Projects fixing a smashed 31 model A pickup cab.

...as handy as you guys are, why not make it a full metal top like late 31's had...

 

that is the plan, but it will have wood ribbing inside like the original.
when I went to get the wood the previous owner says he has the visor in one of his other barns. I plan to get all the dimensions set with angled steel. put the visor on and play "connect the dots" with both the wood and the outer sheet.

 

Yes, That 1910 date is key to some totally useless trivia. Bob

 

that is another one of Charlie's creations, 33-4 pickup built on a cut down I ton chassis. if I remember right he built two out of 3 trucks and some scrounged parts.

 

Any updates? This photo was posted today in the Vintage photos by jeepster and I thought of your project. Bob

 

no, Charlie hurt his leg and I have been out of town for work.......hopefully get to it this weekend.

 

So now Dubs are traditional? HRP

 

Not Dubs, but Tribs.

 

Charlie came by today and worked on the cab. he removed the upper braces from the windshield posts. he also scrounged up a header panel, cross member and the angled piece for above the windshield. the parts came off of a friends 2dr.

 

I went to Fitchburg swop meet today and picked up a visor, in case the previous owner doesn't find the original. scored this straight but rusty visor. I called Charlie to tell him and he said the owner got him the visor, hood and a couple other pieces, moments before . he said the original is all bent so we will choose the best one for the project and save the other for his next build.

 

those wheels were posted in this other thread that explains them:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-wild-world-of-accessories.1148174/

 

Charlie and I spent 6hrs hitting things with hammers. we were able to get the dash rail support ironed out but no matter how much we tried to push the windshield posts apart, we could not get the passenger side to "stay". so we decided to cut the outer sheet metal away from the post.

 

once the spot welds were drilled out I used a hack saw to cut the piece off at the tear. the inner structure had apposing bends which were holding the post crooked. we now had it exposed so we could straighten it all out.

 

I was able to get the outer sheet metal beat back into shape.

 

we put the doors back on and used the jack to spread the posts into position. I drilled the spot welds out of the two horizontal supports on either post and also sandblasted and drilled the spot welds on the cross piece Charlie picked up. it had been cut in half so I used the measurements we took off the other truck to put it back together at the correct length. we then clamped and welded it to the truck. henry's spot welds were in the exact spots, it looked like I drilled straight through both pieces at the same time.

 

we used the windshield frame to check for square and a straight edge to get the post straight. we are sure we have the cowl right were we we want it.

 

we also spent some time getting the front door edge gaps good. driver side front is perfect and the back of the door follows the cab nicely.

 

passenger side door gaps follow the cowl nicely but where it meets the back of the cab is another story. the cab is still bent and the window frame is a little bent.

 

Charlie also picked up a whole coupe seat, we think we can modify the springs and upholstery for the truck. the original visor from the truck is not bent that bad so we will be using that one and selling the one I picked up.

 

Outstanding work. I know that feeling of pride and gratification that comes with saving what others wright off as a lost cause. Your not out of the Woods yet but dang close.

 

thanks, it does feel good and once the back of the passenger door and cab are aligned and I get rid of the "stretch", the project is, just an old truck repair.

 

Wow, you guys break it down into simple steps making it look easy when I know it is anything but “easy”. Nice work!

 

Damn, I thought that those Paintless Dent Busters were good til I saw this! Great workmanship.

 

Very impressive work!

 

I'm sure the screw holes were just as accurate in the Chevrolets of that era, its just that all the wood rotted away. Bob

 

Bob, when I remade the wood in the bottom of the doors for my chevy. both of the old boards were the exact size, one left side and one right, but the exact dimension. despite being mass produced, their still was a guy, close to the work/craftsmanship to make stuff precise.

 

Borrowed a moisture meter from @FolksWaggin and tested the wood to get some base numbers. I will check it again over the next couple months.
it is weird that the piece I already installed has the highest reading. maybe because it is up against the metal? the piece I cut out next to it is lower than the rest of the timber.
note the original piece is just over 12 percent.

 

Ones been dead a lot longer, different part of tree, different type of Oak? What do you figure?...