PilotHouse2500

Well I THINK I got all the pictures replaced. Let me know if something looks broken.

I will find SOMETHING. Somehow. I post on 3 different forums on this project and it was super easy to use photobucket. Simple math with assumptions puts the money grab at $400 MILLION! It's a LOT of pictures to find and repost/posts to edit! No worries I'll keep them coming...somehow all about getting it appraised...likely would not truly cover a replacement, but better than nothing I guess. When I'm done, I'm sure I'll have over 40K into it, not including my time. Likely appraised to maybe 10K over that. Lots of custom rods are done this way...but unless you are a Foose or some other big name you don't ever get the REAL value in an appraisal.

photobucket's new ransom to 3rd party posting will likely mean all my pictures will be going away. I will see if I can reload them at some point...

sides welded in, ground and dollied! Next up..FLOOR

Top center secion all done. Hammer and dolly work and grinding complete. Sides formed and tack welded on. Finish welding those up and then onto the firewall and floor replacement!

Center section all welded in and ground, some dolly work left, but on to the sides next!

more progress...

Neighbor runs a car shop and had graciously offered to help for free (beer and food) to help me out over the course of the summer while at the bonfire...well he seems to want to get it done because he's been on my case! Last night he taught me some BASICS of the English Wheel! First pass shown here. A little more crown to add in the middle but close!

templates made for the roof section...hoping to have that finished off and pictures posted in Feb!

no I haven't died, no the project is not dead either....the project will start up again in January, life has just gotten in the way with job change, tractor repairs, 4 wheeler purchases, property maintenance and tree planting. More as soon as I can!

this weekend's work:

it will be a daily driver, so chances are when finihsed I'll drive to a few shows outside of MN where I only go now with my 50mph restoration.

thanks! I got the body panel clamps off Amazon (they are Harbor Freight parts) and the "C" clamps at the welding supply store (they sure are nice).

this weekend's work. I took apart the window top part so I can keep the seam by rewelding it all back together in the order it was first assembled. Please note the welding wasn't done when I took the last 2 pictures.

yes it is. I think I may have gotten impatient in a few spots, I did end up with some warping that I'll have to deal with.

got some work started again finally. Closed up the lower rear cab gap.

I might have a problem... not a diesel (yet)...but I acquired another truck...saved from the crusher.... https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3hv86432yqhontx/AAD1qBzivRBGUq4-7F82BcAVa?dl=0

The shop came "as is" from the previous owner. He repaired exotica (he had a Ferrari) for his business he ran out of the shop. The rear (where my wood shop lives right now) is bare concrete. He used that area as vehicles storage. I found out last night just how dusty wood working will be in there...need to get on better dust collection for my table saw (HUGE contributor to dust last night)! Or every so often I will have to get the leaf blower out and blow the place out!

things have been slow as I sold my old house and moved to a new location, but I've gotten all my toys to my new place and got some decoratin' done! some more shop pictures: For now I'm putting my wood shop in the back of the vehicle shop. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8oivc81863ec3m1/AACTzqUpyf95jM0AmJs8-Ut_a?dl=0

lots of English wheel work and LOTS of tack welding the pieces back together so there is little heat deflection at the joint.

spent some time yesterday building and welding in the top of the door jambs.

yesterday's progress:

cab parts back from blasting...a few spots I knew would be Swiss cheese, but some surprises.....

I'm gonna run air ride any way so I'll have a compressor for that, so maybe just oversize that a little or run a second one for the (normal) semi horns and this monstrosity. I've lined up an old scuba tank for the train horn (good to 3000psi) and will work the kinks out on that set up next month with my buddy who is doing the same thing for his vintage firetruck.

once back from blasting it will start to go back together. My local guy who does paint for me (NOT a paint guy myself) who is mentoring me on this project will get it cleaned back up and reprimed after it's back into one piece. I'm hoping to get primer on it within one month of getting put back together. And you have a very valid point, fresh blasted steel LIKES to rust. meanwhile...something came yesterday for TODD (trucks name if you didn't know)...what do you guys think?