Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[ptc]

Dan are you going to use the welting sandwiched between the fender and bedside like stock? or just metal to metal? I have a pack Im not gonna be using if you dont have some already, let me know.

If you put the fenders onto the bedsides laying flat first then assemble the sides to front and rear panels it works better than trying to hang the fenders vertically. Just saying.



https://www.classicparts.com/1941-72...ctinfo/37-521/

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ptc

Dan are you going to use the welting sandwiched between the fender and bedside like stock? or just metal to metal? I have a pack Im not gonna be using if you dont have some already, let me know.

Nah, I don’t think I’m going to use welt. I considered it but since they didn’t come that way from the factory I guess I don’t need it.

Originally Posted by ptc

If you put the fenders onto the bedsides laying flat first then assemble the sides to front and rear panels it works better than trying to hang the fenders vertically. Just saying.

Thanks for the tip!

Correct me if I’m wrong but the side panels bolt to the front panel, the rear-most body color cross sill and the angle strips, right? From the factory they were welded to that rear cross sill but I don’t plan to do that, did you?

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks for the tip!

Correct me if I’m wrong but the side panels bolt to the front panel, the rear-most body color cross sill and the angle strips, right? From the factory they were welded to that rear cross sill but I don’t plan to do that, did you?

You are correct. The rear cross sill now bolts into place. My bed is from a '56 and it bolted together. Played hell trying to get the old bolts out but everything is new and stainless steel now. I didnt use any of the other cross struts as my bed frame had to be customized to fit my rear 4 link clip. The front panel bolts from the front so dont try to assemble it on the truck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ptc

.... Played hell trying to get the old bolts out but everything is new and stainless steel now.

Me too. I broke nearly EVERY bolt taking them apart. They were rusted solid.
Mine will be all stainless bolts too assembled with Never Seize.

Originally Posted by ptc

The front panel bolts from the front so dont try to assemble it on the truck.

^^^ Huh? I don’t understand what you’re saying here^^^

From the YouTube video I’ve seen you lean the front panel against the back of the cab, assemble the bed wood & strips on top of the cross sills (bolts hand tight), then raise the bed sides on with a helper and then will bolt to the front panel. At this point I’d bolt the 3-sided-assembly to the rear cross sill, square everything up, then add the angle strips and VERY carefully measure/mark for drilling through the painted bedsides to bolt the strips on. So I have this about right?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, I’m sure it will work out. I’ll probably use TWO miles of painter’s tape, ha ha. The only tough thing for me will be the patience part. I may need to mediate or some such to get through it!

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Yeah, I’m sure it will work out. I’ll probably use TWO miles of painter’s tape, ha ha. The only tough thing for me will be the patience part. I may need to mediate or some such to get through it!

How exciting it must be to have freshly painted sheetmetal just waiting to be bolted together. I would have started putting the box together the moment I got home...

[bobinbc]

How's the bed coming Dan? Did you have a chance to get the windshield put in? Hope everything is going ok...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Bob,
Thanks for asking.

There are 3 auto glass places within a mile from my house that I could drive the truck to via residential back streets (since it has no glass, no bed/fenders, headlights/signals/brake lights, grill, hood) I stopped by each of them in the last week and all said they don’t do vintage vehicles. One said nothing before 1980. Safelite said they won’t do any vehicle with glass or rubber provided by the owner, only their own - I have all the glass and all the rubber so that doesn’t work for me. I gave my name/number to one shop that said they had someone on staff that would do it at my house as side work. He hasn’t called.
Still considering my options.

Nothing happening on bed wood yet. Last of our holiday house guests didn’t leave until last Friday so I’ve been procrastinating. Now it’s ACTUALLY raining in SoCal so I’m delayed a few days longer but will be getting to it soon. Sorry I don’t have any progress to report or photos to show.

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Hi Bob,
Thanks for asking.

There are 3 auto glass places within a mile from my house that I could drive the truck to via residential back streets (since it has no glass, no bed/fenders, headlights/signals/brake lights, grill, hood) I stopped by each of them in the last week and all said they don’t do vintage vehicles.
Still considering my options.

Pasadena is the home to Hundreds of OLD SCHOOL hot rod shops... theres gotta be one that will do it for ya. Use your AAA towing to get it there, thats what I did... and then drive it home. I wouldnt trust it to just any ya-hoo with a glass shop. At least they are being honest with you... they cant do it.

