The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 256 hours later...

... I finally have the front of my cab finished. I had to replace both side full inner and outer cowls and both side floor boards/toeboards, straighten a twisted cab and fit two replacement doors of the correct year. Still lots to do, but this was definitely THE most complicated and time consuming thing I'll have to deal with.

INSIDE
OUTSIDE


Now all I have to do is patch the dash, fix some rust on the windshield frame, replace the rear cab corners, replace the floor behind the seat riser, replace the bottom sheetmetal on the back of the cab between the corners, repair the rear cab braces, replace the gas tank brackets, replace the rear cab mounts, weld up a series of holes that were drilled in the roof for some unknown reason and then pull the cab, weld up everything that needs welding underneath and I'll be done... with the cab.

Then all I have to do is....

Well, you get the picture

I have enjoyed looking at your pictures. Appreciate the detail and messages along with the pics. I will be starting on my cab in the spring 2009. And you and the stovebolt site have given me some very nice tips.

Please post pictures of the dash repair as I have some places below the key switch that will have to be addressed. And pictures of the windsheild frame repair as I to have some damage to repair there also.

Thanks,
Tim in Richmond,Ky

Woody ya did a very professional looking job...my hat is off to you Sir!....Congrats
Tim

Woody,
I remember you telling someone " Guys like you are an inspiration"! You are in that category! Your attention to detail and the attitude to complete the correct way shows in everyway. Thanks for taking the time to photo and document. When your "finished" you look back in awe and have a big head and a smile ear to ear. As always good luck and have fun
Dan

Hey Woodsman, you know they are building new complete cabs now don't you????

Seriously, I've been following your work for a while now. We started on these projects pretty close to the same time. You’re doing one bang up job and really trying for a decent restoration. Most guys would have made a street rod out of a cab that needed that much work. I think ya got the worst of it out of your system; the rest should be a piece of cake. I wish I were as far along as you, but you know, I'm much older and slower than you.
I look back on the 5,000 man hours that I put into my Pitts biplane and then only flew it for a couple hundred hours, wish I'd have put the time in on an old Chevy instead. Rather, I wish I had that much time to spend on an old Chevy now.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Woody is DA MAN. He gives me hope. My panel is pitiful...cowls, floorboards,and rockers but I'm dedicated to making it work. Its guys like you Woody that keep going. I know you must have a sense of accomplishment and can "see" the final product.

I do understand perfectly well what you meant by
......."and then all I have to do"

Good job man. I think we need to add to the "money pit" moniker for these old rides. I think we need to add something to the effect of "time bandits".

That's very true. If it wasn't for this website I wouldn't know where to start and seeing some of the hulks these guys pull out of fields and turn into show pieces IS inspiring and raises the bar for everyone, myself included.

I never set out to do a daily update on the work but I figured it would be a good way of keeping track of how much time I have invested and it is interesting to see the progress.

Denny, Yea, I know they make new cabs but what fun is that?

Alvin, I can assure you that your truck is no worse than mine. I just made myself a promise to do something on it every day and I have.

When I first started this project everything that needed fixing upset me, I wanted it done NOW! But as time went on my attitude changed and I gradually began to enjoy the challenge. Now when I see something that needs to be fixed I just start formulating in my mind how I'm going to fix it.

I'm having fun now.

Woody...I admire your tenacity! I would have given up long ago!
I never realised just how good my cab was 'till I joined the 'bolt!
I see the extent you 'guys' go to in breathing life back into tired iron!
As Denny mentioned, you can buy new cabs,but at the end of the day YOU get the satisfaction of standing back and admiring your work.
I tip my hat to you Sir!

Jock

Excellent work. Thanks for sharing your progress.

Woody, those are amazing pictures and I have to give you a big thanks for taking the time to show us the pics and detailed descriptions of the work you are doing. It is helpful to all of us to see details like that. Keep up the awesome work!

Looks Great!

John

YOU are the man

Nice work Woody and excellent documentation. I think you are at the "tipping point" where experience gained so far will begin to accelerate your progress.

Curt

very nice..good inspiration

hi woody philip here lookin good, as you remember we were doing
engines at about the same time. i only have the front fenders left on my body work i had to take a break from that stuff. did you ever
get your hands on a 250 hei i would be glad to fix one up for you,
keep up the fine work. philip

Ain't it nice to sit back and look at what use to be rusted metal and see all that new steel. Thanks for your photos they have made my life a lot easier. Beautiful job.

Hi Phillip, I put out some feelers for the HEI but as of yet nothing has come through... not like I'm putting any effort into finding one right now, I've got my hands full with other things. When I get to the point of putting the engine in I'll get serious about the HEI, but if one pops up I'll be in touch... Thanks for the offer!

Very good point and I agree. Getting started is the hard part, but as you get into it it gets easier and "funner".

I'll 2nd that e-motion

Bill

Boy ya hit the old nail square on the head that time Woody. I've not been able to get a head of steam up now for a few months. So all I've been doing is just puttsing around with a few small things and enjoying the driving experience. I'm hoping something will ignite my fire this winter and get me going again.
I'm just simply out of room to do the major work that I need to do now and I score an F- when it comes to selling off the stuff that is blocking my progress, like two airplanes, 300+ old radios, 25,000 vacuum tubes and god knows what else. Here, just take a look at what a junk collector can accumulate in a life time; http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2574561000098611668okNnzH
Now you can believe me when I say that I’m really ashamed that I let things get to this stage. I worked the last 25 years to get this workspace for the time when I retired and then just end up using it for a storage barn. I ask ya, wouldn’t this space look nice with a two-post lift, a 60” sand blast cabinet, a paint spray booth and a vintage Chevy 3604 sitting in the middle of the floor instead of all that junk! Then maybe I could get in gear and try and catch up with the ball of fire called Woody V… All I gotta do is get off me dufff and start selling this stuff off, cept I just simply don’t know how to go about that!!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Geez, I thought I was bad. I'd seriously suggest an auction, but with the economy the way it is good luck getting rid of things at a good price.

Regardless, it ain't going anywhere until you set your mind to stop complaining about it and start doing something about it. Hate to sound harsh, but you know it's true.

Airplanes ain't no different than trucks... if you're wanting to get your money out of the thing forget it.

Nice work, Woody

That part of cab work is still in my future.

Yeah I know, my "big old wife" has been singing the same tune to me for decades. I really shouldn't complain when some guys are working out of a car port and getting 10 times more than me accomplished.
But if I did get rid of all that trash, what would I have to complain about???

DG

Things like that .020" gap between the fender and cowl that you can't live with

Well Denny,
AT LEAST KEEP the case of Bud Light!...lol
Tim

Ya mean there is a case of Bud Light hidden back in there, must have been there since I first tried it back in the Summer of '82. And I still can't drink the stufff, now a real Bud, that's a different story! Had to switch to that after they deep sixed Schlitz but I here it's making a come back in Milwaukee.

Denny , glug, glug, Graham
Sandwich, IL