Projects Chopped it.......she's still too tall.

Got my motor mounts today. Pieces of art! Thanks!

 

I've been able to spend a little time on my Stude. Opened up the back of the cab. Had to cut a window to weld the back side of the B pillar anyway, so I took off enough to make the rust repair easy, and to fab up a support for the rear cab mount. These will be part of cross member along the back of the cab. Got the motor mounts tacked in. Please avert your eyes, should you be overly sensitive to modern parts! Really tight fit, but everything clears. Radiator is going in the back.

 

very interresting project

 

Thanks Zed.....I think
I've been working on it when I can. Got the trans and motor mounts in.....again. Ended up offsetting the motor about an inch. Built the cross member for the rear suspension.
Cut out some more of the floor and the rear of the cab. I decided to build new structure across the back of the cab. Built the rest of the rear cab mounts.

 

I wanted to take advantage of the perimeter frame and mount the cab corners to the outside of the rails. The structure of the cab will get "sandwiched" between the top and bottom of the mounts. Then the top mounts will be joined to a cross member that will become the rear structure of the cab, and tie the two rear cab corners together. Yeah.....this is what happens when a heavy collision guy builds a car

 

I put a tube through the cab corner structure to beef it up a bit. Made the top hole big enough to slide the tube in and weld & ground. The hole in the bottom was the same as the ID of the tube. Held it in place with a tapered punch in from the bottom..........slow but steady progress. ......Mostly slow!

 

ya awferly complimicated ma brain thar Eric on that thar mount !!

 

Now you know why everything takes me so long!

 

I haven't had a lot of time on the Stude, but I did manage to bend up some tin for the leading edge of the hood and the start of the opening/aprons. Needed a break from the chassis stuff. I've learned not to fight the A.D.D. I just go with it! I wasn't happy with the last leading edge and the sharp corners. I think this will flow much better. More in line with the photoshop by Mikes51. The curved pieces on the floor in the 3rd pic are the start of the hood opening/aprons. Improvement?

 

looking at pic3....are the wheels u'll use gona have more offset outwards Eric? They look quite tucked in at mo.

Do you have the Olds front fenders?

 

I only have a small section of the fenders. Just the headlight "pods". I'll have to make most of the hood opening. I'm still playing with offset on the wheels. I'll be splitting the front fenders and narrowing them. She looks a little like the "godfather" from the front, and it will make the fadeaway fenders thinner across the doors. Good eye Paul, I'm surprised no one else has noticed that!

 

yeah I was going to suggest using the front section of the Olds fenders/headlights ...prolly swapped side to side and also narrow the Stude fenders a bit.
Great minds think alike!!?

 

Umm..........ok you guys were right..

 

sweet! you sure that's gonna be enough?

 

I think so. Thats 3/4". The window opening is 1/2" taller right now. I'll set it down level,( 1/2") then trim if needed. I don't want to get into the A pillars any more than I have to. Once I got the truck near ride height it kept bothering me every time I looked at it. No point in stopping short. Gotta get it right.

 

Rounded corners on the hood a definite improvement!

 

i like the plan, andthat you are so dedicated into making it perfectly flow. it's gonna be sweet.

 

Thanks! LOW. Even when I don't seem to, I listen to the guys on here. I kept looking at the side window, but didn't really see the problem til I got the rear dropped. Soon as I stepped back and looked at it, I saw the "conflict" in the window opening. Hell even the dogs wouldn't look at it!

 

couldn't help thinkin ....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwnC_8_ZeYE

 

Ha that's fucking funny Paul! Love that song! Yeah I guess she's STILL to tall!!
I don't know how the "creative process" works for normal people. I "have it" in my mind, but it usually isn't clear. I have to have physical things to tweak until I get it. One more thing I love about gas welding. I added the new piece to the hood an inch below the last one. I need to take some of the peak out of the hood where it meets the new piece. Slice, weld, & hammer smooth easy once you get the hang of it.

Here's a shot of the front, with the olds headlights. I love the peaks! The yellow tape on the fender is 3". Plan is to narrow the fenders 2&1/2"-3" as in my very poor photoshop.

 

I like this angle. You can see more of the hood opening/apron I'll have to make. I have the original stude parts, so I might be able to use them for the long compound curve. We'll see.

 

could you use the whole inner portion of the OLds fenders? They would match the hood sides straight off the bat I'm thinking...
Maybe this might help you or someone else reading your thread sooo...

My creative process usually goes something like this...firstly I concentrate on the lines in profile. It helps to be able to stand back from it here. In the case of my pickup , these lines are parallel 1: bottom edge of door 2: bottom line of door window 3: accent line on side of hood 4: the running board and 5: the top and bottom lines of the bed sides will be too. The line made by the top of the hood is close to parallel or sloping down to the front.NEVER higher at the front.
Then I concentrate on the shut lines and in the case of the chop the window shape is important too.
Finally I work to get the compound curves looking good.

Eric,you'll know from collision repair the golden rule: Lines -Edges-Middle..It works just as good for me here as when reinstating a buckled fender or door skin.

Sure hope this helps cos it's not intended to offend, its just what works for me.Keep going ..it's looking great!! I like your photoshop with the fender narrowed in.

 

Your input is very much appreciated Paul, along with all the others!. I'm no stranger to metal work, and have built a few cars, but this is my first full custom. Along with collision most of my experience is restoration and hot rods. The stude started out as a hot rod. Really it was somewhat of a rat rod. Hot rods are a little more forgiving. If it isn't quite right you just add more horse power!
A custom is a different story. You can pretty much ruin a custom if you miss the mark. My stude has evolved into what it's becoming. Not a process I'd recommend, as it has required a bit of reworking along the way. I think I'm making it work, and it has been an incredible learning experience!
The olds front end parts came from a wall hanging my students built, so the fender sections are only as long as the headlight sections in the picture. I had bought the hood I'm using to go over the man door to the shop. I'll use the short section of hood from the wall hanging for over the shop door. Well, I got to go to work. One more day, then they are making me take three weeks off for Christmas Yeah, tuff job, but somebody has to do it!
I absolutely, positively have to hammer out the T bird over the vacation, so we'll have to see how much progress I can make on the stude. (I'm betting I'll work her a bit!) Thank you again to all of you guys for the help and suggestions!

 

Man that's looking great!!! I can barely manage to make a mangled driveshaft tunnel for my car. Now that I'm laid off for the winter and not working so much (not at all) I'd love to take you up on your offer and call and stop by to see your progress in person after we get back from Guatemala and Christmas is over if the offer is still there.

 

Welcome anytime! Give me a call when you get back

 

"The line made by the top of the hood is close to parallel or sloping down to the front.NEVER higher at the front."

Just had to bring that up didn't ya!

 

Wait till I start on MY front end....then it'll be my turn to get into a pickle!!

 

Actually I thought from the start of this insanity, that I'd need to section the hood. What the hell it's only metal
I started on the apron / hood opening. I started making the edge first. So far it's been easy.

 

Played around with the headlight and hood opening a bit tonight. Still tweaking, but I think it's working.

 

So guys, what about the headlight pod? Does it need to be leveled ? Or does it need to match the top of the hood? The peak fades so it makes it look higher in the front.