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Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:09 am
by 52L112
After 26 years of sitting in the barn of the family farm, the '52 is mine again and home in my new, old barn.

https://youtu.be/ppF3PHXorwc

It's such a bomb, it's awesome! My friends tell me to rat-rod it. But I think turning it back into it's original red is the way to go.

My Grandpa had the same truck as this one, all that's left is the door. The rest was rusted out big time and went to the big metal pile in the sky 40 years ago.

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:40 am
by terryl51
You are one the right track. That truck is much to nice to be made into a Rat Rod. There are plenty on them around. Bringing them back to original is a long process, but well worth it especially if they have family ties. Good luck and keep us up dated on your progress.

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:15 am
by dean466
Nice truck! It's hard to find an unrestored one in nicer shape than that. Keep us updated on your progress.

Dean

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:17 pm
by bedrockjon
yea, I wouldn't ratrod that one, body is too nice,

nothing wrong with updating running gear, although I drove a stone stock L-112 panel for 15 yrs. daily, they do drive fine as they are.

I wouldn't cut it up though,

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 11:32 pm
by 52L112
Thanks all!

I'll soon have a nice stall in the garage for the truck, but man, it stinks from too much time out in the corn-crib. I suppose I'll have to grind and paint each panel and take them into the garage individually to get past the smell. Haha. Somebody told me peppermint oil soaked cotton balls will keep the mice away. Opinions?

Not certain what I'll do long term, frame's sprung and all bent up.

I was thinking short-term trying to get it to turn over. That'll be some work, but if I can get it turning, good chance I can get it started again. This thing would start in the dead of Wisconsin winters, it's pretty robust.

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:26 am
by nikkinutshop
Grinding the panels, as you say, will reduce the truck to scrap. I have used a pressure washer. Warm soapy water and a brush work really well. First, get all of the upholstery and floor covering out. Remove the firewall cardboard insulation and throw it out. Wear breathing protection. Rodent crap is toxic.
Try and save a door panel and the headliner for templates.
The mice get in through the lower cab corner drain holes.

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 8:51 pm
by bedrockjon
way back in the 70s people claimed Irish Spring bar soap would repel mice,

so I put a bar behind the seat of my truck, check a few weeks later, the mice ate half of it so far, they love that spring scent

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:10 pm
by 52L112
My friend keeps insisting that i convert this long bed to a short bed. I'm not going to, that seems like a whole lotta work for what gain?

But I'm curious, have people done this conversion? If so, does it start with some other L110 bed?

Are the dimensions for a '51 same as '52? I found this websearch. http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm ... 6873/rec/4

Thanks!
Mark

Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:38 pm
by gots_a_sol
I did a short bed conversion on a previous truck I owned. I just found an original short bed, did a bunch of measuring, then cut the truck in half :t3716:


Image

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Re: Bringing the '52 Home

PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 11:37 pm
by nikkinutshop
Something like this?? Maybe. The cut was made with a plasma cutter. The marked lines were preserved for later fitting. The joining was TIG welded. Very little flap wheel dressing was needed. The welds are nearly invisible, now. An extra cross-member with a doubler adds to the frame stability.