My '46 Chevy Pickup - The Innaugural Pre '47 Thread!

[Kabwe]

Dan,

I forgot to tell you, you have a nice little welder. I have a Hobart 180 and love it. Your Hobart 140 will take care of all your sheetmetal needs. Get you a bottle of gas (if you don't already have one) and you are good to go. If you need any tips feel free to PM me.

[70stroker]

Man im gonna be watching this one close. I love these old trucks, wish i could find on in this good of shape. Good luck on your build keep at it.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kabwe, thanks for the positive on the Hobart. I bought it from a guy on Garagejournal.com who had only bought it new last October then bought a bigger, 220v unit. I don't have a bottle and can use your recommendation where to buy one, what size and which gas for sheet metal work? I need to patch about 8-10 holes in the firewall of varying sizes. I THINK I've read my body is 18 gage, is that probably correct? Where is the best/cheapest place to get a small amount of flat sheet in matching gage (I assume that's critical?). What fasteners do you recommend I use to gold the small hole patches in place while I weld them in?

Oh, and I do intend to practice on some scrap sheet metal if I can find a fender or something cheap to play with.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Kabwe, thanks forthe positive on the Hobart. I blunt it from a guy on Garagejournal.com who had only bought it new last October then bought a bigger, 220v unit. I don't have a bottle and can use your recommendation where to buy one l, what size and which gas for sheet metal work? I need to patch about 8-10 holes in the firewall of varying sizes. I THINK I've read my body is 18 gage, is that probably correct? Where is the best/cheapest place to get a small amount of flat sheet in matching gage (I assume that's critical?). What fasteners do you recommend I use to gold the small hole patches in place while I weld them in?

Oh, and I do intend to practice on some scrap sheet metal if I can find a fender or something cheap to play with.

Let me try to answer all your questions
1. Mig welding gas (75% Argon, 25% CO2). You can buy it at a welding supply (don't go to airgas they are crazy) the bottle is expensive but its yours and you just keep refilling it. Size depends on how much you weld you make the judgment.
2. Sheetmetal I use 18 gauge its easy to find. I go to a metal supply and pick up their scraps for cheap.
3. Fasteners depends on what I'm welding. To fill holes like your talking about I have some welding magnets to hold it while I tack it in place. Sometime you have to be creative when it come to holding stuff in place there are no rules.lol
4. You don't need a fender to practice, just get that 18 gauge cut some scraps and practice welding them together.
5. For sheetmetal welding I use .023 wire. You can use other wire sizes but thats what I like.
6. Learn how to tune your welder to the metal thickness you will be welding. The recommended settings on your welder are close and will do fine most of the time, but I always tune my welder.
I think I answered all your questions.

Oh important tip: Never and I mean never try to run a bead on sheetmetal, you will warp the metal. Use a series of tack welds keeping the metal as cool as possible.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Gotcha on all the things you recommend. Especially the idea of picking up some scraps from a metal supply yard. I'll have to see what's local to Pasadena; there's got to be one.

I hadn't thought of the magnets, but DUH, of course that makes sense. Are the cheapo ones at Harbor Freight worth buying or are they crap? Can Harbor Freight screw up a magnet? I use HF for what I call "dumb tools" - rubber mallets, bungee cords, and I would include magnets, but maybe I'm wrong.

The welder came loaded with flux core wire....I'll have to check but I THINK it's .030...does that sound right to you? THe guy I bought it from demo'd it for me welding some 1" square tubing.

Last, I know about only using tack welds, BUT...how long to wait between tacks? When welding small dia. patches it would seem the tacks are so close together it'd bebest to have multiple patches going and move from one to another.

What's your opinion of hammering the tacks immediately? This dos what? Minimize the need for grinding? Or should I skip that? How can I weld on the engine side and reach around and back up the body hammer with a dolly inside the truck? My truck isn't apart.

Sorry to add more questions!

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I hadn't thought of the magnets, but DUH, of course that makes sense. Are the cheapo ones at Harbor Freight worth buying or are they crap? Can Harbor Freight screw up a magnet?

Last, I know about only using tack welds, BUT...how long to wait between tacks? When welding small dia. patches it would seem the tacks are so close together it'd bebest to have multiple patches going and move from one to another.

What's your opinion of hammering the tacks immediately? This dos what? Minimize the need for grinding? Or should I skip that? How can I weld on the engine side and reach around and back up the body hammer with a dolly inside the truck? My truck isn't apart.

Sorry to add more questions!

Yes the Harbor Freight magnets are cool thats what I have.lol
Having multiple patches going to keep things cool is what I also do.
You really can't hammer mig welds they are very hard you have the grind them down before you use your hammer and dolly. If you are not going for perfection just keep the metal as cool as possible while welding and use body filler to smooth things out ones done. If going for perfection like I try to do for that you will need someone to hold the dolly on the inside of the car while you use the hammer.

[CAL 58 GMC]

I had to show you a friend of mines GMC.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Kabwe, i'd probably need to use a skim coat of body filler even if I were trying for perfection! LOL. Guess I'll buy an HF set of body tools too. Not much body work on the truck except whatever mods I decide on. Wish me luck!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by CAL 58 GMC

I had to show you a friend of mines GMC.

Nice GMC.You should post it up in the picture thread,too.

[CAL 58 GMC]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nice GMC.You should post it up in the picture thread,too.

I just did.

[Driveway Dreams]

Originally Posted by 70stroker

Man im gonna be watching this one close. I love these old trucks, wish i could find on in this good of shape. Good luck on your build keep at it.

