My Pro Street '56 GMC Pick'em Up

[ezekiel]

BC Toy Chest,

In post #35, the photo of your cool new battery box reveals something about the setup of your welder.

It appears that the polarity of the welder is backwards.

I was using flux-core wire on a MIG welder that setup for gas welding. It took me a month to figure out why the welds looked like spaghetti.

If you don't have a polarity problem then the shielding gas isn't doing its job.

Nevertheless, cool project Man!

Z

[BC Toy chest]

ezekiel said:

BC Toy Chest,

In post #35, the photo of your cool new battery box reveals something about the setup of your welder.

It appears that the polarity of the welder is backwards.

I was using flux-core wire on a MIG welder that setup for gas welding. It took me a month to figure out why the welds looked like spaghetti.

If you don't have a polarity problem then the shielding gas isn't doing its job.

Nevertheless, cool project Man!

Z

Hey ezekiel That is a result of ugly welding. HAHAHA, I have it set up correctly, and was using my gas I have good days and I have bad days still new to welding. This welder unlike some others came set up for gas and I did not have to reveres the polarity. Believe me I have been out of gas before and I know the difference with spitting and splater. My problem was trying to be sure I was getting good penetration while joining the two metals together at a 90 degree angle. The plates are only .125" thick but I was still a little intimidated by the thickness. But hey when I finished I threw it on the ground a couple of times and it didn't fall apart, Thanks for the input. I welded a bracket on my frame with Kabwe' s 220 mig welder and with far less experience then him and it was like the thing welded on it's own. When money allows I will get one it seems to make life easier.
Thanks for the copliment on my project btw.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by BC Toy chest

I welded a bracket on my frame with Kabwe' s 220 mig welder and with far less experience then him and it was like the thing welded on it's own. When money allows I will get one it seems to make life easier.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Don't tell people I let you touch my welder, they may think we are friends.lol

[BC Toy chest]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Don't tell people I let you touch my welder, they may think we are friends.lol

OHH ! Didn't I tell you?...... after you help me with my welding on the frame I'm cuttin you loose.

[Kabwe]

That's why I'm not helping you, and you wonder why you don't have any friends.lol Remember you are the one that don't have friends, I only hang around to remind you that you are human.lol

[BC Toy chest]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

............and you wonder why you don't have any friends.lol Remember you are the one that don't have friends, I only hang around to remind you that you are human.lol

GRRRRRRRR

[BC Toy chest]

The last cruz nite before I take the truck back apart. If I had the money I would take my truck to a shop to have the lower hinge pockets replaced. OHH well that aint gona happen any time soon, so I set out to do it myself.

[BC Toy chest]

The last cruz nite before I take the truck back apart. If I had the money I would take my truck to a shop to have the rocker panels & lower hinge pockets replaced. OHH well that aint gona happen any time soon, so I set out to do it myself.

[Kabwe]

Kirk is going to be mad at you for putting all these pics of his Panel on a Chevy site.lol So now I can tell him the only thing right about him owning a ford is that it has pics on the best Chevy Truck site on the net.lol

You know how I feel about shops, do it yourself you are better off. You have cutoff wheels and a welder and talking about taking something to a shop. Have you lost your mind.lol

[americanmuscle]

nice truck and nice build. subscribed.

[BC Toy chest]

Originally Posted by americanmuscle

nice truck and nice build.

Thanks for droppin in americanmuscle.

[BC Toy chest]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

Kirk is going to be mad at you for putting all these pics of his Panel on a Chevy site.lol

You know how I feel about shops, do it yourself you are better off. You have cutoff wheels and a welder and talking about taking something to a shop. Have you lost your mind.lol

First off Kirk should be honored that the folks that drive the worlds best brand name in trucks and quality (Chevy / GMC) are pleased to share their space with a ford

Yes I know how you feel about shops you have made your self loud and clear..... "No shop is going to treat your ride the way you would" and your other favorite saying........" if you want it done right you gotta do it your self ". For me the hinge pocket and rocker panels and cab corners seemed pretty complex, then when a couple of shops told me between $780 -$1000 for a single hinge pocket, I said ohhh that doesn't look so hard, hahahaha. Plus I have the satisfaction knowing I did it myself and saved a gang of $$$

[BC Toy chest]

Before there were patch panels there was lots and lots of bondo And on some cars I worked on I found chicken wire and bondo
I used rivets to hold the rocker panel steady so I could weld it to the step then used my cut off wheel and drill with sanding disc to smooth out the welds.

