Dutch '59 Fleetside Longbed

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Thanks Doug and Nev68!!

Nev, unfortunatly I have no room at home to build cars....
I have a small shed behind my house where I build motorcycles, here I have the lathe, drill, TIG welder and most of my tools. On the motocycle lift is currently my old Harley which I'm building in Bobber style, it's sold. Riding motorcycles is over for me unfortunatly....
The truck is at a friends house where we built a shop just for me
The metalbrake is homebuild and is there, it's not perfect but it does its job, with a little persuation
So, I'm lucky to have two shops

You are lucky you have a friend that let you build a workshop.
One thing I have learned is that your garage / workshop can never be too big.

We have a 4 car garage and now it is too small for me.
We are now looking at some land so I can have a bigger play space.

I like your progress. Keep it up.

[ptc]

Just like this Kees.... form a little box in the center and weld it into place.... cut your receiver hole and put the license plate holder over it.... flips down for the tow hitch!

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by ptc

Just like this Kees.... form a little box in the center and weld it into place.... cut your receiver hole and put the license plate holder over it.... flips down for the tow hitch!

Yep, that's about the plan right now

[RockinKees]

Today I cut a hole in my freshly build roll pan...
For a reason ofcourse



Made a recessed plate holder and drilled holes for the licenseplate lights





All welded and ground, no filler needed



Now wait for the hinges to come, then cut a new hole for the hitch and make a bracket for the electrical plug.

Next thing while waiting is making the coolant pipes and petrol filler door in the bed side.
The list is getting shorter (by the way, I don't smoke )

[Kim57]

Came out real nice.
Kim

[Advanced Design]

Nice metal work Kees! You are making great progress.

[reaper71]

Yes sir...looking good!!

Mark...

[oldman3]

Moving right along...Jim

[lower50's]

Nice job so far.

[RockinKees]

Thank you very much, Gentlemen!!

Did a bit of metalwork the last few days.
First the coolant pipes, these are the rough ones, its stainless steel:



The filler pipe for petrol, also stainless steel:



Next was bedtime
The fillerdoor for petrol and propane comes in the rightside of the bed:





Well, no way back now
At the scrapyard I had a fillerdoor from a Volkswagen Golf III (Rabbit), but that wasn't going to work. It's too small and too round at the edges. I think I only can use the spring hinge from it.



So, I must make my own steel bucket



No problem! Then the least fine job, making the holes...



Test fitting...



Tackweld in and look if it reaches my standards



I think so. On to weld it in...
Halfway through....



Fully welded:





Next time on to the door itself.
I'm getting there

[ptc]

Looking good metal man!!!!

With that huge license plate box you could have fit the gas filler, the propane filler, a hitch assembly and maybe a couple other hidden things behind there!!!!


I forgot how big the european plates were!!!

[Advanced Design]

Yeah, really nice work on the box build and install!

[RockinKees]

Thanks PTC!
Yes we have huge license plates

At the inspection I asked for US style plates, they call it 18.2 plates.
They wouldn't give it to me because I have already got a tow rate on my papers.....And they don't give it to commercial vehicles

You ought to know how many American "commercial vehicles" have those 18.2 plates...countless...
But what the h*ll, I've got my registration, and if you drive 80 mph, you won't see the plates

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Yeah, really nice work on the box build and install!

Thanks Doug!!!
I'll do my best!

[dug224]

Man, you're really moving along. Love the roll panel. I may have to do something similar. dug

[Kim57]

Coming along real nicely.
Kim

[RockinKees]

Kim, Dug, Thanks again!!

Managed to get the fillerdoor itself in.
It was a bit of a struggle to get it right, because the dimensions of the donorcar are, ofcourse, different as what I use
But it's in, only have to tweak it a little to get it perfect.

This is a part of the Volkswagen fillerdoor, only did use the spring loaded hinge:





I made the door out of 2 mm (14 gauge) steel, bent it a little to match the side of the bed





The door is welded to the hinge, the hinge is bolted to the box. I also welded in an angle iron with a rubber door stop.
Looks like a professional build

Next I welded all the holes shut, that the PO had made to screw his tonneau cover on....
It were only 83 holes....





The holes were everywhere

[Kim57]

Came out real nice.
Kim

[lower50's]

Wow filler door looks real nice. Factory like.

[RockinKees]

Have been busy with paint....

Before:





After:





Also cleaned the rough waterpipes a bit, painted them black en put them in:



Tomorrow is sanding bed again, and when time and body allows, paint again

[63split]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Have been busy with paint....



Also cleaned the rough waterpipes a bit, painted them black en put them in:



Tomorrow is sanding bed again, and when time and body allows, paint again

Hi Kees i see almost season ready

btw wy not both coolant hoses in full rubber ?
the lower one with a 90 degree piece and the upper with an straight hose with a loose steel spriral so you can bend it without collapsing

Sander,

[Advanced Design]

Nice looks upgrade with the paint Kees!

[dug224]

Water pipes look clean. Nice job. dug

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by 63split

Hi Kees i see almost season ready

btw wy not both coolant hoses in full rubber ?
the lower one with a 90 degree piece and the upper with an straight hose with a loose steel spriral so you can bend it without collapsing

Sander,

That'S easy, Sander, I really don't like those straight hoses (I got one, their ugly ). And the lower hose didn't work out in full rubber. Because of the angle the aluminium pipe from the rad makes, it's a bit upwards.

Btw, almost roadworthy.... You know I've got a million things to do.....you know that

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by dug224

Water pipes look clean. Nice job. dug

Thanks Dug!
I thought the same