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Box Gettin Spruced Up


55 Fargo

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Finally back on the bodywork and paint on the 55s box.Pulled rear fenders, and tail gate, welded in some extra holes that were drilled on the box, got some repairs to do too.

I am stripping the box sides wit the DA sander, the fenders and tail gate will be blasted, the welding on the fenders was done a while ago.

This box and fenders, and the tailgate are beat-up, it will get the deelux fast fix up. I hope to re-do all body and paint in about maybe 7 years, hope to find some better body panels to.

So rough she is, wish i was a better metal worker, but she will be 1 color and prtotected....

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Edited by Fargos-Go-Far
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Looks like you are making some good progress. What kind of wheels are you running?

Scott

Those are early 90s Ford Bronco or Explorer rims, minus the trim rings. Most people that see them like them, I am still thinking of going with old style steel rims and baby moon hub caps.

 

Try some of the DS super stripper that Cdn Tires sells, its working great for me, but wear thick gloves! Take that box paint right off in minutes

Nah, gonna sand it down, not big on chemical strippers, fenders and tail gate are getting sandblasted, so the box sides and headboard are my oly chore, big enough but not bad...

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FYI sanding that old potentially lead based paint might be a lot worse then some stripper smell, that why I stripped rather then sand, also sanding can warp the metal if you start using high grit with an orbital and just a bit too much pressure...learned that mistake when I was a kid with my 82 Trans Am. Just giving another option that's seriously less then 1/2 the time and mess.

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FYI sanding that old potentially lead based paint might be a lot worse then some stripper smell, that why I stripped rather then sand, also sanding can warp the metal if you start using high grit with an orbital and just a bit too much pressure...learned that mistake when I was a kid with my 82 Trans Am. Just giving another option that's seriously less then 1/2 the time and mess.

I am not against your idea, but really, I have sanded, as well as sandblasted a few old Mopars, and did not warp any of this heavy metal.

I am dealing with a lot of patina type surface rust too, do not think aircraft stripper would help in that matter.

In reality, this whole box is $hit, should be dismantled, and blasted, and repaired then prepped for paint.

The inside of the box, is 90% patina, scratches gouges surface rust etc.

I am not going to spend a year playing with this, just not up to it, hopefully will find  better box someday, can buy a new set of rear fenders and tail gate too if need be.

I plan to clean up the surface, prime, and paint, that's it for now. This road I live and drive on, would wreck a nice paint job anyway. 7 years till retirement, then the proper job, this metal is 60 years old now with next to o rust through, think it can handle a lot more time yet....it is stored indoors too

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So why not get the box blasted and start with a nice clean surface to prime and paint? Even if you don't do the bodywork, it will be in better shape next go round, when and if you do. I'm sure someone in town would bast it for a couple hundred bucks

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Doesn't look that rough to me.  Tailgate looks much better than mine.  Rails look pretty straight too.  Sand it or blast it, knock down the high spots and spray some epoxy on it, do a wet on wet with a 2 k primer and then a quick block.  You may be closer than you think to a finished side and if a few extra hours now will finish it off, you won't have to start over when that 7 years shows up.

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Doesn't look that rough to me.  Tailgate looks much better than mine.  Rails look pretty straight too.  Sand it or blast it, knock down the high spots and spray some epoxy on it, do a wet on wet with a 2 k primer and then a quick block.  You may be closer than you think to a finished side and if a few extra hours now will finish it off, you won't have to start over when that 7 years shows up.

Thanx Dave, been sandin away, plan to knock it all down, then primer, maybe 2 k urethane primer/surfacer, and paint

Edited by Fargos-Go-Far
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Are you taking it all down to bare? Worst problem is, unless you take every bit down to bare metal, that old paint sticks out like a sore thumb..that's what I hated about the paint job you see in my avatar...I didn't clean above the doors perfectly and left some at the back of the cab...you can see it plain as day. I sanded that whole truck down before 2 coats red oxide, but figured if they felt smooth you wouldn't see....bad mistake..not to mention that old painted lifted the new paint in spots.

Good luck! Good time too to shoot some cheap rocker guard on the exposed frame side, looks better when looking from the side

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Are you taking it all down to bare? Worst problem is, unless you take every bit down to bare metal, that old paint sticks out like a sore thumb..that's what I hated about the paint job you see in my avatar...I didn't clean above the doors perfectly and left some at the back of the cab...you can see it plain as day. I sanded that whole truck down before 2 coats red oxide, but figured if they felt smooth you wouldn't see....bad mistake..not to mention that old painted lifted the new paint in spots.

