Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | |
11 members (Bill Hanlon, Otto Skorzeny, Gray_Ghost, BarryP, mick53, rfs56trk, Nick in Manitou, UtahYork, NorCal52Suburban, Hanks custodian, 1 invisible),
100
guests, and
3
robots. | | Key: Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,136 Posts1,056,745 Members48,454 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 25 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 25 | Well guys, In the spirit of my proud determination to perform every single aspect of this build up by myself, with the exception of always welcome free advice of my elders, my body work continues on the driv. side of my cab. This weekend was a real eye opener to how many hours can be spent satisfying your personal desire for perfection when it comes to lining up body lines, as well as making welds that dont require a "pack" of grinder wheels to look good! Part 1 Continues: HERES WHERE ALL THE WORK GOES DOWN: http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1581.jpgTHATS MY FRIENDS '57 IN THE FOREGROUND, MINES IN THE BACK LEFT. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1580.jpgTHE TEMP. SAT. MORNING IN MY TAHOE! http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1570.jpgWHEN I RECEIVED THE TRUCK, SOMEBODY HAD ALREADY PRETTY WELL MANGLED THE CAB CORNERS, SO THEY HAD TO GO. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1512.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1513.jpgSO I BEGAN WITH MAKING MY MARKS, AND CUTTING OUT THE OLD INNER AND OUTER CORNER. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1519.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1517.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1516.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1520.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1522.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1533.jpgTHEN SIZED UP THE COMPETITION. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1521.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1531.jpgTHIS NEEDED REMOVED TOO, NOT SURE WHAT IT IS, BUT I SAVE EVERYTHING. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1523.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1528.jpgTHEN I STARTED WELDING IN THE NEW, STARTING WITH THE INNER. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1560.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1561.jpgWANTED TO PLUG WELD THIS BUT METAL DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH WASN’T COOPERATING. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1559.jpgTHEN ONTO THE OUTER, STARTING WITH A CRIMP. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1565.jpgIT WAS SLOW GOING WITH ONLY THESE, AND A PAIR OF “MEAT CLAWS” BUT IT GOT THE JOB DONE. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1562.jpgTHEN I BUSTED UP MY “MEAT CLAWS” A LITTLE WITH THE AIR GRINDER, AND THAT SLOWED THINGS DOWN EVEN MORE, GLAD I HAD GLOVES! http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1556.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1555.jpgFOLLOWED BY WELDING IN THE OUTER, WHERE I PRACTICED WITH MY HEAT/WIRE SPEED FIRST ON “LIKE MATERIAL”, BUT STILL ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF GRINDING DUE TO BLOWING HOLES IN MY CAB! http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1576.jpgIF YOU’RE A PROUD WELDER WITH A WEAK STOMACH, USE CAUTION WITH THE FOLLOWING PICTURES OF “WELDS GONE WRONG”!  http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1574.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1573.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1572.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1575.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1579.jpgBUT, AFTER MANY HOURS OF DILIGENCE, PATIENCE AND GRINDER WHEELS, GAS AND ROD, IT CAME OUT TO MY SATISFACTION. NOTICE I ALSO WELDED UP MY STEP TO MY CAB CORNER. http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1566.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1567.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1577.jpghttp://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg218/57Rat/IMG_1578.jpg
Theres nothing that can't be done. Say, if "they" can do it, so can I.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 141 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 141 | Hey 57 Rat,
That item in the back corner of the cab floor is where the jack was mounted.
Brian | | | | | Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 39 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 39 | Not bad,You might want to turn the heat up a smidge and drop the wire speed a hair and burn it a little longer.Got to watch out on those grinders i have seen and done some bad cuts with them. Don't you love the way the jap parts fit!
keep up the good work!
48GMC 5window,350,700R4,p/w,p/b,and a couple of homemade parts!
41 Sedan Delivery next up to be reborn!!
"Nothing is Junk,just unfinished projects" Desert rat with a spray gun!
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 Master Gabster | | Master Gabster Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 | Jap Parts???
I believe those are Chink Parts...
57Rat: I like your garage. Looks like a lot of room to work.
~Jim
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 25 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 25 | Well, I wish i could take credit for the garage, but alas it belongs to my mentor and friend. He owns the 57 chevy in the foreground of the shop pic. I am mearly a very lucky sole who gets to stash his project in the corner and work on it on the weekends.
Very cool "Bodywork" he has done recentlt though. He welded in a '55 car dash into his '57 pickup cab. It looks really good with the double humps versus the single that came in the trucks.
Makes you wonder if all those Chink/Jap parts are recycled tuna cans or something?
Theres nothing that can't be done. Say, if "they" can do it, so can I.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 434 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 434 | Looks good!!!
Take a safety moment and chain those gas cylinders to that post!!!
Makes me squirm to see them that way.
R-Bo
1959 Apache 1/2 ton Big Window, Short bed Fleetside (under reconstruction)
1966 GMC 305V6 in the family
| | |
|
|
