|
11-19-2013, 12:05 AM | #1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
This is my test end with the Cougar light boxes, and door resting in a spare grill face. Since I ordered new fenders anyways, I cut the orginals and used them as end caps/stands.
After it looked like my test "ends" would work, I went ahead and cut my original grill. The second one I had gotten seemed to be better and less warped or bent in the middle, so my original got to donate the "ends" or the door cover part of the grill. This is after the bending and welding: Here is the d-side, and how it welded up sweet as pie: And the d-side again with my weld job all cleaned up: With all the banging and rough working I figured this piece was going to go through, I left the ends on until the last possible moment to try and minimize bending and warpage. Here I have done my initial hammer and dolly work to beat out the "C" "H" and "E" on the p-side, which I mirrored on the d-side. In retrospect I think I should have made some relief cuts with my dremmel and welded them up to smooth out these letters as it turned out to be quite the chore. However this was before I really knew how much time I was going to spend with my dremmel on this project. So there you go, this is today's update on this craziness...
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
11-19-2013, 12:19 AM | #2 | |||||
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Thanks Greg, you know I am your #1 fan too !!
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Always good to see you checking in on me LowElco!! I think you been in on this since the start.... Its coming !! Gotta give you guys time to digest all this so I dont over load you !! Quote:
Not really sure what to say to that, I hope you like it. Though I realize I am chopping the hell out of one of these trucks to suit myself; but in the end I guess I am the one that has to be seen in it... It is going to be kinda fun at car shows though, I think..... hahahahahah
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
|||||
11-19-2013, 09:36 AM | #3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Indep, MO
Posts: 5,893
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
It'll be like a phantom grille, only rolling the ends like a cougar, or '60's Camaro, correct? That oughta be cool!
__________________
Boppa's Old Yeller Truck Build, Old Yeller's New Heart! Project Buzz Bomb Flyin' Low! |
11-19-2013, 09:53 AM | #4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: fayetteville nc
Posts: 10,338
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Grill is coming out great. Can't wait to see the finished product.
__________________
1963 Short bed step side SBW 427 big block and borg warner T-16 HD 3 speed manual http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=519869 1963 Short bed fleetside BBW 348 1st gen big block w/Powerglide http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=619024 1964 Short bed trailer |
11-19-2013, 12:00 PM | #5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Selkirk Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,141
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
are you going to change the headlights to square ?
__________________
My 63 GMC Panel Slow Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post5457281 63 |
11-19-2013, 05:49 PM | #6 | ||
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Quote:
Quote:
Yes as you can see in one of the mock up photos, I will be using the rectangle headlights from the '85 Sierra. I think they will look more natural with the squared off lines of the grill than round ones would.
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
||
11-23-2013, 12:16 AM | #7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Just some more progress photos as we settle into the weekend !!
Here is how the two end pieces came out with the ends capped and the letters hammered out. They have since taken a lot more tweaking, massaging, time and attention, but looking at this grill mod I think I could see myself doing this again just as a center grill and doing something else with the headlights. In the process of mocking this project up, I realized the original face where the headlights mounted was too countoured for me to work with. I am not so good with engineer math.... This was the initial cut for the doors to swing up into. So I really wanted to make this fill panel one piece, but my sheet steel was not big enough. Here is the two piece I had to go with: Then it was a matter of hanging the face and marking it all up with measurements and land marks. I didnt know from the git-go how this was all going to work out, but I did know that I was not going to mess with my radiator mount pillars.... This last one is just a glam shot... I think it looks pretty cool like this.
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
11-23-2013, 12:22 AM | #8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Searcy, AR
Posts: 4,203
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
__________________
DON Proverbs 27:17 US Air Force Retarded errr Retired My '65 Stepper Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=533920 My '60 Rusty Patina Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...66#post7402266 My '72 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...59#post7204359 SOLD |
11-23-2013, 11:08 AM | #9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, otherwise known as Beer City U.S.A.
Posts: 1,081
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Whoa!
Murph, what a super cool idea! I am watchin' patiently for distinctive looking results! what a handfull of work!
