1965 LWB Stepside Build

[roll_the_dice]

On hot days like this...I am reminded of my favorite shop tool...a LARGE fan my dad put together back in the 50's. Like anything back then you made due with what you had. Large motor, fan blade and a Standard Oil cast iron lollipop sign base and post. I do not remember a time in my life without this fan. Moves a lot of air and looks great while doing it!

[roll_the_dice]

Moving right along...cut out the patch panel for the ashtray to smooth out the dash. I don't think it is too bad of a fit for a first try. First time for everything...hope to get it welded next week.

[roll_the_dice]

Sandblasted and sanded my door panels today...and got one painted. I need to fill in 2 unlevel holes before I paint the other. The PO had a door pull installed (cabinet pull) and it was not level...

I can't decide if I am going to paint the inner portion of the panel green or leave it all silver. Anyway...here is the passenger side panel painted and the drivers side ready for primer after I repair the hole.

[roll_the_dice]

Continued painting the door panel. I masked it off and painted green to make it two tone. I really like the result. I also patched the 2 holes on the other door panel today, so hopefully get paint on that one this week. Here is the process I did to the painted door.

I used 1/4" tape to go around the edge where I wanted the stripe. All in one loop for each layer...then masked off the rest with blue painters tape. Then painted the green...3 coats and when the last coat was fresh, pulled the tape.

Now just need to clear coat it and it will be finished. I think the green will be a nice break on the silver door.

[bsarts]

The fan is way cool! Great idea for the panel, looks good.

[cwcarpenter98]

I like the green, that's a nice touch to break up the silver

[J Williams]

Dang man, love the build! Very detailed. Makes mine look way amateur! Another question for you, on your emblem restoration is the silver just painted?
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[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by bsarts

The fan is way cool! Great idea for the panel, looks good.

Thanks, I like the panel a lot! I LOVE the fan. The best feature is if wasps are flying around, they usually get sucked into the blades and I see them lying on the ground near it...no more pesky wasps! LOL

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

I like the green, that's a nice touch to break up the silver

Thanks Christian!

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by J Williams

Dang man, love the build! Very detailed. Makes mine look way amateur! Another question for you, on your emblem restoration is the silver just painted?
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Thanks for the kind words. This is my first ever build...I knew nothing when I started and still remember most of it. Thank goodness for this board and google/youtube.

The silver on the emblem is the factory plating. I just polished it some.

[roll_the_dice]

Got the 2 holes patched in the drivers door panel and painted the silver today. Hopefully will get it masked and be able to paint the green tomorrow.

Also ordered copper nickel brake line today to finish the brake lines up to the proportioning valve from the Tees. I bought the Eastwood brake line flare tool so I am anxious to use it.

[roll_the_dice]

Finished the drivers door panel this morning. I took some more detailed pictures of the 1/4" tape line if anyone is interested. I put 3 coats of green on and just like last time as soon as the 3rd coat was laid down, I peeled off the tape. Looks eerily similar to the last one...which was my goal.

[J Williams]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Finished the drivers door panel this morning. I took some more detailed pictures of the 1/4" tape line if anyone is interested. I put 3 coats of green on and just like last time as soon as the 3rd coat was laid down, I peeled off the tape. Looks eerily similar to the last one...which was my goal.

Looks great and thanks for the tips.
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[made2drag]

Loving the green also! Is the 503 paint out of a can and what brand?

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by made2drag

Loving the green also! Is the 503 paint out of a can and what brand?

Thanks! All the paint I have used is rattle can except for my clear coat (Southern Polyurethanes Universal Clear). The silver is 1965 Corvette Silver (code 3314) and the green is Chevy 503 as you said. I get all my mixed rattle can paint from https://www.automotivetouchup.com/. They have always been very good to me in mixing paint and if I need more it has always matched without worry of it being a different shade.

[roll_the_dice]

Had to rework my e brake crossmember since my transmission sits further back than OEM. I am going to flip the e-brake crossmember over and still have it in the OEM location. I had to cut a small notch in the e-brake crossmember to fit, but should work fine. After I notched it, I cleaned it up and painted it. Should be able to install it tomorrow.

[J Williams]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Had to rework my e brake crossmember since my transmission sits further back than OEM. I am going to flip the e-brake crossmember over and still have it in the OEM location. I had to cut a small notch in the e-brake crossmember to fit, but should work fine. After I notched it, I cleaned it up and painted it. Should be able to install it tomorrow.

