Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums
11-10-2010: The part of my transmission tunnel panel that is sticking up above the existing transmission tunnel piece is going to be trimmed down so it's flush with the top of the tunnel. And I'm not to thrilled with the section that extends up to the point. I think I'm going to cut that point off and just add a horizontal strip across the top front of the tunnel. I'll figure it out once I get the passenger side in. next spring.
11-10-2010: The part of my transmission tunnel panel that is sticking up above the existing transmission tunnel piece is going to be trimmed down so it's flush with the top of the tunnel. And I'm not to thrilled with the section that extends up to the point. I think I'm going to cut that point off and just add a horizontal strip across the top front of the tunnel. I'll figure it out once I get the passenger side in. next spring.
0 2010/12/01 20:35:12
11-10-2010:
11-10-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:36:49
11-10-2010:
11-10-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:37:39
11-10-2010: I left the floor toe board section a little long just so I made sure I had enough material when I install the firewall next spring.
11-10-2010: I left the floor toe board section a little long just so I made sure I had enough material when I install the firewall next spring.
0 2010/12/01 20:38:44
11-10-2010: The flat vertical panel on the firewall recess is where I'm going to be mounting my hanging gas pedal.
11-10-2010: The flat vertical panel on the firewall recess is where I'm going to be mounting my hanging gas pedal.
0 2010/12/01 20:39:55
11-10-2010:
11-10-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:40:58
11-10-2010:
11-10-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:41:49
11-10-2010: Today I got the other two panels welded in. My welds are slowly getting a little better. Still some ugly welds! I still need to do a lot of work to clean up my ugly welds. I just ran out of time today. It started raining.
11-10-2010: Today I got the other two panels welded in. My welds are slowly getting a little better. Still some ugly welds! I still need to do a lot of work to clean up my ugly welds. I just ran out of time today. It started raining.
0 2010/12/01 20:42:36
11-09-2010:
11-09-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:44:10
11-09-2010:
11-09-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:45:18
11-09-2010:
11-09-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:47:44
11-09-2010:
11-09-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:49:26
11-09-2010:
11-09-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:53:28
11-09-2010: Then I made a template of the driver side kick panel plate so I'll be able to match it on the passenger side. Then I pulled out the driver side floor and finished all the trimming with a grinder with a cut off wheel. Then I started tacking it in place. Once it was tacked in I did some more welding. I also started welding the rear drop down panel in. Man my welds look like crap! x_x That's what I get for not welding in over a year. It's a good thing I've got 8 grinders! I may need them all to clean up these welds! =)) I ran out of day light. So I had to call it quits for the day. Weather permitting I'm hoping to finish up the welding/grinding tomorrow.
11-09-2010: Then I made a template of the driver side kick panel plate so I'll be able to match it on the passenger side. Then I pulled out the driver side floor and finished all the trimming with a grinder with a cut off wheel. Then I started tacking it in place. Once it was tacked in I did some more welding. I also started welding the rear drop down panel in. Man my welds look like crap! x_x That's what I get for not welding in over a year. It's a good thing I've got 8 grinders! I may need them all to clean up these welds! =)) I ran out of day light. So I had to call it quits for the day. Weather permitting I'm hoping to finish up the welding/grinding tomorrow.
0 2010/12/01 20:54:09
11-09-2010: Today I started by cutting out more of the original firewall, my old firewall recess and the hood hinge mounting area.
11-09-2010: Today I started by cutting out more of the original firewall, my old firewall recess and the hood hinge mounting area.
0 2010/12/01 20:56:17
11-08-2010:
11-08-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:57:52
11-08-2010:
11-08-2010:
0 2010/12/01 20:58:53
11-08-2010:
11-08-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:00:23
11-08-2010: This picture shows what the recess panel is getting hung up on.
11-08-2010: This picture shows what the recess panel is getting hung up on.
