Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[G&R's57GMC]

Lookin' good !

Dan that tire is going to rub, no doubt about it. You need at least 3/4".

I'm glad you are having the body shop install the fenders, they are a pain to install without scratching the bed.

Won't be long now that you'll be cruising'

[Kim57]

Getting real close.
Truck is going to be great when done.
Kim

[oldman3]

Dan, bed looks great, won't be long now...Jim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the link Black Sheep. It says 1/2” stud but I easily put 7/16” washers on my studs last night so I THINK those are too large a diameter(?)

Thanks you guys for the comments. I ended up having to remove the bed side so I could take off the rear most cross sill yet again (miraculously I didn’t chip or scratch it!) and slid out one of the bed boards to tighten the fuel lines. Started truck hours apart to verify no leaks and the. Set about putting it all back together. Did it by myself. Dozens & dozens of trips up too and below in the creeper. Hate to admit it gave me quite a workout.

Glen, That tire pic was before I installed the washers. There was barely 1/16” clearance so that was definitely not gonna work. Not sure I like the Smoothies after all. I’m considering replacing with gray spoke Torq Thrusts or 17” Rally repops (w/redline tires).

[Dan in Pasadena]

For you that have done it, did you install welt between fender & bedside?

I wasn’t going to because they didn’t come that way. Then I realized Chevy/GMC didn’t because these weren’t passenger vehicles back then. They were tools like a hammer and the probably thought why spend an extra dollar per truck?

[Nut Case]

Dan

I have made similar mistakes just as duffie , more as I age. Keep the faith, your list is getting smaller, all be it slower, but still less and less as time goes on.

Strong work dude. I feel your pain..

Strong work

NC

[Dan in Pasadena]

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Bad night, I actually fell out of bed last night (insert laughter here) cutting my chin, tearing inside of my mouth badly necessitating an ER visit this afternoon for stitches in my mouth. But first:

I got up early - I was hurting anyway, couldn't sleep. Final tightened bed wood bolts, took truck off jack stands and did a full wipe down/dry off. Then....

FINALLY....loaded her for return to the paint shop.

- Hood, grill, & custom over-radiator valance to be installed (bit a HARD bullet - ordered polished billet hinges today, ugh)

- Windshield & rear glass to be installed.

- Repair of too much STOOPID assorted paint damage I am responsible for.

[lower50's]

Well that means the truck is getting close to the finish line.
Sucks about falling out of bed hope you are ok.
This should help. LOL

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Well that means the truck is getting close to the finish line.
Sucks about falling out of bed hope you are ok.
This should help. LOL
Attachment 1790726

Ha! That’s funny. My adult nephew said, What? Are you 4 years old?!”

But seriously, I moved the big dog bed we have in the room next to the bed last night...just in case!

[Dan in Pasadena]

PS ‘Cause She’s WAAY More Important Than Any Truck

Introducing my newest and probably last grandchild, Indigo Grace James. Delivered by my adored daughter Sunday evening 14 minutes after they got to the hospital!! Eek!

Name doesn’t roll off the tongue for my generation but fortunately she will be called “Indy” which goes well with her soon-to-be-4-years-old sister, Isla Pearle. (We have a neice that named her now 6 mo old son, “Zeppelin” so I feel relieved by comparison!)

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh, and a picture of sister Isla (because she’ll see the post). And one with mommy at the shower for her sister. Indy appears to be a twin of Isla at birth. Yeah, her hair was dark too and went blonde as it grew out.

Ok, enough grandpa stuff. Back to trucks!!!

[oldman3]

Dan, grandpa stuff is important. Enjoy them now, they will grow so fast...Jim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Somehow my previous response got deleted or never posted.

Yes, I couldn’t agree more. It feels like my kids were this age just the other day but they’re about to turn 37 and 36 respectively! How can my infants be in business for themself or an attorney, lol?!

Forgot to mention I bit a haard (though tasty!) bullet last night and ordered polished billet hood hinges for my truck - ugh. Good news is they’re half the price they were when I started this project. BAD news is they’re still expensive as hell. When it came right down to it, I just couldn’t see putting in black stamped steel hinges when I’ve gone for polished-everything-else.

