Bob's Retirement Build - My '55 TF

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by mknittle

Nice work Bob!

Thanks! "Bob" has to get back to work on this truck! I've been building a deck for the last three months, and now the wife wants the house painted. Maybe August...

[DransportGarage]

Today was the first day I worked on the truck this year . I had been thinking about how to mount my outside A/C vents and this is what I came up with:

After screwing around trying to figure out how I could make a flat spot for the Vintage Air vent, I made these pods to mount in the corners of the dash:


http://images2.snapfish.com/23232323...9%3A3345nu0mrj

After some major fitting I decided where they should go, then outlined them and relieved the original dash as shown. (Square hole was dressed after the pic.)


Then I welded them in, then drilled 'em with a 2-1/2" hole saw" and trial fit the vent:




I may just blend them in as-is or I might add more metal to completely feather them into the dash. Opinions?

[mknittle]

I would feather at least some.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Put me down for feathering them in too.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Kim57]

X3.
They should look nice when done.
Kim

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Kim57

X3.
They should look nice when done.
Kim

yeah, ya gotta hope so. I think this is a good starting point.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

yeah, ya gotta hope so. I think this is a good starting point.

I think once blended in they will look real nice.

[DransportGarage]

Time for a post. Over the last 2 months (not including the 2 weeks in Alaska!) I have found some time to work on the buggy.

Mounted the power antenna:


Fabricated the stainless exhaust (sorry, no final pic):




Then disassembled the truck, removed undercoating...


...degreased all of the components for chassis assembly, did a preliminary blast of the frame, then notched the frame for the rear axle with schedule 80 4" pipe:



The rear end housing was "dunked" at American Metal Cleaning and I fabbed the fuel and brake lines.





Next I'll disassemble, do a final quick-blast of the frame, rear end housing, leafs, etc. for the last time, primer, do the body work on the frame, paint and assemble.

[Baldeagle SR]

Bob a lot of nice work. What ac unit did you use? and how was it to install? Thanks Rich
My build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=576185

[Kim57]

Looking real nice.
Kim

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Baldeagle SR

Bob a lot of nice work. What ac unit did you use? and how was it to install? Thanks Rich
My build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=576185

I went with Vintage Air. I used the Gen II Compac rather than the Sure-Fit because I wanted to run the hoses through the wheel well. It took some work, but I can't imagine any other unit being any easier. Overall, I'd say it was fairly easy to install.

[_Ogre]

nice work on boxing the frame. you will need some way to fasten the bed cross sills to the frame. i used 2x2x1/4'' angle clips welded to the frame where the original holes in the frame were. you can see the clips right behind the rear cab supports in this picture.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

nice work on boxing the frame. you will need some way to fasten the bed cross sills to the frame. i used 2x2x1/4'' angle clips welded to the frame where the original holes in the frame were. you can see the clips right behind the rear cab supports in this picture.

Hi Ogre. Using the original holes, I welded 3/8"-16 nuts inside the frame before I boxed it, then relieved the underside of the boards to accept the bolt heads.

One thing I like on your pic is the use of the round stock to triangulate the cross brace to the frame. That'll sure keep it from racking. I'll be doing something like that, to the stock braces. I wish I could do more to keep the frame from twisting, but I'd probably need an aftermarket frame, and this is supposed to be a budget build (Ha.)

[Baldeagle SR]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

I went with Vintage Air. I used the Gen II Compac rather than the Sure-Fit because I wanted to run the hoses through the wheel well. It took some work, but I can't imagine any other unit being any easier. Overall, I'd say it was fairly easy to install.

Thanks for the info on the ac . Rich

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Hi Ogre. Using the original holes, I welded 3/8"-16 nuts inside the frame before I boxed it, then relieved the underside of the boards to accept the bolt heads.

One thing I like on your pic is the use of the round stock to triangulate the cross brace to the frame. That'll sure keep it from racking. I'll be doing something like that, to the stock braces. I wish I could do more to keep the frame from twisting, but I'd probably need an aftermarket frame, and this is supposed to be a budget build (Ha.)

good idea on captive nuts, duh. should have thought about that too
i did the bolt head clearance under the board to, keeps the bed wood clean.

the triangulation goes to the cab mounts to keep them from sagging.
i missed on lower bar because it interfered with the brake booster.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

good idea on captive nuts, duh. should have thought about that too
i did the bolt head clearance under the board to, keeps the bed wood clean.

the triangulation goes to the cab mounts to keep them from sagging.
i missed on lower bar because it interfered with the brake booster.

Yeah, that brake booster under there caused me some grief too. I can't believe I thought of the nut thing. Usually I'm not that clever, like when I welded those exhaust brackets in 1/2" too far to the outside and couldn't get the bolts past the boxed frame. I'll be making some small "U" shaped removable covers for the rectangular holes.

[DransportGarage]

During the last week I've been moving forward with the chassis. When temps are cool in the morning I've been smoothing the frame, and in the afternoon I've been shooting primer, color & clear:





I had thought about accenting all the bronze with black leaf springs, but the more I think about it the more I'm tending to all bronze underneath with just a splash of bling like stainless lines, aluminum rear end cover, aluminum trans pan, polished exhaust, etc. I haven't decided yet on just a galvanized gas tank or making it color too. What do you guys think?

[Kim57]

That looks real nice.
Kim

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Kim57

That looks real nice.
Kim

Thanks, Kim. Sometimes a little encouragement keeps me going! It took most of the day to unmask, partially reassemble & store everything so I can get cranking on the frame tomorrow.

Oops, I just realized I posted the same pic twice. Here's the other one...

[apache200]

looks great!!

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by apache200

looks great!!

Thanks, Apache. I guess nobody has an opinion on accenting the bronze with black, so I guess I'll just do my thing (as soon as I find out what that is).

I did put the last of the All Metal in the deeper pockets in the frame this evening. The wife is playing cards tomorrow, so it's a garage day. I'll be working on smoothing the frame and preparing it for high-solids (2K) primer. If I'm lucky I could shoot that around 5 o'clock tomorrow.

[Kim57]

I think gloss black accents would look real nice.
Kim

[phaus01]

Really nice looking build so far

[DransportGarage]

Thanks phaus. You've inspired me to do an update. I've been lovin' on the frame for about 12 or 13 days. Here it is after Kirker primer, some fill with all-metal in the deep spots, and a first round of spot work...



Now in U-Pol high solids primer with an orange guide coat...


Here's a tip (but the pros will think I'm crazy). Spot filler dries pretty quickly, so before I mix the filler I go around the car with a scissors and a roll of tape, marking defects with pointers, as shown here. This allows me to find the problem areas very quickly, usually doubling the amount of spots I can fill with a mix of mud.


I have also found some cheap bondo at the local flea markets that I use for light spot fill. At $12-$14 dollars a gallon, I highly recommend this stuff for light skim & fill.


Finally, the painted frame, sporting the final truck color. I think I got a little carried away with eliminating all unused holes and the pockets that were there originally, but it is what it is...




I skipped a few steps like the other high solids primer spray with the black guide coat and a round or two of spot fill, but you get the idea.

[_Ogre]

wow. what a nerd
filler and block sanding your frame
does look good doesn't it