Hey guys I'm 20 years old and rebuilding a hot rod my grandpa built back in the day I'm redoing the bed and wanna save the metal slats but it has the round head bolts and keep spinning won't come off I need some ideas on how to get them out without messing up the metal Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I tried with a cut off wheel and can't get in the the brackets are in the way Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
How about some pics of the truck, back in the day and now. Most def a keeper it it was your Gramps. Torching the bolts off could result in damaging the cross channels underneath. If the wood is rotten enough, knock it apart and out first - that will give you space for a cutoff wheel or sawsall. At any rate - slats are available repro - even in stainless......
The bolts go through a retaining strip that hold the wood down to the bed,if you cut out the wood, you can access the bolt from the top. Split the wood with a chisel,cut it with a circular saw/ jig saw/ sawsall . Once you have the wood out of the way, you can hold the bolt with Vice Grips or even cut it out with a hack saw. Hope this helps
I tried cutting out with saw and I don't have long enough vise grips to hold the head down and torch heated wood up Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I did I cut out the board so I could get to the bolt from the side Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Then you are well on the way - Just did this with my '53 - I did not use a torch at all. Do one board at a time, cutting bolts as you go. Do the boards on the side last - and replace them first - because they are supporting the bed too. Even bolt cutters might work once a board or two are out. Or just hold the middle of the bolt with visegrips and try the nut. When I removed the last rotten board and stood it up - even after all the prying and hammering - it had a nice black widow spider on the underside. Pics !?
Alright cool thanks guys lots off good ideas I'll try this afternoon what kinda wood did you use 53 Coe Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Simply knotty pine boards from used shipping crates free - didn't even route them for the strips. Good enough for now - if I ever repaint the truck - then it will be time for stainless strips and a wood kit. Hey the bolts are stainless now anyway. Try out the BED WOOD VISUALIZER
Ha I keeping the hot rod look black red and white so I was gonna paint the stops black and paint boards red and sand them down and put a sealer on em so the red stays in the grain Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
If you are using a wood with good grain like oak - try going over it with the red paint - then wipe it off with acetone while still wet. Saw Chip Foose do this but with black paint on his rebuild show to "age" the new wood in a '54. Wrote it down as an idea to try. Wear rubber gloves! And be outside or use a respiraotr and plenty of ventilation. Think safety young buck, so you can still be doing this 40 years later - that's how long I have been tinkering with old rigs.
I'll try that idea I wan wanting to use some oak or redwood Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
If you haven't got bolts out yet , hold nuts with vice grips so they wont spin and drill head out . Center punch , center drill and drill out with bit bigger than bolt . Good luck on project and make gramps proud .
Ok I've been shopping around for wood thanks for the advice guys Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Ya grandpas shop lol with his 1939 ford sedan he has had since 65 a 1939 ford coupe and a 1940 ford sedan he is building Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
That's my kinda Grandpa - Learn all you can from him. My current '62 Dart project my Grandparents bought in 1969. And one of my first projects back in the day came out of their back alley in the summer of '75, a '41 Ford p/u. Here we all are with the '41 in the early '80's.....
Hey guys another question what's a good epoxy primer that ain't to terrible expensive Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The Eastwood (Kirker) brand is good and reasonable. Just used KBS coatings RustSeal and was impressed (moisture cured urethane).
I used DuPont on my 36 frame but that stuff is crazy expensive so looking for a new route ill give it a try Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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