Happy Thanksgiving everyone, Driving 700 miles just to get to work has left no time for the 55, but the wind has changed just a little. My friend Tom came over yesterday and helped out with the drivers side floor patch panel while I done some cleaning on the garage, the garage isn't even a 2 car size and with the motorcycles leaves little room for (sparks) grinders-welders. Monday I ordered 2 cab corners and a passenger side step and rocker from our host Classic Parts, and should be delivered today. My wife is anxious to see it in 1 piece again....mainly to get it out of the garage but I'm really pumped about getting back to it and hopefully will have a lot done by spring. Jim
The cab corners and the right side rocker / step panel arrived yesterday, hopefully tomorrow I can get a little done. Jim
memories Jim, your pictures bring back memories, mostly good. Looks like you are making great progress. Are you putting that small block with the two 4s on in your truck? Keep on truckin' Gerald
Hello FLORIDA APACHE, The motor in the pic with dual fours is the original thoughts for my power plant, far from original of course, it is a 74 350 bored 40 over with the eldebrock intake and twin carter carbs, and a muncey M-20 4spd that goes behind it,....of course my mind may change too Got to do a little work on the truck, the right side cab corner and the step are now spot welded in place, I need to finish the welding and grind it all down on this side, the left side cab corner will be next, the Ol trock is really pretty solid, it had a S. Carolina title when I traded for it. Jim
As we all know sometimes life is an obstacle when it comes to our hobbies. I took my 55 over to a shop to have the rest of the patch panels installed and primed ready for paint, that was 2+ yrs ago. Unfortunately it never got done, I found it setting in the back lot just where I had unloaded it. To make things short, I made an order with our host the other night and my new king pins / bushings, rear motor mounts and bolt kit should be on it's way. I have ordered 2 new door skins, new front fender, left rocker / doorstep, and am taking it to be sandblasted Friday. I have been removing the left door and hood hinges trying to prepare it for it's upgrades. The truck will be going to a friends house to put in a his garage and finished out after it is sandblasted. Wish me luck.
Yes, the small block is going in the 55, backed up with a M20 4spd from a 1965 truck. Mixing a little new with the old but not much.
Body Shop prison... Cool truck, glad you rescued it. Vehicles going to body shops to be neglected has been a common discussion on this forum lately. Bodymen are either covered-up in work or just allergic to work. Keep us posted...
Body Shops Good ones are always busy making high Dollars on fairly easy works . You show up and don't want to $pend the Farm on repairing a rusty old rig and say ' take your time if it'll save me a few Dollars " . HE hears ' I don't care if I ever see this piece of junk again ' . Guess how I learned this hard lesson decades ago ? . You needn't hassle the guy but before he takes it you need to warn him " I loved this old truck and I expect progress and I will be checking in weekly ". Then DO just that , always be polite but ask what's the latest progress and ask to see it , then talk about it even of you just say ' I like this ' .
Good Morning all, I understand what your saying VWnate, the guy that owns the shop is a good friend and his son is my neighbor. They have been swamped with auto repair and it is understandable on their part, although an exciting new Monto Carlo race car build came into play afterwards.... lol. Took the cab still on the frame down yesterday to be blasted, they told me to bring in some primer and they would shoot it for protection while it sets waiting for pick up. I bought 1 gal of epoxy primer (white) and everything to go with it, wow...256.00 I had forgotten how expensive paint is. Hopefully when I get back from Illinois next weekend it will be ready for pickup. Heard my new doors and fender are in so I need to go pick them up. Hope it all keeps moving smoothly. I will add pics as I go along.
GO Jim I understand . Just make a point of going by , bring coffee & donuts or Beer (never bring alcohol during working hours) and be friendly and polite , show interest is the main thing , they'll get enthused if you show interest . If they have a bead blaster , offer to clean up and and all rusty parts , sweep up the shop and dump the trash etc. If you're helpful , they'll appreciate it .
They have a little more than a bead blaster I guess you could say.... Lol. The last I seen of the 55 it was airborne with the help of a overhead crane. They are going to make adjustments for it in a fairly large walk in blasting booth. Times lately have been hard for everyone, I have been fortunate in being able to give this company $ 15000-40,000 jobs at times for us on our jobs. It is important to have friends and help friends, so I guess the president of this company is saying thank you by blasting my truck. It was his idea actually, I never ask for them to do it, he is a truck nut though I guess that helps.
Wow you lucky dog ! . I'm working out side underneath a canvas.... Good thing I'm in Southern Cali eh ? . Engines-o-plenty I gots ! .
Be a few days before I get to go home, but I got a text picture today of my 55 and it appears it has been blasted. Hopefully they will get the Epoxy Primer I gave him on it tomorrow. Long ways to go but it will be a good adventure, hope to envolve my grandson as much as possible.
Looking around on the laptop and found a couple pics of the 55 when I first brought it home. Still had the AM radio in it.
Pretty excited when a message came through today showing the cab is now under primer. Be glad to get home so I can go get it and get it home. Last time I worked on it the drivers cab corner was cut out, I had bought a new one from our host but never got it in. Be good to start putting it back together.
Got to work a few minutes on the 55, needed to hang the drivers door to align the new rocker and step properly. Door hinges where worn as usual so I replaced the pins and bushings so I was starting from a fresh platform. Old bushings were nylon, no wonder they were worn. Got the door hung but as with all aftermarket needed to make some adjustments, but all in all it fit good. Gonna try to do as much as possible when I can. Nice to have a friend that offers his garage till I get mine built, hopefully the dirt work will start this week. Went up to my parts trucks(56-57) and noticed the tag between the door hinges on the cab has a trim code, and paint code, the 55 does not have that info does anyone know why? just curious.
Haven't had a lot of time lately, did get a chance to mock up the fenders and core support. Just want to know everything will align properly before I get to far. My friend Tom has even worked on it by himself while I was working, good to have friends, and it's hard to find "good" friends. Just made another order from our Host, seems they have a 10% off sale on grills....snagged one with a few other parts I need .
