1949 3800 Chevrolet

Blasting away!

2019-08-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

Well I took advantage of some slightly cooler weather and some free time this morning to go ahead and work on sandblasting some more of the cab. I managed to blast the roof, the underside of the floorboard, and started on the interior. I'm thinking the exposed parts will get blasted, the parts that will be covered, such as the underside of the roof, will get a carefully applied treatment with OSPHO, because I cannot see an easy way to do a thorough job of blasting it inside. It will all be covered with headliner and carpet. I just want to kill whatever rust is in there. So with that in mind, I'm getting pretty close to being ready to start knocking out the bodywork on the cab, which will likely be the biggest task still ahead of me, short of reassembly. Lots of dents, lots of sheetmetal to patch in. Lots and lots of filling and blocking.

building a fire to get up a head of steam

2019-08-20T14:47:00.000-05:00

Well, my injury progress has improved and am able to more or less get around again. Still don't have the stamina or strength that I had before, but I figure if I keep pushing it I'll get better. So I'm starting to really prioritize what I need to work on once I'm able to, and this 100+degree heat subsides. Too hard on the old bones to sandblast in this weather. So other than cleaning up in and around the shop, which seems to be a perpetual activity, I'm getting primed to get back to work and hammer down. Like the title of the post, building a fire to get up a head of steam. fire is small now, but I'll keep pouring the coals to it, and fall will be here before I know it. I am planning to have the cab sheet metal done, body work done, and doors fit and ready to roll along with the front clip fit and ready for paint before I have to evict everything from the shop come Jan 1.

I may even get ansy and paint the cab interior so I can start working on getting that halfway put back together. I feel like that process may take a good bit of time. All the little things that go into getting it back like the dash stuff and gauges, wiring, etc. Soundproofing the cab, fitting the gas tank, rough fit the floormat, etc.

Then just maybe by spring I'll be able to get the exterior paint shot and start on the reassembly process. It did just dawn on me that I probably need to find out where my emergency brake cables are at and get my brake hoses installed so all of that assembly is back together and the frame is as complete as I need it to be. And install the driveshaft...

Broke Down!

2019-06-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

No, not the truck. Me! While taking advantage of a rare very slow week, I decided that it was time to turn away from the truck project for a while and work on some home projects that had been building up for a while. Well, a handful of nails away from being done for the evening, I was coming down the extension ladder and anxiously placing the last 6 nails of the evening, clean up, eat supper, and call it good for the day. Then it happened. The air hose for the nailer was laying across the ladder, and instead of the rung, I stepped on the air hose. Down I went. Landed on the concrete with my right ankle just right. Long story short, shattered the end of my tibia. Hoping it was just badly sprained I got my son cleaned up, fed, and to bed. When my wife got home from a softball scrimmage, we went to the ER. After cleaning and stitching some cuts from a flowerpot that helped to break my fall, I got the bad news..your leg is broke and you need surgery. Two days later I had surgery #1 to install an external fixator to stabilize the break and let the swelling go down. 15 days later, I had surgery #2 to install 2 plates and 11 screws to mend everything together. Another 8 weeks of sitting around not being able to bear any weight, no driving, really nothing at all. Lots of thinking, reading, watching TV, and in essence being a big do-nothing lump.

I was released to start partially bearing weight on June 1, back to driving June 10. I still can't walk well, far, or without the help of a cane, but considering 21 days ago, I couldn't even stand to stand on it, gimping around on this cane and mostly being able to walk, with pain, is a pretty good accomplishment. Sometimes I get down because I can't do what I want to, but then I stop and think, It could have been worse. Much worse. And in 3 weeks I am walking. 3 more weeks I may be walking better. Maybe in a couple of months I can ditch the cane. Hopefully before the end of the year I'll be back to like nothing happened.

Take home message....be careful. And be ready for all the curveballs that life will inevitably throw your way. Never well timed and usually with some smoke on em. Be safe...will be back soon!

Gas Tank Straps

2019-02-12T14:27:00.000-06:00

Work on the truck has slowed because work has been busy and weather has been terrible. I worked on the bed and frame a little last week in the "grauple". Didn't know such a thing existed. I just thought it was sleet. I think they make this stuff up as they go.

But in other news, I was looking at having to buy new gas tank straps because one of mine is cut. Some jughead wouldn't wait to put penetrating oil on the bolt, so they just cut the strap. Replacement straps are over $100, only sold in pairs.

Was hunting in Home Depot yesterday for something else and ran across this little gem. Used to secure trailer houses to the ground. It has a loop on one end just like the original strap, is the same width, and just needs to be cut to length and have the bolt from the original attached, either with rivets or screws. and for a whopping $5!

No it isn't original, and it may not work, but for less than a Lincoln, I'm willing to give it a shot.

Other than that, I've been slowly working on removing the original hardware from the old bed to prepare for re-installation on the new bed. Been slow. I am going to have to take most of it off using a sawzall and a demo bit I think. Bolts are very eroded. I'm not bloodying my knuckles and wasting my time trying to get them undone. Just zip and go.

Seed is slowly moving out of the shop, so I hope to have the cab back inside within the next 30 days. I'll at least have one bay clear and I can put the cab in there. I still have a lot of work to do on it before it is ready for paint. A lot.of.work!

Can't keep a good man down!

2019-01-23T23:05:00.002-06:00

Can't keep a good man down, or out, or turned off a project. There may not be any space in the shop, but there is space around back under the shed where the frame is currently parked. So that means I can start rebuilding the wood flatbed originally present on the truck.