Come out here for a weekend. There are surprisingly quite a few in junk yards around the area. Which reminds me, if you guys need particular parts off the old stuff, I may be able to help with as many as are around here now.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Really? There actually ARE a few things I am looking for that OUGHT to be super cheap but I can't come up with them...yet.

I'm looking for the center headliner bow. This is basically a metal strip about 3/4" - 1" wide and runs across the center of the cab from door to door. I also need the rear one (nearest the rear window) but I DO have a source for that one. Unless I find one cheap, I'll probably just look for some form of strip I can "...cut to fit, bend to suit, and paint to match"

[Todd68Chevy]

Dan in Pasadena, I have several extra parts and I think I have extra headliner bows. If you do not find them out there, I should be able to check tonight. Todd

[Dan in Pasadena]

Todd, let me know if you have these bows. If you can part with them cheap or even if you can just post their measurements I'd really appreciate it. A closeup picture of the look of them, the profile or whatever would also be a real help. Thanks so much for the offer.

[Todd68Chevy]

Dan, I took some pictures of both brace and the outer trim. If you want to PM your e-mail I can send more. I think you are right about the shipping. The trim is over 51 inches long and I have not found a box it will fit in yet. Let me know what other information you need. What measurement do you need? Thanks, Todd

[Todd68Chevy]

Dan, I forgot about the rear bow. I do have one I can measure and take pictures if you want but it looks like the front headliner trim but longer. Thanks, Todd

[Dan in Pasadena]

Todd,
I'm confused with what I see in these pictures. The one with the two holes on the end is the center bow or is it the center structural bow the headliner-holding strip screws into?

The strip pictured with the 180 degree bend is the front headliner strip...so I assume the cardboard headliner sits in the space that the 180 bend makes?

[Todd68Chevy]

Dan,
The rusty looking strip with the two hole is the center structural bow that fastens into the cab from door frame to door frame in the middle of the roof. The part with the 180 bend bolts to the rusty strip and yes the headliner slides into the groove. In the fourth picture that shows the ends, the hole in the gray part would screw to the little single hole in the rusty strip. There is also a strip in the rear that attaches to the rear panel around the back of the cab and window (not pictured). Then there is a front strip that attaches to the panel above the windshield (not pictured). Hope this helps but if you want more pictures or have more question please ask. Todd

[70' GMC]

All I gotta say is nice ride I like the tailgate. But can u hot rod it and how much does a truck like this weigh?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Todd68Chevy

Dan,
The rusty looking strip with the two hole is the center structural bow that fastens into the cab from door frame to door frame in the middle of the roof.

I've got that one; it looks the same too!

Originally Posted by Todd68Chevy

The part with the 180 bend bolts to the rusty strip and yes the headliner slides into the groove.

So you're saying this attaches to the center structural strip? How can that be right? There are TWO cardboard headliner panels so it would need to have a 180 degree bend on EACH side. Even if I were using the later, single headliner panel, it wouldn't make sense. I must be misunderstanding you.

Originally Posted by Todd68Chevy

In the fourth picture that shows the ends, the hole in the gray part would screw to the little single hole in the rusty strip.

Are there TWO of the 180 degree bend strips in the middle of the roof? And the two adjoining 180 bends would show because they'd be butted together back-to-back?

Originally Posted by Todd68Chevy

There is also a strip in the rear that attaches to the rear panel around the back of the cab and window (not pictured).

I don't have this one but I assumed it would look more or less identical to the front one but your comment about the window kinda confuses me. I need to go look at my window location in relation to the headliner again.

Originally Posted by Todd68Chevy

Then there is a front strip that attaches to the panel above the windshield (not pictured)...

I have this one. It's essentially flat but has a rolled detail line along each long side, right?

I sincerely appreciate your help and advice with this, Dan

[Todd68Chevy]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I've got that one; it looks the same too!


So you're saying this attaches to the center structural strip? How can that be right? There are TWO cardboard headliner panels so it would need to have a 180 degree bend on EACH side. Even if I were using the later, single headliner panel, it wouldn't make sense. I must be misunderstanding you.



Are there TWO of the 180 degree bend strips in the middle of the roof? And the two adjoining 180 bends would show because they'd be butted together back-to-back?



I don't have this one but I assumed it would look more or less identical to the front one but your comment about the window kinda confuses me. I need to go look at my window location in relation to the headliner again.



I have this one. It's essentially flat but has a rolled detail line along each long side, right?

I sincerely appreciate your help and advice with this, Dan

I have a roof with strips and the headliner still in it so I will get some pictures of it. The rear panel is the only one that fits in the groove.

There is only the one strip with the groove in the middle.

The rear strip is like the front but it is longer. What I was trying to say is that it does not attach to a brace like the middle strip does. It attaches to the top of the large interior metal panel that covers the rear of the cab.

Yes the front and rear bow is just flat with the rolled edges.


I will not be available to get pictures or answer questions tomorrow thru Monday evening because I am going to my buddies house to start cutting my cab to get it ext. If I can check email at his house I might be able to answer questions. But I will get back to you next week when I get back home.

[Todd68Chevy]

I tried to take pictures but it was to dark. I will get some pictures next week after I get back from my trip. It looked like the front panel clamps between the outer piece and the brace and then the rear goes into the groove.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok Todd, that makes sense. I would like to see closer pictures of how the center outer strip overlaps the front headliner panel. To me, that doesn't SOUND right - like a former owner didn't have the right piece and did it that way. But if it appears original to you, then maybe it just is the way they did it waay back in the day.

I get you on the rear window now, thanks.

[Muleman100]

I love this era. I am still looking for a pre 47 pickup. Thanks for sharing a great truck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

You're very welcome. The more I search for parts, etc the more of these I find out there. I'm honestly surprised there are so many. Relatively few all together and running but still....