Drewski's 55 F100 build

cornfield customs said:

i built some smooth running boards for a chevy a while back. i will post up some pics for some added inspiration even though it looks like your about done with them. looking pretty good so far

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Great job on the boards. I always like to see fabrication projects. Better than going to a car show for me. I garage tour my friends frequently to see what they've come up with.

Drewski

Drewski said:

Great job on the boards. I always like to see fabrication projects. Better than going to a car show for me. I garage tour my friends frequently to see what they've come up with.

Drewski

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That is the whole reason I go to big car shows...to check out other people's ideas/techniques/fabrication.

The Street Rod Nationals was the best for this. You had the chance to look at several other examples of what you were building (no matter how odd it might be). Find the ones you like best and then crawl all over them to find out why they looked better.

I've heard people bitch about big car shows. Stuff like "who really wants to look at 3,000 32 fords?". If you happen to be building a 32 ford (or something similar), it is truely awsome to be able to study that many builds.

Guess I've been MIA on this site for a while. Geez, almost 4 years!!

I still have my truck and it's still a work in progress. I'll try to bring my build up to date, but it may be a little out of order in which the work was done since I've jumped around on different parts of the build.

I posted a question on this site some time back regarding a column drop design so I'll pick up on what I did with it. I've got some friends that donated some scrap stainless to me and I decided to make use of it. Wood pattern to metal.





I tig welded the stainless and after a lot of grinding and polishing...came up with this.



While I was working with the column, I eliminated the ignition switch and rolled a stainless cover for the lower part of the column to cover all the ugly stuff that a gm column has on it. Also built the swing pedal mount for the firewall mounted master cylinder.



Still on the scrap stainless kick, I welded studs into the front framework on bed so that I could mount a stainless panel without fasteners showing.

While on the stainless kick, I decided I could build the tailgate stays out of scrap stainless.

I used wood to mock up the size and action of the stays.







I used nylock nuts so that could adjust the straps where they wouldn't bind and wouldn't come loose.

A couple hours with 4 1/2" grinder, cut-off disc, drilled holes, buffing and a few stainless nuts and bolts.

This is the first time I've seen your build, it looks really nice [cl
I did a 56 similar to yours so it's fun to walk down memory lane. Hope you keep on keeping on and share pix of whats happening

I've got lots of photos to post, unfortunately when photobucket upgraded to the new and not so improved site, all my photos got totally scrambled. It's taking some time to try and sort through them. I really wish photobucket had left their site alone. It was so much better before they "fixed" it.

More to come as I sort it out.

Drew

Sweet looking old ford.
Nice work!

Spent some time welding up a bunch of holes in the firewall and decided to knock down the suspension and sandblast the frame.



Frame painted and firewall smoothed. Started assembling supension with new components.







While I was sandblasting the frame, I cut the cab corners out and blasted the rust inside.

Excellent workmanship. Great to see you back posting on here.
I like the use of the seat belt buckles as tailgate latches as well.
Any pics of the top chop being done??? Keep on posting.
Torchie. [P [P [P

You do beautiful sork. Sure glad you are back posting pics.

Torchie said:

Excellent workmanship. Great to see you back posting on here.
I like the use of the seat belt buckles as tailgate latches as well.
Any pics of the top chop being done??? Keep on posting.
Torchie. [P [P [P

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Unfortunately, I chopped the top back at a time when there was no thought of sharing your build with the rest of the hot rod world on this thing called the internet and there were very few pictures made when I did it. This shot was found recently in a pile of old photos that were stashed and forgotten.

bob w said:

You do beautiful sork. Sure glad you are back posting pics.

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Thanks, I went through a period where I spent less time on the computer and more time on things going on in life.

Drew

I have been mia on here as well, I'm just catching up. I don't remember seeing this before - great build. Looks like you are very close to getting to drive it.

I will be borrowing some ideas for my 38 project from this great work. Very impressive.

DJ3100 said:

I have been mia on here as well, I'm just catching up. I don't remember seeing this before - great build. Looks like you are very close to getting to drive it.

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Been watching your build and that should be a really great combination that you've put together. I really like the LS motors and the power potential that they have.

Skip said:

I will be borrowing some ideas for my 38 project from this great work. Very impressive.

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Thanks, I'm always looking at build threads for new ideas to use.

Moving along.........Someone suggested that I put a receiver hitch behind the license plate area of the roll pan. At that time I had installed a Maverick gas tank and there was not going to be any way to put the hitch in that location. I later changed my mind on the type tank to use and went with a 69 Mustang tank and it gave me enough room to install a receiver hitch in the plate area.









I've got a small trailer that will pull double duty as a motorcycle trailer and also as an engine test stand that will be used with this truck.

Drew

Good to see you posting again. Thanks for the update.

Bed wood

Since my build has always been on a budget, I'm always looking for a way to save a buck. Last year I had a tree flatten a barn that stood on my property. Since I try to make use of everything before I finally give up and trash it, I decided to take some of the barn wood and try planing it to see what it would look like.





Wood appeared to be white oak and for the most part looks good with a few rusty nail holes and knots. Wife claims the nail holes and knots add character so I proceed to fit the boards and make up the strips to separate the main boards.





My wife stained the divider strips a darker color.



Clear coated with left over urethane from another project.



Gas door with walnut flames, hinged with piano hinge and stainless button head bolts to hold the divider strips in place.





So I had minimal cost (stainless bolts) and my bed now has a floor.

Drew

Like the contrasting wood spacers. The stainless and wood beds are very usual, nice to see a different bed treatment.

Love that bed! The whole truck for that matter! [cl

The pickup bed woodwork, what an amazing result,
The hitch setup, the running boards are beautiful.