1957 Chevy truck re-rebuild

[Kim57]

Nice and shiny.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

Well I was hoping to skip the cut and buff on the dash, ha, who am I foolin', I'm gonna cut and buff, it's the ultimate finish. Was it easy? no, patience, patience. I really had to be careful around all the edges, then the same with the buffing.

I'm getting excited to get all the chrome knobs and radio installed but for now I can enjoy the dash as is.

I view of the top of the dash.


I've gone back and looked at the pictures from a year ago with the maroon, what a difference.


Another showing the welding of the radio face plate, covering the ash tray, heater plate and putting in a spot for another switch on the far side.


With the black color I'm getting a serious attitude in the cab, I'm also looking forward to getting all the vinyl, chrome and stainless steel.

I did install the lighter to get an idea of the reflection that the chrome knobs will create.


Before and after pics can sure be a boost in motivation.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Stepside Jim

Before and after pics can sure be a boost in motivation.

for all of us LKING good

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

for all of us LKING good

ahhh, a double smiley face, thans _Ogre.

Looking at the last picture the glove box looks like it has a terrible sag/runs coming down from the red stripe. I am having a heck of a time trying to get pictures that will show the finish without pulling in a reflection that gives a false impression, such as the phantom sag/runs.

This is another angle of the glove box yet, it itself is trying to pull in the reflection of the drivers side gray door jam and once again, distorting the image, but no sags/runs.


Ok, I feel better...

[Kim57]

Looks great.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

Last year I cleaned and primed the hood. Once the primer dried I went to block sanding.

The first thing I noticed was the metal in the center off the hood flexing, some call it oil canning. I've read others having the same issue. With the hood being about the last main part to be blocked I have to deal with it.

I don't know if there is a fix available but I have to do something.

I started with a drawing for size and dimension.


I don't follow every line I draw but it gives me a good idea of where I want to go with the final design.


The front mounting holes were all ready there, in the back I had to drill two holes and insert these expanding nuts.


My goal was to have the brace hover about a 1/4" above the hood after I bend and shaped the brace.



I cut some rubber spacers and slid them between the brace and the hood.


Later I'll paint the brace and glue the rubber spacers in place but for now I'm able to get back to block sanding the hood without it trying to change shape as I'm working on it.

[greystoke]

an excellent way to solve the problem. There was a post about a similar situation in the body and paint section which turned to using a shrinking disc to alleviate the stretched area.

[Kim57]

Pretty slick fix.
Kim

[ChuckDriver]

Very nice!

[rgunlock]

Nice fix on the hood. Those expanding nuts look like they came in handy. Do you recall where you got them? Are they pretty good about not spinning in the hole as you tighten the bolt?

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Nice fix on the hood. Those expanding nuts look like they came in handy. Do you recall where you got them? Are they pretty good about not spinning in the hole as you tighten the bolt?

Yes they were very cooperative. I did put just a touch of anti-seize on the bolt to be remove some possibility of it spinning, but otherwise, worked great. In this situation there is only a downward pull on it verses a twisting movement, I feel confident in this situation. If it did have a twisting movement against it I would perhaps be concerned.

The part number is NAPA, 665-1059, small bag of 4 on the rack of small body clips and such.

A couple of posts back I sand blasted and painted the door hinges, now to assemble with new bushings and pins from Classic parts.

Surprisingly the original bushings were plastic, I never would have guessed they would have used plastic. Hmmm.

One worn bushing.


New parts, old parts.


I used the vise and a socket to assemble.


All done. I did all 4 with no problems. The pin probably fits other vehicles and uses the E clip slot, the pin slightly pressed into place, not needing a clip to hold it in.

[Kim57]

Hinges look real nice.
Kim

[dug224]

Nice design on the hood brace. May have to steal the design. Just tried to reuse my hood cross brace. It hits the 5.3 which I expected. Yours would easily clear.

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by dug224

Nice design on the hood brace. May have to steal the design. Just tried to reuse my hood cross brace. It hits the 5.3 which I expected. Yours would easily clear.

dug224, I looked at the X brace for a solution also for some time, just in my head I couldn't see it looking proper.

Working some over time at work and just trying to get through all the odds and ends, progress is slow but moving forward.

I choose to keep the original tank location, yet I didn't want to trust the original tank so I ordered a new one. Then just to be on the safe side I treated the inside with tank sealant as an insurance for non leakage.

Then scuffing the outside and priming then satin black.


I forgot to take a picture of it painted in the shop, but here it is sitting in place
in the truck.


I'm looking forward to getting the drive train back in place but the transmission needs the longer tail shaft to match the longer adapter for the Gear Vendors over drive that I had to get to accommodate the "X" pipe exhaust system. Yes, there's a song here.... One thing, one thing, leads to another.

One Turbo 350 ready for a new tail shaft.


One Turbo 350 with a tail shaft sticking out the rear about 3'' extra, just what I needed. The tail shaft housing will be removed as the adapter will be replacing it later.


Putt, putt, surely but slowly I really want to see this thing rolling down the road before winter.

[Kim57]

Coming along nicely.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

As with many others this project is one large project consisting of a whole bunch of small ones. Tonight I'm focusing on an area that I've many others ponder what to do with the exposed wires and steering column mounting clamp when using a GM column.

