My 50 roadster pickup build

[oldman3]

Again bad pic, but you can see how it lined up. I had also welded in pieces on the door post to make it flush with the main piece.

[oldman3]

Here I've installed the power window kit (Juliano's), made a wood template and checking how it works up and down.

[oldman3]

Another short post today, tomorrow we go to the bed, with lots of modifications and about 30 pics.

[oldman3]

Sorry getting on so late, had things come up, anyhow I've moved to the back of the bed, to start working on the taillights. This is the stock stack pocket on the 54 bed, 47-53 are different.

[oldman3]

I cut out the pocket to this shape for my lights.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 I made up this holder that will be welded to the stack pocket. The taillights are 3rd brake lights that I relamped and rewired for running, turn and brake lights. (lights were purchased from J.C. Whitney) The plastic housing for the lights were drilled and screwed to the holder, so they don't move.
Pic 2 Welded to the pocket and lights installed.

[oldman3]

A good view of lights from the back and also the roll pan that will be added.

[oldman3]

New tail gate in position. I bought this at the body shop for a 87 pickup with no Chevrolet in center, at a cheap price.

[oldman3]

This is at the front of bed, where I made a plate to weld up the open end on rail, a new front panel from Classis Parts.

[oldman3]

Removing old paint from outside of the bed. Drivers side in fair shape, but the passenger side had a "tin can" effect along the whole panel. Lots of heat shrink work to get it right.

[oldman3]

All body work done to most of bed and primered. Anyone who has worked on these beds, knows how hard it is to get them decent with the thin one wall bed. Still working on the rear section.

[oldman3]

I love the original design in the 54 and 55 1st. series bed sides.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This is the old rear cross sill piece for bed, was in bad shape so I purchased a new one.
Pice 2 New piece welded in place, also added a 3/16" steel piece inside the gate piece and extended to the bottom of the panel on an angle.
Pic 3 New panel installed, had to cut the opening to clear the roll pan.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Roll pan all welded to the back panel.
Pic 2 Side view of roll pan, welded to the bed.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This is normally how the stack pocket looks and some people leave it like this.

Pic 2 I wanted mine different. Here I drilled a hole to feed wires through for the taillights in stake pocket.

[oldman3]

Not shown, but I made up a wood piece the shape I wanted. Traced the three shapes to sheet metal. Here the back piece is installed with a slight arch. The front piece comes straight down.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This view shows the final center piece installed.

Pic 2 View from back, shows how it curves to meet the roll pan

Pic 3 A look at the whole rear set-up.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 How the tail gate latch and hinge is set up. Purchased from WOW Products.

Pic 2 Another view in open position.

Pic 3 Also made a plate for open end of back rail. Was going to radius the corner, didn't, and now I wish I had.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This is how most repop tail gates look. They need lots of TLC to correct.

Pic 2 For me it was easier to weld a plate to cover the whole thing, and it make it smooth on the inside.

[oldman3]

Rear stake pocket, all smoothed and primered.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Now you can see how it all blends together, with body work done and in primer.

Pic 2 View from rear all primered.

[oldman3]

With the tail gate down, if you look real close at the side of tailgate. The inside part has been welded and smoothed out.

[oldman3]

Well this was months of work, maybe it kept you busy 5 mins looking at the pics. Hope you enjoyed, any questions just ask. Jim

[Indian113]

Your pictures make it look easy,wish I had your fab skills

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Your pictures make it look easy,wish I had your fab skills

Thank you for the kind words. I'm not to bad, but lots of people are a whole lot better. I was told a long time ago " if it's metal, and you make a mistake, cut it out and do it again". Kind of hard words to learn by, but it sure helped me. Jim