It's just a work truck!

[markeb01]

Love the rain gutters, they look like the show quality version of what I did to mine. I just filled the lower portions with self-leveling seam sealer to keep water from collecting with no way to drain. Your's look custom and classy. I haven't noticed any difference in the rain. With the original gutters, they fill up with rain until they spill all over the place. With the gutters filled the rain just runs off. Not a whole lot of difference in keeping passengers dry.

[Palf70Step]

Build looks really good!

[65 old school]

Thanks again guys for the kind words.
I'm just a car/truck lover, have a welder, grinder, and some tools.
Just work out in the garage when I can. Again, this daily driver back & forth to work truck has gone way over time & $$$$.
I told my wife when I pulled it home, I could swap the 65 body on to my 73 chassy in a few weeks!. HA!. I've been working pretty hard at it for about a year. I was just a little off.
If you were wondering how I did the dash ext, I welded a 1" tube below the distance I wanted, had bend the ends at the kick panels about 1 1/2 " to match the dash. Then I welded sheet metal to original dash. plug welded it to tubing, and bent it around the tube.
Hope this helps you or anyone else with there projects, that's why my brother started this thread.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by 65 old school

Thanks again guys for the kind words.
I'm just a car/truck lover, have a welder, grinder, and some tools.
Just work out in the garage when I can. Again, this daily driver back & forth to work truck has gone way over time & $$$$.
I told my wife when I pulled it home, I could swap the 65 body on to my 73 chassy in a few weeks!. HA!. I've been working pretty hard at it for about a year. I was just a little off.
If you were wondering how I did the dash ext, I welded a 1" tube below the distance I wanted, had bend the ends at the kick panels about 1 1/2 " to match the dash. Then I welded sheet metal to original dash. plug welded it to tubing, and bent it around the tube.
Hope this helps you or anyone else with there projects, that's why my brother started this thread.

Thanks for the information on how you did it, that will be helpful to know! I bet the tubing helps reinforce it on the bottom edge as well, I had not thought of that.

I am liking it a lot !

[65 old school]

I don't really know where this truck spent it's time, but I'm in Arizona and the rockers still needed to be rplaced.
In fact I don't think I've seen any that don't, or that should'nt be, if you're going to paint the truck !. I don't know ?, today the IN THING seems to be the rusty patina look. A lot less work & $$$.
I wanted to use HOT RODZ FLATS on this truck, but when I checked into it the guys I talked to said it's really hard to paint. So I was talked into going shinny paint. More bodywork, more time, more $$$, GREAT!.

[65 old school]

This should be a no-brainer! but, mine are the second ones we've done.
About 2 years ago we replaced them on my dads 66 swb. We did'nt test fit the doors. OOPPS!. After you cut the old rockers out, re-hang the doors, put in the new rockers, hold them in with a few tek screws, check the fit, take the doors off, then weld.
We just put the new rockers back where the old ones were OOPPS!.
After paint and assembly, we had a few issuses with the bottoms of the doors rubbing the rockers.
LESSON LEARNED!. Mine did turn out better. ( sorry dad! ).

[65 old school]

I know these pics are out of order, this thread was a after thought of my brothers.
Infact nobody can believe I'm posting. I'm horrible with computers!.
I took these pics last weekend. Just a dressed up small block, & 700r trans.
(IT'S JUST A WORK TRUCK!) Well, thats what I keep telling myself.

[65 old school]

I did'nt know what to do with the radio antena, the truck had a hole in the passenger side cowl, I did'nt care for that spot.
I know alot of guys don't even use one these days, Ipods seem to be the thing. I don't even own a Ipod!. Im (OLD SCHOOL ). My wife hates when I say that. Well needing a ant, I just frenched one in on the passenger side of the cab.
It's not power, just fixed that high. I don't know if I'm completly thrilled with the way it looks?. Maybe it will grow on me?.

[argonaut]

You could look into an antenna that adheres to the windshield like some of the newer cars.

If I was keeping a regular antenna on the outside though, i think I'd stick with soemthing close to the stock location. Just a personal preference.

