Bob's Retirement Build - My '55 TF

[Baldeagle SR]

Very nice work. That is going to be really neat. Rich

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Kim

[DransportGarage]

Thanks Baldeagle and Kim. You guys keep me going!

The panels are now trimmed to size and body filler work is done. Once the velcro was in place I found that it was tough to get the panels in straight. It was a lot like contact cement once the surfaces touched. So I put rags between the velcro "loop" side & "hook" side to keep them from sticking together, aligned the screws for the visors and dome light, then pulled the rags out and tapped the panels in place. Did essentially the same for the headliner rear panel around the rear window. Worked great!



The velcro is .095" thick and my Fatmat is .080" thick, so I'll have room for the sound deadener.

I taped over the velcro strips to keep them from getting contaminated, then stored the panels until upholstery time. Now it's on to the final small imperfections in the cab body, then high solids primer.

[Kim57]

Very slick.
Kim

[slammed57]

private message , check your pm....

[DransportGarage]

The winter weather is about over and I've been back in the garage off and on for about 3 weeks doing the panel fit dance from the cab forward. I suppose I've had the doors on and off 5 times and the rest of the sheet metal on and off about 30 times, I'm embarrassed to say.

As most of you know, nothing on these trucks fits like a new car to begin with, but what I figured out after about 10 assemblies and the front end almost tricked in was that every time I would tighten a critical bolt - from core support to grille bar, etc., the relationship of the fenders to the doors would change. From that point on, I'd would do a full torqued assembly, do some body work, tear it all off to do, say, the edge of the cowl, put it all back on, and get closer.

After about 20 assemblies I noticed that the crappy fender washers I was using just for fitment were distorting. That caused the the bolts to shift toward being concentric with the large fender clearance holes as the washers got sucked into them. The amount of shift was based on the amount of torque. Sheeesh!

After about 25 assemblies I noticed that the lower fenders were pulling forward, warping the fenders slightly. I'd loosen the lower fenders, the fender would spring forward, and the lower door-to-fender gap would widen. Cause? Too much shim under the core support. Took out about 1/8th of a shim on both sides and everything was OK -- except that I had to mess with the hood - again. I'll also post a pic or two once I've got the seams matched.

Anyway, things are really close now, so I better get the welding done on the lower grille bar to be sure it's warped into its final shape! See next post.

[DransportGarage]

My original grille really fit badly, and I convinced myself that I'd never get it in without ripping up the paint. ...so, I went to a billet grille. No good deed is left unpunished, so then the three pockets in the lower grille bar that used to match up to the vertical grille bars were twice as big and looked like, well, three big holes in the lower grille bar. So I made fillers for the holes, as shown below. I'll weld them in and finish them tomorrow.

EDIT: Well, this looks like another stupid move. I just looked at my buddy's '57 3100. It appears that its grille bar doesn't have the pockets. More punishment...

[_Ogre]

hey bob!
what ever happened to this sub enclosure?

[DransportGarage]

Well, it turned into this. It's been fit up and all the details are thunk out. Now it's time for execution! In addition to the woofer it holds the JL Audio amp, cutoff switch, electronics for the shift indicator, battery and some other stuff I'll need to remember later.

[_Ogre]

lookin' good



and vaguely familiar


was going thru my thread and saw that pic posted back in '13

[DransportGarage]

Over the last 10 days I finished the panel matching on the front end, except for the hood. (Can't rotate the image...)


The hood is close to being fitted, but it's missing the front brace that goes across the underside about a foot from the front. I managed to locate one (thanks, 57tailgater!), and it went to the sand blaster's today with the last few pieces to be blasted.

The lower grille bar is also modified to eliminate the three "pockets", as shown in post #207.


After the hood, the bed fit is next. Then finish bodywork, then paint!

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

lookin' good



and vaguely familiar


was going thru my thread and saw that pic posted back in '13

Not vaguely familiar...BLATANTLY PLAGIARIZED! I just can't ignore a great idea, and your truk is full of them!

Life has been full of twists and turns (not all of them bad), but now I'm back on track...

[DransportGarage]

To get a good panel fit that you can achieve twice in a row, I found that writing a sequence of assembly like the one below is helpful. Realize that this sequence, as written, WILL ONLY WORK ON MY TRUCK because each truck is different. (E.g., one of my upper grille bar nuts is missing, my door latch strikers are two different sizes, I have a billet grille, even the fenders mount slightly differently from each other, etc.) Anyway, here's my sequence:

(Apologies for the lack of indentation. Forum software will not recognize leading spaces or tabs.)

