My Unexpected '66 SWB-Fleet-Restomod Project!

[Modges'66]

I didn't get alot accomplished this weekend, but since the cab & doors are pretty-much ready for paint, I decided to get them out of the way so that I could start on the box.
We took it in the "storage quarters" and set it on the frame...for the first time!
It seems that I have a small interference with the flange on the firewall.
I will fix it before it goes to paint.
You can see my dad with the attachment that he made for the cherry-picker for lifting the cab onto the frame,
It looks way to high sitting on the frame...Time to order the airbags.
Been kinda waiting for this moment to get some measurements.
Does anyone know what bags are the best for these trucks?

[Modges'66]

I'm gonna build a cart to support the box, but it is moved into the work area for It's serious work-over!

[McMurphy]

I missed your photos when your 4th page added.
Thanks for the How-To pics on your body line work! That will help a lot! I did some work to mine and what you showed me here will help me clean that up some.
Thanks!

I really like your custom dolly too, there are some times that I really wish I had the ability to make a dolly for the task I am doing.

I am grooving on your detail work, please feel free to post step by step pics of what you are doing/how you do it!
If you dont want to post them here, man my thread is wide open to ya!!

[Modges'66]

I haven't been able to work much on the truck for a bit, as life keeps getting in the way.
I got a cart fabbed-up for my box, & got the box mostly disassembled....Now I get the joy of some sand-blasting, & alot of sanding before any primer will be sprayed!

[Modges'66]

I got a chance to work on the box this past weekend, and while looking the box over I noticed that the rollpan that the PO had welded-in looked a little odd in a few places. upon some closer inspection, and attempting to put the tailgate into place, it was discovered that not only did the taigate not fit correctly, it didn't fit at all.
So, I then proceeded to cut the rollpan off with an abrasive wheel, so that I would be able to square-up the box sides with the box floor, resulting eventually with a tailgate that would fit....and fit properly.
Once that the rollpan was off, I used a porta-power, and a come-along to persuede the boxsides to regain squareness once again.
Now that the opening was square I started to fit the rollpan back into place. I tack-welded some pieces of angle iron onto the top edge of the tailgate, so that it would hang in place while I fitted the rollpan. This is when I noticed that if I were to weld it back into position where it previousley was fitted, the tailgate would collide with the rollpan upon opening the tailgate...It was definately positioned tooooo high. Also the rear box crossmember & the licence plate opening had some major intereference which was adding to the poor fit, so I am glad that I had cut it all off!
As you can see, it is all welded back into place, and the fit looks great.
I also made some little filler pieces for the bottom corners, and welded them in too, as I didn't like the way that it fit or looked. It looks good now though. I will slick it this weekend, along with plenty of other spots, and hopefully get some primer on it!

[Modges'66]

I've been working on a few things at he same time, but I got my rollpan pretty much worked out & primed.
Here are some pics!

[Modges'66]

I have also been working on my tailgate. It didn't have any major problems, with the exceptions of being twisted about a half inch, the logo area was dented out from the inside by about 3/16" between the H & O areas....If you call these items not major problems.
I spent approx 6 hours with a hammer & multiple dollys to get the logo area flat, along with flattening the spot-welded areas above & below with great sucess. I clamped the gate to a 1" thick steel bench & used a porta-power to get the twist out of it.
It turned out far better than expected!!
You can see in the first few pics the waves between spot-welds.
I also welded up the holes for the chains, as I will be using a hidden latch of some sort....
Some more pics

[Modges'66]

I also got quite a bit done on the box this weekend. I welded in a patch where one of the stake pockets must have been full of mud or somthing & rusted a hole in the box side. The PO must have thought that filling it with bondo was a good fix.
I drilled out the spot-welds & removed the pocket, cut the rusted portion out, then welded in a new patch.
I will wait till after I have some primer on the inside before welding the pocket back into place.
And more pics...

[Modges'66]

And some more pics!

[Modges'66]

And a few of my now-straight taigate resting in place!

[McMurphy]

Wow that back end looks good man !!
Smooth work.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Wow that back end looks good man !!
Smooth work.

Your build is lookin good too! Been keeping my eye on it daily!
I've got seams epoxied & outside of the box in primer, but haven't had the time to post photos yet.

[Modges'66]

I worked on cleaning-up the tailgate opening since I won't be using chains...
I welded in a few filler pieces I it turned out pretty nice.
If I would have spent a little more time with the welder, I bet I coulda metal-finished them!
Both sides came out just as nice!
Things are lookin up!