The original bed was pine, and I am unsure of it's manufacturer or origin. I have come to the assumption and conclusion that it was a local manufacturer who built beds for dealers, and was a dealer installed option, probably not under the Chevy umbrella. It is just a little too nice and fancy to have been a barnyard build, but it could have been. The winters are cold and long up north.

I picked up a couple of 6x6x10' Pine ACP to replace the foundation of the stringers on the bed. Then a few 4x4x8' cross stringers. Cut the stringers to size, made some relief drills for the frame rivets, then squared up and bolted up. Cross stringers were reliefed for the lag bolt head and secured.

Added a few 2x4's and 2x6's to fill the gaps. Next step is to drill the frame for bolts and attachment. Once all this is done, a good coat of exterior paint followed by a topcoat of paint. Eventually I will install top boards made of tounge and groove pine.

In other news, I should have a clear bay (or at least mostly) to resume some work on the cab.

Wanting to go, unable to do much

2019-01-15T13:30:00.000-06:00

Well, as mentioned in the last post, we are at an all stop....Seed is in the shop, taking up all usable indoor work space. My cab is currently sitting outside getting jockeyed between here and there, trying to stay out of the weather. I need to pick up some more blasting sand and epoxy primer, but I don't want to do much until I have space to really hammer down, so for the moment, it sits.

I've been making plans, sourcing material, and preparing to start rebuilding the wood flatbed. My local lumberyard has everything that I will need, just have to give them time to get it in. At a quandary as to whether to build the bed on the frame before, or after the cab is ready to install. I'm thinking it may be easier, and more time effective to go ahead and build it and drop the cab on after its complete. Trying to decide on finishes. I'm certain that my aftermarket (or possibly originally home built) bed didn't match the original color. So I'm trying to determine what color scheme to go with. Obviously, it was originally black. but what sheen??? I'm tossing around the wood and metal straps all in semi-gloss, all in gloss, or gloss for the metal components, semi-gloss for the wood. Going to have to mock some stuff up, determine what will look best initially, and what will wear the best.

I still have a few brake components to finish installing. A few brake lines, emergency brake cables, a brake shoe that has to get re-lined, little nit-picky items.

Once I am closer to getting space freed up I have a ton of work to do. I need to finish sandblasting the interior of the cab, the underside, the roof. Epoxy prime and undercoat the underside of the cab. I still have some body work to tackle such as welding in cab corners, a cowl panel, and a portion of the drip edge. Once these parts are installed, and the big dents are knocked out, it will be time to start laying on the filler. Trying to make it as smooth as silk.

I still need to sandblast the doors and get them ready to prime/paint. I will be replacing all the glass. I know they didn't come from the factory with tint, but in Texas, I need the tint. Not going for a concourse restoration, but as close as I can. But I think I'm gonna need some level of tint to make it bearable to drive 6 months out of the year. Especially with no A/C. And vinyl seats.

So basically, I'm making list after list of to-do's while I wait for opportunity to get going when the time is right. Obtaining parts and being ready to roll when I can. I'm also re-evaluating whether or not I am going to stick with the black fenders or go all maroon on the exterior color. Still leaning toward black fenders, but thinking one color may keep it cleaner. Stay tuned!

Lots of progress, now all stop!

2018-12-23T23:59:00.002-06:00

The last couple weeks have been busy with lots of different activities with the goal of making progress on the project. I have set a goal to finish the truck. My plan is to have it on the road by its 70th birthday, which is 1 year from now. So with that goal in mind, here are the things I have done....

Replaced all the original (and likely corroded) brake lines with newly formed 1/4" nickel-copper brake lines. I will also install new fuel lines for the motor. Also replaced all the grease fittings in the frame with brand new fittings so there should be no issues with not being able to push grease into the necessary places.

Additionally, new U-joints were sourced, I just need to take the driveshafts to a press and replace the old joints with new ones. I don't think the old ones were failed, but I figured, I'm here, lets do it.

The one big ticket item that I had to accomplish before the end of the year, mostly because I needed the space was to install the engine in the frame. Progress, but also because I needed the space in the shop that the engine was taking up. So I took the engine, installed the bellhousing, flywheel, clutch, and transmission and had a fully assembled engine/transmission assembly sitting on the cart. But....it was still taking up lots of valuable real estate in the shop with seed coming soon. So with some preparation, such as refinishing the front engine mount (thanks to a generous fellow stovebolter), the engine was prepared to drop back into the frame. New hardware to mount everything was acquired.

The forklift made easy work of picking the engine up off the cart and into the air. I rolled the frame under the lifted engine and lowered it down. Then it was dropped directly onto the frame. Thanks to some line up bars and a little finesse, The engine was sitting in the crossmembers and the new mounting bolts were installed. Following that, the distributor, coil, and starter were installed, engine oil added to keep the internals lubed and protected, and finally covered with plastic and wrapped to keep the engine clean and protected while it sits around until the the sheet metal is ready to be installed.

Speaking of sheetmetal, I also worked on the cab. The cab has been sanded bare and in the shop waiting for more bodywork to be completed. It too was going to get evicted so I needed to get it protected. I don't want to have to cover the same tracks again. So in preparing, I needed to get it in epoxy. However, there were areas that were still covered in original paint. So I pulled out the sandblaster and blasted the areas that are being replaced with sheetmetal (drivers cowl, cab corners) and also the firewall, the beltline pinch, any areas that needed extra attention to get clean, the door jambs, dashboard, drip rails, and around the window channels.

After they were all blasted clean, it was time to cover with epoxy. All metal areas bared thanks to sander or blaster were coated with a single coat of epoxy primer. I only gave it one coat because I still had the remainder of the interior of the cab to blast, the roof, and under the floor to do. But all bare metal has a coating of protection and will remain so until I can move it back into the shop and complete the sandblasting, bodywork, and homestretch to paint.

