The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Bolting more parts on.

Yesterday, I got the rear fenders installed (leaving the bolts loose) as well as the driver's side running board. Today, I got the running board apron on. Still need to tighten the fender bolts, but it's looking more and more like an actual truck now. Getting closer to my goal of on the road by the end of the month.

Looks great, I love the color.

You are outstripping me, I just can't get motivation to go work on it when it is 105° in the shade.

Yeah, I wouldn't be outside at 105 either. We almost got to 80 a while back. I recall working down in SoCal when I was a kid. You had to be careful not to leave tools laying in the sun. If you did, you couldn't pick them up again they got so hot.

I certainly don't miss doing projects in the Mojave desert. You are making nice progress.

Lookin good that's always my favorite part of a build:. Watching all that prep come together.

Then you keep thinking of all those "little things" that still need be done; but it seems once ya set on it, those really do go get done faster than imagined.

Got the tailgate (a MAR-K one ) hung on today. While installing the repop tailgate chains, I needed to make the round hole square for the shank of the chain bolt. The bed pocket was also a repop and they didn't bother to make the hole correct. The left side with original stake pocket fit just fine. Interesting that the nuts for the tailgate chains had 12mm nuts that were tapped 1/4-20. What the heck? I still need to get something to cover the chains before I hit the road to keep the paint intact.

ARP loves to pull that trick too. A lot of their studs are mixed American and Metric sizes now.

Looking good. I hear it in your voice. Exciting and ready to get on the road. Good work.is that Omaha orange?

Wondering if a piece of inner tube from a bicycle tire might work.

Looks great. The hardest part is done, only left with the stressful(not damaging the finish while assembling).
It does suck not catching everything and realizing what you thought was a square peg in a square hole, now not fitting in the round hole syndrome.
(If I file the round hole very slowly and carefully, and get the touch up paint ready, the universe will be allright again)

Yep, the color is the original Omaha Orange. Pretty striking color.
I'm already thinking about finding a bicycle inner tube to use on the chain.
There will be some touch up of the paint. It's pretty inevitable. I already have a couple spots to do already. A slip of the file when making that round hole square added one.

I remember on my truck, (It had been passed down from my dad almost 50 years ago) he had cut heater hose into probably 1 inch sections and spaced them evenly down the chain. That stopped the rattle and also let the chain hang more freely. He also always started the hook in from the underside and then spun it around to where the long straight part was through the hole. The hook hung straight down and was less likely to rattle. I miss those little bits of wisdom when they popped up.

I recall an older thread where someone did a really nice looking leather wrap on their chains. I think it was in the Making Your Bed subforum.

The thing to be careful of with an inner tube or other rubber is having somewhere for water to drain when it is looped up.

Edit: Found the post.

Jason, thanks for the idea on the leather wrap. I think the inner tube thing would look kind of hokey. I might even have some leather laying around that I could fab up some covers with. Wouldn't be my first rodeo with sewing leather. I once made a shifter boot to replace the crappy rubber one on a car I once had.

Been using bicycle inner tube for years. it has a drain hole at the bend.

Oh and Nice work Kevin. Looking forward to see the rig back on the road.

I still prefer clear, sold at most hardware stores, so you can see the chain. I also like hooking from bottom up. Hangs better (IMO). Even though I don’t drive in the rain much, I should drill a drain hole or two in it.

Just curious. At a national judged show, will they deduct points for sleeved chains?

Did they come off of the assembly line with nothing but the chain?

Otto - Probably, but when you're trying to protect a new paint job, ya do what ya gotta do.

52Carl - For 1947-53 AD's, nothing but chain. Beginning in 1954 the chain came with a separate cover GM# 3810750 - COVER, chain (1-1/16" x 13) which carried over to the TF trucks.

FWIW, My Grandpa used black plastic thin wall plumbing tubing with a section cut out of the side to go over the chain, allow it to fold at the bottom when tailgate secured. The cut out also served as a drain path to keep it from filling up with water.

Well,if that is the case, I need to find a bicycle inner tube big enough to clear the hook so that I can easily remove it once I get to the car show. I'm attempting to build a '52 as close to how it came off of the assembly line.