0 2010/12/01 21:01:14
11-08-2010:
11-08-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:02:46
11-08-2010:
11-08-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:04:50
11-08-2010: Today I did a little more test fitting on the main floor pan. Then I did a little more trimming. Next I pulled out more of the templates for some of the other panels. I pulled out a 2'x3' sheet of 16 gauge diamond plate steel. I laid out the templates for the rear drop down panel, DS transmission tunnel drop down panel and the driver side firewall recess. Next I cut out the rear drop down panel. Then I started cutting out the transmission tunnel panel. I got it about 80% cut out and then noticed I somehow managed to flip the template when I marked it out. This wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't using diamond plate. So I pulled out another 2'x3' sheet of 16 gauge diamond plate and marked out another one. This time I made sure the template was right side up. After I finished with my little screw up I cut out the panel for the firewall recess. Then I grabbed a piece of 2"x2" steel tub and clamped the recess panel down onto my trailer front crossbar. I started to bend the panel by hand, then moved on to my dead blow hammer and finally a 3 pound hammer. It's not perfect but it's good enough for me. The next step was to do more test fitting. I couldn't get the firewall recess panel completely in place because some of the old firewall and recess was in the way. Besides that it looked like everything was going to fit. I pulled the main floor pan back out to do the final trimming. I started the first cut with my hand jigsaw. And wouldn't you know it the damn gears went out! Since the jigsaw is what I've been using to cut out all the panels now I'm screwed. Time for a new jig saw. Tomorrow I'm going to do the rest of the cutting with a grinder with a cut off wheel. I'm going to cut out old firewall and recess that are still in the way. Then hopefully I can finally get this stuff welded in!! Well here's today's pictures. You can see the recess is turned slightly. Once I get the old stuff cut out of the way it will fit like it should. But it's staring to look like it's coming together.
11-08-2010: Today I did a little more test fitting on the main floor pan. Then I did a little more trimming. Next I pulled out more of the templates for some of the other panels. I pulled out a 2'x3' sheet of 16 gauge diamond plate steel. I laid out the templates for the rear drop down panel, DS transmission tunnel drop down panel and the driver side firewall recess. Next I cut out the rear drop down panel. Then I started cutting out the transmission tunnel panel. I got it about 80% cut out and then noticed I somehow managed to flip the template when I marked it out. This wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't using diamond plate. So I pulled out another 2'x3' sheet of 16 gauge diamond plate and marked out another one. This time I made sure the template was right side up. After I finished with my little screw up I cut out the panel for the firewall recess. Then I grabbed a piece of 2"x2" steel tub and clamped the recess panel down onto my trailer front crossbar. I started to bend the panel by hand, then moved on to my dead blow hammer and finally a 3 pound hammer. It's not perfect but it's good enough for me. The next step was to do more test fitting. I couldn't get the firewall recess panel completely in place because some of the old firewall and recess was in the way. Besides that it looked like everything was going to fit. I pulled the main floor pan back out to do the final trimming. I started the first cut with my hand jigsaw. And wouldn't you know it the damn gears went out! Since the jigsaw is what I've been using to cut out all the panels now I'm screwed. Time for a new jig saw. Tomorrow I'm going to do the rest of the cutting with a grinder with a cut off wheel. I'm going to cut out old firewall and recess that are still in the way. Then hopefully I can finally get this stuff welded in!! Well here's today's pictures. You can see the recess is turned slightly. Once I get the old stuff cut out of the way it will fit like it should. But it's staring to look like it's coming together.
0 2010/12/01 21:05:33
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:07:20
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:08:27
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:09:32
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:10:27
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:11:26
11-07-2010:
11-07-2010:
0 2010/12/01 21:13:00
11-07-2010: Today I had a couple hours to kill so I decided to do a little work on the 54 cab. I pulled out the templates I made for the floors last spring. I dug out a sheet of 14 gauge steel floor plate ( aka diamond plate ) . Then I traced out the driver side floor. I pulled out the jigsaw and made a couple cuts. Tried it out then marked out the bend. Then I clamped the metal down to the front crossbar on one of my trailers and bent the floor by hand. Then I did another test fit. It's pretty close. I still need to do a little more trimming, then I can weld it in. I'm going to try and get it welded in tomorrow. It felt good doing some work on this again! In the first picture you can see the marks on the floor. They show how wide the firewall recess is going to be. I'm going to have to mount the gas pedal on the firewall recess.
11-07-2010: Today I had a couple hours to kill so I decided to do a little work on the 54 cab. I pulled out the templates I made for the floors last spring. I dug out a sheet of 14 gauge steel floor plate ( aka diamond plate ) . Then I traced out the driver side floor. I pulled out the jigsaw and made a couple cuts. Tried it out then marked out the bend. Then I clamped the metal down to the front crossbar on one of my trailers and bent the floor by hand. Then I did another test fit. It's pretty close. I still need to do a little more trimming, then I can weld it in. I'm going to try and get it welded in tomorrow. It felt good doing some work on this again! In the first picture you can see the marks on the floor. They show how wide the firewall recess is going to be. I'm going to have to mount the gas pedal on the firewall recess.
