Technical Yeah, Its got a Hemi/41 shop truck

I'd leave the numbers...part of the soul...that's just about how many hours and minutes you have in it...

 

You aint kiddin

 

The only identifying numbers any legal authority would be interested in I'm aware of are the numbers on the frame.
I'd "cave it and paint it"..especially on your build with all the attention to detail you have going on (no extra BS, clean un-cluttered), and the fact the cab is newer anyway.
Nice to see you're making progress.

 

I'd smooth it, by the time you primer, sand, top coat and clear(?) most of it would be gone anyways.

 

Great points. I wasted a few weeks playing with a new OT toy. Now I am behind the 8 ball in regards to the weather. Like the Snowman said in Smokey and the Bandit, "I've got a long ways to go and a short time to get there"

Smoothing has commenced.

 

I hate body work. I have always held this as a fact, I will always hold it as such. That said, more of the same.
This old truck had a mirror or something attached through the left cowl. 2 bolt holes, welded and smoothed. There was also a gaping hole in the middle of the trim reveal...odd but whatever.

I also had a half dozen dings and crap in the back of the cab, maybe a flatbed for a bit of it's life? Anyway, they are history now.

Seems sealed, dents filled, hinges off, window channels and cowl channel cleaned and prepped. There was a little lead work in that left rear corner. Former repair. The body work in the center above the window is my dome light bracket I welded in. I seem to have good penetration (she said that...really).

I plan on skipping a bit of work tomorrow and finish the dash as it gets painted at the same time. I think, with that complete, the cab is ready to primer. By weeks end I need all pieces in primer.

 

If those Cab numbers mean anything at all they will match the Vin numbers on your frame and Title. If they don't, Burry them. Not sure but I think 49 was the first year Henry added a matching Vin on the Cabs and that was with a tag not stamped in the metal.

 

Agreed buddy! Why have ID numbers that may confuse someone someday. After my last go round with the DMV, it is apparent they don't need any help being confused.

 

This is a Fact!

 

With rainy weather coming I have dug in to get this metal in primer ASAP. Here is a quick montage of todays toils.
Body work the dash changes

Install chrome door hinges purchased at local swap meet

Re-install left door to make sure new hinges fit. The gaps could be tighter but THIS IS A TRUCK! I doubt the words "truck door gaps" had been added to our lexicon in '41.

Install Juliano's power windows and fake window crank switches and component stereo speakers. (sorry purists) Center hole enlarged slightly to allow for easier install and servicing of windows and motors.

Speakers mounted ahead of the seat riser. Holes are for motor access, mid range, tweeter, crossover and volume knob. Don't fret just yet, you will like what comes later. Promise! (I always have a plan). Woofer going under the seat, firing out the back of that mesh seat riser I built. All of this is blue tooth so no head unit or evidence of stereo....or anything else modern, when I am done. Nut Zerts installed will attach my...wait for it.

Mmmmm, peep mirrors

Not just any mirrors, Hagan convex mirrors.

These mirrors don't clamp on, they bolt on. Definitely a task to do prior to paint.

If that wasn't enough, I also did more filling and sanding on the dash, filled a few imperfections on the left door,
opened up the door check hole for my wire loom, and oh yes...Crown and Coke for a reward.

Tomorrow...Right door. Ugh! I am wore out and I still have mods to do prior to primer. Tomorrow is another day...(what a stupid adage! I wonder if they dumb ass sayings in Latin?)

 

Looking good! You’ve been busy!! Great choice on those peep mirrors. Planning to run those on mine as well.

 

What, nothing polished

 

I believe a Crown and Coke was Polished...Off......he earned it too...

 

Not my first experience with them. Pricey but worth every dime. I got their rear view mirror well.

The mirrors are a shiny bit! No polishing this week, I have got to get primer on this thing. Once it is painted I'll warm up the buffing wheel, promise.

I earned every drop! I was beat last night, sore hands, tired eyes. I could commit the prefect crime right now as I have no fingerprints from all the sanding.

Headed out again, I've got to strip the right door and make all of the same mods as the left plus install the Newport wipers as that requires a mod to the cowl holes. That is on the slate for today. I am tired thinking about it but it won't get done whining about it. Off I go.

 

Billy,
I’m really disappointed in that door gap,,,,,,what will the guys think over on the Ford Barn ?
But then again,,,,I would imagine they wouldn’t care for the Desoto engine either .

Lol,,,,,,just kidding !

I think it looks awesome,,,you have done wonders with that old body .
It’s going to be smooth as glass !

