1941 1/2 ton project Hannah

[joedoh]

she has as much fun as I do in these. a fun fact is I let all the girls try them out, wife, daughter, grandma. you would be amazed at how accurate their squawks are.

 

[Old Iron]

I was going to tell you how nice your nails looked, then i saw that you wife was in the drivers seat Truck is looking great.[cl

Oh man, you didn't let her know she could reach the pedals did ya???[ddd

I was thinking the same things [ddd

 

[joedoh]

haha shes the better half of my marriage that is FOR SURE>


got the floor lined out and some of it actually bolted in. I had to be careful of the fuel lines but a little precision sledgehammering (isnt that a bit like saying bulldozer gardening?) and it gave me the 1/4" and the inch buffer I was looking for.

you know how great that shifter hole worked out? the factory S10 foam around the shift tower fits! go figure!

IMG_8358-1 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

and another shot with the gas pedal hooked up to the TBI, with just enough room under it for the jute and the carpet! woop woop!

IMG_8360 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

here is the shot that was missing yesterday, musta missed a dot comma. today you can see the core support rods are installed and tight though

IMG_8362 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I used a highly scientific method of determining if the cab was square on the chassis and then to see if the support rods were centered.

IMG_8359 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


more hammering got the windshield hinges loose, I have been soaking them for a couple weeks now.

IMG_8363 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

here is another ironic problem. I only had 14 ET bulge seat lug nuts on the shelf, I like using the ET for the extra thread length when bolting on spacers. I have the 2.5 spacers here now and the 1" for the front will be here in the morning, so I ordered some more ET nuts so they would all be here at the same time. but with a plan for installing the artillery wheels tomorrow (I need to get the current wheelset on that 03 I just got, its tires are terrible swimmers and cant hold their breath very long) I thought I would put the 2.5 rear spacers on tonight.

IMG_8364 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

welp. crud. part of me wants to drill out the holes so the ET set fits, but I also have some tall thread open nuts and the other part of me says people install these all the time without ET nuts. I guess I will decide in the morning.

on another note, its been almost 2 months since our 21 year old cat wandered off presumably into the sunset but more likely into a foxes maw. we said we would wait a while to get another cat but our good friends momma cat had another litter and there is a pair that stick together, a slinky black one with serious claws and an orange tabby just like our old guy. we visited a couple times to gauge the temperament, and it will be a few weeks before they could go anywhere anyway, but I think my wife made up her mind.

IMG_7582 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

thats the old cat tree from the last kitten we had, my daughters cat that moved when she did.

 

[Burgerman]

Scientific Method

I like how you centered the cab. Been thinking about how I'm gonna center mine [S
Your pedals look like a factory install. Well done. The stock shifter boot is a nice touch.

 

[joedoh]

thanks man, a lot of work in those pedals so looking factory is a real compliment!


finished up the floor panels today, patched the holes and gave a coat of undercoat. I want these to be removable because its a standard trans and if it ever needs a clutch it can be done from the top.

IMG_8411 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8414 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

while I was in there I took care of something else that was bugging me, I had measured from the front cab mounts to the frame and it was a perfect 4", but the drivers side looked a bit low when standing in front. I had already taken care of the s10 lean, so with the floor out and able to measure to the floor from the front window corners, I instead found the drivers side was indeed low 1/4". since the "hay was in the barn", the mounts burned in and done, I made a simple spacer of two pieces of 1/8th using my circle guides, and it was done. installed it and measured again, but the measurement wasnt as satisfying as standing in front and seeing the cab level finally. these things were hand built after all, some variation to be expected.

IMG_8416 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8417 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


painted the air cleaner

IMG_8421 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

finished welding everything I could reach on the bed and flipped it over.

IMG_8423 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8420 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

those little clamps from cardboard freight worked perfectly.


I did more, but of little consequence, moving battery cables and painting the bare steel parts under the hood, finished the rad mount. I will show more tomorrow.

