Started wrenching on my 51 f-1 today!

[Thunder1]

Another milestone met on the 51 f-1 today!

I'm glad to say that our 51 F-1 is finally ready for the transformation to begin. We worked on the cab for a few hours today and we finally got it stripped down to nothing but the shell. There really wasn't much left to do but we ran into a few minor snags that slowed us down a little. The stock gauges are history along with all the under dash wiring and various pull switches and knobs. Strange thing here - I don't see how this truck kept from ever catching on fire? There were plenty of wires rigged into the stock harness that just didn't belong there. I'm still confused as to why there were so many and what the reason must of been??? A fried harness was probably the reason this truck got scrapped when it did. It wasn't the engine. The flathead was in good shape. After snipping through that jungle of wires we took out the emergency brake lever, the badly dry rotted cardboard firewall insulation, the dash radio speaker, and the windshield wiper assembly. We had our share of a few frozen bolts that got in the way too. So what do you do when you don't have any power tools at hand? You spray on some WD40 and wait a little while and go back and start wrenching old school It feels great to be at least this far along. My boy and I only have the weekends to work on it and so after almost a month of tearing it down that part is done! I'm glad we had today to get on it. Next week we're gonna order the frame and take the cab to a friends rod shop where the rest of the build will happen. Things should start to move a bit faster after that. I'll keep you guys posted on the next phase and some pictures too.

Thunder1

 

[earthman]

excellent

 

[dmw56]

Can't wait to see your progress. I kind of feel like it's my build too. I'm excited for you and you son! Make sure to post lots of picture.

 

[Thunder1]

Thanks DMW! My biggest hope is that we can follow your example as close as we can. As well as this turns out I doubt we can achieve the cool factor that yours has but we plan to give it one heck of a try! I think you would be impressed with all the pictures, notes, and posts of yours, I've saved to help give us much needed guidance. One things for sure, there likely won't be another truck around here that will come close to this 51. We're lucky to have a few friends in the area with many years of experience building traditional hot rods and they are all anxious to help us out too. So maybe, with some help we can pull it off. I'm hopeful that we can.

Thanks again DMW!

Thunder

 

[Thunder1]

Confirmed some damage that has me worried!!!

I've thought that something just wasn't right with my 51 cab. I took a few measurements and discovered that the passenger door opening has been badly warped by a 8" wide and 1 1/2" deep dent in the rear of the cab at some point in its unknown past. I knew there was some damage when I bought it but I thought it was just the door itself. This damage is hard to describe but I'll do my best. The top and rear of the cab apparently was forced up slightly by the impact of whatever created the dent in the rear of the cab.
Now there's a gap about 1" wide between the top of the door and the cab. Also, the rear horizonal cab support that runs the width of the cab and is about level with the door latch was also pushed in and forced the door opening forward about 1/8 of an inch which is what I think created all the clearance problems. The door closes if you slam it but you can still see through into the cab over the door. This has me concerned for a couple of reasons. I first thought that the door just needed to be adjusted but it's more than just that.

I know its a rat rod but even so, when I go to chop it if it's not straightened up this damage is going to create havoc in trying to square everything back up. Also the passenger door had been hit and dented pretty bad just behind the lower hinge and warped the door more than I originally thought. Maybe a new door might be in order too? I guess pictures would do a much better job of showing the damage and explaining what I'm trying to say. Basically it looks as if the right rear portion of the cab has been pushed in and up from the back. Maybe just splice cutting and hammering out the obvious damage might fix it when I chop it? I'll take a few close up shots and get them posted tomorrow and then It might make more sense. I can't type anymore. I need some sleep.

Thanks!

Thunder1

 

[Bonehead]

Doesn't sound good, but it can probably be fixed. Chin up. Looking forward to the pictures.

 

[Thunder1]

Thanks for the encouragement Bonehead. The pictures will be posted a little later tonight.

Thunder1

 

[earthman]

Senior Member T1,
Knock the dents back out, hook a come along from cab to tree and crank .
Repeat as necessary . It's a rat, get it good enough to roll and enjoy, perfection comes when you get around to it right? Don't worry about it.