[BC Toy chest]

For me the hinge pockets and rocker panels and cab corners seemed pretty complex, then when a couple of shops told me between $780 -$1000 for a single hinge pocket, I said ohhh that doesn't look so hard, hahahaha. Plus I have the satisfaction knowing I did it myself and saved a gang of $$$. After I do the left side hinge pocket and rocker panel then the bed comes off and I'll replace the cab corners.

[JML55]

Nice work.

[Kim57]

Nice work BC. I know what you mean about shops charging an arm and leg for work. That's why I end up doing it myself also. I'm real lucky on mine as the hinge pockets and cab corners were in good shape. Although there was a bunch more stuff that was shot.
Kim

[Tri5Nerd]

Nice work, you should start adding up how much $$$ you save by listening to the master and doing it youself. When he speaks you have to listen.

Tri5

[Kabwe]

looks like you are doing a good job to me and I'm glad you remembered my sayings.lol I told you, that you could do it, this stuff is not rocket science although some shops charge you like they are building you a rocket.lol

Tri5nerd,
I don't know about this master stuff I just know that no one cares about my rides as much as I do, so I would drive a shop crazy if they worked on my car. A guy told me he took his car to a shop that was suppose to great and he went to visit his ride and was totally shocked at the low quality of the repairs and he told the shop owner "Man give me the car back cause I can f*** up sh** myself".lol Thats how I feel I can mess it up myself and I will work harder to try and fix it also. Now I'm not saying that all shops are like this, but I know the ones that I could afford most likely do low quality work.lol Good work= learning to do it yourself, or having a really good friend who has skills and is willing to help, or just having a huge bank account.

[BC Toy chest]

Thanks JML55 , Kim57, Tri5Nerd for the compliments ohhh yes Master metal man Kabwe thank you for your advice, hahaha. Tri5 you know, you are absolutely correct I should add up every thing I have done based on what a shop would charge. I have no excuse for whinning about how much parts are lol I am saving so much doing it myself. I am not bashing the shops, don't get me wrong I just can't afford to go to them. But their level of craftsmenship on some of those rides motivate the little guys like us to strive to be on the level of the big boys and the rich boys. I posted pictures below of a truck I have been following on Flickr.com for a while. I finally got to take pictures of it at the 2010 Grand National Roadster Show @ Pomona. It's got one of the cleanest engine bays with no exposed wires I have ever seen. That is my main goal when I complete my truck, to have an engine comparment as nice as that one. Here are the pics. AINT SHE BAD?

[BC Toy chest]

Way back when I was under the impression I could get the hinge pockets done at a reasonable cost I went to Pick Your Parts and found a doner truck. At the time I did not think the new stubby little hinge pocket from Golden State Pick Ups would be enough metal to work with, so I cut out a left & right side pillar/ door jam section with upper and lower hinge pockets with a hammer and chisel. LOL I won't be doing that any more without an air chisel. Turns out the rust was not as bad as I thought so I will be using the stubby hinge pocket after all for the left side. I used the wrecking yard right side lower hinge pocket. I just cut it off the larger section of the donor part I cut out of the truck and welded it on to my truck.

[BC Toy chest]

More cutting, fixen & workin' and more KOOL trucks that have crossed my path.

[BC Toy chest]

More cutting, fixen & workin' and more KOOL trucks that have crossed my path.

[BC Toy chest]

More cutting, fixen & workin' and more KOOL trucks that have crossed my path.

[OKGMC4]

A man has to be really secure in his masculinity to drive a truck that color! Super nice nice trucks AND metal working.

[Fat Mike]

Really nice work and such a fast pace! You'll probably have your truck done in no time.