Gdub's 1951 panel build
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,669
Likes: 13
From: San Jose, CA
Do you have rear doors for 51 panel truck email ptfilie@icloud.com
Thanks peter
Thanks peter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 1
From: Texas Panhandle
I've started taking a continuing ed. body shop class at Amarillo College on Jan.20. It's great to have 8 hours of dedicated time each week to work on my panel. I spent the first few sessions working on the lower fender extensions and the drivers rear door and pretty well have them ready for primer. Last night I modified the lower valance to accept 5 grill teeth.
Also patched one hole, welded up several stress cracks and plug welded a brace back in position. The class runs through the first part of May so I can honestly see getting the truck painted by then. I don't know what everyone thinks about the extra teeth, but I likes me a big toothy grin.
Also patched one hole, welded up several stress cracks and plug welded a brace back in position. The class runs through the first part of May so I can honestly see getting the truck painted by then. I don't know what everyone thinks about the extra teeth, but I likes me a big toothy grin.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 1
From: Texas Panhandle
I got it in epoxy primer. I've spent the last 3 months in the class cutting out rust and welding in about a dozen patches and along with welding up numerous stress cracks. A bunch of sandblasting mixed with liberal use of phosphoric acid to clean the rest of the rust and last night I finally got to shoot primer. The problem now is I have 3 weeks of class left to get it in paint, we'll see if I can make it.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 1
From: Texas Panhandle
I'll see how far I can get. The instructor is a perfectionist so he won't let me paint if it isn't right. The next class will be in the fall so if I don't make it I'll spend the summer getting it roadworthy then I can drive it up there.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
From: Loa, Utah
Great looking work on the panel. I am starting a restore on a '51 panel and am about ready to lift off the body from the frame. Do you have any words of wisdom regarding lifting off the body? I have restored a '51 F1 pickup, so I know about the cab area, but how is the back of the panel truck attached to the frame. Is the bed area bolted to the cross members like a pickup box? How did you attach lifting straps to the body, and where?
Anyone else with experience with the panel truck feel free to offer advise.
Thanks in advance.
Anyone else with experience with the panel truck feel free to offer advise.
Thanks in advance.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 400
Likes: 2
From: Arvada, CO
Great looking work on the panel. I am starting a restore on a '51 panel and am about ready to lift off the body from the frame. Do you have any words of wisdom regarding lifting off the body? I have restored a '51 F1 pickup, so I know about the cab area, but how is the back of the panel truck attached to the frame. Is the bed area bolted to the cross members like a pickup box? How did you attach lifting straps to the body, and where?
Anyone else with experience with the panel truck feel free to offer advise.
Thanks in advance.
Anyone else with experience with the panel truck feel free to offer advise.
Thanks in advance.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 165
From: Harpswell Maine
Your backup plan of diving it in primer this summer is the better plan. Based on my experience there is a world of difference between getting the sheet metal in primer and shooting color. If you want to use the next several weeks of class productively, take a fender or perhaps door and bring that to color ready and then re prime for summer use. IMHO the TV shows do a big disservice to what it takes to get into final paint, that is why it is so expensive if you have it done professionally. I spent the entire winter getting the front fenders, hood, rear fenders and running boards from "decent prime" to final color and assembled on the truck.
The 2 pictures above show the difference between last fall and now, about 4 months.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 364
Likes: 1
From: Texas Panhandle
I'm not going to rush it on the paint. My son and I spent last evening at class taking dents out of the roof and applying filler on just the body. I hope to get the filler work and final primer done on the whole thing by the time the class is over. That's the one drawback to a panel, it's so frickin' big. As far as lifting the body I lifted the front like gearhead52 said then used a floor jack and blocks to lift the back, of course your rear bumper has to be off to do it that way.
