59 Wagon rebuild

[73fj]

Howdy folks, this is the intro for the build thread on my 1959 wagon. I got this truck last year for xmas from my wife, she bought it from a friend of hers whose husband had passed away. They used it pretty much as a hunting rig, I saw a picture with a small bull moose inside. Anyway I had known about this wagon since 2005 when I bought a camper off this same lady, and I periodically asked about it, but she wasn't ready to sell yet.
I finally got to see it in person last winter, it was sitting in a field and had not moved in about seven years. There was too much snow and I had no place for it yet so there it sat until may when we brought it home. The farmer asked if I wanted some help loading it on my trailer, I said sure!

 

[73fj]

So we got it home and by gawd I got the old Hurricane running! I drove it off the trailer and around the street a bit but with no brakes working it was a slow spin.
I spent a day or so stripping all the excess off it, the bumpers, roof rack and the old school bus seat. Then we gutted the interior, all the glass was garbage, seals were done too. I saved a few pieces for templates tho. I had already decided a frame off was in the future at this point. I also sold the drive train to a guy I know for his pickup project, and when I delivered his motor I brought home a 1956 wagon, no drivetrain but a good body, more on that later.

 

[73fj]

I had decided over the summer to build a body rotisserie so that I could work on it over the winter, truck needs some serious body work, you guys know what I mean :twisted: , also the frame needs some attention including boxing it in. I did some research on rotisserie builds and went for it from scratch, it only needed one or two tweaks and she was spinning. I only have the cost of the steel and the wheels into it I did all the fabrication, around $400 give or take. I can't do a full revolution because of the roof, but it doesn't need to, I should have built this years ago. The Chevy in the background will donate it's drivetrain to this project.

 

[TornadoTamer]

I'll just observe from "Sick Bay", iffen ya don't mind. *cough, cough....cough* :cry:

Looks like a splendid start, there 73fj. I had been wondering if a rotisserie set-up would work on our girls.....it looks for the most part they will I'm glad you showed us yours :thumbsup:

atb!

TT

 

[73fj]

I've really compressed what I have done up to date, but you get the picture. I lost a lot of pictures when my laptop was stolen :evil: :evil: . OK, the current state of my build is sanding, lots of sanding. I'm going to try some aircraft stripper on the roof. I also bought some panels for the bottom of my doors. Now this just kills me to buy stuff like this as I am a former Sheet Metal Worker, 10 years in the trade, and bringing these two pieces across the border, all cost's included was nearly $200. There is not $20. total material and maybe 1 hr total labor in these, nothing wrong with them just bugs me. Therefore I have indicated to Santa that some sheet metal equipment would be appreciated. I will also build a rolling fab table to mount this equipment.

 

[73fj]

Thanks TT, the roto was actually a fairly easy project. I spent about 2 months building it in my head and about a day actually fabbing it up. I generally don't draw things out, although I can, I pretty much measure and start building. I pretty much eyeballed the balance point.

I am hoping my buddies wife lets him come over and help me sand over xmas, and maybe have a coupla cold refreshing adult beverages. (there is no BEER smilie, so use your imagination )

I have some cool idea's for gauge placement (AutoMeter), interior panels, and body mods to fit the 40" IROKS I plan on using,(purist's look away). Drive train will be 350, SM465, NP208, 14 bolt FF, and 10 bolt front until I can source a D60. I will also fab some new front fenders, mine were beyond repair, and I REFUSE to pay for used fenders and have them shipped cross border. The new gas tank will be made by yours truly as will the bumpers. I have a build thread on Pirate but the attitude on that board is though the roof, much friendlier here, and we are all in the same boat, more or less. So sit back, crack a cold one if you are so inclined, and please chime in, good or bad, as I ressurect this old girl. Gonna be a blast.

 

[TornadoTamer]

I know what ya mean about the "sheet metal" stuff. I've been fabbing sheet metal since metal shop in high school....a long, long time ago

I am interested in seeing what you have to do and what you have done.

I'm also processing a lot of things in my head as I type (and other daily activities ) I've got some ideas and I hope they work :?

Sorry about your loss, though...that sucks!

atb and Salud!!!

TT

 

[TornadoTamer]

I have a question concerning the text with the seventh picture in this thread.

"After sandblasting"

Did you sandblast it there in your garage? What type of sandblaster did you use? Any other pertinents would be appreciated as well.

tia...atb!

TT

 

[73fj]

I rented a compressor and did it right in my driveway on a monday morning, if you don't pressure test the neighbors once in while your not making progress :twisted: . My sandblaster is on the cheap side tho, I spend more time screwing with it than blasting with it, but I eventually got it done. I plan on having the underside soda or media blasted in the spring, maybe the interior too. I looked into having it dipped but nobody does that round here anymore.

