Projects Truck into a coupe- My next pet project

The corner is welded on.


I remember buying this cab, but can’t remember when. I need parts of the doors and door jambs. So it’s beating them damn pins out. 3-1/2 out of 4.
My buddy talked me into bear claw latches. I’ll not argue they are FAR FAR superior to the old ones. However installing them requires completely redesigning the windows, not just a little bit but all of it and the fuzzies, the handles too. So In order to retain some sanity I’ll be uninstalling the bear claws and need the Doors/jambs sheet metal and mechanisms.


Plus these doors were copped wrong, cut apart and redone. I can use them parts to do it right. That’s why I bought the cab.


I’m supposed to tell people to F off I’m working on my hot rod. But a friend has a bad power steering leak. I’ll be in the dog house with my wife now.

 

My parts haul for today .
Both doors , loaded.
Upper dash trim,
L side post trim
Windshield frame nice too.
Few more to go



I’ll need these area of doors jambs, maybe I’ll cut them maybe I’ll copy them

the bear claws kinda caused a stoppage because nothing else worked after the install.

 

Certainly nothing exciting today.
Just some precision grinding and dremel tooling. You know when you’re going along and say to yourself “ I’ll get that later” ? Well today was later for some of that monotonous stuff. Plus I kinda forgot where I left off on this thing so it was also a thinking day while accomplishing something.
I like the silicone bronze for stuff like this. It tools down really nice in the corners.
I started making a special male and female dolly for tightening up the body line then dinner was ready.
Oh And dousing the door hardware.

 

Many years ago the shop I worked at used a lot of Eutectic coated brazing rod, great stuff. Is there a super primer that sticks well to it today? Bob

 

Brass was never the problem, it’s the flux and not cleaning it off that causes adhesion problems.
Silicon bronze doesn’t have flux, I put in with tig welder. You can even run silicon bronze thru a mig but I haven’t tried it yet. Shits expend now, $28.00 a pound at my supplier

 

My time this weekend was kinda cut up, big doing for my wife’s mother’s celebration of life. My mother in-law passed away in January, she really was my biggest fan. It’s been kinda hectic and out of town guests and all.
Sunday wife said “I’m jumping in the shower” so ran out to the shop, figured I got 15 mins I’ll get something done. She gets out and sends me a text “where did yo go?” I went back in and told her, “hey if I only get 5 minutes it’s more than I did in the last few years.” She laughed and said yep, now get in the shower.

I got some detail metal work, little more fine grinding, few straggler rivet holes welded up, lots of Little stuff. All needs done eventually right?
Started staring at those damn bear claw latches, got an idea that will probably work but I don’t know how to make them look ok.

 

So what exactly is the statute of limitations on letting loose on the asshole that did all this hack job nincompoopery? October will be 10 years and I think I’m even madder now.

 

I don't think there should be a statute of limitations on shit like what he did!

 

I would call this mess murder 1 and as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t have a statute of limitations keep up the good work

 

A guy who bought a frame from me is working on a '36 Chevy truck cab with '34 ford rear clip tacked on... all nicely painted blue w flames kinda like yours he bought it like that so I wonder if that asshole moved up here?lol (No offense... it's actually kind of a cool phantom rod and I hope he makes something with it...just taking the piss)

 

I’m probably going to be in trouble.
wife said family dinner tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday is nephews kids birthday party.
I’m thinking “I’ll drive separately”, or simply “I can’t I’m busy ”

 

I couldn’t get out of Friday evening activities and that’s ok because the food was good, company was great and my wife made it up to me so, I was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Saturday’s party was canceled so that never happened. The sucky part is my helpers Mom passed away Friday morning. Sunday after dinner I help my wife pull weeds in her garden. Monday 5:30 am till noon. Here’s what happened.
Got lots of welding done, figured out the door skins are garbage, did some more metal finishing on the 1/4, pretty good progress.

Inner door stuff welded


You may remember this area has bubble gum brazed water pipe

inner to outer rocker welded

An inside shot of progress and burnt epoxy,


lower cowl 1/2 welded, that damn axle and tire was in my way. (No help to move it.)

Got Elvis up pretty far to it’s easier.


lots of welding here got the lower inner all welded in.


Almost moved to door skins but they are for shit. Zero to 1/4 off no matter how you look at it. It’s possible to get 2 sides almost but then it’s zero to 1/2 out on the other.
The lower radius is all jacked up too.
I’ll probably just make my own at this point.
Just to be sure I wasn’t fucking something up they fit like shit on the spare cab too.

Might get some more time Thursday, maybe.

 

The latches fit here sunk into the pillar with the striker on the door.


The problem comes from how to trigger it through the door jamb without the mechanism acting as a dead bolt.

 

This belongs here
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-easy-way-to-trigger-my-door-latches.1292680/

 

Still haven’t found my damn motor mounts.
But I think I decided on tail lights to play with.
Fat in, fat out, little ones up high or not ?
I’d rather not need the ones up high but they are more for the oblivious drivers than me. I won’t be looking at them lol.

 

Fat in no high ones.

 

That’s what I like better too,
and that’s opposite of original application.

 

Maybe tint the back windows a bit and put a little LED strip on the inside. Your car, but to my eyes the little elbow light is fugly.

 

Don’t do the “Cuban” brake lights .

if your gonna do that you might as well of left the pipe , rivets , self tappers and 134567777 gallons of body on this doushe canoe .

do a small strip of led lights in the bottom of the back glass .

or insure it to high heaven and then hope you get rear ended …… it’s a joke . No , no , no .


But you can get a bit more creative for additional tail lights

 

Douche canoe - lmao

Once I get the tail lights figured out and cut in I’m ready to get the bodywork and primer from the body line up and over the roof from tail pan to cowl.
The elbow lights might become the reverse lights mounted under the body.
I’ve got a set of those OT fleetwood 16” long pointy cadzilla lights. Everyone else likes them, they aren’t right for the car but man do they follow the body contour.

 

Post a pic of the caddy lights against the body .

 

I might get in trouble for that

 

Yep...

 

just off the top of my head there are 13455667889999 options for tail lights while still staying traditional

49-50 Chevy are another
Don’t forget about DODGE !!
Etc etc

have a 1/2 bottle of bourbon and make your mind crazy with options !!

 

I’ve been thru them all already you should see the empty bottles.

The lights are 1955 - 59

 

Low lights, no elbows!
As for the bee hinds behind you, I would consider having full louvers on the trunk lid, with BRIGHT lights placed inside, facing back. But then, I'm antisocial!

 

Found the motor mounts this morning.
I was like a little kid!

 

How close was that box to everyday traffic? My misplaced stuff turns up with in arms reach most times.

 

The box was tucked into a far corner on a high 6’ shelf. There was a clustered mess on the floor so really couldn’t get to the shelf.