55.2 Chevy 3100

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by butchp

I just read your build I am about where you are in the build.

Thanks for looking.
The cab is what I really wasn't looking forward to. But it feels so good to be working on it and making progress. Still have a long ways to go, but things are going well.

[Russell Ashley]

Nice job on making the inner hinge pockets. In the long run that might be easier than trying to make the after market ones fit.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Nice job on making the inner hinge pockets. In the long run that might be easier than trying to make the after market ones fit.

Thanks Russell,
I think your right. And as I was making it, that thought went through my head as well. Plus I gotta save money where I can.

[4Eyedtruck]

Really clean work man keep it up it's moving along

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by 4Eyedtruck

Really clean work man keep it up it's moving along

Thanks,
I should get to work on the truck tomorrow. Weekend was too busy to get any work done on it.

[papastrk]

"Making progress" and "things are going well" sounds great to me! Cab repairs are looking good. I like the hand formed inner hinge panels.

[fabguy]

The fab work / patch peices are looking great. Nice progress.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

"Making progress" and "things are going well" sounds great to me! Cab repairs are looking good. I like the hand formed inner hinge panels.

Originally Posted by fabguy

The fab work / patch peices are looking great. Nice progress.

Thanks you guys! A vise and some angle iron worked great to help form the pieces. My dad's 100lb anvil has come in handy a few times on this project as well.

[RebStew]

Nice work. Thanks for sending me the link, I'll be keeping an eye on this build.

[Flames97]

Your welcome, glad you like it and thanks for looking. I'll update later today. Not much of one. But still.
Thank again.

[Flames97]

Ok, this is gonna seem kinda like a repeat because it's the passenger side hinge area. So pics similar. And I did post on face book yesterday so some of you would have seen it there.

Anyway, this side went faster since I was all practiced up from the other side. Things seemed to fall into place better too. Still need a little more welding and the lower fender tab added.

And I guess you would call it the lower b-piller, drivers side is done and still need pass side fixed, then onto fixing the passenger door. That will allow me to hang the doors to line up the step and cab corners. All that will take some time. I have one more week and then all free time is gonna be minimal. So things may slow significantly



In this picture you can see how I add a piece of metal to square this panel up. All the replacement ones I've seen are angled. In a couple different directions. My cab was square all the way around in this area. So I had to modify the lower fender bracket as well. Besides squaring up the inside part makes it easier to make the inner panel come together. that is if your making your own and not buying the replacement inner.

[ChuckDriver]

Looking good!

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Looking good!

Thank you

[Kim57]

Nice repair.
Kim

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Nice repair.
Kim

Thanks Kim,


Ok...........Well I feel like I'm opening up more cans of worms. I started working on the drivers door. I can't hang this door until its fixed. Besides needing a new hinge area there is other damage that needs fixed as well so that when the lower inner and skin goes on it makes for a nice repair.

I hate having the cab still apart and starting on something else but like I said I really want the doors on when I do the step and cab corner. Not sure if others have done it with out putting doors on but I feel like its a gamble. Door needs fixed anyway.
Someone before cut a square out above the hinge area, pealed it back(creating more damage) and brazed some stuff. Then folded it back and brazed it shut.

All this was in the door. No wonder it was so heavy...lol
I did end up cutting the rest of the skin off.

This damage runs from the bottom along the edge up to the body line and onto the rounded portion of the body line. I'm thinking of straighting it enough to get the lower skin on and then what's above cut it out and form a new piece. Instead of trying to fix and straighten whats there.

[papastrk]

You may want to consider replacing this area of the skin first. You really need to be able to hammer and dolly your weld seam as you go on this area. This is what concerns me about replacing inner and outer pieces. If you weld in the inner panel and then try to replace the lower door skin you have no way to hammer and dolly the seam. This is going to make the patch weld area pull like crazy. I'm thinking about fitting up the inner panel first and just tacking it in place; then fitting outer skin piece. Then I can cut the inner loose and weld, hammer and dolly my outer skin seam. If I cut and fit the inner panel right, it should go back in without too much trouble. I hope you bought the large inner patch piece with the hinge pocket. I think you are right about hanging the door before welding anymore cab pieces in. Be careful not to lose the door contour on front and back edges. This part worries me too. I think I will make a template front and back. Take measurements where you can and take your time welding it in.

[papastrk]

It would help a lot if you can repair the door panel from a little below the body line up into the curved portion. This would make the repair patch much simpler to make. Just a thought. If you can't save this part, I'm sure you can make a small repair patch for this area too. You are going to have a much larger butt joint area to weld than you have been doing so far, so be prepared to hammer and dolly and grind spot welds as you go. Otherwise the door skin will try to turn itself wrong side out. Too much body filler on a door skin can't be good. Keep us posted.

[Flames97]

Good Points and I see what you are saying. Even just cutting the lower skin off and being careful and I mean careful. It still wanted to warp the skin. I'm dreading welding it all back. Sometimes I wonder if times like this would be good to use a lap joint with panel adhesive. I'm just gonna be careful welding, and like you said...Hammer and dolly. Good idea on tacking the inner then remove to finish the repair. I'm really gonna take my time on this.
Like you said, that strip that is on the edge running up to the body line. I'll see about getting that taken care of first.
Lots of work to do.
And I did get the larger bottom. If there is an option to get a larger panel I always do. You never know.
It's gonna be awhile, I have some things coming up, so time on the truck is going to be on hold for the next week.

[Flames97]

Here is an update of good news/ bad news.
Good news is I'll be going back to rappelling out if helicopters! Yep, got a new job at a place I used to work at. Bad news...it's 2 1/2 hrs away...so that means moving (not real excited about that part). Truck will stay here till i can find a home with a garage or shop. Who knows when that will be. I'll work on it when I can till then. Basically if I come back to visit family. So ya...kinda sad about that. I had a good winter of getting things done. We will see what happens.

[papastrk]

Congratulation!!! New job means more pay, more truck parts Lol! Just be careful at that new job. Keep in touch. You have a great build going there!

[Kim57]

Congrats on the job.
Sucks to be away from family though.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

I'll miss the detailed pictures, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Good luck, Jim

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

Congratulation!!! New job means more pay, more truck parts Lol! Just be careful at that new job. Keep in touch. You have a great build going there!

Originally Posted by Kim57

Congrats on the job.
Sucks to be away from family though.
Kim

Originally Posted by Stepside Jim

I'll miss the detailed pictures, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Good luck, Jim

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Don't know how the year will go. But I'm going to be motivated to find a house that has something to put the truck in. Garage or shop! Just have to see. May take some time...probably longer than I'd like.
I'll still be on here checkin everyone else's builds. And maybe I'll find time to mess with mine here and there.

[Flames97]

Well..here is a spinn on things.
I took a job 2 hours south of where I live. However, after a lot of thought...and I mean a lot. In the end I decided not to go through with it. It came down to te fact that, I really love where I live, the community and what I have here. Small town lots of convienences with freedom and lots of open space. I just couldn't bring myself to moving my family away from here.
Which means I will be able to get back to working on the truck. Progress will be kinda slow cuz work is somewhat busy. But at least I'm still going to be able to. Otherwise who knows how long it woul have been before I could have worked on it. Could have been years!!!
Hopefully soon I can find some time to work on it!!

[papastrk]

Tough decision to make, but I'm sure that you and your family will be fine with the outcome. Some of the little things in life that we sometimes take for granted can have great value when we have to make decisions that will forfeit them. Keep us posted on the door repair, when you find the time to work on them. It's great to see you posting again.