1948* Chevrolet Canopy Express

[89AKurt]

Conversion of a conversion, the Canopy Express is a rare vehicle to begin with.  I started this April 1995.  *Edit* I made it a 1948, simple to remove the door vent windows.

For starters, anyone building the '50 Chevy pickup needs to know, the driveshaft should be assembled the other direction, the end at the differential is fixed, the instructions are incorrect.  The other thing I've done so far, is correct the running boards, by shaving down the perimeter so the ribs stand proud, not recessed lines, that's a pet peeve of mine with this kit.  Another pet peeve, is the firewall should be flush with the front of the cab, not recessed back, but that requires reworking the recess for the engine, so I have corrected that.  Yet another pet peeve, is flat headlight reflectors, that has been corrected.  Can't forget the door handles, they were shaved off, will make new ones, that will sag like the real thing.  LOL

The reason I put this away for so long, the interior needs a total scratch-build.   The resin floor with wheel wells is completely incorrect.  I am planning to not keep the wood floor boards, but make it like they put in diamond plate or a newer ribbed truck bed (will be last minute decision).  I have turned the wheel well form, from Corian using the drill press.  I'm now at the cardboard mockup stage, which will become part of the plastic form to vacuum-form the interior panels.  I have the tailgate done, used eye glasses hinges, and interior panel is done.  I'm now working on the driver seat, which I had previously cut down from the bench seat, but was incorrect.  I am also making a new gas tank, based on the drawing in the repair manual that I kept from owning the real '48 5 window.

Next steps are: bed sides with "rolled" edge, center taillight and also the other taillights, 4 on the floor gear shift, thinking about making a hood hinge with spring and latch, perhaps a roof rack that would be made of rebar, dings and dents with rust holes, will try some extreme weathering techniques.  The final touch, what should the painting company name be (plan is to have spilled paint inside to use up paint)?

Edited December 31, 2018 by 89AKurt

[espo]

Major fabrication work going on. I'm impressed with your use of alternative materials. I'll enjoy following your build on this. 

[89AKurt]

Vacuum-formed the interior parts today.  I need to modify the patterns made from Corian, and go again.

[misterNNL]

Very impressive build. I have seen a couple of the real full size trucks like this one and find them very interesting vehicles. Your techniques are admirable and carefully planned. I also use templates and a lot of reference photos to achieve the look I'm after. This will be fun to follow. Thanks for sharing.

[misterNNL]

I just reread your posts this morning and wanted to ask why you use Corian material in your builds. It seems like a very hard and unforgiving material to work with. Possibly simply having access to material or working in the home reno business? Do you have access to a large vacuum forming machine as the panels you show seem fairly large?

[89AKurt]

** EDIT** Is this not working for anyone?
Thought I better post this video.  I built the vac box last century, has 1/8" aluminum plate that I drilled holes in.  You could use a cigar box.  It's much bigger than the Mattel vac-form tool.

On 12/24/2018 at 8:04 AM, misterNNL said:

I just reread your posts this morning and wanted to ask why you use Corian material in your builds. It seems like a very hard and unforgiving material to work with. Possibly simply having access to material or working in the home reno business? Do you have access to a large vacuum forming machine as the panels you show seem fairly large?

I have a shop with woodworking tools, so using Corian isn't a big deal.  The nice thing about this plastic, it has a higher threshold for heat.  It's great for Dremel grinding.  And if you find the right countertop shop, they will give you scraps.  The drawback is it's brittle when thin, don't dare drop it on a hard floor.  I've also used it for body parts.  It sands down really nice too.  Give it a try!

Edited December 28, 2018 by 89AKurt

[89AKurt]

Try this:

 

Edited December 28, 2018 by 89AKurt

[Ralph Henderson]

1 hour ago, 89AKurt said:

Try this:

 

now that right there is a fine example of redneck engineering.  and I mean that as the highest compliment.  have a need, find a solution.

Hats off to you sir, well done!

[Rusty92]

That vacuum-forming was very nicely done. I'll have to remember that.

[89AKurt]

4 hours ago, Ralph Henderson said:

now that right there is a fine example of redneck engineering.  and I mean that as the highest compliment.  have a need, find a solution.

Hats off to you sir, well done!

Welcome to Fly-By-Night, Seat-Of-The-Pants, Gorilla Engineering!  You should see some of my house decor, airplane parts and salvaged steel tubing for the pool table light.  And I also modified the bar pool table by taking out the coin machine, and drop box, so all balls go straight to the end.

[89AKurt]

Redid the vac-form parts today.  I was not happy with various aspects of the first run, so I went into full OCD mode for about 7 hours.

I'm still not really sure how I'm going to fit all this together, and to glue into the body, then paint and weather in there.  The floor will no doubt be glued in last before putting the body onto the frame.  Time for a beer!

EDIT:  The pictures aren't staying in the order that I downloaded. 

1. Undercut the patterns to thin out the Corian where I wanted to drill holes.  I also had to redo the side panels correctly.

2. Added the seat back for a part.

3. Showing the holes, really need this at the inside corners.  Also added to the top.  I know the Corian is thin enough when I see light.

