Updated Project Pics - '61 Vette Pick Up

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

A little more progress...

Yowza! Must steal this idea. I've been trying to figure out how to clean up this part of my bed, and was contemplating some kind of bullet shape like this (only pointing rearward, of course...)



But I felt it was way too early '60's. I like the rounding effect you've done, and the way it doesn't fight the rolled top edge of the tailgate like my bullet idea would have.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

You definitely do! I spent 4 years at Luke Air Force base. Here in Oregon, I'd say there are a few weeks a year it comes in handy. But at this point with a lot of big ticket items yet to be purchased (shockwaves and air system, wheels/tires, Seats/Interior, Paint, Exhaust, Glass... The A/C is going to have to take a back seat. It is a hotrod anyway, right?

I think it's well beyond that, we've all stepped over to what some people call obsession. I keep telling my wife that I could have worse hobbies or habits...........

Rob

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by XXL

Yowza! Must steal this idea.

Go for it. It's one of the few things on this truck that's not my original idea. Saw it in a mag a few years ago. I did it to a '69 stepside I used to have too. Never finished the bed, and it got kinda beat up before these pics, but you'll get the idea:

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Go for it. It's one of the few things on this truck that's not my original idea. Saw it in a mag a few years ago. I did it to a '69 stepside I used to have too. Never finished the bed, and it got kinda beat up before these pics, but you'll get the idea:

Thanks for the extra pics. What did you use for that preformed piece? Just a chunk of exhaust pipe bend? Or??? Looks like it's got the perfect bend radius.

[Frizzle Fry]

They are the perfect bend, but a little big on the tubing diameter. The bed rail diameter is about 1-13/16" and the piece I use is 2". So I slice a section out of the inside of the bend and squeeze it down in a vice to the right diameter (height-wise as installed). Then I weld up the seam and install it. I have more pics of the installation if you'd like.

The piece I use is like this one in the pic. Click on the pic to go to a distributor's page. It's the 2" 90 degree elbow. They're kinda pricey, but they are perfect (as in no waves-consistent shape):

[Frizzle Fry]

Unfortunately I was given these peices a few years ago by an industrial contractor, so I can't tell you exactly where they came from. They are high purity vacuum parts. Here's more links:

http://www.kineticmotorsport.com/cat...c-168_178.html
http://www.vacuumparts.net/vpscatalo...gory_name=ERT0
http://www.vacuumparts.net/vpscatalo...gory_name=ERTT

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I think it's well beyond that, we've all stepped over to what some people call obsession. I keep telling my wife that I could have worse hobbies or habits...........

Rob

It's good wholesome fun for the family...

While my welder is out to lunch (still waiting on a new wire guide) I've been doing a few things that have been on the back burner. First the valve covers with before, during, and not-quite-done-yet-but-current pics. This shows the coil-pack bosses, welded holes after cutting/grinding them off, the welds levelled, and most of the surfaces sanded for polish prep:

[Frizzle Fry]

There are a few voids that will need to be filled with more welding, then finished.

[Frizzle Fry]

And one of my favorite little pieces... the oil cap a friend had made for me. It’s a press fit with a channeled o-ring:

[Frizzle Fry]

How 'bout a place to keep the electrical storage device:

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

While my welder is out to lunch (still waiting on a new wire guide)

I have been sidelined by the same gremlin ... but I'm packing up for a move to the next state, so things are grinding to a halt around here anyway. After I get settled in on the other end, I think I'm going to hunt down some of those vacuum bend pieces (I'll have to knock off a few corner stores to pay for them ) for the bed. Thanks for the links!

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by XXL

(I'll have to knock off a few corner stores to pay for them )

I know they're only $10-20 each, but for a bent piece of tubing... Well worth it once installed though. Good luck on the move. Better you than me

[Mordachai]

wondering where you're going to put the coil-packs?

[Frizzle Fry]

They will be mounted under the dash/console and feed through the firewall behind the engine with eight of these. The PCM will also be mounted there.

Link

[Mordachai]

sweet!

[Frizzle Fry]

I really need to invest in a good laser set...

[Frizzle Fry]

...

[Frizzle Fry]

one more...

[Mordachai]

That's just sick.
Great work, and really lookin sharp.
gonna inspire me to work on my 71 tomorrow.

Keep the pics comin!

[kyle4381]

This truck is going to be wild.. I can't wait to see it done.. Keep up the good work..

[XXL]

I like the 2-sided rear fender idea... but I'm trying to figure out the tailgate. Are you trying to make it functional? If yes, instead of cutting the fender profile into them and having a "jagged" tailgate, what about sectioning the inverted fender and attach it to the tailgate such that it tilts with the gate? Make sense? See line on pic... that would be the gap line in the inner fender and everything behind that would tilt with the tailgate. Maybe a little tough to deal with the 2 fenders mating with one another. OK... still thinking this through.

[Frizzle Fry]

Yeah I thought about that, but I want to weld the inner and outer fenders together so there's no seam. It'll just look like one fatty on each side. I'm still debating whether to make the gate functional or just weld it up clean and call it a day. Keeping it functional with hidden "bump-stops" and latches (all behind the fenders) would give it that extra cool factor.... I'm leaning that direction. If I do that I'll have to add structural support to the gate and build a channel for felt at the edges by the fenders. That would all be on the inside of the gate.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

It'll just look like one fatty on each side.

I was doing some pshop piddling on those pics and liked the rear fender look when I narrowed the inverted fender by about 50%. What prompted me to do this was that I removed the seam between the two and painted them in. Once it was one continuous fender, it looked too fat to me.

For the gate, I modeled little wing walls off the inside fender line that created a clean vertical line (actually rounded on the bottom corners) that would give you a clean tailgate line to work with rather than the jagged one you'll have if you cut the gate on your pen marks.

Obviously you will want to do what appeals to your own tastes... and it'll look great no matter what. Just rambling here...

[XXL]

Oops... see blue line. It'd give you a chance to rework that embossed area of the tailgate to fit the narrower gate area. And it'd be reallllllly cool if you put the "CHEVROLET" text back in the gate inside the embossed are... but then played with the word a little (I dunno... "Chevrovette" or maybe just "Chevy")

Oh, and quit reading my posts and go out there and work on the truck. We need update pics!

[Frizzle Fry]

Haha! great minds... I thought about doing the embossed Chevy. It's going to be too narrow for more letters than that at the correct size. I think once both sides are done and you can view the entire rear with the bumper I have planned they won't look too fat. The gate is already cut so there's no going back... well everything is reversible with enough work right?

Post up you PS pics. I could post a full rear shot for chopping.

I appreciate and welcome your insight and ideas as well as anyone else's.