Scott's '51 Build

[ptc]

Ok just a couple 'stupid' questions from the peanut gallery over here .....

TCI has been doing this pre-engineered thing a long time and with great results, you chose a very nice package deal with the LS conversion and all the matching components they already have figured out.

1. So with the TCI chassis and suspension all setup to go right together why didnt you just send it all out for powdercoat and paint and start final assembly? whats to mock up?

2. IF you got the cash... Why not just send that cab and all those body pieces out to blast and have them cleaned before you start the panel replacements?

It looks great no matter and you (and the wife) are pressing right along!

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by ptc

Ok just a couple 'stupid' questions from the peanut gallery over here .....

TCI has been doing this pre-engineered thing a long time and with great results, you chose a very nice package deal with the LS conversion and all the matching components they already have figured out.

1. So with the TCI chassis and suspension all setup to go right together why didnt you just send it all out for powdercoat and paint and start final assembly? whats to mock up?

2. IF you got the cash... Why not just send that cab and all those body pieces out to blast and have them cleaned before you start the panel replacements?

It looks great no matter and you (and the wife) are pressing right along!

PTC - thanks!

I guess I could have started with powder coat but I was pretty sure I would bugger up the frame while getting everything else in shape. I've also never used a chassis like this and wanted to trial fit everything to be sure it all fit and fit right. Plus I need to buy and mount a gas tank and will be drilling holes for that, I wanted to drill and tap holes for wiring at least for the rear section, and I expect I will be doing mini-tubs and wanted to sort that out as well.

Regarding the cab - I am leaving the outside as it is other than fixing rust holes. I honestly didn't think about blasting the bad areas first but it's a good idea and I probably should have. Oh well, I'm cutting a lot of the rust out anyway.

[Sim6]

Cool build.

[Advanced Design]

Very nice work. The chassis does look very good. And it looks like the brake lines are already done?

[74project]

Nice build... You will be happy with the TCI chassis. If you need anything regarding the chassis let me know. I can send you a pic of my gas tank i have "mocked up" haha just kidding. options are nice...

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Very nice work. The chassis does look very good. And it looks like the brake lines are already done?

Thanks! Yes - it came with SS brake lines installed.

[youngrodder]

The chassis look good. Nice progress.

Marc

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

The chassis look good. Nice progress.

Marc

Thanks Marc! Your frame looks great! I considered doing something similar but was afraid I would be taking on too much. This is my first truck and it's been a few years since I did serious resto work so I opted for the full chassis. I was also assuming I would have to do a lot of frame welding and I'm not sure about that until my skills improve. After seeing how straightforward yours is and how good it looks I may go the same route next time. Great work!

Love the Burb build and your truck is an inspiration! I have to get mine together so I can drive it!

[Scott2]

Fixing the cab now. Took out the passenger floor and opened the cowl on that side. All the usual rust I guess at the rocker, bottom of the hinge pillar, inner, outer, and middle cowl, and floor. I bought a small chunk of a parted out cab to get come of the parts and minimize using replacement panels.

I ended up replacing the bottom third of the middle cowl piece and patching a few areas of rust here and there. Also, dissected out a piece of the rocker with the bottom of the hinge pillar to patch back into the cab. Removed all the rusty stuff, welded the front under floor support to my new rocker section, then fitted and tacked to the cab. I cleaned and primed the middle cowl and need to get the outer cowl off, then get the floor in and work my way out.

[Scott2]

Fixing the rocker and hinge pillar.

[Scott2]

Rocker/hinge pillar patch tacked in. Also a couple pics of the repaired middle cowl piece.

[Scott2]

Now getting the outer cowl out of the way. Got stuck until I realized there were three more spots welds down below the body seam!

[Scott2]

Waiting for a couple of sheet metal parts so moved to the rear floor. There's some rust holes, thin areas, and a bunch of cracks around the front corner of the drivers side seat support area.

I got my son to help and he drilled out the spot welds while I cut it out. I dropped it off at a local rod and custom shop and they are bending up a flat floor replacement section. They are also bending some 3/4" x 1" sheet metal angle to replace the under floor supports either side of the trans tunnel. I cleverly cut mine up taking out the floors...

In the meantime, I fabbed up a 1" x 1" crossmember to support the rear floor and back up the new sheet metal joint. I realized that I cut a little too close to the wide beads and they wouldn't let the floor sit flat on the cross member, so I sliced the ends open horizontally, hammered them flat, and then welded them up when I plug welded the floor down.

[Scott2]

When I was fitting the cross member I needed to cut a relief in the top side on either end so it would fit up under the rocker flange and sit flush with it on the topside. Maybe a little anal but I wanted the floor to sit flat against the support.

