Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Jim,
They're Coddington's Smoothies. But I know there are the original design Smoothies, Smoothie II's and III's too. I havent seen them enough to know but I assume they're the original design. My nephew says all four are 8" wide.

[bowt1ed]

Thanks

[Flysocal]

Nice score on the wheels. I like the deep dish I really hope they fit nicely. I had to order specific custom back spacing etc to get a good fit so if they do fit right I will be surprised and happy for you. I must say this is a big dollar build and everything looks outstanding. Wheels are like the cherry on your sundae or the spray of cologne before you go on a hot date. Get the ones you like best, don't try and be cheap on wheels at this point.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Flysocal

Nice score on the wheels. I like the deep dish I really hope they fit nicely. I had to order specific custom back spacing etc to get a good fit so if they do fit right I will be surprised and happy for you. I must say this is a big dollar build and everything looks outstanding. Wheels are like the cherry on your sundae or the spray of cologne before you go on a hot date. Get the ones you like best, don't try and be cheap on wheels at this point.

UGH, yeah I know you're right. The Smoothies aren't a compromise for me. I like the design. I'd just decided I couldn't afford billets like Billet Specialties Legacys.
The only compromise MAY be their width in back. I'd planned on trying to fit 9's or 9.5's. I didn't think I could get 10's back there without rubbing and I don't want tubs anyway.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Friday, April 21, 2017

Inner fenders final painted. Front fenders getting bedliner inside tomorrow. Chassis to bodyshop Monday.

I need a front sheet metal bolt kit asap. The Car & Truck Shop has one and its stainless but they're hex head bolts and i want polished button head bolts for the inner-to-outer fender connection you see when the hood is open. Anyone know if someone sells a kit with those already included?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, so I've been doing some searching. I don't know the sizes, lengths, or quantities of all the bolts I'll need so I'm debating buying the Truck Shop kit and using that as a sort of bill of materials before returning it, OR I could keep it and use it except for the top hex bolts that will show with the hood open. Of course I'd prefer using all stainless so i won't have rusty bolts anywhere again.

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks47_59/t47_072.html

I'd have to buy:
"Front Fender Bolt Kit" p/n 55-06504 (stainless)
"Front Sheet Metal Fastener Kit" p/n 55-06506 (says "basic" so I assume NOT stainless) and
"Hood Latch Catch and Brace Kit" p/n 55-067025 (doesn't say stainless so I assume it's not.

This comes to $69 but it's not the cost so much as the waste and also that even though I bought the Assembly Manual I don't find it all that instructive for which exact bolt goes where. Any/all advice from those that have done this is appreciated.

[ChuckDriver]

Dan, you should be able to buy just the ones you need at Lowe's or Ace Hardware, etc...

I cant tell you exactly how many you need or what lengths but if you have all of the original ones you can just match them.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Dan, you should be able to buy just the ones you need at Lowe's or Ace Hardware, etc...

I cant tell you exactly how many you need or what lengths but if you have all of the original ones you can just match them.

No, I don't have the originals. So many of them broke I couldn't have kept track of which piece went with which piece - so that eliminates using BoltDepot. There's a pretty decent specialty fastener place not too far from me called Bolt King which will have anything I need.

If I buy the Car & Truck Shop kits and opt to use them as a sort of Bill of Materials, I'll go to Bolt King and buy (hopefully) just the polished button head stainless bolts I need. I don't really have the time to wait for TrucksUSA to ship them to me- but thanks for the link. Their site doesn't indicate how long shipment takes and the chassis/cab will be mated Monday.

Thanks everyone for your advice/help. You guys are such a resource!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sunday April 23, 2017

Good News: The front fenders have been sprayed with bedliner/undercoating. Came out very nice:







Bad news: Shipping the chassis to the bodyshop has to slip another week. No room in the shop til next "Friday or Saturday". Oh well.

[lowdownstar]

Looking great Dan!