[Palf70Step]

Looks good.
My first thought was did you make a drain for the water that will pool-up around the antenna, but then I noticed the AZ in your profile...so I guess rain won't be a big deal

[McMurphy]

I bet you will want to hang your p-side door and get in-get out of the rig a few times before you decide to leave that antenna there. I cannot say for certain, but I am betting it will be a bother/get bent in that location.

I had a moment on my p-side rockers.
"hang the door to check the fit" just did not sink far enough in with me.
I had to cut my tack welds and reposition too

[65 old school]

Well, at this point it's to late to do anything about. Remember these pics are out of order. The truck is already painted and going back together.
It does have a drain .I have'nt put the ant back on yet, But If I don't like it, at least I was smart enough to put it on the passenger side.
Out of sight, Out of mind. And it won't be in my way!. lol

[65 old school]

Well it's always something, Two steps foward one step back!.
A couple of days ago I cracked my water pump puting the heater hose fitting in it, it was'nt even tight yet. So had too pull it back off & replace it.
Also, even though ( IT'S JUST A WORK TRUCK ), I don't like the stock 80's 13 " power brake booster. We were at one of the local auto swap meets today,
I saw a vender from Cali selling 7" boosters. $80 & a couple of hrs & I'll be happier!. Two steps foward one step back. It's amazing when you start a project like this, how many times you'll change your mind. Mooooore $$$$,
Moooooore time. It all just keeps adding up.

[Fleet '66]

Nice looking '66 LWB. I like all the unique touches and attention to detail. Very well done! I know what you mean about "It's just a work truck!" Seems like they never turn out that way. Always something more which leads to something more.....
Keep the pictures coming. You're inspiring me to get working on "The Wife's Ride" ('64 LWB BBW) I hope you don't mind if I borrow some of your ideas.

[65 old school]

Hey, that's what this thread is for. Get other peoples ideas.
Do me a favor, only use my GOOD ones!. LOL

[65 old school]

Here is some hood pics. The hole body of the truck was ruff. The guy I bought it off of stopped a guy towing it to the scrap metal yard to be crushed. I'm not a body man, But I think my brother & I did an ok job. I welded up the seam.
Because the hood is single sheet metal, I'm not good enough to smooth out both sides.
So on the under side of hood I used the Raptor bed liner, tinted to color match to hide minor dent flaws from the outside.

[65 old school]

This is a few pics of the inner fenders. I would guess about half of the guy's are not useing them because of air bags, But I can't go that low, I have to use this truck as a truck sometimes. Anyway, We mounted the battery on the passenger side frame. I patched that spot on the inner fenders, I also cut and welded patches in the 1 1/2 by 18" ? channel's ( two on each side ), for strength,? I think!.
I just think they look a little funny. Smooth is mo better!. Even though " IT'S JUST A WORK TRUCK! ". Little details. It's a little extra time, but not any $, if you do it yourself.

[carslut]

nice job, i really like how the rain gutter turned out.

[65 old school]

I forgot to say, I had to cut out the front a little on each side for BIG side flow radiator.
It gets HOT here in Arizona!.

[65 old school]

OK I'm happier! but, did I say it would take a couple hour's??. NOT!!!. Maybe if it was'nt painted already. If you mount this style directly to the firewall, you have to make the hole in the firewall bigger. Also modify the rod mount on the pedal arm. Looks much better. I wish I would have done it in the beginning.

[63MOUSE]

looks much better

[McMurphy]

What is the purpose of coiling the brake lines as they come off the resevoiur like that?

[don64]

I agree that does look much better.

[65 old school]

The brake lines on there are stock off my 73' chevy. I think they did that so the lines can flex and not crack?. I have noticed that all the after market ones don't do that. Maybe it's not a problem like the early car builders thought it was?.

[65 old school]

Here are some pics of the nasty bed I started with. Unbolted the bed sides from the floor and the front, Stripped them with grinder with a wire wheel, OUCH, ouch and OUCH!. Welded up all the seems, chain holes and notch for tail gate. Sorry pics are not better, but I was just snapping a few pics for my own. This thread was an after thought. The seem that runs the hole length of the bed needs to be a sharp V, so we drilled small holes in the
V, but not all the way through to the inside. Filled the holes with weld and ground the rest smooth again. Time consumming, but it needs to be a sharp V to match the doors and cab. Seeeeeems to work?. " IT'S JUST A WORK TRUCK!".