Wamego: 1949 GMC 150

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Have you tested the welder without the extension cord. New plug in sounds good. How about breakers, connections, any dielectric grease.
 
speaking of, maybe the welding gas is the problem, I posted on the last project that I got a weird colored bottle. I noticed lately that all my welds look like blued steel instead of shiny silver like I am used to. or conversely maybe the welder is the problem, and causing the discoloration.

I'll bet my left... foot you have straight argon in that bottle and that's the whole issue!

.
 
I’ll bet my right foot. Oops....... Too late��

ah geeze! :D

I'll bet my left... foot you have straight argon in that bottle and that's the whole issue!

.


you may be right! I wonder if I can just leave the truck running in the garage for a while before I weld to increase the CO2 ratio. [cl[cl oh wait thats CO. better leave it running twice as long!
 
I’ll bet my right foot. Oops....... Too late👀

Nobody combines humor and humility better than you, Torchie. [cl

you may be right! I wonder if I can just leave the truck running in the garage for a while before I weld to increase the CO2 ratio. [cl[cl oh wait thats CO. better leave it running twice as long!

Don't do that, joe! (If you wake up, you'll wake up dead.)

Seriously, I'm quite sure you have straight argon. (The symptoms you describe are highly indicative.) I'd take that bottle back and be sure to get the 75/25 mix you should have...

.
 
I switched to the mix tank and it works perfectly now, no more blue welds, good penetration. thanks a million for the tip! the guy swore it was mix but the proof is right there.

started on the steering column mount. doing this in 3D means a lot of checking and adapting

IMG_0433 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0432 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0435 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

that chunk of old steering column came in handy again. I used the tube on the inside and the shaft on the outside to make sure everything pointed at the steering box.

IMG_0436 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0441 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

first fit up was too far forward (into the dash), it would have worked and looked great but the column would not have tilted up.

IMG_0444 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

there was also some interference with the brake pedal, I could have trimmed the mount but sheesh it would have bothered me for years. YEARS. I moved the whole pedal up about an inch instead, and moved it out of the dash about an inch. fits mucho bueno, in fact moving it up made it line up better with the firewall hole.

IMG_0445 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0446 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


the lower column mount is done now, and I built all the bracing to make it bolt to the original dash support, and added a 3" bracket on top to give it a couple more bolts to the firewall. tomorrow I will make the upper column mount. after that I will try and pound out some dents on the front clip and get a mount started unless its a million degrees outside. if its too hot I will take the pedal/column bracket out and finish weld and brace it. there is a pant load more room under the dash for wiring this time, just have to make sure to sand and pad all the sharp edges. what I really want is easier to install gauges and wipers, on the last 49 I had scratches on my forearm from reaching through the speaker opening to install everything because access from the bottom was NIL.
 
"the guy swore it was mix but the proof is right there."
There is a sticker on the top of the bottle body that tell what content is in the bottle.
It has to be there by law to keep everyone safe.
If your supplier is not putting these on then, I would change suppliers :eek:

hqdefault.jpg

maxresdefault.jpg
 
yes, he said the SAME thing. then I showed him the lack of sticker on the bottle. from then on he was on my side.
 
so back on wamego today, I needed to add that piece of firewall that had the wiring pass through, but the one from this truck is pretty wallered out, who knows why.

IMG_0514 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

luckily this is not my first s10 :D so I had a spare.

IMG_0516 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0517 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


then I closed up all the gaps in the firewall. having the right gas really does wonders for your confidence.

IMG_0519 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0520 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I made the pedal bracket removable as you can see, so while it was out I started welding up all the joints. you can see the difference here between the old welding gas (tall bloopy welds) and the new gas (nice welds).

IMG_0518 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I still have to connect and brace the column mount and support the forward leg that goes to the dash support. before I welded up the firewall it still wiggled like a two year old in church, and the bracket had a lot of twist. after just welding what I did, the firewall is like a ROCK and the bracket does not twist any more, and I still have legs to add for the column. I like this way a lot better than the last time I did it, the wiring will be a lot easier.
 
but wait, there is more! first: fire watch: its the 30-40 minute period after a welding session where you wait for things to smoke or outright burst into flame. years ago there was a local forum for projects and builds and it was fun to see what guys were working on. a guy was doing an old dodge on a dakota frame and posted pictures of him welding up some of the cab floor. then his next post was an hour later of him standing next to a smoldering truck. he was lucky to push it out of the garage after he noticed the fire but I wouldnt have even done that. since that day I always hang around with all the fans off and look for smoldering insulation or a smoky haze, so that I dont have to make that push it out/dont push it out decision.

so while I was hanging around I grabbed the old HVAC firewall side box from the donor for my last 41. here is the problem with trying to use the s10 box. the blower side hangs out further than the hood hinges.

