My 56 Chevy PU project

[BangkokDean]

you need one of those old hot rod chain setups that goes from the steering column mounted gear on the firewall and drops it down to another gear lower on the firewall and then the steerig shaft comes straight out below the frame to a R&P unit.....or just drill a hole in the frame and box it.

The steering column is for a 59 Impala as is the steering wheel so I just cut the shaft and the chrome housing just below the fire wall. Now the connecting telescoping shaft is an easy shot to the Jeep box using two swivel joints.

The reason for the 59 column is I wanted to use the 59 Impala steering wheel (my favorite) but ordering one required ordering the matching tilt shaft. There is no way to find columns here for US cars so I played it safe, it is easy to make shorter that to make it longer.

 

[BangkokDean]

Well the steering and pedals are done. Now on to the radiator/fan install.

 

[big2bird]

RHD? Is your 81 RHD?

 

[BangkokDean]

RHD? Is your 81 RHD?

Bird the Corvette is left hand drive but I don't drive it everyday. The only problem with left hand drive is toll booths, the Corvette is narrow so I can reach over with little problems but the truck is going to be my DD so power windows and RHD.

 

[BangkokDean]

The radiator is in along with the fan and custom shroud. The A/C unit is mounted. Now on to the battery box.

 

[BangkokDean]

This week re-fitted the fenders, filled the seams where it meets the doors and cut the hood to make it fit in the fenders with a tight clean fit. The door hinges have been re-bushed with new pins so next week its door fitting time.

 

[BangkokDean]

Well the front body metal work is done plus the door hinges are re bushed but before hanging the doors it was apparent there was too much rust in the lower cab corners. So the left corner took 5 days to re make with all the different angles and lining up the lower door jam. Now on to the other side.

 

[mrvette]

U do such NICE for Dean, can we get U 2 do more OF it??

:nuts::huh: look great man....

 

[bobs77vet]

looks good !!!!!!!!!

 

[BangkokDean]

Just finished replacing the inner and outer metal bottom of the left door. now on to the right door, it is not as bad but the metal is thin so might as well replace it now.

 

[BangkokDean]

Still replacing metal

 

[BangkokDean]

The doors are done and fit just fine now. So it was time to finish the dash and stretch out the front window posts. It seams some time in the past or when the truck came from the factory the front windshield did not fit the posts, it was like pushed in. This caused the doors to not fit correct so cutting the welds and jacking the posts out a little they look better now.

 

[BangkokDean]

Also in its long history the truck must have hit something as the front fender eyebrows were smashed in on both sides. There was loads of bondo used to reshape them so I ordered replacement stamped eyebrows from LMC truck and they are really nice and heavy. So cut out the old and welded in the stamped pieces. This then was time to get the front of the hood to fit good. While at it the body line around the grill mouth was cut and made to fit better.

 

[BBShark]

Looks better than new! What does the curled metal strip do in this picture?

 

[BangkokDean]

Looks better than new! What does the curled metal strip do in this picture?

It was used to keep the metal from warping as the welding was done. When tack welding the fender wanted to tuck in so the metal shim was used to keep things in line.Could have used a thin screwdriver but it would want to fall our but the thin metal stayed in place, worked just fine.

 

[BangkokDean]

So the truck is now in the paint and body shop. Hope to have it back from paint the first week in April.

 

[DeeVeeEight]

That is a ton of progress and some very sweet fabrication work. You are going to be one proud Pappy when that baby comes home!

 

[BangkokDean]

Getting primed time

 

[DeeVeeEight]

Looking good! Are you keeping the gas tank in the stock location behind the seat?

 

[BangkokDean]

Looking good! Are you keeping the gas tank in the stock location behind the seat?

Yes, but I will be adding a do-nut LPG tang under the rear area of the bed.

The gas tank is like new and all I will add is an in tank fuel pump for the TPI on the L98 motor.