Started on another 58 today

[Ron in Indiana]

This is the Crispy Critter truck I'm working on. This was after the fire where it was sitting when the pole barn burned down. The cab is gone but I hope to use the front clip on another truck. I have a good front clip and cab for replacements from a 58 D700. The barn has been replaced with a longer one and it is now full of "stuff".

[Ron in Indiana]

I worked on the truck today by getting the bed floor removed. I had to cut the bolts off under the bed with a torch because of the bad wood and rusted bolts. The original floor wasn't as bad as some except for a 2'x2' piece of plywood at the rear corner. The bad part was the piece of diamond plate on top of the wood floor. They welded a 1/2" angle iron to the bed sides to hold the plate down. This meant I had to grind off the weld to remove the angle. Then the really bad part showed up, the bed angles have to be replaced. I did that on my 59 and a FFPW bed by drilling out the spot welds, all 90 of them. Not my favorite job of replacing the angles but it has to be done. Good thing Mar-K has a sale on right now with a 10% discount. So is anyone else getting anything done on their projects?

[KevinM]

That brings back fond memories.....had the same situation in my 58 FFPW, had the heavy steel plate welded over the old floor.....went thru alot of grinder discs on that one......and as for removing all those angle strip spot welds.....they ought to replace waterboarding with THAT task at Gauntanamo....those prisoners will start singing like canarys!

[Ron in Indiana]

Fond memories??? I don't know that I'd call them fond LOL. The angle iron wasn't to bad to remove with my 4 1/2" DeWalt angle grinder with a cut off disc. The trick is finding the spot welds on the outside. It's hard enough grinding the paint of to find them but with the burnt off paint from the welding it's harder to see them. Actually it's going to be better this way as I can grind off the rest of the weld easier before I weld on the new angles. The other pain is the continuous welding of the plate across the top of the the rear valance. That's going to take a bit of doing AND the welded the center hinge too. So I'm making up my order to Mar-K. Kevin did you replace any fender bolts and if so where did you get them? Mar-K has the original style for $130 per 22 bolts or their style for $55 which uses a counter sunk washer. I tried to save as many as I could on the right fender but now I have to remove the other one as well to do the angle strips. $5.90 a bolt, nut and washer seems a bit $$$. I do have the new solid spot weld drill bit that works much better than the toothed cutter type so I hope it'll go faster this time.

[KevinM]

Ron, Go to McMaster-Carr's website....5/16-18x1/2" low profile phillips truss head w/ fender washers is a cheaper alternative than you know who, available in SS.
I used acorn nuts and washers on the inside of the fender. Kevin

[Clint Dixon]

Good one Ron!

....Kids, you buy'em books, you buy'em books and all they do is smoke the pages....

Give them enough rope to hang themselves, and they'll smoke that too!

;^)

[Ron in Indiana]

Progress report, I got the bed knocked down the other day and took it in to be sandblasted yesterday. I picked it up and started to sand it last night. They only use Black Beauty sand and although it cleans deep it also leaves a textured surface. It's just a matter of going over it which finds the highs and lows. I'll be cleaning the parts today so I can prime them this afternoon. I got the sides, headboard, rear valance and the left fender blasted for $80 which was well worth the price. The tailgate is going to take a lot of work and I have a better one so I'll save time by using it. Well I better get to it.

[mikeystoy]

I've noticed that most of these PG's fenders only come down to the lower edge of the door. Mine extend 6" below the edge.
I've been told this was a snowplow package?

[Ron in Indiana]

Well I've never heard that one. Most fenders were trimmed off by the owners because they hung down and got bent. The ones I've been working on have been trimmed and the edge rolled up a bit. I've got others that still have the fender the original length and never had a plow. Nice looking truck under that mud.

[Jeff in N.Tx.]

Are you still trying to trade or sell that truck?
Jeff

[mikeystoy]

welllll.....
My friend, whom owns a scrapyard, has had a '63 W200 crewcab longbed ex navy truck for 30 years. People have been asking what he wants for it and he never tells them. He has the $300 '68 D300 I'm buying. He told me I could have the W200 for $500!!!!
Guess I'm gonna have to buy it.......