Projects 50 chevy truck-slow progress

Finally a good update. There is Green paint on the firewall and the insides!!!!!!!
Looks really great in the sun- 69 camero green! I made the tape line where it will be under the cowl seal, so hopefully will look ok.
Now to let it dry real good and ger the cab on the frame and shimed/leveled, tweek the doors again then pull the bed off and paint the rest.

 

I made a crappy cel phone video- running in the truck

 

Well made a bit of progress today, got the cab and front splash pan painted, tried to paint the cowl vent door but a gust of wind blew a plastic bag on it and screwed up the paint. But since I need to paint the front clip and redo the tailgate, it can wait till next spring.

 

Nice! I really like that color - I've been using some hunter green on mine which looks very similar. Bummer that winter has to put a halt on progress, huh?

 

I was not happy the way my gas tak turned out, so I went a bought a tank from Tanks Inc out of Iowa.
It is a universal model and was a little bigger than before. I cut the rear crossbrace, and moved it back about 2 inches, and added bracing. The new tank came with straps, so made the upper ones, and used toolbox liner rubber between the straps and tank. Came out really nice. all thats left is to hook up the fuel lines and get the sender mounted and adjusted.

Then put the bed on, and cut new hole for the filler.

 

Hi, Been very busy with the holidays and work, plus I was not feeling the best. But I took the day off yesterday after getting some oral surgery Finally did some work on the truck, installed the rear window, and put the front glass into the rubber molding and just set it on the cowl I was reading on the HAMB, that to use K-Y jelly on the rubber to make it slip in easier, well, I shall try that on the front window.

I have bought the side window fuzzy's and seals but I think will wait till get new side glass and latches(Altman ez latches)

 

Those window installs can be a pain in the @$$! I have yet to do the front, but I hear those are are even tougher than the rear glass. Looks great though. Good luck with the windshield.

 

Well the front went easier the back, used K-Y lube ,some string , and a plastic tool, slipped right in. Not too much mess either. Although I see where I made a bit of a mistake, the bar in the middle that is welded to the center of the window, should have been put on the OUTSIDE not the inside , so now there is a gap , I will just make a filler piece, and you won't even see the mistake.

 

The Post just dropped off my next batch of parts- Altman latch kit

just had time to layout the pass side.

 

Well worked on latch install, was a tight fit so I had to adjust the gap more. The only prob is once I get the door handle in I can't turn it far enough to put the screw in. Thinking that if I drill a hole up by the screw for where the door handle shaft goes through the latch, then could take off the mount. I also installed the inside/outside trim on the center of the windshield and added the rearview mirror.

 

Well got the right door almost finished- I have modified the lock pawl as per instructions, need to find the clip for the lock. but it opens and latches fine. jus have to dissemble and paint now. I was thinking of either semi-gloss black or dull silver- and suggestions? I have also added pics of the windshield center strip. Should I leave the inside strip black or paint the green body color, also, what color should all the garnish moldings be? Body color(green), black, or white(upholstery color)? I am leaning to Green. Well here are the latest....

 

Been working on the drivers door, had to do some adjusting to the latch pin- had to drill a new hole in the plate and move the pin down about 1/2" then I can shut the door without scrapping paint. I am smoothing and painting the kit parts, picked a rust-o-lum aluminum color and used a matte clear to finish it off. They were looking too shiny{in a fake kind of way}, so the matte clear looks like bead blasted aluminum. So far am happy how they turned out, I am wondering if I should do the same paint to the front window garnish.

 

Well since the door locks are in and painted, I thought I could install the side windows, as the regulators were already in, so started forming the weatherstipping. Getting it bent around the inside,then went and put the pass door glass in and bolted to the lifter- should have known was going to have problems, first the screws that I bought from LMC would not go into the slot in the track without prying the side apart- then the holes were about 1/16" too low to line up with the nuts on the window frame- well I got that sorted, or so I thought, nthen when I tested them, got the window about an inch from all rolled up and it stopped. I messed with the adjustmants but that was it, and then a noise, and the winder wouldn't move the window any more- the teeth all broke off . Took it all apart and went to try the driver side- same thing. So I ordered some replacements from Chevy's of the 40's, and I will try again, but this time will pull out the weatherstrip channel so it has free movement. Wasn't even turning them that hard. Had to stop working on it or would have gotten madder.
One good thing went to the Iten Chevy swap today and found some wiper blades for a good price.
I also have been putting together a list of the used parts I want to get, set of stock gauges{ just need the housings} some inside window trim, and a steering column and wheel , pref from a 55 chevy car or truck with a buit in turn signal switch.
I have been playing with the air bags on the front, and all my ball joint covers are torn. I will have to measure them and find some tougher ones to install befor the final assembly.
I am thinging of the air ride tech system because of the abilty to program the different ride heights, and when my wife drives it, she wont have to mess with any thing, it will automaticly adjust.
Only drawback to the Altman latches, are that there is no easy way to lock the doors, so I am going to see what the Hamb has to offer for advice.