So as I type this, the frame is outside under a tarp, and will be moved around back under cover tomorrow, along with the cab. I will also work on several other sheetmetal items in preparation for paint. I ran out of sand to blast anymore while working on the cab, so the underside of one hood half is needing to be blasted. I also will have to blast the inner and outer fenders, the grill, front splash pan, and the doors.

It may not be completely road-worthy or entirely complete, because my hip pocket is financing this project, but I sure hope to have it back to at least to mostly complete and ready to roll by its birthday. Need some sponsors to give me parts and make it go quicker, but then I'd have to put stickers all over it and that just wouldn't look right. I figure I'm 16 months and $6,000 away from being complete.

I'm kinda at a crossroads though. I received my first load of seed Friday and my shop is no longer usable for the project. So I'll be displaced until at least March 1. I imagine as the weather and time allows, I will work on stuff that I can blast, bump, and prepare outside until I can pull it all back inside. Frame will stay outside until I'm ready to drop the cab on.

If I get way ahead of schedule, but before I can get everything back inside, I have a few ideas to keep moving toward my goal. I will have to build a few items to make the process a little easier. A door holder to hang to doors on for paint. Maybe work on my paint booth that will become a greenhouse after the painting is done. Maybe even begin building on the frame for the bed.

Once I get the shop back, I plan to hammer down on the bodywork and getting it ready to squirt paint. Most of the small parts are complete and ready to install.

I'll post some pictures once I get them moved from my phone.

Progress...

2018-12-23T23:25:00.002-06:00

Well, since last post, my new gauges arrived and I put my thinking cap on and got it completely figured out, at least until I get to the point of wiring them up and making them function. I will do a complete different post on the build at a later point, but for now, the gauge upgrade is complete, just waiting to finish off the gauge bezel, new glass, gasket, and chrome ring.

Also, I managed to get the frame sandblasted, shot with 2 coats of SPI epoxy primer and 2 coats of Nason chassis black paint. So it is sitting and looking oh so pretty waiting for me to drop the drivetrain in it. I also managed to find time and weather to sandblast all the underhood sheet metal.

Busy, not busy

2018-11-13T00:47:00.000-06:00

Well, since my last post, the weather hasn't exactly been cooperating. Been rainy, humid, or just generally not blasting/painting weather. Add to that being busy with work (gotta pay those bills) and not much has visibly happened since last post. However, there has been some projects being worked on. In preparation to finish up the running gear by installing the engine/transmission onto the frame, some things were discovered.

It was discovered that I was missing two very important pieces of the front engine mount...a plate and retainer. So I have been on a search for the missing mount pieces in lieu of having to fabricate the plate and retainer. Also, I have re-created the brake lines from the originals. 1/4" copper nickel tubing was used. Waiting on Amazon to bring my double flare tool so I can finish up my brake lines. Need to source some 5/16" tubing to rebuild the fuel line.

Parallel to the frame restoration and brake/fuel line replacement, I am in the process of restoring the cluster gauge with modern gauges. Thanks to Dave at www.1952chevytruck.com for the bright idea. Again, waiting on Amazon to show up with my gauges.

I guess it gives me something to do while its too wet to do anything outside. The more little stuff I can get done, the faster the big stuff will come together once it is time. I have learned that. Seemingly nothing happens but then one day all of a sudden, all this really cool stuff appears. Most of that is due to a lot of small stuff behind the scenes.

My plan is to do a step-by-step on installing the new gauges. Or maybe to do some custom gauge rebuilds to help finance this project. Gotta see how the first one goes first.

Frame blasted and primered

2018-11-03T00:35:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, it's all about timing. I waited for over 2 months for the perfect timing. No pressing work apppointments, the right weather, time to complete both the sandblasting and priming in one day when the weather was right. High humidity is a killer for sandblasting they say. Our humidity is rarely below 60% until we start getting cold fronts in the winter. Unless the front comes with rain. At any rate...today was the perfect scenario...Low humidity, some free time from work, free stretch of time from 11 till 6. sunshine, moderate winds, low humidity. So I filled up the sandblaster, and decided to pull the trigger.

Blasted the frame. Took longer than expected but I think I have the operation and settings down on this new sandblaster. Bought it from a friend. I borrowed it and enjoyed having it so much I asked if he would sell it. Said, make me an offer, so I shot him a number, and after some (not much) haggling I now own a great sandblaster.

I was surprised that it didn't take as much sand as I anticipated. Quite honestly, a lot less. I bought 15 bags of blast sand. After the entire frame, and several other smaller projects, I still have 8 bags left. Cleaned off the sand and hit it with the epoxy primer. It took exactly 2 quarts to cover the frame and axles with two full wet coats across it. Tomorrow I plan to give the crossmembers a test shot of some chassis paint that I bought a while back. When I cracked the lid today it seemed really really thin. So I'm not sure how it will run. I just know I have 72 hours to topcoat the epoxy before I have to scuff it.

All in all, Very productive and outcome was pretty top end. Next, put the engine in the frame and make a true roller. Till next time...

Just strippin!

2018-04-23T14:23:00.000-05:00

Well, seed is delivered. Still have some stock on hand, but it't tarped and has plywood over and around so it doesn't catch any sparks. Managed to get the entire cab nearly stripped. Just have the top of the roof and the firewall, and of course, all those areas in the creavices. Started doing a little dent removal from the back and corners. Prepping to weld in my patch panel areas. Contemplating cutting out another area that is very badly dented. I'm still not sure on that one. Gonna try the studs and pullers.

