Project "Sweet 16"

[Russell Ashley]

Nice work on the steering wheel. That's something that I am planning on doing to my 57 wheel. Someone posted a link to an article from a car mag on shrinking a Chevy truck wheel a while back but I like your method better than the one used in the article.

" It boggles my mind that companies don't make repro stuff that is a little more usable for some, like replica steering wheels only smaller."

99, they do make them but they cost over $300.

[99 to Life]

do they make em for AD trucks? either way, I love my big wheel. But if I were to ever want a smaller one, I'd surely take this custom route, seems way more logical. $300 tuhh yeah right, money better spent elsewhere.

[skymangs]

99. totally agree! The epoxy turned out to be very easy to work with. Sands beatutifully. Given the opportunity, I'd definately go this route over an aftermarket wheel in the future.

Here is a pic of the wheel with the second application of epoxy, wet sanded, and it'll maybe be ready for filler primer tomorrow... Looks like it will come out pretty nice.

I also got the steering column primed, wet sanded, and painted (Michael is going with a dark metallic brown for all the metal work inside). But I'm afraid to touch it, cause it looks so nice... My luck I'll drop it and scratch it!

[skymangs]

This was the real work this weekend... Floors are pretty much done (got some pedal holes and the master hole to weld up still), transmission tunnel is about %80 done. Damn that was a lot of work! Compound curves SUCK!

The last pic is the free 18ga. sheetmetal doner hood I picked up last week... 74 chevy truck, it lives on in the floors of my son's hot rod!

[skymangs]

Quick question... Can anyone recommend an ignition switch that fits nicely in the dash? Need one with an "on" and "Start" position. Shorty has a few mid to late 60's dash ignition chevys with keys still. I picked up a 66 chevy ignition switch at the parts house today, but it looks a little bulky for the space behind the dash.

What ignition switch will work the best for our project?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by skymangs

This was the real work this weekend... Floors are pretty much done (got some pedal holes and the master hole to weld up still), transmission tunnel is about %80 done. Damn that was a lot of work! Compound curves SUCK!

The last pic is the free 18ga. sheetmetal doner hood I picked up last week... 74 chevy truck, it lives on in the floors of my son's hot rod!

the floor looks good

[mknittle]

I have seen guys use the stock switch and hade a push button starter switch.
I am going to do a deviation of that using the stock switch and a tractor foot starter switch. Either mounted in the floor or useing the stock foot pedal and mounting the switch in the engine compartment or under the floor.

[48ChevBagged]

Nice work on the steering wheel. It looks like a factory job.

[LEEVON]

Looking good. Oh how I miss the 'burg. Maybe next year I will be done with my '50 and can drive it up to Homecoming and can check yours out.

[skymangs]

Thanks Mknittle... I've never attempted to build a transmission tunnel before. It's not nearly as straightforward as it would seem!?!?!

48, I aprechiate it. Hopefully it will be one of those "something's different but I can't place it" items that generates questions later.

Leevon, We just did the Homecoming parade this year. I was thinking "what a shame I didn't enter my vert in the parade... next year mebbe we can have 2 AD trucks and the vert rolling down college!

[skymangs]

So... Finally... The moment we've all been waiting for. The steering wheel in color! (well, primer anyway)

Wet sanded it down this evening to work on the lines in the rim, and a couple small damaged spots I missed before. It's amazing what you can see in primer vs. multi-colored crap!

We are thinking that the final color should be Ivory with the horn button detailed in dark metallic brown. Will compliment the dark metallic brown dash and column nicely, and have a kind of period correct look.

Oh, and I found that a "Dollar Tree" broom handle makes an excellent stand for painting a steering wheel!

[skymangs]

I also completed the transmission tunnel tonight. Calling it an early evening at 8pm.

[mknittle]

Steering wheel looks great!
THE REAR PART OF THE TRANSMISSION HUMP LOOKS LIKE IT WAS "FUN"

[skymangs]

Fun isn't really the word I would have chosen! I went through 3 cardboard templates before I was satisfied enough to draw it out on sheet metal...