[gotmotors]

Dan consider rubber washers between the fenders and bedsides - no squeaks, no chips. BAM told me and it worked great. Agree with the others on building bed on the ground if possible, fenders first! Your paint is outstanding buddy!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ptc

Pasadena is the home to Hundreds of OLD SCHOOL hot rod shops... there’s gotta be one that will do it for ya.

^^ Yup, this is true. I’m just gonna make a lot of calls and see if I can find someone who truly sounds like they know what they're talking about.

When it was in shop truck shape I had a random shop in Burbank change the windshield because it was covered in pits. They never got the driver side top corner to seat properly. So I know that just any shop cant do it.

[G&R's57GMC]

I was watching one of the hot rod shows on TV and they had tried to install the windshield in a TF 3 times and broke at least 2 without a successful install.

Then they tried another shop , the first thing the new shop noticed was the pinch weld had a slight bend near the corner . They straightened it out and the glass went right in .

Sometimes its the small stuff that escapes one . The next set of fresh eyes sees the problem.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Glen. As I said above the random shop I used before tried & tried and couldn’t get the driver side top corner to go in fully. They took it out and re-installed it 3x, pounded on it with the flat of their hand over and over from both inside and out but stopped because they thought they’d break the glass. I never got it fixed because I ended up fully tearing down the truck. But I have the same brand new windshield still to re-install! Fingers crossed.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Finally got off my ass and did something today.

Laid out the bedwood I’ve been sanding and applied a pint of Minwax Natural stain. I think it came out good and about the color I wanted. It has to dry overnight so hopefully it will and I can begin applying the varnish tomorrow. Not sure how to keep the finish from dripping below the sides and forming a hard drop? I guess just go slowly and be careful.

[Dave0]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Finally got off my ass and did something today.

Laid out the bedwood I’ve been sanding and applied a pint of Minwax Natural stain. I think it came out good and about the color I wanted. It has to dry overnight so hopefully it will and I can begin applying the varnish tomorrow. Not sure how to keep the finish from dripping below the sides and forming a hard drop? I guess just go slowly and be careful.

Keep it from dripping, spray it. Just dont run it

That dude sure is red, love it!

[Kim57]

Wood looks real nice.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

I’ve never sprayed anything, though I DO have two HVLP guns and a 60 gallon compressor! Compressor works, I just need to plumb in the drain and I guess I’d have to buy a water trap.

I’d be concerned I’d get a bunch of runs etc. I’m no painter. I suppose a nice thing would be I could screw an eyelet into the ends of each board, hang them and paint all sides & edges all at one time. BUT, I’m planning on 6-8 coats by brush so I don’t know how many coats that would be if I sprayed?!

[dsraven]

hang it, spray it a board at a time, then take it down and lay it flat. hard to run if it is laying flat. more chance of dust in the paint so keep the door closed or filter the air into the shop.

[dsraven]

test spray something else similar first to get the spray pattern correct and the amount of product laid down to be what you want. worst case scenario you lay it down and brush it after.

[dsraven]

keep a light at one side/end and watch the reflection of the paint as it goes on. it should be uniform and not too orange peely (not enough product or too much air with the product so it dries as it is aerosolled) or too glossy (too much product being laid down so too slow gun travel or the product delivery needle is open too far)
anyway, it's just wood so shoot it and if it looks bad right away just lay it down and brush it. it's like you used the gun to apply the paint prior to brushing. better than dipping the brush, lol.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dsraven

hang it, spray it a board at a time, then take it down and lay it flat. hard to run if it is laying flat. more chance of dust in the paint so keep the door closed or filter the air into the shop.

I don’t gain anything if I have to take it down after spraying to keep it from running - it’d still be wet.

I gain time IF I hang it, spray all sides and let it dry.

[dsraven]

thats right. get'er done.
you will find it aint that tough. i figured it out, you will too. try it on the garbage can or something first, lol.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Cut to the chase, the first coat went on with a brush and looks fine.

[Black_Sheep]

Nice work on the wood Dan. I did about 20 coats on mine and block sanded every 2nd coat, time consuming but worth it...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, so apparently every job I do (myself) on my truck is required to be a PAIN IN THE ASS! Lol....or maybe I’m just a lousy mechanic

Got my seatbelts all installed except the passenger side shoulder mount. Painter left some bondo (I guess) in the threads. I used a thread chaser to clean them and must have cross-threaded them. I cleaned the driver side similarly and it worked like a charm. Anyway, I boogered them up and I’m guessing the only fix now is to step up to the next size bolt with a blind hole tap. If anyone has another suggestion I’m all ears.