Restorable???

[Greg Coffin]

Hey, get a winch on that thing!!

The front end is looking great, I like the way the hammertone finish looks with the paint. Your fog lights are nice too. I want to put fog lights on my truck, but I'm concerned that the will get whacked mounted above or below the bumper. I've thought about mounting them IN the bumpers like in this photo, but I can't quite bring myself to cut the holes. Though a pair of vintage Perlux fog lights might push me over the edge!

[JReed]

Thanks Greg. Yeah, I know, I'm just waiting till a little further along to get around to the winch. I already jump around too much without it. I'll rebuild it and paint it up last... I'm still trying to figure out some sort of fairlead that will look good too. But yeah, it'll make the front end look complete.

Personally I like the look of non-integrated fogs, but like you said, they are more vulnerable.

[JReed]

Picked Bed Up

I picked up my bed from the painter yesterday and it looks a lot better than it did when I tried to pick it up the first time. He only charged me for a little bit of time, he was real understanding and took most of it on himself. Anyway, I got off work early and hauled it back from Fort Collins last night and started putting it together.

I'm not sure what the best way to put these beds together is. I have seen it done a few ways online. I think what I've run into the most is where the bed is assembled with the cross-members and then the whole thing set in place on the truck frame. I did it differently. I didn't have any help so it is a little tricky, but this is how I did it when I mocked up before paint too.

I set the outer two pieces of bed wood on the cross members, then I set the bed sides on (propping as needed) and put ratchet straps between to hold them up while I install the headboard. I also use the ratchet straps to chase the bow out of the bedsides (I bolt the front and rear of the bedside angle iron and then ratchet a bit each time I move inward to the next carriage bolt). My bedsides had a long bow to the fender side. After I get the headboard in I put the rear cross member in place. Then I hang the tailgate in place and get my clearances right between it and the bedsides ( I used cedar shims). With the tailgate still in place and shimmed I go back and tighten the rear cross member. Next I measured my diagonals and snugged the 6 bed mounting bolts.

Anyway, I haven't finished Installing the wood yet because I've got a few things I want to do underneath first.

[JReed]

Today I got my rear fenders put on and also installed the bumperettes, pintle hook, and rear lights. The fenders took a while because they didn't align easily with the bolt holes on the bed, plus I'm working alone. So trying to hold the things in place and run the bolts through and juggle my tools at the same time took longer than it should have.

I bought a jerry can and holder to install behind the passenger door on the bedside. There was still some visible warpage in the sheet metal where the spare tire carrier bolt holes had been filled so this was a good way to hide that. My tires are way to wide to keep the spare in the stock location. Wouldn't have looked good, so I filled the holes planning on having a clean bedside there instead. Anyway, the warpage didn't get entirely dealt with at paint, so I went this way.

[JReed]

I know someone will see it, so I'll say it here. The jerry can holder will be mounted on a hinged bracket so that I can lean it out to clear the bed rail when I load and unload it. It is a vertical loaded holder. I didn't find any side loaded holders that I liked. Anyway, it's not something that I hadn't noticed yet, ha. I will be able to get the jerry can out...

It will be mounted a few inches higher than it is in the picture above.

[Waspworks]

I am really enjoying watching this progress Joel.... PLEASE keep the pics and stories coming.

Doing a great job there mate.

Greg.

[JReed]

Need Some Help

So I went to install my steering gear last night and realized after I got it in there that it seems way too long. It is a nos steering gear that I bought from VPW. Mine was really worn out. Anyway, I went to install my shroud over the steering shaft and it looks like the shaft is about 3-1/2" too long. I'm not sure if my original steering gear and shroud were shortened at one time or if this new steering gear is wrong.

The steering gear I just installed extends 35" from the firewall to where the horn button would be. It looks like the original would have been about 31.5" from firewall to horn button. Anyway, I was hoping someone might pull a measurement for me on their truck and let me know what they get?

