middlecalf
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- #761
I’m open to ideas.
Builds 1963 FJ45LP SWB Fixed Top "Sweet Simplicity" (14 Viewers)
- Thread starter middlecalf
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whitey45
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Do what your doing( shimming, spacing, cheating, or... put that frame on a frame machine and get her back to spec!
All I see is stalling and not driving.
Ouch! I'd take the frame to a frame shop, you will be upset with yourself if you try to band-aid it.
I tried for months to get the cheap fenders everyone sells to align and just ordered an expensive set of OEM after messing with the front alignment for a few months..
I tried for months to get the cheap fenders everyone sells to align and just ordered an expensive set of OEM after messing with the front alignment for a few months..
middlecalf
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- #765
Lol - there’s at least a couple other rigs that aren’t driving right now - stalling must be contagious.
Was curious if anyone had experience with this type - direction and magnitude - of frame bending or if I was missing something obvious in the reassembly. I haven’t experienced this before. This misalignment seems to be too much for typical dimensional tolerance issues, and the original assembly when I got it with the obnoxious shims points to a fubar’d frame.
I’d get the frame straightened but I’d have to go back to square one, which would be more opportunity for stalling criticism
. I’ll hack it together with minimal permanence as much as possible and get it dirty. You know, there’s also that beautiful paint job it’s got 
...
WRT frame straightening, how‘s a frame shop going to even know how much to straighten so the vertical height difference between the forward body mount and the bolt holes for mounting the fender are to spec? I’ve never seen those dimensions published and I can’t imagine a frame shop in Boise ID has those specs on a 57 yr old rig.
Was curious if anyone had experience with this type - direction and magnitude - of frame bending or if I was missing something obvious in the reassembly. I haven’t experienced this before. This misalignment seems to be too much for typical dimensional tolerance issues, and the original assembly when I got it with the obnoxious shims points to a fubar’d frame.
I’d get the frame straightened but I’d have to go back to square one, which would be more opportunity for stalling criticism
. I’ll hack it together with minimal permanence as much as possible and get it dirty. You know, there’s also that beautiful paint job it’s got ...WRT frame straightening, how‘s a frame shop going to even know how much to straighten so the vertical height difference between the forward body mount and the bolt holes for mounting the fender are to spec? I’ve never seen those dimensions published and I can’t imagine a frame shop in Boise ID has those specs on a 57 yr old rig.
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middlecalf
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- #766
I'll have some measurements tomorrow from my '65 40, and this rig for comparison. I'm under the assumption that they should be the same.
middlecalf
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- #767
Some scribbling but the 45’s fender mount appears to be about 1-1/4” to 1-1/2” lower relatively than my ‘40. So that accounts for most of the difference in cowl and apron/fender height.
And both rigs have driver‘s side lean
And both rigs have driver‘s side lean
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Mate I reckon this is one of those jobs that unless you fix it at this stage you'll hate the truck. Every time you look at it you'll lament the misaligned panels and the crooked frame. As tough as it is I reckon you pull the sheet metal and try straighten him up at home if you can. And if that don't work then git'er dun at a frame shop. Sorry mate, a bitter pill at this late stage. I'll be watching.
Have you thought about taking it to a body shop and have them straighten the frame? I would agree with Cult45, I would drop it to a pro at this point and pay a little to have it taken care of now rather than after driving and hating it.
but when you hate it and want to of load i can drive over from Logan and pick'er up..
but when you hate it and want to of load i can drive over from Logan and pick'er up..
47coeman
Love those 45's
I am 3rd in line with that recommendation. Once you have the frame in the shop I am sure they will have the specs. Upon return to home it will be straight and much easier to assemble and get your truck looking good. I had my frame I built from 2-55Have you thought about taking it to a body shop and have them straighten the frame? I would agree with Cult45, I would drop it to a pro at this point and pay a little to have it taken care of now rather than after driving and hating it.
but when you hate it and want to of load i can drive over from Logan and pick'er up..
Frames for my project so I could have a 120” WB. It has been so nice to set the body up square you will be sorry if you don’t. Here are some pics of what it looks like.
47coeman
Love those 45's
A couple more of the frame sandblasted and Metal preped and with body on moving forward.
middlecalf
SILVER Star
47coeman
Love those 45's
So I could get the body on the 55 fame I had to do a body lift about 1” so I will make a spacer to match the hinge. Once I get all the body parts aligned that will determine the thickness of the spacer. All body mounts had to be made and welded on so everything would come out right. If the frame was out it would of been much harder. Now with the frame streight, parallel, and level I know it will track straight
Michael B
SILVER Star
Paul you probably won’t have to strip the frame down to take it to the shop. They may prefer to have the sheet metal on the frame to better gage the issue and progress of their work.