Having a hard time with my welder. I welded up some holes where the PO had mounted more than 1 mirror over time. Just kept making boogers. No good welds. Gas was on and flowing. Metal was clean. Not sure what is going on there. Going to take the nozzle shield and nozzle out and make sure everything is nice and clean/replaced. This is not the place to make bad welds. Bad welds require extra grinding, grinding generates heat, heat warps panels, makes waves, makes more work.

I did pick up a shrinking disc that I am going to try on my extra cab. Supposed to run on an angle grinder and generate heat without taking metal out or the potential to burn a hole and then quickly cool and tighten the metal back. We shall see.....

Still haven't sandblasted the frame. Kinda just waiting to get a good dry day because blast in the am, paint in the pm. After blasting, it can't wait, gotta paint right away. And I still have seed in the shop and now a cab and front fenders in the other bay. It would all fit, but I also want to work on cleaning some more in the shop. Organize it some.

Well, time to head out. Have to get to softball practice.

Making progress

2018-04-23T14:22:00.002-05:00

Well, since the last post, there have been some significant strides made in the bodywork area. I have knocked all but the dents in the roof back to a manageable level thanks to the addition of a slide hammer to my tool arsenal. I have also started to do some patch panel replacement. I have found that sheet metal welding is tougher than they make it look on TV! my welds look terrible. But that is why I bought a grinder. I'm cutting my teeth on interior replacement that will likely be covered by floor mats and will be inconspicuous when complete. But I still shudder to think someone will see the gnarly welds and say "damn, does he even know how to weld?" Moving the ground clamp over to a magnet ground has helped. I guess current doesn't flow well through rusty seams throughout the cab.

Also managed to free the sticking brake drum that was keeping it from moving freely. The parking brake cable (set for replacement) was seized in the locked position and after some persuasion and cussing, I managed to release. Thankfully I was planning on replacing these components anyway. I keep thinking, I'm ready to sandblast and paint the frame any day now, but then I find something new to remove and it looks further and further away. Closer than before though.

Fenders have been sent off to a friend to work his magic and hopefully will be salvageable. As far as sheet metal replacement on the cab, I just need one good day (or night) to finish up and I think I'll be ready to start laying down some epoxy on it. Then move on to the body filler and prep for (eek!) paint!

I have set my timeline to be road-ready by my 40th birthday, which will be May 2, 2019. Should be able to meet that goal. Albeit, I am hip-pocketing the restoration and funds will be a large driver of that timeline. Add to that, I'm trying to do it all by myself, so time also becomes and issue. But its still cheaper than therapy. Loving every minute!

Diving in head first

2018-02-21T16:06:00.003-06:00

Well, today I did it. I had some time to kill while waiting on someone to show up and pick up some seed, and I started in on my bodywork. I took one fender just to see how difficult it would be to remove the original paint from the parts. Hooked up the random orbit sander and some 80 grit (36 would be faster, but didn't have any in 6" PSA. I started in on it.

My plan was to just do a little piece. Then I did a little more. Then some more. Before I knew it, the entire outside was clear of 68 year old paint, plus a few repaints over time. So to keep it from rusting and to highlight all of the dents, I put a thin coat of rattle can paint over the newly bare metal. Boy there are lots of dents and dings that pop out when you get that gloss paint on it.

Did not take nearly as long as I anticipated to get it sanded, so I started on the other fender. Before I knew it, boom, it was bare too. Repeated the rattle can on it. Now I have two stripped and dent laden fenders ready to go to work on with the hammer and dolly.

Jump forward to today. Cold and rainy, not much going to happen, so out come the body hammers and I did a little metal bumping. I didn't take any pics or video of this process. there will be plenty of it and I can get video of it. But for my first time at bumping, it turned out pretty good. the little dents hammered out easy and almost invisible. Some of the other damaged places are going to take a lot more work.

Each have damage around the headlight bucket. One is pretty significant. There is also a rusted out area to cut and patch on the back, and a football shaped dent right in the bend. I wish all the bad was on one fender, but each have their own trouble spots and that will make for a challenge. I am hoping to use the original metal. If it becomes evident that they cannot be repaired, I will opt for original fenders over reproductions. Thicker metal, better made. Even if they come with some issues.

I need to move about 5 stacks of seed pallets and I'll move the doors and the hood in to start. Once all the seed is delivered, my remaining stock will get covered and the cab will come inside. That's when the real work will start. That one will take a good deal of patching inside, outside, cowl, lower corners, floor, drip edge, etc, etc, etc. Plus lots and lots of minor and major dents.

But based on what it took to strip and knock out the fenders, the job is feeling a little less impossible. Maybe just slightly impossible now. Some would likely say, scrap and do new. But I have plenty of time. Time isn't money on this job. Time is time, and likely will save money.

Rear end re-gear

2018-02-06T11:31:00.000-06:00

Well, after having the third member from the rear end sitting around for about 5 years, tripping over it, moving it from here to there, it is officially no longer a trip hazard. The pumpkin is in the truck!

After removing the original 5.16 gear ratio rear end, I cleaned up the housing, replaced the seal, and popped the new pumpkin in place. Now this truck will motor along with a 4.10 gear ratio. Slightly better than the previous, which would wind the rpm's on that little 216 up higher than I ever want to run it down the road and top out about 40 with a favorable tail wind and downhill grade. I hope to achieve a reasonable highway speed of about 55 now. This truck isn't a racecar, so 70 won't happen, but at least I won't get blown off the highway.

