1948 Thriftmaster

[Burgerman]

Fine looking cab. Enjoying following along.
[P

 

[BillM]

Thanks everyone. I've been busy with planning and part searching. I was hoping to find the lower rad valance and the drivers inner fender, but so far no luck finding anything used. I spent a couple of hours on the inner fender this morning, couple more to go but I think it's going to look ok. Somebody had welded a heavy plate and bracket to it, so it took a bit of "massaging" to get it back to presentable. It has been welded and bolted, the bolts stretched the inner fender and broken it in several places. A little more work and hopefully it will look like the previous debacle wasn't even there.....

 

[Old Iron]

The inner fender is starting to come around to what you want.

 

[Torchie]

[cl
[P [P [P [P
Torchie

 

[joedoh]

nice pickin!

 

[BillM]

Progress...I haven't been back to the inner fender, but did take an interest in getting the axles, springs, shocks etc removed from the frame. I scribed the location of the existing wheels so I'll know where the new stuff goes when I get it. I'm a bit obsessed with wheel/wheel opening location so humour me! I've been playing with getting the dents in the front fenders bumped out, and spent a couple of hours fixing this little rotten spot, front bottom lip of the passenger front fender.

N.B. Having trouble uploading pictures? I'll try another avenue...

 

[BillM]

Pics for the last update...

 

[MercuryMac]

Magic Bill.

 

[Torchie]

Pics for the last update...

So you finally worked up the nerve to fire up the welder. [cl
Did it make your heart flutter.[ddd
Seriously. That patch looks great.[cl
And you are not the only obsessed with wheel/wheel openings. Keep in mind that most trucks have the rear wheel a bit forward in the opening so that when you load weight into the box and the springs compress the wheel moves back towards the center on the wheel opening.
[P [P
Torchie

 

[Burgerman]

Fine work Bill.
[P. [cl

 

[DozerII]

Like the rust was never there. [P[P

 

[BillM]

Thanks guys.

Torchie, this isn't my first weld since my upgrade. Just before Christmas I fabbed up 4 big sliding doors for a neighbor's barn we are fixing up. I made sure he was here with me when I struck the first arc....and didn't feel a thing. I'm still being looked at for the cause of my AV block. Doctor's think they know the reason now, but a couple more tests to go yet.

 

[Torchie]

Thanks guys.

Torchie, this isn't my first weld since my upgrade. Just before Christmas I fabbed up 4 big sliding doors for a neighbor's barn we are fixing up. I made sure he was here with me when I struck the first arc....and didn't feel a thing. I'm still being looked at for the cause of my AV block. Doctor's think they know the reason now, but a couple more tests to go yet.

Sneaky....[ddd
[ [ [
Good luck on the tests.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[BillM]

Dropped the frame down to ride height today. Started mocking up the rear end making sure that all my plans and measurements look good for when the suspension pieces are ready. I picked up a nice old 10 bolt, a narrow one out of a 66/67 Nova/Chevy II. I pulled the axles and driveshaft yoke - gave it a good look over, aside from replacing the seals in the morning it looks like brand new inside.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Good deal. The old 10 bolts are stout... from personal experience, it takes some serious abuse to break one! [cl

.

 

[BillM]

Back at the inner fenders. Tacked in these little repairs. I'll finish them off in the morning. A little paint on the under hood side, and a little stone guard on the wheel side and nobody will ever know.

 

[Torchie]

[cl[[
[P[P[P[P
Torchie

 

[DozerII]

Just like it was never damaged. [P[P

 

[Old Iron]

Heck yea [cl[cl[cl
[P[P[P

 

[BillM]

Patched up a couple of rotted spots in the floor today. I wanted to get these two buttoned up as I'm in for another test tomorrow, and have to take it easy for a day or two afterward. I picked up all the suspension pieces from WelderSeries yesterday, but my obsessive self won't let me start until I've double checked the wheel positions in the wheel openings....one more time! I'll mock the truck up again later this week (I hope) and confirm.