Ian's Tennessee Honey '64 Short Box Step-side - England

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Great looking work Ian!

Thanks Bill

Onwards and upwards (as they say). Today was a national holiday in the UK so I took the opportunity to make a bit more progress, the bottom of the A post was completely rusted out. I would normally try to replace below the swage for the outer rocker to preserve the original position, however, although it wasn’t rusted through it was so thin you couldn’t have welded it.



First job was to remove the hinge, I marked the hinge and bolt positions so that when I re-fit it, it’s going to be broadly in the right place.



Next job was to mark and cut the pillar, my preferred method is masking tape and a pencil. You can see from the picture below just how crooked the crop was on the repair panel I had to grind it square before using it, don't forget the two spot welds that hold the cage for the hinge plate






the fit was quite poor too, I had to tack the best fit areas and then work the others before welding them. Top tip use a hinge bolt to keep the cage drawn up tight against the pillar, it's impossible to weld up otherwise

[ibrown50]

After that it was just a case of working the panel to improve the fit and then tack, grind - repeat,





When doing this kind of job it's easy to get weld spatter in the hinge threads and to weld up the hinge plate so it doesn't move (not good when it comes to fitting the door) take your time and put a couple of old bolts in the threads if you have them



I got the spot welds from the pillar to the footwell done too,

there's still some finishing off to do on the welds but I'll leave that until I've
done a test fit on the door and outer rocker. This is definitely one of those jobs that take hours and looks like next to nothing when it's finished

[jchav62]

Great work!!!!

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by jchav62

Great work!!!!

Thank you Joseph, that's much appreciated.

A quick update,

Most of know that the universe is governed by certain laws, no not that Stephen Hawking physics stuff, the real laws. Things like why when you drop a piece of toast on the carpet it always lands buttered side down, (a phenomenon increased by a factor of 10 if there is peanut butter or jelly involved), or why when you’re in a traffic jam the other lane always moves more quickly, until you switch lanes and the one you were in starts moving more quickly and the law of repairing trucks……..why does the rot always go further than the repair panel.

Well such was the case with the inner rocker/floor repair panel, the rust went about 2” further.



Actually it's easy to fix as there's plenty of access,

I made a repair piece to match the existing panels as closely as possible (I do hate patches that look like patches.)





and welded in place



The inner welds need tidying up but should be fine once that's done



Next job is to put the door back on before I test fit the outer rocker

[MacQuigley]

Originally Posted by ibrown50

Next job is to put the door back on before I test fit the outer rocker

Wish Id done that Ian. I refit my rockers from the measurements Id taken rather than with the doors back on. That was partly because the doors were so bad I had no faith fitting them would give me any better a fit and don't get me wrong I don't thing I'm far out but I think Id have been batter repairing the doors first then the rockers.

Nice to see your getting back into the repairs though.

I hope your outer rockers are better made than the ones I bought. Ended up having to cope up the front on one and the front and back on the other just to get them to fit.

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by realvc

Very nice repair panel. Your metal skills are impressive. As a matter of fact your whole truck build is impressive.

Thank you Vince

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Great inspiration there. Wiser words have never been spoke. Great work Ian.

Thanks Bill

Originally Posted by 89muscletruck

I just read through your whole thread. I gotta say that your dedication to correcting the *ahem* repairs of the previous owners and your searches for replacement parts in the UK is inspirational. Good job!

Thank you for your kind words, with this truck there's never a dull moment

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Great work Ian.

You are right about not making repair panels look right.

Your work always makes me smile in approval, not that you need my approval.

Thanks Rain, I maybe don't need it but it's nice to get it all the same

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Wish Id done that Ian. I refit my rockers from the measurements Id taken rather than with the doors back on. That was partly because the doors were so bad I had no faith fitting them would give me any better a fit and don't get me wrong I don't thing I'm far out but I think Id have been batter repairing the doors first then the rockers.

Nice to see your getting back into the repairs though.

I hope your outer rockers are better made than the ones I bought. Ended up having to cope up the front on one and the front and back on the other just to get them to fit.

