Skreddy
SILVER Star
“P.S. in some of these photos you can see my chopper project taking shape in the background too.”
Mmmmmm. Kickstart shovelheads…..
Mmmmmm. Kickstart shovelheads…..
'71 40 Refresh - First rodeo. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jaredmcginness
- Start date
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Skreddy
SILVER Star
Short thread interjection. Last custom bike I finished up about 2 years ago.
- Thread starter
- #23
Cheers!
Here's the shovel as it sits today - 85% done:
Making pipes for it:
Keen eyes will see that I got much nicer, but still rusty top.
I like the flip windows and ambi doors better.
I had a plan to run a tail gate with the top halves of the ambi doors, so I cut mine down. (The bottoms were BAD, so it's no loss to the community)
Meanwhile got a beautiful bolt on tailgate from Real Steel Cruisers:
2 or 3 more posts today and I will be all caught up!
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- Thread starter
- #24
Always good to see someone spending time on an Ironhead! Nice work!
OK.... more.....
Fabricated wings for a new rear sill. Did not want to spend the $400 on this, but it certainly would have saved a ton of time. (and fit better)
They are ugly due to the galvanized coating - and the poor fabrication work. lol!
Rear sill made out of 2x2x.125" square tube.
Cant see but the bottom is slotted for access to the body mounts.
Fabbed up a rear sill "cover" and spaced it out .187 to sit flush with the rear tub.
Meanwhile, other quarter cut off. The horror!
Cleaned up the shop with a night cap of Coors. The last quarter is awaiting its new home. Not a bad view.
Almost done...
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- Thread starter
- #25
Welding up:
Several hours of grinding and hammer and dolly work later. Looks like it never happened.
Here is the rear end as it sits as of 12/12/22.
I touched on it earlier, but you can see the frame is on stands. I had to snip the body up to adjust some angles. The drivers side needs a good hour of hammer work still.
I dealt with a lot of issues squaring everything up, once I had the tail gate on. Turns out that I was compensating for old saggy suspension (as well as cruiser lean).
Once it was on stands, everything sort of fell into place (after some relief cuts and spacing sections out) Total Duh moment.
Every other metal repair project I have had has been on a fixture, rack or stand of some kind. Was wasn't this?
I suppose this wouldn't be an issue on trucks that aren't missing the entire structural elements of the rear tub. YMMV
For fun, here is the rear end when I purchased the truck a year ago.
So different.
One post left for today....
Several hours of grinding and hammer and dolly work later. Looks like it never happened.
Here is the rear end as it sits as of 12/12/22.
I touched on it earlier, but you can see the frame is on stands. I had to snip the body up to adjust some angles. The drivers side needs a good hour of hammer work still.
I dealt with a lot of issues squaring everything up, once I had the tail gate on. Turns out that I was compensating for old saggy suspension (as well as cruiser lean).
Once it was on stands, everything sort of fell into place (after some relief cuts and spacing sections out) Total Duh moment.
Every other metal repair project I have had has been on a fixture, rack or stand of some kind. Was wasn't this?
I suppose this wouldn't be an issue on trucks that aren't missing the entire structural elements of the rear tub. YMMV
For fun, here is the rear end when I purchased the truck a year ago.
So different.
One post left for today....
- Thread starter
- #26
OkAY!
That was more long winded than I expected.
That brings us up to last night. Same but different. I cut out the final large body panel that needed replaced - the passenger rocker:
I already shared a photo up top of the inner rocker and floor structure that I fabbed up.
Some trimming to do, but really nice to get this SOB out of the way and on the car!
I'm not sure the manufacturer of these rockers, but they don't fit that great, (FYI, most replacement panels don't) Almost everything including OE needs massaged.
These are about 3/8" too wide (you can see in older photos, I actually had to cut the other side to shrink it)
But also entirely likely that my trucks gaps are 3/8" too short!
A much much nicer looking passenger side!!
Thank you for reading this! I will now update this thread more regularly than in 1 year intervals!
Jared
That was more long winded than I expected.
That brings us up to last night. Same but different. I cut out the final large body panel that needed replaced - the passenger rocker:
I already shared a photo up top of the inner rocker and floor structure that I fabbed up.
Some trimming to do, but really nice to get this SOB out of the way and on the car!