0 2010/12/01 21:13:41
5-8-10: I'm not going have the cash for the diamond plate until sometime next month. But once I get it I'm going to hit the cab hard and try to get the metal work done on it. I was going thru my metal stash and I found enough 2"x2" steel tube to build the box subframe and do the work on the rear cab mount crossmember. So once I get done with this load of scrap I'm going to build the crossmember and the box subframe and get those done and off the "To do list" ( more like a book instead of a list!! =)) ) .
5-8-10: I'm not going have the cash for the diamond plate until sometime next month. But once I get it I'm going to hit the cab hard and try to get the metal work done on it. I was going thru my metal stash and I found enough 2"x2" steel tube to build the box subframe and do the work on the rear cab mount crossmember. So once I get done with this load of scrap I'm going to build the crossmember and the box subframe and get those done and off the "To do list" ( more like a book instead of a list!! =)) ) .
0 2010/12/01 21:16:10
5-8-10: I took a short break from the scrap metal and worked on the 54 a little. I decided I'm going to start from scratch on the firewall recess and transmission tunnel. The 87 F350 transmission tunnel was a lot wider then I needed. The firewall recess I had was going to cause an issue with the pedals. Not to mention the cylinder heads were hitting and there was some header clearance issues. So I'm going to buy some more diamond plate and build it all out of 16 gauge diamond plate steel. So today I broke out my sawzall and hand jigsaw and cut out the firewall, the firewall recess and most of the transmission tunnel. I'm going to keep the 87 transmission inspection cover. I've got plenty of room now! =))
5-8-10: I took a short break from the scrap metal and worked on the 54 a little. I decided I'm going to start from scratch on the firewall recess and transmission tunnel. The 87 F350 transmission tunnel was a lot wider then I needed. The firewall recess I had was going to cause an issue with the pedals. Not to mention the cylinder heads were hitting and there was some header clearance issues. So I'm going to buy some more diamond plate and build it all out of 16 gauge diamond plate steel. So today I broke out my sawzall and hand jigsaw and cut out the firewall, the firewall recess and most of the transmission tunnel. I'm going to keep the 87 transmission inspection cover. I've got plenty of room now! =))
0 2010/12/01 21:17:35
5-30-09: Next on my "to do" list is to add a plate to the interior side of the driver side half of the firewall. Then it's on to the driver side front floor.
5-30-09: Next on my "to do" list is to add a plate to the interior side of the driver side half of the firewall. Then it's on to the driver side front floor.
0 2010/12/01 21:26:44
5-30-09:
5-30-09:
0 2010/12/01 21:27:43
5-30-09:
5-30-09:
0 2010/12/01 21:39:27
5-30-09: Once the firewall was cut out I did some more fitting and got it ready to tack in place. I used this complicated method to hold the transmission tunnel in place so I could weld it in.
5-30-09: Once the firewall was cut out I did some more fitting and got it ready to tack in place. I used this complicated method to hold the transmission tunnel in place so I could weld it in.
0 2010/12/01 21:41:04
5-30-09: Then I trimmed the rear floor a little. and cleaned up the left over welds from the old transmission tunnel. After that I spent a lot of time ( 2 hours ) measuring, test fitting, more measuring and finally marked out the firewall so I could cut it out to fit the 87 transmission tunnel. Then I pulled the transmission tunnel back out and cut out the firewall with my jigsaw.
5-30-09: Then I trimmed the rear floor a little. and cleaned up the left over welds from the old transmission tunnel. After that I spent a lot of time ( 2 hours ) measuring, test fitting, more measuring and finally marked out the firewall so I could cut it out to fit the 87 transmission tunnel. Then I pulled the transmission tunnel back out and cut out the firewall with my jigsaw.
0 2010/12/01 21:41:53
5-30-09: I cut out the 78 F250 transmission tunnel.
5-30-09: I cut out the 78 F250 transmission tunnel.
0 2010/12/01 21:42:57
5-30-09: Well today I started out with the firewall looking like this.
5-30-09: Well today I started out with the firewall looking like this.
0 2010/12/01 21:44:08
5-28-09:
5-28-09:
0 2010/12/01 21:44:55
5-28-09:
5-28-09:
0 2010/12/01 21:45:38