Chopped 55 f100

[Duke55]

To address my concern about running a 1 piece door window with both the front and back window channels being canted I decided to build an aluminum divider bar. This allows the front of the window to be in a track all the time and allows for a clean look by using the 1 piece window weatherstripping and anti rattle.







Painted a few more odds and ends



Installed the stacks so I can get the exhaust done while the cab is off.









First attempt at drafting a center for the steering wheel



Now that the windows are figured out for the doors I can paint the inside of the doors, hang them and finish up painting the assembled cab and hood.

 

[JonBoehman]

Man, I am in awe buy the cab ceiling. Beautiful job.

 

[ADSR]

Those stacks look like a vicious weapon!

Awesome work!

 

[Daveo]

Wow! Nice work!!!

 

[Duke55]

Painted inside of doors, hung them and painted outside of cab and hood.

 

[Duct Tape Man]

Looks like it was designed by Gene Winfield himself! I love your truck, looks great....

 

[johno]

Beautiful.

 

[PhantomEB]

I know I gonna regret sellin my 55.... but has to be done to simplify life for the next distant future for me and the GF so we can buy a house and build my own little gas monkey garage.

 

[drewski]

Totally over the top Royce!!!! Beautiful paint work.

I must say that it makes my neck, shoulders and arms hurt to look at the interior ceiling and the work that must have gone into doing it.

Drew

 

[Duke55]

Looks like it was designed by Gene Winfield himself! I love your truck, looks great....

I really appreciate your comments. It's good to know others can relate with the modernized 60's theme I am going for.

 

[Duke55]

Totally over the top Royce!!!! Beautiful paint work.

I must say that it makes my neck, shoulders and arms hurt to look at the interior ceiling and the work that must have gone into doing it.

Drew

Always good to hear from you Drew. I enjoy following your build. As far as the ceiling there was numerous times I questioned if it was worth the pain I went through. Now that it is done I would be willing to bet this is not the last time I do a metal headliner in a street rod I build.

 

[Schleprock]

Wow, mad mad skills there sir!

It's late and I need to go to bed so I just quickly fanned through it, now I can't wait to come back and read it from the start!!

 

[johno]

What are the two colours?
I like em.

 

[Duke55]

What are the two colours?
I like em.

It is four coats HOK Kandy BrandyWine base (kbc01) over black and silver bases.

 

[johno]

It is four coats HOK Kandy BrandyWine base (kbc01) over black and silver bases.

The same colour?
Just 2 different bases?

 

[Duke55]

The same colour?
Just 2 different bases?

Yes, the KBC01 is a transparent red with lots of pearl and metallics in it so the base color and number of coats will change the final color.

Pictures just before KBC01

 

[cfiles]

Duke,
I am digging your trucks. The 55 is looking great, but the 250 is more my style. When you get a chance, I would love to see more details of it. Keep the updates and pics coming.
Charles

 

[KCarGuy]

Beautiful Work!
I love the 2 Tone Candy Paint.
That Thing is Going to look SICK crusing around on the Streets!
Keep the Progress Pics Coming!
Again....Beautiful Work!

 

[Duke55]

Working on exhaust. I decided to add a venturi prior to the exhaust entering the stacks to introduce fresh air and cool the stacks. The venturi will also ack as a drain for water and condensation. Had to modify the original trans cross-member I fab'd to get the mufflers and pipe higher than the running board brackets and original motor/trans mount. The mufflers are custom Spintechs with 2.5" inlet and offset 3" outlets. The ends are expanded to 3.5" with stainless clamps to attach to the stacks.





Bent tabs in 30 degrees


Looking into the end


Made a mandrel to form air scoops to cover the venturi ports and also force more air in


Air scoop






Still need to make some hangers to attach behind the flex joints and make the head pipes to attach to the headers. I will very likely be making some heat shielding to protect the fuel and brake systems.

 

[RCsGarage]

All I can say is WOW. Very nice!

Are those spintech mufflers you're using?

 

[Duke55]

Made the header flanges I needed for the exhaust system. I had a hard time finding what I needed and didn't want to wait for them anyways. Nothing like spending half a day making a couple of $10 parts.





I thought I was going to be about done with the exhaust after I finished these but now I am thinking I need to make some custom hangers. Hopefully I can get the exhaust finished this week (if I can quick changing and dreaming up more things to do) so I can put the cab on this weekend.

 

[drewski]

I thought I was going to be about done with the exhaust after I finished these but now I am thinking I need to make some custom hangers. Hopefully I can get the exhaust finished this week (if I can quick changing and dreaming up more things to do) so I can put the cab on this weekend.

Better watch out on changing and dreaming up new things to do. I know a guy that has a 55 that has been growing roots in his garage for years due to that very problem.

 

[Duke55]

Finally finished up the exhaust. Should have the cab on this weekend. Before anyone asks, I know the drive shaft is too short. I picked it up at the junk yard for the slip yoke and 8.8" mustang flange. It just happened to be long enough to install for mock up.





Made some stout exhaust hangers out of 1/2" steel plate to rigidly hold the back end of the exhaust so no load goes into the stacks or bed sides.

 

[Duke55]

Re: Chopped 55 f100 Cab is on!

Cab is on and luckily all the striping lined up. I set the suspension down to the lowest setting (original trans cross-member resting on the ground) so the cab could be lifted over the engine and set in place. I forgot how low this thing really is. Also bled the brake system prior to setting the cab on.

 

[HOTFR8]

WOW. That is seriously looking good. I do very much like the exhaust brackets / mounts you have fabricated.

