Surgery went very well - I am able to walk around the house and the doc says 4-weeks should do it. If that works out, I will be ecstatic!
So me and HotrodA are back up n the 40-41 pickup builds. So far We have been cleaning up a bit, did a couple many nice things, and now it’s time, in the immortal words of Captain Barbosa (Pirates of the Caribbean), “ back to work - hahahaha!” …….
I just spent three part days cleaning, sweeping and putting away. Unfortunately barely made a dent in it. It sure makes it easier to work though. Duh.
Worked all afternoon in the garage. Cleaned things up a bit, put a few things up in the mezzanine just to get them out of the way and started on the passenger exhaust. That flex piece I bought isn’t going to work but I have one more piece to slice and dice up. Before I do that I need to make some mounting tabs for the exhaust so I know where things are. Once that’s done and I like where things are, I will start welding things together permanently. Sorry - nothing really picture worthy today …
Another afternoon in the garage and passenger side exhaust is now all tacked together. A couple frame rail brackets were made up and that made things solid to tac things together. I then played with the driver side and it needed some work as it snakes through next to the frame rail and pb booster. I have a plan for tomorrow and I should be able to have that side done. Sorry - no pics but it all looks cobbled together anyway at this point, not pretty but functional. I am happy with the progress …..
Got both sides of the exhaust all tac’d together …. Pass side: Driver side I have nice clearance all around and I need to make up two more hanger/brackets to hold things in place that n the passenger side and one on the driver side yet to do but I need to have the header wrap on to see what are my best options. I took apart the passenger side up to and including the muffler to weld that side up. I cleaned up the weld areas, got ready to weld, turned the welder on and nothing. I checked the outlet first thing and my new compressor and welder take the same plugs. The compressor fired up on the welder plug so the breaker is good. Plugged the welder into the compressor plug and still nothing. I am thinking it’s the switch on the welder but I have a couple calls out to my buds to see what they think. I had used the welder no more than an hour before with no problems so it had been working. It just stinks since I was moving along so nicely. Oh well - just another bump in the “hot rod” road but I am happy with the exhaust up to now. ……
Since I am dead in the water right now to finish weld the exhaust pipes, I installed the driver side running board ….. It actually worked out pretty good considering I installed a 40-41 Ford p-up running board considering they were installed on a 36 passenger car frame! Turns out my welder needs to go for repair - it was not the switch or circuit breaker. The circuit board is getting either 110/240 volts but will not turn on. So, let’s see what the next step will be at the repair shop …..
Worked on the passenger side running board today and I have run into a problem. The cab was done by a friend of mine, who is now deceased, about 10-12 years ago in part of a barter between us. I believe the cab corners were not replaced and bondo was used. The passenger side cab corner was built up too much on the lower portion of the outer lip, falling below the point it should have been for the running board to pass. So I either have to trim off the excess or perhaps put a recess in the board section so I can mount the running board properly. I think trimming off the bondo excess is the way to go leaving the running board alone. I am out and about tomorrow delivering my welder to a Miller repair center so the trimming will have to wait until Thursday. So yes, the welder needs to go in for repair as the circuit board is getting juice in 110/240 mode but will not fire up. We will see what the shop says but a new circuit board runs at least $450. From what I understand, he has welders in stock, perhaps some refurbished ones, as well as taking in trades, dead or alive, on a new or used one. If it is the circuit board I can do that - I just need to be sure. We shall see …..
Bummer! On both the truck corner and the welder! Could you not start gently sanding that bottom corner and see just how deep the filler is? I know it’s painted, but if you you could redo the corner correctly, maybe repaint just from the opening edge up to the belt line and cut in the rear that hidden by the bed. Nothing like having to redo other’s work. I know. Had my OT Tahoe’s hood and roof repainted a year ago. Clear is peeling right off!
Yeah - what can I say. Stuff happens but as far as the body work, anyone without knowledge of how a 40-41 pick running boards go on could have made the same mistake given the same scenario. He was a great friend, had a great dry sense of humor, and I miss him … I am going to try and slow cut some off first then sand it the rest of the way to try and minimize body work. The running board practically butts right up to it from underneath so it’s just the outer lower lip of the cap corner that’s visible. I will scribe a line first though. This should be interesting …..