I had the frame pulled on my 68’ Chevy after I was rear ended a few years ago. It had buckled in the middle on the drivers side closing the gap between the cab and bed on one side. I drove it there, he put it on the rack and leveled the frame out and I drove it home.
I had the frame pulled on my 68’ Chevy after I was rear ended a few years ago. It had buckled in the middle on the drivers side closing the gap between the cab and bed on one side. I drove it there, he put it on the rack and leveled the frame out and I drove it home.
middlecalf
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- #775
Wasn’t going to go with a skid plate as they’re another flat location for crude to accumulate. But what I drive through - chicory, dry wheat grasses, sagebrush, creek bottoms - reeks havoc on cables and fuel lines under the cab so I decided to hang a plate from @hyhpe to see how that protects things. Fits well. Don’t have one on my 40 due to SBC and clearance issues. Can’t believe all the wedged in crap that gets accumulated underneath without a plate.
middlecalf
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I appreciate all the responses. And your all right. But...
Compromise. That’s the mode I’m in. It would be nice to have everything skookum, but this rig is beyond skookum, and would take a high percentage of replacement to become skookum. I’ve had to stay focused on my goal of functional at a minimum, but it’s been really hard watching all the skookum builds going on. I kind of developed a secondary goal of making what I have work, like that offenhauser dual carb thing, with USA Carter carbs! It’s just me, I won‘t let something beat me if I can help it. Might not be skookum, but I won. And since I don’t have any intention of trying to sell this thing for $50k I’m not worried about resale. But I’m also not substituting cheapness for original - right now I have virtually no bondo or body fill anywhere, I’ve only overcoated all my welds with AllMetal to fill small voidsl then ground down to base metal. Wiring is either original or rebuilt, with a few “upgrades” to add safety - so far everything works. And there’s the paint. Kept original as much as possible - including both primers - but when new metal has been put in I’ve dual primed and painted and sanded to not look so new. When it starts to rust, I’ll deal with the rust as a topical thing, not a cancer thing.
I feel better.
So, here‘s where the front body stuff is: made a new taller lower bracket for the bib hinge, same design concept and added an additional piece under the bib to fill the extra ~1” gap due to frame issues; made new rear cab body mount brackets to account for the needed ~1” extra height for alignment with fenders and aprons; front cab mounts are standard shim height, and mid-cab mounts have about 1/8” shim from standard shim height; running boards fit with standard shim height; passenger side of hood has gap but it appears to be tweaked, will leave for now; new hood hinge pins made from McMaster Carr stuff; hood spear was rusted and flaking chrome, so I sanded it, filled some to smooth, more sand, then painted with chrome paint - all chrome paint sucks, so this can be further addressed later - or not.
Pics for those who don’t like words.
Compromise. That’s the mode I’m in. It would be nice to have everything skookum, but this rig is beyond skookum, and would take a high percentage of replacement to become skookum. I’ve had to stay focused on my goal of functional at a minimum, but it’s been really hard watching all the skookum builds going on. I kind of developed a secondary goal of making what I have work, like that offenhauser dual carb thing, with USA Carter carbs! It’s just me, I won‘t let something beat me if I can help it. Might not be skookum, but I won
. And since I don’t have any intention of trying to sell this thing for $50k I’m not worried about resale. But I’m also not substituting cheapness for original - right now I have virtually no bondo or body fill anywhere, I’ve only overcoated all my welds with AllMetal to fill small voidsl then ground down to base metal. Wiring is either original or rebuilt, with a few “upgrades” to add safety - so far everything works. And there’s the paint. Kept original as much as possible - including both primers - but when new metal has been put in I’ve dual primed and painted and sanded to not look so new. When it starts to rust, I’ll deal with the rust as a topical thing, not a cancer thing.I feel better.
So, here‘s where the front body stuff is: made a new taller lower bracket for the bib hinge, same design concept and added an additional piece under the bib to fill the extra ~1” gap due to frame issues; made new rear cab body mount brackets to account for the needed ~1” extra height for alignment with fenders and aprons; front cab mounts are standard shim height, and mid-cab mounts have about 1/8” shim from standard shim height; running boards fit with standard shim height; passenger side of hood has gap but it appears to be tweaked, will leave for now; new hood hinge pins made from McMaster Carr stuff; hood spear was rusted and flaking chrome, so I sanded it, filled some to smooth, more sand, then painted with chrome paint - all chrome paint sucks, so this can be further addressed later - or not.
Pics for those who don’t like words.
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middlecalf
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- #777
New rear cab mounts. I had removed and bolted back on the original ones when I repaired the frame web a million years ago, so it was easy to pop on these new and much beefier ones. Set height based on using the tall Daystar mounts for added idolation.
whitey45
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Very nice, I could live with that, go get it dirty and use it as intended!!
Krondor
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Looks good man! Keep on keeping on!
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That looks ace! I was under the impression it needed six inch blocks out back. Skookum, Rex!
