pdx-sanity66

[MCCLELLAN103]

Thanks for the info, any new updates?

[pdxhall]

Well, between all the summer stuff I did, being back to work, and the heat, I have gotten very little done on my truck this summer but now that things are settling down I managed to get out in the garage again and got a little bit done. It's not much, but it's given me a some motivation to get going again. I cut the rust out of the passenger side kick panel and the corner of the floor and started to fit up the patch panels and made a couple of my own and actually got a small amount of welding done today. I'm hoping I can get most of the panels welded in tomorrow but here's the latest. This is the first patch panel I have ever made and welded on to anything. I'm pretty happy with it for a rookie.

[LostMy65]

Nice patching.
Posted via Mobile Device

[pdxhall]

Thanks. It's just a small start but I sat and looked at it off and on for a week before I built up the nerve to cut in to it and get started, but once I did there was no turninig back and I'm excited to continue.

[mark 66]

looking good. we spent a good part of our day yesterday doing almost the same thing. I wish our truck looked that clean to start with.these trucks are kinda like a huge erector set.cant get in a hurry. we found a patch panel that goes 7 inches in from sill and drops all the way down to bottom of rocker.length wise it goes from seam of toe board to rear cab corner.did you get the inner kick to? or are you going to make your own?

[idreama300]

Looking good. I just received my floor pans, outer floor patches, and rocker patches. Need to get going myself.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by mark 66

looking good. we spent a good part of our day yesterday doing almost the same thing. I wish our truck looked that clean to start with.these trucks are kinda like a huge erector set.cant get in a hurry. we found a patch panel that goes 7 inches in from sill and drops all the way down to bottom of rocker.length wise it goes from seam of toe board to rear cab corner.did you get the inner kick to? or are you going to make your own?

Yeah, I feel pretty lucky compared to some of the rust I've seen in these cabs. You can see in post #61 the patch panels I have ordered so far. I"ll probably need the same ones for the driver side. The floor panel doesn't quite reach to the seam where the floor meets the firewall, that is why I fabbed up the one piece you see above and I also have a piece I just welded in for the seam piece that's needed. I've done a rough cut out of the floor piece and started to fit it in place.
Once the floor is welded in I'll do the kick panel and then the bottom door brace. Then I'll clean up the original outer rocker and reinstall that. That will complete the passenger side and it's on to the driver side.
Sorry no pics today, I'm at work.

[ozzyman]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

The floor panel doesn't quite reach to the seam where the floor meets the firewall, that is why I fabbed up the one piece you see above and I also have a piece I just welded in for the seam piece that's needed.

I wonder if your talking about the same problem I ran into, The patch panel for my floor from LMC didn't have the right angle at the firewall and as it approaches the edge of the cab the floor is about 1" away from the firewall, I will need to make a patch for that are so the two will meet.

[mark 66]

Must be the way they were stamped. ours part fit exactly the same way.

[pdxhall]

Yeah, all the floor panels I saw when I was deciding who to buy from were the same way. I wish they were made to attach to the firewall but then they would probably mess that up too and it would be one more thing to fix.

[Frizzle Fry]

Subscribed. Nice Progress! Graveyard Shift: Been there, done that...

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Subscribed. Nice Progress! Graveyard Shift: Been there, done that...

Good to hear from you. I haven't seen you around for a while. Have you been working on other projects?

[pdxhall]

I didn't get as much done as I wanted this weekend but I managed to get the floor panel/inner rocker piece welded in that I've bee working on and started fitting up the inner kick panel patch to get welded in next.

[mark 66]

nice job. looking good

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

Good to hear from you. I haven't seen you around for a while. Have you been working on other projects?

Yep, the Minx is still in the works. Soon to test drive I was travelling quite a bit over the last year...

[theastronaut]

Love the cut down bench-to-bucket idea! The floor patch looks great too, I've got to do the same repair to Goldilocks eventually. I like the way you're saving the outer rocker, much better than using repro parts. Keep up the great work!

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Love the cut down bench-to-bucket idea! The floor patch looks great too, I've got to do the same repair to Goldilocks eventually. I like the way you're saving the outer rocker, much better than using repro parts. Keep up the great work!

Thanks John, I'm going to pick up some bench seats hopefully tomorrow and I'll have enough pieces to do it up right. I just mocked this one up to see how the dimensions are going to work out. This cutting, fitting, and welding body panels is all new to me. I'm learning as I go.
I'm a big fan of your work and I've been following Goldilocks since you started her. Your attention to details is where I'm trying to get someday.

Here's what I did this afternoon. The kick panel is fitted and ready to weld in tomorrow.

[theastronaut]

Thanks man. Your panel fitment looks spot on! The kick panel patch panel looks good in the pics, any advise about getting them to fit? Looks like everything lines up well, would you use them again or did you have to do alot of work to make them fit?

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Thanks man. Your panel fitment looks spot on! The kick panel patch panel looks good in the pics, any advise about getting them to fit? Looks like everything lines up well, would you use them again or did you have to do alot of work to make them fit?

Thanks, these panels fit very well. They're Triplus parts and I know a lot of repo parts are crap but these were the proper thickness and it took very little massaging to get them right. Maybe I was just lucky. The only thing I have found is that the bolt holes on both panels are a little off so if you go in to it with the idea of fittinig the panel and not the holes it's easier. They're close enough that I'll be able to drill them out a little when I bolt things together and it will be fine.
It would be nice to have the floor patch include the firewall seam but it's an easy piece to fab up if it's needed.

[theastronaut]

That sounds great, I had to make that panel from scratch on the blue '65 and it was a pain, glad the repro's fit well!

[Bomp]

Don't know how I've missed this build so far. Did a full read and subscribed. Looks great and I'm trying to get to this stage were your at.
Great build

[pdxhall]

I got a little more done on the passenger side. I got the lower door pillar patch fitted, welded in and ground down, and drilled out the 4 bolt holes so they all line up correctly. Finished welding the inner rocker/floor panel along the vertical side, and started cleaning up and fitting the outer rocker. The outer rocker ended up having a couple of small places that I need to patch before it goes back on but the initial trial fit is great at the front and the rear is unchanged so it is fine. I also need to spray some epoxy primer on the bare stuff before the outer rocker goes back on. Then it's on to the driver side. I'm still looking for a driver side floor/firewall piece (toe board) so I don't have to fab one up. If anybody has a cab they are cutting up or parting out that has a rust free floor section that I can get a patch from, let me know.
I'll post some more pix soon.

[pdxhall]

I was getting pretty far down the list so I thought I'd better post an udate. No new pics yet but I had to weld some patches in 3 or 4 spots on the outer rocker where the rust was starting to eat through from the inside. I test fitted the rocker and it fits good. I guess my patching so far has been good. On my next days off I'm hoping to get it welded back on.
I took advantage of a decent day and shot some epoxy primer on the steering wheel and the roof top clearance lights I've been restoring. The wheel and the lights have been patched and sanded and now that they're primered I can get them prepped and painted during the rainy season.
Here are a couple of pics before primering. I'll get some more updated pics on my next days off.

[markeb01]

I love how you've adapted that horn button. Gives a real vintage quality to the wheel.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by markeb01

I love how you've adapted that horn button. Gives a real vintage quality to the wheel.

Thanks Mark, When I got the wheel the original horn button (plastic) was cracked so I was looking for a replacement. I found this one on ebay and decided to give it a try. A little modification and it fit great.