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Looking for Patch Panels or Repair Panels for your Plymouth or Dodge Pickup?
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Email pedalit@insightbb.com
I buy 1935-1938 Plymouth, Dodge and Fargo Pickups!!
Email me please pedalit@insightbb.com
I will add pics of my progress as I have time. I hope to end up with a cloned Pick Up version of my coupe. Yes, I do love a challenge.
The next few shots are from the day we picked it up. Yep... it's a rusty mess! But fairly complete I'll have to cut that top down (modified photo) This will be more of the look I'll be going for. (modified photo)
Disassembly begins October 2009 Anyone need a boat anchor? Wonder if this will be enough off the top...
201 CI & 75 horsepower--not plated since 1958, but it still turns over! Don't have a dolly but this is one way to keep the cab mobile. I measured the cab and it seemed perfectly square before removal... You can see some of the bracing I added by X'ing both doors and across the cab interior in the next two pictures. Hopefully it will still be square after patch panels.
There is always hope! Started a little patch work between Christmas 2009 and New Year. this is the passenger side lower cowl. As you can see, I had to replace some of the frame work. Trial fit and again.
Not bad--I'll do better on the driver side.
Not much to work with on the driver side. This thing is worse than I remember when I brought it home last spring. This is the inside of the Driver side lower cowl I had to replace the outer frame of the front of lower cab. My second patch panel. Man that's an almost perfect fit.
Guess you can tell, I've never had a lesson in welding. A little clean up will help.
Making sparks fly.
Not bad considering I'd never made a patch panel of any kind before...thanks to my buddy Joe for the confidence to do it all myself...
Next I'll tackle the rear of the cab. Not much left here either.
I just traced around the patch panel when deciding where to cut. The metal was so bad here, I wanted to be sure I cut the weak out. The brace around the back of the cab floor was pretty well gone too... So I just made a new one out of straight stock and rolled it to fit. It slid right in side the frame channel at the cab corners. While getting the curve right I have it on the outside of the frame here. Now it's inside an fits like a glove. Ready to weld in place. The old cab is starting to feel solid once again. With the lower frame replaced, I can start fitting the lower cab patch panel. Looks like my cut was right on. Get this thing tacked in place and see what it looks like.
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Time to try a cab corner... While it's not done in the picture below--I did weld the bottom of the patch panel to the frame of the floor, to make sure it was pulled in correctly along the bottom, before starting to fit the cab corner. The lower cab corner on the Plymouth pickup has a lot of curve to it--this piece was a lot tougher to make than it looks. Above is a shot of the front of the driver side cab corner. This is a shot of the back of my cab corner patch. Starting to take shape. Another look. Here's what the passenger side looks like...
This is a shot of the back of my cab corner patch. I think this will be workable... it sure did make the whole thing more solid! A definite improvement. which is better one or two... I've wire brushed and sand blasted the frame till I'm tired of it. I've also welded up all the extra bolt/rivet holes that I won't be using. I bet there were 50 holes on each rail. Now I'm going to box the whole thing from front to back. I did remove one center cross member... It was never going to clear a transmission hump and I intend to "X" the frame with a driveshaft safety loop anyway. Getting started on the frame... Picture above I tacked newly cut pieces in place. Frame is upright. After tacking top in place I turned it over and tacked bottom side of frame. It's still upside down here but this front cross member had some rust through... So I cut out the bottom and put in new metal... Here's the back cross member... figured I could strengthen it up too, by welding seams. And there it is completely boxed... This thing should paint pretty nice... I purchased my IFS from JW Rod Garage out of Belgium, WI. I decided to go with the MII Hub to Hub Coil over Kit. Bob at JWRG has been very helpful. Check out their web site here JW Rod Garage maybe they'll give me a deal when I get ready to order more parts. Time to get it in! Oh and thanks to my friend Bobby, for showing me how a Pro welds! I have the cross member in and welding in the top hats
Check out those welds--Not bad for my little Lincoln 135 welder! I welded this thing inside and out. Turned the frame over to get inside too!
Start putting this thing together.
The front end is in! Man, it's slammed--hopefully when I crank the coil over's up they will raise me at least a couple inches.
Time to move to the rear end. I'm going to try to use the original springs and mounts with the 8inch. I can't believe the 1/2tons came with 9 leafs. I've removed 3 of them, so down to a total of 6 leaves now and at that, when I stepped on the back cross member, along with two tires and rims and a 5 gallon bucket of sand for even more weight, the frame only goes down less than 1" at the back of the running boards. I may have to remove a couple more leaves. Here's a mock up of the rear... notice the C clamps. Now for new spring pads welded in place to get 2-3 degrees up on the third member and a 2-3" lowering block and I'll be ready for paint! About 10" too high in back. I flipped the shackles over here, that lowered the frame about 4 inches. Have to do some measuring now... I'm not sure the bed floor will clear the shackles.... I took out two more leaves, two longer leaves. Down to 4 now--with six leaves, the springs just didn't give at all. It's getting closer, and I can always add leaves as I add the weight of running gear and body. I think with 3" lowering blocks it will be close to the stance/rake I want. But it's all guess work at this point, until I can get body sheet metal, motor and transmission in place. I bet a rotisserie would not be that hard to make, I could sure use one now. I've got 3 inch lowering blocks in place and it looks about like the stance I want... Now if I can just keep it here while I put it back together?
Started welding up holes in the firewall and holes from screws that held hood felt in place. I think there are about 40 holes in the firewall from the factory.
Set the cab back on the frame so I don't forget how it looks.
I have my winter project planned.
I've always wanted a blower motor, gonna see how this fits in the 37.
Best of Show October 2009 Burdette Park
Frog Follies 09
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Any one else working on a 37 Plymouth Pick up?
See
my 36 Plymouth Coupe here!
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