I used my cutoff wheel and made a horizontal slice just like on the floor bead, then hammered the gap closed and will weld it up. I plug welded the cross member in and then plug welded the back floor to it.

[Scott2]

Brief update - my priorities were temporarily reset by the boss so I am finishing the basement at the moment. Hopefully, I'll get that out of the way in the next month.

Before my redirect, I did get the floors and rocker patches all tacked in along with the DS lower cowl repairs. I'll try and get some pics up shortly. In the meantime, I can still accumulate parts!

I ordered the Hooker cast headers/manifold (p/n 8501) and they are nice parts which fit well. Sadly, Hookers' QA seems a little off and the finish on the two sets I've received so far isn't very good. Still working that with Summit (they've been great) and I expect to end up with two good looking manifolds.

I also picked up a used steering column from an early '80s Camaro which looks to be a good fit. It has tilt, column shift for the auto, turns signals, dimmer and seem to be in fine condition. Needs painted and a new wheel that fits the truck of course but it's a great start. In the pic it's clamped in place but is not fully seated on the firewall/toekick. I need to remove the original mounting plate and fab a new one plus figure out the mount to the dash.

My big score was a 1989 Chevy truck bench seat I grabbed from a local salvage yard last Friday. Great condition - could use a cleaning and a patch on the side but it will work great for now. Check out the pics. besides a nice seat you can see the replacement floor patches including a fabbed flat floor section to replace the original dished floor under the seat.

Back to the basement - rough plumbing inspection in the morning!

[Advanced Design]

Looking really good and hopefully you will finish the basement quickly. Too bad about the manifolds. Hopefully they will straighten it out for you.

[youngrodder]

Nice looking manifolds. I need to see if my F-body manifolds will work with my PB set up.

It's good to keep the boss happy so you don't get fired..ha ha

Marc

[lv2tri2]

Looking forward to a continue of this build.

[Flysocal]

Yep I'm digging it

[Scott2]

I'm finally getting through the basement build - just about a month left as we go to drywall soon.

In the meantime I'm starting to collect parts to get this moving forward. I've been looking at gas tanks and I'm looking at a Tanks Inc, side fill unit. They have two that look good - p/n 51 CGX (http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd249.htm)

and the 53 CGX (http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd114.htm)

The difference is where the filler is - back left corner or a bit further forward. Any one have experience with this? Anything I should be aware of? I'm thinking the filler a bit forward would come out nicely in the back part of the fender and give me room to work with for the actual filler neck thru the outer fender side?

It also appears that there is room to set the tank height so the filler neck goes over the frame rail and under the bed floor.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

[alaska gasser]

Lookin good!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Scott2

I'm finally getting through the basement build - just about a month left as we go to drywall soon.

In the meantime I'm starting to collect parts to get this moving forward. I've been looking at gas tanks and I'm looking at a Tanks Inc, side fill unit. They have two that look good - p/n 51 CGX (http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd249.htm)

and the 53 CGX (http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd114.htm)

The difference is where the filler is - back left corner or a bit further forward. Any one have experience with this? Anything I should be aware of? I'm thinking the filler a bit forward would come out nicely in the back part of the fender and give me room to work with for the actual filler neck thru the outer fender side?

It also appears that there is room to set the tank height so the filler neck goes over the frame rail and under the bed floor.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

I also considered going with those tanks and ended up using a 67 / 68 Camaro tank from Tanks. I bought it from Hollister Road Company (dwcsr screen name) because he is a sponsor on here, uses them in his builds and provides exceptional customer service. He also put the fill pipe together which will run between the frame and floor into the rear part of the left rear fender.

[Scott2]

Thanks Doug! Why did you consider it better to run the filler to the rear vs the side of the tank? Is the turn over the frame from the side fill too tight or? I remember seeing the tank setup on your thread but had forgotten about it.

[Advanced Design]

The tank dimensions were more of a consideration as the Camaro tank was not as deep. Didn't want the tank to hang too low. Also, I wasn't sure the fill on the other tanks would clear between body and frame properly. Rather than guess and add more parts to my ever growing swap meet pile, I went with what I saw would work on dwcsr's builds.

if I can help with any dimensions or more pics be glad to do so.

[kameltoes2015]

I am in the process of doing a resto on a 1949 chevy. The floor pan and firewall was replaced. I will be installing a under the cab brake booster on the frame. It may be a silly question but how do you know the location to install the booster on the frame. the new floor pan has NO openings to judge where the brake pedal should go. This leads to the other question, how to ID the place to cut the floor pan for the brake pedal.