Thread: 55/58 Chevy truck build

Tweet

After buying a flaming river column and installing the column in my truck I thought it was too long. I just did not like how far it was sticking out the firewall. I thought I could live with it but I couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to cut it up. It was much easier than I thought.
First I marked where I wanted the column to stop while it was in the truck. The tape line is where it will be cut.

I looked down the DD end when I took it out the truck and notice that the DD goes all the way down the column oh now this is easy. The bottom bushing seems to be held in by two dimples so I drilled them out. I can get the bushing out later.

I used a cut off wheel to shorten the tube. When I mark the spot with the tape I used a square to mark the cut line all around the radius of the tube and then taped it so that my cut was square.

I removed the bushing using a vise and two hammers.


I then used a hand file to smooth the edges of the cut and install the bushing and cut the DD at the correct length and I’m done. This is easy and I thought someone may need to do the same thing so I posted it.


I think I like it better now.


I was completely shocked at how easy this was it took all of 30 min and most of that was measuring. I've done other columns and its no where near this easy that's why I was dreading do it. What a waste of stress.lol

I fabricated a piece for the interior cab corner were trash can collect. I don't know why GM left this open like this, I guess it was a nice storage area back in the day.

I thought since I rounded the doors in the front and shaved the drip rails I mightiest well go all the way and round the rear of the doors.lol





I welded the seam is in this area. I then used Duraglass over the welds to smooth everything out.



A little primer and I like it much better than that unfinished look that came from the factory.

Its getting there I guess I'll keep chipping away at it inch by inch.

This was my first time using this product, a buddy of mine told me to try it. I decided to try it on my dash to fill some minor imperfections. I could have used high build primer, but I wanted a reason to try this stuff. It sprayed great really smooth. I had to use a 2.2 tip that's how thick it is, but most of it will end up on the floor but man it's a great product. I liked it so much I did the roof also.







I had to redo my c-notch because once I got it to ride height I notice some interference. So I decided to just redo the whole thing. I made this c-notches it gave me a reason to use the tig welder.