As usual, we flamed through four digital-camera batteries and filled a flash card taking photos of No Limit Engineering's crew building the 2006 F-100 Super- Nationals '56 Ford F-100 giveaway truck. After a day's work, we had enough notes and photographs to write several more tech articles. If we could only figure out a way to work as fast and as meticulously as the No Limit fabricators!
This time, we primarily watched Tim, No Limit's parts production manager, put together the front sheetmetal from Mid Fifty F-100 Parts and install the body panels on the custom No Limit tubular chassis. In Tim's illustrious career, he has built over 200 F-100s. By following his progress, and that of other No Limit craftsmen, you'll see firsthand how the pros put together a very custom classic pickup. Apply what you learn here in your garage and you'll be building like the pros in no time. Perhaps you're already a master fabricator-if so, there may be a trick or two you haven't learned yet. Enjoy.
Mid Fifty F-100 parts contributed...
Mid Fifty F-100 parts contributed all the front sheetmetal for the '56 Ford F-100 giveaway truck: gravel pan, radiator saddle, upper radiator valance, inner fender left, inner fender right, front fender left, front fender right, air deflector left, and air deflector right. The panels are of the same gauge the Ford Motor Company produced, typically 18-gauge. To prevent any rust, Mid Fifty coats the sheetmetal components with black Electraplate.
Reproduction panels always...
Reproduction panels always require a bit of finesse for them to fit perfectly. Tim used his air sander to elongate the bolt-holes of both the left and right air-deflector panels. He'll be using 5/16-inch stainless steel buttonhead Allen fasteners upon final assembly.
By giving each attachment...
By giving each attachment hole in the air-deflector panels more room with the trusty air sander, Tim ensured that his job would be easier when he's ready to assemble the various body panels.
Once he'd opened up all the...
Once he'd opened up all the holes,...
Tim used the die grinder and...
Tim used the die grinder and the belt sander on the air-deflector panels to deburr the enlarged openings.
No Limit's talented technician...
No Limit's talented technician bolted the passenger-side fender to the right air-deflector panel.
After bolting the right fender...
After bolting the right fender and air-deflector panel together,...
...Tim elongated the attachment...
...Tim elongated the attachment holes in the left fender. He then deburred them with the die grinder.
In anticipation of bolting...
In anticipation of bolting the fender and air-deflector panel together, Tim performed the same procedure with the driver-side air-deflector panel that he used with the passenger side -elongating holes and deburring them with the die grinder and belt sander.
Once No Limit's technician...
Once No Limit's technician assembled the driver- side fender and air-deflector panel,...
...he bolted the radiator...
...he bolted the radiator saddle to the left air-deflector panel. Tim assembled the passenger side next.
The next piece of the sheet-metal...
The next piece of the sheet-metal puzzle addressed was the passenger-side inner fender panel. Using the same metal-massaging steps, Tim readied the right inner fender panel.
Using body-panel alignment...
Using body-panel alignment pins, Tim installed the bolts that he could of the passenger-side inner fender panel.
Apart from the bolt that fits...
Apart from the bolt that fits in the right front corner, the passenger-side sheetmetal has been bolted together.
With the exception of one...
With the exception of one body alignment pin, Tim has the Effie's front end ready to accept the gravel pan.
Guess which panel he metal-...
Guess which panel he metal- manicured next. If you guessed the gravel pan, go directly to the next step.
Carlos put the gravel pan...
Carlos put the gravel pan in place to see how well it fit. Alignment was good, so he bolted the pan to the other components.
Since the Bebop's fiberglass...
Since the Bebop's fiberglass '56 Ford F-100 cab doesn't come from the factory with the fender holes drilled, Rob made a cardboard template of where to drill the holes. He used another '56 F-100 to produce the template.
After carefully marking and...
After carefully marking and center-punching where to drill in the Bebop's cab, Rob drilled the driver-side fender mounting holes. He repeated the process for the passenger side (not shown).
Tim and Rob carefully put...
Tim and Rob carefully put the front sheetmetal on the chassis.
They fastened the driver-...
They fastened the driver- side fender to the cab, and did the same on the passenger side.
Prior to installation of the...
Prior to installation of the front sheetmetal panels, No Limit Engineering modified the inner fender panels to clear the custom tubular chassis and IFS. No Limit will be massaging these openings further to achieve a first-class finished engine bay. For mock-up purposes, proper clearance was key.
As you can see from this 3/4-front...
As you can see from this 3/4-front perspective, the F-100 SuperNationals giveaway truck looks great with the front sheetmetal hung. All the gaps are good, and will be great by the time the truck is ready for paint. Another article in this very issue of CCT details the construction of custom running boards. Watch for more first-class fabrication tips from the talented No Limit Engineering technicians in our next issue.