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I replaced the kick panel/inside door pillar all the way down to the step plate. I welded it to the cab, floor, and step. When the floor was cut out tabs were left so I knew where it turned horizontal. I primed some stuff just to help mark it for cutting. The new cab mount is being built out of angle. The replacement mounts are all thin gauge sheet that is really intende to reinforce the factory mount so I had to build my own.

Backyard fab:


Flux core welds, I know, I know, flame away.

A slightly embarrassing temporary cab support with airing down for fine tuning. Note that VW axle hammer.

Ears welded on and bracing where the cab bolt goes through the mount.

The new mount is welded in. The picture is a bit fuzzy. I will get some new ones. The welds at the floor need to be cleaned up and gone over with a hotter pass. I was worried about burning through and it boogered. I will go over it all again and finish tieing it in before I cover it all up with some sheet.

Man, that's some serious rot. Nice to see you're fixing it and not just letting it go. Keep it up.

SteveG wrote:Man, that's some serious rot. Nice to see you're fixing it and not just letting it go. Keep it up.

Yes it is pretty bad. I really don't like to deal with rust, but in Michigan if you want something old it will be rusty. At least it keeps me busy.

I have to cut a little more out of the old floor and weld in new sheet. It is primed to get a pic. The door pillar base will be next.

Looking really good!

hobbyturnedobsession wrote:Looking really good!

Thanks!

I got a bit done today.

This is a little something else I am doing. It is an Aztec inspired Art Deco table top. It is concrete, granite, and marble. I designed, cut and poured it.

Frame prep for the new bed:


The two six foot beds are being cut and spliced to make an eight foot deck. I clamped a fence on to make a straight cut.


Two inch .125 strip welded in to brace the outside of the deck and give good meat to attach the uprights.


The outside edge all welded up and nice and straight.


Here I welded to the braces and spots every 1/2" down the deck. My buddy Sierra always shows up too.

The eight foot deck on the truck, getting ready for the bed uprights or pillars.

Looks goood!

Joxracing wrote:Looks goood!

Thanks! It is nice to have words of affirmation. I will have to make a point of commenting more on others peoples work too; there is definitely a bunch of good work on this site. I am just trying to keep up.

Jigged the bed. It is 14 gauge (.083) welded seam square 2 1/2". I built both sides and welded them in after bolting down the bed.


It is all welded in. It came out square and plumb. I clamped on the tailgate to have a look.


I am thinking of running M715 style fenders like these. If it looks good, I will run it. I can run traditional flareside fenders if these don't work out. Hopefully, it does not look too bubba.

Looking good John! I'd go flareside man, just because its such a cool old truck. Those kind of look like the jeep truck fenders.

hobbyturnedobsession wrote:Looking good John! I'd go flareside man, just because its such a cool old truck. Those kind of look like the jeep truck fenders.

Thanks Randy. I am looking at some glass flareside fenders. Yes, the inspiration for those fenders was a '60s M715 Jeep military truck. Sometimes I march to the beat of a different drum.

Well that Jeep looks cool with the big swampers on it! The fenders don't do much though with the tires so wide hahah.

Cut the sides in for the bed today. I had to pull the box again and flip it over to weld on an eight foot tab for the aluminum sides. The tabs are welded, but I slacked and did not get a pic. I should be drilling the sides for bolts and mounting fenders soon. Hopefully, I can get some paint on this thing and put the cars back in the garage before winter returns.

looking good....

funinthesun95 wrote:looking good....

Thanks a bunch. Your projects inspire me to get my butt out the door.

I am going to call on some fenders today, again. Craigslist people are a pain, but so is $800 for flareside fenders. They only made the same fenders for thirty years; I thought they would be cheaper. I saw that McNeil had some for $350 for a pair in glass. If anyone knows of someting cheaper let me know.

I welded long tabs to mount the sides and drilled them every ten inches. I found the ugliest dirtiest piece of 4x8 alloy for the sides. I can't get primer on those sides fast enough. If it was a little warmer than 20 degrees out I could. Oh yeah, winter is back. Two inches of snow fell Fri. and three on Sat. It was only outside long enough for pictures, then back inside until paint.

The reason I am doing all this is that my F100 has an odd wheelbase at 120", versus the standard shortbed 114". A longbed is usually 128-133" depending on vintage. My bed is an eight foot box that has a bit more overhang than a traditional shortbed. Finding this box is pretty difficult, and they are most likely rotted out or too pricey for me.





There is some burring on the panel corner I missed with the flap wheel, but the corner came out nice. I recessed the panels slightly for a flush fit.