Nice job! Documentation is excellent. Most of us forget to take pixs till its allmost done. Those damn corner windows have my finger hurting just looking at them again LOL Somebody is going to have a real nice truck!
New Shoes! Origional rims, sandblasted, encapsulated, etch primed and painted, wrapped in none other than Diamondbacks. The only whitewall for real drivers. Front end assembly.... Start by gluing fender welt to rear of front fender. Set radiator support on rubber pads, drop bolts through lower holes. 51 and earlier have a center bolt, 52 up has 2 bolts. Here they are... Hang fenders, install 2 bolts in rear of fenders, then 2 upper bolts into core supports. DO NOT TIGHTEN. Leave everything loosely snugged so you can adjust later. 2 bolts will go from the upper core support down into the fender, 2 from fender into core support. do not install lower 2 bolts to core support yet. 3 bolts per side go into the inner fender mounts.. Hang both fenders, then tape grille opening. Now slide in lower splash apron, tabs between the inner fender and core support. Use a small phillips head screwdriver to help line up holes, then insert 2 bolts per side. Now install the small lag bolts...3 per side..through the front lower inner fender into the back of the splash apron. Here are the bolts from inside the fender. I used all stainless hardware for the extra detail and they wont rust. Here is the A/C condenser from Old Air. Run and wrap your wire harness, planning as you go. Put male/ female spade terminals on the park/ turn signal wires so that if yo have to remove the grille you don't have to cut wires. Install fender braces. I find it easier to bolt to firewall first, then you have more leverage to get it bolted to the fenders. You may need to shift the front clip to help line up. Carefully slide grille into opening, use screwdriver to attempt to line up bolt holes from inner fender, swear alot, and get at least 2 bolts started. There are 2 lag srews per side that have to go from behind the fender to the top grille bar. These require lots more swearing and unnatural positions to get to. Be shure to use speed clips in the lower grill holes before you install, then put lag bolts into holes from underneath the splash apron.
Thanks again Russ! Awesome detail! You know, it's kinda funny! The Chevy grilles seems to be grinning at ya, while a GMC kinda has that snotty wannabe look to them! Keep the pics coming!
Great documentaion! Thanks, Russ! I know you took more time out of your day just for us, and I REALLY appreciate it! (I also wish I was at about the same spot you are in your build, but...) Hell, while I'm at it, I wish I was rich instead of wondering if I'll get a check next month for teaching. But really, even if it is just a Chevy, we can overlook the grill thing and say it's still a pretty truck. Can't say manly, but it is _purdy_. You may not be a drinkin' man, but I'll have one for ya!
Zig, just for you, I have access to a chop top cab and GMC front end I may be building a rat kustom out of....I'll keep you posted.
Do it~ Do it~ DO IT!!!! Hey Russ, I remember seeing just such a truck in a Classic Trucks magazine. Twern't no rat rod, though! This truck was shiny black with dark blue into midnight blue flames! It really was slick as a whistle! I'm looking forward to this! I know you'd do it justice!
Finally managed to get the garage cleaned out and the truck to my house. Now I can start the final assembly. Edit: I realized that I didn't include the vent window rebuild, so here it is from nother truck... This is on davidack4's vent window. Strip the window down, clean and repaint. Let paint dry. Line up the new rubber, using the lump to line it up. now press it in all the way around, the hinge should poke through in the slit in the rubber. Now put the rear window rubber in and rivet from the window channel side. Using some good weatherstripping glue, glue in the window track. Slide the window glass frame through the hole in the bottom, don't forget this washer! I use a 1/4 inch extension on the top side( it is upside down) then the rivet set tool on the bottom, whack it with a hammer. It should look something like this... Use some good urethane setting adhesive fot the glass. Put the adhesive in the chnnel, then set the glass, close the window and make shure everything lines up, gaps in the rear are right, etc. Put the nut and spring on the bottom of the window, tighten to adjust tension. Do this again for the other side, then if you are a drinking man, go hve a frosty one. I don't drink, so I just gave Ack a wedgie for celebration.
Btw...! And how is this direction going???? I know you've just been hangin' around doing nothing, so I'm curious...
Since school started in January, I had 3 weeks that I was not painting in a school somewhere in SC. I have been a painting fool. I am also in the middle of a home expansion project, so truck progress has not been made. When I finish the 53, I may be a ble to put the other tuck together. I'll keep you posted.
Two questions Russ, I have two questions for you. You show installing the headlight buckets on the fenders before hanging them. Is this really necessary? I found it easier to install the four bolts into the radiator support by going through the headlight hole. Am I missing something? With what do you paint the running boards? I know they are black, but is it a glossy or satin enamel? Would a two-part epoxy paint hold up to the abuse more? I have a Rustoleum High Performane Enamel (rattle cans) that seems to hold up well in other areas. Greg
The headlights....that is just how I did them. The big thing is not to forget the rubber gasket. Running boards were painted in a single stage with as much gloss as the body from Chevy, as far as I have been able to find. They painted them with a gloss rustoleum reduced to flow through a gun. It is more than a semi but not quite a gloss. You might consider something you can easily get hold of for later touch ups.
Russ, I am trying to figure out the best way to paint the rims. Should you remove the tube and tire, paint and remount? How do you keep from scratching the newly painted rims? Could you paint them by popping the bead and masking one side at a time? Greg
You could break a bead and mask, but I would reccommend completely dismounting them and having them blasted, painted inside and out, then re mount.The tire shop should have a machine with a teflon head so they won't scratch the paint. If not, go to a custom rim shop, they will know how to be delicate with them.
Thanks Russ. I have already blasted and primed them. I was just hoping I could avoid dragging them into town. I live about 20 minutes from civilization and it will take several trips to complete the process and I will probably be charged double; once to take them off and again to put them back on. Greg
Wheel Service Yes , you wil be chanrged twice but if you don't paint the entire rim , it'll rust out and SPLIT whilst you're driving I learned this the hard way , the 1963 K-10 pickup was thankfully unloaded (we were returning from the dump) when the tire blew off as the rim split and the truck rolled over and down the embankment...
Finally! some progress. I inventoried the parts bins, put together what I hope to be the last parts order, and got some work done. I have to get new rear window rubbers, mine were removed to repaint the cab, and the chrome strip is peeling the clear cover. These things apparently can only be installed once. Any way, I installed the stainless strip in the hood. Match up all the holes in the hood, then gently persuade the clips into the holes. I found that you may need to put a little extra bend in the front so that the leading edge will fit a little more snugly. Now bend each tab from the underside with a pair of pliers. Just twist each tab a little. Now for the cowl vent. Tape everything first. Clean off old glue. Now glue in the rubber seal. I found that it all fit nicely after trimming the rubber to fit just inside the vent when closed. Close vent down, then trim with a very sharp exacto knife. Carefully ease the vent into the hole, then match up holes to the inside hinges and insert bolts. Hold vent down tightly while tightening bolts. Now connect adjuster arm and insert bolt. snug boltand check movement. Find the happy medium between tight closure and wide opening. Monday......Windsheild install!
a/c unit Hey Russ nice truck both of them on the stock one i see you are putting an a/c unit and looks like a 216 engine. please let us know how it works with engine power how cool will the temp get. Thanks ROBERT
I have the same set up from Old Air on my truck and I put one on the 50. They all seem to work pretty well.