You spoke to soon Bill the right hand one was fine but the left hand is diabolical

[ibrown50]

For anyone who has been on a different planet recently (and you would have to have missed this news) there was a wedding today in Windsor. Now I think it's great when folks get married, I'm married myself and very happy with it...........but I'd no great desire to watch the wedding on TV, my wife on the other hand was glued to the TV with box of Kleenex at the ready. This mean't only one thing.....Truck time

First job today was to refit the bottom of the B pillar. I'd removed it for 2 reasons, fiting the inner rocker is much easier with it out of the way and it needed a repair which was easier to do on the bench.







Next job was to re-hang the door but I decided to strip it before hanging it, it makes it much lighter to handle and it's going to have to be stripped anyway to do the repairs (I can hardly wait to see what I find ) . I'd marked the bolt positions before I removed it so it went back pretty much in exactly the right position, door gap wise.

I made a gauge for the hole positions using a piece of aluminium angle bar, with a spring loaded punch this makes quick work of marking the holes.



They were pilot drilled at 1/8" and finish drilled at 1/4".



After much grunting and cursing I have it fitting pretty good, the door gap is nice but there's a bit of work to do to get the inner part fitting as good as I want it to. It's in place with a couple of spot welds, next job is to take the door back off and finish fitting and welding



A decent days work, I wish there was a Royal wedding every Saturday

[MacQuigley]

Originally Posted by ibrown50

You spoke to soon Bill the right hand one was fine but the left hand is diabolical

Strangely enough it was the left hand one on mine that was the issue! It must be easier to make repo parts accurately than this!

[realvc]

Very nice repair panel. Your metal skills are impressive. As a matter of fact your whole truck build is impressive.

[Palf70Step]

Great inspiration there. Wiser words have never been spoke. Great work Ian.

[89muscletruck]

I just read through your whole thread. I gotta say that your dedication to correcting the *ahem* repairs of the previous owners and your searches for replacement parts in the UK is inspirational. Good job!

[Grizz1963]

Great work Ian.

You are right about not making repair panels look right.

Your work always makes me smile in approval, not that you need my approval.

[Modges'66]

Very nice work!
Always nice to see a job being done well!

[mjh1965]

Looking good Ian . Looks like the race is back on , but you always seem to be a few steps ahead, with Bill a few steps behind. Mind you at least I won’t come last , as it’s now a three horse race . One of us ( you know who you are ) has put his back in the stable and put a blanket over it .
Posted via Mobile Device

[Grizz1963]

Impressive as always Ian.

Just headed out to a bootfair.

Feels like my life is coming back together.

[Palf70Step]

Very nice Ian

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Strangely enough it was the left hand one on mine that was the issue! It must be easier to make repo parts accurately than this!

Just trial fitted the cab corner, not a disaster but certainly not as good as the other side

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Very nice work!
Always nice to see a job being done well!

Thank you, kind of you to say so

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Looking good Ian . Looks like the race is back on , but you always seem to be a few steps ahead, with Bill a few steps behind. Mind you at least I won’t come last , as it’s now a three horse race . One of us ( you know who you are ) has put his back in the stable and put a blanket over it .
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks Martin, definitely the longest race in history

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Impressive as always Ian.

Just headed out to a bootfair.

Feels like my life is coming back together.

Great to hear that Rian, you'll be back on your truck when the time is right

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Very nice Ian

Thanks Bill,

I love this forum, unlike so many others it's always very positive and encouraging



I've been on vacation for the past week in Halkidiki - Greece, so I missed a whole weekend. I got a couple of hours truck time today but it appears I'm not the only one to have taken a vacation, my welding mask has gone on a " Permanent Vacation" so I will not be able to finish the rocker panel and floor repair until my new one arrives , (it seems to be a problem with these solar powered masks if you don't leave them somewhere light the batteries die.)

But you know these old trucks, there's always something else to be getting on with so I've stripped the front fender to see what I've got to work with.

It's unbelievably similar to the passenger side (if you look at the pictures earlier in my thread you'd swear they were the same only flipped )



Paint stripper revealed bondo front and rear, the bondo in the front is just dents which will work out pretty well with a hammer and dolly.