Going to stop by Shorty's today and pick up an ignition switch, headlight switch, wiper switch, and a Blazer wiper motor. Gotta get that stuff mocked up before finishing the dash.

[mknittle]

Be careful don't want to get an overdose of fun. that can get ugly!

[skymangs]

Ok, so I got a UPS box today with my new 2" drop spindles. Also picked up new ball joints and tie rod ends from the local parts house.

We wound up going with a 65 Chevy truck ignition switch. Still on the dash and fits great. Nice to be able to have key start vs. pushbutton.

I also installed the "footfeed" today. Wound up building a pedestal of sorts for it to sit on, to reduce the angle of the pivot slightly (giving the pedal it's full range of motion). Throttle pedal came from a 91 Chevy pickup.

Here's pics

[skymangs]

Also worked on the hinged dash today. Got the mechanics of it figured out, now I just need some sort of catch or magnet to make sure it stays up going down the road. The center guide is a glovebox door guide from 64 Chevy truck.

I am also bidding on this Hua girl on ebay for the dash...

[skymangs]

Here's the finished steering column and retro wheel.

[skymangs]

This is a side project I've been tinkering with. I don't care for the aftermarket 4 gauge clusters... they just don't look right. Thought I'd see what I could come up with.

I started with a cheapie Voltmeter. Tore it apart to make sure my idea would work. This morning I bought 4 autometer electric gauges and tore 1 apart in the store... (the cashier thought I was CRAZY!)

Heres some pics of what I've come up with so far. I made a center brace, and additional tabs to keep the gauges at the right level inside the cluster. The center piece is 22ga. steel, just thick enough that I could screw the old faces to it too keep the circular shape.

P.S. I know the fab on the bacside looks like hot garbage... But it will work, and will be hidden in the end. I plan to make an new "guage cup" behind to enclose the whole thing.

[skymangs]

2 more pics

[chevyboy73]

wow really like the wheel! are you keeping the patina? looks good cant wait for more!

[99 to Life]

wheel and column turned out nice. like where you are goin with the gauges, but are you doing away with the original look? I guess I'd have to see more to see where you are going with it. I personally love everything about the interior of these trucks. I kept my gauges all original and they light up, the only one that works really is the gas gauge. I just use aftermarket gauges kinda hidden to see temp and oil pressure for now. Anyway keep pluggin along looking great.

[skymangs]

Originally Posted by chevyboy73

wow really like the wheel! are you keeping the patina? looks good cant wait for more!

Yes, that is authentic patina. Would be a travisty to paint it!


99, Idea with the gauges is that they look stock, but perform like modern ones. Only the new needles will show. I don't care for aftermarket gauges hanging off the dash.

[skymangs]

So here's where we got this weekend. Drove to KC Thursday to pick up what I thought might be the perfect seat. 98 Astrovan, bench, with fold down center console and cup holders. Lady measured it at 55" total width. Correct color and look my boy was hoping for. $80.

This is second/third row in a 98 astrovan. It required me cutting 4" off the bottom of the pedistal, and re-working the front bracket slightly to lower the front of the seat. Fits like a glove, 1.5" on each side of the seat of clearance.

I did have to shorten my drop bracket for the steering column. Once the seat was in it, it looked WAY to low! Here's some pics.

[skymangs]

This weekend was all about the suspension. Stripped the truck back down to bare frame, dissasembled the entire front end. New Ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends, shocks, drop spindles, and cleaned and painted everything. was going pretty good till this evening. My trusted spring compressor decided to strip all it's threads, and bind up inside a compressed spring (FRUSTRATING). At least the parts house had a loner one I could rent.

Then I went to put my rotors and bearings back on, and discovered that the bearings won't fit over the new spindles. I sent a message to the vendor, hoping to hear back from them tomorrow. Kinda distraught about that... All that work just to have to tear it apart again is gonna piss me off!

Here's some pics

Oh, and I won my hula girl on ebay. gonna give her a new home on the dashboard!