I've got all but the rear section of floor installed now. I used 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 1" head diameter elevator bolts throughout. I countersunk them with an auger bit then wet set them in epoxy to seal the holes.
I'm a bit puzzled by the bolts at the outermost points on the outriggers though. Should I be using regular bolts with the head below the steel and the thread coming up through the floor ready to slide the C channel and rib/ bow bracket down? I'm thinking I'd epoxy the bolts in place and go from there. I'm confused as I have 5 brackets that came off the trailer but there are 10 points where the bows could be secured down, any ideas?
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preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
I used regular bolts and washers with NyLoc nuts around the perimeter channel. Yes, the head was on the bottom and nut on top. It just seemed like a neater finish. Although, once the inner panels go back on whose going to know?
I found another steel bracket that was still attached to the scrap C channel I took off so now I have 4 large two hole steel angle brackets and 2 one hole brackets.
I think the one hole brackets go either side of the door entry and the other four go at the front and rear bows.
I can't be 100% certain that I could locate them perfectly now and then install the belly skin and just lower the shell down. IIRC they were right next to the bows so if I get it wrong the shell won't locate correctly. So I'm going to epoxy the bolt in place and put the brackets back once the shell is down and then add the nut to secure.
The last slight snag is that I tried out my new Magnum 30" metal brake and it can't form .040" at all so I need to pick up a sheet of 025" for the C channel.
The floor has come out quite nicely, I used about 120 elevator bolts. I skipped the floorboard self tapping bolts as my steel is less than an 1/8" think so there wouldn't be enough bite. This morning I'll get some bolt head and joint filling done and take a photo.
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preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
I've applied the first patch coat of epoxy to the top of the deck around the bolts and seems so I thought I'd take some pictures to show progress.
The wheel tubs are just painted white with a galvanized metal base coat and the sketchy piece of wood down each side is to keep them straight temporarily.
Also a shot of the right angle brackets I was babbling about. (They are "Metal Readied" but will be POR's before installation).
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preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
I can't be 100% certain that I could locate them perfectly now and then install the belly skin and just lower the shell down. IIRC they were right next to the bows so if I get it wrong the shell won't locate correctly. So I'm going to epoxy the bolt in place and put the brackets back once the shell is down and then add the nut to secure.
Yes, absolutely, this is a good plan.
And the work on the floor looks fantastic. I even like the "sketchy piece of wood."
The smaller brackets are from either side of the main door frame and they are very necessary. Prior to removing the shell I screwed wood strapping across the opening to keep the separation distance fixed. I installed said brackets after the shell was repositioned in the deck and only then removed the wood strap.
I have to admit that after the shell was back on I too ended up with a pair of the larger angles that were "extra". I think they they were from around the location of the OEM monster water heater. Maybe someone else can weigh in.
The smaller brackets are from either side of the main door frame and they are very necessary. Prior to removing the shell I screwed wood strapping across the opening to keep the separation distance fixed. I installed said brackets after the shell was repositioned in the deck and only then removed the wood strap.
I have to admit that after the shell was back on I too ended up with a pair of the larger angles that were "extra". I think they they were from around the location of the OEM monster water heater. Maybe someone else can weigh in.
On my 63, those larger angles sit right next to the bow on both SS and CS. The channel stops short and leaves room for them. Like the channel, they bolt through the floor, and then the exterior skin and bellypan rivet into them. I've only taken the back half of mine apart, and found two, but I have assumed there are a matching pair that sit adjacent to the front bow.
Hey truck, I found on my 58 I could get c channel from Mcmaster -carr. What they have available if I remember is ~.063 thickness. it is the correct 1.5" wide but has only 3/4" height, but that was the original height in my 58. Just a thought. Its a lot more solid and strong than .025 would be and is not horribly exspensive. Great job thus far. I'm following with interest. Ed
I got the final coat down tonight. It took a little puzzling but I think I've got the steel bow bracket holes all figured out. I've wet set the bolts and will install the brackets with the shell.
It felt a little barbaric but I went ahead and bent the elevator bolts to prevent anything loosening up over time. Those that were to short to bend were treated to a dab of epoxy in the threads.
So here's shots of the progress, grey frame with aluminum impregnated East system epoxy.
Tomorrow is insulation instal day and then I'll be forming some C channel. I picked up 4 sheets of '025" 3003 for $39 a sheet in Calgary on Friday. (only half a sheet is for the channel! the rest will be compound curve corners, hopefully).
Any tips on suitable fasteners and spacing for attaching the C channel?
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preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
I got the final coat down tonight. It took a little puzzling but I think I've got the steel bow bracket holes all figured out. I've wet set the bolts and will install the brackets with the shell.
It felt a little barbaric but I went ahead and bent the elevator bolts to prevent anything loosening up over time. Those that were to short to bend were treated to a dab of epoxy in the threads.
So here's shots of the progress, grey frame with aluminum impregnated East system epoxy.
Tomorrow is insulation instal day and then I'll be forming some C channel. I picked up 4 sheets of '025" 3003 for $39 a sheet in Calgary on Friday. (only half a sheet is for the channel! the rest will be compound curve corners, hopefully).
Any tips on suitable fasteners and spacing for attaching the C channel?
Well, on mine the factory used bolts every 4" - 6", with primarily screws every 2" - 3" in the curved sections, but bolts under each rib that comes down in those curved sections. So that's pretty much what I replicated, although I used a few more, so the bolts were more like 3" - 4" apart, and I had a screw through just about every "tab" in the curved part of the channel.
I used washers with neoprene liners to keep the steel bolts and screws from making contact with the aluminum channel, and I also used hex-head screws instead of the awful slotted-head screws the factory used originally.
That painted frame looks great, I'm sure it smells a lot better than the old frame and floor did, too.
Today I formed up the C channel, notched it for the curves and temporarily installed it with screws. I need to pick up 200 neoprene washers (Thanks for the tip Marcus) tomorrow and get it finished up.
It was way easier than I thought it was going to be!
It's getting very close to belly pan time which I suspect is going to be a lot harder and following that the lowering of the shell; which I'm hoping fits like a glove because lifting it up and pulling of channel and trimming the floor sounds like a nightmare.
Any how it was nice and sunny today so here are some pics.
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preparing for the maiden voyage in 2010...
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Nice job, truck.
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