Plus Five

[donandal]

Thanks,

I made it with .060 thick 3003 aluminum.
I used an english wheel to curve it to match
the curve of the roof panel. It's slightly rounded
in both directions.

The front moldings at the visor area are also made
from the same aluminum. I rolled the profile to match
the look of the original headliner retainer... sort of.
Then I used the original retainer at the rear.

Kind of keeping a metal look to it.

[MIKESAD50]

Amazing work! Like this truck. Wish I had small amount of your talent.

[RockinKees]

WoW!
That's really nice!
Your eye for details is amazing!!

[donandal]

My son was home today so we mounted the doors.
No major issues, and no paint damage getting it all lined up.
Not too bad for a 1953 truck!

[jkeating1]

Originally Posted by donandal

Not too bad for a 1953 truck!

Especially one with 5" spliced into the doors!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Looks REALLY nice!

[Flysocal]

Very nice sir

[Nut Case]

Donandal

You concepts and execution is offffffffff! the charts, When I come on this site I look to for you updates. Strong Work!!

I would venture a guess you could earn a few BIG coins selling these quality trucks.

Thanks for sharing.

NC

[donandal]

Thanks guys,
Today I messed around with the doors.

I put sound deadening inside the door skins and then
started putting the hardware on the doors.
I put the handle and bearclaws on and put the striker plates on.
It closes very nice.

Also put in the vent windows and stainless window trim.

[dug224]

Door gaps are incredible! Well done. I have door gap envy...

[donandal]

quick shot of the vent window deflector...

[donandal]

I installed the roll up windows today. Kind of tricky to get
it in there but it's in with out scratching the glass.

The track along the vent window side is a bit snug fitting.
I wiped on a little silicone spray into the felt channel and
that helped quite a bit. It's still a little stiff rolling it up
and down, but I think it will break in OK.

The black rubber wedge trim slides in a channel in the door.
That was a pain to get installed.

I used 3M black weatherstrip adhesive on the felt strips along
the lower window trim and it worked great!

The vent window track lower bracket bolts to my door brace.
The stop also fastens to the brace.

[donandal]

some more photos,

[donandal]

finished the installation of the interior door latches
and handles.

I used bear claw latches and modified the trip mechanism
to accept the actuator rod following the channel in the door.

The flat rod they supplied worked great with the original
handle rod. I slotted the holes and this allows the handle
to travel to the original lock detente. That allows a little more
security preventing the door from being accidentally bumped
open.

[donandal]

Well, no pictures today, but a pretty big day.

We had nice weather this morning and all the guys were around.

No more excuses. We pushed the truck out of the shop, got 4 gallons
of fresh gas, three fire extinguishers and the rest of the fluids and
fired it up.

I primed the oil pump then cranked it without fuel or engine
computer hooked up. It had 50 psi just cranking. Then I hooked
up the fuel pump and turned the key on. Pump worked fine so
time to fire it up.

It started on second crank of about 10 seconds. Settled right down
to a smooth idle and sounds great.

We filled the tranny up and it seems to shift ok thru all the gears and
wants to move in forward and reverse so all seems good.

I managed to get the power steering filled without overflowing and
put about 14 and 1/2 quarts of coolant in the system so I think most
of the fluids are in.

I'll need to fire it up and go thru the whole break-in process when we
get more nice weather but at least its been warmed up.

No leaks anywhere so far.....

Sweet!

[oldman3]

Congrats, ready for more great updates...Jim

[Nut Case]

Donandal

WOW! Again off the charts, great idea on the adjustable connection between the handle and the latch.

When you where fabbing the doors and cab, did you use a sacrificial rubber weather stripping between the cab and doors to get the door closing and latch all working well with each other and straight, level and plumb, getting that behind you before you get into paint?

I envy your skills and ideas!

Keep on keepin on

NC

[solidaxel]

Good News, just like you planned it !!

I must have missed the break in procedure, where did you find it!

[mongocanfly]

Always makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when it fires off for the first time...

[donandal]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Good News, just like you planned it !!

I must have missed the break in procedure, where did you find it!

Pages 6 and 7 have my instructions for the engine for break-in, and the
shop that installed the rear end gears and posi are going to do some
sort of break-in for that too.

[donandal]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Always makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when it fires off for the first time...

Yes it does!

I had a real concern with the fuel lines since they were sort of a pain
and I had no experience. I very happy I had no fuel leaks.

Thanks

[donandal]

Originally Posted by Nut Case

Donandal

WOW! Again off the charts, great idea on the adjustable connection between the handle and the latch.

When you where fabbing the doors and cab, did you use a sacrificial rubber weather stripping between the cab and doors to get the door closing and latch all working well with each other and straight, level and plumb, getting that behind you before you get into paint?

I envy your skills and ideas!

Keep on keepin on

NC

I used pieces of the old gasket to check the fit somewhat, but I expect
I'll still need to adjust the doors after I put the last weatherstrip
pieces on.

My old gaskets were reproduction ones that were torn up a bit when
I removed them, and they were 5 inches too short to really check the
entire fit.

Thanks

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by donandal

Pages 6 and 7 have my instructions for the engine for break-in, and the
shop that installed the rear end gears and posi are going to do some
sort of break-in for that too.

Did you receive a "Book" with your engine, was it in the crate, or did you purchase a manual?
How did you monitor your oil pressure before you started the engine the first time?

[donandal]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Did you receive a "Book" with your engine, was it in the crate, or did you purchase a manual?
How did you monitor your oil pressure before you started the engine the first time?

not a book really, but about 20 some page booklet of instructions was
included in a folder with engine/transmission instructions and emission
decal and tuning CD.

I used a separate oil pressure sending unit from classic instruments
that independently supplies their oil pressure gauge that I used in my dash.

I disconnected the computer and fuel pump before cranking it as the
instructions said, then after a couple of turns I had oil pressure of about
50 PSI. Then I reconnected the fuel pump only, powered the pump on
without cranking and looked for leaks, then hooked up the computer and
fired it up.

[solidaxel]

Thanks I can do that!

I have a oil gauge screwed to the oil bypass on the side of the pan, but have not turned the engine over

It did not say to pressure the system until the rocker arms have oil before turning the engine over?

So with the starter motor only you have good oil pressure, did it come right up to 50# ?