I was pleased with how everything came out. All the components were in good order, so new seals and gaskets, a thorough cleaning, and reassembly. On to the next step!

Next order of business is to focus on frame completion. I still need to remove the shocks and work on rebuilding them. And final component stripping and welding up a few holes in the bumper before I take it to get sandblasted. That will come after corn seed is delivered and planted, so likely late March. Blast, epoxy prime, and chassis black. Then I will start to reassemble the entire frame and drop the drivetrain in. Something else I won't have to trip over anymore.

Then on to the last big restoration piece....bodywork on the cab. Have to replace some sheet metal, patch some little holes, knock out some dents. And oooh boy does it have the dents. Years of farm work will do that to one. Once the cab is straight, It will get stripped and a coat of epoxy. I imagine that while I am set up to strip paint and do body work I will go ahead and work on the rest of the body parts like the hood, doors, fenders, etc. and get them in epoxy. That should consume most of the summer.

I would love to have it painted and ready to re-assemble by the fall, but that will be a game-time decision for sure. Whatever I do it has to be capable of being vacated by Jan 1 when my seed comes in and takes over my shop. But its a project that isn't on a time table. So if it takes another 6 months, a year, or two, so be it.

A lot of the components were redone as they were removed and boxed away. Only thing is that many of those parts have been in a box since then (8ish years ago). So who knows what they will look like. I'm also going to be updating my gauge cluster with modern gauges. Except the old faces will be put on the new gauges to give the appearance of original.

If I had unlimited time and unlimited budget, like the TV shows, this thing should be done and on the road by next weekend. But since that isn't the case, and it gets worked on and paid for out of my hip pocket and lunch money, well, it takes longer. The last, and likely most expensive part will be the final piece when she is ready to roll, 6 new tires! I've been quoted $1800 for the set. So she may roll around on old rubber for a while. Someone let me help you buy a big ranch and we can speed this dude along!

Wow! Almost a year since my last post!

2018-01-23T13:53:00.001-06:00

Decided to post an update while I'm waiting to receive some paperwork. Opened it up and was shocked. 8 days away from 1 year since the last post. Of course, nothing really new to report.

I've tinkered around some with my truck. Worked on getting the frame mostly stripped and ready for the sandblaster. Today I actually pulled the rear differential cover to let the gear oil drain out before I pop the third member out. I was pleasantly surprised with the condition of the fluid. Smelled nasty, gear oil always does, but wasn't burnt or milky. So no signs of issues with the current third member. Really doesn't matter as I'm replacing it with a higher gear ratio, and the condition of that third member remains to be seen. Visually it is fine. But what will happen when it gets in the truck I don't know.

Drew up a rough plan and material list for my bed. That one will be the last piece of the puzzle. I did however pick up two boxes of wood screws at home depot on clearance. I guess they are changing companies. The box of screws would have been $30/box regularly. Bought two boxes for less than the original price of 1. I think I may need to go back and pick up a couple more. Ugly mustard color, but the bed will get painted so it won't matter. They are torx head, which isn't exactly something that would have been around in '49, but I love working with them in wood projects.

Have my sandblaster lined up. He is a client who I helped sell his mothers house. They do a lot of tractor restoration and have a good setup. It will cost me a little in sand, but that is it. Only catch will be waiting until he has a free day where he isn't in the field planting or managing a crop, that is also a pretty dry day, and I can hit the frame with epoxy immediately so no new rust forms.

Well that is all for now. Guess it's time to get back to the grind.

Slow go....

2017-01-31T13:08:00.000-06:00

Well, not sure anyone is following this anymore, if anyone ever was. Working on the truck has been stalled since the last update. A change in careers, building two businesses, and raising two kiddos has kept me from working on my truck. One challenge has been that one business is a corn seed agency that requires the use of my enclosed shop, and subsequently my workspace, for about 5 months out of the year. So all projects get evicted around new years, and can usually come back in around June 1. Problem with that is there are usually 2-3 projects that get bumped ahead, so truck is definitely on the back burner.

I have acquired a few items that I will need along the way so I'm not completely stalled. I managed to find a very straight grill from a restorer who was moving away from ADs and going to different models. Paid more than I wanted to, but it was straight. So I bit the bullet and paid the money. I also ran across a deal on some 2x10 lumber that I plan to use for the flatbed. ACP treated Southern Yellow Pine. I think by the time that I get to the step of building the bed, the lumber will be well dried and easy to work. It will at least have been through enough weather changes to demonstrate any issues that it may have. I also managed a few 2x6s and some 5/4 decking boards, although I'm not sure they will work as they may be a bit short, but would work for across the back. This assumes it doesn't get poached for my kiddos treehouse they have been wanting. I still want to build it with white oak, but finding a supplier has been difficult. Only oak I can find is cabinet grade, and I'm not going that route.

One other project that has been on the to do list for about 5 years is moving my big air compressor to the shop, and plumbing the inside and outside of the shop for compressed air. I finally wrapped that one up and crossed it off the list. So having a high capacity air compressor and adequate air lines will make the disassembly, rebuild, and reassembly much easier.

So looking forward, I'm going to focus on the frame this spring while the shop is otherwise occupied. I plan to work on getting the frame together. First will be to swap out the rear end with a 4.10 unit I acquired a while back. New seals on the axles and it will be ready to run down the road at a little more desirable clip. Then disassemble the few remaining items that need to come off, such as brake lines, bushings, and a few other loose pieces. Then get the rust off and everything cleaned up. Shoot it with 2 coats epoxy primer, and 2 coats of black chassis paint. New rubber bushings everywhere and get it back together. Then I can drop the engine and transmission back in. Free up some floor space and get a little closer to the finish line.

