Building a clone of grandpa's service truck

Damon~ There's lots of old posts about king pin work here. You tried a "search"? Do you need to remove the pins?
Good luck with your frame! I might be outside tomorrow working on the back half of mine~ I hope!

Maybe...

this helps, answer your questions on this, Damon:
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm0301.htm

I have done this on my truck as well, but i´m not good enough, to explain it to you in english...

When you buy a king pin kit, there are new dust caps included, so you can screw up your old ones. Drill a hole roughly in the middle and tap it, so you can use a bolt and drive it all the way in, this will make your caps pop off, without doing any damage. You could also use a sharp chisel and drive them out, but could do some damage to your steering knuckle, if you go to deep or miss a hit...
Mine were also just held in place by two square punch marks, so before you start drilling or else, take a small punch and drive the little overhang back, as good as possible.

Hope this helps

Zig,

Yes, I searched here and other forums, as well as Google... but couldn't come up with photos of spindles like mine that have the "punch retained" dust caps. I used my Dremel tool (I love that thing, by the way) and ground off the punch marks, but still wasn't able to pry the dust cap out? Yes, there's a very slight amount of play in the spindle, so I'd like to replace the kingpins for peace of mind. I really don't wanna build this truck in a hurry and wish I'd done something down the road... ya know?

Thanks for the good luck wishes on the frame today. I'm hoping it's all a nice satin black by the end of the day! Maybe even the axle, too. Good luck working on yours as well! The weather here turned for the worse, so I'm glad I was able to get my frame indoors when I did.

It looks like Elky's manual instructions have me covered. I will give that a try and post an update.

While the garage is warming up, I'll go shoot some photos of the frame as it sits, and of the spindle on the front axle.

Thanks again, everyone!!

Damon

Ok, here are a few photos before I get started cleaning and painting.

First one is the set of rear spring mounts Martinius found me on eBay. Thanks again!



Second is a shot of the frame with the better camera. I'll be using this camera from now on (I hope).



This is a shot and detail of the front cross member. Before I get to cleaning and painting, I'm probably gonna weld up the cracks coming from the hole on the left. I believe (please correct me if I'm wrong) that the rear holes are for the engine mount and the front holes are for the radiator. Sound right to everyone? Both trucks I've bought for this project were bare up front on this cross member, so I'm guessing here, but it seems logical. Do the holes even need repaired? I'm probably gonna do it anyway, just because...



The last shot is the spindle. You can see the Dremel marks from where I ground off the tabs created by the punch to stake the cap in place. I'm going to go out and drill a hole in the cap and try to pry it out per Elky's instructions.



Hopefully there's a lot more to come later on in the day. Thanks again.

Damon

That's nice

Damon,

Pretty nice to see a frame in that kinda shape. Just personal preference, but have you thought about powder coating (instead) after fixing all the little stuff? Sure looks great!

Whooodiddly! That does look good!

You're right on the holes out back. Are you just doing the pins because you've gone this far, or do they show wear? Just wondering, because there are so many that put ifs in these, a good axle could be found pretty easily I would think...
That IS a mighty nice looking frame! (Almost as good as a GMC frame would look!)

1952Bowtie,

I'm trying to do this project on a budget (aren't we all), so I opted for KBS Coatings' Rust Seal paint versus the powdercoat. If I didn't short myself on supplies, $180 should take care of the frame, front axle, and rear axle. We'll see how close my estimation skills are gonna be to what is actually needed. And thanks for the compliments!

Zig,

Kinda both. I don't want to have to do it in the future, so I figured I'd take care of the kingpins while everything else was apart. I did feel some play (very slight) on the driver's side, so that was enough to convince me that I oughtta just go ahead and do it anyway. Almost as nice as a GMC frame, you say? Maybe someday I'll get to build the '71-'72 GMC I've always wanted. Dad had a '71 when I was growing up. Sure would like to have that truck now, it was sharp.

Looks like painting will have to wait until tomorrow, sorry to be anticlimactic. I was called back in to work for a house fire this afternoon, so I think I'll head back out to the garage now that I'm back home, and finish the clean-up of the frame. There were a couple of grease clods left behind that the sandblaster missed, so I gotta get those cleaned off before I can paint. I think I'll degrease everything and apply the prep tonight, then paint two coats of sealer/base coat first thing in the morning... let it cure for 6-8 hours, then apply two coats of the topcoat chassis black. That's the plan anyway, hopefully the pager will stay quiet the rest of the weekend.