Good luck! Good time too to shoot some cheap rocker guard on the exposed frame side, looks better when looking from the side

#1, this panel is not finished, so it will all be down to the metal, just started today, and need supplies.

I have done a few paint jobs, over existing paint/primer, but did not just shoot on an enamel or lacquer primer, but used a 2 k high build urethane surfacer. Absolutely no old paint uneven substrate showing through, nor did it peel, the 47 was not down to bare steel 100 %, it 's paint is now 5 years old, with no issues whatsoever.

The cab I did not go down to bare steel 100%, but only shot on 3-4 coats of tremclad type primer, it does not have the filling qualities of 2 k high build. But i will say this about tremclad, I shoot it on reduced at least 30%, using any autobody grade acrylic enamel reducer, I even used urethane grade reducer in a pinch. Once this stuff cures, it blocks like a dream, but film build thickness was lacking in my limited experience.

To be honest, this truck was supposed to be an antique farm beater, haul wood, gravel shingles etc, but after I was forced to sell my 47, I figured I should fix her up a bit.

Now having said this, I got started off on the wrong track, I was already body right off the frame, but was in a hurry, and had no plan to fix her up too much. Now I have no time to get totally involved in a complete and proper resto, so a fix up and quick paint for now. I do have it in quite decent reliable mechanical condition, the interior needs to be fixed up too, but there is not too much to the interiors of these trucks compared to a 47 Chrysler, and I did that whole interior...

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Looks like 3 trucks in one LOL.

Was just curious what your plan was, I always regret not doing mine properly the first time, when in reality it was only a few more days work to make a huge difference, and that's why mine is all apart and getting proper body work and cheap but a proper paint job. I've used 2K primer on my car when the body shop missed a bunch of stuff and I had to go back, but I don't think its the cure for proper body prep, but when your not aiming for show, its fine to spray over.

The Omni guys warned me that after a few years everything will slightly shrink and fade when I was quizzing them on how great the filler primer was and their paint combo, so that's making me extra vigilant on my prep this time, but I think I'm going to try Eastwood for the truck, or house of kolor....I wasn't impressed with the Omni on my 67 Monaco, although the new paint gun and an improper setting hooped that job.

My tremclade days are over, had so much trouble with their paint lately and their satin on my hood that I don't even buy their spray bombs anymore.

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Looks like 3 trucks in one LOL.

Was just curious what your plan was, I always regret not doing mine properly the first time, when in reality it was only a few more days work to make a huge difference, and that's why mine is all apart and getting proper body work and cheap but a proper paint job. I've used 2K primer on my car when the body shop missed a bunch of stuff and I had to go back, but I don't think its the cure for proper body prep, but when your not aiming for show, its fine to spray over.

The Omni guys warned me that after a few years everything will slightly shrink and fade when I was quizzing them on how great the filler primer was and their paint combo, so that's making me extra vigilant on my prep this time, but I think I'm going to try Eastwood for the truck, or house of kolor....I wasn't impressed with the Omni on my 67 Monaco, although the new paint gun and an improper setting hooped that job.

My tremclade days are over, had so much trouble with their paint lately and their satin on my hood that I don't even buy their spray bombs anymore.

1955 Fargo 108 inch chassis with engine/trans, 1955 cab, 1956 doors, 1952 box and tailgate, 1956 rear fenders, so made out of 4 different trucks, running boards were made from 3 sets, and cut and grafted to make 2 decent driver quality boards....I actually use Home Hardware Rust Coat enamel, truck is painted with it, they tinted the paint to my choice, not much of a choice, but I did it.....LOL

Edited by Fargos-Go-Far
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I didn't know they tinted enamel paints in store? My truck was Zesty Orange by Armour Coat, its great and strong paint..but take 10x the wet sanding and buffing to get that easy shine. The hood was first tremclade flat..washed at the wand wash with wax and the hood god white streaks, stripped it down and used Tremclade satin reduced only 20% so it would spray through my tip, took 8 coats and still scratched when you sneezed on it, then the cat pee it got this winter absolutely destroyed it..no big deal..it was coming off anyway

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I didn't know they tinted enamel paints in store? My truck was Zesty Orange by Armour Coat, its great and strong paint..but take 10x the wet sanding and buffing to get that easy shine. The hood was first tremclade flat..washed at the wand wash with wax and the hood god white streaks, stripped it down and used Tremclade satin reduced only 20% so it would spray through my tip, took 8 coats and still scratched when you sneezed on it, then the cat pee it got this winter absolutely destroyed it..no big deal..it was coming off anyway

Home Hardware Rust Coat enamel, custom tinted, with medium speed reducer, Evercoats DOI wet look acrylic enamel hardener mixed approx, 8-4-1, nice and shiny, and if you can lay it down right, very smooth and slick. This stuff can be cut and polished too, but shot on right with good prep will be nice and shiny, not like BC/CC or 2 k single stage urethane, but decent like the old school finishes....