Well that is all for now. Time to get back to work making the money to keep the lights on and a little extra to spend on projects. Still cheaper than therapy!

No turning back now...

2014-04-16T13:22:00.002-05:00

Well, it finally happened. I got the nerve to start bodywork. I will start by saying my previous body work experience has been packing bondo into dents and holes, then painting. Did a decent job, and a couple that were pretty crappy. So here I am going to put a pro job on this one.

Well, gotta start somewhere. Learn as you go. And realize when you are too far in, and seek professional help. Notice I didn't say, "realize when you are too far in, back out" or "seek professional help". I just think it's important to acknowledge when you are too far in. Whether you change course or not just depends on the situation.

I honestly think if I had an unlimited well of money, I'd still do it this way. It's just my nature. I want to say "I did it", not "I bought it". Will it take longer, yes. But that's ok.

So then I whipped out the flap wheel on the angle grinder and started to expose the areas where the spot welds were holding the cowl panel on. Then pulled out the drill and spot weld drill. And of course, you are going to need a grinder with a cutoff wheel. Hammer, center punch, chisel, and a sailors' vocabulary.

I'll just say that this is the second cowl that I have personally removed. in 1948, they used a whole lot more spot welds than in 1949. That being said, they still used a lot of spot welds in 49. And it isn't always evident where the spot weld actually is. So there were several extra spots drilled out that will have to be welded shut. Part of it.

Now there is one trick to removing the cowl. There is a seam across the exposed portion of the panel where the side cowl panel and the top cowl panel join. The seam is not noticible but is there and is covered with lead solder. Lead was the bondo of the time. So the blue tip wrench with a rosebud was necessary to sweat it out of there, exposing spot welds underneath.

Sweating out the lead video

Once all the spot welds were removed, and the corner welding points were ground, the panel can come off. Theoretically. Well, there is always just one little spot weld that holds on, that you have to hunt for and drill more holes than necessary. But I found it. Finally. Then the cowl was off. And with that exposed the inner support arm, a very large mud dauber nest, and a rats nest. And more rust. I already knew that the inside brace was rotten when I removed the fenders. Its just one of those places that gets constantly bombarded by the forces of nature. Right behind the wheel, mud packs up in there, gets wet, and stays wet. So I had already braced for replacement. And, as a bonus, the patch panel off my parts truck came with the brace pre-attached. So now I just have to cut out the old, and weld in the new along with the new interior footwell panel. The less welding and patching that I have to do, the better off we will be in the long run.

So that was the start to what will most likely be a 6 month project of getting the bodywork done. I will add that I was offered a sandblasting machine to use for frame and cab derusting. Definitely going to take up that offer. Till next time...

Seperation of Cab and Frame

2014-04-14T08:51:00.003-05:00

Progress is being made. The cab is completely stripped of components and this weekend I got the cab lifted off of the frame and onto the cab dolly. This was done with the help of a good buddy who dropped by. We discovered three things - We aren't as stout as we used to be. It's not super heavy but awkward, and I'm going to need to recruit more help to set it back on following paint. Sure would be a shame to get it all repaired and shiny and put a scratch on it while putting it back on the frame.

Once the cab was freed and on the dolly, I can now roll it around in the shop to work on it. Since it will be a while before I get to the frame, I went ahead and pulled it around to the back of the shop.

The frame will need to have the rear end third member swapped out to gain my 4.10 gears. Then just a little replacement of seals on the tie rod ends and spring/shock bushings. Then I will spend some time with a power washer and wire cup on the grinder getting all the gunk and rust off the frame. When it is clean, I'll lay a couple coats of epoxy primer on the frame and then a couple of coats of chassis paint.

In the meantime, I am going to get a few items prepared for sandblasting and powdercoating such as the wheels and the running boards. Hopefully the powdercoat will be a more durable coating for the parts that will get more abuse than some of the other components. Never had 3 piece rims powdercoated before. My hope is that I can get the wheels powdered up, then mounted up, and never have to dismount them. Tires will be the most expensive expenditure for the truck. A very good reason why I would never own a dually as a daily driver. Those two extra tires are just that much more expensive.

My next step will be to start replacing rusted panels and popping out big dents. Then paint removal by sanding and sandblasting in areas where I cannot fully sand or there is rust beginning to form (more than just surface rust) then two coats of SPI epoxy. Then the filler to get it all slicked up and ready for paint. This will likely take a long time working on it for an hour or two at a lick. Fortunately I'm not on a deadline so I can take my time. It is supposed to be a hobby. If I go too fast, then I'll be down one project and feel inclined to find another one.

Here is a picture of the cab on the dolly ready for bodywork:

Strippin'

2014-04-02T12:55:00.001-05:00

So I am getting back to work on restoring the truck. Seems like life keeps sending me down detours that take longer than planned. But now I'm back for a little while. Read something funny the other day about picking a body shop to do your restoration. It said to look in the shop and see how many vehicles are sitting around being used for storage. Then I walked in my shop and noticed parts of three different projects resting on the rear of the truck frame. So I decided that it was time to get back to work. At least until the next detour.

So I started by preparing to remove the cab. The cab is the largest bodywork issue that I have, and will likely take the lions share of time on bodywork. And its the only part still resting on the frame. I knew in order to get it ready to pull from the frame, it needed to be stripped of all parts from the interior as well as the firewall.

