1951 Project underway

[pgf545]

Bret, Yeah I am doing the drivers side. The PO must of had the door open and backed into something. The original door was folded up against the cowl so I am going to have to do some "Mod" work. Hopefully the weather will be ok next week so I can play a few days. Some on the truck and some on the Camaro.

Bernie

[bretcopsey]

Originally Posted by pgf545

Bret, Yeah I am doing the drivers side. The PO must of had the door open and backed into something. The original door was folded up against the cowl so I am going to have to do some "Mod" work. Hopefully the weather will be ok next week so I can play a few days. Some on the truck and some on the Camaro.

Bernie

I guess I was "lucky?" as my cowl was removed to patch somweone else's truck years ago. I mainly just had to do some cleanup along the upper seam-they had cut it off just below the spotwelded flange. There was also a little work needed on the inner cowl panel. I'll get a bunch of pictures for you.

I also didn't notice the 69 Camaro in your signature; I've got a 68! I don't have time to work on both though-wife, four kids & keeping up on the house limit my playtime.

[pgf545]

I have 3 boys, but they are older. The oldest one is in the Navy in California and the other 2 are in high school so I am begining to get a little more time to mess with my car projects that have been sitting around for years...lol.

I am going to start on the floor on the truck this weekend and I am also going to replace the inner cowl panels. I really wanted to mount the doors before I started so that I could keep an eye on the gaps to make sure that it wasn't sagging. I got the pass side on with no problems but the drivers door is going to be a problem. I am going to try and straighten the hinge mount area first then retry the door...hopefully that will work and serve the purpose for this floor job then I can do the outer cowl.

Bernie

[bretcopsey]

Well, it's been a couple weeks since an update. I have moved on to the interior of the cab. Started cleaning up the dash.

[imarodder]

Looks like I'm not the only one that is tackling a bigger project than i thought when i started,I'm still fixing the front bottom of my cab(almost everything)floor,supports,inner/outer cowl,kick panels,and some lower hinge panel.Looks like you going along at a good pace,keep the pics coming..

[watahyahknow]

nice idea with the fosforic acid i have to see if its available here in the netherlands , you could've done the cab with help of a cheap swimmingpool two or three showerheads to keep it all wet and a couple of cheap plastic showercurtans hung around it to keep the acid inside the pool

[52streetrod]

Originally Posted by imarodder

Looks like I'm not the only one that is tackling a bigger project than i thought when i started,I'm still fixing the front bottom of my cab(almost everything)floor,supports,inner/outer cowl,kick panels,and some lower hinge panel.Looks like you going along at a good pace,keep the pics coming..

brother we know the feeling... your sig says it all

[phantom dually]

Nice work so far.

[bretcopsey]

I've spent some time out in the nice weather we've bee having. Here's an update.

[bretcopsey]

I had been de-rusting the cab and was waiting until it was all done. But then it sat for several weeks as I was unable to work on it and began to rust again. So, I started at the top and worked down. At the end of the day I primered whatever was done.

The pass side cowl vent was destroyed, so I decided to fill it.

[skools out]

Hey Had you thought about placing your truck body on a 1974 to 1980 frame? The frame is only 1 inch longer wheel base, The best part is the cab will bolt to the original mount locations on the rear of the cab. You're truck is looking great.

[cwebb]

Your truck project's great to see.

I saw your 'starter' image, and thought I was looking at my truck - same paint color, same rust. Mine's a 52 GMC, from Montana, has been in western NY for 23 years, but has seen no winter salt. It's funny to see both yours and Low84's are the same color as mine. Not a lot of color choices that year, I spose.

It's time for me to start the restore too.

Thanks for giving me hope, and providing the pointers on the surface rust. I hadn't realized that I could use 'filler primer' to accomodate the pitting, I thought I'd have to sand it to smooth metal, which would leave a much thinner skin.

I'll be watching - thanks.

[Ed ke6bnl]

Originally Posted by watahyahknow

nice idea with the fosforic acid i have to see if its available here in the netherlands , you could've done the cab with help of a cheap swimmingpool two or three showerheads to keep it all wet and a couple of cheap plastic showercurtans hung around it to keep the acid inside the pool

I believe it is phosphoric acid.

phosphoric acid
n.

A clear colorless liquid, H3PO4, used in fertilizers, detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceutical

[watahyahknow]

for as far as i know we only can get the acid premixed with other stuff i might try a growshop cause they use it to chainge the ph of the fertilizer/water

[Smokejohnson]

Any updates?

[bretcopsey]

Originally Posted by Smokejohnson

Any updates?

Sorry, I just saw this post. I haven't worked on the truck much lately. I switched my focus back to my 68 Camaro for the time being. The truck cab needs block sanded and the mess I was making in the garage was tracking into the house too much for my wife's liking. So I decided to wait till it warms up so I can push it into the driveway and am now working on replacing the floor in my Camaro.

[watahyahknow]

Originally Posted by bretcopsey

Sorry, I just saw this post. I haven't worked on the truck much lately. I switched my focus back to my 68 Camaro for the time being. The truck cab needs block sanded and the mess I was making in the garage was tracking into the house too much for my wife's liking. So I decided to wait till it warms up so I can push it into the driveway and am now working on replacing the floor in my Camaro.

ylu could wet the garagefloor a bit and hose everything olut the door when the day is done that should safe you a lot of the dust .
making a curtain our of a sheet of plastic prolly helps too .

[bretcopsey]

Knocking the dust off of this thread...

If you note the date of the last update, 2008 was the beginning of several years of a rough state with the economy. I picked up a second job that was meant to be short term and turned into 5 years...

Anyhow, I was able to get back into this project as well as put some time into my Camaro within the past 6 months.

I built a rotisserie for the Camaro in an attempt to make more room in the garage. I used two HF engine hoists and two cheap three leg engine stands for materials. This pic shows the floors that I need to put in as well.

[bretcopsey]

Anyway, back to the truck. I ended up having to rework my clip install. Once that was completed I was able to drop the drive train back in so that I can begin reworking the firewall and floor. Fenderwell headers were all that I could get to work to leave enough clearance for the steering shaft. I was also able to fire this engine for the first time ever a couple weekends ago!

[bretcopsey]

Immediately next on my to do list is to trim the inner fenders for the headers and fabricate a radiator support. Then I'll be moving under the truck to run the exhaust and work out the drive shaft. If I get through those projects over the winter I'll be happy.

[Highsider]

That is one set of wild headers!

Thanks for the update.

[watahyahknow]

just youre classic set of gasser style fenderwell headers

[bretcopsey]

Straightened the garage up a little and had to take the truck down off the cribbing to move it deeper into the garage. Snapped a quick shot at ride height.

[bretcopsey]

Long way to go yet....

[bretcopsey]

So....in order to set the driveshaft length and work on the exhaust, I need to get the axle placement where I want it. And that required that I get the step notch done. Fabricated from 3"x5" .120 tubing.