*************************

CAB-TO-FRAME:
1) Loosely install all 4 sets of hardware (i.e., all four bolts, shims, washers and nuts.
2) Rotate the cab toward the passenger side as far as possible (clockwise, looking from the top).
3) Snug the front bolts.
4) Torque rear nuts, then front nuts to 40 ft. lbs.

DOOR - DRIVER'S:

NOTE: Hinges (into cab) have been double-drilled so they can be located with 1/8" pins.
Cheat "in" as far as possible with pins in.

Install weather stripping around perimeter of door.

UPPER HINGE-TO-CAB:
1) Insert hinge in cab pocket.
2) Loosely install three (3) bolts. (Use flat and lock washers.)
3) Pin upper hinge in cab pocket using two (2) 1/8" drill bits.
4) Torque the two bolts nearest the pins, then torque the third bolt.

LOWER HINGE-TO-CAB:

WARNING: Use a short 3/8”-16 x ¾” lower hinge center CAB bolt or hinge will hit and
door won't shut right.

1) Insert hinge in cab pocket.
2) Loosely install three (3) bolts. (Use flat and lock washers.)
3) Pin upper hinge in cab pocket using two (2) 1/8" drill bits.
4) Torque the two bolts nearest the pins, then torque the third bolt.

WINDOW – POWER:
1) Lay door on side and install rear felt glass run channel.
2) Insert glass into opening, rotate glass to installed orientation, Insert into rear felt
channel and pull up.
3) Install lower forward channel, slide fwd as far as possible, and hold in place using
two ¼”-20 x ½” bolts.
4) Move window to lowest position and install horizontal felt, inside and out.
5) Move window to full up position.
6) Using motor, run slide to intermediate position.
7) Insert slide into door and temporarily install top screw.
8) Using only top 2 screws, loosely attach bottom of regulator to door. (Lower 2
screws will not be used.)
9) Move slide upward to within 2” of top. Remove top regulator screw and insert
channel onto rollers.
10) Slide window manually to channel and align screw holes.
11) Shift regulator side to side to insert and tighten channel screws.
12) Tighten all three regulator screws. Install garnish moulding. Test window for
proper operation.

DOOR:
1) Using floor jack and fixture, slide door onto hinges.
2) Place cushioned 2x4 on jack. Place jack near center of door.
3) Raise jack slightly and rock door to start all six (6) 3/8" x ¾" hinge bolts. (Use SAE
8 flat washers & std. split washers.
4) Using the jack, move the door to pin the hinges with 1/8" drill bits.
5) Tighten the lower bolts.
6) Remove jack so that top of door moves back, against the drill bit.
7) Tighten upper hinge bolts.
8) Check alignment at top, bottom and rear.
9) Make fine adjustments as necessary. Remove jack.

LATCH & STRIKER:

NOTE: Use short striker on driver's side.

1) Initially, use a rubber washer to protect the paint.
2) For initial setting, position striker ¼" from full up and ¼" from full in, then tighten.

DOOR WIRE LOOM (square-crossectioned aluminum tube):
1) Install plastic gasket on door.
2) Install loom.

DOOR - PASSENGER'S:
Install weather stripping around perimeter of door.

UPPER HINGE:
1) Insert upper hinge in cab pocket, snug all 3 bolts, then loosen.
2) CENTER hinge vertically and move FULL OUT, then tighten all three bolts (center
bolt last).

LOWER HINGE:

WARNING: Use a short 3/8”-16 x ¾” lower hinge center CAB bolt or hinge will hit.

1) Insert lower hinge in cab pocket, snug all 3 5/16"-18 x 1" bolts, then loosen.

DOOR:
1) Using floor jack and fixture, slide door onto hinges.
2) Cushion the floor jack and place under hinges near front of door.
3) Raise jack enough to start upper door hinge bolts.
4) In CAB, move LOWER hinge to be FULL UP and FULL IN. Tighten all three bolts
(center bolt last).
5) To provide a guide, jack door up, then install lower door hinge bolt that is farthest
from hinge.
6) Using jack, position door to install the remaining bottom door hinge bolts.
7) Snug all door hinge bolts, then loosen.
8) Jack upward until SLIGHT resistance is felt. On door side, this will align top hinge
FULL UP and FULL IN, and the bottom hinge FULL UP and FULL OUT.
9) Tighten all bolts and check alignment at top, bottom and rear. Rear of door should
be too high.
10) Lower jack so that it just supports the door, loosen upper door hinge bolts, then
lower jack to adjust the door. Repeat until door is correctly aligned.