__________________
My Build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=512904 |
11-23-2013, 02:32 PM | #10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Selkirk Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,141
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
pretty cool so far
__________________
My 63 GMC Panel Slow Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post5457281 63 |
11-23-2013, 09:17 PM | #11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Donaldsonville, La.
Posts: 1,024
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Looking good
|
11-24-2013, 06:04 PM | #12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Alaska
Posts: 405
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Wow, it is looking good. I am interested in how you will get it to look all together. Thanks for the update and pictures. Keep up the amazing work!
__________________
C@rnut001 (Owen) Alaskan Members Check In http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...22#post5094422 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...18#post6778618 |
12-03-2013, 11:59 PM | #13 | ||
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
back at ya Don !!
Quote:
Thanks guys ! Quote:
************************************************************************************ I meant to update BEFORE the holiday, but got too motivated to work on it... Then I meant to update DURING the holiday weekend, but was so motivated that I worked up to the last moment each day... Then I meant to update AFTER the weekend, but .... Well here we are finally I guess: There ended up being 4 parts to this project (and I almost added a fifth part today but undid it and hung it back on the wall for another day) The Face what the headlights and grill mounted to, the Grill, the Headlights, and the Air Dam. One of the corners I worked myself into was not bringing many of these parts or phases of this mod together soon enough, then had to undo some stuff once I did... A friend of mine has a very sweet TransAm, and the PONTIAC lit up on the tail always caught my eye, so I wanted my CHEVROLET in my grill to do the same. These photos are my test piece. I chose the [R] because I knew it would be the most challenging letter in the bunch. I taped it off to accent the edges of the stamped letter in the metal. Using a very small drill bit, I punched the corners and stop points that would be important. Then I removed the tape so it would not bog down my dremmel tool This is after just cutting with the dremmel, with a piece of green tape across the back side This is with the LED strip lights behind it, to show the letter off.
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
||
12-04-2013, 12:23 AM | #14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Then it was time to pull the trigger on the full size center section of what would be my new grill.
This time I used a larger drill bit on the [R] [O] and [C] letters to cut out those curves more naturally. It seemed to work out well. Then I had to mod up a light box for the LED strips to go in, that would be leak proof so that the light only spilled out where I wanted it to, and not light up my entire grill and radiator. Since I wanted something I could access later, I welded in these extension nuts: Then it was fun and wacky times with 1/8" thick plexiglass. This stuff has form memory, so if you heat it and leave it, it will cool back to its original shape. If you heat it, and rapidly cool it, it will keep the shape you want it to. Until you heat it up again, then it will go back to its original shape again.... Le Sigh.... So this is me with my you-betcha heat gun, and a small sand bag on the bottom of some round stock. I would heat up and shape a letter, then set the sand bag on it, heat from the bottom some more, then let it set and cool while I started on a new letter further down the line. After it was all formed I stuck it in the blast cabinet and "frosted" one side of the plastic. Ok more later guys, chew on that for a bit, eh?
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
12-04-2013, 12:28 AM | #15 |
Senior Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Spokane Valley, WA
Posts: 8,356
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
The boundaries of your imagination boggle my mind! Very impressive, looking forward to the finished result for sure! I'm great at copying ideas. I can even improve on them. But thinking up stuff out of thin air has never been one of my gifts. Keep it up!
__________________
My Build Thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444502 |
12-04-2013, 04:02 PM | #16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Searcy, AR
Posts: 4,203
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
and what an AWESOME IDEA!!!
