My 1955 Chevy 3100 build

[55 Chevy Dave]

Kees,

Thank you for your response. I see where you fabricated the outer cab corners, but what did you do about the inner cab corners? Did you just delete them altogether and fill in the floor above?

That seems like a pretty good idea! It looks like that is what Kim57 did as well.

Thanks again, Dave

[RockinKees]

Yes, deleted the innercorners and filled the floor above.

Didn't know what the purpose of the innercorners were, except collecting sand, dust and water...
It is not needed for the construction so away with those rust formers!

[55 Chevy Dave]

The radiator support was in good shape except for some stress cracks above the base where it mounts to the frame. I welded the cracks and decided to make reinforcing plates for this area so the cracks don't return.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Here's the repair on the other side and the completed product drying in the sun.

I also filled the fuel tank filler hole.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Kees,

That is a great idea! You are absolutely right. I'm glad I asked before diving into that project!

Dave

[oldman3]

Nice repair, shouldn't have anymore problem there...Jim

[Kim57]

Nice job on all the repairs.
Kees is right about the inner cab corners being traps for rust. Mine are gone also and a plate made to cover the hole.
Kim

[55 Chevy Dave]

Welding in the steps.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Welding in the passenger side cab corner.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I still have some touch-up to do, but it is looking pretty good. My first weekend of body work seems to have been fairly successful. I have a feeling I will sleep good tonight!

[oldman3]

Your doing some nice work, little by little it all adds up...Jim

[Advanced Design]

Nice work and really good progress!

[ptc]

Looking good! It's all a matter of just doing each piece and area as they show up.

Keep it up!

[rickw82]

Whose coilovers did you go with and what length are the shocks?

[Kim57]

Repairs are looking good.
Kim

[RockinKees]

Looks good Dave!
Keep at it!

[55 Chevy Dave]

I made good progress this past weekend. I started by cutting out the rot behind the rear cab reinforcement on the passenger side. I sprayed the rust with a bit of rust reformer and fabricated a new patch panel out of 18 gauge and welded her in place. A little grinding and it almost looks like it was always there.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Originally Posted by rickw82

Whose coilovers did you go with and what length are the shocks?

RickW82, the rear 4-link kit is from Total Cost Involved and the coil over shocks measure 14.25" from center of upper mount to center of bottom mount. I took the measurement while the shocks were mounted and with no weight other than the frame.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Onto the driver's side cab corner. It was pretty much the same process as the passenger side except that I went into this side with a new secret weapon - my "welding buddy" (on display in the 3rd picture below). Thank you Kim57 for posting this tool on your build thread. I whipped this up out of mostly spare parts laying around the garage and it made a big difference!

After I spent some time heating, hammering and bending the patch panel into the exact shape I wanted, I clamped it into place and tacked it in. As I worked my way around the panel, I removed each panel clamp and positioned my new "welding buddy" on the backside of the weld and slowly filled in between the tacks.

I welded up everything solid from inside the cab and eliminated any daylight coming through.

After some grinding with a 4-1/2", 60-grit flap wheel, I think it looks pretty good!

[55 Chevy Dave]

Both cab corners are done. After I fill in the other hole behind the driver's side rear cab mount reinforcement, I will be onto the lower patch panels for the front fenders.

I also spent some time welding in new sheet metal at the front fenders as there were some stress cracks around some of the mounting holes. As I was grinding, I exposed some gold-colored brazing material from a previous repair. Apparently, someone has worked on this metal before!

[Advanced Design]

Nice repairs Dave! Good work...always wonder about old brazing..who did it, when did they do the repairs.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by 55 Chevy Dave

Onto the driver's side cab corner. It was pretty much the same process as the passenger side except that I went into this side with a new secret weapon - my "welding buddy" (on display in the 3rd picture below). Thank you Kim57 for posting this tool on your build thread. I whipped this up out of mostly spare parts laying around the garage and it made a big difference!

After I spent some time heating, hammering and bending the patch panel into the exact shape I wanted, I clamped it into place and tacked it in. As I worked my way around the panel, I removed each panel clamp and positioned my new "welding buddy" on the backside of the weld and slowly filled in between the tacks.

I welded up everything solid from inside the cab and eliminated any daylight coming through.

After some grinding with a 4-1/2", 60-grit flap wheel, I think it looks pretty good!

I like that magnetic, half C clamp tool. I assume you fabricated that? Any other pics? Details how you made it?

[Kim57]

Repairs look real good.
Glad the tool worked out for you. I put an copper end cap on mine and and squeezed it in at the opening so it wouldn't fall off.
Kim

[55 Chevy Dave]

I haven't posted in a while, as the projects have not been that exciting. Here are some pics of the last hole being filled in the back of the cab.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Instead of spending $1,000.00 on front fenders and inner fenders, I decided to fix them. Here is a patch I did on one of the inner fenders where stress cracks had destroyed a couple of the mounting holes.