Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[lower50's]

That sucks. Don't worry it will all work out. What if you used painters tape around the edges would that have helped? I know it's a little late now.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I DID use painter’s tap around the window. THREE layers and I still managed to scratch it. DAMMIT!!!

[akdg87]

the painters tape always seems to pull up paint if it gets nicked. i had the same problem with my dads car when i was putting the motor in.

Something less adhesive with more cushioning would be optimal.

[G&R's57GMC]

10 days and no update ?

[Nut Case]

Dan

I can see you dancing about and quoting Daren Macgavin playing the father in "A Christmas Story". I to have done the dance when things don't go as they should.

I just learned that painters tape isn't a that great. Got figure something else.

I just stinks to have to touch up paint, oh well, you so close to the time you can walk out the front door strool to you freshly finished Tk and go for a joy ride, just for the heck of it.

Strong work Dude, I can see your pain.....

NC

[G&R's57GMC]

19 day's and no update !

What's happening Dan ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Glen,
Been interviewing for a consulting job about 250 miles away from home so not a lot after the windows.

BUT, I’ve been sanding/finishing the bed wood. Finally got sick of wet block sanding with 800 grit and hit them with 320 grit on my palm sander. Worked great. Flattened the film great, put the 7th (or is it 8th?) coat yesterday. Laid down amazingly well though I’m sure it cost me a few mils. Tomorrow I’ll likely hit it with 1500 or 2000 and polish with car wax and be done. THEN I can start assembling the bed.

[Dan in Pasadena]

In progress. Not much extra room between inside of tires and bed wood. Maybe 5/16” but it’ll be ok (I hope! Lol)

Damn, sorry for the sideways photos. You get the idea though.

[MIKESAD50]

Wow, wood looks really nice.

[oldman3]

Dan, when you put the side panels on, that is going to be tight. You may have to run a 1/4" spacer behind wheel...Jim

[dsraven]

that's what I was just going to say, spacers would fix you up as long as the tires have room on the outside against the fender and the wheel studs are long enough, or swap the studs as well.
nice job on the wood, you're not gonna want to put anything in the box now, lol.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi guys! Thanks for the responses and suggestions.

I bought the wheels without considering their offset because they were DAMN cheap on Craigslist. But they did end up costing me to make some repairs and have them re-polished. I actually prefer gray spokes but before I invest more money for a more correct offset I need to get the bed and fenders together so measurements will be accurate and the fenders are still at the painter’s.

My current concern is there are no holes in the bedwood and it’s obviously finished. I will have to be VERY careful to avoid chipping the finish - I plan to drill through masking tape then VERY slowly pull the tape - suggestions welcome.

OFFSET WASHERS - What is the purpose of them, anyone know? Once I get all the wood in hand tight, all squared up, tailgate in with no binding, THEN I’ll pull the boards to measure locations for the main mounting bolts & gas filler. I plan to drill the main bolt hole then trace the offset washer location and very carefully drill the recess for them with a spade bit. BUt I still don’t understand why they had to be offset. Other suggestions how to do this?

The truck is going back to the body shop Friday for the hood to be fitted. I hear that is quite a job to get right. Hopefully

[dsraven]

you could try tape and a forstner bit instead of a spade bit, less trauma to the wood but a bit more work to get the hole in the right spot with an offset washer. check out the mar-k instructions for a better description.

http://www.mar-k.com/_assets/images/...s_3-8_ofst.pdf

or here for pics and description. older truck series but same methodology

https://talk.classicparts.com/thread...ed-wood.12180/


the offset washers are used for the bed to frame bolts so the washer jams in the hole it is recessed into as the bolt is turned. the bolt has a back like a carriage bolt has and the washer has a square hole to accept the bolt. the washer is set down into a shallow hole in the wood, when you tighten the nut up under the floor the bolt can't turn because the washer jams in the offset hole. I think this is how it works anyway.

[ChuckDriver]

Bed wood looks great Dan!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks dsraven, thanks JJ!

That’s a simple reason for the offset washer I’d not considered. So it was just to facilitate assembly at the factory by one man. Interesting.

Yes, ok on the Forstner bit. I’ll go buy a new one so it’ll be very sharp and cut s l o w l y! Wish me luck!

[lower50's]

I think you will need more space between bed and tires.

[idbeast]

I've got 1/2" on mine. 11" tire in the 12" opening.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks guys.

