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#1 |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
Posts: 6,338
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
I picked up my seat today. I am VERY happy with the look, feel and quality of the work. I’ll install it this week then drive the truck to a (very!) local glass shop; if I can find one, that does vintage vehicle work.
It was already dark when I took these pictures so this is with fluorescent light and flash. It washed the color out. The color is much richer than these pic’s show. After the glass is in the truck will go back to the upholsterer for headliner, carpet and door panels. Gettting closer but it really is inch by inch.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: upper midwest
Posts: 1,129
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
It looks real comfortable and the color will contrast nicely with the paint.
I'd ask around, you should be able to find a glass guy that will come to you. Fortunately I know a retired auto glass guy that loves working on the old stuff, it keeps him in beer money. |
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#3 |
Senior Member
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Location: Vancouver Island, Courtenay B.C. CANADA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Seat looks great Dan! Should be real comfortable with the foam base instead of springs, planning to do something similar for mine.
I agree totally with Black Sheep, I had a guy come to do my windshield on my 71 C10 at my house, charged me $50 for the house call well worth it! If you are buying glass you should be able to get their installer to come over. But make sure it's someone who know how to do curved glass with a rubber seal, it's a dying art!
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1962 Chevy blue SBFS 1957 Chevy yellow SBSS 1956 GMC red SBSS Nov 2017 ToTM https://www.facebook.com/groups/Cana...geChevyTrucks/ |
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#4 |
A320 Pilot/USAF Retired
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 2,622
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
That looks nice Dan!!
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JJ My 1957 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=334552 http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22037 Instagram - Chuckdriver57 |
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#5 |
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Location: West Plains, Missouri
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Dan, seat and the stitch work look great...Jim
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my build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839 Jimbo's long bed step build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=464626<br /> Last edited by oldman3; 11-29-2017 at 09:55 AM. Reason: spelling |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Othello washington
Posts: 400
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Nice job on your seat Dan, how did you do the foam in place of the springs? Must have missed it in your build thread, cant see your pics in most of it. Thanks
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Love your seat.
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http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=648459 https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=769441 1951 MG TD 1967 Jeep CJ5 1.9L TDI 33X13.5X15 Mud Grapplers. 1952 GMC 9700 p/u 7.3L diesel on air, dually |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Corona, California
Posts: 7,998
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Seat turned out great.
Kim |
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#9 |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I wish I could show the color more accurately. My buddy says it looks like typical Toyota Camry color - that’s NOT a compliment coming from him. But it IS much richer in person.
Here’s a bad photo of the seat in process. Foam hadn’t been final trimmed/shaped or bonded to the backing. We just sat it in the cab to see the fit. I like sitting high. We opted to trim the seat back foam thinner than in this picture.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#10 |
Senior Member
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
HELP!!
My 2 rear seat bolts are broken-off flush (or slightly below) the surface of the floor of my already-painted truck - so I can’t use heat to get them out. I successfully drilled through one of them but because it was broken off below the surface the hole isn’t exactly centered - still haven't figured out how to get the remainder out without destroying the threaded hole? I may have to just open it up to 3/8” and tap it for a larger bolt. BUT the big problem is I broke off a drill bit IN one broken off bolt! DOH! DOH! DOH! Online I found Denlors Tools offers something they call a “Rescue Bit” but they’re pricey as hell. $64.98 plus $5 shipping on Amazon for one 1/4” bit. Yikes. Anyone have a cheaper or better suggestion that won’t bugger up my new paint...much?!
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Grants Pass Oregon
Posts: 473
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Hello Dan. Maybe this will help you. There might be enough bolt underneath to use vice grips, tack weld a nut on or ???. Just another idea. Its worth crawling under your truck for a look see.
Earl
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You have to have patiences or you'll be one. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: calgary alberta
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
do you have an arc welder? place the ground, bust a little flux off a rod, stick it down in the hole, connected to your stinger, then get a buddy to turn the welder on for a sec untill the broken drill bit gets "hot" and then turn the welder off. that should take the temper out of the drill bit and also possibly heat up the bolt at the same time without damaging the paint. then it is drillable maybe.
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#13 | |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Quote:
I have been thinking about jacking the truck up tomorrow, climbing under there to see if there’s any length sticking out. If there is NOT, I may drill up to expose the end of the drill bit then use a punch to push it up and out from below. Then I can finish drilling through and gradually widen out as much as possible. I don’t own any easy-outs but it seems like this is the time to order some and figure out how to use them!
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Othello washington
Posts: 400
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
In my experience drilling and easy outs are successful maybe 1-2 times out of 10, you have to be able to drill straight in very near the middle of the bolt, rarely are you able to do that with success. I assume since your are near completion that the bolt broke because it was tightened beyond its ability to hold down. If it's one that is still in there from disassembly it's a different story. So assuming its in a clean hole it shouldn't be that tough to get out now that the head is off of it. If you can't get at it from the bottom you need a welder and somebody who has done this before. Lay something non flammable around the hole to protect the paint from splatter, use a flat washer the same size as the bolt right over the hole with a like sized nut right on top of that. I use a pair of old needle nose vise grips to hold the nut down tight and clamp the ground to the vise grips. A Mig welder works much better on these small bolts as the wire can reach down to the top of the bolt and get hooked on. It helps if you have somebody holding the vise grips tight so the welder can hit the hole with some accuracy. Fill up the nut with weld, doesn't take long. let it cool a bit and put a wrench on the nut and start working it back and forth slow and easy. Have had to repeat this process several times to get success but will work 9+ times out of 10. You may have a bit of scorched paint right around the hole but should be minimal as long as the flat washer and nut are held tight and flat. Best wishes, just my experience.
