Disassembling, any tips?

[LEEVON]

I'm finally ready to disassemble the body of my '50 3100, looking for any tips, tool recommendations, etc. My goal is to remove all of the sheet metal, I will be using the cab for mock-up and storing the rest.

The bed is easy enough to remove, it's those rusty clutch bolts holding the fenders on that I'm worried about. The hood is a no-brainer but the front fenders also have basically rust blobs for bolts. Am I going to end up grinding/cutting every single bolt? Are the inner fenders and core support difficult to get to?

I have these tools at my disposal:

4.5" grinder w/ cut-off wheels
air cut-off tool
air sawzall (small)
air hammer
misc hand tools

NO torch.


Thanks

[steve53]

put all the bolts and junk you take off in labeled ziplock bags. you will thank yourself many times later

[4DSEVEN]

You will be fine for most everything with those tools. Although a cutting torch is handy.

Alot of the bolts will snap which make things easy too.

Don't throw anything away until your truck is put back together.

The truck comes apart fairly easy as there wasn't much to them in those days.

Good luck with your project.

[chevyrestoguy]

Get a can of PB Blaster or other rust penetrant and shoot the bolts with it a few days before you decide to pull it apart. Sometimes, no matter what you spray on the bolt, it won't come loose and will break off. But, often times a good spray with PB Blaster makes a huge difference.

Get an air ratchet if you don't have one yet. Some of those bolts are in tight places, and an air ratchet can keep you from skinning your knuckles on sharp, rusty metal. Plus, when the bolts rust, it'll take a lot of force to get them to unthread, and an air ratchet makes quick work of those.

Take pictures as you go, they'll come in handy when you reassemble.

Another trick: If the doors and hood fit nicely now, try this. Using a small drill bit, drill an inconspicuous hole at the hinge points, preferably out of sight. When you reassemble, it'll make the alignment so much easier because you'll get everything lined up, and with the same size drill bit you used, flip it around and use the shank of it as an alignment pin, run the bolts down, and you'll eliminate 99% of the hassle of aligning doors and hoods.

[BlueJeep]

Though I have air tools, a torch, and a plasma cutter - disassembling mine involved 1/2" ratchet, 4.5" cutoff wheels, and mechanics gloves. I tried to break my bolts off to make it quicker, especially where the fenders meet the cowl. You'll be fine with what you have.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Someone started a thread in the General Discussion area about penetrating oils. A machinist group did a study and found out the best by far for freeing up rusted bolts was a mixture of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone. You'll have to put it in a all metal can since acetone melts plastic. But, I've tried it and it seems to beat the heck out of PB Blaster, which I thought was close to magic before I tried this mixture.

[chevyrestoguy]

I will give that a try. I've never been 100% sold on PB Blaster, but it was the best thing I have found so far. ATF and Acetone are very easy to find, too. What would be the best way to apply it? Maybe a cheapie touchup gun with the nozzle set on a stream pattern?

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by steve53

put all the bolts and junk you take off in labeled ziplock bags. you will thank yourself many times later

Amen. I took my truck a part in 1998. Every set of fasteners went into a bag with a detailed description of what it was for and any other comments like "two missing" or "treads stripped on third from front". Now that I assembling it is nice to compare the new hardware with the old and reuse what I can. Also the comments about taking lots of photos is good, take detailed disassembly ones withs notes. Make sure you make hard copies. I had two cam corder tapes of my disassembly that I could not view and did not get on a vhs tape when my camcorder got dunked. Luckily my kids got a used one that I am going to use to transfer it.

Hide your cutting torch. I don't even own one. I took my truck apart with hand tools and a die grinder for bolts and rivets that would not break off.

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Someone started a thread in the General Discussion area about penetrating oils. A machinist group did a study and found out the best by far for freeing up rusted bolts was a mixture of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone. You'll have to put it in a all metal can since acetone melts plastic. But, I've tried it and it seems to beat the heck out of PB Blaster, which I thought was close to magic before I tried this mixture.

I remember this, think I saw it on hotrodders.com and The Hamb too. It's fascinating, been wanting to try it. Somewhere I have an old oiler that would work perfect.


Forgot to add, I do have an air ratchet and impact. Guess it's not gonna be too hard, just need to go do it. I didn't know if there were some bolts that couldn't be accessed or something. Pics to follow!

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Someone started a thread in the General Discussion area about penetrating oils. A machinist group did a study and found out the best by far for freeing up rusted bolts was a mixture of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone. You'll have to put it in a all metal can since acetone melts plastic. But, I've tried it and it seems to beat the heck out of PB Blaster, which I thought was close to magic before I tried this mixture.

Acetone does creap so it would drag the ATF with it into the threads and then evaporate after a while. You can buy a airosol can at harbor freight and eastwood that you can fill and pump air into.

I would be very cautious in using a torch or welder on that mixture, its very flamable and burning Acetone can burn the brain cells.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

I I didn't know if there were some bolts that couldn't be accessed or something. Pics to follow!

A factory assembly manual will be your best friend. These things were built on a line by people just like you and me. The manual shows the sequence of assembly, all you have to do is reverse the sequence and nothing is completely hidden. It also shows all the little bit and pieces that have fallen off or get tossed when previous owners have worked on them.

[dan76]

Or just get a hand oiler. Last time I was in HF they had'em for about 6 bucks.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

What would be the best way to apply it?

I use one of the old style metal cans with a finger position pump lever. Does okay. It will push it almost anywhere I need it to go.
I found the original thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=395612

[LEEVON]

Got the bed off and disassembled, and the hood too. My neighbor came over and helped. Another couple hours and she'll be a pile of parts. There was no way any of the bolts would have come apart normally, they were all cut and ground off. I even had to get the air chisel out for a few odd farm welds.