 

Ok, I think I have the regulator prob fixed! I slit the main arm after the pivot and bent it so it had more of an angle, and that helped, but then the window channel was lower in the front. So I sliced the front arm near the top and bent it upwards. Then I test fit it with a window, rolls up all the way, and I can use the adjustment still.
Here is a pic of the drivers side before welding up.

and the new window on the pass side

and finally some progress, glove box door and speaker grill are in, just need to finish the trim.

 

Nice work man. Just saw your problem with the regulators on AD site and came over and read your build. The Altmans are the best thing ever. After I installed mine I had to install new hinges on the driver side though. That was a bitch.

 

I wish I had just rebuilt my hinges- new ones fought me on getting doors to work right. Sill working on locks, thinking about using power door lock solinoids mounted behind the seat area and having a stainless pin go through the jam. I have a scamitic for a reversing relay setup,so I could use a double momentay key switch, or could buy a kit with a keychaing remote. I know that they use something similar on 32 fords to keep the doors from flying open. But right now I just want to get steering and major parts doon so I can drive it. Hopeing for painting weather soon.

 

I tried to rebuild mine. Couldnt get the pins out. Ended up bending the hell out of them. New ones were a chore, but finally worked out.

 

Radford46 What are you doing for locking the doors?

 

Nothing. It stays in the garage. when I travel in it, I just don't leave anything worth anything in it.
I never liked the old scoot over the seat and lock the passenger door from the outside anyway.

 

Could maybe do some ign disable.

 

Or a battery cutoff with the removable switch. Mines got a locking steering wheel, that would deter a couple people, not all though.
I was worried about someone stealing the wheels and tires, but it's a major job trying to get the body up far enough to get the 12"rears off on the lowered rear(think shoe horn), in a comfortable garage. Would draw a lot of attention on a motel parking lot.

 

Well, the threat of nice weather coming has me buying parts, till it is warm enough to paint. Just received more paint from Eastwood, gauges from New Vintage(look great), probably get the harness from Rebel Wire on Friday and ordered rear tires(wide whites), still need a few things, grill, steering wheel and column. I am hoping to make a junk yard run soon, I am thinking of a 55 up chevy column, car or truck, with no shifter. They have the turn signal switch inside. I have been mocking it up with a column tube, and looks like 26" from firewall to wheel is what is needed( with a steering wheel with no dish), but, the cyl head is close and I will have to get a double joint coming right off the column shaft. So I wont get any joints till I get a column setup. Looking at the rack end, might have to angle it back a few degrees. I was going to pie cut the rack mounts, but my friend said might use a wedge to angle it back. It will be nice when I steer finally, and drive in/out of the garage! Pics when get the new gauges in.

 

Nice work, been going through some of the same door and glass fun on my 52 GMC project. I have all the glass in and working good with new seals and rubber. Still need to do the door seals. Had to rebuild my hinges, I ended up drilling out the orig pins. I used Jag IFS and IRS in mine, with 350/700R4. Still need to finish some wiring and interior work, but at least I am at driveable stage now. My bed is just the metal strips, no wood. have to figureout what to do for that, leaning to a piece of plywood or steel diamond plate, my truck is not as nice as yours. Mostly surface rust on exterior, very little paint. Kind of like my COE in avatar pic.

 

My friend just used some sanded pine from the lumber store, just have to trim the boards a bit, and coat with your favorite coating. Mines Valspar urethane.

 

Test fitting the new gauges- nice. wire harness should be here friday, and I can stsrt getting more done

 

I been getting busy, the wire harness is mostly installed tin the cab, the gages are wired and it will run with the key. I had ordered some rear tires and they came way sooner than I thought, so I had the mounted, and had to slap 'em on.

They look great! I got 225/75/15's and with my 3/4" spacer under the bump stop, I have just a hand's width above till it hits the brace, PERFECT! Waiting on some steering u-joints, so I can get going on that. Now if the weather would warm up, I could start priming the rest of my sheetmetal.

 

Well a box arrived from Limeworks, and I mocked it up with the shaft and joints down to rack.
But I think it looks great!

 

Well I have been mocking it up and getting the 3 joints and DD shaft down to the rack, installed 1 support but it will need two, because I am running a double joint in the middle, but I have finished mocking up the column, have more wiring to do, but I am so much closer.

 

not much done this weekend cuz had my birthday party.... check out the cake my wonderful wife had made....