IMG_0522 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

bummer right? well, the reason its where it is, is because the fresh air/cabin air valve is in that corner on the s10. the inside box doesnt actually come over any further than the AC evaporator. and the blower housing is a scroll style blower, it works on high pressure flow and not just on air direction. so if you resign yourself to a fresh air system (for defrost to work, also having AC on recirc in kansas humidity will freeze up the system) and you respect the very important scroll housing of the blower, you could actually change the system to fit.

the old verse is "if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out!". so I plucked. that must be eye juice (its mineral oil from inside the evaporator)

IMG_0523 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

viola!

IMG_0524 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0526 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


scroll intact! I bet I could even reverse louver the hood (maybe even cut the louvers off the cab side in front of the door where the accessory heater pulls air from and relocate them on the hood) and use a closed cell foam gasket to let you open and close the hood.

IMG_0527 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

you can see the scroll section is intact. I have the firewall section, this could actually work. its actually less work than that time I used a tahoe air box.
 
yesterday I decided nothing ventured nothing gained. I started by cutting a large hole in the firewall and trimming to fit.

IMG_0546 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0547 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0549 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

well I'll be dipped.
IMG_0551 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0552 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0548 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

everything fits. the interior distribution box JUST clears the cowl vent mechanism. you can still check the trans fluid and add oil, and put all the blower housing bolts in. even the stock heater and AC hoses will fit. I already know how to put the AC condenser in front of the rad, I did it on the last 49. I am literally a small firewall trim and some fiberglass work (to mount the blower) away from having actual defrost, AC, and heat, working from the stock s10 controls. I am gobsmacked. I think I spent more time fiddling with the last vintage air system and still didnt hook up the ac (hoses were incompatible with the s10 stuff)

I think I can have this buttoned up tomorrow and start on either rust repair on the cab or mounting the front sheetmetal. I beat around on the fenders a bit the other day, that stuff is as tough as I remember. I have most of a GMC clip in the back yard but I want to use it as a last resort


today was gorgeous! mid 80s, a little humidity, partly cloudy. I spent about 5 hours cleaning and rearranging the garage. this truck is so dirty, just every time you touch it piles of dirt and rust accumulate. I havent pressure washed it yet. anyway, stem to stern cleaning. wamego watched.

IMG_0553 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I got rid of the shelves on the south wall (passenger side) and that cleared up a bunch of room. I moved my mini motorcycle and workbench too, there is a ton more room now.

IMG_0557 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I tried to pie cut the 49 firewall hump but it didnt give me everything I needed for room, its ok. just more welding. everything fits so nice though, like it was made for it really.

IMG_0558 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0559 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0560 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I know I have been talking about adding a shop/garage, but there is some other things going on, I am being actively headhunted and we may have a move coming. cant really say yet, but the quotes we got on building a shop would buy a reasonable place someplace new.
 
It's a nice little tid bit when something like the A/C unit comes along and works :cool:
Just moving stuff around will sometimes yield more work space than anticipated [cl
[P[P[P
 
Just a thought Joe, could you use the whole s-10 firewall and weld
in after measuring, probably have to split in the middle [S

maybe even use complete firewall and floor.....just thinking out loud
 
forbigpic the s10 firewall is actually wider than the AD, about 8 inches overall! which is strange to think about because the track width is narrower. but it is because the cowl isnt as wide as the fenders, like it is on the s10. I did use the firewall/floor of the s10 on my 65 C10 project and that was definitely wide enough.

maybe it could be done though if you lowered the cab on the frame, right now the pedals mount at a different height than the ac box.

old iron I always complained about those shelves on the south wall and yesterday I just looked at them and realized it was just stuff I would never use. I put a bunch on craigslist and threw the rest away. anybody want some brand new 2013 mustang GT mufflers? or some 1946 stock pedals? I have 3 sets haha grain truck fender lights and tail lights, s10 coil springs, C10 heater knobs...

torchie try beano!
 
joedoh old iron I always complained about those shelves on the south wall and yesterday I just looked at them and realized it was just stuff I would never use. I put a bunch on craigslist and threw the rest away. anybody want some brand new 2013 mustang GT mufflers? or some 1946 stock pedals? I have 3 sets haha grain truck fender lights and tail lights said:
:eek: [cl
Torchie
 

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