Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[G&R's57GMC]

Yea , gates looking goood , Joey looking Great !

What’s with the junk in the truck ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ha! Only you Glen would have noticed. It’s the cover for the truck back there. I had just taken it off to let old Betsy get some sun!

[G&R's57GMC]

So I'm observant .

I looked up hub caps like the one you are derusting , did you know that it's for a '54-'55 1st series 1/2 ton .
And that the FillingStation.com has them in Chrome or Stainless and according to my catalog the chrome ( L-91 $ 56.50 ea or
$ 219.00 set) costs more then the stainless (L-91SS $ 40.00 ea or $ 157.52 set) . If you need the clips ( SA-136 $ 2.00 ea ).
Hope this helps .

So how about a view of the back yard with Joey ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Didn't take a "Before" picture This was a box my dad made when I was a kid so we'll over 50 years ago. He had masonry tool in it and if I'm not a carpenter he was waay worse than I am.

He never owned a power tool in his life. This box is 1x8 board w/plywood. His fitment was poor but rather than disassemble, recut and reassemble I just caulked the inside perimeter.

Painting our house one year he dropped a gallon of dark chocolate brown on the lawn. Rather than waste it he painted everything in sight with the spilled paint. 2 wood ladders, this box, other stuff. Yes, even with some grass clippings in it! Still, this was dad's so I wanted to use it.

I stripped w/belt sander, set the nail heads best I could, skimmed the splitting plywood, sanded, primed, and finish coated. It could use more finish work but it reminds me of him as he had it in the bed of his '59 Fleetside. I'll use it in my '55. It's more refined than he did it but I just made the best of what was there. I'll put a script "Chevrolet" emblem on it.





I was going to wet sand and give it another coat but I'll just leave it. Being rougher reminds me of him. I plan to spray rattle can bed liner inside and possibly put a black latch on it.

[G&R's57GMC]

Dan that came out nice. Are you going to keep it in the bed ?

I know the feeling of having something your dad built , I have kept a shelving unit my dad made out of 3 watermelon crates back in the 50’s , it’s out in the garage holding empty plastic boxes

[oldman3]

Dan, nice touch...Jim

[youngrodder]

Looks right at home. Great way to tie in a family heirloom.

Marc

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks guys! Yeah, I'll leave it in there once I figure out how to anchor it using the existing bolts or possibly longer eyebolts in the same place as the stock bolts.

I still haven't gotten the rattle can bed liner for inside. It's so rough in there and I didn't want to take it all the way apart to smooth out the boards so that's what I'm opting for instead of gluing some kind of fabric or something in there. Ideas welcome. I've never used DIY bedliner before. No idea if its good or not.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Dan that came out nice. Are you going to keep it in the bed ?

I know the feeling of having something your dad built , I have kept a shelving unit my dad made out of 3 watermelon crates back in the 50’s , it’s out in the garage holding empty plastic boxes

Hi Glen,

I only have a few things that were my Dad's anymore. He passed away in 1990 at the same age I am now! But I do have an old Cutty Sark wood crate. The wood has darkened but the painted-on words & logo are still clear. I remember seeing it in his garage as a kid. I don't use it for anything but can't bring myself to toss it or to modify it with a top because it was his.

I also have a kerosene lantern he got on a job. It's cool because "Los Angeles Sewer Company" is stamped into it and today you would NEVER take an active flame into the underground for fear of sewer gases igniting. I worked underground on Metro rail projects my whole career so I know the modern regulations well and that would never fly! Though I took it to one of our Safety meetings after I told our Safety Manager about it. He didn't believe it until I showed it to him. He wanted me to give it to him for future new employee orientation meetings, I said, "Nah"

[Dan in Pasadena]

Finishing up on my dad’s old box. The inside is/was rough as hell. I just sprayed it with bed liner. I’ve never used it before and expected it to be heavily textured - it wasn’t. But oh well. It still looks better than before. There latch and "Chevrolet" script emblem came today so I'll finish it tomorrow.

Before:





After:

[lv2tri2]

Good story, I enjoyed reading it.

