Canadian Rustbucket 66

[rustbucket66]

Thank you. The picture of the fuel hoses through the grommets in the frame, as promised. Someone taught me how to reduce the size of my pictures, so I can continue posting. My computer skills are limited.

[rustbucket66]

Received the wood for the box floor. White oak in a kit from Mar-K. I am really happy with the quality and how it was cut. There was an episode of Overhaulin and Chip Foose was doing the box floor in a truck. He took a black paint bomb and sprayed a light coat on the wood. Then sand it all out and it makes the grains in the wood pop a little more. The 3rd one up is bare, the 2nd one painted, and the third one with it sanded out. You can see the grains more clearly, and there isn't any stain on there yet.

[rustbucket66]

Here is after one coat. I am using Sikens oil based stain Cetol 1. It has varnish kind of mixed in. 3 or 4 coats and you don't need a varnish on top, and is made to resist UV rays. It will get darker with each coat. More pics soon.

[rustbucket66]

It's getting interesting now, for me anyways. Got the box home, and set it on the frame. Now it gives a better idea of what it will look like. I have lots to do now. Still waiting on the fender tubs, tailgate, and some other pieces.

[Greg63]

Very nice!!

[rustbucket66]

Got started on the box floor. The wood has 3 coats of the Sikens stuff, then wet sanded the dust and high spots. then put one more coat on. It is pretty dark, and the grains are almost black. The strips and the boards have no bolts showing. I welded plates on the cross pieces underneath and will use short 1/2 bolts to tighten it down. I like the look of not having the large carriage head bolts and washers. and not having the rows of bolt heads on the strips. I have drilled the holes around the perimeter, but need the fender tubs to drill the rest of the holes. The outer boards will have to come back out to put some stain in the holes.

[pdxhall]

the bed wood looks great! Very clean!

[clemdaddy]

the wood looks great... really like the storage and speakers behind the seat. and the door glass... over the top. all in all, one fantastic truck.

keep going, getting sooooo close now.

[66farmer]

The bed wood looks great. I really like the contrast from the white to the dark wood.

[rustbucket66]

Thanks for the nice comments fellas. The carpet arrived this week. Set it out in the sun to soften up a little, and hopefully it will fit nicely. I taped some speaker wires and a 4 wire flat ribbon to the floor so I won't have to fish them under the carpet when it comes time to run speaker wires or possibly an amp under the seat. If I don't use them all, then no harm done. I also taped insulation in the low spots on the floor and the back wall of the cab. It should make for a flat surface for the carpet to sit on.

[rustbucket66]

Got the floor in, and the back wall. Still some wrinkles to get out. Maybe they work their way out over time, not sure. I think I might try the wife's heating pad on the wrinkles. Turn it on high and let it sit there for a couple hours. The first picture shows the cardboard template I made for the piece that goes above the molded carpet. I ordered some spare material to put in there. I used chalk to mark where the cuts need to be.

[rustbucket66]

The carpet for the back wall came in the kit, but I think it was for trucks that kept the original gas tank. A lot of the bottom part and the trim around the outside had to be cut off. The last two pics have the storage compartment/ speaker boxes that I made from fibreglass. It still needs bodywork and paint before it goes in there to stay.

[rustbucket66]

I have ben messing with the seats for a while now. The headrests stick up too high and it won't allow the seat to go back far enough. Same for the thing the seat belt roller sits in. I like the seat belt being built right into the seat, but it too hits the back of the cab before I can get the seat right to the back. There isn't a whole lot of legroom in these trucks, and the high back makes it worse. The seat is from an 02 Silverado extended cab.

[rustbucket66]

I have cut the headrest off entirely, as it covers up so much of the rear window, and doesn't allow the seat back far enough. Also, I cut the frame off that the seat belt roller sits in. It will move the roller downward, and I will weld a new brace to the bar that goes across the top. That should make it close to flush with the top of the seat. Had to cut the stitches in the upholstry to do it. The seats are the wrong color anyway, and will be recovered. The second picture shows a pie slot cut into the frame to lean it back a little, as it leans too far forward when the seat belt roller is put back in it's slot. The last pic shows the seat belt roller, and how it will fit into the frame. I will drill a new hole for the retaining bolt.

[rustbucket66]

This picture shows the roller back in and the cover on. I have added about an inch and a half to the frame since this pic was taken to get it a little higher than the top of the seat. My upholstery guy said that was fine and he could add some foam along the top. It sits comfortably above my shoulder when I tested it. The second picture shows it with the upholstery sort of put back on. It is turned into a low back seat now, with the seat belt still integral. The last picture shows how high the seat belt roller used to sit on the seat, and how high the material went.

[rustbucket66]

Here is the seat sort of taped back together to get an idea of what it will look like. The last pic shows the masking tape line of how high the seat belt roller used to sit. The headrest went even higher than that. It made a difference of a couple inches on how far the seat can go back, and can lean the seat back more also. It just touches the back wall of the cab, and there is way more legroom. What a difference. The upholstery guy can start in a couple weeks on the seats and console. I will post pics when I get them back. Now on to the other seat.

[88Lt1wagon]

Wow, that is coming together nice
Posted via Mobile Device

[rustbucket66]

Had some friends over today, and over a couple of beers we decided to push it outside and rinse it off with the garden hose. It has been a long while since it has seen daylight. I realize now that it is way too high in the back and has to come down an inch or two. The rake is a little too much. I can pick up the wheel tubs and tailgate from the paint shop this week. Looking forward to getting that stuff home.

[rustbucket66]

One more back inside the garage.

[clemdaddy]

dadgum that looks sweet... beautiful.
all the work, paid off...

[lenguini]

Looking good bud,good to see the progress.

Cheers.

[Greg63]

Looking good.
Greg.

[northern 85]

That looks great,can i get a close-up of the rear molding with the script logo? Did you use the 65 impala trunk logo?

[BOXER957]

Originally Posted by C@rnut001

Your truck is looking really good. It is great to see it coming back to life from a rust bucket... Thanks for sharing your build and pictures with us.

X2! Sometimes it seems like trying to make a cow out of hamburger but keeping them alive and out of the junkyard is what it's all about. That and the satisfaction of having a sweet truck that YOU brought back from the dead.

[rustbucket66]

Thanks guys. The script at the rear is from a 57 Chevy 150 or 210 model hood or trunk trim. The Belair script was gold. Today I am mounting the spare tire under the rear of the bed. The bracket is from a 70s Chevy truck. I shortened it about 4 inches to accommodate the space saver spare. I hope I never use it, but it is there if I have a flat and need to get to the next town. It is hardly noticeable from the back, you have to get on your hands and knees to see it.