[Modges'66]

I also sealed the seams in the box using a epoxy panel adhesive.
this adhesive has a longer working time than epoxy seam-sealer, and is widely used in place of welding on van sides (very strong stuff!). Prior to doing this I noticed that many of the original welds to the outer panel never took-hold, so I drilled the original weld locations thru the first thickness & inserted a self-tapping sheet-metal screw to pull the panels together, then drilled a hole next to it to plug-weld the panels back together, while advancing down the panel until the problem was corrected.
The results were excellent!
I also got to add a fist coat of primer.
Moving forward to block-sanding soon!

[SFTorange]

Nice work! That roll pan looks nice.

[Modges'66]

This weekend I used a disc-grinder fitted with a twisted-wire wheel to clean the rusty-scale from inside the outer box-sides. What a messy job! With the temp in the 90's and the rust dust flyin around, as well as getting stuck with random wire bristles from the grinder, I couldn't think of anything that I would rather be doin!...Maybe I shouldn't have been shirtless & in shorts!
I definately didn't skimp on the safety-glasses though! The whole concept of gettin a wire bristle in the eye kinda scares me!
I also got to block-sand the driver's side & fix a few spots that I didn't previously see, and put another coat of primer on it...Really starting to look straight!

[Modges'66]

I decided to seal the seams on my tailgate using the structural body panel adhesive that I used on by box-side seams....Very time-consuming in order to do a nice job, but well worth it!
I also got sucked-in by my son to tint his tail light lenses for him...Hey, WAIT-A-MINUTE! I thought that it was Fathers-Day! Oh-well, we had a good time doing it anyway, and they turned out spectacular.

[Modges'66]

I finally received my hidden tailgate latches & got them installed last weekend...Not sure if I like them, or not.
I seems that someone unfamiliar with them could just try to close the tailgate & cause all-kinds of damage, if they don't retract them first, but, I don't know how often I will actually open the tailgate!
I welded a bung into the jamb to receive the latch...Not sure how anyone else is doing it.
I left about .060" gap for a rubber stop to keep it from rattling, and will probably make some nylon ramps for the sides of the opening to center-up the gate in the closed position.

[Modges'66]

I also spent a maaaaaajoooor amount of time block-sanding the box-sides....Probably in the excess of 6-7 hrs a side.
Can you say straight!?
On NOT one of the exterior panels on this build has the primer been sanded by a machine assisted devise.
This thing is far straighter than when it came off from the assembly line!
I can't wait to see color on it!
This is only rock-hard epoxy primer sanded with #320 grit!
Who doesn't want to see something like this after after all of their efforts!!!

[Modges'66]

WOW!
My dad had his truck out this past weekend for a show, so I took the opportunity to snap a few photos, as I didn't have any current ones.
It is hard to believe that it has been over 11 years since I did the finish bodywork & paint prep, and my buddy Tom painted it....My dad did almost all of the patchwork & rough work.
My buddy Tom will be painting my truck soon!
Dad's truck looks a little dated, but is still pretty cool for the 73 year-old guy that drives it!
He has been bragging about how well that he has been placing at the shows lately....I told him not to get used to it, and he responded by saying that his truck will be rusted-out by the time I get mine finished...We'll see about that!

[Modges'66]

And a few more pics!

[chad64chevy]

your truck is looking good! so is your dads truck, it is hard to believe thats a 11 yr. old paint job! really nice work you have been doing, keep it up!!

[CRGRS 66]

Had not seen your thread before today, mind if I follow along?
Nice mods, and workmanship BTW

[Modges'66]

Thanks a lot for stopping by guys!
I really appreciate your comments!
Sometimes it feels like nobody is even paying attention, but I know differently from the view numbers....I also know that I am very bad at posting on other peoples threads even though I am super-interested. I always blame it on being busy....Isn't everyone busy?
Hard for me to post though, I have no internet where I am currently living, so I need to either get to work early. or stay late to post items. This is soon to change!
Thanks again for the comments, not sure that a few criticisms may not be in order. I don't always do everything correctly, and I am always looking for better ways to do things!

[McMurphy]

Hang in there Modges!!
I can honestly tell you that I read every post when it is updated.
And especially yours!

Problem is you are doing a level of work I can only dream of doing, therefore I have no comments to make other than the normal bobble headed "Looking good"

Which by the way, it really is looking good LOL