my 50 build... why not?

[69CST-V]

Looks great. Keep us up to date with pics.
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[nebdrummer]

Thanks! will do.

[nebdrummer]

Lizard skin is on! I really like this stuff. I ended up using 1 full gallon for 2 pretty wet coats. Tomorrow, the cab is going on the frame for the duration of its life, then I will fit doors and start on door gaps. I'm hoping to have this in final prime in a week or two, and have the suspension stiff back from powdercoating so I will have a rolling chassis. Then, the bed will go on for final body work and to make the battery box setup behind the tailgate. Hopefully this thing will finally look like something is getting done on it soon.







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[Coach529]

Looking great!!

[nebdrummer]

Cab is permenantly on the frame! Hung doors last night.. Now most of this weekend, I will be doing work on getting the gaps a little more acceptable. Drivers side is already done including all the panel to panel sanding. The passenger side is really tight in the front and rear.



Rear end and suspension pieces sent for powder coating. The guy is backed up for 3 weeks, so that will give me time to get the cab in final prime!

Trying to sell my built TH 400 and I'm going with a 4l80e.
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[duwem]

Coming together, keep it up!

[Wybrow]

Looking really good, you've gotta be getting excited.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by nebdrummer

Cab is permenantly on the frame! Hung doors last night.. Now most of this weekend, I will be doing work on getting the gaps a little more acceptable. Drivers side is already done including all the panel to panel sanding. The passenger side is really tight in the front and rear.

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Looking good! My passenger door has tighter gaps too, I will be grinding the door edges down for sure so paint doesn't chip when closing the doors.

[nebdrummer]

Thanks guys, yeah it's getting exciting seeing it to together a little knowing it doesn't have to come apart again. Haha

Bulejeep, I'm going to do a heavy 1/8" cutoff wheel cut on the cowl and widen the gap that way. Doing this makes the possible warp area. On the cowl instead of the entire door. I've done gaps also by shaving pinch welds, and there's been a couple that ended up biting be later because of warping. I've been thinking a lot on perfecting the gaps and shaving drop rails and the whole 9 yards, but I just wanna get this thing on the road! Maybe in a few years ill be stupid and do that but not now. Lol
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[nebdrummer]

Oh, and btw, does anyone else have a spare running board brace off a parts truck I could buy off them? Still having no luck acquiring one! Lol
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[superfly]

can u explain the cut off wheel and the door gap deal

[nebdrummer]

Ill be sure to explain it with pictures. I got sidetracked this weekend so nothing got done. I did do a little more insulating in the garage. It seems a lot easier to heat now.
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[nebdrummer]

Well worked on the pickup for about 4 hours tonight. That includes my supper break and a brake for a blizzard. Lol. Anyways, I got started on the gapping that I was talking about. I have maybe an hour of work left is all, then it's on to the glazing puddy.

Started by fitting that horrible fitting passenger door. I bent the crap out of the hinges to get all 4 corners to line up, had a bit of grinding to do on the door latch for more adjustment, and then I had my door set to where I wanted it.



First cut.



Looking better already



Here's where I was comfortable fitting the door to beings I'm cutting the cowl for more room.



Notice how it touches. It touched the last time this was together too so this is a must. A lot of you guys might have the same issues, so I took kinda a step by step picture thing of the work for ya.



Start with a cut. Make it only long enough that you are comfortable with. You don't want the cowl to get too floppy when welding it all back together.



Bend your pinch weld the width of the 1/8" cut off wheel and you should be very close to where you need to be.



Throw on a few tacks. Keep it cool. The part with no tacks is where the lead is. I will address that later by taking the door off, and digging most of the lead out of the cracks and welding it.



Next cut



Few more tacks,



I used this alen wrench for a gap checker along my way.



Little difference!



And done welding for the most part.



Plenty of door swing room.



All I have left for this side.



Drivers side



Only this one little guy by the body line to fix.


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[BlueJeep]

Nice work! Thanks for sharing how you're doing it.