I'm not sure the manufacturer of these rockers, but they don't fit that great, (FYI, most replacement panels don't) Almost everything including OE needs massaged.
These are about 3/8" too wide (you can see in older photos, I actually had to cut the other side to shrink it)
But also entirely likely that my trucks gaps are 3/8" too short!
A much much nicer looking passenger side!!
Thank you for reading this! I will now update this thread more regularly than in 1 year intervals!
Jared
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So much work....but you make it look easy!
middlecalf
SILVER Star
This is great stuff. 
- Thread starter
- #30
Hey guys. Another day in the shop.
Big items on my list this weekend:
-Finish the passenger rocker
-start attacking the rust on the hardtop.
-Make some new parts.
As for the top, the rear lower (either side of the rear doors) flange and the “swallow tail” shaped curves are almost completely missing.
This is causing my top to sink down into the tail gate. Makes it’s tough to open the rear doors.
Each side of the top will require recreation of the lower quarter skin, the inside flange (where the top bolts to the tub) and most difficultly, the vertical post that supports the top.
Let’s make some cuts.
In this photo you can see what I chopped out.
Ignore the that quarter, while mostly repaired, it’s still an unfinished disaster. The truck has been wrecked. So I had to make some relief cuts on the inner tub frame and smash the tub out.
Shaping up a new skin:
A bit difficult to get the bottom flange. A 180 bend in is called a “hem” in sheet metal terminology. I don’t have hemming dies at home… who does? So it’s not going to be pretty.
I do, however, have a finger brake and many hammers.
So I’ll cut some slices (more bite sized portions, way easier to bend) bend the slices to 90* on my brake.
Place a piece of steel, same material thickness, next to the new bend and hammer the bitch down.
The extra piece of steel butted up to your bend allows the hem to have a small radius, (looks factory) without it, hammering the hem over would result in a pointy and work hardened edge. See below:
A lot of hammering, a bit of welding and a few beers later…
Old and new.
On to the next piece.
Big items on my list this weekend:
-Finish the passenger rocker
-start attacking the rust on the hardtop.
-Make some new parts.
As for the top, the rear lower (either side of the rear doors) flange and the “swallow tail” shaped curves are almost completely missing.
This is causing my top to sink down into the tail gate. Makes it’s tough to open the rear doors.
Each side of the top will require recreation of the lower quarter skin, the inside flange (where the top bolts to the tub) and most difficultly, the vertical post that supports the top.
Let’s make some cuts.
In this photo you can see what I chopped out.
Ignore the that quarter, while mostly repaired, it’s still an unfinished disaster. The truck has been wrecked. So I had to make some relief cuts on the inner tub frame and smash the tub out.
Shaping up a new skin:
A bit difficult to get the bottom flange. A 180 bend in is called a “hem” in sheet metal terminology. I don’t have hemming dies at home… who does? So it’s not going to be pretty.
I do, however, have a finger brake and many hammers.
So I’ll cut some slices (more bite sized portions, way easier to bend) bend the slices to 90* on my brake.
Place a piece of steel, same material thickness, next to the new bend and hammer the bitch down.
The extra piece of steel butted up to your bend allows the hem to have a small radius, (looks factory) without it, hammering the hem over would result in a pointy and work hardened edge. See below:
A lot of hammering, a bit of welding and a few beers later…
Old and new.
On to the next piece.
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- Thread starter
- #31
Side note: I am posting from my phone, apologies if the photo sized is messed up.
This is the culprit of my sagging top.
2 pieces. Also including a hem. Needed for left and right sides.
Taking some measurements. Wont be able to get it perfect. The inside radius is different for every bend on this piece. But thats what filler wire is for, haha
Bending a 9” section. I think I’ll only need 3.5” (x2 for each side) and a little extra, because you never want to end up too young and have to do it again.
Sharpie precision. No back gauges here.
Old and new. What do you want for 8 bucks an hour??
Here’s the full piece lined up with the old.
Oh yeah!!!
I’m really thrilled with this piece. Looks just about right.
This is the culprit of my sagging top.
2 pieces. Also including a hem. Needed for left and right sides.
Taking some measurements. Wont be able to get it perfect. The inside radius is different for every bend on this piece. But thats what filler wire is for, haha
Bending a 9” section. I think I’ll only need 3.5” (x2 for each side) and a little extra, because you never want to end up too young and have to do it again.
