What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[Kevin Mac]

Upgraded tail lights with LED lens from classy Chevy. I thought the lens were good quality and $67 bucks so not too bad on price either. United Pacific was the brand of LED.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Kevin Mac

Upgraded tail lights with LED lens from classy Chevy. I thought the lens were good quality and $67 bucks so not too bad on price either. United Pacific was the brand of LED.

Glad those worked for you. I tried some LED lights in my daily driver Rambler and they weren't as bright as the frigging stock 1157's.

Brian

[Kevin Mac]

Also built some stands using scaffold jacks and 1 1/2" pipe. I had a regular Jack stand drop on me while was under the truck a while back. Lucky the other stand held the truck and just teatered on it. Scared the heck out of me. So this has been on my list to do. For anybody doing a lot of frame work they work great. They won't lift a complete truck but will lift the rear with bed off or a rolling chassis. Threaded a couple and put a coupling and short nipple on so you could put a longer pipe to get them taller like a regular pipe stand.
Just need to finish the tops of the rest. They work good for metal cutting bandsaw to hold long pieces with a piece of C channel welded on top of screw.
Forgot to mention I bought the scaffold jacks from Northern Tools for $15 a piece. They are on sale right now.
Mac

[MARTINSR]

I finally got that damn window channel in the drivers door! WHOO HOOOOO!!!

It may have looked like a simple problem if you didn't have it in front of you but this was not a quick fix. I couldn't get into the door to see it's location, and it was damaged when I removed it without thinking, 20 years ago! Thank goodness I had the extra, stock door, I tried and tried to see in there to get some kind of measurement, no luck, it was just impossible to get anything, I gave up and cut a hole, solved that problem! And it wasn't even close to what I was doing so I am damn glad I did that. It still was a muther of a job, I must have pulled that sucker like putting a crochet needle threw a pot older out of the door modifying it and putting it back in about 30 times! Geeez, but it's in and done deal, the window looks perfect. Thank goodness my door has the extra hole from a speaker that I could get a little more access. I finished up by cutting the inner frame and shaping it as needed and it's ready for welding. Now all I need is to get my oxy tank filled.

One thing I screwed up on was I had an extra pair of window frames so I could eliminate one cut by using the other frame and cutting it long. I did this and couldn't figure out why it wasn't fitting well. I then took the pieces of the two fames to find out that one was a different shape! Geeeez, it was from a 51-54 and it had knotch cut at the bottom for the vent window used on the later truck. What I didn't realize is the whole thing was different because they didn't use the thicker window frame around the glass! So I cut up the darn thing I could have sold.


Brian

[evilokc]

ordered my vintage air kit. hope to have it for my week off. will be a perfect time to get some real progress made.

[MARTINSR]

Got the door back on for the first time in many months, good to see it.

Brian

[dsraven]

looking good, like it was made that way.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looking good, like it was made that way.

Thanks, that's the goal!

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Inspiring to see you still plugging away on the old girl, Brian. That's some fine looking metalwork on that top chop.

[evilokc]

yesterday I ordered my vintage air kit. ive got a week off coming up and it should be a great time to get it installed along with finishing up the interior lights. once that's done I may start getting it ready to run through the summer. I plan to put several thousand miles on it this year.

[Slowy-gonzalez]

I installed the rear big window on my 57 myself, only to break it at the very last second,

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Slowy-gonzalez

I installed the rear big window on my 57 myself, only to break it at the very last second,

Oh crap! Sorry to hear that.

Brian

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by Slowy-gonzalez

I installed the rear big window on my 57 myself, only to break it at the very last second,

I had the one on my 54 successfully installed by a shop. I could absolutely not bear to watch or listen to the sound of hand slapping it in and the justifiable profanity. Sorry for your mishap.

[Slowy-gonzalez]

sad part is, I was done, the glass was already installed, there was a small piece about 1/2 inch of seal that wasn't just right and I put a screw driver between the glass and the seal to pry the seal out and the rest is history,,,,,,

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Slowy-gonzalez

sad part is, I was done, the glass was already installed, there was a small piece about 1/2 inch of seal that wasn't just right and I put a screw driver between the glass and the seal to pry the seal out and the rest is history,,,,,,

You literally took my breath away with that description, holy crap! Yep, tempered glass will take a LOT of certain pressures, and then only a tiny bit of others, wow.

Brian

[evilokc]

my vintage air kit showed up today. that was quick. I'm going to start the install tomorrow. I read through the directions completely. it doesn't look like its going to be to crazy to get installed. the directions seem to be pretty complete with several pictures. we shall see how it works out.

[evilokc]

I got to start my install tonight. it didn't go as well as I wanted but its not a disaster yet. I got the defrost ducts installed, and started putting everything on the evaporator to get it ready to install on the firewall. I realized/ discovered I'm missing a few parts I thought I had. 1 hose, the a/c compressor bracket, and two hard lines for the condenser. I feel stupid that I over looked these parts but I will get it handled. I'm calling vintage air in the morning to order the parts. they got me the kit in 2days so I should still have plenty of time to finish the install.

[idbeast]

After welding up all the unneeded holes in the bottom of the frame, grinding flat and cleaning up all the welds, I got the rest of the frame painted!!!

[evilokc]

Originally Posted by idbeast

After welding up all the unneeded holes in the bottom of the frame, grinding flat and cleaning up all the welds, I got the rest of the frame painted!!!

man that looks good!

[bosco]

Fixed my hood oil canning issue. Thanks to the folks on this forum.

[Kevin Mac]

The frame is looking nice! What year clip is that?

[idbeast]

77 Nova, same as Camaro. However it is grafted in differently then most seem to do it!

[MARTINSR]

Had only a little time last night, got the drivers door inner frame prepped and tacked in place, will finish that up today and post a photo. But I am getting out there every night!

I also worked a little showing my son how to gas weld, he had never done that.


Brian

[MARTINSR]

Right on Bosco, looks good!

I feel so damn good today! I have been concerned with doing these mouldings good enough to be chromable. It has been so long since I did this with such delicate stuff and I had such fun doing it! I fought at first and then it got easier and easier and viola! I am sooooo blessed to have worked at the "Early Ford V8 shop" in 1979 under a master restoration man Nick Cassaro. He taught me how to metal finish stuff like this and it's just like going back in time doing it, using the torch I bought at the same time and using the skills Nick taught me, it's therapy for me. I have been able to tell him how thankful I am for those lessons, he is a good guy. I slipped the moulding into the box with the glass frame FINISHED and hope to fill that box with all the others soon.

Brian

[Black_Sheep]

Mocked up the box today, more pics in my build thread...