Firewall Shaving Tips & Tricks - How To on the C10 Build!

[@428eliminator3]

I always, always learn something new from your content!

[@HotRodHippie]

Glad to hear it!

[@wilcoxblues27]

Excited for the metal finishing series!

[@seanalexander9531]

Me too!

[@AdamMargie4ever]

Awesome pointers! Good looking out. Great video!!!!! 👍

[@RonCovell]

Alan - excellent video! I loved that idea about leaving threaded studs inside the cab, just in case you might need them! For the record, Bob Drake sells 'Plug Kits', which provide an assortment of fairly standard hole plugs in 18-gauge steel. They do not have dimples in the center, and they are a great timesaver!

[@HotRodHippie]

I really just need an excuse to buy a Diacro Hole Punch. No dimple then. When I worked with Tucci we had one and that was excellent for this kind of thing. I’ll keep the Bob Drake plugs in mind. I’ve often wondered if I should just get a couple dozen laser cut in various sizes. It really wouldn’t be that expensive and would save some time. Thanks as always Ron. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@colby4181]

Excellent video. i feel better about doing my firewall

[@deankay4434]

Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks. I install hand pulls over the doors of my 67. Found the right color in a salvage yard and save bolts, covers all. I measured for placement by setting in a seat to see where it felt best. Mark, center punch and drill. It made a healthy backing plate, drilled, welded nuts on the back. With the C10 cab, it is double skinned and a decent void over the doors. I use a MIG, never had a TIG or used one, but when painted so it won’t rust, I left a bare spot to weld to. Sticking the wire on purpose allowed me to run 5 feet out & cut off. Fishing in reverse, I shoved the plate up inside the cab back corner. With a pick / pocket screwdriver I was able to pull one hole with but in. Installing the 2nd bolt finger tight gave me confidence to start the other. The placed the leather covered hand-grab pull thingy (Highly Technical) I started both bolts, tighten & snapped the covers on. Done, except weld wire hanging for no reason. I pushed and pulled with measured force and it broke at the weld clean. The option of nutserts was possible, I have plenty. But pulling creates what I felt was more force than a single layer of OEM sheet metal. Having nuts & backer plate felt good. Just a though. Thanks for the video! Regards.

[@mt186]

That's a good idea. Might look into that for my 65

[@LifeWideOpen780]

Awesome video effort! You deserve more views

[@HotRodHippie]

I appreciate that! I'll just keep producing my videos and hoping the views catch up to the effort. The Subscriber number keeps climbing but average video views really don't. KZbin is such a strange and difficult thing to figure out.

[@dougwernham5209]

Excellent video very helpful.

[@HotRodHippie]

Glad you found value in it. Thank you

[@RESTORATIONRESCUE]

Cool video. I am thinking about doing some of this on our C10 build if we have extra holes!

[@ODGColornChrome]

I sometimes use a hole plug backer made of copper with a little rubber cement or hot glue to hold the plug to the copper.

[@HotRodHippie]

That's a good idea. I usually keep a few pieces of copper sheet around for that purpose. I'll often tape, clamp, or use magnets (far enough away) to hold the copper. I didn't have it this time to show or discuss sadly.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Nice video great tips. The bolt stud on inside is genius. Mahalo for sharing! : ) 🐒

[@paulking6404]

I just came across your channel 👍🏼 I'm currently starting a restoration of our '65 C10 👍🏼 I'm looking at doing a LOT of work on the fire wall pretty much the same as you did since I don't have the knowledge, skills or tools to shave it. I look forward to seeing what you have to teach me as I move forward at a snails pace on our truck 👏🏼😁👍🏼

[@HotRodHippie]

Welcome aboard and thank you. I hope I can help you on your journey. I try and mix up the levels of work for those who don't have all the tools and equipment on up to "experts". So hopefully you find value.

[@Waldo425]

Fantastic content as always. I’d absolutely love to see a metal finishing video from you.

[@HotRodHippie]

Noted! It has been high on my list for a long time but I really want to do it justice, which sadly means I keep putting it off until I feel I can do it right. "Perfection is the enemy of progress" and all that.

[@blackseabrew]

Very much appreciate. Going to get started on my 87 squarebody. Biggest question is how to remount the windshield wiper motor.

[@jt8251]

These are some of the best tips I've come across on this topic. Save me a ton of time and guesswork! Can you share detail about the orange/red stripping disc you're using? It doesn't look like scotch-brite but a heavier stripping material.

[@Joe.Doucette]

Good tips, Alan. As for the person complaining about using tape... it must be interesting being so perfect. ;) Anything can be used as a tool, with a little bit of thinking. I used to tell my students to use a tool, not to BE a 'tool'.

[@HotRodHippie]

I like and am going to steal that saying. Thanks Joe 🙏

[@Joe.Doucette]

You are welcome to it. :) It came about from having colleagues who said their favorite brand of computer was better than any other. I told them that a computer was a tool. Use a tool. Don't be a tool. Carry on.

[@cliffjamerson3107]

Thanks bro

[@209chevymon]

would love to see that metal finishing video i need some help in that area

[@allensketchclub8579]

i dig. for the round blanks, though, what about tacking a finish nail to a piece of sheet and then use that nail as a mandrel in the drill to run against the sander?? you could even allow for a 45 degree angle on the edge to fit the countersink profile. saw that done by a guy once, thought it made sense. bonus points to the inboard mounting stud ideas. that was something i don't believe many people would have thought about.

[@normhowes2975]

You can also use the nail to hold the plug while you tack it in place. seen that done someplace.

[@2007detcop]

Off topic, by chance do you have a video how to adjust the doors on a 63-66 C10

[@ElrodsGarage]

Excellent vid and great tips. What are your thoughts on welding a piece of wire/clothes hanger to the center of your plug to hold it in place while you tack it? Looking forward to your metal finishing vid. Cheers!

[@HotRodHippie]

I use that method to hold plugs when I cannot access the backside of a hole. Say maybe on a rocker panel or an A-pillar. Usually I just snip off a few inches of TIG filler rod and tack that to the middle of the piece. I try to avoid it though as it usually requires a slightly larger hole since tacking the rod to the plug heats up the plug rapidly and melts it away sometimes.

[@jsshayes1]

Alan, love all your videos and explanations. I have a 1951 Ford business coupe that needs lots of patch panels so have been watching a lot of your videos. I have a TIG welder, but are there times where I should be using a MIG welder (for auto)? I am new to welding.

[@chrissplace392]

Great vid as usual! Metal finishing - I'd love to see a series on that!. One question - Welding noob here, in your opinion how small does a hole need to be for you to consider just filling it with weld, or is there a reason you don't recommend this?

[@HotRodHippie]

Any hole bigger than about 1/8” I’d rather drill to a larger size and plug with new metal. The old metal is too easy to melt away while filling holes. Having fresh metal in the holes to work with makes it a breeze to weld up holes that would be a struggle otherwise. I find anyway. And filling a hold often requires a slight but more cleanup afterward as the weld gets a bit larger than it does with a filler plug. My opinion anyway.

[@scottmarcil5050]

Plus I use my unibit and gauge how big a hole I wanna replace how tough the metal is in process drilling

[@VA434]

👌

[@aussiejas6599]

FURST....!

[@HotRodHippie]

Third!

[@edkattera3674]

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