I had an idea of what I wanted but couldn't picture in my head a good design so I built, then modified.

My original idea, something that went covered the area.



From the pics above I smoothed the edges and rounded the bottom. I made a upper plate that will go above the column to cover the top half up to the dash of the truck.


Finally satisfied with the design I sand blasted then used a thin layer of glazing putty to smooth the surface, after the putty came epoxy primer and high build primer. Then a final block sanding and ready for paint.


Same process for painting, clearing and cut and buffing.


I'm still piecing the dash parts together to confirm everything is still gonna fit after painting. Without a cover under the column, exposed wires and holding clamp.


Cover now in place, no clamp, no wires.


A look from the other side.


I've found these flat stainless washers that have a thin layer of rubber on one side, I really like them, I can tight up against the painted surfaces and not damage the paint.

This is where the build thread and all the pictures come together, it's gonna be fun taking pictures from the last couple of years and combine them for a before and after story.

[Bomp]

Really like that column cover. That is Slick

[tune_1]

Thanks for posting. I like the attention to detail and how you solved a problem. Like the work.

Dwight

[greystoke]

That looks sweet, where is it attached at?

[Kim57]

That's real nice.
I may have to copy it when I get there on mine.
Kim

[Nev68]

Good job on the steering column cover. Nice touch

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by greystoke

That looks sweet, where is it attached at?

First, thanks everybody, like I mentioned, it seems these exposed wires and clamp is an eye sore for everyone, I knew somehow I was going to get them taken care of, I just had to keep trimming and reshaping my original piece.

As for mounting it I simply welded a web/gusset on the main column clamp, then drilled 2 holes and used rubber well nuts that have a regular metal nut with in them. Once tightened they hold well, when loose, they allow a little wiggle room.


Ok, for the attaching nut on the lower side you have to realize the main clamp in the picture above has slotted mounting holes, what I found was, each time I removed and re-tightened the main clamp, the distance changed from the clamp mounting holes to the lower mounting holes, grrrrrrr, then I had to force the bolts in place. And no, loosening the main clamp and attaching the cover first was not an option, once the cover is in place, I can't get to the main clamp bolts to tighten them after the cover is on..

Notice the lower mounting holes, I made drop brackets holding the nuts. Now if the distance changes, I can simply bend the bracket slightly to move the nut where I need to so the holes in the cover match the lower mounting nuts.



Yes, I know, sometimes I tend to complicate things, on the other hand, I'd rather foresee an issue during mock-up, than fight something after painting.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I'm surprised no one has yet offered (as far as I know) a cover like this commercially given all the trucks like ours with aftermarket modern steering columns.

PS: What's the third switch hole on the left side of the column for?

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I'm surprised no one has yet offered (as far as I know) a cover like this commercially given all the trucks like ours with aftermarket modern steering columns.

PS: What's the third switch hole on the left side of the column for?

Hi Dan, it seemed like quite a distance between the two switch holes that were there visually. Then I had the left over holes from the aftermarket radio panel so I had the perfect piece to weld in there.

The far left hole is for the headlight switch, the far right hole is for a manual choke cable and the new center hole is for a master switch for switches I will have in the front of the center counsel between the seats. There will be the individual switches for the exhaust cut outs, line lock and nitrous.

By having a master switch for these items I don't have to worry about anybody messing around without my permission.

[Stepside Jim]

Since the steering column is the focus right now I figure I'd put together a batch of pictures showing the column going from an ignition switch and automatic transmission lever column to a dash switch/floor shifter column.

It seems to be from a 1978 or newer mid-sized GM. I'm guessing the interior was blue.

The hacksaw and rotary brr is gonna place a part here. Here goes the column shifter mount.


Next up is the ignition switch mount. Once I disassembled the upper part of the column I was able to hold this in the vise and cut off the mount for the switch.



Sorry for the bad pics here.... but I used the rotary brr to cut a recess in both the switch opening and the shifter opening.


Then for both areas I cut a thin piece of aluminum that fit the recessed areas.


Then using JB weld I glued the aluminum plates in place, then once the plates were dried I scuffed the whole area and used more JB weld to fill and smooth the areas.


Once the ares were filled an leveled, then the appropriate primers were used before paint.

This column had a column dimmer switch but I didn't want it due to the fact that it was seen on the lower part of the column. My lower cover could have covered it but it would have a bulge that I felt would look bulky.
Since the turn signal switch moved up and down and side to side it had a large opening were the lever came out, I had to cover part of the opening.

I glued in a piece of black plastic in a lower piece.


Now when the column pieces are slid together, the plastic extends upward to cover much of the opening except for where the lever needs to move up and down.


I bought Billet Specialties tilt and turn signal handle kit, problem was, it was for the earlier column, not the 1978 and later, I was able to use the outer handles from the kit but had to cut an thread 1/4" stainless rod to get the right length and angle for this column.

There we are, a smooth column adapted for the truck.



In the end, if this column didn't come with the truck, I would have saved a ton of time getting an aftermarket column.

For anybody with a truck and having the switch and shiifter like I did and would like to adapt it, perhaps this write up will help.