersparts.com/Windshi....html?cat=1554


Brian

[Black_Sheep]

I spent a few hours this afternoon detailing the motor. I polished the aluminum water pump, the power steering pump, timing cover, alternator and bracket, and the pulleys. I also turned around the ps belt so the lettering on both belts went the same way. Tomorrow I'll get it up on jack stands and do the stuff I can reach from underneath.

With any luck the '58 will be accepted for the 63rd Annual GSTA Car Show in April, I have a month to get it ready...

[Kevin Mac]

I installed a reman HB today to get the brakes going and they worked great. That's the good news, the bad news the driver rear wheel came off when I pulled in the driveway. That's right it came off and got wedged it the fender holding the truck up off the ground enough to still get a floor back under it. I robbed 2 lug nuts from other side and pulled it in the garage. It did a little damage where the lower back brace is but can't see it unless you lay on the ground and look for it. Guess I got lucky on that if you can call it that.
Couple pics to maybe give ideas on a couple way I did things. 1st pic is how I pulled the push rod out. I put the square head nut on the HB unit then cut a 1 1/2" nipple just long enough to put a bolt through the eye hole in push rod. The back out the square but to pop out push rod. Worked good.
2nd pic is dimpleing the new push rod in. Get something solid steel to back up area to dimple and use a blunt center punch.
3rd pic is how I pinned the HB from spinning in my bracket. Most people make their own bracket and instead of using a key I used 1/4" round stock. The HB is rounded in that area and you can simply use a round file to cut in for a round pin. I did taper the pin on the end going in first.
Last pic is what not to do (wheel falling off)
Mac

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by Kevin Mac

the bad news the driver rear wheel came off when I pulled in the driveway. That's right it came off and got wedged it the fender holding the truck up off the ground enough to still get a floor back under it.
Mac

Been there, done that. I finger-tightened my lug nuts, then forgot to torque them down. Went around a corner and my left rear wheel passed me. The hubs sawing back and forth on the lug studs ruined a new set of 10" Cragars.

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

I also turned around the ps belt so the lettering on both belts went the same way.

I use a magic marker to completely blot out the belt lettering. I suppose lacquer thinner or acetone would erase it too. But I understand that for judging, new belt lettering could add a touch of detail and can gain you a few points.

[mr48chev]

That is really coming out nice IDbeast.

[MARTINSR]

Ohhhh damn that is beautiful!

Brian

[oldman3]

Idbeast, that is going to be one sweet ride, when you get it all together...Jim

[mongocanfly]

sweet idb....truck looks great!!!

[mongocanfly]

kevin m ...what caused the wheel to drop off?...sounds like you got lucky if you had no damage...

[Kevin Mac]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

kevin m ...what caused the wheel to drop off?...sounds like you got lucky if you had no damage...

Man I guess I did't tighten the lug nuts. That's a first for me. I only went around the block. I drove back around in my Tahoe and found 4 lug nuts at one intersection right before I got on 50 mph blacktop for about 300 yards before turning onto my street. Lucky I didn't go farther down the blacktop, I was so happy the brakes were working good, they haven't been right since I bought the truck 2 years ago. The vac booster never had enough vac to work right I guess.

Mac

[MARTINSR]

My brother the motor master did a tune up on Marge for me. Check this out, I didn't have a feeler gauge to check the point gap and he eye balled it. After he did this he told me that he used to be able to do this no problem but I better go get a feeler gauge set. I ran to the parts store and got back for him to check it and it was perfectly .020! Damn when you have done something as long as he has you can do things like that!

We got it done ("we", I did next to nothing) and Marge is running great again.

The bummer of the day was that my brother saw what I didn't want to thus I hadn't, the rear axle housing for my truck is bent. CRAP, I checked it out and sure enough it's off quite a bit. Sooooo, now I have another step before I can get it into primer.
I learned this long ago, should have been more observant, when those spring pads are welded on you can't apply much heat or when it cools it shrinks one side of the tube. I didn't check it, but I didn't think it was an issue being the welds were pretty lame that were holding the pads on. Didn't look like they got real good penetration so I never even checked. The thing is, they may have torched the old pads off and that would have created a bunch of heat if done wrong. Sooooooo they are warped. I have dealt with it before, years ago on a friends Model A that he had the rear spring shackle mounts welded on by a "pro" and warped the rear BAD. So I will get-ur-done.