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  • 3 weeks later...

Okay,back at it today, this is not that easy, car panels are far easier in my overrated opinion.

The box has a lot of contours, nooks and crannies, and is mostly a flat surface.

I am getting their should be ready for primer later today or by tomorrow.

The paint and rust removal has been done with a DA sander 80-100 grit, electric palm sander same grit, angle grinder with wire cup, hand sanding, and a 3m rust removal discs.

In reality, this type of job should be blasted, period, taken apart first.

The fenders and tailgate are getting blasted...

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I use a small, quart capacity sand blaster for those nooks and crannies.   I've cut filler applicators in half and folded paper over them to get into sharp corners too and because there are  seams, it's a good place for rust.

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I use a small, quart capacity sand blaster for those nooks and crannies.   I've cut filler applicators in half and folded paper over them to get into sharp corners too and because there are  seams, it's a good place for rust.

Yup.also use small items to get into the corners.

I am not seeking perfection, this has been rusting away since 1952, will likely outlast Me, or will no doubt be in better shape than just leaving it. 

In retirement, will either get a donor box,and get it ready off the truck, or will dismantle this box and truck, and blast everything once apart.

My approach is more of an elastoplast, until I can do a complete and thorough job, it is not in the cards for the next long while. So I am doing what I can for now, the cab is doing very well, and it was extremely rough,and I did not blast it,nor did I use any acid metal prep. I sanded it down, primer was 4 coats of rusty metal primer,shot on with 1 of my hvlp guns,topcoat Implement type enamel with hardener.

Bush league, yes, but lack of jingle and time will dictate the process........

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When I read the steps required, the different prime and prep options, the paint equipment I just back off. I'm just too old to learn all that. I would never have an old vehicle to drive if I learned to do all that. But I do thoroughly appreciate the knowledge, talent, and work involved.

I'll just remain the odd man out and enjoy what you guys can do.

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When I read the steps required, the different prime and prep options, the paint equipment I just back off. I'm just too old to learn all that. I would never have an old vehicle to drive if I learned to do all that. But I do thoroughly appreciate the knowledge, talent, and work involved.

I'll just remain the odd man out and enjoy what you guys can do.

PP, this ain't "rocket science", just a whole lotta work and elbow   grease.

I am not doing this the "correct way" and those cheque writer's may shake their heads at me.

I am just trying to get some paint on this box, to match the cab. This truck especially the cab was beat to hell, not overly rusty, just really bad panels all the way around.

In my case, the box is being stripped down as far as I can get it, then  3-4 coats of rusty metal primer, quick sand with 320 or 400, shoot on enamel color, have to be good enough for now.

yes when i may look as some others trucks on this forum or at some local car show, mine looks like crap, but so what, I have built this truck a very limited "shoe sting" budget, while i still raise a family and support 2 older boys in college. Again can't just write a cheque, for either having it all done for me, or for quality tools, supplies etc, it ain't gonna happen.

I would also get old, or look at the truck as time goes on and nothing done,so at least I am doing what I can for the interim.....

Edited by Fargos-Go-Far
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Got the outside of this box sanded and prepped last night. Today I shot on some white primer I had in my shop.

Next will do some filler work, 2 more coats of primer, then will wetsand with 320/400 and shoot on the color to match the cab.

The inside of the box has to be primered, and shooting in box liner.

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Your truck bed is looking good Fred.

I saw this fella on Ebay selling bed rail end caps a while back... http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1948-through-1953-Dodge-truck-top-bed-rail-end-caps-/121411503400?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c44b08528 ... and reckon they would look good on yours - they just seem to give the bed that finished-off look IMO.

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Your truck bed is looking good Fred.

I saw this fella on Ebay selling bed rail end caps a while back... http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1948-through-1953-Dodge-truck-top-bed-rail-end-caps-/121411503400?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c44b08528 ... and reckon they would look good on yours - they just seem to give the bed that finished-off look IMO.

Thanx for the idea, DD, those look like knock plug covers, think I may have some around here. if what I have don't fit, think I know where to find some....

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