Tommy

 

Making good progress!

 

I am not a fan of the door gap width wise but the doors do fir the cab very well. I will never finish this thing if I keep chasing unicorns and door gaps. Ford Barn? That's a thing?

Thank you sir! I try.

 

I will be right up front and admit I diod not get all of the projects completed today. I had to take a break and go to the eye doctor. I was grinding (yes, with safety glasses on) and a frag got past them and nick my left eye. After Making sure there was no metal in the eye I grabbed dinner and returned to the garage. While I did not get to the wipers I did strip the right door inside and out, repaired some body damage (oddly by the door striker), opened up the door jamb loom hole, added the window tracks, installed the mirror, cut the speakers holes and added nut zerts like the left door. Added the chrome hinges and pinned it in place.

I am so tired of stripping truck panels. Fortunately this was the last one!!!!

The front gap on this door is a bit tight. I need to address that prior to paint.

I am so glad to be finished for the night. I am going to go take a hot shower, pour myself some dinner and relax.

 

Well deserved again and thanks always for the detailed journey in Bandits Paradise...

 

All I am going to say is that it is a wise man who goes to the eye doc when he might have got a chunk in his eye rather than waiting and waking up at 3 am wanting to pull his eye out because of the pain.
Because every time I get a new optometrist at the clinic they go "wow you have a lot of scars on your eyes" I use one of these Sellstrom DP4 series face shields. I could have done without the dark lens though.

 

I just ordered one. 4 times this year thus far with metal in my eye. The issue is my eyesight is not great so I buy safety glasses from Summit with readers and lights. But there is an inherent issue with them, to make the readers focus you have to stick your face inches from the work piece which make it easier for shit to pass the lenses and hit your eye. Your shield idea will help...If I remember to use it.

 

Paint will take up door gap. Use fat paint.

 

Very nice fitment..considering what these are, and how they came from the factory.
I'm convinced they never were a good fitment, even when new..seems even if you get the front and rear gaps right, then the upper corners will have issues, somewhere lies a happy medium.

 

Time to hose out the shop floor in preparation for the primer spraying. I couldn't help but give the pieces a bit of orchestration...for motivations sake.

Oh yeah, that's it baby! Work it!

And...I'm...spent!

 

They do have that effect. Pace yourself.

 

Small stuff that must get taken care of prior to painting, like the wire loom in the door jamb.
I reamed out the holes in the doors for the stock door stops to give me room to work, this holes is already much too large for the looms.

Then used the plasma cutter to cut the hole to accommodate a 1.5" steel washer with an appropriate size hole in the center. Much more better!

Then the same to the cab door jamb

And that worked well. I bought these looms in black hoping they won't be too noticeable or distracting. I will add a 1/2" rubber hose stop to them to limit the door travel so they are both looms and stops.

And yes, I have one hinge screw that isn't chrome plated, the chrome one needs a bit of thread repair.
Today, the left door and hopefully those wipers.

 

Hey, Bandit Billy could you please share a little more detail on your looms /door stop system? Where did you get the looms and what are these hose stops you speak of? it seems like they would have to be fairly stout to stop a door.

 

The looms are cheapy Amazon $24 stuff. The looms work by sliding one end (either A pillar or door depending on installation) through the aluminum fitting that installs in that hole I created. There is a plug at the end of the SS tubing to keep it from sliding all the way out of the fittings. That made me think of adding an adjustable stop on that SS hose to limit the door travel.

I was yakking to @Pist-n-Broke last night about my clever idea and he told me he that years ago on his car (I am always late to the party). He dropped an obstruction through the tube (missing the wiring) that limits the door travel. It wouldn't take much to stop that hose from sliding through the fittings. I was thinking rubber stop like on an air hose but smaller. Anything that can clamp a 1/2" line and stay put.

 

I worked on the truck a few hours yesterday and got the left door jamb done, stripped all of my window motors, switches, mirrors and wire looms to prepare for paint. The last fabrication was the Newport wipers. Wow, they make this project easy. Kit comes with a steel drilling guide so you get the right side hole in the correct spot and the guide includes the pattern to enlarge the existing left side hole. I used a small drill to get started and then air file with an acorn burr that did a tidy job of fitting the wiper transmissions in the cowl. I read in the box that if I send the drilling guide back to them they will reward me with a free Tee Shirt. Woo hoo! Something new I can destroy in the shop.

Of course having the cab dismounted and no cowl vent in the way made it even easier.

Fabrication projects complete. Now, let's make it black!

 

Great! can't wait to see it black