Brian

[MARTINSR]

I have fixed a number of cars that left shops with the lug nuts loose, not good!

Brian

[evilokc]

this weekend while tearing around town in the death rattle I noticed it was gushing coolant. I crawled under it and its from the lower hose. looks like the screw on the hose clip broke off. luckily I just bought a box of hose clamps because you never know when you need one. unluckily they are all to small. so hose clamp this week.

[svr]

Idbeast tell your painter ill be right over with paint and will pay double, wow very nice

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by svr

Idbeast tell your painter ill be right over with paint and will pay double, wow very nice

LOLOLOL, really, I was thinking the same thing! I can paint mine myself and I wouldn't think of it with a deal like that! Look at that truck, that sucker is BEAUTIFUL! DAMN I hope my truck looks half as good!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Sooooo, what did I do today, not a friggin thing on the truck. I had a lazy day for sure. But I did get a few things on ebay to sell, and sold a few things on ebay and got them in the mail to help pay for the truck. All money I make selling this stuff goes into my truck account.

Now, getting back to the truck. My brother was over and just talking in the living room about life and childhood and my truck and his car (his 39 that he bought just a few years after I got my truck in the seventies) and he sparked me a little on the idea of keeping my bed instead of buying a new one. The whole truck has been stripped to bare metal and epoxy primed, was planning on buying a new bed because stripping this one and doing all the body work over would be MASSIVE. But simply sanding this lacquer paint and applying epoxy primer over it wouldn't be a big deal. I just hate to do it being the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, lacquer primer that's like a friggin wire tie as the first chain link!

But I am giving it all another thought. I would love to have the original bed that I did 40 years ago and get-ur-done!

So I will be thinking.............................. The money for a new bed I could get my motor rebuilt for goodness sakes.

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Now, getting back to the truck. My brother was over and just talking in the living room about life and childhood and my truck and his car (his 39 that he bought just a few years after I got my truck in the seventies) and he sparked me a little on the idea of keeping my bed instead of buying a new one. The whole truck has been stripped to bare metal and epoxy primed, was planning on buying a new bed because stripping this one and doing all the body work over would be MASSIVE. But simply sanding this lacquer paint and applying epoxy primer over it wouldn't be a big deal. I just hate to do it being the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, lacquer primer that's like a friggin wire tie as the first chain link!

But I am giving it all another thought. I would love to have the original bed that I did 40 years ago and get-ur-done!

So I will be thinking.............................. The money for a new bed I could get my motor rebuilt for goodness sakes.

Brian

I'm with your brother. I'm keeping lots of ugly old parts on my truck just to retain the character, originality and provenance. Look up the "Ship of Theseus" Paradox: it basically asks how many parts of a '48 Chevy pickup can you replace before it is no longer even a '48 Chevy pickup at all?

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

<snip> keeping my bed...<snip>... sanding this lacquer paint and applying epoxy primer over it...<snip>.

I did this on my '55 sedan body in 1981 - which had had one lacquer repaint -- but I used lacquer primer (Ditzler DZL-72) instead of epoxy. The nose was stripped to bare metal and done "right". To this day I can't tell the difference.

I also painted over a single repaint on my '64 Vette in 1996. Still looks perfect today. Go for it and save the $$s!

[MARTINSR]

Thanks so much guys, I am thinking I am going to do this. It's a bummer I stripped the header panel, OMG that took me HOURS to ruin. It was straight and painted, could have been left alone, crap! That panel I will have to replace, I am not going to re-do that one.
But I am thinking you are right and I love hearing that Bob, thanks.

I just want to DRIVE IT!

Brian

[dsraven]

so, you use the old bed and it's great for awhile and you get to drive the truck. a long time later (in dog years) the paint cracks or some other defect appears due to the laquer primer. well, now you have all the time in the world to get another bed all ready and painted while still driving around with the original bed on the truck.
just get'er done. drive the crap outta that old bed. lol.

[DransportGarage]

Here's my crappy paintover from 1981 (taken 2017):

[mikebte]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Here's my crappy paintover from 1981 (taken 2017):

Still looks good from this distance.