Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

I was truly worried about cancer in the rain gutter and/or "brow" areas of the cab. Turned out there was only a bit of cancer in the rain gutter and it is truly small. I'm pleased.


There is also some cancer at the bottom of both sides of the cowl but for 60 years it's actually not terrible.


As of right now BEFORE I've had the rest of the truck sandblasted I know there a small amount of rust through in the top roll of the bed front panel. And there doesn't APPEAR to be rust in the rear fenders - we'll see about that. The door bottoms have maybe a half dozen holes but they're very small, maybe 1/8" I treated those inside the door with phosphoric acid and Rustoleum anti rust primer, but now that I'm blasting the while truck, the very bottom flat areas of the doors will get cut out and replaced. But I think all this constitutes a nearly rust free truck in most parts of the country.

[Kim57]

Looks like it's in real good shape.
Kim

[ChuckDriver]

Not bad at all Dan, lots of clean metal for sure!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I was pleased when I saw it. Seeing metal that hasn't been bare in 60 years is kinda neat.

Hey, is there any way to find out what color my truck was originally? I was always under the impression there is not. Am I correct in that?

Oh and also on reconsideration I decided to have the truck primered by the paint guy that will be doing the truck. I'd planned on doing it myself but got to considering the time I have, etc and well,.....I wussed out!

So the truck is at the painter who has done three vintage VW's for my brother in law and I've been impressed with his work. While I was dropping off my cab I saw a '40 Ford pickup in its factory dark green whose cab had just been color sanded and the bed was being done. There was also an early Mustang in a brick red that was complete, just not reassembled and both looked great to my untrained eye.

[oldman3]

Dan, kind of late seeing this, but cab is in great shape, very little rust...Jim

[cameo]

From a Canadian's point of view, that is a rust free cab for sure. I wish. My truck would have been done 20 years ago if mine was like that.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks guys.

I really wondered if I would find problems in the inside steps, the headlight brows, etc. only one place was a surprise and I didn't get a picture of it. It's at the front of the passenger side door opening but it was repaired by torch in the past sometime. So even though it doesn't look all that good bare naked it was not visible under filler and I can tell the filler was very thin there. The ONLY place it was thin!

The story goes that the truck was made in the SoCal Van Nuys plant (did they really make trucks there?) and the original owner kept it til 1992 when he got too old to drive it anymore. I know I t sat til 2010 because it was not registered between '92 - '10. I bought it early in 2011 from the next owner who really did nothing to it, so I kinda/sorta feel like only the 2nd owner!

[Dan in Pasadena]

I went to The Car and Truck Shop today for cab corners. Stopped by the painter's to drop off them off and take a look at the primered cab. Looks great to me so far and I continue to be happy there is so little rust.


But it did turn out there were a couple very minor additional rust-through spots in the steps I'd not noticed before but nothing big enough to require replacement of the steps, whew! More like "bug holes":


The one other bad spot I told you guys about but had no picture of before is shown here. Someone did a bad repair on it years ago with a torch and bondo'd over it. But all in all its better they cut out the rusted metal and welded in new - even if poorly done - than just cover the rust to continue eating metal underneath. This will get cut out and replaced with a much better patch.

[Advanced Design]

Wow, very solid cab. Looks nice!

[focusedontheprize]

Cab looks great Dan. Looking forward to the progress!

[_Ogre]

But I think all this constitutes a nearly rust free truck in most parts of the country.

definitely!


here in se michigan that would be considered new old stock

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

here in se michigan that would be considered new old stock

EEK!

Have many of you guys dealt with rust through in the roof behind the gutter? Not so much in the "brow" - I know there's a lot of that.

I assume it's condensation between the outer cab roof skin and that 6" wide metal area all around the perimeter inside. It's not that humid here in SoCal but I kind of assume the glued on headliner and perimeter rubber piece keep what little condensation forms trapped, it rolls down the metal to the gutter area (inside) and the water mixed with dust makes "mud" that starts the rot process.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Stopped by the bodyshop today and they'd already cut out both cab corners and fabricated replacement metal for repair of the bottom of the kick panel. Turns out when the original owner repaired rot he cut out the outer corners but worded flat metal over the inner. It shows surface rust, borderline crusty but not rust-through. He will grind away these old patches and depending on what he sees will grind smooth and epoxy prime or cut out and replace.





I discussed using a Fiberglas cover (ugh) over the hole-y firewall to save the hours of bodywork and the cost. He said he'd prefer if I let him do the body work on the metal and thought he could do it for about the same amount so I'm happy with that. I'd much rather have the original embossed firewall panels than a fully flat firewall.

[Kim57]

Coming along nicely.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Kim!

Whatcha doing up at 4am? Lol

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, checked in on her today and went to drop off the glovebox, ashtray, heater and radio delete plates (I don't plan to use them, but want them to match eventual paint if needed) and the patch pieces for the extra radio holes the original owner put in.

