Technical Yeah, Its got a Hemi/41 shop truck

Billy that steering wheel is top shelf,,,,,awesome !

Tommy

 

I wanted the Crestliner wheel before I even bought the truck, I am basically building around it, the Desoto and the tire/wheels.

Next up is figuring out what products to paint it with.

 

Having finished the cab/doors and fenders I am on to the bed. I assembled this new bed earlier in the thread but there was an issue with the stamping of the side panels. A definite and pronounced bulge exactly over the axle step. Just too much metal in that area likely due to the stamping being not quite deep enough. They looked much worse in person!

And of course the bed sides are single wall so convex out on the inside, concave on the outside.

So I used a cutoff wheel and sliced the area starting at the epicenter. As soon as I started the dent started to go away, I kept slicing until it was gone then welded it back up slowly.

Same thing on the other side. Then filler and some light sanding. They turned out great. Check another one off the list.

Tonight I will hit these sides with high build and block them down.

The bed doesn't need much blocking other that the inside and outside of that raised panel. I already blocked the ribbed front panel. The gate needs primer as well where I filled the spot welds.

 

Glad you got that fixed.

 

Yeah, It was tough taking the saw to it but I figure it's only metal, slice it and dice it. Thanks for your help

 

Clever..nice repair.

 

Not that it makes any difference now, but some heat shrinking would have done the same thing, minus most of the violence. Heat one dot about 1/2" diameter with the welding tip to bright red, quickly place a flat dolly behind it, smack it flat a couple times in the direct vicinity, and quench with a very wet rag. It should shrink the area about 3" around. Might take a little tapping to make perfectly flat again. Or might take another shrink if there is still a hump or oilcan left. But no welding required.

 

Well now you tell me! My method was a bit invasive in comparison. I never tried your technique, unfortunately I have had prior experience with mine.

 

I have tried the shrinking method with mixed success. I sometimes end up cutting and welding as Bandit just did. You do what ya gotta do....

 

Shrinking is good if you know what you're doing and have experience. Otherwise it can easily get away from you and create an even bigger problem. In this case I think BB chose the right path.

 

This is Fact for sure. Not at all how I would have done it but that's behind him and he's moving on.

 

Now what isn't this surprising? I am not a body man, I just play one on the internet.

 

Go Bandit Go...live, learn, experience and keep on sharing...

 

I use the same line, lol.

 

LoL! And God knows I'm not one either, that's why everything I do is just done differently. I've been told I don't think like Normal people,,,, and I agree.

 

Good video on heat shrinking.

 

He does some good videos but watching him in that stupid turned up brim hat drives me crazy

 

Like most that have done any "good" metal work of any volume I've done my share of Shrink with a Torch. In fact that used to be the only way to do it. Some 20+ years ago I was introduced to the New way, No torch or water. The Shrink disc and an Air hose. What a life changer!

 

My little bro can run a shrinking disc, but I was never able to get the hang of it. My dad taught me how to do heat shrinking 45 years ago and I’ve used that method on stubborn humps and oil cans ever since.

 

No one would ever mistake you for normal people

I watched a couple videos on shrink discs but I think there was way to much metal there for that approach. I could be mistaken, it happened once before.

 

@X38 posted yesterday that he didn't have anything photoworthy to share yesterday as he was just doing little stuff. Such is the case in my garage last night.

I pulled the gate off to prep it and the bed for primer and I had forgotten to weld up the holes in the bottom of the tailgate roll where I removed the bed latches so did that and then I noticed about 40 spot welds in the tailgate that needed to disappear as well.

Tedious stuff that has to be done before I bury it in primer, hopefully this evening.

 

Glad that you're making progress.
I'm not. Too many other time eating life issues.
Hope to get back at in a while.

 

It happens! Here's hoping you get back on it before long.

 

So this popped up on FB marketplace in Fresno today. I thought maybe you could use an extra "Fresh" bullet!
A 331 Hemi. Says rebuilt and only $400! Looks ready to rock and roll to me!
Buy it, bolt in it, go fast! But you better act quick before it's gone!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...,\"upsell_type\":21,\"grouping_info\":null}"}

 

Ran when parked........right!

 

Long tail 331 with pop up pistons.

 

Bed and tailgate are progressing. I still have another coat to put on the top of the tailgate and I only did the raised panel on the bed as that is the most important area to make sure gets blocked inside and out. I still have a bit more to do but making progress.

They blocked easily, nice having new metal to play with.

I doubt this think will haul much other than golf clubs. It will look nice inside.

And the gate is done other than the top inside rail where I filled some spot welds. It will require another coat of the pink stuff. You can see it is a bit wavy.

This side is a "one and done" I think.

I will recoat the bed today, that bit on the tailgate, the two louvered bed filler panels and the cowl vent. That should leave just the hood. There is a lot of pieces to this thing!

 

Looking good Billy. It’s all coming together nicely.

 

Wow BB, I think you sell yourself short on your paint/body skills.
And black ta boot, gonna be one bad biatch!

 

NICE, VERY NICE, WORK!!