Been working on the bed, it's a stude bed bought off a hamber and retrofitting it to the street/race chevy. I cut 8 1/2 inches off the end, bought some 41 chev stake pockets to go on the rear, they seemed the closest to matching the fronts. I pie cut them 3/4's an inch and about 7-8 inches down to tuck them under the top bed roll better. stock one on the left and diced on the right I also cut the front stake pockets off and repaired some rust under and in them, at that time I capped off the stake pocket hole in the bed too. I had radiused the bed sides to fit the bigger tires and formed a lip around that using a wooden buck. the finished lip
Finished the other bed side lastnight and tack welded it to an inner floor support I made. I moved the bed forward and recessed the front panel to eliminate the day light between the cab and bed from a side view. I need to fab mounts from the floor support to the frame and finish welding but I'm almost done with the bed
They do make a size bigger but this is enough for me. It should look good when it gets the fenders and inner fenders in place. I used 2 inch wider rear fenders and narrowed the bed 4 inches so the outside lines are in the right place. I think the wider rear fenders will help match up to the wide front fenders.
still working along on this had to re-center the rear fenders and started cutting up the running boards to fit since I shortened the wheelbase polished the valve covers and replumbed the lines from the regulator to the bowls found a center to use for the steering wheel, I'm sure you guys remember that thread..lol
I cut my tail lights in the stake pockets, I had taped a magnet to the inside of the lens and moved it around until I found the location I liked. I traced around the lens and then traced an inner line about 1/8 inch inside so I could have a flush fit of the lens mounted from the back side. I drilled a hole for the jigsaw blade and cut pretty close to the inner line, once cut I used a deburring bit in the drill and a half round file to finish it off. After these pictures were taken I was a little unhappy with the straight cut out so I held the file at about a 45 degree angle and filed a beveled edge around the opening. and the installed light held in place with a wedged in piece of white styrofoam
Started working on the exhaust today, I was happy with the outcome. It doesn't look like it will be as restrictive as I had imagened coming off the collectors.
Finished the exhaust, but still waiting on the tailgate and lower panel to get bent. Cutting that bolongy tip on the end was crazy, I really need a band saw. I used 2 U-bends and a little over 6 feet of pipe all together. This is the first time in the trucks life it will have duals, breath baby breath.
i sure like that 3/4 view side shot.i had always pictured my 41 chevy with the bed shortened up a little.you got the porportions in balance. good work
Thanks, the truck looked really long after the chop so I figured shorting the wheelbase was the route to take. I really sweat the porportions often laying in bed at night wondering the what if's, I think the cowl is the only thing that hasn't been reworked.
rear floor is welded together and set in for mockup I got the taligate and lower panel ready to be welded in, just have to get that script bonded in started cutting the hole for the moon tank, it'll sit a little further back than this
I can't wait to see this going down the strip! I'll have to come down this summer and see it in person. Norton
Where did you find that one piece front? sure could use one for mine. What kind of chassis is it on? Put mine on a s-10, shorter wheelbase but lkie you im shortining the bed up. Puts it in proportion I think. Great looking truck man!
That front was from a now defunct company called Creative Glass out of Oneida, Tenn. it was a real piece of shit. If I didn't have so much money tied up into it I would burn the cocksucker ! The frame is stock boxed from the back of the cab forward and tubular back half, the front is a mustang ll with custom crossmembers.
Damn that sucks, hate to hear that man! Looks like you got it figured out now though. Looks like Ill keep bangin on mine trying to straighten it out.
here's another problem with the front too, it took a beating in a garage cave in a few years back and one of the roof
I spent the day making the front section of floor and wheel tubs, I don't own a brake so backyard techno was the word of the day. I used a couple 1/4 in thick angle iron sticks as my brake and of course hammer, knees,hands whatever it took. That 18 guage is some tough shit, that heat didn't work so well either. both sides bent, this is the inner wheel tub trimmed for the radius and hammer n dollied a lip to attach the tops to
Cut out the tops using a cut off wheel and put a 30 degree brake on the end to tuck under the main floor. The fit is really close and I just need to weld it together tomorrow, my back has had enough for the time being. under side
Got a bit more time in, between being Mr. Mom, welded it together and added seam sealer and paint. Probably let someone else paint the outside, I'm a hack at best..lol
A little update on this, tank and battery mocked in there and a look at the fit. had this thread going about where to put the plate http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452735 I decided under the rear, but this is how the rear turned out. The rectangle in the middle of the pan under the tailgate is chevrolet script I cut out of a valve cover, it will be flush after the body work is complete.
View attachment 3681419 She was a little low, my lower A arms were below parallel with a spacer wedged in there. I like that low in front look but wanted to fix the problem so I put in some new springs, which turned out to be way to tall. I pulled those back out and chopped a coil off and here is how it sits, I'm not sure if I'm going to trim it some more after seeing it outside. I won't do anything until next spring when they have setteled down to ride height.
Made the filler panels between the bed and running boards today. They turned out good for the tools I use, one day I should get a brake. Paper to steel, beat with a hammer and then bend it in a doohickie, love these hands on projects. the doohickie test fit same thing on the other side
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