[Russell Ashley]

Dan, your Dad sounds a lot like my Dad. Very few power tools and use what materials you have on hand. That's the attitude the generation who lived through the depression had.

[58CameoAZ]

Dan i think this is really cool you have the box you have from your Dad and incorporating it in your truck!
My Dad bought my 58 for me back when i was in Highshool for my first vehicle for $650 dollars and i Cherish that i still have it today, when i walk into my garage it makes me think of how blessed i was to have a Wonderful Dad who gave and taught so much to me!

That Box is Awesome and Looks Great Buddy!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Dan, your Dad sounds a lot like my Dad. Very few power tools and use what materials you have on hand. That's the attitude the generation who lived through the depression had.

^^^ This is exactly the case. I think he eventually got a half sheet power sander but he never had a circular saw for example. Definitely a child of the Depression, born in 1923 he came of age just as the Depression happened and it carried on until he joined the Air Force in 1944.

My dad would straighten nails to not have to buy new ones. Sounds silly to us now but to him doing otherwise would be wasteful and frankly, indicate a spoiled person.

He'd spend hours doing things that you & I today would never do.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hey, I hope you guys get as big a kick out of this picture as I do. They're VERY few and far in between but there are still drivers on the road. Even the rarest ones. Here's a '56 Cameo I saw being used as an ordinary truck today.

I spoke to the driver at the signal. Younger guy who said he's owned it ten years. I thought it was a Hydramatic because I didn't see him shifting it while following him but it said it was converted to floor shift three speed. I initially thought it has light surface rust but since it's a Cameo and the side are fiberglas someone had painted it light gold at some point. Anyway, I get a charge out of seeing it.

[6DoF]

the only proper way to honor an old truck ... keep working it! love it.

[youngrodder]

Wow I love that Cameo...So cool looking.
Nice to see it out in the wild....

Marc

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi guys, Yeah seeing the old Cameo in original condition was an eye opener and I had to push the Jimmy up to 90 to catch up to take pics!

Cold as hell here (SoCal cold, ha ha) it's 52* here and app says ("feels like 48*") so I can't put a final coat of red on my wood toolbox or black on the hinges. I want to get the black latch and CHEVROLET script emblem on it. Also need to glue drawer liner on the bottom and probably swap out a couple redwood bolts to eye bolts so I can fasten it down.

[Dan in Pasadena]

FINALLY finished re-doing my dad's old masonry tool box. 1954 car badge from eBay completes it. Glued kitchen shelf liner to the bottom so it shouldn't slide around but not going to count on it. I'll rig up something that doesnt show like velcro. It'll only ever have a few microfiber towels and some mag polish in it. I like the look but especially that it was my dad's in its earlier life.

[oldman3]

Looks great Dan, nice job on keeping something of your Dad's...Jim

[dsraven]

Looks like it fits right in. Awesome that you got it looking so good. Gotta mean a lot to you to have it hanging out back there "looking over your shoulder". Cool.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks guys. Yes, I'm pleased it's now got a 2nd life. I remember my dad using it when I was still a little boy so (gulp!) 60 years ago, sheesh!

My girlfriend asked why I didn't make it match the bed wood? But it's made of scraps my dad had in the garage. The bottom is bad plywood and the sides are old Doug fir fence boards all put together with ordinary nails, no finish nails. I set the nail heads as best I could, skimmed it multiple times with Plastic wood, sanded, sanded, sanded and put multiple coats of primer before painting.

[ChuckDriver]

Looks good Dan!

[nvrdone]

dont know if this counts but i still have some things my dad gave me.
First is a set of Craftsman tools and tool box that he gave me when i was about 14.
Second is a 12 ga shotgun that he used when we went phesant hunting. Its mounted in a rack in the back window of my '49 - kind of red neck. but i love it. makes me think of dad & all the times we had together - good & bad.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by nvrdone

.... makes me think of dad & all the times we had together - good & bad.

^^^THIS^^^...is the point for me.

My dad died over 30 years ago at the age I am now! I don't have a lot of things from him, just a few tools. He treasured his things because as a child of the Depression he had very few possessions as a boy. I finally let go of most of his masonry tools when we moved because I had never used them in all those years.