making running boards for a 39' pick up

ok i have a 39' plymouth pick up and at first i didn't want to run any running boards but after seeing a few chevy and fords out there with them i may have changed my mind how hard would it be to fab up a set of my own ....... i am using a s-10 blazer chassis that gives me only 101" wheel base so they would not have to be that long ......i was thinking i could take a 2"x 8" piece of wood and form it to the basic out line and then try and form the sheet metal around that ....i don't have a brake to bend the metal and i don't want to cut and weld if i don't have to cause i only have a lil 110 mig no gas any thoughts on this .....or will any other make running boards work for this ..............all input respected thank you

 

gee don't all answer at once i mean all that knoledge of custom car building and not one of you can help out a young guy just starting out with a few good ideas ok thanks

 

Wow... First off, you haven't really given anybody time to answer your question before you get sarcastic, secondly, you want to make some "custom" running boards, but you don't want to weld them. I guess if someone was to hand you a set that was a perfect fit, you would probally want them installed too.

You should be able to take a set, off just about any year modle truck produced from the mid 30's-mid 50's and fab them up to work for you application, but you have to be able to visualize it in your head, and you'll have too cut and weld them to fit, something that your lil old 110 welder can and will handle. but some sheet metal and a brake would be your best bet.

Why don't you try this, instead of being sarcastic, because you posted a question and after 45 minutes with no response, you get your panties in a wad, be honest and say, I ain't got no skills and I need help, whats the best way to put some running boards on my truck, without being too technical, because I might not understand...

Dude, I hate to rag on you, but if the running board thing has you confused, you might just want to stop your build now, before you get in over your head.

Now, this is just my .02 cents, and I don't speak for the whole board, but I think you just got too impatient, try appologizing for the second response, and you just might get the requested information.

Either way good luck to you.

~BigRedDude

 

Don't be so hard on him.
50 minutes is enogh time for a thread to drop to page three around here some times.

Real answer;
I shit canned the boards and fenders on my '40 GMC but if I was going to make my own, without a brake, I'd makd a "brake" out of a couple of 2"+12"s longer than the board.
I'd rout or sand the edge radius ito one board, and clamp the metal between the two with a bunch of "C" or wood clamps with the "side" of the board metal sticking out and using another smaller piece of wood and a mallet, slowly roll the edge over.
But before that, I'd put a 90º bend in the edge, using the square edge of the wood "brake" and the mallet tick and then fold it flat, sorta like a door edge fold going slow and careful so it doesn't warp. You could also roll in an edge wire to that area.
For the bracing that sits on the board support brackets you might be able to use square tubing or bend them up in a "U" with "wings" using some smaller boards or 1/4" plates, clamped in a vise.
That's how I bend some stuff.
You can also frequently find a bending brake you can use in the local college Art or ID departments.

 

i have a 37 1/2 ton sittin on an S10 frame , i used the original boards or rather i will be using them , you could just use the original boards for your truck and just fab up some braces for it.. if the boards are to long just cut them down to fit..
my 2cts

 

What flh4speed said, if you have your originals just trim to fit. If you don't, I would consider a set off a big truck. These boards are short and may work well with your short wheelbase. Usually you can pick these up cheap because there's not much call for them. Now that I think about it, I'd go this route before I'd cut-up a set of originals, they may be worth big $ to somebody.

 

I'd follow what DrJ suggested or build a pair of patterns out of cardboard or probably a sheet of osb from the lumber yard would work and create the design and then have a local sheet metal shop bend them up. You will still have to trim them and build brackets and attach them to the frame. That is pretty much what I am going to do on the 48 to build custom boards for it. I can't hook the scanner to this computer so I can't doodle a diagram at the moment.

 

thank you guys for your input except red dud or dude or what the hell ever i was being a smart ass because i was in the middle of trying to fab some up and ran into a lil snag and after even 5 minutes of watching my thred fall off the first page yeah i got a lil pist off i'm sure you all know how that feels so to those of you that i offended im sorry i am just trying to use your guys knoledge to help me through this build and yeah im just starting out but i am catching on quick so cut me some slack ..........just think when all the old skool hot rodders are gone ande didn't share there info with kids like me who would rather drive and american made piece of our history then where will we be ........in fucking honda heaven so just think next time a young kid ask for the knolege you possess be sure to give it to them to keep this american tradition alive ....and thats all i have to say about that .....thank you to the guys that answered my question

 

From Wikipedia regarding "Generation Y":

Business owners in Australia feel that members of Generation Y were found to be "demanding, impatient and bad at communicating," according to a 2007 survey. The survey found that almost 70% of those surveyed found their Generation Y workers to be dissatisfying, with poor spelling and grammar and no understanding of appropriate corporate behaviors. However, the survey also showed most employers praised the energy and charisma of their Generation Y workers.

Dude, you must have charisma like a motherf*cker!

 

Dr.J's got the right idea.
I have used 2x12's to do lots of forming.
Also if you take a sample or the dim's of what you want to a Heating & Cooling Co. They will bend it up for you from the stock they have on hand.
24 ga. is about as thick as they have. If you need it to be thicker have them bend twice as many. Bob

 

True statement. For some reason, people love to restore these trucks. Prices for parts on these things is ridiculous. I have one, but I don't like them in stock form.

P.S. I know we are "into cars not grammer" but try to break your responses into shorter sentances. This isn't English class, but 40,000+ people are potentially reading this stuff...easier to read for some of the "word challenged".