Project Curly - 1953 GMC Panel Truck

[panelrodder81]

This last weekend I got some new shocks installed on the rear and also got started on the custom interior fabrication.

I started by adding 1" wood to the floor per my thread on the topic found here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=448875

Here is pic number one:


Pic number two:


This was only a short work day since it was punctuated with a few hours in the middle of the day where I was watching my son while my wife was out so I didn't get quite as much done as I wanted but its a decent start. Two more piece in the back then I can do the front and move onto the major construction.

While I was getting supplies I also picked up some MDF for some boxes that will run down the sides and across the back that will function as a 'trunk' of sorts. Here is a rough sketch of what I want to build (this is looking from front to back into the rear of the truck, also the actual design has changed since I drew this up but structure is the same.) :


Here is a sketch of what I'm going to do with the front seats:


This week I hope to finish off the floor coverage and start on the MDF boxes. From there things will get difficult because I want to keep the panels for the side, doors, kick, and also the headliner removable. I don't want to have them stuck simply because this truck is going to be a continually evolving vehicle. If I want to take the headliner out and add some speakers then I want to be able to do that. More pics to come.

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

I put new air shocks on the back of the panel last week but since I don't have a working air compressor right now I didn't want to put it on the ground until I got some air in them. So I went and bought a air storage tank and filled it up at a gas station then filled the shocks and put the truck down, all yesterday. The truck now rides higher than I really want but still looks fine. I can always add drop blocks later if needed. There wasn't time to get it out and take a pic so I'm not 100% on whether I like it not though.

On a side note, I picked up an old Western Flyer Rocket wagon for my son and I've started building that into a hotrod wagon for him.

Here is what I started with:


Here is a mockup after disassembly:


I bought the wheels at Harbor Freight and everything else is either left overs from other stuff or from the original wagon its self. All that is needed is some more square tubing, some welding, and then I can do body work and spray it!

-Panelrodder

[VA72C10]

those sketches look cool and the wagon is a neat project!

[panelrodder81]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

those sketches look cool and the wagon is a neat project!

Thanks so much for the kind words! I'm a graphic designer and my mother is an interior designer so between the two of us we came up with a very exact design for the interior. The seat drawing is nearly spot on for what I want, I know you can't read the labels because of the crappy photo, but the drawing of the body interior is off since I did that one before she and I talked it out. She is also a seamstress who has done some upholstery work in the past so we are planning to do this entire interior job ourselves.... should be interesting!

The wagon is gonna be a lot of fun! Building for myself is great but building for my son is almost more exciting! Guess it has to do with giving him something and also introducing him to the world... though he is only 1 1/2 years old and won't remember any of the build! I'm planning to spray it the same green as the panel truck and then adding the Western Flyer Rocket logo back on the sides, in black though, and then I'm going to try my hand at pin stripping, also in black.

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

This last weekend I was in Vegas with my wife and our close friends so nothing got done on the truck but I did get it pulled out of the garage before leaving for some pics of its stance with the new air shocks on the rear. The shocks have a 25psi minimum and what you see here is 30psi so I could get it lower but this is going to be my starting point. What do you think of these before and after pics?


Before:


After:


I know, the 'after' pic isn't a great shot but if you flip between the two you can see what looks like nearly two inches difference in the ride height of the rear end.

Can't say how I feel about it cuz the rake does add some attitude but it just feels like too much space around the rear wheel.

Thoughts?

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

The panel truck has had some small progress, very small.... I got the in-radiator trans cooler hooked up, got some more wood work done on the floor in the back, and my LizardSkin showed up. The task for this week is to get the floor wood all cut and then start coating it in oil based primer all the while prep'ing and coating the entire inside of the body with the LizardSkin.

In the meantime, here are some pics of my son's wagon that is nearly ready for body work:

Right before I started the custom pull handle:


After the new handle is done.



And here is a pic right after my son and I took a walk around the block with him riding in it!

[panelrodder81]

Well this week didn't go quiet as planned and I didn't get as much done as I wanted but a little progress was made.

First is the wood on the floor of the truck. I got all the rear floor done finally.



I also was able to get my through panel electrical lugs installed in the rear floor.

The battery will sit right between the two lugs.

The truck's thermostat housing was leaking coolant, it was the o-ring style which I find out now is prone to leaking, so I replaced it. I found this housing at a swap meet this past weekend. Five bucks, some wire wheel-ing, and some black paint and it was as good as new!


and after installation:



The flooring on the front is started, the passenger side piece is roughed in and needs only some massaging to get to fit. The driver's side is next and then the floor is done and then construction of the boxes and trunk (see drawings above) can commence.

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

I finished up cutting the wood for the floor, pulled it all out, set it up, and oil-based primer-ed the top and sides.




Now I just need to flip them over and prime the undersides, lay down my Lizard Skin on the truck's interior, and then install.


Also, I pulled appart my son's wagon for paint. Here is a pic of it in primer.




Going to paint the frame black and the body the same green as the panel truck. Then I want to put the Western Flyer Rocket logo back on the wagon sides and accent with black pin stripping.

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

So this weekend was nearly a bust for Curly. Spent most of it at my parent's place and then spend the middle of Memorial Day putting new lower control arms on my 2007 Pontiac G6, because the ball joints are integrated and non serviceable! What I did manage to get done was strip out and prep the interior for the Lizard Skin, hopefully I can get a coat or two on tonight and will take some pics.

Also spent a few minutes after my boy went to bed sanding down the chassis for his wagon and getting some rattle can on it.