 

[TornadoTamer]

I hear ya on the neighbors test, but out here my nearest neighbor is more than 1/4 mile away. And if I do ANYTHING that involves them then I really am doing something wrong :lol:

The reason I asked is, for starters....I need something similar done to my project. But, I have access to a shop type air compressor. Mainly though, I was wondering how messy it is. Does it require a huge clean-up....and, can you reuse what you may sweep up? Was the one you used a portable sandblaster or you just stuck your air nozzle with a venturi in a bucket of sand? :?

I hope I'm not taking your off track.

atb!

TT

 

[73fj]

It is a VERY messy job, I didn't have a hood just a faceshield, sand will get everywhere, next time I will get a proper hood. You can reuse your sand you just need to filter or strain it for all the crap you just blasted off, ask me how I know . Cleanup wasn't too bad, just swept it up and threw it in a wheelbarrow, and then cleaned sand outta my ears and hair for a couple days :lol: . I used a pressurized blaster, it's low to mid level quality, plugs up very easily, It could be operator error........I dunno.

 

[TornadoTamer]

It is a VERY messy job, I didn't have a hood just a faceshield, sand will get everywhere, next time I will get a proper hood. You can reuse your sand you just need to filter or strain it for all the crap you just blasted off, ask me how I know . Cleanup wasn't too bad, just swept it up and threw it in a wheelbarrow, and then cleaned sand outta my ears and hair for a couple days :lol: . I used a pressurized blaster, it's low to mid level quality, plugs up very easily, It could be operator error........I dunno.

Now we've gotten to the nuts and bolts of the matter :mrgreen: No, they all (generally) plug up very easily....even the shop type. I remember my right knee was a constant agitator to keep the medium flowing and bouncing out any large pieces of whatever.

Cheap self-contained sandblaster...Check!
Hood................................... Check!



Thanks, 73fj...I certainly do appreciate the information!

atb!

TT

 

[73fj]

Anytime man, I wish there was a BEER smilie, Pete you watching? We need a BEER thingamajig.
I will put up some more pics hopefully in the next few days depending on work. (BEER)

 

[62 OlllO]

TT...my experience with a sandblaster is...sand goes everywhere and it is unwise to reuse the sand...unless you are in a sandblasting room...to many contaminates that will plug your nozzle up, sifting the sand thru a screen is a pain. Wear protective head/eye wear with ear plugs, jacket with heavy gloves too. Remember sand goes everywhere...Most important...don't get the nozzle to close to the metal and keep the nozzle moving, don't keep it in one place to long....you will get warp age and a possible hole in the metal...Try your frame first...Clean up is easy, your grass will enjoy it and the rain makes it disappear.
When you are done, high pressure air can be used to assist blowing the sand out of unwanted areas...it's important to do this many, many times...sand keeps moisture and creates rust. I would say anyone on the forum could master sandblasting as long as your compressor is big enough...how can I tell if compressor is big enough? If it never shuts off, it doesn't have time to cool and you will literally burn it up...but if you really take your time and not in a big hurry, allowing the compressor to recycle, you might get it finished in 4 or 5 days...it depends how big of a compressor you have.

 

[BioTex]

Chris,
Most excellent! I also built a rotisserie for my build. I made the mistake of not putting wheels on it. You can easily convert to an engine stand when done, and get your money back. I think soda blasting is a better option than sand. Especially when doing the interior. Ask me how I know?
Keep the updates coming.
Eric

 

[1947CircleW]

I really have to admire you guys that take on a complete project like that on your own, looks like you are off to a great start though, I look forward to seeing the updates when they come through. Good Luck with it.

 

[Pete]

Anytime man, I wish there was a BEER smilie, Pete you watching? We need a BEER thingamajig.
I will put up some more pics hopefully in the next few days depending on work. (BEER)

Have a couple of cold ones on me... :cheers:

:beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

Pete

 

[TornadoTamer]

Anytime man, I wish there was a BEER smilie, Pete you watching? We need a BEER thingamajig.
I will put up some more pics hopefully in the next few days depending on work. (BEER)

Have a couple of cold ones on me... :cheers:

:beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

Pete

Service with a smile....and a coldie :thumbsup:

:cheers:

TT

 

[73fj]

Ahhhhhh......the :beer: button works! Thanks for looking guys, I'm going to try and get some more done today. :cheers: <----best smilie EVER!
Thanks Pete!

 

[JBingham]

The information you find on these forums, I'm going to have to take a day and a couple notebooks and just write down all the tricks, tips and good info that flows out of these! Great looking start, I keep thinking once the pickup is well on its way I might look into a wagon...