1957 Chevy truck re-rebuild

[Rc4mike]

Originally Posted by Stepside Jim

Sure, let's see if this works.....
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/1...build-1235210/

If you like fabrication and seeing the inside of axles. transmissions, brakes, carbs, ect, you'll be busy for quite some time. You'll see where I stopped on the Willys and began the Chevy build. Although it is a Jeep forum I was asked to continue showing what ever I was building so I have been posting there also. I get many compliments of guys who have raised their own bar because they've been influenced by what I post. It don't get any better than that.

While I'm here... I got to weld a bit this weekend. All this detail stuff gets old and I need to do some good old fashion fabrication. I needed a good heater hose fender support bracket.



Welding and grinding, as Tim Allen would say, arrrrgggg arrrghhhh. Well something like that, it was just good getting back to throwing sparks again.

Started with a piece of iron pipe, then cut it lengthwise.


Then hack sawed the inner other side to bend it open.


Ahhh, I see where this is going now.


After welding and grinding. Then drilling and cutting to length some stainless rod I have all my bracket pieces.



I knew it would be a pain to hold the nuts and washers in place once the fender is back in place so I made a nut retainer thingy.


Now the hoses are firmly in place.


It still needs paint and polish but that'll all be done in springtime.

I had two choices, I could build a bracket off the engine but the hoses would be closer to the valve cover. Not a problem til I want to remove the valve cover or spark plugs. This way everything is still accessible without dealing with hoses.

Jim...small world. I followed your build of the willys on the jeep forum while I built my 56 willys pickup...now I'm doing the same here while I build my 59 apache! Good minds think alike!

[Stepside Jim]

Thanks Kim and Chuckdriver.

Dan, hard work is a definite. Sometimes the pictures and write-ups make it look easy but I do have to admit one word I use quite often.....Unacceptable.

I learned to have no problem building and fabricating, then getting to a point where it is not the right size, shape, contour, fit, ect. I look at it and say.... Unacceptable, and toss it aside and start again. So much of this work is hand crafted pieces, there is no book, there is no written design, so it takes a couple of errors before you get what you're after.

Know that every piece you hand craft or assemble is another skill you now have, a skill you wouldn't have if you didn't step out beyond your normal capability.

bajabob, pay attention to what I wrote above. And Thank you.

Rc4mike, fantastic to have you aboard, some time back I skimmed over your thread, eeek, that's a fine bit of craftsmanship you have going on there.

And yes, a small world it is, many have mentioned the amount of viewers I have had and will still get on the Willys truck build. I never imagined when I started that build thread how many would be impacted or change their view when working on a project, I am humbled each time someone posts in public how they have raised their own bar now.

Someday I hope/need to get back on that project, but not til this Chevy is finished.

Otherwise I've been working on the windows for the doors. Slow going since someone has been into the wing window mechanism before and I had to make some slotted washers and such. Also had major issues getting the right window setting tape, no luck with LMC and Classic parts on that, had to go e-bay. I should have some pictures soon.

[Kim57]

That's very cool.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Jim, Jus went back and rad through the last 5 or 6 pages and once again I'm truly impressed with all your hard work and how great everything has come out.

I'm capable of hardwork but I doubt my best efforts would be anywhere near your results. Truly impressed!

[ChuckDriver]

Very nice!

[bajabob]

wow is about all I can say !!! Very nice, wish I had fab skills like that.

[franken]

Whoa.
I just looked at every page and opened the Jeep link in another tab to look at later.
The skills and tools (torchmate and lathe at least) outclass my sticks and stone tools (before this I thought I had good ones). I wonder what Jim's profession is. I see a lot of consistently pretty welds of different thickness metal...
My taste runs to less shiny things but there's a lot to love on this truck.
I think I would have made a hardwood form and hammered/pressed the hose clamp. Maybe make it from aluminum.

[bajabob]

Jim
I might have to disagree with you, "that most think like you do" !!! Thats whats amazing, guys like you just think way different then most of us. Maybe its your training and the skills and DNA your pops gave you but, for me, I might have put a hose clamp on it and tied it to the fender well and called it good. You on the other hand took it to a hole new level !!!! Thank you for sharing because it does make the rest of us want to "play up"....

[Stepside Jim]

bajabob, I'm glad you like me sharing my work, here I go again.

Nothing super technical, just me trying to take care of an issue or two before I start driving the truck.

I mentioned before that the truck has a rather large cam meaning there will not be enough vacuum to satisfy the brake booster. To solve the problem I purchased an electric vacuum pump. They have the tendency to be noisy similar to the sound a fuel pump makes when you manually pump a fuel pump before you install it, you can hear the air passing through the check valves.

It has no visual value so I'm mounting it on the frame under the cab.


The instructions don't mention how it handles the environment so I want to cover it along with trying to quiet the sounds it will make.
As I usually do, I start with a construction paper mock up.


No torchmate this time I got out the 4 1/2" grinder with cut off wheel, then to the bender.