Found the firewall holes are nearly done being filled; much to my pleasure, and the poor original cab corner patches had been ground off to reveal rusted but not cancerous inner cab corners below. Painter has also cut out the cancer in the bottom of the kick panels and has fabricated the patches, though they're not welded in yet.




In this picture ^^^ can someone remind me what the bolt is that is below the hood hinge bolts? I should remember but admit I don't. He wanted to fill them but I couldn't tell him what they were for so I told him to hold off. L

Also, what, did you guys with smooth firewalls do where that sheet metal retainer that holds the original fiber "washer" - I guess it's called - that the parking brake rod goes through? Should I close it off or leave it? Tentatively was going to leave the original parking brake lever but maybe there's a better option that'll show less? What did you guys do with the two square nuts right in the middle on the driver's side of the firewall?

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks Kim!

Whatcha doing up at 4am? Lol

I'm in Bulgaria and there is a ten hour time difference.
Looking forward to getting back home.
Firewall is coming along nicely.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ah....Bulgaria.....a veritable hotbed of classic truck restorations,

Take care Kim, come back safely. and don't fly Malaysia Airlines (too soon?)

[bowt1ed]

Dan,
Not sure if I remember what that hole was for, but I closed mine. Besides the hinge and battery bracket holes, and of course steering column, I closed them all (74, I think...). I will cut for a new firewall mounted booster/cylinder, so not worried about the two brace capture nuts right now. Here is what mine is like now. Haven't wiped or primed yet. Like many, wanted to leave the character lines of the firewall without all the holes. Cheers, Jim

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Ah....Bulgaria.....a veritable hotbed of classic truck restorations,

Take care Kim, come back safely. and don't fly Malaysia Airlines (too soon?)

We're flying Turkish Air.
Leave Saturday for home.
Kim

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

In this picture ^^^ can someone remind me what the bolt is that is below the hood hinge bolts? I should remember but admit I don't. He wanted to fill them but I couldn't tell him what they were for so I told him to hold off. L

Also, what, did you guys with smooth firewalls do where that sheet metal retainer that holds the original fiber "washer" - I guess it's called - that the parking brake rod goes through? Should I close it off or leave it? Tentatively was going to leave the original parking brake lever but maybe there's a better option that'll show less? What did you guys do with the two square nuts right in the middle on the driver's side of the firewall?

1. Bolt below the hood hinge. I just had a hole there and filled it, haven't run into anything that bolts there.
2. I used a different ebrake set up so filled that one too.
3. I replaced the two square nuts, and any other bolts required to hold stuff on the inside (I think they are for the dash support above the column) with elevator bolts (see photo below) welded to the cab side of the fire wall.

I only kept the throttle hole, hinge battery tray and stock fire wall ground bolt, welded up the other 43 holes (1/8 - 1.5 diameter). I kept the factory ridges, did not want the total smooth look.

[ChuckDriver]

Dan,
I removed everything from my firewall except the hinge holes. I also filled the dimmer switch hole, moved it inside the cab, higher up on the floor, using a factory bead in the floor to center it on so the wiring lays in it. The square nuts also can off and I tacked the support from the inside to the firewall.

I also used the elevator bolts to replace the holes that the factory firewall cover was mounted with the push through fasteners.

Don't remember where I saw it but have seen the stock e-brake handle used with a Lokar cable.

You should also reworked the hole for the steering column while you're at it!

Good luck!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

1. Bolt below the hood hinge. I just had a hole there and filled it, haven't run into anything that bolts there.

This seems to be the consensus, I'll just fill the holes.

Originally Posted by OrrieG

2. I used a different ebrake set up so filled that one too.
3. I replaced the two square nuts, and any other bolts required to hold stuff on the inside (I think they are for the dash support above the column) with elevator bolts (see photo below) welded to the cab side of the fire wall.

Can you tell me the size & thread of the elevator bolts, if you recall? So with the dash supports still in place I can simply substitute the elevator bolt for the existing bolts, THEN tack the edges of the flat head onto the firewall sheet metal and hack off the square nuts on the engine side?

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I only kept the throttle hole, hinge battery tray and stock fire wall ground bolt, welded up the other 43 holes (1/8 - 1.5 diameter). I kept the factory ridges, did not want the total smooth look.

Hmmm, where is the "stock fire wall ground bolt"? I'm planning to frame mount my battery. My throttle had three holes, well actually six because someone re-mounted it over 1/2" at some point. A hole for the rod and two bolt holes. He's fling them now and my throttle cable will come out of the cab lower then the firewall indent - I hope!

[ChuckDriver]

I think the "stock firewall ground bolt" is a nut welded to the floor on the inside to the right of the trans tunnel on the toe board.

I used it to ground the frame to cab and cab to engine.

[ChuckDriver]

Here: