Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4..

[KevinK7]

...and you're just learning to Tig? ...sheez, excellent work
That exhaust looks amazing.
BTW, ...my buddy with the Scout frequents BinderPlanet, says it's a great resource.

[mongocanfly]

thanks...
and yep Kevin..just started tig..but Dad had me welding when i was about 10yrs old..old AC craftsman and 6013s.. i moved on to ac/dc stick, then on to mig and never really saw the need for tig..and was actually gonna use ss wire and mig the tubing..then my old hobart mig starting acting up ..and my hotrod buddy talked me into the tig..which led to the new mig/tig/stick welder.. which led to learning tig, which led to etc etc etc..
another thing i found thru the power of the net is using solarflux on the joints,instead of a argon purge on the tubing.. it seems to work pretty good
i still have trouble feeding the filler rod..my hands are so big i cant even tell if im holding that tiny .040 filler most of the time..makes it real hard to feed it in..i even got a filler rod holder but it dont help much. but welding on the tube , i cant weld more than a inch or two before i have to stop and rotate the tube so its working out

[richard2717]

Gotta love the old 6013 rods. They made everyone look like a welder until it came time for strength test.

[67C10Step]

I would expect nothing less! Great work and fantastic to see you back on this one.

[KevinK7]

Never heard of the solar flux stuff, ...seems pretty nea.
I did a quick search and watched this guy's comparison...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__n5TA2CP3g

[mongocanfly]

I didnt see his video on the sf..and I watched a bunch of em..I saw it on the fabricator series
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K4aVdZwjASA

[mongocanfly]

With the need to finish my exhaust system, I want to temp mount the bed and bumper so I'll know where everthing needs to be..
So i dug out the ol bumper that's been with the truck since it was new..was built by the ol farmer Dad bought the truck from..if only this bumper could talk, the stories it could tell..
Has a real nice "dont tailgate me or die" look to it..!!

[mongocanfly]

I've already cut off a welded on drop hitch, a offset ball hitch and about a ft off each end..
Was wondering why my back was always sore when I was manhandling it around..
Still gonna cut off and replace the 3/4" thick mounting plates, should cut a little weight
But wow..!!..this thing is heavy..and that's after cutting all the other stuff off.!!

[mongocanfly]

And just for show and tell, here was the front bumper on Columbus
3-1/2"× 6ft solid stainless steel
It has that "dont be brake checking me" look to it
It weighs a chunk as well
But I'll be using my nice chrome one..

[Ol Blue K20]

Some serious bumperage you have there

[fatbass]

WOW. I just found this thread yesterday and finished the whole thing just now.
I was amazed at the speed and quality of your work. Also, your incredible patience! I would have settled for "good" long ago but you just have to do things to what I see as "perfection". Especially in the Alabama heat and humidity (I grew up in Tuscaloosa and rural Dallas county so I sympathize.
All Hail, Greg!
I was so looking forward to seeing your father at the reveal. You were so close to being done and then the kitchen fiasco put it off. If that hadn't happened you would have been done in time.
Your father dying hit me like a brick. I was crying at work.
Now I want to see you at that IH festival in Colorado so here's to smooth sailing the rest of the way.

[mongocanfly]

Yeah Dale...we dont play..!!!!.Haha

Thanks very much bass..!.. I dont know about speed patience, or perfection...I have none of those..
But yes , I lost about 2yrs on this build, the kitchen was one ,the other was work ,where I worked nearly a solid yr of 12hr shifts...and at times I'd just lose motivation..I really wish he could have seen the truck finished, and I know hes watching from above..but while he was here on earth,at least he got to find out what was going on
The rocky mountain rendezvous is on my list of places I want to go to, just dont know if itll be this yr

[MP&C]

Nice work on the exhaust Greg!

[mongocanfly]

Thanks Robert.!

[Ironhorse]

Exhaust really came out nice Greg. Very clean work with attention to detail.

