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I’ve mostly been working on the roof of my house, but I get a little work in on this project. I picked up some Inner Fender to firewall filler panels from a junkyard in Montana. Correct parts for a truck with the floor lever parking brake. I cleaned and painted them, attached the foam and installed.
I wasn’t happy with the height of the brake and clutch pedals and there isn’t much adjustability with this set-up. I found some short clevis yokes that were an easy fix to lower the pedals.
The driver’s door wasn’t closing flush, it was binding at the top near the front. I thought about it for a long time. I made an elaborate tool for measuring the cab, in the end some diagonal measurements reassured me that the cab is not too far off. I ended up placing a 2x4 in the door opening and leaning on the door. Now the door shuts flush.
I connected a laptop to the ALDL and found the battery was not charging and there was a vacuum leak. I fixed both issues.
I have a list of parts that I need, so another trip to the pick it yard is in my future.

I saw a post about running the original 6v horns on a 12v system. That is something that I wanted to do but didn’t have much hope of achieving. The original horns came in a box of stuff when I got the truck over 20 years ago, and I still had the horns. I had tried them on a 12v battery before and didn’t get any sound. I tried again and one worked. The other one didn’t so I removed the cover. I used a screwdriver to open the points and that got them working. The 6v horns are really loud on 12v. It took several attempts, but I finally got them working close to 6v with some dropping resistors about 0.2Ω. I also built a voltage reducer with some transistors I had. Both the resistors and the transistors got really hot. I looked for high watt/ low value resistors and found some solutions for a price. I looked for voltage converters and couldn’t find any that could handle the current at a reasonable price. I did find some high watt mosfets that might work for a couple bucks. I ordered some parts and will get on that another day.
I have part of the cab interior painted, but not the threshold or the trim around the doors and windshield. I tried to remove the lower windlace retainer, but the screws would not budge. I fired up the O-A and heated each screw red hot and spritzed them with water. They came out like butter. This is the ’47 with two piece windlace retainer, unique to only a couple years. There is a 3rd small retainer on the back bottom of each door held on by Two screws. A little heat to get one of those off. The front retainer on the passenger side was damaged at the bottom while in the shop, so I’ll come up with a fix for that. I have not found a source for this part so I’ll work with what I have. The windlace retainer has one piece on the front of the door opening, and another on the rear. At the top where they meet is an embossed rectangle piece that covers the seam of both retainers as well as the first headliner retainer. This is the domino effect as I had to remove the headliner retainer last. None of this can go back on until the headliner is in place. The headliner is cardboard, so it will go on after the windows are in. I masked off the interior and sprayed Grey where it needed to go. The door jambs were originally the Bronze color. I was able to remove the passenger side striker plate, The screws wouldn’t budge on the driver side. I taped everything off and debated for several days either painting over the striker and hinges, or complete teardown. I decided since everything was working it would be o.k. to paint over as is.
I had some time and looking some more, one thing led to another. I started turning hinge bolts. After awhile the passenger door was on the ground and the hinges were on the running board. Full steam ahead, I proceeded to the driver side. One striker plate screw turned, the other three did not. I striped the phillips slot on two, sheared off the other. I tested the hinge bolts with the socket/breaker bar. They were not free. One acted like it was turning, but sheared off. I used heat and got the rest out.
It took awhile for me to accept the fact that my drill bits are dull. I also broke two bolt extractors in the process. A task awaits for another day.