LATCH & STRIKER:

NOTE: Use long striker on passenger side.

1) Move striker down and in as far as possible.
2) Move LATCH out as far as possible.

WINDOW – POWER:
1) Lay door on side (which side?) and install felt glass run channel.
2) Insert glass into opening, turn to installed orientation, Insert into rear felt channel
and pull up.
3) Install lower forward channel, slide fwd as far as possible, and hold in place using 2
¼”-20 x ½” bolts.
4) Move window to lowest position and install horizontal felt, inside and out.
5) Move window to full up position.
6) Using motor, run slide to intermediate position.
7) Insert slide into door and temporarily install top screw.
8) Using only top 2 screws, loosely attach bottom of regulator to door. (Lower 2
screws will not be used.)
9) Move slide upward to within 2” of top. Remove top regulator screw and insert
channel onto rollers.
10) Slide window manually to channel and align screw holes.
11) Shift regulator side to side to insert and tighten channel screws.
12) Tighten all three regulator screws. Install garnish moulding. Test window for
proper operation.



DOOR WIRE LOOM (square-cross-sectioned aluminum tube):
1) Install plastic gasket on door.
2) Install loom.

NOTE: Hood hinges and hood go on after inner fenders to allow easier inner fender
installation.

NOTE: For body panel installation, fasteners are to be left loose unless otherwise
specified, until all fasteners are in place.

CORE SUPPORT:
1) Apply tape to the passenger upper rear core support tab where it will contact the
inner fender.
2) Loosely assemble bolts, nuts, washers, spacers (1 thick, 1 thin on passenger side, 1
thick on driver side) and cushions according to the assembly manual.
3) Pull core support toward the driver's side, into the "custom" notches, as a starting
point, and tighten the Driver side 7/16"-14 x 2" support-to-frame bolt ONLY to 20
ft.lbs. (Other side to be tightened after inner fenders are in place.

NOTE: If the passenger core support 7/16:-14 x 2" bolt is tightened here, the core
support will be too far forward for the inner fender to be installed.

INNER FENDERS (Part 1):
1) Install the lower firewall brackets such that nuts are on the driver's side of both
brackets.
2) Install two (2) large grommets into large holes in each inner fender (thin side to the
inside), weather strip onto rear edges, and edge guards at a-arm.
3) Apply tape to the top of the firewall flange. (Inner fender will rest here.) Lay towels
over the frame and a-arms.
4) Loosely install the two (2) bolts that go through the large rubber grommets).
5) Pull passenger side of core support as far forward as possible and tighten bolt to 20
ft.lbs.

HOOD:
1) Install hinges to firewall as low as possible, cheating them toward the driver's side.
2) Install hood to hinges while cheating the hood to the driver's side.

FENDER - DRIVER:
1) Apply protective tape to rear edge of fender and front edge of door, and
ESPECIALLY to the front 6" of the corner of the step.
2) Position one (1) 0.094" washer (marked "#/8") for the upper 3/8"-16 x ¾" fender-
to-cowl bolt.
3) While holding the fender in place, loosely install the 5/16"-18 x ¾" fender-to-inner
fender bolt that is second from the front.
4) Loosely install the 3/8"-16 x ¾" upper fender-to-cowl bolt.
5) Install the lower 3/8" x ¾" bolt (near step). Snug the bolt lightly for alignment. USE
NO SHIMS.
6) Align the fender to door and cowl, then tighten the 3/8"-16 x ¾" upper fender-to-
cowl bolt to 20 ft. lbs.
7) Align lower fender to door seam and torque the lower fender bolt to 20 ft. lbs.
8) Remove the 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolt that was installed in step 3).
9) Use a wooden shim to spread the gasket gap between the fender and inner fender
at the rear.
10) Because the gasket is too short, use a piece of ¾" folded masking tape as a
"tongue" on the front of the gasket so the gasket can be stretched while in place.
11) While slightly pressing down and pulling outward on the front of the fender, slip
the fender-to-inner fender gasket into place from the side, starting at the rear.
Hold open with wood shims if necessary.
12) Loosely install the 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolts, starting at the rear. Using the tape
"tongue", stretch the gasket as needed until all 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolts except the
front one are loosely installed.
13) Remove shim between fender and step.

