1965 LWB Stepside Build

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks Christian...I think they are slightly different...but I will double check.

[roll_the_dice]

Finally got the passenger side kick panel carpet out today along with the remaining grommets out of the firewall and the cab firewall insulation. The insulation was damp...it rained this morning. I also knew that the front window leaked some...it's on my list to redo the window gasket. Anyway, pulled all that out and found a decent amount of surface rust. It isn't soft, so that is good. I will get it wire wheeled and get some Por 15 or the like on it and go from there. All in all, I have been pleased with taking the truck apart and the lack of major rust.

[Johns 66]

Glad its not soft like mine was....

[cwcarpenter98]

No problem man. My floor looks to be about the middle between solid and swiss cheese. Not pulling anything completely apart because ignorance is bliss

[kdad]

Doesn't look bad at all.. wire wheel and Por15... Good as new..

As I get back to my swiss cheese tomorrow../.LOL

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks guys...your swiss cheese makes me feel better.

Got the passenger door sill out last night...truck is now bare inside minus steering column. Going to get my wire wheel out and do some work if it warms up...cold out there for this southern boy (30 degrees).

Ordering interior paint today... I will be using a 1965 corvette exterior color...silver pearl metallic. Will be interior and wheel color. I may paint the floor board too and just use a rubber mat like it came originally. Depends how "nice" I can get the floors to look. My original interior color looks like it was the silver fawn color.

[roll_the_dice]

Bad news for this week... found my swiss cheese in the floor...both sides of the truck near the kick panel. In their infinite wisdom, the PO patched it with a license plate riveted to the bottom of the truck (covered in undercoating) and poured silicone on the cab floor to fill in the holes/cracks. I got all the silicone out and wire wheeled the metal.

I don't think I can afford to have a patch panel welded in right now...so I have to figure something else out. Maybe a temporary fiberglass fix along with the POR-15. I have seen some videos. I also have experience in fiberglass work. It will all be under the carpet anyway...I am putting feelers out for a welder among my friends.

I also got everything off the firewall today and sanded off the undercoating that was on the firewall. Will get the steering column out tomorrow. Should be ready to paint the firewall later this week.

Here are some of the pictures from this week's work.

Picture 1 is the rust, #2 is the silicone I pulled out on the passenger side!

The best picture to me is the steering wheel. I took off my old non OEM wheel and had to try this one out for looks. Got it from Johns 66. Thanks again John...It is going to look even more awesome after I restore it.

[roll_the_dice]

Forgot to mention...in the circled jagged hole, the PO had the hydraulic clutch rod through it...held in, by a large balled up wad of...you guessed it...SILICONE! Maybe they had stock in silicone.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Bad news for this week... found my swiss cheese in the floor...both sides of the truck near the kick panel. In their infinite wisdom, the PO patched it with a license plate riveted to the bottom of the truck (covered in undercoating) and poured silicone on the cab floor to fill in the holes/cracks. I got all the silicone out and wire wheeled the metal.

I don't think I can afford to have a patch panel welded in right now...so I have to figure something else out. Maybe a temporary fiberglass fix along with the POR-15. I have seen some videos. I also have experience in fiberglass work. It will all be under the carpet anyway...I am putting feelers out for a welder among my friends.

I also got everything off the firewall today and sanded off the undercoating that was on the firewall. Will get the steering column out tomorrow. Should be ready to paint the firewall later this week.

Here are some of the pictures from this week's work.

Picture 1 is the rust, #2 is the silicone I pulled out on the passenger side!

The best picture to me is the steering wheel. I took off my old non OEM wheel and had to try this one out for looks. Got it from Johns 66. Thanks again John...It is going to look even more awesome after I restore it.

Well my friend Andy...makes me think of Shawshank Redemption ...lol

Im sorry you found swiss cheese too...It seems like its a pretty standard thing on these old trucks....Most likely from the heater core leaking antifreeze on it......But you can get it taken care of Im sure, yours is not as bad as mine was although mine was filled with Bondo and not silicone.....what some people thought was a repair is beyond me but then again never know what those who owned it were going through at the time.

But good news is it is starting to take shape!!!!! and this should be the worst part you find!!!!!!

[Captainfab]

If you plan to fix the rust correctly at a later date, I would just clean the area the best you can, treat it with a rust converter, possibly a coat of paint and then rivet or screw a piece of sheet metal over the area. Treat and coat the sheet metal as well.

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

If you plan to fix the rust correctly at a later date, I would just clean the area the best you can, treat it with a rust converter, possibly a coat of paint and then rivet or screw a piece of sheet metal over the area. Treat and coat the sheet metal as well.

