Tami's 51 build
 

The shop is finally empty enough to start on the wife's 51.
This should be interesting !!
We bought it as an unfinished project. and yes , it was screwed up. we have to remove the front cowls because they were not measured right. but other than that, it's not that bad. We decided to start off with the chop, so just in case I really screw up, I haven't wasted any time or money...so... here we go !!
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/P1010010.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0007.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0014.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0015.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0034.jpg

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Welcome to the site and its looking good man. Keep postings we love pics.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Good start. Welcome from out West.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

BY the way, this is Tami, she tells me what to do to HER truck, and she takes all the pictures, I started the thread for her so she could ask questions and help make up her mind about the build....She is a woman afterall !!

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0082.jpg

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Welcome to the forum, It appears that you have the skillset to make a really nice truck, hell; you chopping the top is hard enough and take a lot of knowledge and skill.

BTW: Your wife is beautiful (compilment)

Tri5

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

My wife is the reason that I have my 55.5 pickup I wanted something pre 64 and we were at a car show and she decide that she likes trucks so that is what we got. Although she really likes my dads 56 Nomad but he wont give it up.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

How much of a chop is that? Please post pictures of the welds on the chop and if you could please show the backside to see the penetration on the sheetmetal. I am a novice and enjoy pictures. Thanx!

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Welcome and very nice start. Hope to see more progress pics soon. I'm subscribed.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

hey FAT MIKE, will do !! this is chopped 3" in the back and 3 1/2 in the front, me and the wife are both tall, and that's about all I could take..going out to work on it now, pics later tonight..

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Thanks for the info! I plan on doing a 3" chop and relocating the rear window.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Sweet truck, but I am partial to the '51's :metal:

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Oh by the way, she's a looker........ your wife is pretty easy on the eyes too!!! :bann:

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

This is all we accomplished today, take your time and get it straight, we even went as far as to go ahead and cut the top frames off the doors and hold them in the door opening just to check for straightness,
the top 1/2 of the window was tacked into place, and then each rear corner is fitted, you can see that the corners move out about an inch.
I used thin cutoff blades to "run" in the crack between the panels to straighten them up, and the result is a real nice fit ready to butt weld.
You'll notice that the only thing welded is the rear window, thats because I am doing a 3" rear, 3 1/2" front chop, and when I fit the front corners, I might have to take a little more metal out of the front of the rear corners( side, right next to door) so the roof can basically tilt forward. trim, fit, measure, repeat! don't weld til its ready..

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...IMG_0015-1.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0006.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0013.jpg

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0016.jpg

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Looking good. Keep up the good work.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

That sure makes for a nice project.
What are you using for a seat, after you lower the roof?
My wife was the excuse for my current build, and she picked the colors and upholstery and this one had to be a auto !

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Let me start off by saying.."HOLY CRAP !!!"
It's a good thing I have patience..this has been a monster to line back and get straight...I'm not real sure which way is better of if it really matters... some choose to simply chop the top, make relief cuts and bend the post back and make it fit, the advantage to splitting the panel is that the angles stay correct, the front windshield does not lean back, and the doors will be wider at the top, in other words, it does not come to a point quicker. BUT, it was a pain to line up all the cut panels..so if I had to do it again?...
well, here's where we are...maybe I'm being too picky..
I really like the way the rear lines up, hardly any filler at all, the rest would also use no filler if I used a cutoff blade and made the filler strips butt to each other, but all I had was 1/32 blade and it seemed like a big gap, so I decided to just overlap the strips underneath and lap weld.
As it turns out , that was a good choice, because the roof seemed to want to flex down, so I just pushed up a little while welding, and now it has a nice stiff roundness to it that does not give like a lot of roof panels do..
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0002.jpg
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...IMG_0014-1.jpg
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0010.jpg
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...IMG_0015-2.jpg

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Looking very good! You have to have alot of patient I am sure to chop and put 10 billion little tack welds. Keep the good work and please so the penetration on the inside of your welds. THANX!

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Looks great. Keep it up man.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Well, it's been a hell of a week, didnt get a lot done, if any of you watch the news..you know what's been going on in Mt Vernon, Ohio...
neighbors of mine...

SO.... here's where we are now, mostly just finishing up on the roof chop, it is definitely a PITA, doing it this way, but I think the outcome will be better? I don't know 6 of 1,,, 1/2 dozen of the other. I do think I like the look better when the pillars and post have not been cut and bent, ( and the roof skin stays the same dimensions) as opposed to the path I chose ( section the roof skin and the door, window frame) It might take less time to just bend the posts and make relief cuts on the cab corners, not sure, But I can say it takes a LOT of time to fit the roof skin back together and use filler strips, the areas where it is able to be butt welded turned out great, I was having trouble keeping the round shape to the top of the roof, while at the same time getting it all clecoed? together.
so I built a little rounded brace for under the roof to help and then I decided to just lap weld the joints, since it was in the shape I wanted.. I think I should have taken the time(more PITA) and butt welded the whole thing, but all I have is a MIG and even on the lowest setting, it was tough to keep from blowing through.
everywhere there was a butt weld it was easy to work the metal flat.. this also means there will be just a small skim coat of filler on the lap welds. not a lot, as I went ahead and hammer and dollied them close to flat too.. here's a few pics...

FAT MIKE, there was a small gap even on the butt welds , so I just held a copper spoon behind the gap as I welded so it pretty much penetrated all the way.. close up for ya!

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0008.jpg

Butt welds at the cab corner
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0003.jpg

area just above the rear window
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0004.jpg

front pillar post

http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/IMG_0005.jpg

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

we took all the drip rail off, any opinions as to leaving it smooth, ?

what about the windlace strip that runs around the inside of the door opening? mine was all screwed up.. so I cut it out.. is it really needed?

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Ask Kabwe. The guy is a master. Check out post #4 on his build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318301

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Sorry, I just realized he has a 55 and you have a 51... :hh:

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

Those welds are looking fine to me. Good progress.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

I shaved my drip rail. Is it needed? well i dont know I havent really driven it in the rain I would suspect it will be fine. As far as the inside windlace I think is a waste of rubber. I put mine in and it is a pain in the rump to install. It doesnt even really seal anything very good either. It is more cosmetic than anything and not really good at that.

Re: Tami's 51 build
 

nice work on tha chop