Sharpie precision. No back gauges here.
Old and new. What do you want for 8 bucks an hour??
Here’s the full piece lined up with the old.
Oh yeah!!!
I’m really thrilled with this piece. Looks just about right.
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- Thread starter
- #32
Here’s both peices together:
Hell yeah!
Also finished the inside flange of the rocker:
And the outside is fitted and all welded up.
Tons of progress for 7 hours. Cheers fellas
Hell yeah!
Also finished the inside flange of the rocker:
And the outside is fitted and all welded up.
Tons of progress for 7 hours. Cheers fellas
- Thread starter
- #33
Remade a fresh bed support.
My brake is only 30" wide, so I had to make it out of 2 pieces and overlap in the middle. Fits great!
Fixing one of the ambulance doors rust - this was a done a bit ago, but hadn't shared in this thread.
Made these with the shrinker/stretcher and brake.
Good practice for making the lower mount corner of the hard top that's coming up next.
Done, doesn't need to be perfect, as its going to hide under a fat seal anyways.
My brake is only 30" wide, so I had to make it out of 2 pieces and overlap in the middle. Fits great!
Fixing one of the ambulance doors rust - this was a done a bit ago, but hadn't shared in this thread.
Made these with the shrinker/stretcher and brake.
Good practice for making the lower mount corner of the hard top that's coming up next.
Done, doesn't need to be perfect, as its going to hide under a fat seal anyways.
mattressking
10 digits to freedom
Looking good j man! I’m curious to see the shrinker/stretcher in person. Stoked to get into it a bit and tune it up!
- Thread starter
- #35
Hey guys,
Tons of updates. You don't feel like you make progress that's worth sharing on a day to day - but look back after 4 or 5 weeks and it starts to look like a lot!
I feel a little bad about all this work, I am rushing through a lot of it. But a fix is a fix.
Repairing the rust on the tip corners:
Also the corners will be radiused and cleaned up. Just getting it in primer because I have to sit the top outside for a few weeks!
More to come....
That's several weeks of welding, cutting, shaping, grinding, and priming!
Tons of updates. You don't feel like you make progress that's worth sharing on a day to day - but look back after 4 or 5 weeks and it starts to look like a lot!
I feel a little bad about all this work, I am rushing through a lot of it. But a fix is a fix.
Repairing the rust on the tip corners:
Also the corners will be radiused and cleaned up. Just getting it in primer because I have to sit the top outside for a few weeks!
More to come....
That's several weeks of welding, cutting, shaping, grinding, and priming!
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- Thread starter
- #36
- Thread starter
- #37
Scuffed
First coat of raptor liner
I know the transition for the bed to the to the rear sill is really ugly. I will be screwing down a stainless kick transition for that area.
3 Coats - definitely helps to hide the many imperfections.
First coat of raptor liner
I know the transition for the bed to the to the rear sill is really ugly. I will be screwing down a stainless kick transition for that area.
3 Coats - definitely helps to hide the many imperfections.
- Thread starter
- #38
I have decided to use a spare set of buckets seats I had laying around. They are amazing and should fit well with the truck.
These are mid 70's Porsche "Pascha" seats. Pattern used in the both 911 and 928.
Here I am making up some 1/4" steel brackets for mounting of the passenger bucket seat.
I bought a set of sliders off amazon, (didnt get a photo!) bolted nearly perfectly to the seat. So I made a .125" square seat "adapter" to mount to the rails and brackets.
Pretty sweet! Gotta brace them a bit more and start figuring out the driver's side.
Thanks!
These are mid 70's Porsche "Pascha" seats. Pattern used in the both 911 and 928.
Here I am making up some 1/4" steel brackets for mounting of the passenger bucket seat.
I bought a set of sliders off amazon, (didnt get a photo!) bolted nearly perfectly to the seat. So I made a .125" square seat "adapter" to mount to the rails and brackets.
Pretty sweet! Gotta brace them a bit more and start figuring out the driver's side.
Thanks!
middlecalf
SILVER Star
Uh, you’re trying to drive from the wrong seat - yours is a LHD rig, not RHD. What, you British? 
- Thread starter
- #40
Right-O!Uh, you’re trying to drive from the wrong seat - yours is a LHD rig, not RHD. What, you British?
