My 55 Chevy 4X4

[dyno]

Hey Marc, enjoying your build details. Welcome to the classic 4x4 brotherhood. I'm winding down on my '58 4x4 build. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

[bajabob]

sweet build... watching how it comes out !!!!

[marc55]

Thanks. dyno I have read your blog and you have done a lot of work in a short time. My goal was 2 years but I don't think I will make that. When I get to a point where I am going to have to spend some big money I drag my feet. My goal is to have the engine, trans in and running by May with all the sheet metal in epoxy primer and hung. I have Painted all my own project cars to this point but what I want to do with this one is out of my comfort zone. I have spent months going back and forth if I was going to paint the truck or not. Right now I am leaning towards getting it painted but that is a huge bite out of my budget.

[dyno]

I hear ya Marc. I took me 9 months to to all the rust restoration and paint. Then the stress on top of all of it trying to do a good job shooting it without problems!

[marc55]

Made a couple patch panels for the floor. Other than the hinge pocket this was the only rust in the cab.

[marc55]

Finished my floor patches and started filling some of the holes in the firewall. Not sure if I am going to do the bigger ones.

[rgunlock]

Your patch work looks good. How'd you form the round groove down the middle of the patches? I've tried similar but they didn't turn out looking that nice. Happy holidays!

[marc55]

I bought a Harbor Freight beed roller and used the 1/2 die. In a pinch for a small flat piece you could put a 1/2 bolt in a vice and beat it with a hammer. Also when welding in the patch after 2 or 3 tacks hammer the two pieces and they will start to form to each other. I could of just used a flat patch but I have had the beed roller for a while and wanted to use it. I would like to make some raised panels in the interior and it is going to take some practice to make anything that looks nice.

[rgunlock]

Ok, it all makes sense now - you cheated and used the right tool for the job

[marc55]

Hope everyone had a happy new year. It was able to get some work done on the cab corner. I was not the best install but I don't want to spend 15 hours to see if I can do better. It looked like it was stick welded in. I just cleaned up the welds and filled the holes.




Get all of the x-mss put away and reclaim my garage and start getting some stuff done. Goal is to have the cab on the frame in the next 3 weeks.

[OrrieG]

Grinder and JB Weld is your friend. I used to get pretty wound up about using "too much" plastic filler until I saw the TV pro rod shops slathering it over all the welds and full body panels to acheive the perfect look. Just make sure you get all the slag and crud out of the welds.

[marc55]

Trying to get a game plan for my mangled dash board.


I have been trying to fix a patch panel someone lap welded in and I finally decided to do it right.

[Stepside Jim]

Hey Marc, just checking in. Looks like you're doing fine, it's just one step at a time.

On the dash repair, do you plan on going back to the original radio opening? If so, they do make a nice repair panel that welds in.

Mine also had a modified radio opening, sometimes you wish you could go back in time and slap their hands and let them know of the work they are creating for you in the future. lol

Jim

[57chevyman]

Originally Posted by marc55

Trying to get a game plan for my mangled dash board.
Attachment 1346973

I have been trying to fix a patch panel someone lap welded in and I finally decided to do it right.
Attachment 1346975
Attachment 1346978

Looks like you should get the dash patch panel to fix that.

[marc55]

When I bought the truck it actually came with that panel from an original dash. I think I am going to use a hidden stereo. I might smooth out the dash or at least get rid of the ash tray. I am going to experiment with making a storage pocket. I want to make a fake grill that looks like an AC vent that will pivot up where a pocket will be. If that doesn't work then back to original.

[marc55]

I finished my patch panel and started cutting out the dash.

[marc55]

Hopefully today the cab goes on the frame I added some gussets to the front cab mounts.

Also started on the dash pocket. I made a 2" lip that I will weld to the dash and make the rest of the box a sleeve that bolts to the lip.
[ATTACH][ATTACH]
1350364[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[marc55]

What I thought was going to be a 2 hour job turned into an all day event. After getting the cab on the frame it did not look right. The front of the cab was way Higher then the rear. Not knowing what was going on I had to put the bed on. The cab and the bed were not parallel. I think I forgot to account for the bushing thickness on the front mounts. I cut the the front mounts and got the cab and bed lined up. Side to side height is within 1/8" and the cab is about 1" high in the front but the engine should level it out. If not I will adjust the height up/down by rear suspension. I swear I had everything dialed in before I took it all apart. Now I am going to have to redo the core support mounts. Just one giant domino affect.


I also started welding in the sleeve for the dash pocket.

[marc55]

I finished the face of the dash pocket. I also hung the front sheet metal mostly to get it out of my way.


I am going to work my way from the back forward. I narrowed the hitch my friend gave me. Next I will get the rest of the bed stripped and in primer then work on the bed floor, tailgate, and tail lights. My goal is by mid March to have the bed all finished.

[rgunlock]

Truck is looking good! So is the Camaro on the lift. I think I'm at a similar stage of the build where its strip paint, do the body work, epoxy primer, move to the next panel. Getting the bed done by March sounds like a do-able goal.

[marc55]

Thanks, one step at a time. The camaro was my first car I bought when I was 16. Lots of lawn mowing. About 20 years ago I decided I wanted to do a high end build on the car. Then life hit me. It has all the good stuff in it just needs engine but I want to do a lot of body mods and the need for a truck outweighs the car. I am shooting for 1 1/2 years for the truck and then jumping right into the car.





couple experiments.

[rgunlock]

Nice, and really cool that you've kept it that long! I found a 69 Camaro when I was 17 for $450. This was in 79, but it was a really good deal even then. Its long gone now (wife wrecked it) but I keep watching for another one. They are just so dang expensive these days!

[marc55]

Started on the bed. I built a 1 3/4 x 3/4 frame out of tube to take the place of the bed wood.



Then I fit a sheet of diamond plate to bolt to the frame. I put the plate over the top of the angled bed rail. The bottom of the angle was a little rusted out. I will add some 1/8 x1" flat bar to the rail then put a new angled rail over everything to cover the gap.

Now I just need to take it all apart finish welding the frame, drill the rest of the mounting holes, and paint it.

[marc55]

Quick up date. I finished welding, painted the bed frame and drilled all the mounting holes in the diamond plate. The bed is at the sand blasters. I also got some tail lights I am going to experiment with.

[marc55]

I have the bed parts at the sand blaster. I am also putting a storage compartment in the floor of the bed. I cut the hole, made a mounting flange and built a metal box.