Damon

! Cracks !

MUST ALWAYS be welded up before painting ! . they'll continue to creep until they ruin your day in the future .

There's a grub screw in the middle of the axle's eye you'll need to remove before the king pins can be pressed out . (shop manual helps here)

Once in a while they'll come right out , far more often serious force and swearing is required .

Remember this : if you batter them with a hammer in your garage , they'll mushroom ever so slightly and be a real bear to get out . I suggest using a hydraulic press from the jump .

Most heavy duty truck frame shops can re bush them for you very affordably and won't leave it covered in hammer marks......

Hindsight being 20/20, I should have cleaned/degreased just the spots where I found grease lurking after having the frame sandblasted. Instead, I opted to degrease the entire frame. Boy, did that make a mess of my garage. As did the second prep step for the KBS Coatings paint... the Rust Blast. Both prep steps are now done, and I can paint tomorrow. I found a T-5 five-speed transmission for my truck, which I plan on going to get tomorrow morning. It's a three hour drive one way, so I won't get back until mid-afternoon. Since the directions said to figure on 2-4 hours for each base coat to dry, and the base coats are supposed to cure for 6-12 hours before applying the topcoats, I'm... I'm going to try to paint the two base coats on tomorrow evening/night and wait until the next morning to apply the two top coats of chassis black.

Thanks for the tips, Nate. Thanks to Elky's directions, I was able to get the dust caps removed. I think I will take the axle to a friend's shop and use a press to remove the old pins. I still haven't purchased a new set yet, so I will focus on finishing up the frame's paint job first. I will also paint the set of rear spring mounts and have them ready. Hope to post more updates tomorrow.

Damon

Frame Prep

Actually ;

You should always completely de grease any thing before it gets anywhere near a bead blaster .

The last time I left unseen grease globs , I though the blaster crew was going to skin me alive .

The mess , that's just part and parcel of The J.O.B. knowhutImean? .

Didn't know that, but I do now, thanks.

I'm out in the garage, heat cranked up... the plan for today is to get the two base coats of Rust Seal on the frame, then make the trip to pick up the transmission. It's a three hour drive each way, so that will be the minimum cure time for the two basecoats. I'll check the paint when I get back, and if I think it's ready, I'll put on the two top coats of BlackTop. I've taken a few snapshots of the frame after degreasing and prepping with the Rust Seal etchant. I will post those later with photos of the finished paint job. I will also try to get the rear leaf spring mounts painted. Wish me luck!

Damon

Well, I must preface this post by asking another favor of you fine folks: if I ever, and I mean EVER say that I wanna brush paint a frame (or any other item, for that matter) again, someone (anyone), pretty please... kick me in the teeth. Ok, I'm done.

It was an all-day affair, but I finally got the base coat done on the frame. With the help of two good buddies (thanks again Cooper and Rob-o) and some supplies from another good friend (thanks for the brushes, Jim), the frame is now black. I'm going to take a break for an hour or so, then head out to start the top coat. (Per the directions, this stuff isn't supposed to cure for longer than 12 hours, otherwise you have to apply an etching primer before you can top coat, and I ain't about to add another step!!!)

Here are a couple of photos of the frame after it had been degreased and prepped with the Rust Blast.





Here are three photos after the base coat of Rust Seal had been applied.







I think I'm gonna have a cold drink or two while I sit back and look at the frame. It's not quite looking like a truck yet, but hopefully it will soon.

Damon

Good Looking !

You done real good here Damon .

Baby steps , always baby steps or you can get overwhelmed .

Thanks for the compliment, Nate. Feels good to have that part done.

Yesterday I went and picked up the transmission I've been looking for (thanks again for the lead, Steve). I bought a 1988 S-10 T-5 five-speed that has 245,XXX miles on it for $185. I'm planning on popping off the top and taking a peek inside to see if there are any major components that need repaired or replaced, but don't really know what I should be looking for. Any tips? I'm also planning on buying a complete rebuild kit for it. I've priced them at around $200. Any recommendations on a transmission parts supply house? I've got my eye on this kit right now, but that's only after a brief search:

http://www.thegearbox.org/catalog/item/3819132/3531971.htm

Has anyone ever dealt with these folks before?