Then to the bead roller.


Then follow the rule of welding sheet metal, short welds with time to cool til it's all welded.


After a little grinding I have my cover.


As a test fit I used some rubber edge seal so the metal of the pump cover won't rub against the frame or the bottom of the cab. I have a different seal coming from Soffseal that I think will work well to keep the sound from being heard while the truck is running.


What's my logic here.... I know once this truck is done I will do very little maintenance to it, I'll get involved in the next project and enjoy driving this one. The more work I do for the longevity of all the parts of this truck I can drive with confidence hopefully for many years.

[Kim57]

That's real slick.
Kim

[oldman3]

Nice job...Jim

[hotrod1]

Very nice. What gauge steel?

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Very nice. What gauge steel?

Hi hotrod1, I used 18 gauge for the cover.

[Clarance J]

Hello Stepside Jim. I'm always glad to see your name at the top of the page. Always enjoy your posts and like to see what you've been up to in the fab department. Great work on the cover. Looking forward to the next one.

Earl

[Andrew S]

Jim-
Thanks for the link to your Willy's build, I'm about halfway through and enjoying it very much.
If you ever make it to the Pacific Northwest, the beers on me.
Andrew

[Stepside Jim]

Just to catch up a bit here.

Clarance J, thanks, I feel the same about yours, I always look forward to some good ole' fabrication.

Northern lights, I will check, I think the name is on the center caps. They were very popular back in the '80's when my Dad bought them.

ChuckDriver, thank you, I have skinned your thread and thought, "he's taking a plunge" should be great when done. Hmmmm, and how do we remove the cab from the frame again. lol

Andrew S, what can I say, great, I hope it is well worth every minute you spend reading. I went at it to enlighten anybody who wants to work on vehicles. Thanks for checking in, I wondered if you went there.

Still working on door windows, anybody have a third hand I can borrow? lol

[Kim57]

Came out real nice.
Kim

[oldman3]

Lot of work on your part, but it looks great...Jim

[bowt1ed]

Hey Jim, on the "original cab mounting rubber thickness" with a Camaro sub you were referring to, are you talking about the actual cab mounts? I order the standard cab mounting package from Brothers, etc. Can I expect to have to shim it up or down after re-installing the cab?

Thanks, Jim

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by bowt1ed

Hey Jim, on the "original cab mounting rubber thickness" with a Camaro sub you were referring to, are you talking about the actual cab mounts? I order the standard cab mounting package from Brothers, etc. Can I expect to have to shim it up or down after re-installing the cab?

Thanks, Jim

I also ordered the original mounting kit, the rear I kept the same. The middle mount by your feet I added 1/4", one of the square cushions that are used under the bed cross sills.

The ones under the radiator support will vary due to different ways people make their mounts off the Camaro sub frame. NAPA sells some universal rubber pads #602-1045, I was able to cut these to the thickness I needed to get everything leveled off.

I just hate to finalize things til I know everything is set and adjusted first.

Hope this helps. Jim

[Baldeagle SR]

Jim I have a 55 coupe that I done away with the vent window, and now I wish I wouldn't have. This summer I will change it back. Rich

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by Baldeagle SR

Jim I have a 55 coupe that I done away with the vent window, and now I wish I wouldn't have. This summer I will change it back. Rich

Rich, this leads me to my next thought. I know GM saved tons of money by stopping the vent window, but take an old car for a drive and open that window to where it forces the air in and feel the breeze.

I've always felt the non vent window design creates more of a vacuum due to how the wind deflects off the windshield then goes around the side windows, this is a vacuum situation.

If I didn't have the vent window I wouldn't go with the rear sliding glass. My theory is, if no vent window creates a possible vacuum in the cab, the open rear window can draw in exhaust fumes and dust ect.

With the vent window I know the cab will be pressurized and free flow out through the rear window.

Anyway, that's just me theorizing. Jim

[papastrk]

Jim, what vacuum pump are you using and where can one be purchased. I may have to run one also. Thanks

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by papastrk

Jim, what vacuum pump are you using and where can one be purchased. I may have to run one also. Thanks

I believe I went with Stainless Steel Brakes Co. I don't always look for the least expensive stuff so there may be less expensive ones on the market.

Other than putting 12v to it I haven't had a chance to test it out in the real world yet. I just know that my engine set-up as it is, will not satisfy the booster needs so I figure I will try to pre-figure as many things that need to be figured out before my truck gets diss-figured by not having good brakes.

Back to the pump... it does come with an inline tee that senses low vacuum in the booster to turn on and off the pump.

Hope this helps, Jim

[tune_1]

Jim Have enjoyed all of the posts and procedures in this thread and the willy's thread ( yes read all of that too ). So much of this can also be used on other vehicles.
Have you seen the following for a cup holder in your 65 chevy. ( the url looks crazy but it did work for me. )

Dwight

http://www.mamotorworks.com/Corvette...g-fan-614793-1