1952 Dodge B3b 1/2 Ton, Cummins Diesel

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Problem with using silicone is that automotive paints do not stick to silicone, and it also causes other issues with paint adhesion if it gets anywhere you want a top coat of paint...

I will seal mine with the automotive stuff so i can paint over it.

-Chris
 
Finally a little time to work on the truck

Hey Guys,

Not to much of an update, life has been getting in the way of being able to work on the truck. I have started tackling repairs on the cab, it was hiding some ugly spots under bondo and sheet metal patches the previous owner tried putting on.

The plan is to first fix the sides of the cab near the firewall (driver and passenger). I will also need to rehab the drivers side door jamb. The portion that the lower door hinge bolts into is barely hanging on by a thread. After that i'll work on the floor pans, firewall, and trans tunnel.

So i had a couple hours after work today to start removing some of the patches on the drivers side and see what im really up against.

Pic 1 - Ugly looking patch that was barely welded on.... needs to go.

Pics 2&3 - Thats what was hiding behind the patch, rusted out metal.

Pic 4 - Outside view of the drivers side corner. Doesnt look horrible from the outside but we now know the secrets it hides on the inside.

Pic 5 - Outside view of drivers side lower door hinge mounting location.

Pic 6&7 - Inside of the door jam, the metal back there is looking pretty thin.

The plan is to first cut out the drivers side corner (Pic 4), not all of it will be coming out just the most damaged part. Then ill be able to reach in and rebuild the inside of the door jamb a lot easier. This will provide a sturdy place for the lower hinge to bolt to. Then ill re make the outer corner of the cab and have nice fresh metal. [;)

Hopefully ill be able to get something done on this during the weekend.

Thanks for looking,

-Chris
 

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Hey Guys,

Life has gotten in the way lately of working on the truck. Fortunately i was able to accomplish a little bit today. My brother and i removed the cab from the truck and laid it on its back. That will allow me to do work on the bottom of the floor and replace the door jamb on the drivers side. I was able to fill one of the holes in the floor, its underneath where the bench seat goes. The patch came out alright. [;)

A few of the attached pics show other problem areas that i need to fix. The floor area where the driver and passenger put their feet needs to be replaced. As of right now it "oil cans" and has a few small rust through holes. The bottom of the cab at the rear also needs some help. The previous owner did some patch work and then filled the rest with body filler to make the contour of the back of the cab. Im sure ill discover some other stuff that needs help.

The last pic is of a Jack Daniels (my favorite :D) bottle holder that i made for my friends '71 Chevy rat truck. It will be used as a coolant overflow tank for the radiator. Its still not finished. Im going to use a small leather belt to hold the bottle in place and glue some rubber to the up right piece and bottom tray area. That'll prevent the bottle from clanging around and potentially breaking.

Thanks for lookin',

-Chris
 

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Nothing worse than having to fix some one else's cobbled up stuff. Nice looking bottle holder.:D
We all understand about life getting in the way. Keep at it.
Torchie.
 
Thanks guys. Yea a little progress is better than none, keeps me motivated.

Thats so true Torchie, fixing someone elses mistakes can be a nightmare. I never noticed this stuff when i bought the truck. Oh well, its a good learning experience. Also thanks on the bottle holder compliments. I'll post up some pics when its in my buddies truck.

-Chris
 
I was able to make a little progress this weekend. I patched the hole in the floor that once was for the gas tank filler neck (Pics 1,2,3).

Next on the plate was the drivers side door jamb that was pretty well torn up and horribly "repaired" by the previous owner. I welded in a brace across the door opening prior to cutting the jamb out to make sure things stay put (Pic 4). Then chopped out the jamb and took some close up pics of its ugliness (Pics 5,6). I also made a paper template of the new jamb, it has a slight taper to it as it approaches the floor. The template is a little short but you get the idea (Pics 7,8). The last couple pics just show that general area and whats there. You can see a piece of the jamb that's still there. Its welded to the floor, i'll have to remove it at some point.

Thanks for looking,

-Chris
 

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I got a new toy for the 4bt. I picked up a HX30W turbo from a guy on the diesel swaps forum. Supposedly it only has 15,000 miles on it and was brand new when he got it. This one will work a bit better than the baby H1C thats on there now. It'll help once i turn the motor up a bit. I've heard good things about them, so im hoping for the best.

-Chris
 

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