'50 chevy 3100

[Matt_50]

Got an hour in today. I recut the outer skin about a 1/2 inch up. I used electrical tape, and carefully laid it around the curve and I got a nice straighter line. Previously I was just cutting out the rust and evaluating the inner piece.

Cut out a section and put in the piece I formed yesterday. I put it a vice to get my lip and then used pliers as a crude tucking fork. It required a lot of work to tuck then hammer then tuck and hammer to get a flat curved pieced, not perfect but not bad. I did lap weld it, not by much but this is a nice hidden area and having overlapping pieces or a backing piece sure has helped with my flux core welding and limited skills. I'll seal it real good.

[joedoh]

looking good! I just picked up inner and outer cab corners today, I will be doing this work this weekend likely.

[gigamanx]

I find body work therapeutic. Being able to make something out of a flat sheet of metal and it ends up pretty solid and permanent. 50 years from now, you'll have the guy with the big car shop and the TIG welder stripping down the truck saying "what was this guy thinking." haha...

[Matt_50]

I have been ok only recently doing some welding all by myself, but to tackle a cab corner... I'm very pleased with myself! I know it's not done, I'm going to fill it in slowly.

I did use a 1/2 strip behind to act as a backing piece because of burn through. I don't burn through as often as I did even just a few months ago but it still happens.

[8man]

Go slow and practice, practice, practice. It looks like you are getting there. Good work.

[Matt_50]

We've been getting a little rain so I kept the passenger side primered and cut the rust out of driver side so I could cut rust out of the inner piece.

[8man]

It doesn't rain in Odessa!

Keep up the good work.

[Matt_50]

Yesterday my new inner cab corner for the driver side came in.

Over the last couple of days I started ordering stuff off my wish list finally!

Front main leafs
Shackle kits
Spring eye bolts
U bolts
Anti squeak liner
Center bolts
King pin kit

This stuff will start rolling in next week! Plan is to finish up suspension this month and order my brake stuff next month.

[joedoh]

you are going to be a cab rebuild specialist by the time you are done!

[Matt_50]

Two surprises when I got home!

All my goodies are in except one back ordered spring eye bolt. I didnt expect the u bolts yet.


2nd surprise was my Great Pyrenees got a little sick. Explosive watery diarrhea sick. Omg the smell was awful. Thankfully on tile... not exactly what you expect when you get home.

[joedoh]

I'd love a pyr, I have a little more than an acre, but my wife is scared of their size.

[Matt_50]

I grew up with dogs and had a pyr. My wife never even had a goldfish! We got married and I said we need a dog. She said outside right? I was like sure sure... and he never spent a night out lol. She loves him, spoils him more than me.

[Matt_50]

I started taking my front axle and springs apart a few days ago and I got rid of my jacked up hanger. Probably fixable butbi found another really cheap so I went that route. Had to cut it out, PO welded it for some reason. Got a couple spots to fix up but no big deal.

[Matt_50]

I got 20 minutes in, literally lol. Wire wheeled and primered passenger springs.

[Matt_50]

Springs are ready to assemble. I've got liner and new bolts too.

[8man]

Spring pack reassembly can be fun, hope it goes well.

[Matt_50]

I did not fully think this through. White liner and black springs... at least it is hard to see when everything is together. Maybe I can paint them?

[dsraven]

just going back to your welding and burn through. try a scrap dealer or a plumber and grab a big piece of large copper line. flatten it out and use that as a backer behind the weld area. it doesn't stick to the weld but stops the weld from sagging out and burning through. works great. can be held in place with a magnet or simply screw in in then weld the screw hole closed when you remove the strip. the copper is easily bendable to shape.

[Matt_50]

Cleaned up the frame a little and got my springs on. Got all the brackets and the axle cleaned up too. I'll probably get the axle on in the morning and I'll buy my disc brake kit tonight!

By the time it comes in I'll find a little time to do the king pins first.


I really hope that white liner isn't very visible once tires and fenders are on....

[Matt_50]

Everything is back in place! Still gotta tighten up some nuts but it sure looks nice.

Got my disc kit ordered and my P/S kit to mount my c10 gearbox. Both should hopefully make it this week.

[joedoh]

looks good! the local spring shop uses this black suspension paint on springs that doesnt seem to fully dry, like its mixed with graphite or something. makes an awful mess of your shirt if you arent paying attention

[Matt_50]

I got my disc kit in! I hope to get it installed soon. I want a factory look to the wheels and tires. Plain or old wheels with a skinny tire.

Any suggestions on backspacing?

[GreasyLikeaBurger]

Theres always companies like wheel vintiques https://www.wheelvintiques.com/ Pretty sure there are a few more that offer custom sizes. I think I bought my wheels from them 15 years ago. Like others suggested on the other post, measure for back spacing and wheel/tire size.

[Matt_50]

Disc kit conversion done! I hope... the instructions kinda sucked. The only way it worked was to have the caliper towards the front. Is this right?

[Matt_50]

I got a hold of tech support and I do need to swap the brackets around. My instructions didntvsay to, but I have to grind the steering stop a tad so it will clear. Good thing I didn't put it completely together.