Projects 1950 3100 Truck Project

woohoo! congrats to you and your wife! It is a blessing to be the father of a daughter. She's a keeper!

 

Congrats to you and your wife, for a beautiful little girl. She is so sweet looking, takes me back to when my daughter was born (45 yrs ago)...Jim

 

Thanks guys, we got a lot to learn that is for sure. At first I was so overwelmed I couldnt really absorb all that happend, but we had a couple hours down time so I thought I would go to the house and check on the mutts. I called to talk to the wife, and in the background I heard her cry and man it all hit me at once. It took so long to get back to them it was crazy. I remember fighting with my wife over those stupid carriers were you wear the baby like a backwards backpack, said you wowuldnt catch me dead in one. Now I dont care about anything except having her with me....even if I look like a total dork... Cant wait to take her for her first ride around the block in the truck, but I guess that should wait a while...

 

Congratulations. Enjoy her all you can because every old dad on here will tell you the same thing, they grow up fast.

 

Congrats....

 

congrats!! girls are the best, I've got three and they have all been a blessing. The youngest was the one most interested in my old car hobby but alas she outgrew that and went to college, graduated cum laude, and is now a world wide missionary working with women and children, she is my shining light!

 

Your builds coming along nicely! Congrats on the beautiful baby girl. Make sure you spend as much precious time with her as you can!


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Thanks guys!!

I got my Altman Latch kit this last week, so I can work on getting the pass door pillar fixed up then get the latches and handles in. Its amazing how much effort it took to keep myself from flying out the door when turning, even at fairly slow speeds. Those bungee cords just dont cut it.

Also I am kicking my self, I had the corner windows an one door glass, and when I ordered the rest I ordered clear, only to realize later the corners and other door were green tinted. So who has an opinion on the two, should I return them and buy all green, should I buy another door glass and run all clear except corners, will that be noticeable?

 

All green for me, no questions.

Sent from atop my toilet using the TJJ app for Android.

 

Congrats on your beautiful daughter! Don't worry about putting the truck in the background man, hobbies are great, but you won't believe how fast she will grow up, and you don't get that time back. Nice that your truck is as far as it is, been following your build.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

I got a lot done on my truck when my son was in a stroller, and he didn't mind it at all. It's when they get older, and more mobile.... lol.

Congrats!

 

Yea, thats what I want to do to. It is a PIA to ship it back so Ill probably just put it on CL and try and sell it local or something. I cant believe how much shit I have bought only to find out it isnt what I need or want. .

Thanks!

 

Can't believe I'm this late in saying it, but CONGRATS! So glad everything went well and mama and daughter are good! Enjoy it, it's already been six months for us and I can't believe how fast it's gone! She's beautiful, I know you're already one proud papa!

 

Heck yea I am, cant wait till shes old enough to get out and about. Right now its just sleep, eat, shit, shit shit sleep eat and on and on....thanks!

 

Hahaha, been there, cleaned that!

Sorry I'm so late with a congratulations. but congrats! I haven't been getting my subscription updates for some reason.

 

Coming later to this thread, sorry. I don't have an AD truck, I've got a TF truck and I just had my windshield replaced from clear (actually sandblasted and wiper burned to hell) to green and WOW what a difference. Plus the green reminds me of my Dad's '59 Fleetside when I was a kid.

What's your experience with installing the Altman latch kit? I laughed when I read your bungee cord holding the door shut. I've done that too! I've read good reviews of their kit and even though it is pricey I think for safety's sake I better spend the coin.

 

It is easy. Takes 1-2 hours/ door. Works like a charm. Hit me up, I can hook you up.

Russ

 

Yea, nice kit. I did the dr door in about an hour or so. I have some adjusting to do but so far so good. I got mine from ol' chevy too...

As far as the glass, I found a set of corners on CL that were clear, so I had a buddy meet up with the guy and pick them up, figuring since I already bought the clear I might as well use it. When I got the corners they were frickin green, so now I have three sets of green corner windows. What I am going to do is buy 1 side window and back window green so that all but the W/S will be green.

 

I just ordered a kit from him too. I hope my installation goes as smoothly as it sounds like yours did.

DOH!!!

I can tell you for sure the green glass is nice. I'm LOVING my new windshield.

 

the stock engine in a camaro subframe sits offset to the passenger side...

 

I haven't posted in a while, been working on my 85 on and off and takin care of baby Lily, man she is cute....Anyway, bought a harbor freight stud welder kit and a hydraulic ram kit to help with the door jamb issue. Trying to work on it this weekend. Thing is, I am so close, but I just cant seem to get motivated to work on it. Need to get back on the HAMB for inspiration I guess.

 

Yes, you really just need to make that final push. You've done an incredible job on that truck and have been an inspiration to me!
Enjoy your family, but keep at it and you'll be driving it soon!

 

Hey man, I'm kind of in the same boat as you. My truck needs very little to get it into paint, but we were blessed with a baby boy back in March. It's tough to get back out in the garage, and usually I want to spend my free time with him. Congrats to you and yours!

 

I hear ya brother. Ours is 8 months tomorrow and I'm struggling to knock out the last bit. Time just gets away from you so easy! Keep it up, we'll be done before we know it....and on to the next project!

 

Alright. I know others have posted about the Altman latch install, but I am going to as well just to show/tell some of the issues I had and how I fixed them. I should say they were very minor, and this kit is awesome. I bought it from ol' chevy here on the hamb, got it quick too.