Two weeks of penetrating oil and the busted stud would not budge. I drilled it out some more and used a centerpunch to collapse it in. In the process I hammered the punch between the stud and the hole, the nut is D-shaped and split on the thin side. I cleared the hole and tried another bolt in it. I was able to tighten it some, so I may use it as is, or could add a helicoil.
I removed the hood to go over the hinge bolts. The restoration shop decided it would be a good idea to tap the threads and assemble with their standard shop bolts. I was actually there while the owner’s son was doing this. The owner commented that the guy that dismantled it neglected to tap the threads and they were having a hard time getting the bolts in. I mentioned that I had the special bolts for it, but they wanted to use their bolt then, and use new bolts after paint. I should have known better. I still haven’t found the original bolts.
Now that I have the hood off, I see they tapped it out to 5/16-18. The shoulder bolts are 5/16-24. These tapped holes are in a bracket that is rivetted to the hood. I could buy 6 helicoils and use the shoulder bolts. This hood hinge has Three 3/8” holes for the shoulder. The shoulder bolt kit I purchased has one 3/8” for each side and two larger for each side. I would need to get 4 more 3/8” shoulder bolts. I picked up some 3/8” spacers that I can cut to length to use on 5/16-18 bolts and make my own shoulder bolts.
I tapped the spacers to 5/16-18, and cut to length.
Now I’m attempting to paint the under side of the hood when it’s not freezing outside. I was in a hurry and painting a concave surface. The drips really showed up after I applied black. I decided to use some sandpaper, 100 grit was a lot of work so I had some 60 grit. It shows the drips are from the primer. I sprayed more black and the 60 grit scratches show. I used the 100 grit to knock those down, and more black. This is all new to me, I’ve watch a couple videos and know I can get it looking fairly decent.

It’s been awhile since I updated this. I work weather and time permitting.
I painted the hood hinges with Cold Galvanizing Compound and installed them with new bolts from a kit.
I really want to button up the truck and start driving it, I’ve been going back and forth on assembly before paint. I have finally decided to paint it first since some rubber and hardware will go over paint, and I don’t want to teardown again later. I removed the door window garnish. The original green paint is under the window garnish. I spent an hour picking the old rubber scraper out of the groove in the door.
There are some holes in the door where I had mounted an eighties mirror. My plan is to fill those. I have a piece of the inner fender to practice on. I fired up the oxy and dialed it low. My previous attempts at welding on the inner fenders was less than spectacular, but I got the job done. The door will be visible, so it has to be good. Having the gas and oxygen set low helped. It was easy, I’ll practice some more before hitting the doors. Here is a picture of the holes filled, the back side of the filled holes, and after I ground down the filled holes. I’m happy with the results. I put the torch in my 9 y.o. son’s hand and let him have a try at one of the holes. He needs more practice too.

The weather was nice and I had some time. I filled the holes in the doors. I used an abrasive wheel to clean around the holes. Placed a flat copper piece under the hole. Adjusted the Oxy-Acetylene by sight and sound. Tested the flame on my scrap piece. Hit the hole with the torch while feeding welding rod. Let it cool so I could move the copper and magnet to the next hole. Burnish around the weld area. The one video I found of someone doing this kind of repair showed the burnishing as lightly spanking the sheet metal with a spatula. I lightly tapped with a hammer, not sure it accomplished anything. I used 100 grit sanding disk to grind down each weld and hit them with some primer. I’ll follow up with body filler for the imperfections. It was easy enough. Each time I shut off the torch between holes. I had to re-dial in the flame each time so it was inconsistent. I tried on the scrap piece and modified the flame as needed. A couple of the holes tried to get away from me, but I kept them from getting out of hand by either repositioning or adjusting the flame.
Next I’ll go after the original mirror bracket holes in the cowl. This is a 3800, so 1-ton that originally came with the round mirror on the end of a long rod. I’ll be using the smaller truck style mirror arms.
That area has a reinforcement plate behind the outer sheet metal. I won’t be able to place my copper piece under the holes.

I’m getting more time in as the weather is agreeable. I’ve painted the inside of the doors and installed the window rubber sweepers. I tried to slide the sweeper in from the gap, but didn’t. Instead I put one edge in the channel, and pushed the other edge in with a screwdriver. It was somewhat easy. I cut a hole for the driver side lock retainer. I’ll cut a hole for the lock later, and modify the latch mechanism. I had purchased a lock for a ‘40’s car driver door so the cover and keyhole will be oriented correctly. I wanted to use the best for my truck, and heard about Steele rubber. I attached the door weatherstrip. It was a bit of a struggle to remove the doors from the hinges. I wanted installation to be easier than removal so I opened up the hinge pockets in the doors with a pry bar. I set a door on the running board and then lifted it onto the hinges and placed the bolts. Little adjustment was needed and then I found the doors would not close. I panicked, read several discussions on door weatherstrip and the woes of doors not closing. I searched for thinner weatherstrip, found a couple sources, and even ordered some from Jim Carter. I decided this issue could wait and used a cam strap to pull both doors in. The Jim Carter weatherstrip arrived and it is quite different, rounded. I may use that on the ’55 when the time comes. The doors have been under tension for a few weeks and are shutting better.
I reworked the mirror bracket holes, reattached the cowl side vent bracket, worked over the big dent over the driver door. Rear doors, I finally tackled the cracks in the rear door using O-A and body filler. I don’t think the patch will hold, and when I re-do it later, I’ll have a better idea of how to go about it. That part is done for now.

