Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

JJ, If you do this mod I suggest you have the Juliano's (or whoever's you use) mount in hand. I THINK this might have been better moved over toward the edge of the pillar just a little. Maybe another 1/4" so the guide the belt goes through will hang level. Not a big deal.

[Russell Ashley]

Good timing. I just ordered the panels to convert my truck to a BBW. I think I'll save these two picture as it might be a while before I am at this point, and my senior citizen memory will have forgotten where they are by then.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Good timing. I just ordered the panels to convert my truck to a BBW...

Cool! Why did you decide to do that? Jut wante the look or do you have cancer in the rear panels and decide to go "whole hog" in fixing it?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Friday, December 2, 2016
Went by to pay Mike for the week and some parts and he'd been making the AC connections under the dash. VERY tight working conditions because we're trying to keep the bulkheads almost out of sight. Anyway, here's the progress to date. Still has to connection water lines:


Here's a bit better photo of the car dash after blasting. Marcos (the body & paint guy) is coming by this afternoon so they can figure out the best way to make the swap.


I'm using a mechanical fan so it would be dangerous without a cover. Right now I'm thinking we'll polish the covers and chrome the factory core support cover in front of it...but I'm not sure. Chrome & [olished aluminum right net to each other might look wrong, not sure. The other option is painting the core support body color but leaving the aluminum polished. PS: The radiator below will be painted black so it recedes from view. The factory serpentine system will be polished, thought most of it won't be very visible and the recessed areas on it will be black. Opinions are solicited.

[Kim57]

Coming along nicely.
I cleaned up and painted the factory brackets on my engine.
They turned out pretty good.
Kim

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Cool! Why did you decide to do that? Jut wante the look or do you have cancer in the rear panels and decide to go "whole hog" in fixing it?

Dan, virtually no cancer in the corners, and still has the deflectors screwed to the bottom. Not sure how common it is for those to still be there. I just love the BBW trucks and want the look. I probably wouldn't be doing it if my son didn't own a shop and hadn't volunteered to do the conversion for me.

BTW, I ordered the two panels Tuesday or Wednesday, and the truck showed up at my son's shop Friday afternoon with them. I don't know where they came from but I didn't expect them that soon. Now I'm getting excited.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Make sure to take a lot of pictures. I lucked out finding a big window truck.

[ChuckDriver]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

JJ, If you do this mod I suggest you have the Juliano's (or whoever's you use) mount in hand. I THINK this might have been better moved over toward the edge of the pillar just a little. Maybe another 1/4" so the guide the belt goes through will hang level. Not a big deal.

Dan, since you are going all out on this build making it your dream truck, I would suggest that you install the seat and belts before the paint is done so you are absolutely sure it all fits together like you want them to!!



Seatbelts are next on my list.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh, you mean pick from the available colors before the paint is sprayed? I was thinking the belts would match the interior - whatever that ends up being.

I keep thinking a light color. Not white or ivory but a light to medium tan. I've seen a few done in a peanut butter color and then there's always black in a red truck for a very traditional combo. I like the idea of matching red BUT if the paint and interior are off just a littel it looks like, "Nice try, you ALMOST matched it" to me.

[ChuckDriver]

No, I actually meant just to mock it up so that you could sit there and make sure the belt was at the right height and angle for you.

The camel/caramel browns look great in a red truck!

[ChuckDriver]

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

No, I actually meant just to mock it up so that you could sit there and make sure the belt was at the right height and angle for you.

The camel/caramel browns look great in a red truck!

Honestly? It's too late for that. BUT, I did research here, on Juliano's site and on YouTube and everything I could find said put the mount at or above the mid point in the window if you're about 5'-10" - 6'-0'. I think i'm good. I hope!

Last weekend i tore down my seat to the bare frame for blasting/powder coating but i have another (fugly) one I can use. It's a good suggestion, i'll take it over to the shop this week and see how it looks.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, that DOES look good but my red is much darker. It doesn't photograph well but it is late model Honda dark red call San Marino red....tentatively of course.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thursday, December 8, 2016

The truck is nearing tear down so the frame and smaller components can go to the blaster for powder coating. I'm not welding shut miscellaneous holes in the frame. I considered it but it's not intended to be a "show" truck (even though I have gotten carried away with some things). I hope it looks very nice anyway and i'm only trying to please myself.

To Do List:
- Clean up exhaust manifolds of unused flanges, etc.
- Weld 1 or 2 plugs into floor holes
- Install gas pedal
- Mount foot-operated parking brake
- Minor changes to radiator/fan guard for better fit
- Install drop down stainless battery box under passenger side of cab

Looking like I'll pick up the frame next Friday and take it to the blaster/powdercoater. I'll take the body back to the body shop the same day.

[murd969]

Everything is looking good.

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thursday, December 8, 2016

The truck is nearing tear down so the frame and smaller components can go to the blaster for powder coating. I'm not welding shut miscellaneous holes in the frame. I considered it but it's not intended to be a "show" truck (even though I have gotten carried away with some things). I hope it looks very nice anyway and i'm only trying to please myself.

To Do List:
- Clean up exhaust manifolds of unused flanges, etc.
- Weld 1 or 2 plugs into floor holes
- Install gas pedal
- Mount foot-operated parking brake
- Minor changes to radiator/fan guard for better fit
- Install drop down stainless battery box under passenger side of cab

Looking like I'll pick up the frame next Friday and take it to the blaster/powdercoater. I'll take the body back to the body shop the same day.

That's what it's all about.
Some times I let my self get side tracked thinking about what others may think.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Kim57

That's what it's all about.
Some times I let my self get side tracked thinking about what others may think.
Kim

Thanks Kim,
Yeah, I respect the opinions of the guys here because we're "conoisseurs" of Task Force trucks or we wouldnt be here.

So I value the opinions. BUT, in the end, I have to pay the bill and I have to be the one who looks at the truck and I'd better say, "I love it exactly as it is"....otherwise, why did I do it?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Not too much to report until Friday but the parking brake mechanism was installed yesterday. I'd originally intended to use a Lokar style that mount to the firewall & dashboard leading edge but since my dash is coming out soon and because Mike had a buddy that got us a deal on this factory type we went with this.


It seems pretty solid and I'll put some kind of better looking pedal cover on it eventually. The only issue right now is whether the factory vent cover will fit with it there? I think it will with some spacers. Yeah, I know with AC most guys get rid of the vents. But I didn't weld shut the cowl vent (kinda like it) and if I cover the vents then there's a dead end for leaves, twigs, rain, etc. Thoughts anyone?

[ChuckDriver]

Could it be moved up higher and the pedal arm lengthened?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hmmm, not a bad idea. I'll ask about it.

[bowt1ed]

Hey Dan, is that a push release or cable release? What is it off of? Also been looking that direction.

Cheers, Jim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Jim,
It's a push to release type. It's new so I have no idea what vehicle it fits. I THINK Mike said it fits GM truck's as original equipment but I'll have to check.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Here's a little bit clearer shot of the parking brake.


I confirmed it can't be installed higher with a longer arm fabricated, unfortunately. Too bad because that would have been a good fix. If it went higher the bolts would be above where the fender covers.

I decided the fix is to cut the vent flange off, trim 1/2" off the vent itself, and weld it back tighter to the kick panel. Spacers would be a bad idea because they would cause work hardening of the sheet metal over time and cause it to tear.

[ChuckDriver]

Might be easier to move the pedal pad over.??

[ebernst]

Looks great, Dan! I think it's a solid truck and I can't wait to see what you do to it.