Fender Extension:
1) Put a double layer of tape on:
a) the bottom tang where the fender extension will touch the fender.
b) the inner lower edge where the fender extension will touch the inner fender.
2) Loosely install top 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolt.
3) Starting at the top, install the four (4) #10-32 screws, washers and nuts.
4) While pulling the inner fender toward the outside, tighten the top 5/16"-18 x ¾"
bolt. (This will eliminate the gap between fender and inner fender and allow the
second bolt to be installed).
5) Install the 2nd, 3rd and 4th 5/16"-18 x ½" bolts. (Leave 2nd, 3rd and 4th loose
on this side.)

FENDER - PASSENGER:
1) Apply protective tape to rear edge of fender and front edge of door, and
ESPECIALLY to the front 6" of the corner of the step.
2) Position one (1) 1/8" shim for the upper 3/8"-16 x ¾" fender-to-cowl bolt.
3) While holding the fender in place, loosely install the 5/16"-18 x ¾" fender-to-inner
fender bolt that is second from the front.
4) Loosely install the 3/8"-16 x ¾" upper fender-to-cowl bolt.
5) Install the lower 3/8" x ¾" bolt (near step). Insert a 1/8" shim, fully engaging it by
pushing it up. Snug the bolt for alignment.
6) Align the fender to door and cowl, then tighten the 3/8"-16 x ¾" upper fender-to-
cowl bolt to 20 ft. lbs.
7) Align lower fender to door seam and torque the lower fender bolt to 20 ft. lbs.
8) Remove the 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolt that was installed in step 3).
9) Use a wooden shim to spread the gasket gap between the fender and inner fender
at the rear.
10) Because the gasket is too short, use a piece of ¾" folded masking tape as a
"tongue" on the front of the gasket so the gasket can be stretched while in place.
11) While slightly pressing down and pulling outward on the front of the fender, slip
the fender-to-inner fender gasket into place from the side, starting at the rear.
Hold open with wood shims if necessary.
12) Loosely install the 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolts, starting at the rear. Using the tape
"tongue", stretch the gasket as needed until all 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolts except the
front one are loosely installed.

Fender Extension:
1) Put a double layer of tape on:
a) the bottom tang where it will touch the fender.
b) the inner lower edge where it will touch the inner fender.
2) Install the top 5/16"-18 x ¾ bolt.
3) Starting at the top, install the four (4) #10-32 screws, washers and nuts.
4) Install the 2nd bolt.
5) While pulling the inner fender toward the outside, tighten the top 5/16"-18 x ¾"
bolt.
6) Tighten the 2nd inner fender bolt
7) Install and tighten the 2nd 5/16"-18 x ½" bolt, then install the 3rd and 4th bolts.

LOWER GRILLE BAR:

NOTE: Bolts are numbered below starting with forward-most bolt.

1) Protect both frame horns and driver side sheet metal with towels.
2) In order, install passenger side 5/16"-18 x ¾" bolts 2,1,4 and 3.
3) On driver side, install bolts 2, 1 and 3. Snug bolt 2, then install bolt 4. Loosen bolt
2.
4) Loosen bolt 2, snug bolt 3, then install bolt 4.
5) Tighten driver side bolts 1, 2, 3, 4.
6) On passenger side, snug bolt 3. Then, in order, tighten bolts 1, 2, 3, 4.

UPPER GRILLE BAR:
1) Install the driver forward bolt first (since it's the only one with a nut), then the
other three.
2) Install 3/8" x 1" core support top bolts.
3) Tighten upper grille bar bolts starting with driver side.
4) Tighten upper core support bolts.


NOTE: The driver's fender (and possibly the passenger's) can be loosened at the top
for final alignment at this point. Use two taped 1/8" shims, one squeezed
against the step and one squeezed by closing the door, 3" from the top.

INNER FENDERS (Part 2):
1) Tighten top rear 5/16" x ½" bolt while pulling inner fender outward to eliminate the
gap at the fender.
2) Do the same for the top front 5/16" x ½" bolt.
3) Do the same to the other two top 5/16" x ½" bolts.
4) Torque the lower rear, then lower front 5/16" x 1" inner fender bolts to 75 in-lb.

FINAL BOLT TIGHTENING:
1) Starting at the inner fenders and, working toward the bumper, tighten all front end
fasteners.

NOTE: Install the following in order:
1. A/C condenser.
2. Grille.
3. Hood latch into hood latch panel.
4. Hood latch panel.

GRILLE:
1) Protect lower grille bar with towel.
2) Hang grill from top outside holes using two #8-32 x ¾" screws and nylocks.
Remove towel.
3) Mount as low as possible, with bottom as forward as it will go, using washers where
necessary so that all screws can be torqued.

[DransportGarage]

I've been sanding high solids primer on and off for the last 6 weeks -- 80 grit, then 180. P400, the P600 will be coming up before sealer and color.