4. I haven't shown my box very well before.  I stick down the patterns with r/c servo tape.

5. Cut grooves under the patterns to help with air flow, then line up when setting on the box.

6. Use shipping tape to mount .02" plastic to the masonite frame.

7. Tape can't go beyond the frame.

8. To avoid discussion about my wood stove (), I used the range cooktop to heat the plastic.  This is the critical stage, of course.  (possible separate topic?)

9. First part looked good at first....

10. Discovered the plastic opened a hole, which resulted in loss of vacuum.

11. Added clay to the big void, with a stick that had a gap.  I had also sloped the smaller part so it would come out of the finished piece.

12. Success!

13. You can see how the plastic sucked down along the inside edges better.  It was still a challenge to cut out the smaller part.

14. Next parts were a success the first time.

15. Not ideal to have the plastic come underneath so much, would add a bulkhead if done again.  You can see the air 'flumes' to the holes on the side.

19. Some more finesse fitting required.

18. Cutting the bulkhead, need to be really careful to not overshoot while cutting.  I whittle down such edges, instead of hoping to make one cut.

17. Rough fitting of a side panel.  The OCD in me is saying that needs to be redone, but lots of rust might hide it.  LOL

16. The seat back, and side panel cut out.  I removed much of the seat back 'pattern', some of it was temporary just for this operation.

Edited December 29, 2018 by 89AKurt
screwed up picture order

[1930fordpickup]

Is that a 4'x6' box with 3/32 holes about 1/2 apart and an Aluminum top piece? 

[espo]

Amazing job forming these parts. 

[89AKurt]

11 hours ago, 1930fordpickup said:

Is that a 4'x6' box with 3/32 holes about 1/2 apart and an Aluminum top piece? 

I used 1/2" cedar and dovetailed, just for the woodworking experience.  You could get a wood cigar box and make one.  It's 6" x 8", used 1/8" aluminum but could probably get away with 1/16" if a support is added in the center, inside the box, and maybe even use the cigar box lid which would be much easier to drill all the holes.  Really good guess on hole size and spacing, YES!  I broke the drill, so had to use the next size up.

[Dann Tier]

This was AWESOME!!!!!....thanks for sharing!!!!

[landman]

On 12/29/2018 at 11:48 AM, espo said:

Amazing job forming these parts. 

X2. Here's some inspiration, saw this one in Saskatoon in 2008.

[89AKurt]

8 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

This was AWESOME!!!!!....thanks for sharing!!!!

Thank you very much Mr. Superdetailed Pagani.  

6 hours ago, landman said:

X2. Here's some inspiration, saw this one in Saskatoon in 2008. [...]

Yes, that's what I'm talking about!  But I've been planning on a rusty patina, some dents, with what looks like a rebuilt engine, new tires on painted wheels, seat cushion redone, like it's a Beater Getting Neater.  Doing the canopies would take another month.

[89AKurt]

I realized the resin body was way too thick on the sides, so attacked with the Dremel.  I shined the light behind to determine the thickness, was not ready to turn it into a rust bucket, yet.  I know there are going to be gaps between the vac-form parts, so will cross that bridge when I feel like it.  For these pictures, the panels are taped in to get a feel for the next hurdle.  I'm close to cutting the floor, which will not be factory wood slats, will use corrugated Plastistruct to make it look like a newer truck bed was torched and welded in (at least that's the plan).

Another tedious detail will be making the opening lip, sort of like a jamb.  I'm also getting psyched out about doing the rolled edge, was planning a tube, or rolled aluminum at the ends with dowel in the center, something more than a solid dowel.  As the pictures of the real truck above show, I have taillights to fabricate too, that center one is hinged.  Gas tank and filler need to be scratch built too.  That's all. 

[Sixties Sam]

Great work! Those trucks were cool! I did a 40 Ford as a canopy truck a while back. Yours will look better than mine!

Sam

 

[89AKurt]

13 minutes ago, Sixties Sam said:

Great work! Those trucks were cool! I did a 40 Ford as a canopy truck a while back. Yours will look better than mine!

Sam

 

Thanks!  Well, yours is done, with a sweet diorama setting too.

[misterNNL]

Simply an amazing project! A pleasure to watch develop.Thanks for sharing your OCD with us.

[Dann Tier]

Man that's a TON of work!!, but you are doing a Fantastic job of it, bud!!!

[disconovaman]

Spectacular Craftsmanship!

[89AKurt]

On 1/2/2019 at 6:44 PM, misterNNL said:

Simply an amazing project! A pleasure to watch develop.Thanks for sharing your OCD with us.

Thanks for saying that!

On 1/3/2019 at 11:38 AM, Dann Tier said:

Man that's a TON of work!!, but you are doing a Fantastic job of it, bud!!!

I know right?  Thanks man!

9 minutes ago, disconovaman said:

Spectacular Craftsmanship!

Thank you!

I'm trying to psych myself to resume on this puppy. ?

[89AKurt]

Exhumed from the WIP stash, again.   I committed myself (no, not to the funny farm) to get this sucker done this year.   Since I'm sending parts to get chrome plated, wanted to make the door handles.  This is one pet peeve about this kit, would have been so easy to make door handles for the chrome tree.

Worked on both mirror imaged on the same plastic.

After cutting apart, added the base.  I hope it will work to saw of the support.

That's it for now.  At this rate, will catch up to Dann on number of WIP at once..... like months from now. ?

Edited February 4, 2020 by 89AKurt