My initial goal was to pull the passenger side door to gain easier access to the interior of the cab. I was prepared to call it a win. Well, it snowballed from there. I started picking all the stuff off the passengers side of the cab. Glove door box, glove door latch, glove door hinges, glove box retaining ring. Bagged, tagged, and in a box. Then the speaker grill and radio delete plate. Same story - bagged, tagged, and in a box. Then I pulled the seats and the gas tank filler nozzle. So one half of the interior of the truck is stripped.

Well, I still have a little more time and energy left. So moving on to the drivers side. Just get the door off, then I can roll on the rest another day. Door came right off, pulled out the hinges as I did on the passenger side for a solid rebuild. Then for the challenge. Gauges.

Now anyone who has spent any time at all around the Advance Design Chevrolet trucks knows that Chevy put these trucks together to stay together! I'm certain that the worst job on the assembly line was hanging those gauge clusters in the dash. It at least wasn't a position held by a sausage fingered german like myself. At any rate, three different 3/8" tools and quite a lot of contorting are required to remove them. Coming out is always easier though, because I knew I could cut the harness, didn't have to worry about scratching the paint on the dash, or whatever else I will face when re-assembly begins.

And as always, didn't take any before, during, or after pictures. After, not much to see. just a shell of a cab, empty. The only things that remain are the interior dome light, and the door seal trim on each side. There is one lonely screw per side that is holding them in. Only because I can't get them to budge. I did learn that anything from about 12" down on the truck is definitely going to be more stuck than anything above that.

I've went back and forth, and will probably go round again, but today the cab is going to get sandblasted. Tomorrow I may buy a blaster and do it myself. Who knows. But for now, There are two pieces of door trim, an interior dome light, steering wheel and column to remove. Then drain the gas and remove the tank, then 4 bolts holding the cab to the frame and recruit some muscle to help me lift it off the frame and onto the dolly (or trailer).

May be able to get that accomplished this week in the evenings before bed. Then possibly this weekend with a case of beer I can get the cab lifted off. Then start power washing, wire brushing and ospho'ing the frame getting prepped for paint. Then I can start putting the drivetrain back in and make a true roller out of it.

Well my lunch break is over. Back to it. Till next time.

Truck Therapy

2013-12-18T17:30:00.000-06:00

Well, with the holidays, traveling for work, and other responsibilities, I haven't had a great deal of time to spend working on the old truck. But I am looking forward to a few days off around the holidays where I can pull the truck into the shop and start working on it.

I've made a few lists of things to do, things to buy, parts to replace, etc. Planning to move the parts cab around back, and pull the truck into the shop. Not quite ready for this step, but the weatherman is predicting us to get another 1" to 1.5" of rain this weekend, so I need to quit wishin' and get to pushin'.

That is really about all on that. Besides looking at every parking lot that I go into for a maroon that I like. Seems that no one can find a code to mix Cape Maroon, so I need a more modern color that I can pass off as cape maroon (a factory color in 1949) and a shade of maroon that fits my ideal of "maroon". Apparently there are a lot of varied opinions out there.

Back to it

2013-12-02T15:16:00.003-06:00

Well, since it appears that I am on the 6-18 months between posts interval, I'm going to try and get caught up. So since the last post, I have cleared out several pending projects that were taking up workspace in the shop. Had a 1st birthday bash for my little boy Henry in the shop, and recruited help to move the parts cab into the shop for removal of the patch panels and whatever things I could reuse somewhere else.

I had anticipated that the removal of the patch panels would take much longer than it actually did. Even doing it the right way and drilling out the spot welds and such to hopefully make a much cleaner re-installation onto the truck. So I now have three patch panels that I don't have to make or buy. I always prefer the original to anything that is sold as repop. Even at its best, its no replacement for the original.

So now I have a stripped and somewhat sad parts cab sitting at the edge of the shop just waiting for me to move it around back and ultimately after bodywork is done, to craigslist to hopefully move on and help someone else out. Now the project facing me is to get the truck pulled from around back of the shop to inside.

I have the following items on the short list of to do's once it gets back into the shop:

1) Pressure wash frame and cab, before rolling into the shop
2) remove doors, hinges, other exterior items from the cab
3) remove large items from inside the cab
4) cut out/remove areas that need to have steel replaced
5) replace cutout areas with either salvaged patch panels or reproductions
6) remove dents from cab with hammer and dolly
7) sand and remove old paint
8) epoxy all sheetmetal with SPI Epoxy primer.
9) start filling and blocking of body parts
10) prep for paint.

Phew, I'm tired already. I should also mention that I have also already brought in the hood and split it so that the center of the hood could be cleaned and epoxy applied to thwart any rust formation.

Somewhere between #5 and #6, I'm going to pull the cab off the frame and work on just the body inside. After the cab is off, I will likely get the frame prepped for epoxy and chassis paint, then the addition of the engine, transmission, and 4.10 rear end. About the same time, rims will be prepped, primed, and painted.

So every good project should have a plan. And that's mine. At least for now. But for now, I need to recruit some help to move a poor sad and lonely looking parts cab around to the back, and drag in the truck that is due a resto. That's all for now!

Just a long and winding road

2013-03-27T17:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I apologize to everyone who follows the blog, as you have likely stopped at this point. I'm still around, just not been blogging or working on the truck. Since the last entry, we've added a baby to our family and he has kept us busy in he best way. Emma's loving being a big sister and making the adjustment well.

At any rate, I'm getting geared up to get going on it again since stock show season is over, it's staying light later, and I'm getting a few more minutes of sleep each night. So look for more frequent and productive posts in the near future.

