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#301 |
Senior Member
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Location: Hickory Flat, GA
Posts: 4,468
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Dadgum, that's unfortunate
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Christian Carpenter 1963 C10 - Frankentruck 283, Muncie 3 speed with overdrive Overdrive wiring here1963-ish truck bed trailer - Half-Wit 1981 C10 - Penny 305, th350 --> Soon to be 350, Saginaw 4 speed 1995 Dodge Dakota Sport "I'll put it simple: if you're going hard enough left, you'll find yourself turning right." - Doc Hudson |
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#302 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
So I finally taught myself the French Wheel and made this:
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#303 |
60-66 Nut
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Location: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Posts: 23,247
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
That looks good from here. How does a French wheel compare to an English wheel?
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Power Steering Box Adapter Plates For Sale HERE Power Brake Booster Adapter Brackets For Sale '63-'66 HERE and '67-'72 HERE and '60-'62 HERE and "60-'62 with clutch HERE Rear Disc Brake Brackets For Sale. Impala SS calipers HERE Camaro Calipers HERE D52 Calipers HERE 6 Lug HERE Hydroboost Mounting Plates HERE |
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#304 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
It's not welded in yet, and I still have to make the flanges, but the bottom IS shaped into the correct curve all the way through. I'll try my hand at the flanges tomorrow. Or screw it up entirely.
A French Wheel looks just like an English Wheel, except you use a lot of French when you're working it.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#305 |
Senior Member
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Location: Hickory Flat, GA
Posts: 4,468
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
I must say that having the ability to create your own panel is pretty dang cool.
I know you have your door with you, but if there's any area of the flange that you need an extra reference for, I can snap a pic of my door
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Christian Carpenter 1963 C10 - Frankentruck 283, Muncie 3 speed with overdrive Overdrive wiring here1963-ish truck bed trailer - Half-Wit 1981 C10 - Penny 305, th350 --> Soon to be 350, Saginaw 4 speed 1995 Dodge Dakota Sport "I'll put it simple: if you're going hard enough left, you'll find yourself turning right." - Doc Hudson |
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#306 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Thanks, but I still have the unmolested other door, as well as the soon-to-be-not-used other patch.
What I need to figure out, is how to create the front and back flanges without destroying the panel shape. I can't put it in the brake, but I might be able to use the tipping wheel on the bead roller. I picked up the English Wheel from the local classifieds a couple years ago - one of the last of the tools I wanted for my shop. Some guy was selling it and a solvent tank for $250. The Wheel is an $825 wheel today. Not stupendously high quality wheel, but it works. I picked up a foot/shrinker/stretcher/stand a while back too - definitely worth its weight. I had been asking for a particular tool store's gift cards as gifts for years, and finally had enough to buy it. I think it was on sale at the time for about $325, it's now $530. You can do a simple vice or bench mount shrinker/stretcher and just change the jaws as needed, but I sure like having the two together operable by foot pedals - very convenient. All these tools I've collected over years and years, always on sale, and usually with gift cards. Many I've purchased used, and I have made many tools too (hydraulic press, tubing bender, finger brake...).
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#307 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,967
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Problem-Solver you are.
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67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#308 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Rochester, KENT
Posts: 10,531
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Few of my tools are new.
But despite that, I maintain that, including myself, having all the gear and no idea, will still deliver zero. Your work, I keep following, so much value in the learning here. Thanks
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MY BUILD LINK: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...585901]Redneck Express - 1966 C10 Short Fleetside MY USA ROADTRIPS http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/...2018-humdinger IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MATE. |
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#309 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
The flanges got formed with the tipping wheel on the bead roller, then tweaked with a..... um..... it's a piece of 1/2" round bar with a 5/8" deep slot cut into it - I use it to fold sheet metal over, like a hem sort of. I don't know what they're called.
![]() Tipping the flange also took the curve out of the ends of the panel, but the Shrinker brought it back. I marked 1" increments on the edges of the skin so I could know where to shrink it more "7/8/9" is easy to remember. ![]() ![]() I fiddled with the gap to make it as tight as possible so as to get a good weld in there. Zero gap = minimal distortion. ![]() So, if my wee tap came in so I can fix my HVLP Touch-Up gun, I should have some epoxy primer on the inside, ready for welding next weekend. Which is where I was at the start of -this- weekend. Woo hoo. - Cut the skin, plus about 1" extra for flanges - English Wheel some curve into the panel - Tipping Wheel on the Bead Roller to make the flanges - Shrink the flanges to put the curve back in.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#310 |
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: L.ower A.labama
Posts: 518
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
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#311 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
New skin and new exposed inner frame is epoxy primered on the inside. Ready for welding on the weekend.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#312 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
I picked up another half-sheet of 18ga this morning as I didn't have enough to do the passenger door with what I had.
Also stripped the passenger door down to bare.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#313 |
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
The door is now skinned. It didn't go the way I had planned, but it's on and it looks decent.
