SkinnyG's '61 Apache

[SkinnyG]

I'm really enjoying the blaster. It's a cheap 10 gallon pressure pot sandblaster. Lots of negative reviews, but I'm loving it. Absolutely loving it. Except when it's freezing outside, like today.

You'll want a good compressor.

I mean cutting the mounting flange off the entire rear fender, and extending the fenders outboard maybe an inch or so. The bed/fenders are narrower than the cab itself.

[cwcarpenter98]

I'd be doing the same that you are with the blaster, so that'll probably work for me.


I've seen many people widen older fenders to go over a dually rear by adding a strip of sheet metal through the middle of the fender. Maybe see if you can source another fender or two to get the amount of metal you want and the shape? Although, you do have the tools and skill set to make your own section, so might not need another fender or two

[jkeating1]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

....anyone ever widen the rear fenders to better match the front?

IDK about that, but I always thought this idea to widen the rear fenders to match the inside to the outside was really thinking outside the box

[jkeating1]

They recently did an episode on Car Fix (MotorTrend on demand) where they widened the fenders on a stepside in a more conventional style.

It can't be hard-they did it all on a 30 minute TV show.

[SkinnyG]

Ah. I'll look for that episode. 22 minutes plus commercials sounds right up my alley.

[SkinnyG]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Unrelated - anyone ever widen the rear fenders to better match the front?

Found a few links:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...57#post6711157

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...483885&page=15

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=505805

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=650721

Yeah...... Nah.

[jkeating1]

Season 9 Episode 13 "Patina Truck"

[The Rocknrod]

Some impressive work going on in this build. Thanks for the pics.

[SkinnyG]

Not really motivated in the shop today.

Letting epoxy cure further before welding. Tidied a bit. I played around with some tubing and I think I have a decent plan for the panhard.

[SkinnyG]

Welded in, and I got to experiment with the "shrinking disc" I picked up - they are, indeed, magic. I likely won't spend a lot of time making this area perfect, absolutely zero people are ever going to see it (good place to experiment).

[SkinnyG]

My son worked some picture magic and come up with this:

[caseyjones]

I bounce between inspired by and terrified by your battle with rust. Thanks again for documenting all of it.

[SkinnyG]

One step at a time.

The whole project is almost overwhelming, if I sit down and think about it. Instead, I try to pick one thing, and do that one thing. Eventually, all the one things will get done and it will be done.

And my truck isn't as bad for rust as others on here.

[jkeating1]

I'm a bright yellow fan so I love the pic!

It must be satisfying to know your actual door gaps are better than the rendering.

[72cs20]

[QUOTE=SkinnyG;8865936]One step at a time.

The whole project is almost overwhelming, if I sit down and think about it. Instead, I try to pick one thing, and do that one thing. Eventually, all the one things will get done and it will be done.

Exactly sums up my project!

[SkinnyG]

In the momentary meantime, I cut the grooves in the boards for the bed on the table saw at work:

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

One step at a time.

The whole project is almost overwhelming, if I sit down and think about it. Instead, I try to pick one thing, and do that one thing. Eventually, all the one things will get done and it will be done.

And my truck isn't as bad for rust as others on here.

This is exactly how i tackled mine also. Do not get me wrong... there were days i was like, this is done, i am done..... but a couple days later.... i am right back out there and attacking it. I will tell you this, after you get all that done, the feeling of accomplishment will out weigh your overwhelming feelings you had. SkinnyG damn my friend this is looking awesome!!!! Great job!!

[88Stanger]

Your sons render is cool! gives it that cool look and kinda like a comic book look in a real world setting. i like it.

[SkinnyG]

Two wrongs might make a right.

In cutting the bed wood, I accidentally grooved the outer boards that the bed sides sit on. They are apparently not supposed to be grooved at all.

Except when I placed the new angle strips, I accounted for the groove I was going to put in. So it's probably going to be ok.

We'll see.

[SkinnyG]

Was intending to work on the hood today, but instead I placed all the freshly grooved bed boards in to see how they looked, and discovered I mis-estimated board spacing by 1/32" per side, and need to trim the end boards some more. No matter.

Then I fired up the heat gun and scraped undercoating off the bed crossmembers, and fully welded the risers so I can do hidden bed-to-frame fasteners.

And my hands and wrists have been killing me lately, so it looks like I'm not going to get much done this weekend.

[SkinnyG]

Grrr.

I ordered Trex decking from my local Home Depot. The three 20' lengths arrived, except the forklift operator drove over them, chipping one and breaking another.

They ordered me two more 12' board to replace the two board lengths I needed, except while I said "non-grooved" what they ordered was "grooved." Didn't think it mattered.

But guess what - it does. The "grooved" Trex is thicker by about 1/16". Which means the boards I placed at the ends are too thick, and I'll have to re-cut the 1/8" part of the grooves on the rest of the boards, as I referenced the end boards to make the last cuts, and the rest of the boards are thinner, so those cuts aren't deep enough.

And of course, nobody is at the "special order desk" until Monday. Grrr.

[SCOTI]

Dang....

[SkinnyG]

I cut the thicker "grooved" Trex board down about 1/16" by setting the table blade height to "scary" and trying to avoid finger contact as I pushed the thicker boards through.

Just as a reference: Trex Select comes in 5.5" widths. I used seven boards at full width, and the end boards were cut to 3.5" wide. This seemed to work fine, but you may want to do your own measurement.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

I cut the thicker "grooved" Trex board down about 1/16" by setting the table blade height to "scary" and trying to avoid finger contact as I pushed the thicker boards through.

Just as a reference: Trex Select comes in 5.5" widths. I used seven boards at full width, and the end boards were cut to 3.5" wide. This seemed to work fine, but you may want to do your own measurement.

Well i want to go this route, so if you do not mind i may ask you some questions when i get to that point..... should only be months away.... lol

[SkinnyG]

I'm having second thoughts about how I did the end board widths. I cut them so they did not go past the bolts. I think they should go past the bolts to better support the sides.

It looks like I should have cut the end boards at 4".

Which I -had- done, and then second-guessed myself.

Guess I'm ordering another board....