A New 68 Build Thread

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by FrankieD

How about a big hammer and a 2x4

There is a place for that and I have done it, but not here!

[ccracin]

So while we ponder the hood puzzle, we decided to move on to getting the radiator mounted so that we can mount the rad support and leave it there for a while. As we started looking and measuring the REPRODUCTION rad support, you guessed it, things just don't fit. The vertical rails that the rad lays against were different heights. Out comes the body saw and off they come. Bend up some new ones and here yah go!





The factory lower saddles are too narrow for the new PRC dual pass LS radiator. Off they came and I fabbed up these new saddles and installed them on the rad support.







These saddles and the new vertical rails will be lined with shore 50 rubber so we use paint sticks to get the fits.



Here is the rad sitting in the new mounts.











So, the next trip to the shop will be devoted to making the upper retainers. I'm trying to decide between steel and aluminum. They will be covered in the end so we will see.

Thanks for looking!

[67cheby]

Nice work
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[ccracin]

All the mounts are now complete for the rad. It seems I forgot to take pics of the upper mounts. I will fix that this week. We added some lower tabs to retain the rad laterally. All this will be lined with rubber to protect the aluminum rad.

[ccracin]

We are in the process of getting a new hood for the truck. After talking with several shops that have used these aftermarket cowl induction hoods, they all say none fit right but ours is terrible compared to those. The next one we get is going to be checked on a truck before we get it.

While this is going on we decided to move back to the bed and take care of something that has bothered us for a while. When we modified the factory REPRODUCTION wheel tubs to widen them, we noticed that the vertical flat side of the tubs were significantly distorted from the stamping process. At first we were going to leave it, but things are turning out too nice to do that. So here is what we started with:



Those shims are just over 1/8" each. First we tried to shrink the center of the panel with heat to lift it. FAIL Then we tried a shrinking hammer and dolly. FAIL Then out came the cutoff wheel! No turning back now!



As soon as I made those cuts the pie shapes sprung out 3/8". After quite a bit of hammer and dolly work, I clamped it all down and started to weld it back together.





After quite a bit of grinding and more hammer and dolly work with some heat shrinking thrown in we now have tub sides that can be easily body worked with minimal filler. I gotta say this was a first for me. Flat panels are definitely a challenge to weld and keep flat. All in all I am pleased and best of all my Dad (The Owner) is very happy!







Now time to go enjoy a Labor Day Picnic with the family!

[65Pickup]

Great repairs, hard to believe these new parts are so distorted, doesn't speak well for an industry.

[kingman14]

you do AMAZING work! you've really inspired me on my truck! now to go rob a bank so i can pay for it haha

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by 65Pickup

Great repairs, hard to believe these new parts are so distorted, doesn't speak well for an industry.

Thanks much. Yea, I have been very frustrated lately. Since there are only 1 or 2 choices for these panels, they take the position of use it or not. I wish a company like MAR-K would start making more sheet metal parts. The stuff we have from them for the bed is first class. I sure am second guessing deciding to do new sheet metal rather than fix some rust. Buyer beware definitely!

Originally Posted by kingman14

you do AMAZING work! you've really inspired me on my truck! now to go rob a bank so i can pay for it haha

Thanks, but I don't know about that. I am trying really hard to give my Dad the best truck I can. He has been retired for 10+ years and has waited a long time for something like this.

Thanks for the compliments!

[65Pickup]

Originally Posted by ccracin

Thanks much. Yea, I have been very frustrated lately. Since there are only 1 or 2 choices for these panels, they take the position of use it or not. I wish a company like MAR-K would start making more sheet metal parts. The stuff we have from them for the bed is first class. I sure am second guessing deciding to do new sheet metal rather than fix some rust. Buyer beware definitely!

That's what I was thinking, maybe use these panels as patch panels, good to here Mar-K has quality, I thought all panels were created equal, one manufacturer multiple distributors. Again, very frustrating these are all close to show trucks, very few daily drivers anymore. But they should still be straight.

[kingman14]

i'm a poor boy and i now know on my truck (especially after seeing your problems with repop sheet metal) i'm breaking the ol body hammers and dollies out and fixing dents and rust the old fashion way. i'll only have to buy one front fender, rockers and a cab corner just for patching. whats the best company to go through to get the fender, rockers and a cab corner?

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by kingman14

i'm a poor boy and i now know on my truck (especially after seeing your problems with repop sheet metal) i'm breaking the ol body hammers and dollies out and fixing dents and rust the old fashion way. i'll only have to buy one front fender, rockers and a cab corner just for patching. whats the best company to go through to get the fender, rockers and a cab corner?

Not a bad way to go for sure. My main reason in going with the repop stuff was the rust I couldn't see. The stuff between inner structure and the panel that will show itself after the high dollar paint job. Other than that I say fix the OE stuff. As far as the best, I would use MAR-K for front bed panels, bed cross sills, etc. From a sheet metal standpoint, good luck. It seems Key Parts/Tri-Plus is the way to go. And yes that is the stuff you see in my photos. I suspect most of the parts are coming off the same dies in Taiwan. The one thing I can say is that the metal gauge is good.

