52 chevy pickup

[bluetweedsuit]

It's not too cold here in B.C. but I am ready for spring. It was super sunny and hot yesterday and then today it was snowing and back down below freezing. Not super pumped. But I have been able to get lots of work done. Been trying to rally up some friends to help out so I can get this thing rolling this summer but nobody is ever able to so I have just been trying to get as much done as possible. I finished off most of the frame work. Smoothed out the welds. finished up a bunch of the welding. Built a crossmember and and tranny mount. It felt good to set the motor and tranny in and pretend I could hear it running!







I bought a bunch of fittings and such just to get the bags hooked together so I could see it move up and down. It was awesome!


Luckily a buddy was able to come and help. After rallying up some help from around the neighbourhood we were able to get the body all mocked up.












Feels good to see it somewhat together. I just want to hop in and do a massive burn out! Hoping this will give me a boost to keep working!

[A4crn]

Fantastic

[bluetweedsuit]

Well It has been a a very exciting couple months. After getting the truck all mocked up I built a new support for the rad, fenders, grill and hood. Once I had put it all together I decided with the engine in the stock mounts in the Gbody clip the engine was about 4 inches too far forward. So I started taking the truck apart and ended up breaking my hand. This put me in a cast for 5 weeks but also I am off on disability now which is awesome! So I put the truck on hold as It was too difficult and frustrating to work on. I started taking on some smaller projects that are easier to handle. I started on some furniture. It fun to have smaller stuff to work on. As a learn more about materials and practice the more I keep refining the end project.





Doing the furniture gave me some good practice with the TIG. It was hard to keep everything stead as I could just barely hold on the to filler rod but it turned out alright.





I also have been doing a few bikes for friends. They are big into the cafe racer scene. A lot of seat hoops and bracket deletes. They are fun projects and nice that they are short term.







This was my first time doing some stainless work. Turned out nice and looks much better then the bulky plastic covers.





Now that I have had some time off my wife and I have decided that it is time to quit my job and start pursuing something that I actually enjoy doing. So I have started my own business!



Not sure quite sure what the business will look like but I am super pumped to be diving into a new adventure!

[P78]

glw business

[speakerboy]

It looks like your tig skills are up to the task. Now it's going to be about finding the balance between doing what you love, and doing the jobs that just "pay the bills". Good luck in your new venture!

[CubbyChowder]

Haha we are basically living parallel lives. Building a car, helping friends out with cafe racers, building custom furniture and starting own business. That's really funny

[bluetweedsuit]

Haha we are basically living parallel lives. Building a car, helping friends out with cafe racers, building custom furniture and starting own business. That's really funny

There was for sure some inspiration from seeing you take the step!

[CBURKE]

Good luck man! I would love to be able to do that!

[dillon7]

Haha we are basically living parallel lives. Building a car, helping friends out with cafe racers, building custom furniture and starting own business. That's really funny

Haha the same thing was going through my mind while reading this thread. Reminded me of you.

Awesome stuff though OP. Bagged chevy pickup is in my top 2 cars to build before I die.

[gallopingford]

Fantastic.

I wish you the best of luck with pursuing your dream!

[bluetweedsuit]

So I have been spending a little more time in the shop.

Finished up my buddies bike. Turned out pretty good.





Started on the next one



I got this one in pieces and it has had many hands doing different jobs on it. Definitely not my favourite way of doing things. The customer had basically bought a bunch of generic fitting parts like handle bars, the seat and cowl, and lights. Then throughout out the fall different guys took things apart, kinda fitted some stuff. Now the weather is nice and he wants to be out riding. So it gets dropped off and I am told just do whatever and get it going. So I am not super pumped with how it turned out, as with the parts he bought and the style of the bike, I found it just turned out awkward and without doing much more extensive modifications there wasn't much I could do. So I just jumped in. Did the best I could with what I was given and the time I had. For the most part, time was spent figuring out little gremlins in electrical and trying to figure out how to make this bike look like it wasn't just thrown together.



I decided to wrap the tank in vinyl as the owner wanted it clear coated in the raw steel but no surprise the bike had been dumped and covered in bondo. So I patched it up and started wrapping. I had never done it and thought a tank would be a nice simple task that would go relatively smoothly. It was brutal. It took so long and because the shape is a combination of convex and concave areas you really had to stretch the vinyl which did result in a bit of discolouration.





Also I had to do some aluminum welding. I haven't done any before and it was fun to try. I would be really curious to try some different tungsten rods and see if I might have more success and consistency with a different mix but it worked for what I need.



But the bike is basically done now. Just little things now that weren't thought of or noticed until now to finish up and it will be riding.



I had someone contact me about building some furniture for them. I am looking forward to making some cash but not sure how I feel about doing something someone else has designed. Because as of now my tools are more limited, especially with wood, its tricky when someone says "can you make this?". Yes I can but it might not be exactly that. I would rather just build something that is the best with what I got and try selling that. But I am always eager to learn and up for a challenge.

As of now most of my time is spent trying to figure stuff out for the business. Trying to figure out what might be some good tool investments. Hopefully I will be able to get back on the 52 soon! In the next few weeks I'll be finishing up my day job, then moving to be closer to the shop! And never thought I would be saying this but, I am really looking forward to putting in some long hours at work!

[bluetweedsuit]

So it's been a while since I posted on here. Been busy lately. Truck hasn't seen much progress. I recently broke down the chevy parts truck I bought. Tried to sell as much as I could but didn't make as much as I had hoped. Basically what I am waiting for is some extra cash and time to by a few replacement panels and then some tools to build most of the firewall and floor. Just having a hard time find those.

As you can see, there is way to much space there.






Finally did something I had been putting off. Built a proper fabrication table. 1/4' steel top. 4x6. Flat. Level and a proper working hight. It makes a world of difference!



Another life changer. Upright sander. Picked it up relatively cheap and it works amazing!



Also scored a free, working, turbo diesel drivetrain for my little mazda shop truck! Its going to be an awesome parts getter.





Also discovered that you just can't cheap out on gloves. The miller "metalworker" gloves were absolute garbage! Never been so unhappy with a product. Those Mechanix gloves are new, but they are the second pair I have had. First ones lasted 6 months! But they are expensive. After debating for a while, I was going to buy a set of Torch Wear gloves. They aren't sold in Canada so you have to ship them in. Heard great things about them, but they don't make them any more! So I went back to buy the store to buy the Mechanix's gloves, and they stopped caring them. So now I have to buy those online anyways.



Other than that, just be working at my business. Here is some of the stuff I have done.













Anyways check out my website. I worked hard on it!

https://www.factorycustomfab.com

And also instagram @factorycustomfab

Also we finished insulating the whole shop! All free insulation. It makes a world of difference!

[BettyWhitE30]

fabrication skills are so proper! wish i had the time and space to do that kind of stuff! well done! and thats a badass truck you got on your hands

[Reuvers]

That chain bench looks absolutely stunning! Loving the work!

[Jicama_ev]

Man, this build and thread is awesome. Also so cool and inspiring to see you starting your own business fabricating. Must be nice to have the extra time of working for yourself.