I`m not a welder by trade, not even good at it, but mine have held, not pretty mind you, that is why we have grinders, once the bed is on cut the hole for the filler in the left rear corner next to the stake pocket, build a box from 6061 alum diamond plate that will lock, large enough for a bottle jack and wrench as well. Second pic are the rebuilt bed sill plates top sill done, bottom was being done at pic time.
I'm using a filler from a Geo prism, cap and all, I just shortened the height of it, the vent runs almost to the top with a relief baffle built in, I still have to drill a vent hole in the cap through the side.
Pics of filler and vent baffle, also will need to change the fuel line some what I`m too close to the panhard bar, I`ll have to put a 90 at the tank move the line over about two inches before my verticle run to the inside frame rail. Holy crap another redo....
Well just got a few things left to do, build the box from T6061 T-6 alum to match the bed, and remove the old tank/fill hole...then I can start on cab stuff.
One pic from the rear, you cannot see the tank at 10/15 foot back at 12 inches off the ground...so far I'm pleased with the outcome.
Started cleaning up some parts, using cheap white vinegar, took four days to clean off 50 years of rust, cost 1.93, and no elbo grease, just let it soak, not sure if it would remove grease...
Thats some clean steel frame Rich, That frame looks very clean! the work some of you guys do is amazing.
Thanks Steve, this is kinda like a second time around, originally did this truck 22 years ago, the milage/abuse shows.. ..LOL
Great job on the tank and sway bar install! Sorry if I missed it..but where did you get the sway bar? Thanks. T.J.
Sway bar picked up at a thrift store....LOL, 10 bucks out the door, new, never been used, just had to buy links and build mounts for it.
Thanks Rich for all the useful info & pics. I`m not that far yet. I got my tank mocked up & got new axles ordered from Moser`s today. Getting ready to order the same "4 HD lowering rear springs you & lakeroadster used & probably an adjustable trac bar. Now researching the front disc conversions 5x4-3/4 bolt pattern. If it ever gets above 5 degrees here in Michigan, I`ll be able to blast & paint the frame!
Back to the bed on my truck, decided to revisit the rear bed sill issue, after much research fiquired out that the bed is from a 60 to 62, due to the spacing of the rear bed sill bolt locations and evidently John ( Lakeroadster ) has the same, whoda thunk we both had differant beds,....but what I don`t understand is why John`s bracket does not reach the frame...here`s a pic from Allen`s truck and sense I had drilled out all 9 spot welds, moved the brackets in and plugg welded them in they sit right on the holes in the frame, This was done about a week and a half ago, now the new issue is this new mod had impacted the level of the bed, one of two options, buildin spacers for the rest of bed mounts or cut down the rear bed sills by 5/8 of an inch.....ARRRGGGG....LOL, gotta love doing this.....!
I cut the end of the frame off... had to in order to make room for the license plate bracket on the roll pan. Why, there should be lot's of room... well I installed the roll pan between the rear stepside fenders and not hanging off the back of the bed. And the bed on my truck... it's from a 67-72. One of the first things I ever did to the truck was remove the 67-72 fenders and steps and replaced them with the correct 55-65 style fenders. As for using spacers between the bed cross sills and the frame, I used wooden spacers on my truck to raise bed steps level with the bottom of the cab. But since you have a fleetside that's not an option... it will throw off the body lines of the cab vs. the bed. Wrong bed Cutting the frame Bed Spacers This is a photo of the rear bed support, it is not stock. I fabricated this mount during the rear frame changes when I did the frame mount gas tank. Close quarters back here due to the location of the modified roll pan.