I had removed the driver side rear door from the hinges. I went about removing the hinges from the body and sheared off one bolt. The rest of the bolts went carefully and slowly over several days. There is no access to the threads, so I sprayed penetrating oil on the head, give a small turn, and re-tighten. Keep repeating, unscrewing more each time until less resistance is felt. I used this technique on the passenger side rear door and hinges too. For the bolt that sheared off, I removed the rubber grommet from the hinge, and slipped a saws-all in to cut the stud from the back side of the hinge. Later on I removed what was left from the hinge. I removed the rear door upper latch. I had painted most of the interior, except for the rear door opening. I’ll paint the rear door opening, and the rear doors interior surfaces before painting the exterior.
I purchased a half pint of two colors of paint. I have a little panel truck piggy bank that I will use as a test, but if there is enough paint, I’ll also paint the rear splash pan, and the sun visor. I removed the brackets and seal fasteners from the rear splash pan. The sun visor had something, maybe paint spilled on it thick. I cleaned that off. Ospho applied to both, and then washed off with WD-40.
The last thing to remove from the body was the Running board seal retainer. I sprayed the bolts with penetrating oil and was able to remove 3. I then spent about 5 hours removing the rest. I used a grinder to flatten the round head bolts, center punch, 3 drill bit sizes and out they came.

I sprayed primer on the sun visor and rear splash pan. I found some light green paint that I thought was similar to what was used on the underside of the visor. I finished painting the rear door jamb, and the rear door interior, before and after pictured. It was a nice hot day and I had time so I hooked up my new paint gun. I sprayed the Windsor Blue. The rear splash pan, lower rear hinges, mirror arms, Rear light cans, and piggy bank panel truck used a small amount of the ½ pint sample. I mixed the whole sample, so I decided to go at the rear doors. I put two coats on everything and still had some paint left. I had to stop when the air compressor started making a strange noise and quit. The belt came off and the motor breaker threw. I re-aligned the motor and it’s working for now. I really like how well the paint goes on. I’ll probably spray primer over the doors as they weren’t ready at the time. There are some places where the old paint and the original paint had chipped off and the transition is visible with the blue paint on.

I’ve been prepping the body for paint. I took a disk sander to any rough rust. I hand sanded everything with 120 grit. Vacuumed off the dust. Applied Ospho to the entire roof and any visible rust on the sides. Washed everything with formula 409. At this point some Red became visible. I had always thought the truck was silver with red fenders, but it appears that it was all red with the original green beltline for awhile. The hood does not appear to have been painted red ever. I believe it was replaced after mid ’49 as the front emblem is the stamped metal. ’47 to mid ’49 the front emblem was cast and plated. This makes me think the hood was replaced. Also the hood hinges do not have the tiny holes for coil spring like on ’47 hood hinges.
The truck had Texas ’56 plates when I got it, so it was on the road for 9 years. It was repainted red, and then painted silver with a brush. The words on the side of the body read “HENDERSON DISTRIBUTION COMPANY”. There was a Mr. Peanut image and 5¢ on the door. There was also the words spray painted and faded “Loco for Sale” on one side. This stuff gets me excited so I’m documenting it here. I have tried to look up the history of Henderson Distribution Company, and Planters Peanuts in 1947 Texas. I found a Henderson Texas and they have some historical pictures on-line. I have not found any history related to this panel truck other than what is on the truck. The previous owner had scratched off the company markings otherwise I might like to keep them. Being a delivery truck and painted red makes me wonder if it was for Coca-Cola at first. I won’t be doing a forensic paint removal to look for markings, so if there is anything under the silver it will remain hidden.

Washed everything with WD40? That’s a body shop no no! The paint guys will be along shortly to explain why.