your build and daughter are both beautiful. congrats to a great dad and craftsman.

 

I really like that shade of blue....what is it?.....What brand of paint...paint code???? I want to go blue on Edith...My 55 C600 resto mod...

 

Valspar LVB paint code S3317
white epoxy primer, 3 coats of paint, 1 coat of clear with silver pearl, 3 coats of clear on top.

my daughter is in 3rd year university.

not quite complete, still got the emblems to put on, modify door panels with cup holder. Little things.

 

Very nice build! Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

I saw the write up on the front page, and I love stories like this... I always wanted to do something like this with my dad, but there never seemed to be the time. As far as projects this intense go, four years is a pretty good turnaround time! Bravo!

 

4 years was when i started documenting it here. It will be just shy of 7 years at ‘completion’ this year- October 31st 2012 start. (cause you NEVER complete a project like this).

The time will never be there. Just do it and get where you are going. I admit is was heroic pushing through some of the stages, but as i said to my dad, ‘how do you eat an elephant?......one bite at a time!’

he would say ‘ you bit off more than you can chew! ‘, and i would reply ‘im chewing dad, im chewing!’

the final word to my dad is ‘i ate it!’

 

So couldn't rationalize paying $100 per emblem to re-chrome, and so I did some trial and error, and ended up just black gloss and then high pearl coat in the clear.
Wanted to also keep the original emblems on the truck.
They look awesome! Even better in the sunlight!

Just got to find the bolts for the headlight rings......

Oh and notice the original '54 Manitoba plate? my oldest daughter found it at a farmers market in Vancouver. Was actually a full plate in '53 (Yellow), and in '54 they just made a small bottom to make the year (Green). why Manitoba? That's where my d-in-law bought the truck in '54.

 

Emblems turned out great..

 

very nice build, would you show pics how you fixed the seatbelt nut in the pillar?

 

great job to everybody on the build !

 

the driver and passenger shoulder strap was mounted in a plate welded right into the upper door frame, with nut welded onto back side. (Put sacrificial bolt into nut then weld in. Allow to cool before removing bolt. Bolt sometimes gets damaged ). Middle shoulder strap was a post mounted to rear frame (new frame for seat belts and speakers). Bolt in 1” square tube, then welded to rear cab straps.

 

saved ... thank you

 

Your welcome.
and please dont quote the pics on a reply.

 

Trick my brother showed me. When welding nuts to whatever, put in the bolt to hold it but as soon as the welding is done, remove the bolt right away. it won't be stuck then but does if you let it cool first.

 

Thanks marten, but by doing that the nut is likely too tight on the bolt when cool. You have to re cut the threads to make it perfect. By putting sacrificial bolt in, you arent screwing the seat belt bolt, and the bolt holds the shape of the nut as it cools. (Also lets it cool slower as more mass.) if your good with a tap, then go ahead and remove...btw, you reminded me, i did run a tap in after, just to be sure! So either way!