Thanks again for all of your help!

Damon

I forgot to post this picture. I went to visit some relatives toward the end of January, and saw this pick-up as part of an advertisement for Red Head clothing at the local Bass Pro Shop. Seems as though our beloved AD trucks went from advertisements from one clothing company to the next. Too bad this one (as well as others, I'm sure...) are being displayed out in the weather. Has anyone else seen this before?

Damon

Tranny Fun

SinclairChevy said:

Thanks for the compliment, Nate. Feels good to have that part done.

Yesterday I went and picked up the transmission I've been looking for (thanks again for the lead, Steve). I bought a 1988 S-10 T-5 five-speed that has 245,XXX miles on it for $185. I'm planning on popping off the top and taking a peek inside to see if there are any major components that need repaired or replaced, but don't really know what I should be looking for. Any tips? I'm also planning on buying a complete rebuild kit for it. I've priced them at around $200. Any recommendations on a transmission parts supply house? I've got my eye on this kit right now, but that's only after a brief search:

http://www.thegearbox.org/catalog/item/3819132/3531971.htm

Has anyone ever dealt with these folks before?

Thanks again for all of your help!

Damon

Click to expand...

As a Mechanic , I feel you should install it and see how well it works before buying any repair parts or kits .

Drain it into a Hospital Clean plastic drain pan first thing & look at what's in the old oil ~ put the tip of your little finger inside the drain hole , crook it and rub around to see what debris , if any are settled to the tranny's sump .

More than 90 % of all " tranny problems " are in fact , poorly adjusted clutches or worn out clutches , or improperly installed trannies damaging that new or rebuilt clutch ~ if there's -any- drag when the clutch is in , the tranny cannot possibly shift easily and smoothly .

Remember to replace the pilot bearing and always use guide pins , made from plain old bolts with the heads hacksawed off , to install a tranny .

Too bad about the old truck but , most of them were destroyed by cutting the frames to get the dead engine and tranny out more easily ~ they just torched right through the cross members in most cases .

Makes sense. One of the firemen I work with said something similar. Even though it may have higher mileage on it, it may be just fine and not need any work.

I plan on removing the bell housing and draining maybe this weekend.

Damon

SinclairChevy said:

I forgot to post this picture. I went to visit some relatives toward the end of January, and saw this pick-up as part of an advertisement for Red Head clothing at the local Bass Pro Shop. Seems as though our beloved AD trucks went from advertisements from one clothing company to the next. Too bad this one (as well as others, I'm sure...) are being displayed out in the weather. Has anyone else seen this before?

Damon

Click to expand...

If I remeber correctly there was one out side the Bass Pro Shop in Baton Rouge, LA last year. I don't remember there being a logo on the door though.

I got a little bit done the past couple of days. I was able to use a friend's press (thanks, Jim) to remove the kingpins from the front axle. One had some play, so they both came out. Neither put up too much of a fight, and all of the wear appeared to be in the bushings once we got those pressed out and inspected them. I also used his parts washer and bead blaster (thanks again, Jim) to clean up the spindles to prepare them for paint. Hoping to do that sometime this week, as well as get the front axle painted.

Also on the docket for this week: begin the tear down process for the cab and front clip I'm going to use for my project truck. I'm gonna go buy some more cheap plastic totes to use for parts storage, and take a box of Ziploc bags so I can keep like hardware and parts together.

When I arrived at the shop yesterday, Jim was working on some AD truck fenders for him and a buddy of his. He also banged on one of my rear fenders with a hammer and dolly... and had it looking pretty darn good. Here's a picture of the pile o' fenders:



Here's a cool shot of Jim's shop. I'm very fortunate to be occupying a place in his shop, and to be benefiting from his advice and experience. From left to right are: Jim's 1947 Second Series rod project, my '50 "cab and front clip donor", and Jim's 1951 daily driver.



These pictures were taken with my cell phone, I didn't have my good camera with me. Hope to have more updates and pictures to post later in the week.

Damon

You are really doing a lot of work. this is fantastic!!! And that shop by the way is amazing. Man is that an awesome setup!!!