Well. A new update. It is November and I want to get the 56 Chev front end sorted out.  The car has about 62,000 miles on it or about 100,000 KM.

Not a great number considering it,s age.

I have been a member of the Classic Chev club for about 35 years so bought a kit from them. I have always wanted to put a sway bar on it so got a front and rear kit to install.

Years ago I saw an original sway bar installed and liked the GM  lower  mount bracket so plan on making a copy of it instead of the bracket which comes in the kit, I Think it is rather cheap and a poor fit. When I get it made and installed I will publish it so others can see the difference!

I also want to paint the engine again and clean up the area so it looks more original.

All for now

Block sanding

Finished blocking and the last coat of high build. I put some red on the front where it meets the cab. and under the fenders as I will now start mounting the fenders and fitting them.

Managed to get this done and then the weather turned,Lucky!

So I went to Costco and bought my new spray booth, sanding shop,$200. I can put it up in a couple of hours and will take it down  at the end of Oct when it cools down a bit. meantime we have some 70 F days so good for putting on the high build. I started with a Wash primer then my high build.Also did a couple of extra rear 27T fenders as a winter project. I only built the shelter 2/3 s the normal length as that is all I need right now. I have two fans blowing air so it works OK,also have an air supply for me.
Having the box off is good as I can now finish off the gas tank plumbing and electrics.
If I keep going  the booth will go back up in April and I can hopefully be ready to spray the truck.

Finally finished the front sheet metal fitting. Just turned it around and will remove the box and prime it so I can start doing the blocking before It goes back on. Also I want to finish off the gas tank filler pipe up to the left fender gas filler door.
I do not like the five horizontal grill bars and if the Merc grill comes together then will use it. failing that I will get rid of the short top bar and reposition the remaining four so that they are equal in the grill opening,meaning the bottom stays and the next three get moved up a bit each.
Just recieved my bearclaw latches from Terry in New Mexico,great quality and price,also picked up a wireing harness on sale it is a Keep it Clean 15 fuse 23 circuit kit. So no excuses for sitting around this fall.
Back to work

Front bumper fit

Well  Have just fit the front bumper after a lot of cutting and chopping.
I recurved the ends and the center,next it can come off and be welded and reinforced on the back.

I like the look and fit around the outer ends.

After that is done I will turn the truck around take off the box and Vinyl wash prime and then some high build also do the Model T fenders,  all in September which is a good temp here for jobs like that.

Front sheet metal

Today I am fitting the front fenders. I have good steel and sandblasted them  and primed and epoxyed the under side so  all goes well.
As you can see on the top photo the curve is off so I will modify the bend to conform with the fender curve. It will look a lot better if I tuck the bumper in another two inches closer to the fenders.
My plan is to have the truck a red colour slightly flattened,the grill back section will be cream and the bumpers will also be cream. I think if I can find a pin stripper do do some lines it would also be cream.
This is a slow project as I have so many other things on the go but it is low buck as I do everything myself. That is until I pester Nick and use his lathe and 50 ton press which is a must for some of these items.
Am working on getting a Canadian Mercury truck grill, they are four bars instead of five. That means I will not be able to use the original park-turn lights. But am sure I can come up with someting that will look good and work well. The stainless bar covers on the Merc have a neat groove or step in them and a paint highlite. All the ones I have seen use a red highlite.
Bye for now.
27TV8

Old Boys Young Boys

Took my oldest grandson for a ride in the Hot Rod last month. I put a booster seat in and we belted him up and went for a slow drive. He just loves it,hopefully he will be come a convert to the dark side and like Hot Rods like his grandfather

Metal fenders for the Touring

Well I am moving off the truck for awhile. We took the T Touring out for a drive in the spring and parked and went to look at some vintage cars. A Conehead came along and felt the fenders and as We have two metal and two glass fenders he commented about fiberglass junk! Pissed me off and as I had four very nice metal fenders two which are NOS I decided to finish them and paint them. I will install in November when we stop driving the car. I really should thank the Vintage car guy for getting me going and getting the metal fenders on the car. Thank You Cone Head!
 asked him where his car was. Oh It,s at home! Sure pal!.
Must remember "it takes no talent to be critical!"
So Much for my rant! Now back to work.
27TV8

The front 49 Plymouth Bumper

So  turned the truck around and will start hanging sheet metal and then fit the front bumper. here is a photo of it. I really like the licence plate piece that Wally added for his Merc. I have an extra 14 inches of old Plymouth bumper so if I need to make the front a bit wider can do it. Ignore the Jaguar salt shaker wheels! I have steel wheels with 53 Cad hubcaps and also a set of Halibrand five oval  kidney beans so it should look good!

Movin along slow but sure

Well Things are moving along! I got a front and rear 49 Plymouth bumper from Wally who had them for about 40 years and modified them for his 50 Merc. The front one was curved for the merc front end . I am using it on the rear so flattened it and shortened it 3 inches, here it is.
One thing I like is now the Jeep Comanche gas tank is hidden,It will fill from the left fender,I have a 47 ford passenger  gas filler door so it should look good. Also I am using 41 ford tail lights. Mounted vertically like on a 49 panel truck.

Sand box with seats for the grand kids.

Took a week of from the truck box and made a sandbox for my two grand kids.
Two little boys in Victoria. This is neat,My wife was in Denmark visiting her sisters for a couple of weeks and her brother inlaw had bought a kit and assembled it in the backyard for his grand kids.
She took a photo of it and I spent a day deciphering the picture then made one  myself.
Very clever those Danes and their Danish design.

Next week we will take it to Victoria and position it in the backyard and fill it full of sand.

It is made of 2x12 ,1x6 and some 4x4 and carrage bolts.

Trial fit for rear fenders

Bolted on the left rear fender to see how it looks. WOW! the Jag rear is sure narrow! I am using a set of Original Jag salt shakers,the ones that have all the small round holes that look like table salt shakers.
I have a Friend that has  a set of original Jag steel wheels that would look good and I can use my early 50,s Cadillac hubcaps,It would look fine except that the wheels are set in quite a bit. Looks more like stock wheel position.
At least I have room for after market wheels and I have a set of  Halibrand Speedways that I got years ago and the rears are wide so this will work,good summer wheels. I do plan on using this truck as a driver all year. Very little snow where I live  just a couple of times a year and it goes in a few days. Those days it can sit in the garage.
Once I get all this so it fits I will finish assembly of the box and it can go on for good. I will paint the truck with the box on,fenders off.
Thats it for now.

Box repairs and Gas tank

Been awhile since my last post. I have the gas tank mounted and need to finish off the lines,It is a Jeep Comanche tank and the filler will be at the left fender with a 47 Ford car filler door. I managed to locate a new fuel sending unit and fuel pickup it is all one piece.
The box was rusty so cut out pieces and welded in 16 ga metal,now will fasten the sub rails. Am using structural adhesive and the original rivits so it should be strong. Problem right now is finding a blue print of the crossmember and subrail locations,anyone know about that?
Now back to the garage.