Scott's '51 Build

[Scott2]

Here's the frame clearance I did to allow room for the header flange just before I took it to powder coat. FYI - I talked to the TCI guys as these are apparently the only headers that fit decent. They advised my best option is to do the clearance. Warranty will still be fine although I can't imagine using it.

I bought about a 6" diameter pipe in the scrap side of the metal supply yard and cut a section to fit in the slot I cut. I got it all welded up and smoothed out and it should be good to go now.

[Scott2]

With the chassis out for beautification, I decide to fix up the bed. The rear cross sill and stake pockets got crunched at some time in their life so I ordered a new sill but found a couple of leftover center stake pockets from a long to short bed conversion. I cut the welds and pulled the pockets and sill out. I'm sure there is some way to pull the sill damage out but this seems much easier overall.

I found a fine comb, a big wasp nest, and a ton of rocks and gravel. Also have a bunch of rust holes in the front cross sill so I have a replacement for that as well.

[Scott2]

I got the replacement stake pockets cleaned up, trimmed and drilled to be rears, and set them in place with the new rear sill. I squared up the bed with some straps and welded the pockets back on. I still need to cut out the chain slots and transfer the reinforcement plate for that slot from the old stake pockets to the new, and of course, grind a bunch of welds.

One observation as I was doing this work which I knew but became more obvious - the rear sill is sort of stout but it also hangs out behind the rear frame crossmember and just bolts to the pockets and flimsy bed sides. The sill and back of the bed are just sacrificial lambs if you don't have a bumper, and at any reasonable speed I imagine the bumper is also gone very quickly.

This has made me think very seriously of finding a Class 3 trailer hitch I can bolt in there post powder coat to add just a little more structure back there - primarily to put just a little more behind the gas tank.

[Scott2]

I'm planning on running some wider rear tires so earlier I cut the bed sides for clearance and, of course, now I need mini tubs. I saw someone else on here used mid-60's inner wheelhouses and I really liked the look. I found a set while looking through a yard full of 60-66 trucks and parts down south and 45 miles east of Pueblo, CO - that's three "towns" past BFE.

I pulled those wheelhouses out from behind my shed and cut them to 3-1/2" wide and will figure out how to install them shortly. I also knocked off the remaining angle strips along the sides. They were each held on (4 strips left after cutting the middle sections out) by one clutch head bolt and a bunch of really crappy little spot welds. I wrecked a couple of previously fine paint scrapers by driving them down behind the strips and cut the welds.

I decided to go with unpolished SS strips and angles for the bed, likely with some aged white oaks boards that I will cut. The angles are shown - but have no holes to mount to the bedsides.

Anyone mount these SS angle strips? Obviously, I can get SS carriage bolts and one in each strip will go thru the fender mount holes as stock. I'd like to put a second one to each strip but that means they will stick out on the outside of the bedside. I can't weld SS to crappy rusted steel - correct? I suppose I could use the one bolt each, bolt them to the bed boards, and the use panel adhesive to glue them to the bedsides? Any good ideas?

[MIKESAD50]

I was thinking I would have a bolt in the rear fender and up inside the stake pockets. But I have not gone there yet. I have everything for the bed. Still need to finish the boards

[reaper71]

If you use stainless wire for the welding portion of it you will be ok.
Drill holes for spot welds on your angle pieces and clamp in place, then do your welding shouldn't be to painful of a chore.
If you can't get stainless wire just use your normal wire for carbon and use some panel adhesive to help it out a bit. (drill out your spot welds as stated before on the strips 1/4" holes and also drill holes in the bedside 1/8" so weld will flow through) Meaning the holes are all lined up large over the small (if that makes sense) also on the stainless wire YOU WILL need straight Argon to weld with stainless wire

Hope this helps
Mark..

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by reaper71

If you use stainless wire for the welding portion of it you will be ok.
Drill holes for spot welds on your angle pieces and clamp in place, then do your welding shouldn't be to painful of a chore.
If you can't get stainless wire just use your normal wire for carbon and use some panel adhesive to help it out a bit. (drill out your spot welds as stated before on the strips 1/4" holes and also drill holes in the bedside 1/8" so weld will flow through) Meaning the holes are all lined up large over the small (if that makes sense) also on the stainless wire YOU WILL need straight Argon to weld with stainless wire

Hope this helps
Mark..

Mark -

Yes , all your advice is really helpful- thank you!