Not a great pic since it is black in a poorly light garage but you get the idea!



Close up of the front end.

Planning on putting a few more coats on it and maybe hitting it lightly with some color sanding and then reassemble the chassis. The body still needs to be cleaned up so full final assembly is a little ways out!

-Panelrodder

[duwem]

Here is my swap meet wagon I have been modifying over the years. I can switch between tracks and wheels with 4 bolts. The wheels pull a lot easier (tracks are kind of stiff, they are off a snowblower)

[panelrodder81]

Originally Posted by duwem

Here is my swap meet wagon I have been modifying over the years. I can switch between tracks and wheels with 4 bolts. The wheels pull a lot easier (tracks are kind of stiff, they are off a snowblower)

Wow, that is pretty gnarly!

I've been making slow progress on my wagon. I found one of the welds was starting to crack on after I got some paint on the the chassis so I have to go back and fix that. But I did get some of the other components painted this weekend and also got the body all metal worked out so I just need to sand it down and do the paint work.


Curly got a lot of attention this weekend too by way some Lizard Skin. I still need to upload the pics though, those are forth coming.

-Panelrodder

[Wheelie]

I see we have a similar taste in wagon building! Here is one I did for my 3 year old daughter. Its still a work in progress but she insists on playing with it now

[panelrodder81]

Originally Posted by Wheelie

I see we have a similar taste in wagon building! Here is one I did for my 3 year old daughter. Its still a work in progress but she insists on playing with it now

Indeed we do!

Here are some pics I took last night after cutting out a new floor for the wagon out of diamond plate. The floor had some stress cracks and was beat all to hell so I decided this would be a great substitute. I really want him to be able to use the wagon when he gets older so this solution actually restores some strength and is more durable than my other options, imo.

After Cutting out the new floor:


The body in place on the frame:


Body on Frame #2:

[OrrieG]

When my kids out grew their red wagon I used it for moving transmissions, etc. around. NP203 transfer finally killed it.

[Wheelie]

The diamond plate is a awesome idea. I may have to steal it

[panelrodder81]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

When my kids out grew their red wagon I used it for moving transmissions, etc. around. NP203 transfer finally killed it.

I'm hoping I can do up one of these for me later so even when he grows out of it, it will still be around for other kids to play with! I can see how a NP203 would kill one though!

Originally Posted by Wheelie

The diamond plate is a awesome idea. I may have to steal it

Not my idea so you are welcome to it! The problem I had is the floor had some big nasty stress cracks in it and I guessed that even if I welded them up and did all the metal work and body work they would likely crack again. Since I'm trying to build this so my son could in fact play with it when he gets a bit older I figured diamond plate would give it a durable and lasting floor.


Now, here are a couple new pics from last night!

I coated the body with some rust converter and then threw the frame on it to drill out some mounting locations.


Here is a shot of the body on the from from the top:


The original plan was to build it and leave the patina but my wife insisted that it be cleaned up cuz of the hazard of the rust. After that I decided to prime it the same color as the panel truck but after seeing this with the scale knocked off and the converter on there, I'm back to leaving it patina! Especially since now that the rust is treated and sealed the risk of tetanus is negated and it looks bad ass!

Here is a close up of the finish:



-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

Finally got myself a 'GMC' grill emblem!

Here it is when I got home:


And after some paint remover:


Thank you to my wife and son who got this for me for Father's Day!

-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

First some truck stuff.

Here is a pic of the emblem above after a trip to my dad's blasting cabinet.


This weekend I was able to get my top control arm back in place, it shifted on me, and then the truck back on the ground. And I also was able to get my driver's seat back in place. Lastly I finished hooking up the through panel power lugs by the battery. Not a lot but its nice to have that done and I can get back to the interior work.


Second, the wagon!(Since this seems to be the most talked about part of the thread!)

It is 'hotrod done'! ie- done for now!

[panelrodder81]

Here is the pivot point for the steering:


And here is a pic of an idea I have to cover up the ugly with my panel truck's old horn button!



And here is the boy during his THIRD trip around the neighborhood... apparently he likes it!


-Panelrodder

[SulphuriousSam]

Man you just gave me a whole bunch of ideas! Not the panel, I don't have one, but the wagon! My daughter is fixing to get a low rider wagon

[panelrodder81]

Originally Posted by SulphuriousSam

Man you just gave me a whole bunch of ideas! Not the panel, I don't have one, but the wagon! My daughter is fixing to get a low rider wagon

Glad to be of service! Funny that the wagon, the secondary part of the thread, is the most popular and has gotten the most response! Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the panel truck that no one likes it... screw em! I'm build it for me and I think its cool as hell! Speaking of which, I've been working on the panel and have some updates for you... anyone that is actually following that is!

The interior fabrication has started!

This was from a few days back when I first started it.


This is the same side just last thursday when I really made some progress.


Same side after it was basically roughed in and ready for tweaking.


And the second side at the same stage.

[panelrodder81]

here is a pic of the back... apparently I didn't get a pic of it all together though. I'll have to add that later.


-Panelrodder

[panelrodder81]

So I snatched a pic of what the back looks like right now.


To close off the back "trunk" I plan to do up a fiberglass panel... that is the plan anyway! I've never done fiberglass so we will see how it goes. I will add some access doors on top as well so that it can actually function as a trunk!

I also took a pic of my 'fleet'!


-Panelrodder

[longbike]

Great shot!!!!

[fredscarryall]

i like the color on the panel and the turn signals look really cool.