Scott's '51 Build

[Scott2]

I just cut out the rear floor brace in my cab - it was cracked and in the way of seat belt mounts. I already added a couple of under floor 1x1 and 1x2 cross braces and plan to put another 1x2 under the rear.

My question relates to the bolt plate for the rear cab mounts. It was hidden behind the cross brace but now is sitting all alone on top of the floor (pic). I suppose I can trim the bolts flush, go around it with Dynamat or similar and then lay carpet over it. Anyone have better ideas?

[Scott2]

Got the wife to help strip out the dash this weekend. We pulled all the instruments and misc stuff out. There's a think layer of dirt inside the lower dash which got all over - mostly fell on her! She was a trooper and did a great job getting to all the small bolts for me.

When that was done we put the seat back and made a column/wheel mockup. Looks like a 32/33" column will do the trick.

I'm looking at a Flaming River or Ididit tilt column with column shift. I am also thinking hard about the key in the column plus the dimmer/wiper controls on the column. Any thoughts on these choices?

Also decided I like the seat (late '80's Chevy truck bench seat) about 1" raised. I'm thinking of just cutting a 1x1 tube and putting to under each side and running the seat bolts through it. Seems like that should work fine?

Thanks!

[Advanced Design]

Hey Scott,

Hopefully you have taken your wife out for a very nice dinner!

You have a good idea for working around the body mount plate. That should work out well.

Did you route your brake cables ok? On my truck I used a transmission mounted hand brake so the cables routed straight forward.

You also mentioned push lock connectors being difficult. Here is what Diceman, a member here put together.

[Scott2]

Doug,

Thanks for the response.

For the brake cables I think I'll hit the pick-a-part lot and get an e-brake pedal and cable, then use the Lokar connector that ties the cables together under the trans.

For the push lock fuel lines, I punted and bought the tool. I got myself in a pretty bad bicycle wreck in early October and ended up pretty beat up with a nasty concussion and a compression fracture of my T6 vertebrae, which makes straining and pushing hurt like hell. The tool is awesome and works great with no effort and I have somehow managed to develop amnesia about the cost. I like the tool your friend built, I probably should have done something similar.

[Advanced Design]

Wow, that was a nasty bike wreck. Hopefully you are bouncing back well.

I just ordered the tool from Koul tools while I was at PRI. Figured friends and I could make good use of it for a number of years.

Another brake cable option is http://www.controlcables.com. While I haven't ordered from them yet, other members doing builds have with good success.

[Scott2]

Doug,

Thanks for the response.

For the brake cables I think I'll hit the pick-a-part lot and get an e-brake pedal and cable, then use the Lokar connector that ties the cables together under the trans.

For the push lock fuel lines, I punted and bought the tool. I got myself in a pretty bad bicycle wreck in early October and ended up pretty beat up with a nasty concussion and a compression fracture of my T6 vertebrae, which makes straining and pushing hurt like hell. The tool is awesome and works great with no effort and I have somehow managed to develop amnesia about the cost. I like the tool your friend built, I probably should have done something similar.

[joedoh]

man I must be a lot taller, I put the ck seat in my 49 and its just an inch or two too tall for me, I cant imagine raising it!

make sure you get a for real column installed before you decide on seat position, thats my advice.

[Scott2]

I am in the process of ordering the column and will fit it before the seat is mounted. It felt pretty good but a little low until i put 1" spacers under it. I'm 5'10" and there's inches above my head so plenty of room to raise it slightly. I also need to look at the seat padding, it may be compressed a bit as well so need to know that before setting the height.

[Scott2]

I have a drop down battery box that I'm going to mount to the frame. I think it will go where the stock battery was but I have a couple of questions:

1) the truck will be about 5"-6" off the ground to the running boards when all done. I guess that means that I have to either jack up the truck to access it or try to dig under the carpet to get thru the original access? Thoughts on this?

2) wherever you mounted yours - if you had it to do over would you put it there again or somewhere else?

3) how did you mount it? I know it just gets bolted on but my frame is fully boxed. I may just weld in nutserts but I'm interested in other approaches?