I was working on the bed wood today and I pulled my rear wheels off so I won't have to work around them when I get to installing the bed sides. Once that's done I'll stack some washers between the rims and the hubs to determine just how much of a spacer I will need to clear the tires. I think 1/4" should do it but I won't order any until the fenders are on too. I keep thinking about whether I'll use welt or not because it never came on these trucks when new. But, trucks were the bottom of the bucket in those days. They got nothing more than necessary to get them sold. So I keep thinking with this attempt at a nice build maybe I will use it.

There are SO many variables putting the bed together, so many bolts, and every part depends on every other part to go on square and flush. I've got all the wood in loosely bolted down. Tomorrow I plan to install the bedsides and tailgate, check for "square-ness" and tail gate gap from side -to-side before doing final drilling of the eight main frame bolts with offset washers. I also bought a new 1-1/2" Forstner bit, tested it on scrap and the fit around the offset washers is perfect.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thursday, April 25, 2018

Just a status update:
I got all the wood in only to finally realize I couldn't put nuts on the bed strip carriage bolts above the gas tank - DUH!

So I have to pull it all out, remove the tank - and of course I just added 5 gallons to it - DUH x 2 - then reinstall the wood and re-mount the gas tank on the bottom of the lower frame flange instead of on top of it. I'm not sure if the weight of the fully loaded gas tank will be too heavy for the bolts with flat washers and I don't want to find that out later - so I'll use a continuous 1/8"x1" wide metal bar as a "washer." I will also have to spot weld nuts on the flange as I won't be able to reach the nuts after the wood is back in. Yikers!

MAN, it just seems like one thing after another. The rear cross sill was the only thing still needing final paint so I returned that back to the painter today. It'll be ready next week. Then the bed sides, fenders & side steps can be installed finally.

PS: Apparently every time I actually do something on the truck I am required to slightly screw it up as you can see in the pictures, I allowed the Forstner bit to wander some because oak is apparently a LOT harder than the fir I practiced on (I was trying to keep from drilling the counter sink too deep). I have since finished it to match but it's still visible. If I filled it, it would be MORE visible so I will live with it until later when I can mill one replacement board myself. Damn.

[G&R's57GMC]

One step forward , two steps back ... put your right foot in and shake it all about ...

As for the tank , why not hold it up to the bottom flange and mark the holes , then drill and drop in the bolts through the flange and weld them .

Then when you install the tank you will have studs ready to receive the tank and strap , lock washers and nuts . The bolts can stick down an inch and a half or more without a problem.

The wood looks great !

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

....why not .... drop in the bolts through the flange and weld them.

Ha, yup you're right! See, this is why we share our goofs here - someone will think of a fix or a better fix.

Thanks Glen, I'll do exactly this.

Kim, I feel for you. I can just imagine what installing my hood and grille will result in - UGH.

[01spirit750]

Danny / all
I thought I would post how I machined my bed wood to have the recess for the offset washers and get a near perfect result.

Short story- use hole saw in scrap wood as a guide for a router bit.

Long story
1. Drill the hole for the carriage bolt in the correct location on your bedwood.
2. Made a jig for the washer recess:
scrap piece of 3/4 wood 4" x 12"- approx
Find a hole saw with the correct size for the washer
Drill scrap wood / jig with the hole saw. Exact location is not critical just centered in the jig.
back to the bedwood use the washer to align with the bolt hole drilled in the wood and use a pencil to trace the outline of the washer. Note the washers are eccentrics so I made sure to orient all the outlines of the washer on the wood with the eccentric facing the same direction.
Use the jig and clamp it to the bed wood, aligning the whole in the jig with the pencil outlines. Clamp the jig to the bed wood.
Use a router with flush cut router bit with guide bearing to use the jig as a perfect circle guide.
https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Bearing...rds=router+bit
Of course you have to set the depth you want.

So this might be over kill but it took only a few minutes to make the jig and I had perfectly routed round washer recesses.

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^^ Good suggestion but too late for me.

I suggest you post a separate technical DIY thread with a good title and include pictures. Someone who hasn't done theirs yet will get the benefit of it.

Thanks for thinking of me/us just the same, Dan

[Kim57]

I feel your pain.
Had to redo my hood set up numerous times before I got something that worked .
Kim

[bowt1ed]

Dan, are you able to mount tank from bottom of frame rails with U nuts attached to bottom rail? These are what my tank from No Limit came with and I used.

Cheers, Jim