What Did You Do With Your Truck Today ?

[flatbed51]

About to double post........

[S10Fan]

Put a few hundred miles on my '50 Saturday! Went to the 2011 Rockabilly HotRod Rumble in Fredricksburg Va. Had a BLAST!


http://s430.photobucket.com/albums/q...0Rod%20Rumble/

http://youtu.be/qhQu5LfCSYI

[55metalmonkey]

Friday:
primered my fenders so that they wouldn't start to rust with the weather changing, and started to mediablast the inner fenders.

Saturday:
did a rough fit on the truck to make sure I wasn't out to lunch on my sheetmetal work, and trimmed the door gaps

Sunday:
fit the inner fender pieces and trimmed to fit over the upper A-arm
searched for hours and hours to find the tabs to attach the inner fenders to the firewall.... no luck

Got annoyed that I couldn't find them so I decieded to do a major clean up and re-organize myself/ shop (again)
Pushed the truck out, cleaned and washed the shop floor and started digging through all my stuff ..... still can't find them

Came home, cracked a beer and ate turkey till I fell alseep

[alden]

Put in seatbelts and took it for a 30 mile drive. Got a whopping 7mpg so I think it's time for a new carb.

[Dan in Pasadena]

No pic's just yet but on Sunday I finally got around to working on her. Sanded the hoodand roof for primer then decided to take on a longstadning need - chip outthe fractured sealant in the rain gutters. I use my trusty heat gun and a sharpened, cheap Chinese screwdriver and that stuff came out fairly easily. Very, very minor rusting in two places, basically where finger tips over the years gribbed the gutter from driver and passenger. (I wonder if there is a correlation? Skin oil + 50 years exposure = sealant breakdown?) Anyway, I MAY have to do some very minor repair or I may be able to get by with applying some KBS RUst stuff to it. Pic's later.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

No pic's just yet but on Sunday I finally got around to working on her. Sanded the hoodand roof for primer then decided to take on a longstadning need - chip outthe fractured sealant in the rain gutters. I use my trusty heat gun and a sharpened, cheap Chinese screwdriver and that stuff came out fairly easily. Very, very minor rusting in two places, basically where finger tips over the years gribbed the gutter from driver and passenger. (I wonder if there is a correlation? Skin oil + 50 years exposure = sealant breakdown?) Anyway, I MAY have to do some very minor repair or I may be able to get by with applying some KBS RUst stuff to it. Pic's later.

it should still be good after all it's only 50 years old.

[mknittle]

working on some rear suspension dimensions and clearances on old autocad. it's raining and I can't get in the shop.

[hb32]

Working on a T5 install for my 55 2nd series and keeping the 235.
I had to slightly contour the upper passenger side case and drill all 4 mounting holes out to 1/2 inch. I am using a spacer so I won`t have to trim the input shaft or retainer.


Cut both the stock shifter and factory and will weld them together to keep the factory look.






Here is where it all goes.


The shifter will sit back approximately 6 inches from it`s original position which brings it closer to the seat. I will also need to fill the hole in the cover and cut out a new one.

[FFredo]

Went to the local metal supply house and bought the needed 2X4 square tubing for the frame of the flatbed. Hope to have that finished this coming weekend.
Added new chrome outside mirrors and new chrome trim rings on the new wheels.

[mobileortho]

Spent the day welding up the hood seam.

[jocko]

[QUOTE=hb32;4946131]Working on a T5 install for my 55 2nd series and keeping the 235.
I had to slightly contour the upper passenger side case and drill all 4 mounting holes out to 1/2 inch. I am using a spacer so I won`t have to trim the input shaft or retainer.


hb, I noticed you solved the problem of actually getting the upper bolt on the pax side into the hole with a grinder! I had to do some similar stuff as well on my T5. One thing I found that helped tremendously in the actual install was to use a allen head bolt instead of a hex head because it's darn near impossible to get a wrench around that hex head half inch bolt. Here's a quick pic. I still had to grind the bolt head circumference a little to get it into the hole (i.e. just like you had to grind the case a little - either way works). But once in the install process, the allen head bolt saved the day because you can easily get an allen wrench on it.