As an aside: I know the feeling about the 12 hour days for a solid year. When I was working as a crane operator for the Boeing Co. in Wichita I put in a LOT of OT. 12 hour days became 14 hour days since I lived about 40 miles away for a commute one way. Doesn't leave much time for anything except eat, sleep, a shower and out the door. That "ALMOST" became the point I was ready to sell my '57 Chevy project for lack of project time and being tired always. Glad now that didn't come to pass and I still have it. Glad you came thru it as you did, it gets old real quick don't it?

[mongocanfly]

Gary, I don't want to wish my life away, but I'll sure be a happy camper when I quit having to punch a clock..

[mongocanfly]

Well between everthing else I got going on , I've been slowly making a tiny bit of progress
After I ran the exhaust ,I came to the realization that it was way way to close to my fuel system, which I had nicely tucked inside the frame rail..so I had to scrap the whole thing and start over..
The only real free space I have under the truck is on the drivers side ,outside frame rail..
So I've got it all move over there.. I needed some new -an fittings to replumb the fuel lines..
I've had the ordered for a while and they are slowly getting here..
I'll fab a flying gravel guard to go over it later on

[mongocanfly]

So to finalize the hoses , I needed the tank installed
I was afraid I was gonna run into clearance issues , and i did
When i redid all the tank fittings and sending unit, i knew they stuck up higher than the original
And sure enough, it did...the tank fits snug up against the floorboard, and all this held it off that by around a inch ..spacing the tank down wasnt a option due to the fill neck going up thru the cab corner..
So I had to do what I didnt want to...cut a hole in the floorboard
Now it fits..
I'll make a cover to go over this..it will also be helpful if I ever need to do any work on the fittings or sender..

[Ironhorse]

Greg, that actually may not be such a bad thing at some point in the future. Similar to the fuel tank/fuel pump situations for GM's Tahoes and Suburbans. Lack of access from above means dropping the tank to replace the fuel pump. Have always thought it was poor design and engineering on GM's part in NOT providing an access plate or cover for just such a situation. Your install and needed mod work may be a big help in the future.

[mongocanfly]

Yeah, it could be a good thing down the road..I'll seal it up with the 3M strip caulk, so itll be easy to get off if I ever need to
Makes me kinda wish I had gone with the intank fuel pump now..but I'll manage

[mongocanfly]

So I took a break this afternoon to take Mom to the steakhouse for early mother's day
When I got back I used my CAD system (Cardboard Aided Design), to mock up a new cover for the big ol hole I just made..
Now to transfer it over to metal..thinnest I got is 16ga...overkill yes, but itll be fine
I'll use rivnuts and screws to hold it in place and seal it up with 3M strip caulk

[mongocanfly]

Well I got got the fuel hole cover fabbed up..
Put way more time and effort into this than I should have..
Had to get fancy on the rear flange to fit around a brace..
But it fits good and snug..
Will sandblast and paint..then I'm gonna spray it with lizard skin and it should blend in with the other..
A few rivnuts and some 3M strip caulk and itll be just fine

[8man]

That's some great work on the cover plate. I agree with what has been said, that cover access to the fuel pump may be a blessing in disguise.

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Well I got got the fuel hole cover fabbed up..
Put way more time and effort into this than I should have..
Had to get fancy on the rear flange to fit around a brace..
But it fits good and snug..
Will sandblast and paint..then I'm gonna spray it with lizard skin and it should blend in with the other..
A few rivnuts and some 3M strip caulk and itll be just fine

Very nice job. You might appreciate it later. I know from experience that GM trucks and vans, and Mopar vans need need a removeable cover like that.

[mongocanfly]

Im sure your right Russell...I never understood why they didnt put access panels over the pump and sender...seems like ever one I've had to work on was full of gas when I didn't need it..

So after some more OT at work, I squeezed in another 5min..after I relocated the fuel pump, I realized the exhaust was also to close to the transfer case frame bracket, there was less than half a inch...dont know if it would have ever hit it, but I thought now, before I put gas in it, would be a good time to go ahead and mod the bracket..
So i cut a semi circle outta it and welded in a couple pieces of scd40 pipe to add a little strength back to it..
Plenty of clearance now