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#15 |
Senior Member
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Stopped by the bodyshop today. The bedsides, tailgate and front panel have all now been sprayed and cleared. Marcos had all the panels color sanded and will final polish them this week. The side steps are painted too. I THINKthe only parts remaining to be sprayed is the solid cowl panel I brought to him late - he had already sprayedthe vented cowl panel. I will keep both and probably use on the non-vented panel. He said I can pick up the bed parts on Saturday. Yeah, we’ll see. The rear fenders and hood also need final P.O. list but they had been sprayed a long time ago.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#16 |
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Dan, it's moving along (slow), but at least it's something...Jim
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my build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839 Jimbo's long bed step build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=464626<br /> |
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#17 | |
Senior Member
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Quote:
But I am retiring at the end of the month so I will have a lot more time then to plug away at it. I’ve been a procrastinator, and then I got spoiled paying others to do the majority of the work so now I am really a useless puke! ![]() As soon as I can figure a way out of the broken seat mount bolt situation I will drill for the retractable shoulder and center belts and mount them. Then the seat goes in. Then the truck goes around the corner for glass installation - NOT gonna scratch up my new paint doing that myself. And while all that’s going on I will be sanding/staining/clearing/flipping, etc, etc, etc bedwood so I can start installing the bed.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#18 |
A320 Pilot/USAF Retired
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 2,622
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Dan, I'd put a bunch of tape around the anchor plate on the underside and working carefully you should be able to get the damaged parts out.
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JJ My 1957 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=334552 http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22037 Instagram - Chuckdriver57 |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Morada, CA --- (Near Lodi)
Posts: 1,443
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Dan I know you have had alot of advice on your bolt hole already, but I have always had the best luck just drilling it out first with a centering drill (available at machine shop supplies or McMaster Carr)- its a small drill head that gets a center punch drilled perfectly. Then use a small drill (pilot drill) to go through the old bolt.
Youre using 5/16-18 bolts for the seat mounts, so something about 1/8" should work - use a new sharp drill bit and let the drill do the work -DONT FORCE IT THROUGH. THen use a tap drill for 5/16-18 to go through the the pilot hole. Then just run a tap through the hole. Get a new tap drill and a new tap. they cut much better. The tap is hard enough to get the bolt bits out. For the broken drill bit -get a carbide cutting bit. It will drill it.
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#20 | |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Quote:
At this point my options for the broken drill bit are either a burr on my die grinder or drilling around the broken bit with a smaller drill to loosen it enough to grab it with needle nose pliers. If JJ is right^^^ that the underside of the anchor plate is visible from below then I will drill UP through what remains of the bolt and use a punch to get the bit out.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#21 |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
EDIT
I JUST realized I am a complete idiot! The bolts that are broken off are NOT the rear seat mount bolts. They are the front two stock gas tank bolts! DOH! I could have left them broken off flush as they were. Damn. I was reviewing what everyone wrote and Clarence’s photos reminded me. It would have bothered me to leave them broken off but now with one drilled through and one with a broken bit? I can’t leave them. They would drive me crazy! I HAVE to get them out just to install a clean bolt to cap the unused holes. CRAAAP.
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#22 |
Senior Member
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Location: Shasta Lake, CA.
Posts: 1,619
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Seat looks great !
As for the broken bolts , are two bolts on the same rear mount or each rear mount . If only on one you can delete the second without compromising the mount. BTW ... It's only 20 days 'till the big elf comes looking for cookies and milk ....
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Glen & Jane's Rides ‘57 GMC NAPCO Long Bed V8 4 speed Bought 2008 7 other cars & trucks , 5 trailers '56 Chevy Long Bed I6, 4 speed Bought 1990 Sold 8.22.2020 ’56 GMC Suburban Pickup V8, 4 speed Hydramatic Bought 1996 Sold 10.11.2020 My Other Tinkerings http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...75#post8967275 |
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#23 |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
See my last post, Glen. I am a moron! I was confusing the rear seat mounts with the stock gas tank mount bolts. I briefly wondered why the rear seat mounts only used one bolt while the front mounts had two bolts, but I quickly dismissed it out of stupidity!
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Cohutta
Posts: 42
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Looking great , Dan! What did you use for a trans dipstick tube? Stock or aftermarket?
Thanks, Mark |
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#25 | |
Senior Member
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Re: Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window
Quote:
I stopped by the body shop Saturday and Marcos was in the process of final polishing one of my bedsides. They look great - I hope I don’t screw them up by assembling/morning the bed myself. I’m gonna get some bubble wrap for them at Home Cheapo to carry them home/store them til assembly. I’ll pick up most of the parts this week. I am officially retiring Friday, 12/29 so thereafter all the delays wil be on me! ![]()
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'55 Big Window Shortbed, Drive-It-&-Work-On-It slid down the "slippery slope" to a Frame-Off Rodstoration! LQ4/4l85e/C4 IFS/Mustang 8.8 rearend w/3.73's Dan's '55 Big Window "Build" - Well, Kinda! |
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