Thanks John...that is a good idea. I would like to get it repaired correctly. My main concern of the fiberglass was repairing it down the road with this fix. I was planning on using POR-15 anyway...but I do like the idea of putting a piece of sheet metal over the top and treating that as well. Much easier to remove the rivets to get to the area than having to cut out the fiberglass work as well.

Now I have a better plan!

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Johns 66

Well my friend Andy...makes me think of Shawshank Redemption ...lol

Im sorry you found swiss cheese too...It seems like its a pretty standard thing on these old trucks....Most likely from the heater core leaking antifreeze on it......But you can get it taken care of Im sure, yours is not as bad as mine was although mine was filled with Bondo and not silicone.....what some people thought was a repair is beyond me but then again never know what those who owned it were going through at the time.

But good news is it is starting to take shape!!!!! and this should be the worst part you find!!!!!!

I love that movie!

That's OK...I knew there had to be rust somewhere and now I am a proud member of the rust club. Hopefully I can get it repaired correctly this summer when I am planning on getting the doors repaired later this year. Just knock it all out at the same time.

[roll_the_dice]

Didn't get much done today, but I did get the steering wheel column removed. While I wait on the POR-15, I am going to get the firewall painted (if it gets warm enough) and start blasting parts again for paint. I just ordered the paint to paint the inside of the cab. Once that is completed along with the floor repair, I will get the wiring harness in and start putting the truck back together... Getting closer!

[cwcarpenter98]

Finding that swiss cheese sucks! The PO of my truck found some about 20 years ago and decided to do a repair similar to yours. After all these years, the rust still spread, I'm just ignoring it

[roll_the_dice]

While I wait on parts and POR-15...I thought I would prime the firewall today, this is the first coat...beautiful 60 degrees here. Since this isn't a show truck, I did not worry about getting all the undercoating off at the bend of the firewall. But It will look much better with the basecoat on later this week as well.

[straight6chevyguy]

look'n good!
sorry about the rust but it doesn't look to bad.

Being the redneck I am I would just screw some sheet metal down and call it good.

Nothing like doing things right however.

Keep up the good work!

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by straight6chevyguy

look'n good!
sorry about the rust but it doesn't look to bad.

Being the redneck I am I would just screw some sheet metal down and call it good.

Nothing like doing things right however.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks! I appreciate it.

I agree...I am going to put POR-15 on it and then screw or rivet some sheet metal over it and seal that also. When I have time and more money to put in the truck, I will get it repaired correctly. I don't ever plan on selling this truck, so I might not care or think about it once it is under carpet or floor mat.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

While I wait on parts and POR-15...I thought I would prime the firewall today, this is the first coat...beautiful 60 degrees here. Since this isn't a show truck, I did not worry about getting all the undercoating off at the bend of the firewall. But It will look much better with the basecoat on later this week as well.

Andy...this is gonna be SWEET, looks REALLY Good....Weather is so nice today......but supposed to snow tomorrow...…

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks John...not bad for a rattle can. No snow thank goodness here, but maybe some rain tomorrow afternoon.

[cwcarpenter98]

Rattle can is best can I can't wait to see it with some color!

I'm hoping the threat of snow will cancel my 8 am accounting class tomorrow, but I doubt that will happen

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks Christian...I Can't wait to see color on it also.

Just talked to my son at UGA and he is hoping classes are cancelled also...and he is also taking an 8AM Accounting class. haha

[cwcarpenter98]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Thanks Christian...I Can't wait to see color on it also.

Just talked to my son at UGA and he is hoping classes are cancelled also...and he is also taking an 8AM Accounting class. haha

Great minds think alike I think he has a better chance of getting some snow than I do

[roll_the_dice]

OK, got the firewall shot today with #503 light green which as I have said is the original color of the truck. I think it will be a nice pop of color against the mostly satin black engine bay. I am going to clean up the cowl section and shoot it in the same color (I think), so it will peek out from under the cowl. This color will darken some after I get clear on it, but will wait for that so I can do the cowl section at the same time along with the rest of the cab after I clean it up.

Again not perfect and I am not striving for perfect or I would not have painted it in my driveway.

[roll_the_dice]

Just took the tape off...not bad, but now that I look at it, I think I am going to do the entire cowl section including the top just under the cowl, not just the windshield wiper section...here it is without the tarp and tape. Should be easier to paint that entire section also than just in the wiper section...thoughts?

[cwcarpenter98]

I think it looks great! Even if you don't see the paint once it is all back together, you will know that it is there. I say go ahead and paint it