Glock and HuggerCST's official "Project 68" build thread

[glock35ipsc]

ttt, to be moved to the Projects section.

[glock35ipsc]

FINALLY, some major progress!!!

This is one of those things that I knew was going to take a lot of time, and I just haven't had it lately. So, last night I got the kids to sleep and headed out to the shop at 8PM. Finished this and cleaned up the shop at about 3 this morning. Yawn.........

Several posts back I showed the Dolphin gauges and the billet dash insert I was going to use. When I got them, I noticed that if the speedometer was placed flat in the dash, I wasn't able to see the upper part of it. The 60 and 80 was completely covered by the bezel. So I needed to fab a build-out that would angle the gauges up towards me.

It wasn't easy, but it turned out pretty good. In fact, I never had to scrap anything and start over! Maybe I do my best work in the early hours of the morning???

I cut out the center section (the 2nd attempt) with the idea of using one solid piece all the way across the dash. I had also cut out the bumps where the light switch and wiper switch went. I had made a template and bolted it up to the dash a long time ago, and it has been hanging there ever since!

So I got the big piece cut out and tacked it over the original dash. I drilled holes and plug welded it along the inside of the old dash insert and the glove box opening.

I didn't get any pics of the fabrication of this part since my wife had the camera at work. Basically, I started out by tracing the billet bezel onto poster board. I then traced around that outline and added an extra 1/8". For the face I used some thicker 14 gauge since the bezel will be mounting to that, I wanted it thick enough to keep the bezel pulled tight to the face of it. I cut it out and cleaned up the edges to match it exactly to the template.

I then used some 18 gauge and started tacking it from the inside to the face. I'll call this part the "stand off." For the radius on the ends I used a can that was the same diameter. For the bend around the speedo, I used a piece of pipe that was the exact size needed, 4.5". As I tacked the radiused parts I bent the metal around by hand and helped it along with a body hammer. On each side of the speedo on the top and bottom, I clamped a piece of 1/8" x 1" flat bar and hammered the metal around it so it straightened it out again for the long runs on the top and bottom.

The really tricky part was getting the stand off cut so that it sat flush to the new dash, and at the right angle. There was no science to this, it was all guess work. But once I had the angle right, I laid it on the welding table and took a Sharpy pen and laid it on another piece of 1/8" flat bar to get the right heigth and traced all the way around it. I then cut just outside that line with the plasma cutter and cleaned up the cut with the grinder.

I fit on the dash perfectly, and the angle was right on. I set the new dash pad in place before going any further to be sure I had enough clearance. It was good to go there.

Next was to level it on the dash and mark around the inside so I could cut that out. Then it was put back up on the dash and tacked from the inside.

Now I need to clamp the bezel in the mill and drill 4 holes on the back side and get a bottoming tap.

Then comes another tricky part, getting the filler in there nice and smooth and sanding it out!

[Palf70Step]

That looks good glock! Can't wait to see the finished look of that dash!

[SactoJim]

That's some some nice fab work!

[68 short step]

fab work looks good, keep up the pics so we can see it completed

[ChevyDude]

WOW!!! You got real serious in the wee hours, didn't cha!!! It is going to look fantasic!

Alex

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks guys!

Alex - It's strange enough that I am up past 11 or 12, let alone 3am while working on the truck. The really part is I even took the time to put tools away and clean everything up, then come in and shower!

[glock35ipsc]

Been sitting here staring at these pictures, and now I'm wondering if I should cut that sucker out and flip it around and sink them into the dash?

Hmmmm

[bad6772]

wow what a great thread truck looks amazing

[68chevy68]

You should put the steering coulum back in and see what it looks like together before you french it in. I would like to see it together to give you an opinion. Great fab work by the way. Its gonna look good either way.

[glock35ipsc]

Yeah, I need to put the column in anyhow to make sure I have that cut-out right. I think I will just leave it. I get to looking at things way to much sometimes and the little gears in my head start turning.....

Also, I think the last of the major fabrication is done! Last night I got the cover made for the fuel filler on the inside of the bed. I cut out poster board templates and taped them together to be sure I had the fit right, then traced the template out onto the sheetmetal. Cut it out with the nibbler and cleaned up the edges with a file, then bend it up in the brake. Nothing fancy, just a nice clean cover.

I didn't bring the camera home last night, so I'll get some pics tonight and post them tomorrow.

[ColoradoK5]

man that looks sweet can't wait to see it with the steering column in! Nice craftsmanship!

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks ColoradoK5!

Here are the pics of the fuel filler cover I made last night. I still need to weld in the tabs that this will bolt to. I was going to weld it to the bedside, but IO want to be able to remove it in case I ever need to service the inner parts of the filler. I will probably use some stainless button head cap screws.

[Palf70Step]

Very nice, a whole bunch cleaner than the one I did.

[glock35ipsc]

LOL Bill, one of my lucky "first tries!"

Well, OK, it's my second luck first try. ColoradoK5 and 68chevy68, your wish is granted! I put the brake assembly in, then buttoned up the steering column. The first pic is with the wheel one click up from being all the way down. The second is with the wheel inline with the shaft. The third shows my first "lucky" spot. Just by chance, the angle at the bottom of the build-out and the steering column match almost perfectly! Woo-hoo!!!!!

I like the fact that I can see all of the gauges through the steering wheel with hardly any obstructions.

[blaznhot_23]

wow that looks really good!!!!

[Palf70Step]

[68chevy68]

I say good work and I would go with that one. I have been thinking of my dash and can't come up with anything. My skill levels still in the works.

[BigSky71]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

LOL Bill, one of my lucky "first tries!"
I like the fact that I can see all of the gauges through the steering wheel with hardly any obstructions.

Looks awesome!

I wish I had shaved my dash when the truck was apart... I will be stripping my interior and shaving at least the center section of my dash when the winter comes and my truck is hibernating

[glock35ipsc]

Hmmm, I could swear I posted a couple more pics just a couple hours ago. I guess I'm slipping a little bit, or maybe I'm just going

Anywho, I took another pic of the dash with the pad on. I think its gonna look sweet just like it is.

I also FINALLY tweaked the filler neck on the gas tank. It's been clamped to the frame for about a year and a half now. No wonder I couldn't find the rest of my Vice Grips. Sorry son, Daddy had them all along!

The filler neck was at about a 45* angle, and I wanted to angle it down and slightly back. Otherwise the filler tube would be mashed under the bed floor wood. Didn;t take much, but it made a huge difference.

[manimal]

Man that dash looks *****in. Great Work.
-Lance

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks everyone!

I went to ChevyDude's shop today to shorten his LWB frame into a shorty While I was doing that, he sprayed my front and rear inner fenders with GatorHyde bedliner. They turned out awesome! This truck will have to travel on 1.5 miles of gravel road to get to the pavement, and 1.5 miles back home, so this will insure that they won't become full of rock dings and in turn chip the paint on the inside.

Fantastic job Alex!

[glock35ipsc]

And just for the heck of it, here are a few more pics of where I currently am. I just need to tack in the new metal under the dash, do all the seam sealer, and it's ready for primer.

[Frizzle Fry]

I like the dash. Very clean. I couldn't see the fuel door (some of your pic links are broken), but it looks like a Hagan from the back side. Nice piece if so.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Wow, you've been busy!

Lookin good