Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[ChuckDriver]

Do it!!!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, I'm about 99% certain i'm doing it.

Trying to decide whether I'll use the factory '55 stainless trim with the little bow ties (I loved that when I had my Dad's '55 as a stupid kid) or the modern sorta billet polished aluminum trim. I think it looks pretty cool.

Right now I'm thinking I'll go with one of the repop small diameter Belair steering wheels.

[ChuckDriver]

I think the factory trim looks the best! The billet stuff looks to much like an 80's street rod.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, you're probably right. But I was in my 30's in the '80's so I guess that's why I'm still attracted to it.

JJ, I've been meaning to call you. I will still but I'll leave you alone on Thanksgiving. Speaking of which, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my "friends-I-haven't-met-yet" here on the forum.

JJ, Man, you're killing it style wise with your truck's interior. Love all of it. Outstanding taste. Now that you've committed to a red interior, what colors are you thinking about the the body? Black? White & red for the Cameo look? Red? Enquiring minds (nosy people! Lol) want to know.

[Flysocal]

This is gonna be nice look forward to updates

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

I think the factory trim looks the best! The billet stuff looks to much like an 80's street rod.

I totally agree.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I totally agree.

Yeah, I think you guys are right. If I get the stock trim i've got to fit a radio into the hole, or they sell the trim without a provison for a radio.

[BIGglaSS]

Dan, did you guys figure out a solution for shoulder belts? Yesterday, I started brainstorming ideas. You're right, there is no way to get a nut plate up the B pillar. I think I have a solution, but it is going to involve slicing and welding.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi. Funny you ask because that's happening this week. I'm heading over the the shop today or tomorrow and we will discuss plans. So far the discussion has been using a die grinder to cut a slot maybe 1/2" to 3/4" wide and 4"-6" long for either a square tube with nut welded in or a piece of bar stock drilled and threaded. I'll take pictures when it happens if I can. The issue is there's not much beyond sheet metal to weld to. But as long as the shoulder belt keeps my face from hitting the steering wheel I'll have to count it as good.

[Kim57]

Why does the shoulder belt attachment point have to be so high?
If you look at an 85 El Camino set up the attachment is low and has a guide that is attached to the seat to keep it in place on the shoulder.
If it's attached lower the area has a bigger area that a thick plate can be put in for more strength. Seems the biggest problem would be the guide.
I plan on trying to do that way for the added security.

Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kim,
Good point and we actually discussed something like this. Mike was recommending a bar mounted from one side of the cab to the other side behind the seat. My thought at the time (and his) was to put two shoulder belt mounts per passenger for four point racing style shoulder belts. Not what I wanted BUT we hadn't really thought of the approach you posted.
With your idea, i gues we wouldn't need the bar as long as the minut point on the seat was super strong.

My concern is if you're rear ended hard and your body weight is forced suddenly/hard against the belt the mount on the seat MUST hold. That El Camino mount looks plastic-y (it's probably better than it appears) or the belt could slide off the side of the seat and there would be no tension to hold you. Since I just stripped the seat frame I guess we could weld some kind of U bolt at the shoulder and find some kind of acceptable cover. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll discuss it with Mike again.

[Dan in Pasadena]

November 25, 2016

We mocked up the intake for appearance sake to see if I really like it....and I do.




Mike is suggesting I switch from the open foam style 14" diameter (I think) air filter I posted a picture of above to a dual snorkel style closed intake. I'm not so sure. The snorkel type would largely cover the intake manifold and then I'd not necessarily need to polish it. I could also paint it to match the body solar and have it pinstriped or whatever.

Opinions are solicited. I don't quite think the Cadillac(?) batwing style air cleaners are the right era for the truck. With this intake the "look" is more 60's except of course the fuel rails will be visible.

[Kim57]

Intake is very nice. i would try and have it show.
The plastic piece on the elco seat is just a guide to keep the belt in position. Tension once it is connected should keep it in place during an accident. I've seen different designs depending on the year of car.
I have also thought of a bar spanning the width of the cab behind the seat as a strong mounting point.
I'm still a ways from that point though.
Kim

[ChuckDriver]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

JJ, Man, you're killing it style wise with your truck's interior. Love all of it. Outstanding taste. Now that you've committed to a red interior, what colors are you thinking about the the body? Black? White & red for the Cameo look? Red? Enquiring minds (nosy people! Lol) want to know.