Another thing I ran into (never realized that on these old trucks the lower 2 trans mount bolts actually were installed from fwd to aft, i.e. pointing aft and the lower holes are not tapped in the bell - they are actually tapped in the trans, duh...) - but when I installed my astro van pressure plate - I noticed it was significantly thicker than the original (which is ok because the kit's release bearing is proportionately thinner also, so it all comes out in the wash) - but the end result was there was no way I could insert the bolts pointing backwards because when it's all together, the pressure plate is in the way. But it was ok, I just reversed it so the nut is now inside the bell hsg. Doesn't really matter since the T5 is not tapped like our old truck trans's are and you have to use a bolt/nut arrangement, which I see you already have. but just wanted to comment becasue I didn't discover that I couldn't get a bolt in from the front side of the bell due to a thicker pressure plate than my original until I actually was into the install and all greasy already - had to get up and make my 87th trip to the local hardware store for a new bolt...

[Coupeguy2001]

Engine and trans in permanently.
completed the cooling system.
driveshaft in.
Threaded the alternator holes in the sepentine belt brackets to use an S-10 alternator. started started sorting out the wiring snakes.
hooked up the throttle
made the hydroboost pressure line from the pump. Gotta take it to a hose shop to have a high pressure rubber hose section installed in it and the rubber o ring fitting flared on the end.
fabricated a blank off plate for the A/C compressor to keep it clean.
Installed the heater shut-off valve and slid the original heater cable into the cab.
I found an original defrost outlet for a cheap heater that will allow me to use the deluxe heater control with the cheap heater and clear the defrost ducts.
Now I have to integrate the cheap heater with the A/C. The defrost outlet goes left and back instead of just "up".
Found a switch that will mount on the heater control valve that will shut off the heater fan and energize the A/C fan and still use the same fan switch on the deluxe heater control for both heater and A/C. Made a little bracket to hold it. THe heater control cable will move the switch at the same time shutting off the heater water valve.

blasted the upper and lower grille sheetmetal and primed them and painted the outer bumper supports.

[hb32]

Originally Posted by jocko

hb, I noticed you solved the problem of actually getting the upper bolt on the pax side into the hole with a grinder! I had to do some similar stuff as well on my T5. One thing I found that helped tremendously in the actual install was to use a allen head bolt instead of a hex head because it's darn near impossible to get a wrench around that hex head half inch bolt. Here's a quick pic. I still had to grind the bolt head circumference a little to get it into the hole (i.e. just like you had to grind the case a little - either way works). But once in the install process, the allen head bolt saved the day because you can easily get an allen wrench on it.

Another thing I ran into (never realized that on these old trucks the lower 2 trans mount bolts actually were installed from fwd to aft, i.e. pointing aft and the lower holes are not tapped in the bell - they are actually tapped in the trans, duh...) - but when I installed my astro van pressure plate - I noticed it was significantly thicker than the original (which is ok because the kit's release bearing is proportionately thinner also, so it all comes out in the wash) - but the end result was there was no way I could insert the bolts pointing backwards because when it's all together, the pressure plate is in the way. But it was ok, I just reversed it so the nut is now inside the bell hsg. Doesn't really matter since the T5 is not tapped like our old truck trans's are and you have to use a bolt/nut arrangement, which I see you already have. but just wanted to comment becasue I didn't discover that I couldn't get a bolt in from the front side of the bell due to a thicker pressure plate than my original until I actually was into the install and all greasy already - had to get up and make my 87th trip to the local hardware store for a new bolt...

