PilotHouse2500

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?

Cab parts off to blasting yesterday...week or so to get them back and the puzzle begins.

a picture of all the parts: and a picture of the final cab size:

spent the day cutting cabs up...now the parts go will go off for blasting prior to puzzling back together. I toyed with the idea of making the rear doors 24" but it seems to stretch the cab too much so I think I'm gonna go with the original 18" size I had planned. I split the cab down the back middle to widen the back to keep the sides of the back angling out as it goes back. The rear of the front cab half I cut the center out to do that. Helping me today (and thru the cab build) is Bob my local paint guy, I'm paying him to help and teach me what to do, especially the cab roof rebuild as it is compound curves all over...I'll get to learn how to English wheel! pictures of the cutting:

well as the site has been saved, I'll keep my progress here up to date. Below is the prep work done to start cutting the front cab up. Fingers crossed! here is a pic of something similar that has been done cabwise at least. This boy has had a TON of other mods done from the original 48-50 model area hood and fender sections and having the cab chopped, but you can see where I'm heading more clearly on the cab section.

Cabs all cleaned out of parts, bare cabs now. Most of the dents pounded out as good as they need to be prior to cutting and welding (which will cause their own issues). I hope to start cutting in Jan.