51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap

[Atommik]

Daze57,Jimig1,oldman3,
Thanks for the feedback!!

I am really happy with the color. It's always hard to tell how it will look when you see it on a color chip or even a small spray out. It looks really nice in the paint booth! I'm hoping to roll it out into the sunshine soon, if the sun ever comes out again here!!

Daze57, did you get my PM? Let me know about the headlight. I checked it and it works great!

Tom

[Atommik]

I got my right front fender in primer, finally, and also brought the hood in to work to start on that next. The only body panels that I have left to repair are the hood and left fender.

Well... do the grill and running boards count as body panels??? They need some attention too!!

[Atommik]

Here's a pic of the fender, blocked and reprimed.

I stripped the hood down to bare steel, fixed the dents, etched and primed. It was in pretty good shape. Very few dents!! Ready to start blocking the primer.

[oldman3]

Looks good....Jim

[99 to Life]

can't wait till my other fenders and parts are in this condition. I'm in the bare metal stage on some of them. Lots of hours involved. Funny how it don't seem like it could be, but then oh yeah these are 60 some year old parts and they are far from perfect, let alone decent at times.

[_Ogre]

funny that we block anything on these trucks
the factory stamped them and through them on the truck, wrinkles and all
we not only re-build them, we re-build them better than the factory

looking good atommik, real good
it's a good feeling to get to this point

[Atommik]

I was just thinking, I bought my truck one year ago!!

I'm overall very happy with my progress so far. But when ever I start thinking, "I'm getting close", I start remembering that there is still a long, long way to go!!

Thanks to every one for your kind words and encouragement!!

[oldman3]

Getting were your at in one year is good, just keep at it, before you know it-it will be done....Jim

[Atommik]

I got the right fender blocked and ready, hood needs a reprime...starting on the left fender this week!!

Also finished the speaker grill and glove box door. The grill is in bad shape, but I painted it anyway...maybe I can pick up a nice one at a swap meet this summer...

[52 Rat]

Originally Posted by Atommik

I got the right fender blocked and ready, hood needs a reprime...starting on the left fender this week!!

Also finished the speaker grill and glove box door. The grill is in bad shape, but I painted it anyway...maybe I can pick up a nice one at a swap meet this summer...

I say go with what you have at the moment and upgrade when you can. Looks good to me and as long as your happy; that is what matters. Nice build project.

[99 to Life]

diggin the scheme on the interior and yeah you can always upgrade down the line. keep it moving. good work.

[Root2812]

Originally Posted by Atommik

Also finished the speaker grill and glove box door. The grill is in bad shape, but I painted it anyway...maybe I can pick up a nice one at a swap meet this summer...

I just bought a 1953 shortbox parts truck yesterday. When I get it home I will look and if that speaker grill is in there you can have it for 1 beer.

[Atommik]

Saturday morning I reprimed the hood, then flipped it over and texture coated and jammed it. I also painted the hood springs and the front panel that holds the spring and safety catch. Of course forgot the camera...pics on tuesday...

[Atommik]

Today I tried something I read about in a magazine (I think) about making a one piece headliner.

Tape off the outside edge of the roof panel, making a lip with the tape. Then cover the roof with aluminum foil, taping it down and covering all the seams with clear packing tape. (The article said scotch tape but I didn't have enough...)

Then carefully lay in fibergalss cloth or mat and resin to cover the foil. I used two layers, I'll see after it sets up if it is rigid enough. I think I will need more. When it is hardened, the fiberglass is supposed seperate fairly easily from the foil leaving a "shell" that is roughly the same shape as the inside of the roof/ headliner. The side of the fiberglass that is face down on the top of the roof, will be the visible side of the headliner. I plan to lay a little foam padding and the fabric to complete it. (if this works!) Then carefully trim the shell to fit inside the cab as the headliner. Here's a few pics...I'll post more info and pics as this process continues!! I'm still thinking about how I will attach it in place...

[Atommik]

More pics...

[Atommik]

More...

[Rednek13x]

interesting... Looks like it might work! Sweet!

[oldman3]

I've heard of guys doing this, so now I will see how good yours turns out....Jim

[skymangs]

Looks good Atommik, can't wait to see the finished product!

[Atommik]

I peeled off the "shell" roof mold today. It was a little floppy but still held its shape. I could still add one more layer of fiberglass, but I think I will leave it as is.

The tin foil on the roof did leave alot of wrinkles in the surface of the fiberglass. For me, thats okay since it will get padded and covered in fabric. If you wanted to try to smooth it and paint it, that would be a lot of work. If you could get the foil to lay down smoother, or use something else as a liner??...then maybe painting would be an option.

[Atommik]

Next I held the piece in place(with the help of my two kids) and roughly marked out how much to trim to get it to fit where I wanted it. After a couple of repeats of this process, I had it resting in position, pretty much where it will sit. The inner windsheild mouldings will hold it nicely along the front edge, and I will be able to re-use the rear Bow of the original headliner to hold the back edge in place.

[oldman3]

Headliner is looking good so far. What type of material were you thinking of installing?...Jim

[Atommik]

I'm really happy with how this turned out. I will still need to do a little more trimming, but I'll wait until I'm actually to the point of installing the headliner for good (probably several months away!).

[Atommik]

Jim,

I'm not sure what type of material yet, it's still a ways off. Possibly some type of vinyl/ fake leather. Any suggestions? I'm thinking about putting in a raised Chevy Bowtie design in the headliner, so the fabric would need to be flexible enough to wrap around that.

Tom

[oldman3]

Any of the new vinyl/fake leather should work fine. The bowtie design has been used alot, why not come up with something different, and more one off. You said it would be awhile before covering, give it some thought or maybe someone will chime it....Jim