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- #141
This screw hammer is a miracle worker! But I still needed to bust out the heat and even drill out a bolt or two. I disassembled all the hardware and bagged everything up in their own labeled bags before beginning sanding.
Builds My 69' 55 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter ConspicuousPig
- Start date
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RUSH55
SILVER Star
Rut roh.
Did you loosen off the bolt that holds the torsion bar, underneath on the driver side? You can get by without it, gate’s just gonna feel heavier now.
Did you loosen off the bolt that holds the torsion bar, underneath on the driver side? You can get by without it, gate’s just gonna feel heavier now.
I found the two parts I needed at Cruiser Classics! They arrive on Monday so I will see if the spring and collar are truly the same for 69-72. If not I may take you up on the guy you know. Does he have the steering wheel too or just the column? My wheel is in rough shape but still serviceable.
- Thread starter
- #145
I have a wheel from a 72'. It's in pretty good shape. I will send you some photos if your interested.
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- #146
The tailgate is going to require a lot of attention but I gotta get this thing ready for paint. I think I can rebuild the torsion bar. Just gotta get the rusted piece out of the pocket it's in.
RUSH55
SILVER Star
Look for this
- Thread starter
- #148
Yeah I did but I guess three days of penetrating oil didn't help any. I will get the rest of the torsion bar out somehow and when I do I plan to weld the two pieces back together. I also considered for a moment of installing a strut instead and deleting the bar all together. But, I am going to try to salvage the bar and make it work first.
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- #149
I am no body guy, and it shows... I was doing so well. Until I started welding.... I let it get just a little too hot and it warped the tailgate. It is fixable but when I add up all of the preexisting dents, plus the new warped area I think I may attempt to re-skin the tailgate. I brought the tailgate to my paint/body guy this afternoon and he says he can fix the warp but he also says that we should try to re-skin it and I happen to agree. So next week I'm going to see what I can come up with. I am going to source the material and let him put his skills to work. I was a little bummed at first but now I'm ready for the new challenge.
Here's how it began,
Here's how it began,
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- #153
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- #154
Well I didn't get as far as I had hoped. I attempted to work out the dents in the tailgate but didn't get much out of it. I spent hours tapping and pounding and still I got nowhere.
My plan now is to try and make a new skin and set it side by side with the tailgate to compare the two and hopefully I can shape the skin in a way that closely matches the existing tailgate shape. If I can do that and feel confident enough then I will then remove the the existing skin and Will replace it with the new one. I have all the material, all the measurements, a sheet metal roller, press brake and a damn good operator to brake the material to match the existing tailgate body contour.
I also took a little time to media-blast & wash some of the tailgate parts. Think that I will have these components powder coated in the near future along with a few other things that I still need to get prepped for paint.
My plan now is to try and make a new skin and set it side by side with the tailgate to compare the two and hopefully I can shape the skin in a way that closely matches the existing tailgate shape. If I can do that and feel confident enough then I will then remove the the existing skin and Will replace it with the new one. I have all the material, all the measurements, a sheet metal roller, press brake and a damn good operator to brake the material to match the existing tailgate body contour.
I also took a little time to media-blast & wash some of the tailgate parts. Think that I will have these components powder coated in the near future along with a few other things that I still need to get prepped for paint.
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- #155
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- #157
Well I'm completely committed now!
I began by rolling the sheet of 14ga to give it some memory and a little bit of rigidity. Then my coworker, Jody began to brake the material to match the old tailgate. It won't be 100% identical without a factory Stamping machine but it'll be to my satisfaction.... I hope.
I began by rolling the sheet of 14ga to give it some memory and a little bit of rigidity. Then my coworker, Jody began to brake the material to match the old tailgate. It won't be 100% identical without a factory Stamping machine but it'll be to my satisfaction.... I hope.
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