Some of us dont make enough progress to add a picture but once ever couple a years.

 

My gallery haas been up for a while. Its just an old hot rodded 52! Later,Bill

 

OK Guys I added two galleries of my truck that I just got two weeks ago. Its pretty much nothing but "before" pictures right now because I have a lot of work to go. Take a look at it and comment if you have any tips. This is my first project! I'm learning as I go.

 

I like that long-wheelbase-short-box look. Might look really cool wilth some big "meats" on the rear. Should be a good project

 

Don,
Great looking project!! I'm glad the instructions made some sense

Bobby

 

The gallery is coming guys, be patient. I'm fairly new to this board. I was just able to go and buy my truck yesterday afternoon. I'll go get it next week when my brother-in-law is back from Texas. When I get it home I'll take pictures and create a gallery. Until then, be patient.

Oh yeah, the truck. Its a '48 F1. I'll post a separate thread when I get it home and post the gallery.

 

I agree I like the look too, but unforunately it was a HACK JOB. Literally. The second gallery shows the great workmanship *sarcasm* hehe. I will be learnin me some steel work techniques on this bad boy! The last time I used a welder was an arc welder back in the 9th grade in highschool That was only 8 or 9 years ago... but still.. Nobody uses ARC anymore

I'm looking for Covell's Beginner steel work DVD, anybody have an extra copy laying around?

 

Jeff -

I checked out both albums in you gallery and I agree...this was a big time hack job. It looks like the PO just covered every sin with a nice shiny coat of paint. The interior is real clean, tho. You will have to learn some body work skills.

I'm guessing that the path of least resistance is to start with a new bed. You need to decide if you want to keep it an 8-footer (my vote) or go ahead and shorten the frame and get a 6 1/2 foot bed for it. Lots of folks here have done that.

On the bright side, I have found that body work, patch panels and welding, in general, have been the most satisfying efforts on my 56. The fender and the gravel pan will be great science projects. Body work really isn't that tough. It just takes time and patience. If you are short on either of those, the price for new/used parts ain't that bad.

My favorite "tool" is my cheapo MIG welder. Check out my gallery "Hood patch panels" and you'll see why. I did that before I new you could buy an inexpensive patch panel for the whole area. Oh well, live and learn. I had my truck for 1 1/2 years before I found this forum. I probably could have saved a bunch of money if I found it when I bought the truck, like you have.

I have the Covell video and it is pretty swell, but I bought it well after I did most of the major welding on my truck. I learned all my techniques from a "Trucks" show that I taped (Spike TV). Plenty of folks here can help you with sheet metal weld techniques, if you go that way.

Brace youself for a long haul and good luck.

 

Hey Randy,

I was looking at the bed and the frame tonight to see what I could do to it.. I think it might be fixable.. It'll take some work, but its worth a try. If I screw it up, I could always buy a new one

When I was looking at the frame to see how far back it came, I noticed something that I didn't before... The PO welded the hitch inside the frame! Look at this picture:
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5...ameweld0ub.jpg

Its like that on both sides, of coarse.. amazing that its a perfect fit, ey?
I was wondering if I could bolt a bumper onto the hitch lol

What do you guys think?