 

[e-tek]

You do incredible work!!

 

[71goldss]

The hangers look great, but won't there be a lot of vibration travel through the vehicle by being rigid without any type of rubber dampening? I'm no expert on exhaust design, just curious.

 

[johno]

Man that's looking good.

I'm really looking forward to seeing it all together.

 

[Duke55]

The hangers look great, but won't there be a lot of vibration travel through the vehicle by being rigid without any type of rubber dampening? I'm no expert on exhaust design, just curious.

All motor flex and vibration should be covered by the flex joints just ahead of the rigid mounts (surprising how much and how easy them joints can flex). This is not much different from most trucks that have stacks, I just rigid mounted mine a little further ahead then most so the bed wouldn't take any loads.

 

[71goldss]

All motor flex and vibration should be covered by the flex joints just ahead of the rigid mounts (surprising how much and how easy them joints can flex). This is not much different from most trucks that have stacks, I just rigid mounted mine a little further ahead then most so the bed wouldn't take any loads.

I learn something new every day. Just googled "flex joint" to get a better understanding. Seems they're popular with side exhaust as well. Never owned anything that had them and was totally unaware of them.

Beautiful build BTW!

 

[e-tek]

I read through your thread again and didn't see whether you mentioned your experience. Are you a painter? You layed down some sweet clear there, even with the great HOK material! I know the camera removes some detail but still, that looks like glass!!

 

[Duke55]

I read through your thread again and didn't see whether you mentioned your experience. Are you a painter? You layed down some sweet clear there, even with the great HOK material! I know the camera removes some detail but still, that looks like glass!!

My grandpa, dad and uncles all did/do paint and body work for a living. So I grew up thinking that was what I would do. Long story short I did my dad's job for a couple of months and gave my parents the pay check when my dad pulled his finger off in a winch. This was enough to make me realize it is a better hobby than a job. I painted for the next 4 yrs to put me through college. Prior to that I had probably done the bodywork and some paint work on a couple of dozen cars in my dad's shop and more in bigger shops during my high school summer vacations.

As far as the camera hiding the details...the truck looks significantly better in person.

Thanks to all for the great comments, they mean a lot to me since I am finishing this truck for my dad and everyone that knows how much this truck meant to him.

 

[Duke55]

Well I haven't posted because i have been wiring for the last couple of weeks and its pretty lame.

First I divided the harness into sections hoping this would simplify the job. This was about the cleanest the wiring looked. Once I started I done then redone then redone again. I have pulled wires up and down the frame so many times it is ridiculous.



The only wiring I have left (until I put the rest of the sheet metal on) are the switches in the cab. I am held up because I decided to fab some custom under dash switch panel that keeps growing in complexity (I keep telling myself I have a problem but it is not helping). I picked up a big block of aluminum today, so hopefully I will get some machining done on it this week.

This is about all the wiring that can be seen. The rest is hidden.



Needing a sanity break from wiring I played around with filling my frenched antenna hole and cutting an old windshield.





I tried a few different tools and methods on this piece of glass. I am working on a few improvements and then I think I will be ready to cut a new windshield.



I also got to try the air ride for the first time. It raises and lowers the truck violently fast (completely shocked me...not having played with air ride before). I installed plugs with 1/8" holes in the dump valves and it slowed down the dump to a reasonable rate and noise level. I am going to order some mini ball valves to place on each of the inflation valves so I can regulate the raise rate.

 

[HOTFR8]

Is that a mini air compressor next to the battery ? Also the antenna looks great and I like the top you have on it.

 

[Duke55]

Is that a mini air compressor next to the battery ? Also the antenna looks great and I like the top you have on it.

It is a small compressor that fills the 5 gallon tank that is located in front of it. The air ride is set up so I can control and monitor each corner individually or raise both front or both rear or all four at the same time.

As far as the antenna cover, it was a last minute thought (mainly did it just to pay with the lathe) but it has definitely grown on me. I showed the wife and she and she wasn't too impressed for some reason.

 

[MP&C]

Nice attention to detail... throughout. Are the louvers on the roof open to the inside, or how are they done? Nice to see something out of the norm, and everything just seems to flow... awesome..

 

[Duke55]

Nice attention to detail... throughout. Are the louvers on the roof open to the inside, or how are they done? Nice to see something out of the norm, and everything just seems to flow... awesome..

The louvers on the cab were put on by my grandpa when he chopped it in the 60's. They are off a model A ford hood and are welded over the roof skin. Obviously there is a concern about trapped moisture between the to layers but the metal is still very solid ad clean even after being done that long. I made the louver dies to match these louvers for the tonneau cover. The tonneau louvers are open to the inside of the bed. I plan to seal the tonneau louvers with a length of magnetic sign material. That way I can wash is without making a mess on the inside and then remove it to dry.

 

[johno]

You might find this of use.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=678053

 

[HOTFR8]

It is a small compressor that fills the 5 gallon tank that is located in front of it. The air ride is set up so I can control and monitor each corner individually or raise both front or both rear or all four at the same time.

As far as the antenna cover, it was a last minute thought (mainly did it just to pay with the lathe) but it has definitely grown on me. I showed the wife and she and she wasn't too impressed for some reason.

The air ride will be interesting to see when finished. Why was the wife not impressed ? Is that not an excuse to try something else on the lathe . Sure sounds like it to me.

 

[Duke55]

You might find this of use.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=678053

Thanks for sharing. I am aware of this method but had not seen that thread before. I am working on a tool/method that should take most of the stress and expertise out of cutting windshields and open up new levels of complex window cutting.