__________________
DON Proverbs 27:17 US Air Force Retarded errr Retired My '65 Stepper Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=533920 My '60 Rusty Patina Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...66#post7402266 My '72 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...59#post7204359 SOLD |
12-04-2013, 09:10 PM | #17 | |||
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Quote:
Quote:
Right now that is all I am going to say about that !! Thanks Low Elco... hope you like what comes next... Quote:
Just had to give myself a head start because it is quicker to post photos than it is to make progress and I knew some of you would be really digging this and spanning weeks between these photos seemed unfair to you all. [QUOTE=Ta2Don;6401623] and what an AWESOME IDEA!!!QUOTE] Thank you Don, hope you like !! ***************************************************************************************** My loving wife went into Fairbanks and looked high and low and could not find any colored clear coat, like the Night Shades line. I was at the local hardware store a few days later and saw this Krylon Fusion for plastics and gave it a try. It certainly laid down nice: Sometimes stock is just fine, but then you look at other stuff and think, I dont like that.... so I made a new center support for my grill merely because the stock one was too wide of a profile behind my grill. You will also note that mine will screw to the face. My light box ended up being a 3 piece shown here with the LED strip lights already glued in: And lit up for you of course:
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
|||
12-04-2013, 09:22 PM | #18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Here is the light box installed (thumb tight only) You may notice my end support/mounting brackets on each side. I drilled the face to take square nylon set nuts. I am going to sleeve the mounting screws with rubber vacuum hose to provide some back pressure, and with this grill mounted soild to the Face at the center, these end mounts will not only stabilze the grill, but with the nylon nuts, and the rubber sleeves, give me 4 points of adjustment to (hopefully) ensure proper alignment with the head light doors. I mean it just would not do to have all this work, and not have my grill look as much like one piece as possible.
And a close up of the center junction where my wires all come out:
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
12-04-2013, 10:04 PM | #19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 2,425
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Here it is all lit up for you guys.
This is only with one set of the LED strips, though I got two sets; one to run along the top of the letters, and one along the bottom. I realize these look plenty bright enough on camera, inside my dark and frozen garage, but I think out in the sunshine ( ya not in Alaska ) the second set will be worth it. If in the end they are too bright, where the letters are unintelligible due to the light diffusion, then I will install a remote controlled dimmer my neighbor showed me for LEDs. At the end of the day I am pretty pleased with the way this phase of the project turned out, and as smoothly as it went. Cutting out all those letters with my dremmel tool took a solid 7 hours from start to finish, to include the purchase of a set of mini files to clean up some of the tighter letter bodies and corners. The light box has been set aside now awaiting final install as I work up other phases of this project. As always, thanks for looking guys !! I appreciate all the comments, and if you think I am just silly or mad as a hatter that is Ok too !!
__________________
Michael McMurphy My 66 Stepside My 64 Tow Truck My 66 Tempest Table Of Contents Added to Page1 |
12-04-2013, 11:35 AM | #20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Selkirk Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,141
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
very very cool ..did you think about doing the tail gate also ? red ?
__________________
My 63 GMC Panel Slow Build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post5457281 63 |
12-04-2013, 01:43 PM | #21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Indep, MO
Posts: 5,893
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Not nice to tease! That's gonna be neat!
__________________
Boppa's Old Yeller Truck Build, Old Yeller's New Heart! Project Buzz Bomb Flyin' Low! |
12-04-2013, 02:37 PM | #22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: fayetteville nc
Posts: 10,338
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Great work on the grill and support. Can't wait to see the finished product.
__________________
1963 Short bed step side SBW 427 big block and borg warner T-16 HD 3 speed manual http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=519869 1963 Short bed fleetside BBW 348 1st gen big block w/Powerglide http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=619024 1964 Short bed trailer |
12-04-2013, 10:37 PM | #23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Searcy, AR
Posts: 4,203
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Murph…. Dude….
All I can say is...
__________________
DON Proverbs 27:17 US Air Force Retarded errr Retired My '65 Stepper Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=533920 My '60 Rusty Patina Build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...66#post7402266 My '72 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...59#post7204359 SOLD |
12-04-2013, 11:02 PM | #24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: .
Posts: 3,104
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Cutting sometiN' up to make it KooLer!
Dude. I LiKe iT! |
12-04-2013, 11:59 PM | #25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Leander, TX
Posts: 969
|
Re: Not Another Rebuild Thread....
Wow 7 hours of cutting. That is brutal. Worth the effort in the end though. Looks awesome.
Bret
__________________
64' Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=586955 |
Bookmarks |
|
|