I'm ready to pull the primered cab off the frame so it can be final sanded and painted, but before I did that I decided to re-check the bed assembly procedure. Good thing I did. Before I boxed my frame I welded nuts inside it to accept the cross sill bolts. Well, guess what? That took all the slop out, so I couldn't move the cross sills around. Because of that, the bed side angles couldn't be bolted through the bed wood. I have to enlarge some holes tomorrow, and then I'm going to drill some 1/8" locating holes through the cross sills and frame so I can position it exactly. Because I'm using stainless strips with hidden bolts, The cross sills will need to be tightened at final assembly before the wood goes in.

Also, I had changed to aftermarket cross sills because my originals were badly rusted. The second cross sill was too high. Went to a thin rubber mount under that one.

So, the project is moving. I hope to have three of the four coats of color on for show-and-tell at my Labor Day party when my old Chevy buddies will be here. We'll see...

[DransportGarage]

Another 6 weeks of body work done, and some paint work. Although the outside will be painted with basecoat/clearcoat, I decided to paint the underside parts (wheel wells, under-cab, under-hood) with single stage paint. In retrospect, I'm not too sure that was a good idea. I get a great match between the single stage and the bc/cc, but I just spent about 4 hours masking all that I had painted. (Masked areas in the picture have been painted with single stage.)

Tomorrow the humidity is supposed to be below 60% so I'm hoping to shoot three of the four coats of bc/cc on the other side of these masked panels. I have some small stuff ready to go too. Once I have all parts in three coats of bc/cc I'll scuff, shoot the fourth coat on everything all in one day, then shoot three coats of clear. I'm still on-plan to have some paint to show on Labor Day, but won't have clear on.

[DransportGarage]

I was having problems remembering what was sanded with various grits of paper, how many coats of high-solids primer I had shot, what was getting single stage and what was getting bc/cc, etc., so I made this spreadsheet (especially when I walk away for a week or more). It's also fun to mark stuff off as it gets done.

"X" means done and gray means not needed. There's a legend at the bottom for some of the colors. The rest of the colors mean something to me, but don't try to figure it out. The some colors change weekly, depending on what step I'm on.

[DransportGarage]

Finally got some paint on some front end parts. Basecoat on the first pic, then some clearcoat. All of these parts are done on both sides now.

[DransportGarage]

I was going to go with a pair of fiberglass rear fenders that I had, but they just didn't meet up to the steps like I wanted. Instead, I'm repairing my steel ones. I must be getting a little better at this stuff because 3 years ago I wasn't even considering doing this repair.

[DransportGarage]

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be shooting sealer and basecoat on the cab. I did the final sanding over the last two weeks, then degreased it and took it off the rotisserie today. Glad I have a lot of those white buckets around!

[joedoh]

red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red red

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

To get a good panel fit that you can achieve twice in a row, I found that writing a sequence of assembly like the one below is helpful. Realize that this sequence, as written, WILL ONLY WORK ON MY TRUCK because each truck is different. (E.g., one of my upper grille bar nuts is missing, my door latch strikers are two different sizes, I have a billet grille, even the fenders mount slightly differently from each other, etc.) Anyway, here's my sequence:

Holy cow, that was a lot of effort to compile that. There frequently are questions about assembly order. Moderators should make it a sticky.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Holy cow, that was a lot of effort to compile that. There frequently are questions about assembly order. Moderators should make it a sticky.

Thanks joedoh and MiraclePieCo! If a moderator wants to make it a sticky, PM me and I will put it in its own thread, or they certainly have my permission to do the same. It's all about helping other hapless rookies like me!

[lgoodso1]

That’s going to be a very sharp truck , you have done an excellent job on all the body work. Cannot wait to see it on the frame.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by lgoodso1

That’s going to be a very sharp truck , you have done an excellent job on all the body work. Cannot wait to see it on the frame.

Thanks, Igoodso1. I fixed a major screw-up on power window control today, installed the cluster and cleaned up the engine from all the bodywork. Now 90% of the wiring is done, waiting for me to install the rest of the sheet metal. Probably another 200 hours or so to go.

Sorry to all that I've left the build thread go dormant, but Snapfish blew up my pictures. If I could edit the old posts I'd update everything, but it doesn't appear the moderators are going to let that happen.

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be shooting sealer and basecoat on the cab. I did the final sanding over the last two weeks, then degreased it and took it off the rotisserie today. Glad I have a lot of those white buckets around!

I see you deleted the drip rails. Any advice before I do mine?