 

[joedoh]

I thought I took more pictures today but I didnt. I got everything tucked and taped and out of the way for the front end install, brake lines clipped and even found some bare wires that had been rubbing and fixed them. The negative battery cable did not reach the battery box but I just pulled the bolt and star washer from where it mounted the cable low on the block and moved it up to an empty hole in the head. waste not want not!

IMG_8425 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


then I fixed the rusted portions of the cab that would be under the fenders and would let water pour into the interior if left unfixed. nothing fancy, just some sheetmetal and screws that tie the repair to the strength of the body mount area. finished up with a liberal coat of some undercoating to seal inside and out. then came time to put the front end on.

IMG_8433 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8436 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8434 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


I know it looks like tons of room for a mechanical fan, but it would have cut the lower rad hose in half so I am using an electric.

IMG_8435 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I ordered an upper rad hose doohickey that lets me install a temp probe after seeing guys talking about on on the main forum. I was down to make my own but I didnt have any stainless, didnt have any way to swedge the ends, and dont have any stainless wire for the welder anyway. it as 9 bucks, comes tapped for a 1/8NPT, I hope the project gods will forgive me not making one of my own.


I hoped to have the front clip DONE today but it will have to take an extra day because I didnt clearance for the steering box when I was bumping the air director with my 5lb persuader. so the front has to come off briefly again in the morning.

 

[joedoh]

I got the front end off this morning and tapped around on the air director. I didnt want to cut it up like I did on fenix so I mounted the cab 1" higher and used a mallet to reshape the area without cutting it.

IMG_8456 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

after doing that, the front end almost fell into the right position. no issues at all, everything lined up perfectly.
IMG_8455-1 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8453-1 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8454-1 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

yes I need to drill out the broken bolts, not a priority yet. the front clip is lined up left to right correctly, and the drivers side headlight is 3/8" higher than the passenger side, wonder what that is from? oh right, the cab spacer haha.

IMG_8457 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

pardon my vice grip mount for the core support, and the electrical tape rad mount. just trial fitting. worked out great.

IMG_8458 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8459 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8460 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8461 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


remember that I have a complete grille to replace this one, although I am partial to the look of this one and maybe I will just put it back together, I have the spare parts needed.

more to come! eating a late lunch.

 

[forbigpicture]

Getting close.....[cl[cl[cl

[P[P

 

[sgtpontiac]

Nice build...

This baby is coming along very nicely... [cl

 

[Burgerman]

My vote

That grill has character. A ding or two, some rust, no problem [cl

 

[Old Iron]

Coming along nicely [cl[P[P[P
One of my hillbilly cousins has the same tooth missing [ddd

 

[kenny c]

Just looking through the last couple pages and saw the floor. It brought back a memory of being 7 years old and hooking up jumper cables to our 46 while my dad sat in the drivers seat and held the floor up. I had no sooner turned away when I heard the loudest bang . Dad either dropped the floor on the cables or they sparked when he stepped on the starter button. The battery was no more and Dad's pants turned into shorts the next time mom washed them. Dad made a new battery box and I made a new floor out of plywood.

 

[Torchie]

Looking Great.[cl [cl
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[smallfoot]

"Dad's pants turned into shorts the next time mom washed them."

[ddd[cl

 

[joedoh]

haha thats hilarious kenny!

so I was working the front clip and with it almost done I realized the return hose for the steering box had a kink in the rubber line from how it sits on the core support. I needed about 45 degrees on it but its FRIDAY after 4 and hyspeco wont be open till monday, and ordering a fitting has the same problem. nothing ventured nothing gained, since it was a return fitting and was a good inch longer than it needed to be, I used a hacksaw to cut a pie piece and the MIG to zap it back. I blew through it with one end plugged and it doesnt leak.

buoyed by this, I finished up the core mounts, got them drilled and ready to bolt in. I used an old trick to hold them in place, with a pilot hole and a 3/4 pan screw, and the front end is rock solid now, and level.


but there is no joy in mudville, my long awaited spacers showed up... with a warning in the box that they would not fit a 2wd s10 front hub. more stuff to hang on the wall I guess.