The rear revealed the all to familiar "snot" welded patch over the top of the rust !! the PO must have thought the repair patch was like a bandaid and the rust underneath would heal up





I've cut the rust back and cleaned up the stiffner, it's not great but is all repairable and I know it will fit when it goes back on so I think I'll repair it rather than buy a re-pop fender.

[MacQuigley]

Originally Posted by ibrown50

I love this forum, unlike so many others it's always very positive and encouraging

Couldnt agree more Ian. Posted on a C3 site last week and while the 100 or so who replied were all excellent there was 1 who frankly should be deleted from he gene pool! Makes you want to give up in disgust.

No matter how stupid a question Ive posted here or how dumb Ive been I get nothing but positive replies (Unless its from you, Martin or Rian of course!)

Anyway your getting there. Maybe in a couple of years we can hold our own C10 event - the 4 of us!

BTW and before I dump them are my old inner fenders of any use to you?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Couldnt agree more Ian. Posted on a C3 site last week and while the 100 or so who replied were all excellent there was 1 who frankly should be deleted from he gene pool! Makes you want to give up in disgust.

No matter how stupid a question Ive posted here or how dumb Ive been I get nothing but positive replies (Unless its from you, Martin or Rian of course!)

Anyway your getting there. Maybe in a couple of years we can hold our own C10 event - the 4 of us!

BTW and before I dump them are my old inner fenders of any use to you?

Needs a Like button.

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by jimmythompson1964

Just read your entire build page, you are doing good work Ian, you are making that truck new again. I can tell this isn't your first rodeo, keep up the good work you will be back on the road in no time.

Thanks Jimmy that's much appreciated, I've not been to Greenville, but have worked in the US a couple of times quite near to you, at the Nissan plant in Smyrna, which I guess is a couple of hundred mile west of you and in Charlotte NC which I guess is about 100 miles south east? I have to say Tennessee in spring time might the the prettiest place on earth.......... It's a small world as my mum would say

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Couldnt agree more Ian. Posted on a C3 site last week and while the 100 or so who replied were all excellent there was 1 who frankly should be deleted from he gene pool! Makes you want to give up in disgust.

No matter how stupid a question Ive posted here or how dumb Ive been I get nothing but positive replies (Unless its from you, Martin or Rian of course!)

Anyway your getting there. Maybe in a couple of years we can hold our own C10 event - the 4 of us!

BTW and before I dump them are my old inner fenders of any use to you?

Thanks Bill sent you a PM

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Needs a Like button.

Thanks Rian, I guess we do what we can to help each other

[jimmythompson1964]

Just read your entire build page, you are doing good work Ian, you are making that truck new again. I can tell this isn't your first rodeo, keep up the good work you will be back on the road in no time.

[mjh1965]

Ian what I don't understand is , that the cost of repair panels in the USA are so reasonably priced . Why anybody would weld (and I use that word lightly ) patches over rust .

As for Bill wanting our own C10 event . He better start saving for the cost of the fuel to meet us half way , with that 454 he's installed . Mind you at our present rate of progress he'll have a long time to do it .

[Palf70Step]

That is a kool find. Congrats. That will work well in your truck.

[Grizz1963]

Great stuff Ian.

I managed to buy an original from Clem too.

Rare they are over here.

[ibrown50]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

That is a kool find. Congrats. That will work well in your truck.

Thanks Bill, if there's one benefit of my build taking a while it's that there's plenty of time for stuff to turn up

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Great stuff Ian.

I managed to buy an original from Clem too.

Rare they are over here.

Who ever fits their's first can "trail blaze" for the other


My new welding helmet arrived so "I'll be back" on with the rust repairs.




So far I’ve been pretty lucky with my repair panels, most have fit reasonably well…..until now, I’m fairly sure the left hand cab corner was for a different vehicle and probably not even a truck. Everything about it was wrong.

I have this habit, I don’t throw out the old panels until I have the new ones fitting ok, that payed off for me this time as I was able to compare the original with the re-pop.




I had to alter the angle on the rear section. This was cut, stretched and a sliver of steel welded in.