Thanks!

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by Scott2

I am in the process of ordering the column and will fit it before the seat is mounted. It felt pretty good but a little low until i put 1" spacers under it. I'm 5'10" and there's inches above my head so plenty of room to raise it slightly. I also need to look at the seat padding, it may be compressed a bit as well so need to know that before setting the height.

Update - ordered a Flaming River column shift/key column plus the steering shaft, u-joints, and support. Ouch! Trying to ignore the cost and focus on the build.

For anyone who used a keyed column - what did you do with the original ignition switch hole?

Thanks!

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Scott2

I am in the process of ordering the column and will fit it before the seat is mounted. It felt pretty good but a little low until i put 1" spacers under it. I'm 5'10" and there's inches above my head so plenty of room to raise it slightly. I also need to look at the seat padding, it may be compressed a bit as well so need to know that before setting the height.

hmm, I am 5 11 and when I sit in the CK seat I have to duck to see traffic lights, and the rear view mirror is looking at the steel back wall of the cab and can only see the tailgate.

definitely put the column in before deciding on the seat height, the tilt on mine had to be up almost all the way, with a lower seat I would have had more adjustment.

and yes, the cigarette ilghter fits the ignition hole, I put two in the 49, one in the cig lighter hole and one in the ignition hole.

[Scott2]

Good thoughts on the ignition switch hole - I could really use a USB charging port and it should fit in there fine.

So I'm off this week and the big plan was to get an exhaust system installed. That meant mounting the bed which went well and then getting tires and wheels (just rollers) so I can get it on a trailer, which has been a giant pain. I sold the original chassis and got a new one from TCI and ended up with no wheels.

In past projects, it was always easy to find spares. I need a 5x4-3/4" bolt pattern on at least 15'' wheels and tires that hold air. I called all the local yards and they apparently have nothing that fits. Same for used tire/wheel shops. Same for Craigslist. Crap - so I hit the u-pull yards. There are acres of cars and what I discovered quickly is that despite them saying yes they have wheels and tires they all seem to immediately strip the rolling stock off. Anything aluminum that is really good might end up for sale in sets in the lobby, all else seem to go to recycle. The steel wheels are welded into jack stands to hold up the wrecks while they're stripped. So no luck.

Finally at my third or fourth yard I found an older big ass Caddy with wheels stuck back in a far corner. They were apparently still there because the lugs were rusted solid. After three trips there trying to get them off I finally rented a battery powered impact and with a ton of Liquid wrench they finally came loose. (Sidenote - the wrecking yard was Colorado Auto and Parts - (http://coloradoautoandparts.com) home of the '39 Plymouth truck with the airplane engine. It was in the lobby - very cool!)

I get the wheels home and then tried one on the rear. Of course the tire (205's) hit the bedside so I have to trim that out just to get the tires on. I was going to tub it anyhow but that's a project I was saving for another day.

Questions:

- Why are 15" or larger 5 x 4-3/4" bolt pattern wheels so hard to find? What am I missing? I spent the better part of two days calling and searching through piles of wheels and walking junkyards and all i found is one set that doesn't even fit right and cost me $140. They were supposed to be $200 but they gave me a "deal" - still seems like way too much for old wheels and mismatched crappy tires.

- For my mini-tubs I'm planning to use trailer fenders from Tractor Supply - the 30" version (http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...l?cm_vc=-10005) - does that make sense? Their 32" fenders seem too big.

- I made a template and marked it on the bedside so the top of the tub will be just below the center bolt of the outer fender. This means the second cross sill from the front will lose it's mounting point at the bed side - see the pic. What do I do with this?

Then I tried a wheel on the front end and damn it if the hub isn't too big for the wheel center! What a royal pain. I have no idea where to find wheels that fit. I may just grind out the wheel hub hole but that's no fun either. So much for exhaust!

[Flysocal]

I'm putting my cpp drop down battery box behind my tank. Move some weight to the rear and easier access. Haven't accomplished this yet so can't post a pic. As for the ignition hole you could easily weld it up. I put my vent there.