From a vendor standpoint, I cannot recommend DeWayne at Nsane enough. He stepped up for no reason other than being a good guy to help me with our hood issue. I would use him for all your sheet metal needs. Even if it is just patch panels. He is also a dealer for other types of products. There are other very good vendors on the board that I am sure can help too. I have just had a great experience with DeWayne so far! He can be reached at:

www.nsanehotrodz.com
423-585-7942

Good luck with your project!

[kingman14]

THANKS! i'm going to start my build thread soon. my body is in great shape rust wise but a couple fenders are dented. I'm defiantly subscribed to your build and looking forward to some updates and my pics!

[ccracin]

Hopefully the new hood will be delivered today. While this has been going on, we have continued our work on the rear of the truck. I decided to spend some time installing the rear rolled pan. This is meant to be a bolt in item, but the only fastener locations provided were along the upper edge so that it can bolt to the rear main cross sill. The rest would just hang in space. I didn't particularly care for that so I decided to add some tabs to the lower corners and then gap the panels a bit better. Well, alot better. It didn't fit very well. The pics I took of the tabs etc. didn't turn out for some reason. I will have to go back and get those again. Anyway, here is the what the rolled pan fit looks like now. Thanks for looking!

[ccracin]

As I mentioned a few posts ago, DeWayne from NSANE stepped up to help us out with our hood issue. He offered to get a hood into his shop that he could fit on a truck he is building to check it out before he shipped it. We took him up on the offer an received our new hood a couple weeks ago. It definitely fit the truck he has alot better than the hood we had on our truck. He took the time to send pictures and all. He absolutely went above and beyond! Unfortunately, when we got the hood, it wasn't much better on our truck than what we had. Some of the issue is our fenders too. Those will be getting massaged too. So here is what the new one looks like and where we are going with it.









Knowing that simple alignment just wasn't going to cut it, out comes the cutting tools!









This has alot to do with the issues!





Continued------

[ccracin]

After finally being able to use my size to my advantage and persuading the inner structure to fit like it should, it's looking better.







Te next step is to look at the hood skin. Preliminarily, it looks like the body saw and welder are going to be called into action again! Stay tuned!

[nuke1]

Looking good, unfortantely, whn it comes to aftermarket parts, they NEVER fit. I deal with it everyday. I always have to show the customer what fits and what does not, and why it cost so much to make look correct. It is what it is. At least we are not dealing with rust on the new parts, just some inconsistencies. But it is looking great thou!!

[ccracin]

First the typical news, another night (actually 2) spent fixing a new part. After mocking up the front end more precisely we found that one fender required a half inch worth of shims on one side and none on the other. Not good! Well we found that the new rad support was basically shaped like a mild propeller! So it was time to get serious. Talk about using what you have available, check it out.



A bottle jack, 2x4's and a large dude hanging on the end. I couldn't hang and take the picture, sorry.

Now the good news, I was doing a happy dance.



If anyone has paid attention to my whining and moaning about the hood and how bad it fits this is major progress and I haven't cut the skin of the hood. (YET) This is all from a combination of hammer and dolly work and wait for it.....................having my Dad stand on the hood! Nothing but Hi-Tech for us! Results speak for themselves, we are getting there.





The front of the hood has been formed poorly and I won't be able to get away without cutting it, but it is much less than I thought I was going to have to do. It was a good night in the garage!

[Bennett68C10]

Nice work on the hood, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to do the same to mine. It is a tri-plus cowl.

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by Bennett--G4L

Nice work on the hood, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to do the same to mine. It is a tri-plus cowl.

Thanks! I hate to be the one to say it, but I would expect too much. The pics I posted here are both Tri-Plus. I wish you the best of luck regardless!

[CC69Rat]

How have I missed this one? Great job ..

Subscribed for sure.

[etindoll]

Amazing build excellent work!

[truckmanloco]

I dont know how I missed this thread... You've got some serious fab skills great work so far.

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

How have I missed this one? Great job ..

Subscribed for sure.

Thanks very much, I'm sure trying!

Originally Posted by etindoll

Amazing build excellent work!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by truckmanloco

I dont know how I missed this thread... You've got some serious fab skills great work so far.

Thanks, still learning as we all are. As I said I sure am trying!

[FrankieD]

I can understand now why guys look for clean orignal parts

[ccracin]

So out comes the trusty 4 1/2" grinder, well one of the FIVE with a wiz wheel and off I go. After much thought, laying out, eyeballing, rethinking, asking Dad "are you sure you want me to do this?" off comes the front formed edge of the hood. I guess I should say poorly formed edge of the hood.











It's starting to look like this hood actually does belong on this truck. After some tweeking, hammer and dolly work and cutting it in half, the front edge is also starting to fit. Note to all out there, remember your gap holders. Things fit very poorly when you do not account for panel gaps. Notice the paint sticks below. How do you think that fit without them? I almost has a heart attack thinking "I know I didn't cut that much off?!





This week we will reattach it permanently and see if I cause myself some more educational projects! Till next time!