[Techie79]

Dan, I was just looking at bolt kits last night myself and came across this. It looks like their kits have everything for the cab and front sheet metal including interior. Their prices are about the best I have found and it just makes things easier and replaces everything so no more rusty bolts

http://www.trucksusa.net/products.ph...&submit=Search

[Roadkill58]

https://www.boltdepot.com/Default.aspx


.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks!
I've gotta pick up all those bolts kits this week, head to my local specialty bolt supplier for the polished button head inner/outer fender & latch panel replacements, and order the door weatherstrip from Steele Rubber - I keep reading theirs is THE best fitting.

Note:

Just posted a separate thread about Steele Rubber if anyone has experience, thanks!

Trying to chill out about getting done fast and focus on getting it done "right" - or at least right for me.

[lowdownstar]

i had great luck with steel rubber Dan very nice people to deal with.



Ray

[Kim57]

Looks real nice.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Ray

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Chassis to body shop has slipped again to Monday, 5/1. Oh well.

Front fenders were being color sanded and final polished today. He said compound gets thrown all over if he does it after the fenders are mounted to the cab. He rear of cab was already done. I'm pleased because no one will ever see it.




Picked up cab bolts, front sheet metal and door hinge bolts. Ordered Steel Rubber's "smaller" door seals. Spoke to their rep and he said, "...99% of guys are happier with the smaller seals so they don't have to slam their doors over and over." So I ordered those.

[dug224]

The paint is perfect! Thanks for the tip on the small door seals.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Man, I love TR6's and I especially love British racing green. Can't wait to read/see more about it!

PS: Post as many pics as you want!

[gotmotors]

Looking good Dan. If you haven't found your bolts yet, check out Totally Stainless. http://shop.totallystainless.com They have packages for our trucks and you can get just their front fender kit. I bought their full kit and it's been really good.

Appreciate the info on the door seals.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the link Jim. I DID buy the bolts from The Car and Truck Shop, but I'm not totally happy with them because they're mostly not stainless and I want them to be, at least where they'll be visible so I can polish them.

EDIT: Finally went and looked at the link more closely. Wow, $500 for some of those kits. Yikers.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Friday, April 28, 2017

My seat back frame needed minor repair - the nut for the pivot bolt had come off some time and the sheet metal was repaired and a replacement nut welded in. The frames are being sandblasted & powder coated gloss black this week. Gloss so the small amount of seat frame that shows will look better than if it were semi gloss.

I found a local upholstery shop that does very nice work and seems to be reasonably priced. I visited to get some idea of time it will take to complete, discuss some design and color ideas, etc. Here are the ideas I have come up with so far:

Below is the sculpted design I'm going with except it'll have fewer vertical stitch lines. Maybe 3 or 4 instead of 6. It's a little too busy in the picture.


I'll use a color more like this 2nd picture though. I like how the door panel lets the raised rib of body color show. I've considered chroming the door panel just show this rib would be chrome but not sure it's worth it. I don't care for the bottom having so many vertical stitch lines and I'm not sure how I'll revise it. Somehow I'll figure out a lower door panel design that "goes with" the sculpted seat stitch pattern, and echo it in the headliner panel too.


And finally, I'm considering some kind of door pockets to add storage space to the truck. The step area on Task Force trucks is wasted area anyway but I don't want these door pockets to be a catchall for crap. I'll figure out something; maybe a simple lid or flap?

[Denee007]

OMG, that first seat is FINE! but they're all fine! I would really like door covers like those, another thing on the To do list when I get back to the 59 Anyway, which ever you choose will be great!
dne'

[ChuckDriver]

Very nice options for sure!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Denee007

OMG, that first seat is FINE! but they're all fine! I would really like door covers like those, another thing on the To do list when I get back to the 59 Anyway, which ever you choose will be great!
dne'

Thanks guys! Yeah, I like them all. I searched here, Google Images and Pinterest for upholstery ideas for months. I tried to remember the little element in each photo that caught my attention.

JJ, My guy proposes removing the springs and using all foam like your seat in order to sculpt the contours like the first seat above. I don't think any of these colors is QUITE what I'm looking for but they're all around it. I'll find it eventually.