So last sunday a couple friend's came by and helped me push the truck out and turn it around so i could start on the bed. The tin work up front is done and i started the body work, but felt i needed to get all the fab work finished before really getting into mud work.. Then monday i got sick....like flu, fever etc...Still tried to get out there monday and tues for a couple hours, but that put me in bed wed and thursday...So, from friday til today i got most of the bed work done. Lifted it up 3", moved it forward to center the wheelbase ( i moved the cab as well before).. Made all new bed mount's etc....the bed mount's and floor bracing will probably handle more weight than the frame will now! I wanna USE this as a truck. Then dropped the fender's 1.5".. I lifted the body 1.5" from before, but to get a full bed that had to go up 3"...so, lowering the fender's keep's the fender's and boards all in line and so you really don't even notice the fender's have been moved.....(pic's of that another time) The past builder's HACKED the bed side's to clear the tire's.. I patched that on both side's, then cut nice arches to clear the tires and started to fab small tub's. The're only about 3" wide, just enough to clear everything..I wasn't going to do that, but considering i may race this from time to time, the added tire ( it'll fit 13" under it with the added 3") i decided to do it..it hook's like **** with the tires on it now..plus no weight. Anyway, i also grabbed a nice 3/16th sheet of polished diamond plate aluminum for the floor.. Marked that for length, and for the wheel opening's and cut that as well.. The thought of wood as a floor was there, but i've drilled into my head that this truck will be used as a truck (dual purpose of course) and i knew if i spent all the time and money on a nice wood floor i'd never use it like i want... In each corner of the bed will be recessed tie down hoop's, like used in car haulers..the're nice because they sit flat and when you want to hook to them, the hoop lift's and give's you a place to anchor to.. Now i just have to finish the wheel well's and bolt it all together and that's done... So, that's my weekend...Had easter dinner with the family, still on med's from being sick, but still managed to get something done.. I'll post pics of the completed bed as soon as it's done.. Tony.. Sorry for the very poor quality pics...cell phone, poor lighting and i think i coughed when i took the first one..haha This is how they cut the bed side's...Lucky this wasn't a 55 chevy they were trying to radius the fender's on eh?? New panel Bed floor and new panels on each side.. ( not a lot of room to take pics so i couldn't get the whole bed..and the cross brace at the top where the gate should be was there..i left it until all the fab work was done then i'll cut it out)
Thanks.. Just picked up the tin for the width part of the wheel well's.. Hopefully i'll shrink that tonight to get the curve in it and maybe welded together tonight...if not, by tomorrow night it should all be ready to be bolted together........only to come back apart for paint,,,ugh Tony
Well the wheel well's are done and bed floor is all cut and fit in.. I have some new bed rail's to replace the originals, well, the're not actually replacements, but they will work just the same.. The original's are rotted pretty bad..These are the 90 degree angles that attach the bed side's to the floor...That's next, then it's a matter of bolting it all down and the bed is finished... FINALLY something get's finished.. pics..
Man thats going to be a ***** to polish that floor after everytime you use it,. Looking good, hope you feel better. later shawn
Haha..i was thinking about throwing one of those heavy rubber mat's in there for the nasty stuff...other than that i'll just keep it clean, i aint gonna polish it...nothin' else on the truck will be polished .. And i'm starting to feel better...good meds. Thanks guy's. Tony
Looks good, sir. I like the mini-tubs. Much cleaner than the previous "clearancing" job. Looks like a fun project. Glad to hear you are feeling better, whatever has been going around is really a killer.
I've heard that a couple time's....i don't believe it though!! Tonight the bed's all coming apart, the rails will be added then hopefully it can all be bolted together for the final fit before i shoot some paint on it..... thanks guy's. Tony
Well, not this year..After putting some serious thought into it, i decided not to rush anymore just to make the show... It will be on the road this year, probably about a month or so after the showdown. What i've done is changed gear's i guess you could say.. I've decided to dig all the **** i've aquired for my 53 to convert it over to open drive with a T5 and 56 chevy rear end... Make that swap and drive that car down instead. That swap should only take me a week or so with the time to have a clutch disc and driveshaft made... So, even though there has been progress since i posted this, it's on hold for a couple week's....... I'll post an update when i get back from the show... As Boones said, if i didn't take a break i was gonna stay sick longer....well it was happening...so, break time from all the heavy work to do something a little less stressful... Thanks guy's. Tony
Allright I can oogle over your chevy then, I was wondering if you still had it. See ya there. later shawn
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