[joedoh]

thanks for sharing pictures of your family! I know its not the name of either but rather of both, but Indigo Pearle would be a heck of a paint color.

[Nut Case]

Danny

I told my children that the grand kids are my reward for not smothering my kids in their sleep. Grands kids are the best. Sorry my grand daughters are prettier than yours......

Dude you're getting closer and closer....

Strong work

NC

[lower50's]

Congrats on the grand baby. You have a good looking family. The hinges may be expensive, but you will love them in the end.

[Kim57]

Congrats on the new grandchild.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thank you guys for the kind words... about the truck and especially about our little girls. You’re the ones that make all the waiting and spending tolerable (fun?) while it’s happening. But I just can’t wait to take it out on a cruise or to a gathering.

[ChuckDriver]

Congrat's Dan!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Congrat's Dan!

Thanks, JJ!

Status Update:

Brown Santa dropped off my polished billet hood hinges today. Yipee!
But seriously, they have me stoked anew! ha ha ha. They make it feel like the finish line is just around the corner.

[G&R's57GMC]

Congrats Grandpa ! Cute kids !

Yippeeee ! The truck is almost to the finish line , won't be long now. What say about the end of summer ?

Last year I pulled my '66 Dart out of a 11 year hibernation and got it running just in time for Kool April Nights in Redding.

I did a front disc brake conversion , LOF , tune up, rear brakes , shocks new wheels and tires, fuel tank , carb rebuild and alignment.

After the show I took it to the body shop and got in line to have some body work and partial paint . I took it home and striped the trim and bumpers off and changed out the new tires and wheels for a rolling set.
Well long story short it waited in my garage for its turn all summer , winter and spring and finally got in March this year and then got a sunbath for another month before they started the body work.
Then I decided to have them fill some holes for the mirrors , antenna and some trim.
Thats now done.

Then I wanted them to touch up some of the Yellow. But its a custom color and was put on in '75 . It would be a bear to match. So we're doing a color change
Well at this point its sanded and just about to go into the booth for the first color over the whole car (Bright White) then mask for the second color (Turquoise).

Now that brings up the interior and that has to be redone ,etc.,etc.

This IS the slippery slop and now I'm sliding down it .... Hellllllpp !

And then there is the chrome ...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Stopped by the paint shop this afternoon to see the reassembly progress. It's going a little slow. Partly because reproduction parts don't fit like factory ones. The photo below of the grille is an example. The gap between the grille and sheet metal opening is AFTER the painter worked to improve the fit as best he could! I'll live with it for now since another repop grille would likely fit just as poorly.

The brackets that hold the AC condenser had to be modified to move it closer to the radiator so the hood latch could be made to fit. The fan guard has now been painted and temporarily fitted.

QUESTION:
Does anyone know if there are "seals" that go around the wiper "drives" that come through the cowl? My painter seems to think there should be to keep rain from entering the under-dash area. I don't recall ever seeing any. Also, did these trucks ever have windshield sprayers of any kind? I don't think so but he is asking so he can get these areas buttoned up and install my non-louvered cowl panel.

EDIT:
Just checked The Car & Trucks Shop catalog and found the windshield wiper bezels, nozzles, nuts & gaskets. (I actually think I already bought them at some point - now to find them! ha ha) What comprises the "system" to feed the nozzles? I remember on my dad's '55 BelAir the large glass bottle and a push button in the middle of the wiper on/off knob. But I don't remember anything like that on his '59 Fleetside. Any help appreciated.

[_Ogre]

always had the spray nozzles on tf truck, never seen one with a pump
ford maverick had a push bellows on the floor that i always thought would look right in a tf
here's one on ebay for $13 you could use any oem reservoir
though a piece of 3" ss exhaust tube capped on the ends would look good under your hood
similar to what i used for an overflow tank, of course you'd need a filler neck/cap

[Dan in Pasadena]

Fit comparison from side to side. No bueno!... but what's to be done? Any suggestions?

[Kim57]

Can't help on the wipers but I think you need to put the splash apron in to see how the grille is going to end up.
If it pulls the fenders in a bit at the bottom fit may be better.
Truck is looking real sharp.
Kim