Bondo doesn't rust (one of it's three redeeming qualities...the others being it's enticing aroma and how it tastes with melted Velveeta cheese ). Thus you can slice away on it and not cause future damage. Cut it and touch it up.
On your cab/running board fitment issue..is the interference present on both drivers side, and passenger side? Curious, seems I remember on one of your post, you modified the cab mounting wood, because your cab is '46/'47. My thought process is potential cab, now sitting slightly lower than original Fords mounting..thus causing the running board/cab interference. You probably already considered this, but just in case.
I see now, after going up a few post, you didn't have the clearance issue on the drivers side, so my previous reply doesn't pertain. I'm sure you'll get it sorted, one thing about painting your own cars, we always seem to have extra paint for any touch ups later required.
Tom, as suggested by others, I'd consider adding a quarter inch, or so, of rubber between the cab and the mounting wood that is sandwiched between the cab and chassis. Adding it along just the one side if you want but I'd look at adding the additional rubber (cut from say an old truck mud flap) to all the mounting points... slight additional clearance won't be noticed and there might be a few less squeaks! If you remember, spray them with WD-40, too, before using.
Adjusting the cab/frame spacers will affect the fit of the front clip to cab. Be careful with this solution. Good luck.
^^^Come on, Phil. Live on the edge!! Seriously, a quarter inch that will be tightened down shouldn't create any real headaches. The mounting holes usually offer plenty of room for slipping around just a bit for the best fitment. Of course, I've found and seen a number of fenders, and inner fenders, where the area with one or more mounting holes is gone!! Tom T will get 'er done; you can be sure.
I did a little slicing and dicing today on the pass cab corner. I made a cut line …. and made my first cut … and tried it out … At this point I needed to trim some more as it was sitting right on the inner running board ridge. But, the cut was made in metal, not bondo, making the problem a little more difficult. Whatever - it had to be done. I trimmed a bit more off, tested it again and just a bit more needed to be trimmed. After that third trim I tried the running board for the last time …. … and this looks great to me. Here is the overall look not exactly in position but close … So, here I am with no welder (btw it was dropped off yesterday and waiting on word on the damage $$$$), so I need to plug this opening. I am thinking of using a piece of hardwood epoxied in place, a little seam weld, a little paint touch up, and it’s done. I will seal the metal and seal things up nice inside but this is my best option at the moment I think. Even if I had my welder any welding would bubble the paint and I would like to minimize painting to just touch up. It is no show piece but a driver and the theme is a working shop truck. Am I rationalizing my choice - yes - but I am also working with what I have. Off to make a template for the “plug” ….
Got the plug made ….. …. and the metal is prepped. Tomorrow I will paint the wood to seal it and liquid nail it in since you hat is what I have lying around ….. So far, so good …
Nothing really picture worthy today but the plug was primed, painted, glued up in there, and seam sealer applied. If weather allows I will apply touch up paint and begin the running board installation tomorrow. We are supposed to get snow and around here most everything comes to a stand still. We’ll see …. As luck would have it, the circuit board is bad in my welder. It’s half as much to repair it than buying a new one so I will repair it. If all goes well I should have it back by mid-February. I will continue to plug away in the mean time and my buddy will weld up the pass side exhaust for me next week. Little by little it’s coming together ……
First off, I owe pics of the plug installed … … and paint touched up… It was tough to get the right mix of hardener, paint, and flattener. It took a little bit of coercing but the running board is a now installed …. Installing the board put the rear tire nicely centered in the rear wheel opening (which it was not) ….. But, as always, there’s always something - the rear fender was always slightly tweaked and the running board did a lot to get it right. In doing so however, I got a crack in the rear fender once all was said and done: The crack is at the edge of a large patch. At some point once the truck is all together, I need to make a cut to relieve the stress there, reinforce it from the back, weld it back up, body work and paint (I will also touch up other spots while having the right paint mix). I will wait until the truck is all together though just in case there are other issues like this that might crop up when assembling and installing the front end. Another friend of mine who also is no longer with us did the repairs on the front and rear fenders as well as the running boards for his project. He then sold the project to someone and finished it for the new owner with new steel boards and glass front and rear fenders. I then bought his original all ready repaired and epoxy primed for my project. I guess I will just have to add the repair to the list … lol!
The Jalopy Journal
