Lakeroadsters' Build Thread: '65 SWB Step

Yeah.. but sadly those '69 design changes don't do much to help those of us with the transmissions built pre-69.

External threads, that can't be replaced without major component breakdown, on parts that need ass'y. and dis-ass'y, is simply a bad design. They learned from their mistake, no doubt as a result of dealers and other folks complaining about failures. Screw in studs... make all the sense in the world.

 

Definately ....! Still wish I had a crash box at times, and at times I like the auto...my th350 is still kicking along nicely, mild build up on it 20 years ago, it still shifts hard..the wife does not like it when she`s got her coffee in hand....! LOL

 

I still plan on doing this in the future.
I just picked up some trim pieces for a killer deal.
Did you use 3M tape to attach the back piece?

 

I drilled 9 holes, 1/4" diameter, and used the General's tried and true side trim fasteners.

"What therefore General Motors hath joined together, let not man put asunder", to coin a phrase .

As a retired Engineer I tend to over think stuff and try to get into the head of the designers that were engineering our trucks. The stock fasteners allow for some linear movement. Why? Well think about long pieces of aluminum trim attached to a steel panel and the thermal expansion rates of aluminum vs. steel. I've done the math and worst case scenario the aluminum will grow about a 1/16" more in overall length, compared to steel, in respect to side trim, on a really hot summer day or a really cold winter day. I question the long term ability of tape to work on long pieces like this. The expansion tries to shear the tape, but using the stock OEM style fasteners the trim merely expands and contracts.

I did the installation under the watchful eyes of Dean Moon, so I'm sure it's good for another 50 years.

 

What's to keep water from seeping into the cab?

 

My garage roof mostly

But when out and about, nothing. It's no different though than the side moulding holes letting water into the doors. But with the trim tight up against the body any water that gets in would be minimal, especially on the back of the cab.

 

Blue RTV on screw threads to seal out the weather....simple.

 

There are no screws Rich. The side trim fasteners are made from spring steel, put the steel fasteners into the side trim, then push them into the holes in the sheet metal.

 

You still have a hole to seal thou...can you access it from the inside or is it to far up the cab wall.

 

It's good as is as far as I'm concerned, like I said above:

 

great build! Just picked up and original paint '66. Pretty darn close
I'm going to need to blend/match some areas on the short bed side panels and will use some of your ideas. Thanks!

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Sweet, always glad to help. Welcome to our forum, glad you're here.

I'd suggest you start a build thread here now and document progress. It's a great way to document your build.

Thanks for posting!

John

 

Do you remember what radius trailor fenders you used?
I did find these on ebay;
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=160802922791&alt=web


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAIR-Steel-...5-x28-Round-Style-FREE-SHIPPING-/160802922791

 

My finished mini-tubs are about 29" long x 11-1/2" high x 4-1/2" wide. I only bought one fender, it had a rolled edge on both sides, and then cut it down the center. I did modified it by flattening it out some as I couldn't find any that would match my 33" diameter rear tires.

Check out your local merchantile store, that's where I bought mine. Any farm supply or tractor supply type store should have them. That will save you Ebay shipping costs.

If I were to do mine over I think I would use fleetside bed fender wells and then cut the width down... just looks more OEM that way, IMO.

Hope that helps.

John

 

Nice work!

 

I've been going back and forth with the direction to take on widening my bed or fenders.
I like how simple yours looks, and that it gives you more bed space.
Niterider65 in the other forums made his fenders wider, - and I like that look also.
But I'm leaning towards doing it your way because of the above reasons, but also because I have an extra tailgate that I think might work well for what I'm thinking.
I want to run my idea past you - and you can correct any error you see in my thinking.
.
I'm thinking of only adding 1-1/2" to either side.
What I figured I'd do is cut off each end of my extra tailgate and weld it on to my existing tailgate to increase the tailgate's total width 3".
Then I'd use that same extra tailgate for adding the 1-1/2" to each side of the front bed panel.
Then I'd do the rest like you did.
What do you think?

 

I think your ideas will work fine, just a different approach.

For my truck the goal was to leave the tailgate and front bed panel stock so I could easily swap them out, since these panels tend to be the one's that get abused. I also didn't have to worry about warping from welding or doing bodywork. Leaving these panels stock also visually makes the truck bed look stock.

Welding the structural steel at the back of the bed to the rear cross sill and to the bed sides, basically making a door jamb arrangement, made the bed sides very strong, much stronger than stock. The stock bed side attachment isn't all that strong when the tailgate isn't latched up. On my truck it's "hell for stout" even with the tailgate down.

Hope that helps.

John

 

You make some good points.

 

" Hell For Stout "

John's advice is always right on and time tested , reply upon it .

 

Nate is the sage of motorized vehicles, when I do go astray I rely on him to point me in the right direction.

A smart man learns from his own mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others