 

[dmw56]

OK, Pat, where are the pictures?! I don't remmber how the floor is in you cab, but if you are going to channel it it shouldn't be to hard to staighten that mess out.

Like Earthman said pop those dents out and see how it is. If things still aren't right cut the floor across between the doors and then try moving things around until it's close and you can open and close the doors. Because once you cut the floor it will move every which direction. Tack in braces as you go and then when its close go ahead and add a bunch of diagonal and cross braces in it to hold everything together until you replace the floor and chop the top.

 

[Thunder1]

Thanks Earthman & DMW,

You know, I was just thinking the same thing about the come along not five minutes ago before I read your post earthman! ESP or something I guess??? I think your on to something there. Also about not worrying too much about it. I just hope the chop works or it'll wind up a convertable rat rod truck. Something I really don't want!
I'm still going to post the pics DMW. Thanks for the great advise. I just braved huge hoards of 1 lb. Tennessee mosquito's to go take these pictures so I'm gonna post them in a few minutes.

AGHHHH!! my legs are itching something fierce! Scratch, Scratch, - Scratch, Scratch, - Itch, Itch!!

Thanks again - both of you!

Thunder1

 

[earthman]

And check Youngbloods build pix. He did everything wrong on the chop and look how awesome it is coming out.

 

[Thunder1]

Thanks, I will!

Thunder

 

[Coffinmaker]

Im waiting....

Tapping fingers on desk......do be do be do.....WHERE and the hell are those pics..??? MAN that guy is S L O W....( looks in mailbox..) NOPE..nuttin.Think I will send him some porn to get him motivated.... Maybe he needs a camera..?? I have been studying a few builds on here...OK...ALRIGHT...back to Evilbay...I think I have a cab to buy..or at least bid on then figure out how and the hell to get it home.
PAT.....PICS..!!!!!!!!!!! Someone wake him up...!!

 

[earthman]

Pat is at the drugstore getting a bottle of calamine lotion

 

[Thunder1]

Ok, Wiseguys, Here are the pictures!!

Between scratching and trying to get through the upload I did it!

The first picture shows the dent in the flat surface of the cab just behind the tank filler hole.
The second one shows the damage to the cab support that created the problem I think. You can see how it pushed the door latch area forward some.
The third is the damage to the door that was also possibly caused by the rear impact.
Number four is the apparent gap between the door and cab that was raised up from the dent in the back of the cab.
Five is the dent again.

I think all the advise I've recieved on this will fix the problem. Thanks to all of you who offered it up.

Thunder1

 

[earthman]

My rear body mounts are (were) behind this. i have no experience.
What me worry?

 

[Thunder1]

That hole is UGLY earthman! I can relate to "no experience" and rust like that too. Both sides of my cowl and the back of my cab are just like that. I'm guessing you have plans for a new floor and body mount right? I guess all we can do is - do the best we can with what we have and just make it work. That's the philosophy right?

Thunder1

 

[Bonehead]

Pictures don't look that bad, I thought you were going to show us some nasty train wreck pics. Just get to work on it. A couple of those will just knock out from the inside.

 

[YoungBlood]

Oh dude, those are the best dents you can have. I had a few like that, here's what I did:

1. Crawl inside Cab
2. Aim foot in direction of inward dent
3. Use foot to push out dent (brace your back against the dash, etc. if you have to, your leg and back strength will easily push the cab into the shape you want it and your will have more control on how far you want it to go out -- as a matter of fact, stick your 16 year old son's young keester in there to do it for you!)
4. Repeat until dents are gone

Good luck man! I am glad to see that you have a father son project going on. My uncle and I have the same thing happening. Except he doesn't give good advice on chopping tops and I have to bail myself out
-YB

 

[Thunder1]

Thanks Bonehead & YoungBlood,

The pictures really don't capture the distortion of the cab very well. I know it doesn't look that serious in the pictures but there's more than just a dent in the cab. However, maybe by knocking the dent back out and banging the cab support back to where it belongs, that will bring the right side of the roof back down to where it ought to be. Or maybe not? No matter, - whatever it takes to square it up again I'm prepared to tackle. It might look like it's had more than just a simple chop when I'm done (more like major reconstructive surgery) but that's fine too.

Thanks again,

Thunder1