[solidaxel]

A charge port (cig lighter) should fit

[reaper71]

Damn that sucks man....It must be a Colorado thing cuz we have alot of 15" wheels around here

[solidaxel]

Here is how my new chassis rolled around when I got it........... I am finished with them!!
No clearance issues !

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Here is how my new chassis rolled around when I got it........... I am finished with them!!
No clearance issues !

That's pretty clever! With the motor, trans, cab and bed I might need another layer of plywood! Sweet chassis - looks killer!

[1952ssr]

Can't believe I'm not the only one trying to finish a basement and build a truck too. I tried to bargain with my wife that I would work one week on the truck and one week on the basement till it's finished. Just too many irons in the fire at my house. Did I mention I would rather sand bondo all day as opposed to drywall mud any day.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Here is how my new chassis rolled around when I got it........... I am finished with them!!
No clearance issues !

Great looking frame!

[Scott2]

Getting much more time in the garage now. Got my gas tank mounted with an angle welded on at the rear crossmember and added a small crossmember in the front. Used some weld in nutserts from Jegs to attach the rear of the stars and welded bolts thru the front crossmember for that end. Also had to trim up one of the cross sills to clear the tank and sending unit. I have a strip of 1/8" strap I'll weld alongside the sill to keep it solid.

Also cut the bedsides for tubs. Still not sure what size wheel/tire but decided it was a good time to do this, esp since the roller wheels rubbed against the bed. I found a pair of 60's truck inner wheel wells I may use for the tubs.

[Scott2]

In an earlier episode I had started on the pass side kick panel and cowl repairs. There was a bunch of rust and the cowl was caved in from the door. I removed the cowl and cleaned up the rust, started to replace to bottom of the hinge pillar and front of the rocker. Also put in a smaller patch in the kick panel area but still had issues above that area.

This time I was able to finish that work and then cut a patch for the rest of the kick panel and got it welded in. Then I set the new cowl in place and decided to shave the vent. That turned out OK and the cowl is now fully welded in. Just need to come back with a little filler for the previously leaded seam and also will put a thin layer over the vent patch.

[Scott2]

A few more pics of the cowl.these pics are right side up when I open them. Not sure why they're rotating...

[Advanced Design]

Scott, while I haven't checked yards around here I am going to guess 15 inch wheels 5 x 4 3/4 bolt pattern are pretty rare as those wheels haven't been used in production for a long time. I needed one wheel for a shop roller and I didn't want to fool around trying to find one somewhere, so I ordered a new ralley wheel from Jegs...$60, no fuss, here in 2 days.

For your wheel tub...I guess measure the trailer fenders to see what fits the best. For your crossmember mount reuse the existing flange (or make one) and plug weld to side of trailer fender. Of course your cross sill will need shortening the matching amount.

Or carefully slice the bed side out, move it in the needed amount and fill the gap with 19 gauge.

TCI chassis...cool! Must be a new acquisition?

[iowaboynca]

dang...solidaxel can you adopt me? you have all the cool toys!

Scott-how about fullsize GMs-maybe "B" body spares? can't remember when/if they went to "idiot" wheels (the spare donuts). I bring this up because I'm running a F*RD pattern cuz of the 8.8 and was thinking of running 17" crown vic spares. In the u pull it yards around here, a big chunk of the crown vics still had their full size spares in the back.
and yes that rotary engine in that truck was pretty cool

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by iowaboynca

dang...solidaxel can you adopt me? you have all the cool toys!

Scott-how about fullsize GMs-maybe "B" body spares? can't remember when/if they went to "idiot" wheels (the spare donuts). I bring this up because I'm running a F*RD pattern cuz of the 8.8 and was thinking of running 17" crown vic spares. In the u pull it yards around here, a big chunk of the crown vics still had their full size spares in the back.
and yes that rotary engine in that truck was pretty cool

Good thought - I just talked to the TCI guys and they also suggested a "universal" spare with multiple bolt patterns? I need to check that out.