Whew, its been a while

2011-07-07T23:56:00.000-05:00

Well, its been almost 2 months since my last post. And since then I sold the small stuff on eBay and took the rest to the scrapyard. KIDDING! We have been nose deep in moving and remodeling a house so no time for fun on the old truck. However, with the move and the new house came a, wait for it, wait for it, new shop! Thats right! After waiting for many years, patiently I may add, I now have a 40x30 smooth concrete floor shop, complete with roll up doors, lights, electricity, insulation, the works. Yeah I'm a little excited. It also has a 30x55 covered area to the back as well as a 15' side cover for my truck. Finally have a place to park my truck (daily driver) out of the weather. So now with that done, and almost all of our possessions for the house no longer residing in boxes across the shop/garage/living room, I will be adding some plywood to protect the insulation, organizing, and getting ready to get down to business!

Although I must add that there was a slight bit of work done in the process. Since I last posted, I was able to acquire a rear end that after some searching and wild goose chasing was able to locate. Since back when, tooling was expensive, especially foundry forms, stuff didn't change. Particularly housings. They just changed/improved/modified the guts. So, from 1946 until 1972, all Chevrolet 3/4t & 1 tons used the exact same housing. I know right, the days of "if it works, leave it alone" are over (no EPA back then!). So after some research, I found that the 3rd member is also the same, sans internals. But it is a drop in unit.

My truck came stock with a 5.14:1 rear end gear ratio. Great for pulling loads or a house off the foundation. Not good for driving over 40, especially with a 216 motor. Some 3/4 tons came with 4.56:1s, but....a select few of the last rear ends to use said housing were installed with a HO52 model 4.10:1! Even fewer were installed in 3/4 ton suburbans from 67-72 which sported a 3.90:1 rear. I figured that I had better actually hunt for something attainable. So...a 67-72 chevy 3/4 ton which came sporting a factory V8 and factory auto and a coil sprung rear was said to have possessed a factory 4.10:1 rear end. And I was pretty sure that I found the one that I need in the very town that I work in. He said he bought the truck, a 3/4 ton cheyenne super, with a big block v8 and auto. All original truck, sans title. Alas, another one gets parted. But yay for me. Got it home, cracked open the cover, can't tell much, started counting teeth on the ring - 41. lets hope for a 10 tooth pinion. Well, cannot see the pinion from the rear cover. Drop the pig on out, its coming out one way or the other. I mean worst case scenario, I missed the 4.10, but the alternative for that truck was a 4.56. Still faster than a 5.14! Dropping the pig did not gain any access to the pinion, but allowed for very close inspection of the ring gear. And, wait for it, right there among presumably a part number and date of manufacture, was, 10:41. Step back and process. Now sometimes it takes us Aggies a minute. The number of teeth on the ring gear divided by the number of teeth on the pinion gear give you the gear ratio. Flip those numbers and divide 41 by 10. Oh man! 4.10:1. I found my jewel. No freight, and fairly reasonably priced I might add.

So now the pig is out of the rear end, wrapped in oily rags, staged up with all the parts for the rebuild in the new shop. Getting started again is my major motivation to get the house buttoned up so that I can start on the shop (a promise I made to my dear loving wife who agreed to let me have the shop)

Engine is complete

2011-05-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

The engine is clean, gaskets all reinstalled, new bolts in a few places where necessary, and a coat of shiny new paint. After significant scraping and scrubbing with putty knives, grill brushes, degreaser and diesel in a spray bottle, and a good de-oiling with brake cleaner, it was all ready for a paint job.

This morning, I had a chance to replace all the pans and covers, prime the engine components with a coat of hi-temp engine primer, then followed up with 2 coats of new ford gray engine paint, and a final top coat of chevrolet gray from the filling station (the accepted "correct" color for this engine). painted the pullys black, the manifolds hi-temp black, bellhousing and other parts, reinstalled the water neck/pump/alternator and before long, will get the engine off the stand and reinstall the flywheel/clutch/bellhousing, then the tranny, and will be ready to be replaced in the frame, once it is prepped and painted.

But for now, its together enough to move and not lose parts. So, its time for the big move to the big new shop! Later. I'll post pics of the engine and the new shop before too long.

elbow grease to remove grease

2011-05-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

Well, a few minutes a day have been devoted all week to cleaning the drivetrain. This ongoing procedure has been a piece at a time. The bellhousing has been the first component to receive a thorough cleaning, and is currently waiting for a paint job. With a few minor exceptions, the procedure has been the same for the other parts such as the engine block and the transmission, as well as flywheel shield, oil pan and the like.

1) Scrape old caked on oil/grease/dirt/gunk off with a scraper
2) Brush with wire brush
3) Apply and let soak overnight (or longer) with 50% Awesome degreaser and 50% diesel fuel
4) Brush/scrape and reapply awesome mixture
5) Scrub/rinse with soap and hot water (pressurized if possible)
6) Dry with compressed air
7) Address any leftover gunk
8) Spray entire surface with non-chlorinated brake cleaner
9) Mask, prime, and paint

Although there have been a few departures, such as hand scrubbing the oil pan to remove oil build up, hand scrubbing around the pushrods with a diesel soaked shop rag to remove accumulated oil gunk from the block, and utilizing just about anything possible to remove anything that is just hanging around waiting to break off and cause any problems.

I am hopeful that I will have an opportunity to go over the block once more with a scrub brush, then replace all the covers (oil pan, push rod cover, valve cover) with new gaskets, check for oil leaks (oil pan mainly), then give the engine several thorough scrubbing with hot soapy water, then a blast of air, brake cleaner, then paint, prime, and rock and roll. Why is all this being done in such a hurry? Because this motor is about to get moved! We are set to close on the 27th of may, so I will have a new shop to work in. But, I have to get it put back together by then in order to get it moved.