Technical 1929 Chevrolet Cab Build.

Last time I posted, I was using MDF as templates. One thing I did not have was a frame to hang the panels off.

 

A couple of months ago I picked up two sheets of 3/4 inch ply from my local building supplies depot. One of them was cut into the outline of the back of a cab. The centre sections were cut out to make it lighter and two lengths of angle iron were screwed into place to straighten out the longitudinal bow.

 

In case anyone is wondering why I did not weld up a tubular steel frame, there are a number of reasons.
The first is time, it’s much faster to cut out the frame from a single sheet of ply than to measure and cut and bend various lengths of RHS then brace them up and weld them together.

The second is weight, as space in my workshop is limited, the frame needs to be light enough for me to move around and store off the ground.

The third and most obvious is that it’s much easier to fasten MDF to wood than steel.

 

The other thing I did plan out was the final layout of the cab, using the image below as a guide.

 

The numbers were added in by me to determine the number of panels needed to create the cab. Once finished I will be putting it up for sale.

Because all the state borders are closed here, the only way I can sell the cab is through the post. All the panels are small enough to go through the mail and a lot cheaper and safer than sending it through a freight company.

 

It’s easier to mock it up in ply and MDF first to iron out any bugs. The panels will fasten together with bolts and aluminium T Strips will be used to cover the gaps between the panels. I should add, the centre cab panel is steel, this one is a pattern for when I fabricate the new one.

 

The other sections of the cab besides the rear section are the doors and the roof. The doors will be based off these ones.

 

Look closely and you will notice the upper frames are bolted to the the doors and not stamped as a single unit. The truck in question is a 1930 International Harvester and it’s cab is a very similar to the same year Chevrolet Trucks right down to the double swages. I have a pair of doors that look similar to these ones that I will be using as patterns.

 

My next task is to finish off the MDF templates that will fasten to the sides of the cab and then transfer all of them onto a sheet of zinc anneal, trace around them and cut them out.

 

Hey Guys.

I will be picking up another sheet of MDF today to finish off the sides. I have decided on some additions. As the upper cab panels are flat I will be adding in some swages for extra strength.

I like the look of the rectangular pressings on the Model A phone booth pickups so I will add these at the top. The other change I will make is to the lower panels, the side ones will follow the perimeter of the panels.

The centre panel will have rectangular swages similar to the 33/34 Ford Cabs.

 

Hey Guys.

It’s been a slow process but I have added extra bracing into the lower frame and the roof frame and fastened in the MDF to the sides.

I also added in the double swage lines up with the doors.

 

The other thing I have been working out is how the roof will fasten to the top of the cab. I don’t like the flat top timber frames that were so popular on the early pickups.

Even though the cab shape is essentially a phone booth, I want rounded sides to soften the overall look and give some extra head room. Since it’s very hard to tightly bend MDF, I am using cardboard from an old cereal box for this process.

 

There is a complex mathematical process involved in calculating the correct angle to cut each corner to allow them to butt up against each other. I won’t be wasting my time trying to figure this out. Rather I will be cutting a quarter round piece of softwood and screwing it vertically to a right angled base. It will sit diagonally from the corner inwards determining the correct shape.

 

It’s interesting comparing the mock-up with the original.

 

Making it up in MDF has enabled me to iron out any potential bugs and because there are ten sections that fasten to the frame if I damage one I don’t have to scrap the whole project.

The MDF sections will become patterns for the steel ones and once removed, the steel ones will be fastened to the frame in their place. All joins between the panels will covered with aluminium cover strips.

One thing I picked up from my home supplies depot last week was a half round floor board cover strip. It’s roughly the same width as the timber belt line that sits on the mock-up.

It has flush drilled holes so once all the upper cab panels are formed and lined up, this strip will fasten all three sections.

 

My next task will be to make up the rounded roof sections.

 

go ute go !
love the workmanship !

 

Hey Guys.

I managed to get more done including making a jig for the roof panels.

 

The profile of the jig enabled me to correct the curve of the cardboard templates. The contour gauge attached to the jig sits at a 45 degree angle from the corner out. Once I had cut out the first piece of cardboard, I simply placed it over the second piece traced around it and cut it out.
When I was happy with how both looked, I bent both around and stuck them together from the inside.

 

The other thing I did was cut out a stencil from MDF to trace around the cab sides and corners where the rectangular swages will be added in.

 

I also picked up more materials yesterday afternoon including a couple of lengths of aluminium T strips. These will run vertically and fasten the centre panels to the edge ones.
These ones are for the real one and not the cardboard mock-up.

 

I have reached a point in this project where I am ready to start on the actual cab. The mock-up is finished and the MDF panels will be removed and used as templates for the steel ones.

 

Once the cab is finished, I will be moving on to doing the doors, including the frames. This is a rough rendering of what I have in mind.

 

Good job on planning out your build. I really like the scratch build body panels without the 1-800 dial-a-part.

 

Hey Guys.
There was one last thing I needed doing to the frame, that was to brace the rest of the roof part.

 

The other thing I did was make up some MDF based stencils, to trace onto the panels.

 

With that done I am ready to add the recesses in the lower cab sections. I should add that even though I am transferring everything onto steel, for some of the more complex panels I am happy to use scrap as test panels such as these ones that came from the side of an old hot water heater tank.

Once the inlays have been added, I will sand down the outside and shoot some primer over it.

 

The other thing I have been working out is the roof. I don’t have the money or the space for a slip roll, so built my own out of timber.

 

With that done, I will be trimming it to size along and adding a stepped lower edge to allow it to fasten to the top of the window panel.