Thanks and had thought of using a internal wrenching bolt but had the grade 8`s from another project at hand. When I got the trans, I pullled 2 on the same day, one had torx drive bolts, which I suspect was the fix from GM which won`t work in our case as they are metric, and the other was missing that bolt. I ground down a 3/4 wrench for clearance and appears to have solved that issue. Found out on removal about the lower bolts and will install with the nut on the trans side so should have no issues with the clearance.
I hope to have it all back together shortly and then need to find a drive shaft.
What did you use?

[kgmunro]

Did some welding on the camaro subframe for my 57 today...soon the body can be mounted!!

[55metalmonkey]

finnaly hunted down the %^*& tabs for the firewall after 2 days of tearing through my parts storage and cleaning up looking for them
media blasted them and a few other parts and PORing them tonight... on the bright side the shop is clean now

[hb32]

Did the front hub tapered roller bearing conversion.

[Purec4]

Made a templet and cut out my first kickpanel for the drivers side. Had to use a cutting wheel as the air cutter broke the blade on contact with the sheet metal. It won't cut 18 ga. like the said it would.... Big suprise HF tools. At any rate came out pretty good, work on the floor panel tonight. Thinking of making it in one piece instaead of two. Since I need to go up the fire wall about 10" or so. any thoughts?

[Atommik]

I do bodywork for a living and I bring in parts from my project (51 Chevy 1/2 ton) to work on during lunch break, after work etc...Finished the bodywork and priming of one of the fenders!! I fixed the worst one first, so hopefully the next 3 won't seem so bad...

[Atomsplitter]

I had all my extra trim pieces for sale such as 2-1/2 sets of SS windshield trim, SS door trim inside & out, 3 sets of headliner bows, lower fender repair patches, front valance, etc...all kinds of small stuff. All used parts.
One guy is picking it ALL up and paying me what I was asking, $560, no haggling. I would have taken $3-400 but I like his style.
Woo Hoo, here comes my new MIG welder!

[51 okie]

Well for the last couple days I've been adapting the bed wood from a 50 panel truck that my buddy doesn't want. I'm hoping to finish my bed today. He's doing a full on resto. 15yr project

[ScottyB]

This last weekend we installed a plywood bed floor and a hinged bed cover. Its not fancy but its clean and I am happy with it. I left the gas cap slightly elevated for now because I think I will put a rubber mat over the wood.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Scotty B, I like your truck. How did you make the bed cover? And also, how is your truck lowered? Static, bags, or what's happening?

[ScottyB]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Scotty B, I like your truck. How did you make the bed cover? And also, how is your truck lowered? Static, bags, or what's happening?

I bought the cover from Craftec. It was easy to assembly and install. The frame is C notched and sits on TCI leaf springs with 4" lowering blocks.

You can see more here: ScottB 51Chevy Build Pics

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ScottyB

I bought the cover from Craftec. It was easy to assembly and install. The frame is C notched and sits on TCI leaf springs with 4" lowering blocks.

You can see more here: ScottB 51Chevy Build Pics

Looked through all your photos and I have to say I thought the truck looked pretty good before you did anything! Now it just looks better. A couple more questions if you don't mind:

The Mustang tank has a collet or ring type mount for the sender (MOst old Ford tanks do so I assume its the same) but the Chevy sender has the five bolt holes to mount it so how'd you get these two to "marry up"? Can you post a close up photo? Are the TCI rear springs "lowering springs"? If so, how many inches and then you added a lowering block also? Any issues with hitting, rubbing, anything? How is the front lowered, I saw no pic's.

[Purec4]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Looked through all your photos and I have to say I thought the truck looked pretty good before you did anything! Now it just looks better. A couple more questions if you don't mind:

The Mustang tank has a collet or ring type mount for the sender (MOst old Ford tanks do so I assume its the same) but the Chevy sender has the five bolt holes to mount it so how'd you get these two to "marry up"? Can you post a close up photo? Are the TCI rear springs "lowering springs"? If so, how many inches and then you added a lowering block also? Any issues with hitting, rubbing, anything? How is the front lowered, I saw no pic's.

DITTO..... inquiring minds need to know