[98layinframe]

Yeah really nice work! Its such a simple idea, but still a nerve racking process if you've never done it before!
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[superfly]

i am thinin you better be hurrying up as i think i got my father talked into a road trip with his cab

[xpickup]

nebdrummer, look good. They never fit right all the way around. If you only need a little bit I use a 4 1/2 angle grinder with the hard back mounts and double up on two 36 grit pads and take it down the crack. Then you might have to weld it and grind down through again. Great job.

Shannon

[nebdrummer]

Originally Posted by superfly

i am thinin you better be hurrying up as i think i got my father talked into a road trip with his cab

That's awesome! I'm reeally hoping to have the cab and dash final primed this weekend, but we just took on a complete paint job at my shop for this weekend as well. Who knows.

Thanks guys,
I'll post more pictures tomorrow with the bit of filler work on the gaps. Other than that, I'm going to patch the few holes in the dash, fill a few small dents in the door jamb, and get this thing masked for priming.

After the cab is primed, then I will be starting on the box. Wheel tubs, sliding battery box setup, patching the stake pocket holes, and get that quickly in primer. Then, I will probably roll this thing over to my shop for paint, them roll it to the other side so I can get my other little parts ready for paint. Then it's ASSEMBLE!!!!
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[superfly]

am so damn jelous

[nebdrummer]

Just start tearing into yours man!
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[flatbed51]

The work you have done on this truck is awesome. Your attention to the intricate details are an inspiration!!!

[Wheelie]

Good trick on the gaps.

[nebdrummer]

Thanks a lot guys. I'm starting to get nervous about the btt50's deadline. Haven't worked on the pickup for a week and a half. This wee I should be able to get stuff done. Tonight I did a bunch of little filler work on the firewall and I filled a few things in the dash. If I can work tomorrow night like I did tonight, then it should be ready for primer.

After the cab and dash are primed, then I will block and reprime the cowls, and firewall. After that, I will get the interior covered with lizzard skin.

I did however, just pick up a super awesome deal! 1953 chevy 4 door that is super straight! I got it from a guy I work with that at one time did a bunch of work to it. It has barely any rust minus the obvious surface rust. And the bottom of the rockers still have shiney original paint! Picked it up for 350 bucks.









Plans with this are a lsx motor made for high Mpg's. it will be as straight as possible, black, low, and made to cruise. I will find a 50 front clip and use the 50 grille. It will be the womans car. Here's the overall plan of what I will do.




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[flatbed51]

Great find on the 53, and a fantastic idea on the 50 front clip. I love the 50 frontends . I am working on a deal to pickup a 54 2door sedan myself. Keep us updated on the progress of the 53 with a build thread in Alternate Tinkerings forum. Don

[nebdrummer]

Will do! It won't be touched till the 50 is painted and running and driving though. We did gut the interior though. That thing is so clean! There's only a handful of 6"x6" patches I'll need to throw in. 38k miles. It was purchased in 74 by the guys aunt with 32k miles and mint. It was parked in 76 with the 38k miles and sat in a garage for 30 years, then outside the last 6. That's when the guy started doing a little work. The doors close like they came off a Mercades, and all the trim is there and virtually dent free. It will be fairly fun to start on.

Got a bunch o stuff done this weekend on the pickup.

Seam sealed all the edges, gaps, and drip rails.





Smoothed up the dash holes





Sanded down the inside rear panel smooth. I always thought that the horrible orange peel in the cab was from crappy clear, but after sanding, I found that they did a ****ty job on spraying the por15 and ran it in a few places and sprayed it on really dry. So, after a box of 80 grit on the mini DA it's back to smooth.



Plastic laid out



Etch sprayed on the are metal spots





And primed. I used a little over 1/2 gal. For inside and out of everything. I'm real happy with how everything turned out. The main portion of the firewall will need a little more attention, with a block and reprime, and the rear cab seam will also get sanded a little more crisp with a block and reprime as well. Other than that, I'm hoping this week I can have that all done, the pn start wet sanding and have it ready to go for the suspension parts to go on. Then roll on a trailer and to paint!


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