Did you move your engine mounts forward already? That’s what I had to do to get my transmission close to the same location.
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[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by J Williams

Did you move your engine mounts forward already? That’s what I had to do to get my transmission close to the same location.
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I did! I originally had the engine in the factory mounts, but the distributor was really close to the firewall and my rams horn manifolds hit the firewall, so I moved the engine to the forward position. I used the POL perches for forward location. I like how the engine sits so much better now.

[roll_the_dice]

Got the crossmember for the e-brake installed this morning. I still need to connect the cables. I can't find on of the clevis pins, so no point in installed 2 of them...plus I need to order a new rear ebrake cable. The passenger side is frozen and won't move.

I determined it is hard to take pictures on your back. haha Here is the crossmember installed and you can see where I had to notch it below the IFS logo on the trans crossmember. Fit like a glove.

[J Williams]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

I did! I originally had the engine in the factory mounts, but the distributor was really close to the firewall and my rams horn manifolds hit the firewall, so I moved the engine to the forward position. I used the POL perches for forward location. I like how the engine sits so much better now.

Funny thing, I have POL mounts coming in the mail as I type. I had some but they didn’t work. POL swapped them for me.
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[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by J Williams

Funny thing, I have POL mounts coming in the mail as I type. I had some but they didn’t work. POL swapped them for me.
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I really liked the heft and how the welds looked on my POL perches.

Did a little cleaning yesterday on one spring...still have to do the other. It is going from this to this...much better.

[J Williams]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

I really liked the heft and how the welds looked on my POL perches.

Did a little cleaning yesterday on one spring...still have to do the other. It is going from this to this...much better.

Looks good, 1 down 3 to go!
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[roll_the_dice]

OK slowly moving along between raindrops.

I have never bent or run or flared brake lines before. I had heard nightmares with the rental flaring tool from an auto parts store...so I spent the $ on a used Eastwood flaring tool. I know this won't be my only build, so I figured it would be worth it to get good flares. This tool is simple to use and the flares are ...dare I say...beautiful. Fortunately, all I had to do was bend lines for the rear from the front Tee to the prop valve and from the Tee that connected the front to the prop valve. Since my other lines were garbage and twisted like a root from a tree...I couldn't use them as a guide. So after lots of on my back under the truck, bend, test, bend, test...etc etc...I finally finished both lines. I don't think it looks too bad for a novice. I had visions of being fancy and doing a coil, but that quickly went out the window...to let's get them run and functional. Anyway, here are a few pictures...one of the flaring tool, one of a sample flare and finally the finished look with the copper nickel lines. Now I just need to bleed them.

[J Williams]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

OK slowly moving along between raindrops.

I have never bent or run or flared brake lines before. I had heard nightmares with the rental flaring tool from an auto parts store...so I spent the $ on a used Eastwood flaring tool. I know this won't be my only build, so I figured it would be worth it to get good flares. This tool is simple to use and the flares are ...dare I say...beautiful. Fortunately, all I had to do was bend lines for the rear from the front Tee to the prop valve and from the Tee that connected the front to the prop valve. Since my other lines were garbage and twisted like a root from a tree...I couldn't use them as a guide. So after lots of on my back under the truck, bend, test, bend, test...etc etc...I finally finished both lines. I don't think it looks too bad for a novice. I had visions of being fancy and doing a coil, but that quickly went out the window...to let's get them run and functional. Anyway, here are a few pictures...one of the flaring tool, one of a sample flare and finally the finished look with the copper nickel lines. Now I just need to bleed them.

Looks great to me! I have flared brake lines before with the “cheap” flaring tool and haven’t had issues in the past..... that being said I hope my brake lines don’t have any issues.
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[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by J Williams

Looks great to me! I have flared brake lines before with the “cheap” flaring tool and haven’t had issues in the past..... that being said I hope my brake lines don’t have any issues.
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I was really looking for an excuse to buy that tool! I am in process of maybe buying another truck right now and know I will need it again! This was also the first time I had to do anything with brake lines, I wasn't interested in getting a line bent and then mucking it up. I thinking bending brake lines is an art form and I am no artist! I can't even draw stick people well!

[cwcarpenter98]

Dadgum, that flare looks nice! I guess I'll need to get one of those tools whenever I have to do lines again