I decided to do some test welds first using a cutout of the bedside and a piece of the SS angle. Of course, I had to go buy a tank of argon and some SS wire so I was pretty committed at that point! I used the standard MIG gas for the 28 wire and the argon for the 309 and welded a couple each from the front and back. All actually turned out OK.

For the actual welding to the bed I ended up using the argon and 309 wire, drilling holes from the bedside since it's rusty and I wanted to keep the SS angle looking good. For the same reason I did not drill the 1/8 holes you suggested (although I think it's a great idea and will use it elsewhere) plus I didn't want to risk getting mild steel in the weld pool that would end up a rusty spot in the SS. The welds seem good and the angles are in place.

Thanks again!

Also attached my cut down later model inner wheelhouses. I initially thought I would bolt them to the wood floor and use RTV for the joint with the bedside. I ended up deciding a tack or two wouldn't hurt, and then a couple more... I think I may stop here and RTV the inside.

[Scott2]

More progress! Got the chassis and parts back from powder coat and assembly is starting. Discovered a few issues - no surprise I guess. I had the wrong spindles from TCI and somehow lost a few of the 4 link rod bushings. I WILL find them - immediately after the replacements arrive!

TCI (chassis builder) has been great - they've sent whatever parts I needed ASAP and replacement spindles are on the way.

Got the gas tank painted and installed. Now that the weather is better I should be out in the garage much more.

[Scott2]

After I made all my repairs to the bed and got the tubs and angles in, I decided to tackle the tail light mounts. I have the stock replacements and turned them up and down and they really just didn't do anything for me. I made some simple brackets and got my lights ('55-'59 LED lights) mounted. Still need to repaint the tailgate with some rust brown primer so it "matches" a little better - or just clashes less!

[Scott2]

Latest - have a big pile of parts for the cab work to commence. Corners for rust replacement, Vintage Air, new wiper motor, new CPP booster and brake pedal setup, Dolphin gauges, my Flaming River column, bench seat and three point seat belts, primer and Lizard Skin, etc. Started to mount the seat and my three point seat belts, and then I got grounded from further work.

Last October I had a bad bicycle wreck and got a compression fracture of a vertebrae. The latest scan showed it's still collapsing. I always thought the vertebrae were chucks of solid bone - not so. They are more like swiss cheese with a lot of holes and marrow and goo in the spaces. When you put enough pressure on one the bone structure around the holes start to break and the vertebrae compresses. I am now officially 1-/1/4" inch shorter with the effect of the break to this point! Crap!

Last week I was reaching for a tool and felt a big snap in my back which means another piece of bone in the vertebrae gave way. I'm now on "BLT" watch - no bending, lifting or twisting. Crap again!

There is a fix - i am going for another MRI shortly which will support a procedure called a kyphoplasty during which the docs inject some kind of cement into the busted vertebrae to expand it back and stabilize it. Good news is it's outpatient surgery, has very few side effects, and I should be as good as new afterwards. Oddly - it's also good news that the break comes from an accident because if it came for more natural causes like osteoporosis I'd be done with any physical work for good. In the meantime I guess I keep collecting parts and will also direct the gamily on yard work from my rocking chair!

BYW - I also bought a willing harness from Affordable Street Rods. There's a local guy here in Colorado who parts out and build AD trucks and I've bought a bunch of original parts from him. I checked out one of his builds last time I was at his shop and he was using this harness. It seems very well done and has great instructions and he said he's tried them all and swears by this one. One cool feature is that Affordable Street Rods' phone number is printed on every wire about every foot so if you have any issues or questions you can immediately call the owner - Rex - for help. When I'm back at it I'll let you know how it works out.

[mongocanfly]

Just when you get going good then your back goes kaplooee..sounds like my luck...looking good though

[solidaxel]

............. and just when you were getting to the fun part!

[Advanced Design]

Chassis coming together is looking really sharp! Sorry to read about the vertebrae collapsing. At least Doc's have a fix and hopefully you can get back on the truck soon.

[oldman3]

Sorry to hear about you being sidelined. Hope the doc can get you cemented and back at it...Jim

[Scott2]

Thanks everyone! It will get fixed, I'm just in rest mode for a bit. Of course, that doesn't mean I can't order parts!

I am getting close to a wheel/tire package. Looking at a couple of wheels in the American Racing Heritage series but I really like the Hopster. I'm thinking 20x10 and 20x8 with something like either 295 or 305/30-20 and 225/35-20 tires (brand TBD). Based on my measurements I think I need about 5.5" BS in the rear and 3.625" in the front.

Any thoughts on sizes and BS that I may have missed?


Thanks!

