TA_C10: Stage 1

[Rickysnickers]

You are really getting good at your welding skills, considering you said early on that you weren't that great! I don't mean that sarcastically either.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by Southpaw69

Good progress sir. I've been following along and you're making it happen. Keep it up!

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

You are really getting good at your welding skills, considering you said early on that you weren't that great! I don't mean that sarcastically either.

Thanks guys, its really been sucking all my time everyday but its been so worth it. I was lucky to have to some time off between jobs so i've been able to work on the truck a lot, learn a lot, and I am still motivated as I can't wait to see it done. I'm building my own daily driver and what a feeling it is to have a chance to do this... I really thank my family for being there to support and being so understanding, couldn't do this without them.

I think I have grown a lot with welding from all the experience i'm getting. I am really enjoying myself learning a new skill

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[TA_C10]

Update - Inner roof panel


Made a little progress today before super bowl. Started tacking in the inner roof panel. After using the eastwood fast etch I cleaned it up more and sprayed a couple coats of eastwood rust converter as well. Hope that stuff works. Sure seems to be a tough and durable coating over the weld thru primer I had been using. I got tired of that stuff it just rubbed off too easy for my taste.






Took a ton of magnets to hold this panel in but I decided to start by tacking in the top part of the panel first and then tuck it in and work the spot welds after. This was the best way I found to make it fit best and get it butted to the existing part of the panel straight and seamless. It worked good for me.







Started in the middle. I really liked the new panel and its rear-view mirror molding in the header so I used that to replace the original. The new piece was stronger and nice new holes pre-drilled. Let's just hope those holes match the rear view I buy My original appeared to be drilled a couple different times in different places so this was nice to replace.







So then I started working my way out on each side and down the panel towards the doors. I chose spots that were smallest gaps so it was easy to get a good starting tack weld without blow thru. I didn't exactly spend enough time grinding this panel very straight so your gonna see imperfections...








Like this area, I will have to cut a sliver to add to that gaping gap..








Then I started noticing that the relief cuts I made to form the panel properly actually made the underside of the panel accessible with a pick so I could pull or push the panel flush as I went along. I also realized that as I worked my way down the panel it worked to my advantage to tack the corners in quickly which helped the rest of the panel line up perfectly by holding it in from the start of the relief cuts.

Using all these magnets created enough force sometimes when needed to hold a stubborn panel flush so I could tack it.









Here it is pretty much tacked in and I started to work the spot welds. I started doing the spot welds from the ends first. I didn't think it mattered too much where I started here as the panel pretty much is clamped in and its not going to move so... We will see when I finish it up.








Here it is after the first set of tacks across the top. You can see all my corners of the relief cuts are tacked like I was saying earlier. It made it real easy to line up since I didn't have any access from the back side. I had to make sure it was lined up BEFORE I welded any further on each piece.

From LEFT to RIGHT:



















This is where I stopped for the day on this panel.





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[TA_C10]

Inner roof panel - continued:


Over the driver side door I found rust thru pin holes, both inside the cab and in the drip rail. So while I was working the front header panel I cut out and started making a replacement piece over the door.

I also decided to weld the drip rail over the old rot without cutting it out. It wasn't too bad just a couple spots. But I had enough access through the inside piece I cut out to stick my copper spoon/spatula through the hole cut out so I could have a backing while I welded up the rot in the drip rail. Hopefully that makes sense...

Here is the inner panel what I cut out. I used eastwood rust converter and sprayed all around inside the open panel.















Here is the making of the new panel. They don't make a replacement piece other than the whole roof skin(inner) so I decided to try my hand at metal fab. This was not easy to make the little zig zag in the metal to match the roof line and door seal plate. I think it turned out good enough. I used a hammer, my vise, a pair of pliers, and some time...









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[mel knippson]

Man you are doing a excellent job documenting and restoring your truck .. very jealous..

[TA_C10]

Fuel Filler Hole - Welder Up


Now you see it...





Now you don't...







I used left over cab corner sheet to make this patch. Turns out a 3" cutoff wheel is almost perfect fit so I used it to trace my patch. I used a hammer to beat out the shape on a foam exercise pad we use on the floor. Kinda works like a sandbag. I also used the passenger side to shape it a little too.











I counter sunk the piece a little too much however so I will have to built up a little more filler than I wanted too.... I think...

[cornerstone]

I did the same thing... I'm hoping to hammer and dolly it out more so I only need less than 1/8" filler.