1950 Dodge Panel Van (My Long-Term project that needs to be completed!!!)

[BDL]

I finally began working on the new dash over the weekend. First thing I did was make a couple more mounts for the heater/air box so I wouldn't have to worry about it moving around or breaking the three wimpy little firewall bolts that were kind of holding it in place. With that solid, I removed all the wiring I had loosely placed where it needed to go for test purposes. Then I began to dream outloud with my hackzall and a sheet of 1/2" pink insulation board. When I made this video, I thought I had a pretty good shape, and I still do, but I know it's got some room for improvement. I've thought about throwing an LX center console in the panel van, but I'm thinking it would be a big waste of space since the LX chassis has a humongous trans hump it goes over and my floor is nearly flat. The other thing I really don't like is how close my knees are to the dash I laid out. I can't deal with how cramped it makes it feel. Rest assured, it'll all work out.

Here's a video of what I have so far:


And here's a quick picture of the dash:

And here's a quick picture of the lack of knee room:

 

[BDL]

It's been a while since I made a panel van update. For that matter, it's been a while since I worked on the panel van. Summer offers time to spend with the kids and extended family that we don't often get during Iowa Winters. Summer also offers ways to make extra money...

Anyway, one of my neighbors deals with scrap metal and brings a fresh kill home on his trailer almost every night. A couple weeks ago, he made the mistake of bringing home an '05 Chrysler 300C that he thought was already "stripped." Well, I managed to find more parts to take off the 300C. I pulled brakes from all four corners, the front struts (tried to get the back shocks, but I didn't have time that evening to spend cutting the bottom bolts off), the steering rack & pinion, along with the dash frame and steering column. Anyway... I explain a few things in the video.

Thank you for checking in!

 

[BDL]

Last week actually offered a little time for me to get out to the garage. ...And it felt GREAT!

I finally replaced a brace I had originally made with square tubing with one I just made from 1/2" round-bar. I also started to correct an issue I created on the front corners of the nose of the truck. The front corners of the truck took on a new angle when I made the nose of the truck come to a more drastic point. So, I started by making a cardboard template and then made some more appropriate corners out of sheet metal. I still need to make the compound bottoms of the corners, but the truck already looks much better from the front. It is so satisfying to stand back and look a project that's finally taking on a good shape! I need to take more pictures, but you'll get the idea from the pictures I have.


Here's a shot of the brace I had originally made with square tubing, for reference.

Here are some shots of the new round-bar brace that spans the distance between the two fenders (connecting at the top rear corner of each fender).

Here a couple shots showing just how far "in" the bottom of the front corners were.

Here are a couple shots showing the new corner shape.

 

[BDL]

Made some progress on the front fenders this weekend. They're looking better than they ever have, but it's taking a ton of work. Still (obviously) have to do the bottom of the front corners. I'll remove the little fluted thing at the front of the fender I welded on as I work on the compounded corners. I may need to invest in a bag of sand and a teardrop neoprene hammer for those. Anyway, progress is good.

 

[snakeyes]

looking GOOD

 

[BDL]

Just some better pictures for an update today.