Projects Tucks AV8 Pickup build thread-----> BABE THE BLUE OX

Clever. And by stretching it instead of just bending if you get a totally different shape, and you shouldn’t have to add any in the middle.

 

Yeah, it stays the same width and mount flanges are in the same spots @Tim
I have about 75 bucks in this which is about half of what a new polished stainless one costs (including cost of the bar)... but... it's lower than a store-bought bar and it was fun!

 

Bitchin...

 

Man I like the early fenders with the late body. Nicely done.


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And with it being stretched you can get a deeper drop and get the bolts in than just bending a stock one. I’m tempted to find a second bar and have you drop it so I have options

 

Was you able to drop one side at a time? Or did you have to heat both sides at the same time ?


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I heated both sides and went back and forth -

Here is my updated jig- added the slides that grip the tower and keep the half round piece from tipping-

 

@Tuck, you might consider posting this on the homemade tools thread:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...s-and-equipment.235784/page-117#post-13019060

 

think I’m about due to re read this all. Any progress on it?

 

Only thing I’ve done is prep the flamethrower to fire- put the right cam gear on the end this one has a pertronix kit in it... haven’t had the privilege of much shop time-

 

Yeah I figured you were busy, just needed something to say to bump it back to the top.

 

I am glad this got bumped back to the top. Fantastic job!


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I've been looking for a RPU cab to replace my closed cab because truck was talking to me... it just wanted to be a roadster... so my buddy big worm came over and I just sliced the top off my old doors and the back of the cab because... well... its rough as shit and I figured I had nothing to lose... I'm making my own lower stanchions and have most of this cleaned up since I took these pics. I plan to pie cut the doors down and had thought about shortening them like real roadster doors.... still thinking on this as I kinda like the look of the longer door- but I have it figured out how I would shorten the doors and extend the back so it would be the same proportions to run a soft top.. and if I don't do that I have it figured out where that pivot point would fold out and the top would extend into the door to look the same anyway.

I'm going to reskin these doors and move the door hand down where a roadster handle would be.

Unexpected change I know but I really LOVE it. I had talked about doing this a few years back with a few of my friends... even thinking about running a 27 roadster tub- but I like the 30/31 tub the best- and every one that would pop up for sale in my price range was on the west coast!

So screw it. Squint your eyes you can see what I see.

View attachment 4863727

 

@Tuck why not shorten the the door enough to make the back edge flush style? The curve of the back panel into the door becomes a focal point now that the top is off.


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Don't tell anyone I'm not working on my roadster... haha. I actually was working on this heap today for a bit. I squared it up and straightened the hinges and plan to weld the floor back together. Then I'll start messing with the doors. I have a profile for the door made for the pullmax and might try making my own skins/panels... so we will see what I get into here...

 

@tucks Truckster...yeah that's the ticket...what a nice shop you have and your projects ice the cake of course...

 

I like the door length. I'd like to see a dead on side shot to see how much "cab" there is behind the door for a top.

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I bought some 2" steel exhaust pipe... spaced it 1" from a 3' section of channel iron...
heated the very bottom red hot [not all at once] ...used c clamp vice grips to pull the end down as it cooled... the heat bakes the carbon from the steel, when it cools it shrinks putting a smooth bow into it...
I then laid it on the channel and marked it at 9 and 3 o'clock... I cut them on those lines making [2] 1/2" bows... I weld them to the door tops so the radius on the upper door beltline flows into it...
the bow matches the door's... gives a coupester a better looking upper edge... coupe doors 27.5" long...
gives it kind of a '32 roadsterish look...

 

This is Very Very Freking COOL !!!

But then again your stuff always is.

 

Just a bump so others who missed this might get inspired. A really cool lil truck this will be - more than 'just' a shop truck!

 

@Tuck any progress? Enquiring minds want to know! Haha

 

I haven’t worked on any of this for a couple years… but as of a month ago my messy divorce is over and I can finally breathe… and then as if a switch had been flicked back on…

I’m grateful for it now but in the beginning I thought my whole world was crashing down around me… but sometimes things need to burn and we prune the dead fall in our lives to make way for new growth.

I haven’t posted any pics anywhere but I’ll post progress here. The yblock is coming out and going in a shoebox. I was fucking around with a tape measure and figured out the rebuilt 55 hemi I had in the corner would literally fit in its place with minor mods.

The kid in me said do it and I listened.

Bought a couple gallons of acrylic lacquer, it’s lemans blue. First thing I’m painting is the wheels and I’ll mount the new blackwall firestones, I painted the lettering white. I blasted the wheels, etch primed and they’re in black surfacer. 5” wide truck wheels in the back and 4” up front,

Then I’ll paint the fenders and I’m gonna flame them in candy lacquer over a silver base.

bought all new brakes, master, cylinders, springs, pads.. I’m going to prep and paint a bunch of gloss black parts. I’ll paint most everything except a few parts like the front axle etc. I’ll chrome.

Found a nos cragar adapter to early ford top shift. Flywheel is surfaced, new old pressure plate. Have the pilot bush adapter. (Making more will be for sale on my site)

found a 57 starter to match the 57 172 tooth flywheel, painting and rebuilding that.

The Hemi is a NE55 short bell block out of a New Yorker originally with a 4bbl and 250 Hp. Haven’t been fired yet, just waiting in assembly lube.

bought some Chrysler silver paint to paint the block and valve covers. Should have the engine painted in the next week or so. Deer hunting is gonna interfere a bit.

I’m either going to run the Horne or the edmunds dual quad. As cool as the Horne is my heart right now loves the edmunds.

I want to get this on the road next summer, the body and box will be in red oxide and I want to have the rest painted. I can’t wait to pick up my girls after school in this…

Tuck

 

Thanks Mark, and no offense to you married dudes out there but truer words have never been spoken… I absolutely LOVE the PEACE that comes with being single.

 

Go man go!!

 

None taken, it can accentuate the good or the bad.
Glad you are finding some peace after the storm.
Thanks for keeping us in the loop!

 

A vote here for the Edmunds dual quad!

 

I think that intake is my favorite hemi intake of all time… because of its size, it’s more proportional to the heads, that’s why blowers look so good on a hemi. I love the crudeness of edmunds castings and I love those Carter 4bbls… they way they look from the top. It’s a shame to run air cleaners on them.

That intake I got from Bob K which makes it even better.

 

Unpopular opinion, but I'm not much a fan of 4x2s and 6x2s. I think the top of the engine just ends up looking cluttered with that many carbs. 2x4s have really grown on me the past couple of years, and it's a balanced look with that big engine.