[Scott2]

Time for updates - I was really slowed down for a while with back issues. I finally got the insurance company to agree to cover the needed procedure and they injected cement into my T6 vertebrae a couple weeks ago. Almost as good as new!

so - on to current events. I did manage to get some work done while down with my injury, but it was slow. I worked on getting the floors welded and all the firewall holes filled. Still some work to do there....

[Scott2]

Also spent time sorting out the wheel and tire package. I finally settled on Foose Legends in 8.5 x 20 and 10x 20. I got Nitto 245/35-20 and 305/30-20 tires. I actually ended up buying them from Discount Tire and saved some money. They also gave me a front and rear wheel and tire (unmounted) to go try on for fit. Seem to fit fine - of course - no sheetmetal!!

[Scott2]

I mounted all kinds of stuff on the chassis and then the tires and wheels. It was time to drop in the motor and trans. It's a 2006 LQ4 and older 4L80e. I had the trans rebuilt and got a new torque converter. Also swapped in an F body oil pan. Finally got the 14 year old away from the Xbox and out to give me a hand.

[Scott2]

OK - now time to see if the rear tires fit (fronts will have to wait for a while). I dropped the bed into place and spent some time getting it positioned right. And yes - the left tire is sitting back just a little - just realized the top 4 link bar isn't bolted in to the rear end - but the right side is and it fits almost the same.

The rear tires barely clear the fender lip at the top, seem good in the front, and make contact at the back where the fender tapers in. There was only one backspace available for this wheel and i knew it would be close. I can just slide my fingers in at the top on each side but there is tire/fender contact toward the rear.

So - two options I think - one - do the time honored baseball bat fender roll and flare it out a little (and also flatten the lip, etc.). I'm not sure this will work with the taper to the rear - seems like stretching that might just pull other parts back in? or two - narrow the rear by 3/4" each side and there's room on the inside for this. Any thoughts? Anyone have success flaring out the fender?

I do know there's a third option - adding width to the fender but I'm not interested in that one.

Thoughts?

[joedoh]

no matter how hard you think those rolled edges are, believe me they are harder. I tried to knock out a dent in one, like a fence post crease just getting it too close to the tire and whew! it was like pounding on a train rail. I dont think a baseball bat would touch it honestly, but might be worth it to try instead of narrowing a rear 2"

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by joedoh

no matter how hard you think those rolled edges are, believe me they are harder. I tried to knock out a dent in one, like a fence post crease just getting it too close to the tire and whew! it was like pounding on a train rail. I dont think a baseball bat would touch it honestly, but might be worth it to try instead of narrowing a rear 2"

I wasn't going to whack the fender with the bat! The method I'm referring to is to slide the bat or a hardwood dowel in between the tire and the fender and roll the truck back and forth, letting the bat roll along the fender inner lip stretching it out. Generally start with a guy or two in the bed and keep adding guys while you work the flare. It works really well but I always had more sidewall. I'm worried I could crush the wheel edge.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Scott2

I wasn't going to whack the fender with the bat! The method I'm referring to is to slide the bat or a hardwood dowel in between the tire and the fender and roll the truck back and forth, letting the bat roll along the fender inner lip stretching it out. Generally start with a guy or two in the bed and keep adding guys while you work the flare. It works really well but I always had more sidewall. I'm worried I could crush the wheel edge.

I should have explained I know how fender rolling with a bat works, I was a minitrucker in the 90s, did it a lot.

I was saying no matter how flimsy you think the wheel edge is, its not. you COULD whack it with the bat and it would probably laugh.

[Scott2]

Just talked with a local guy who does a lot of rear ends. The charge to narrow the housing is $150. He thinks I may be able to use the existing axles if i shorten it only 3/4" per side - he can machine off the same amount from the axles and the existing splines may have some extra space. I think I'll pull it out and take it up there to get his read on it.

[joedoh]

can you move your axle forward the inch or so you need with the 4 link? I am asking, do your bars have adjustment? usually they are threaded a good way in so you can cut off a little to get a little more adjustment. check the depth of the thread before cutting, but it may be simpler than narrowing if all you need is a little room at the back.

$150 for narrowing is cheap though. I have heard the same thing about small amounts of narrowing, that the splines on the axles have some room.

[Flysocal]

I'm with joedoe on this. Try moving it forward 1-2" it would look more centered. The middle of the wheel should be directly below the 2 holes for the fender support bracket. Then if it still doesn't fit, machine 1/2" off the wheel. I would opt for new wheels before messing with the axles.