So, I had previously gutted my doors, so I didnt have to worry about that. I assume it is a lot easier to do without all that crap in the way. First things first, I removed the factory stricker and cleaned everything up. The little rectangle blocks that are inside the door jamb are what has the threads in them, scootch them out through the holes in the jamb and make sure the threads are clean, then reinstall them.



The new latch plate bolts on with no mods at all. A note here is to push them all the way up as high as they will go, the nut that holds the striker bolt on will hit the inside of the jamb when they are at there highest. If there is any problem with the door closing, I would investigate elsewhere before making any adjustments to the striker plate or bolt, it seems to go in the right spot right off the bat. I scuffed/cleaned and primed the back side of the new plates before install.




Next cut out the template provided and tape it to the door. the template is used for both sides, just flip it to use it on the opposite door.



Trace it out and cut, I used a cutting wheel, but whatever is easiest for you. They say cut it small and adjust and I did that on the dr door, but then had to cut more and more till it fit. On the pass side I cut it a little bigger then the template and it worked out better.



Use a step bit if you have one to drill out a 1 inch hole below the main opening, when you trace the template there is a half circle section at the bottom, that is the top half of the hole you need to cut. You can see it in the above pic drilled out.

I didnt take a pic of the next step, but get the latch plate and take off the latch, before it is off note the shim that is there, that has to go back on later. take off the latch and grease it up, set it aside for now. Then lay the latch plate up against the door, line up with the holes in the plate that are already there in the jamb area, then mark the 2 holes on the door panel side and remove plate. drill them out, i think it was a 1/4" bit. The cut a rectangle hole in the recessed area for the inside handle strap to come through, it will bolt to the latch through the 1" hole we drilled earlier, see pic above.

Next you have to install the outside door handle, and here is where I learned something I was not aware of..

The left and right door handles are different. If you look at the base of the handle that bolts up against the door, you will see a fat end and a thin end. the fat end goes up top to compensate for the curve of the door but still have the handle shaft straight. I put the pass side handle on the drivers door and couldnt figure out why the latch wouldnt line up.

So one screw is on the edge of the door, then turn the handle down and put in the other screw from the outside.



Then hold the handle straight, slide that latch over the shaft and then the end of the shim, hold it all together while placing the latch plate on the door and threading in the screws to the latch plate. Leave them a little loose for now.

Then put in the rest of the hardware and tighten all, test door.



It latched on the first try!! But the door stuck out a little too far, and I noticed the new latch plate was hitting the door jamb..





So I loosened everything, got a c-clamp and tightend it to force the plate sideways and then tightened it all back up and it was better.





Not perfect, but good enough for now....

Remember my pass door drama, thats next up...

 

Nice, thanks for the write up! I got mine from olchevy too, about a month ago. In a week or two ill try to knock em out.

 

So onto the pass door. If you read my thread after I put on the pass door it was hitting the jamb at the bottom of the rear pillar, and the gaps were very tight. Also, when I replaced the cab corner, I somehow got the door jamb off so that it curved in at thee bottom and didnt match the curvature of the door at all.







I attempted to remove the bottom pillar from the rocker panel but could not access the back of it to cut it free. So I went out and bought a hydraulic ram set at harbour freight, and decided to try and get this figured out. I have been putting it off for over a year now, doing other stuff to keep my mind off of it. Turns out it was an easy fix after all.



So first I cut the cab corner out along the door jamb, and back enough to access the back of the pillar, and cut out a big chunk. That way, I could get everything else lined up, then I could weld the chunk back in, in the correct orientation.

The door wasnt line up very well, and the top hinge had a ton of looseness in it. I would have to lift the door up to get it to striker level.







I took off the door and swapped in another hinge I had that wasnt so loose and got to work with the ram. First I was spreading up above the top hinge, but when I would release pressure it would go back to where I started. When it was far enough back to have a good gap I realized the piece coming off the floor that attached to the cab was sitting where the weatherstrip channel was, so I used the ram to bend it backward to the correct place, clamped it and tacked it.



I rammed it again and this time went a little past where I did last time and when pressure was released it was much better. The door however still would not latch, it was bottoming out on something but it wasnt the door jamb, and that is when I realized the striker was bottoming out on the latch plate before the latch was fully engaged. I loosend the latch bolts on the plate and slid the latch forward a little, and it was good.








The gaps on the front are better, the door closes and latches very easy, and I am one happy camper. I will have to cut on the back of the opening at an angle so that I can end up with the door jamb/gap in the right shape, and then tack it all back together, final weld and grind back smooth.

I have another handle to go on this door too. When I was messing with this one I ground the end of the shaft a little as it was beat up, not realizing the square shaft fit into the latch is what keeps it from sagging.




The rear gap up by the handle is still a little tight, but I think once I get some support back in, I can ram it just a little bit more and get it right where it needs to be. I will try and finish all this up tomorrow, but it has been 95-100 for the last month, really makes it hard to get moving....

 

After that I will try and fix this...



The ran set I bought came with a piece called a spreader. I think I can take out the fender bolts, put it in the channel between then inner and outer cowl, and open it up to get rid of that low spot, the bolt it back up....I hope I dont have to cut anything, that will mean taking the fender back off again...

 

Nice write up and pics, nice repair to the pass side....Jim

 

Fun, huh? The pass. door on these trucks are usually off due to jigging issues from the factory.