 

[earthman]

.............[P

 

[joedoh]

front clip is mounted permanently, once I got the bolts in it was great.

bled the brakes. old cardboard freight bleeder still kicking it.

IMG_8725 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


I want the filler to be easier than it has been, normally I tuck it right up against the bed side but without some kind of slip fitting its really hard to install especially when the fenders and running boards are installed. I decided I would make an oblong hole in the bed side and let it poke through naturally, easy enough to get in the right spot on the bed side and seal it with a grommet. I eyeballed it and cut and welded it... before I noticed the bed floor had shifted probably when I was bleeding the brakes. well, I already knew how to do it the first time right?

pretty, but two inches too long
IMG_8723 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

IMG_8724 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

mucho bueno

IMG_8726 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


incidentally, I thought I would show how I kept the gas fumes away from my exuberant grinding and welding. I stuffed paper towels in the tank tube and then thought, sheesh thats not very safe either, I just made a fuse. so the paper towels sealed the fumes and the shifter boot protected the towels.

IMG_8722 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I ordered the correct front spacers but need the truck on the ground, so tomorrow I will mount the running boards and the bed. I am alomost out of welding gas though, so maybe a field trip.

 

[Torchie]

I think that's how the "Molotov cocktail" was born. [ddd
Looking good. [cl [cl
Torchie

 

[Burgerman]

Grinding sparks

So easy to have a problem. Glad you're being careful.

 

[joedoh]

man I am so overly cautious about stuff. my buddy nic welds in flip flops!

now comes the times when I need more hands. without any forethought at all, I had all daughters. not only do they abhor giving any help on rusty trucks but they also stopped bringing their boyfriends around because they disappear into the garage with me at the first ring of a hammer on steel, like catholics to a church bell, slavering to grind and weld and just talk shop. sometimes the boyfriends still come around as just regular guys, one guy I consider a true son-in-law makes the 60 mile trek to help when he can, without any promise beyond a hot sandwich and a cold pop. I am almost a complete teetotaler lately, a man can have only so many vices and I already have a wife and a truck.

so I do the running boards and bed installs with my adopted sons (floor jacks). everything lined up really well but 77 years had taken their toll on the running board mounts.

IMG_8729 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8730 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8732 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8733 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


those holes are where the mounts you cant see are. I whipped up some 1x2 mounts and tacked the bolts in the right spot.

54327441893__4B93E526-95F8-4F60-BDE8-28F8B4C58861 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

then it was a simple matter of trimming the factory running board mounts (that I thoughtfully chopped off the old frame) and welding them to the frame. I had to make sure to get the bed aprons in the right spot and level, on the last truck I put the bed on first and it was a nightmare trying to get the running boards to line up with the cab and the bed. this should be easier. at the current depth I will only lose a 1/2 inch out of the bed depth

IMG_8736 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I got the drivers side done and bolted. I took a break between sides and drilled out the bulb holders on the clearance lights. The s10 harness has a 10w slave corner light bulb that only lights when the parking lights are on and flashes opposite the turn signal bulb, I figure that will be just the right look on the roof.

IMG_8516 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

on the last truck 2" spacers were too much on the front, but I found the set I had on the shelf and tried em out, knowing the wheels had different backspacing and the tires were a tiny bit narrower (215 instead of 225). whaddaya know, they fit. you can see I jacked the wheel up to check the clearance.

IMG_8739 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8740 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8741 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

its spring break so my youngest is home all week but I am still managing to get things done in fits and spurts between chasing her around the house like a dinosaur and backyard swing sessions. I have been considering my next project and I think I will go boring with just a 49 GMC 100 shortbed and save the neat new idea I have been hinting about for the fall build schedule.