I intended to oxy-acetylene weld the skin, and to practice, I cut a piece of scrap 12" long in half, tacked it, planished it, and welded it together. Then cut it in half again in another spot, did it again. And again. I felt confident. But oxy-acetylene had other ideas. I tried and tried to make it submit, and finally - I snapped (Lose it. Heater. Smoker. Flurry to the solar plexus. The torch tip goes for it. I gave him so many lefts he was begging for a right.Uppercut. Jab. Roundhouse kick to the face. He's lying there in a puddle of his own excrement. I says "How's that?"), and MIG welded the skin on. It worked out fine. I do not have the metalworking skills to work the metal into perfection. And the more I try, the less patience I have for it. I -am- however, plenty good at filler. At any rate, here's the skin, installed: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#314 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 335
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Good work Champ...
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#315 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Passenger door had a mild crease along its full width, which is going to be hard to hammer out (though not impossible). The bottom of the door seems much more solid than the driver's door, but it's ALWAYS a better idea to pull the skin off and just re-skin it. How else are you going to be able to deal with this rust? Rust between the frame and skin becomes bubbles after its painted.
![]() ![]() Some dry days are in the forecast, so I should be able to get it all blasted. Then make another skin.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#316 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Got the inside sandblasted today. Some rust holes in the door bottom showed up, no biggie. Next dry day is Saturday. Hope to get it all done then.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#317 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#318 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Spent some time at a local hot rod shop to see all their autobody stuff, and chat with the guys and the owner. Cool experience.
They had a late 40's Chevy truck that the truck owner had cut the cab to lengthen it a few inches, and then discovered he was in over his head, and brought it to them to fix. It wasn't properly braced, so it's a ton of work. They had a sweet 510 - I asked if there was enough metal in it to weld to, and they said nope - they had close to $50,000 metal fabrication in it. ![]() A neat 50's Apache that had the right corner of the cab stoved in 20 years ago, finally getting repaired. Damage was really extensive, and messed up everything up to the front clip as well. They showed me the super expensive aftermarket door that needed a port-a-power through the window to correct the shape enough for even the glass to fit. ![]() A sweet '56 Nomad getting re-done, because the paint and bodywork done by another shop wasn't good enough for the car owner. ![]() A gorgeous mall-rated 60's Blazer, lifted, huge rims, chrome everything, gorgeous interior, gorgeous paint, mural on the tailgate, not at ALL my style, but I can appreciate the work that went into it - you'd never drive it; it gets trailered everywhere. A wack of other cool rides as well. It inspired me to spend some time correcting the door gaps on my '61. ![]()
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#319 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Serviced the shop furnace today, it's supposed to be the coldest October day in 100 years here. La Nina or something. Also ran the lawnmower out of gas, and moved the Jerry Can over to the snow blower. Reminds me, I need to change the oil on that. Also fixed a leaky fitting on the air compressor lines.
Filled the West Coast Mirror holes on the passenger door: ![]() Prepped the next door skin for wheeling: ![]() And gathered a plan on where to cut the door bottom out: ![]() Six inches of snow yesterday, so I'm not going to do any more blasting for a while.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#320 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Passenger door skin formed and fitted. I felt good about my progress, so that was a good place to stop for the day.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#321 |
Senior Member
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Location: Hickory Flat, GA
Posts: 4,468
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
That looks really good!
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Christian Carpenter 1963 C10 - Frankentruck 283, Muncie 3 speed with overdrive Overdrive wiring here1963-ish truck bed trailer - Half-Wit 1981 C10 - Penny 305, th350 --> Soon to be 350, Saginaw 4 speed 1995 Dodge Dakota Sport "I'll put it simple: if you're going hard enough left, you'll find yourself turning right." - Doc Hudson |
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#322 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
We had a big dump of snow, which had finally melted and dried up for a nice clear sunny weekend, so I got the door blasted. Elapsed time: 4 hours. New bottom will be welded in, so I didn't worry about wasting time blasting that.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#323 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Brought this 52" jobbie home from Home Depot for $398 (about $300us) to better organize my autobody and metalwork tools. This should make my working environment better; everything actually has its place now.
Loaded it up tonight, and.............. it's full. Wow. ![]()
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#324 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,967
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Quote:
Kobalt 52" 10 drawer ~$438 Sears Craftsmen 52" 10 drawer ~$398 The only difference I see is the box you pictured has a solid top drawer where the ones I looked @ had it split. I like the split drawers to help keep my SAE/Metrics apart as well as other items. They had top chests as well to compliment the lower half. Less than $800 for top/bottom 52" storage is decent & I might just bite.
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67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#325 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,228
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Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
Working on the door bottom. In fitting the driver's door, I discovered just how badly the aftermarket door bottom was shaped, and had to slice and re-shape the door bottom in place. Today I'm re-shaping it before welding it in.
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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