I'm not completely sold on an exterior color yet, but I been leaning towards a deep blue metallic. I think it will work with the red, what do you think??

[BIGglaSS]

On the elco picture, the seat is way lower and below the window. That bracket might work. But in our trucks, my shoulder is mid-way up the window and quite a bit higher than the seat back. I don't think it would work. I'm planning on removing the outer skin to reinforce and put in a nut plate. I agree, something is better than nothing.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

I'm not completely sold on an exterior color yet, but I been leaning towards a deep blue metallic. I think it will work with the red, what do you think??

I like the color combo. It looks great in these pix you posted but admit I've never seen it before. I really love the mid 60's GM color Marina Blue. I really considered it for my truck but it's not a deep blue at all, it's a mid tone blue.

I've seen red with black exterior and I love it though I wouldn't want to deal with black anymore. As I've mentioned before I really love your orange Rally wheels. What was the color idea at the time you did those? Were you thinking blue then or something else?

[ChuckDriver]

I did the orange wheels about 10 years ago, as I knew it would be a long time before paint and I thought they would look cool!

When I do finally paint it, I'll change to something more appropriate, if I can make my mind up!!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

I did the orange wheels about 10 years ago, as I knew it would be a long time before paint and I thought they would look cool!

Did/does look cool.

If you were closer I'd want to buy them from you as an alternate set of wheels for my truck. I DO plan to have an alternate set of deep steelies at some point.

[Coupeguy2001]

Nobody asked me, but if the inside is red, the outside should be red as well.
Sorry, but i saw a 59 caddy that was blue with red interior, and it just looked like something was off.

We all know WHITE goes with any interior color LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Dan in Pasadena]

November 30, 2016

Here's a poor (sorry) photo of the cab "B" pillar after it was cut open to install a shoulder belt mount nut plate. Yes, I'm surprised too there aren't layers of folded sheet metal inside there.


Here's the nut plate:

Nicely done but as you can see the only real thing holding the nut from pulling through the sheet metal in an accident is the thick plate it is welded to. But then again, the plate is the only thing holding the shoulder belt when you install it into a small window cab. The thinner sheet metal below is for welding back into the pillar so it looks like nothing was done afterward. This SHOULD keep me from smacking my face onto the steering wheel in a moderate accident. In a truly serious accident? I'm probably badly injured or worse in a 60+ year old vehicle. The risk we choose to run I suppose.

Here's the finished installation. Pretty much looks like nothing was done except there's a threaded hole now. The gap at left will be filled with seam sealer.

Feel free to comment. I intend to use Juliano's seat/shoulder belt kit but don't know what color yet.

[BIGglaSS]

Thanks for sharing, Dan. I am probably going to do something similar.

[Kim57]

Looks to be about the best place for it.
Kim

[Flysocal]

i think you hired damn good fabricators. The amount of force to pull the nut out is tremendous. your body would be cut in half by the seat belt first.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Flysocal

i think you hired damn good fabricators...

Thanks! I'll pass along the compliment to Mike.

December 01, 2016

Picked up the car dashboard from the sandblaster today and dropped it off at the shop. Mike wants to bring in the bodyman to coordinate how they want to make the swap. I didn't take close up photos but there is a detail line along the perimeter of both dashes.

Right now it looks like it would make the most sense to cut carefully along that line on the truck dash then use the removed part to trace the cut line on the same detail line on the car dash and butt weld the dash into place. This would leave the factory pieces where the truck dash trim screws mount. This probably makes little sense without pictures, sorry.


A picture just for the record. The passenger side shoulder belt mount is in now and will need nearly no filler. Metal finishing is very nice. Hard to explain but these holes are on the surface of the pillar that faces the rear window. It's probably not wide enough to allow the belt mount to hang level but it's gonna have to be ok. If it were on the front face of the pillar the mount is too wide and would hang off the pillar and look bad, I think.

[ChuckDriver]

Belt mounts look great! Might have to borrow that idea one day!!