By the way, my steering gear is a Gemmer stamped B6030, which is correct for my truck. The length is throwing me off though, it definitely seems too long. The top of my steering wheel is almost half way up the windshield on level.

I'll leave a pic too. You can see where my original shroud isn't long enough to cover the new shaft.

[53Crusher]

Steering Shaft

Joel-

Not in a great position to give you the measurement you want, but try this. On my 53 the column measured from the bottom of the steering wheel ( start of the shaft ) to the top of the steering gear ( right below my rubber boot ) is 34 1/2". I would estimate it is 31" from where my firewall should be to the bottom of the steering wheel or end of the column. Hope this helps.....

[JReed]

Steering Gear

Thanks for the info Tim. I figured the problem out. When I called VPW yesterday to ask about the longer worm shaft on the steering gear, they acted like the original must have been cut short at some point because all the B6030 castings were the same. Anyway, maybe it was just that the guy I talked to didn't know, but the B6030 castings come in 2 lengths. One longer for the M601 and one shorter for the civilian PW's. The VPW catalog has a disclaimer just above that steering gear stating this. The catalog I ordered from didn't have the disclaimer, and whoever I ordered from didn't mention it.

Anyway, I don't feel like waiting to do a return and get the right length gear so I'm gonna cut and shorten mine. I already painted and oiled it up and I just want to get it on there.

I just opened up a custom wiring harness I ordered from VPW and realized that it's not a custom harness. All of the non-stock things they were to have added weren't on there (fogs, reverse light, heater, electric wipers, washer fluid pump, and some non-stock positions for switches and what not). They were on the invoice though. I waited 4 months for the harness and now I have to send it back, which is a bummer cause I was ready to get started on the wiring this weekend. I know this stuff is pretty simple, but I paid for it to get done and I don't want to just let it slide and do the extras on my own.

[JReed]

By the way Tim, how's your body coming along?

[53Crusher]

Body

Glad you figured it out Joel! I too have had many false starts with items I order from various places not being what they are supposed to be. Sigh....

I am really enjoying your thread and watching the progress. Wish I were as good at documenting my journey.

My body is going well thanks to you letting me use your old cab dolly! Everything was media blasted and body work is in progress. My reproduction bed is fully painted and looks great. Will start putting that back together soon. Based on my test fit of the bed before paint, I think I will assemble separately again and then put it on the frame. Fortunately for me, my step-son is doing the paint/body and he is willing to put in 8 hours of buffing on each bedside to create something that looks like a red mirror. I have high hopes of getting it all back together by fall. Ha Ha!

[Desoto61]

Pictures like that are both beautiful and frightening any more. The paint work looks stunning, yet I instantly get nervous about trying to assemble it without messing it up.

Good luck and share your tips!

[Desoto61]

I know this stuff is pretty simple, but I paid for it to get done and I don't want to just let it slide and do the extras on my own.

I've had a tough time with them on some of that stuff too. Half the time it's off, they have all these part numbers but when I try and use them they don't want them and then I still get the wrong or missing stuff. Nice people but they're no Amazon!

[Greg Coffin]

Joel, are you planning to cut the 3 1/2" from the middle of the steering shaft? The top taper/key/thread would be hard to duplicate otherwise. Also consider scribing a location line on the shaft so you can weld it together in the original orientation. It's one of those things I think of JUST AFTER I've cut off the part!! Let me know if you need an exact measurement for the length of the shaft, mine is out of the truck and easy to measure. It's from a 1957 FFPW, so it should be the same as what you want.

Tim, the bed panel looks amazing! Glad the dolly is working for you. Sadly, I'm in no rush for it. Maybe this fall...

[Greg Coffin]

Rear Bumperettes

I also meant to ask how you mounted the rear bumperettes? It's something I've wanted to do on my WM300, but I haven't spent the time to figure it out. Are they from an M37 or WC? I like being able to drop the tailgate all the way down when loading/unloading stuff. How bad will they hit the tailgate? The pintle hitch just barely touches the tailgate when it's down.