Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...

[McMurphy]

very nice art man!
You gotta admire tattoo artists, their margin for error is Ohhhh so small !!
I dont think many people realize there is no pencil eraser, or white out, or fresh sheets of paper or canvas to start over or fix mistakes.
With tattoos you get one chance to get it right.

I applaude your work, as I fancy myself an artist of some sort .... LOL

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

very nice art man!
You gotta admire tattoo artists, their margin for error is Ohhhh so small !!
I dont think many people realize there is no pencil eraser, or white out, or fresh sheets of paper or canvas to start over or fix mistakes.
With tattoos you get one chance to get it right.

I applaude your work, as I fancy myself an artist of some sort .... LOL

Thanks Man! Started doing this 22 years ago while stationed in the Azores with the Air Force... Retired in 95 and now ink every day! I like what I see in your Art skills and especially in your Truck Building Skills...
Plan on pulling my Cab this weekend and that Tattoo is pre-payment for some Bodywork, seeing as I've never attempted Bodywork I get a chance to learn with someone who does this daily as well as grew up helping his Dad who has been in the Body biz for most of his life... I plan on learning as much as possible

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Thanks Man! Started doing this 22 years ago while stationed in the Azores with the Air Force... Retired in 95 and now ink every day! I like what I see in your Art skills and especially in your Truck Building Skills...
Plan on pulling my Cab this weekend and that Tattoo is pre-payment for some Bodywork, seeing as I've never attempted Bodywork I get a chance to learn with someone who does this daily as well as grew up helping his Dad who has been in the Body biz for most of his life... I plan on learning as much as possible

I envy you the hands on opportunity!!
All my blundering has been a product of me trying to mimic the awesome info here, and what I can find on YouTube LOL....
thanks for looking at my art, someday I hope to have more time to devote to it, I also think it is probably time I took a class and learned how to do some of that stuff (working with a pallette is beyond my ability to comprehend)

[markeb01]

Excellent. I’ve found trading skills also results in higher quality effort compared to paying a stranger that may have no real interest other than money. There's friendship, personal integrity, and commitment involved.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Excellent. I’ve found trading skills also results in higher quality effort compared to paying a stranger that may have no real interest other than money. There's friendship, personal integrity, and commitment involved.

I agree completely, I started learning the value of the barter system on my first job with the Air Force, I had a civilian supervisor who had enough connections to get things done sans all the red tape... Another plus is being able to call on a friend when something breaks and know that they will respond, and not because you are willing to empty your wallet! In other words, "Do unto others..."

[Ta2Don]

I saw a thread that showed a Stepside with 2 - 1965 Impala Taillights on a fender and my decision was made, I plan on one Light on each fender... Found two on Ebay, won them, now they are in pieces as I clean and paint.
Here are before shots... After will follow soon...

[Ta2Don]

Not alot accomplished this weekend other than starting the tail light restore and pulled the doors, prepping for the cab pull... This process is gonna be fun due to lack of concrete so it's time to go with the "necessity is the mother of invention" way of getting things done... Pics coming soon...

[Ta2Don]

Got the Tail Lights finished up...

[Ta2Don]

Started the Steering Column redo... Shaved the Gear Shift mounting point, first application of JB Weld

Thanks to inspiration from McMurphy's thread I pulled an E-Brake Pedal and Hood Pull from a donor truck...

[Ta2Don]

Today I was able to get the Driver's Side Vent Window rebuilt...

[Alan's Classic]

Did you use glass setting tape? If so what thickness was it and how did it do? I had fits with mine. Looks like you did a really nice job.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Did you use glass setting tape? If so what thickness was it and how did it do? I had fits with mine. Looks like you did a really nice job.
Posted via Mobile Device

Since I am no where near ready to re-install and they were worked on by PO I haven't replaced the tape that is already there, but will replace when I get ready to re-install... Thanks for the input Alan, much appreciated!

[62 Barnfind]

Getting ready to do my vent windows also. Do you need to order the rivets and tool to repair it? What all do I need to completed it?

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by 62 Barnfind

Getting ready to do my vent windows also. Do you need to order the rivets and tool to repair it? What all do I need to completed it?

Go to the 60-66 FAQ Index, page 1 and look up the "Wing or vent window rebuild" Go to the last page and check out post #69, Alan has a spot on write-up on redoing these... I purchased the Rivet tool, rivets and step rivets from Ecklers and the only thing I did was duct tape the rivet tool to a punch to allow me ease in doing the rivets at each end of the rigid strip. I believe Alan may have made his own rivet tool that was longer than the one I ordered... Any further ?s PM me, I'll be happy to answer.

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Go to the 60-66 FAQ Index, page 1 and look up the "Wing or vent window rebuild" Go to the last page and check out post #69, Alan has a spot on write-up on redoing these... I purchased the Rivet tool, rivets and step rivets from Ecklers and the only thing I did was duct tape the rivet tool to a punch to allow me ease in doing the rivets at each end of the rigid strip. I believe Alan may have made his own rivet tool that was longer than the one I ordered... Any further ?s PM me, I'll be happy to answer.

Thanks for the help!

[Ta2Don]

Thanks Man!!!

[McMurphy]

I watch your build man, this is good stuff.
Guys like you make me want to try this .... LOL

[Ta2Don]

Thanks Man... I'm glad this board is out here, a lot of the builds and builders out here have inspired me to attempt jobs I haven't thought of before, not to mention the opportunity to STEAL ideas, Thanks McMurphy!!!

Happy Turkey Day to ALL and GOD BLESS!!!!

[Ta2Don]

Got the steering column painted, now got to put it back together...

Then, maybe a step or two backwards... Pulled the cab to do some frame cleaning and prepping for bodywork and paint.
Since I didn't have enough of a concrete pad available we dug a trench to push the cherry picker into so we could roll the frame away once we had the cab lifted. My son had the idea due to the low stance of his car and dealing with ways to get a jack under it...

[Ta2Don]

Hard to see in the previous post, but my son dug out a trench for the cherry picker to sit down in so we could roll the frame out and the stand in... Worked like a charm. Here's a pic of his Miata and a pic of a Jack in a garage floor which was the inspiration for the cherry picker trench...

[Ta2Don]

Not much done recently, ordered and received some bits and pieces and pulled headlight brackets and buckets out today, found some damage on the pass side bracket and promptly straightened out the bends, gonna make a run to get sand blaster media tomorrow in preparation of stripping some paint and frame cleaning...

[Bomp]

I just can't get over how clean, rust free, your cab is. Especially the cab corners. I've squinted and scrutinized over the one pic of the cab in the air. Man thats clean.
You have one solid truck for your build.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Zane M

Looks great. The progress is impressive.

Thanks for the encouragement... been slowed a bit due to weather and time constraints, hoping to be able to post some progress over the next 2 days...

Originally Posted by Bomp

I just can't get over how clean, rust free, your cab is. Especially the cab corners. I've squinted and scrutinized over the one pic of the cab in the air. Man thats clean.
You have one solid truck for your build.

Not so sure about how solid they are beneath the paint, the underside reveals a few concerns, but will be blasting some paint soon to look for surprises...

[Zane M]

Looks great. The progress is impressive.

[Ta2Don]

Not much progress over this weekend for me, got some sand-blasting done on small parts... and prepped my cowl vents to replace the seals and also start the cable pull mods stolen from McMurphy... Sand-blasted and Primed the front Park Light Bezels, the PO had painted them black and they will be white on my color scheme. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL, GOD BLESS!!!