Starting to look like a truck again.

[Guest Kuster13]

Finally started to put the sheet metal back on the truck. Having taken the time to pre-assemble before painting sure helps at this stage. Sorting out all the appropriate hardware, cleaning and painting is almost more work than doing the bodywork and paint.

[JBNeal]

When I painted Dad's Farmall 1206, he cussed me for "taking too long" cleaning and cleaning...6 years later, the sheet metal looks like I painted it yesterday. That's the hardest lesson I've had to drill into my head, from painting tractors to houses: getting all surfaces free of contaminants before each coat. The results purty much speak for themselves.

And look at all that shop space ya have now, what with all them bulky parts bolted in place instead of hanging from the rafters...it's like a newly found freedom.

[pflaming]

wow! Even uncompleted that light blue is going to look fantastic! Keep the pics coming.

[SteveMelchiorre]

Looking really nice Tom.

Keep the pics coming!

Steve...

[Tony_Urwin]

Looks great! I haven't gotten to the paint stage yet, but wouldn't it be easier to install the stainless bfore the grill gets bolted to the fenders?

[dontknowitall]

nice job, wish i was that far... still bashing and grinding!

[ggdad1951]

nice!

I can't wait till I can say the same thing!

[Reg Evans]

Very nice ! I like the color too.

[Frank Elder]

What is that color it looks a tad light to be Petty blue:)I really like it!

[pflaming]

Frankie: That 'pretty' blue is Texas football's new color!!!

[Guest Kuster13]

Thank you for the comments.

I originally started painting with a product called Devoe Coatings, an industrial paint. It was all good until I started putting the panels together and noticed that the color and sheen was different on every panel. I didn't like it so I sanded it down.

Like many of us, funds are limited, so I researched the Tremclad (Rustoleum)paintjobs people have done. I painted a work truck years back and from twenty feet away it looked alright. Ran that truck for 5 years, washed it once a year with a pressure washer and the day I sold it the paint still looked good (at 20 feet).

The color is the Tremclad Colonial Blue and comes in aerosal and litre's. The color is really close to what I was already using. I decided to spray it on with a HVLP gun. I added hardener and a reducer and mixed it the way I was showed by the guy at the paint counter. It seems to work, it looks ok from 8 1/2 feet away.

My stainless bars are all dinged up but not squashed. I was able to mount them during the pre-assembly when the grill was already mounted.

Tom

Edited August 16, 2010 by Kuster13
spelling

[Frank Elder]

Frankie: That 'pretty' blue is Texas football's new color!!!

Hook'em powder puffs!

[buds truck]

Tom, what a fantastic looking truck! I know that I will need to get the passport renewed and make another trip up your way to see it again. I restored the stainless on my 49 Plymouth and would be happy to give you some tips on how to do yours. It's a great winter job. Time consuming and painstaking, but well worth it. Bud

[Guest Kuster13]

Have been scratching a hole in my head.

Before paint, everything fit but now a problem has come up. The front of hood won't sit down on the fender as you can see in the 2nd pic. I have tried everything I can think of.

I can't remember or find any reference pics in my files to show if the front nose/grill is to sit above or below the upper rad shroud. Does that make sense?

The upper rad shroud bolts to the nose/grill but does the shroud sit above (as it is in the 1st pic) or should it sit below.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Tom

[Merle Coggins]

That looks right to me. Do you have the cowl lacing where the hood rests on the cowl at the rear? It looks like you don't, that's why the hood sides are closer to the fenders at the rear. Get the cowl lacing in place, and the stainless nose piece, and it'll look better.

Merle

[Guest Kuster13]

No I don't have the cowl lacing as of yet but when I did all the test fitting I used strips of the original lacing. I know that for any final alignment the doors need to on but as it is now it seems the hood will not sit low enough to touch the fenders. By next week I will have both doors and the hood latch hooks in place. It is as if the fenders and the nose now need to be raised by 3/4" where before they fit very well. ?????

If the solution doesn't jump out and whack me I will request further assistance.

Thank you muchly

Tom

[Merle Coggins]

I don't believe the hood sides should touch the fenders. They should rest on a rubber bumper on the radiator cowl and on the rear cowl lacing and should be just off of the fenders.

Here's a pic of my truck, fresh out of the shop for it's maiden voyage road test. It's the best shot I have showing the hood to fender alignment.

[Guest Kuster13]

Thank you Merle. That helps alot. Now, when everything is in place I have a much better idea of what to shoot for. I haven't tightened anything down just yet, waiting until the doors are hung.

More pic's coming soon.

Tom

[William Davey]

I don't know if your truck body mounts to the frame the same as my 1955 C-3-B8, but on mine the left front cab mount uses 2 big rubbers (proper name?) between the cab and the frame. The other 3 mounts only use one. The PO apparently didn't know this and my truck has hood fit issues and the gap between the fender and driver's door gets very wide near the bottom.

I know it sounds like a really stupid idea, but have you verified the body mounts match the manual?

[Guest Kuster13]

All the body mounts are new and were installed during all the assemblies that I did before paint. Just before painting I assembled the sheet metal one last time. I really spent the time adjusting all the panels for the best fit and organized all the hardware that I used to put it together.

I hung the passenger door this evening and it fit just like it did the last time. The door lined up in it's frame very well and the fender is right where it should be.

I'm probably over thinking and should wait until the drivers door is done and the hood latch hooks are on. The way I oragnized the assembly was to place and align the cab. Fit the doors to the cab fit the hood to the cowl. The fenders then need to be aligned to the doors and the grill panel buttons it all up. I have gotten ahead of my own plan while waiting on the doors. One last door to paint.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel........ or is that a train!

Naaa...the dog is walking around in the dark with the flashlight in its mouth again.

Tom

[Guest Kuster13]

Got the doors hung and the pic shows the problem. The door skin just above the hinge, scrapes along the top of the hinge. The hinges are tight and have new pins installed. I have tried to adjust the hinge down, up, in and out.

I thinking that I will have to trim either the door or the hinge.What Would be best or any other ideas are welcome?

Tom

[Dave72dt]

Can you roll that edge up and out enough to clear? I seem to recall mine being out a little in that spot and when gapping the door I removed enough door skin to clear.

[dontknowitall]

Unless you have put on new door skins...consider that often there is nothing wrong with the door or the guards, its all in the leveling of the shell to the frame..

From were I sit..It is almost as if the cab line up is sacked in the middle,under the front window pillar, a bit like a V shape. Follow the lines with your eyes and you may see it.

I think The solution maybe to raise the middle of the cab (center of the truck, the pillar were the door hinges are located) upwards. This can be done either by shimms or extra rubber on the Cab mounts. Doing this will cause the gap to open between the door and the front guard and also the gap between the bonnet (hood) and the gaurd. You then may have the space to move the hing lower and so increase the gap between doorskin and hinge.. hope you follow me.

In my years of panework I found a lot of issues with door /guard gaps are traced back to the mounts that are used to bolt the shell back to the frame. When adjusting make sure you keep an eye on the other side aswell.

Hope this helps

Edited September 11, 2010 by dontknowitall
spelling

[JBNeal]

it kinda looks like the formed edge of the door above the hinge is a bit flat...I think if the edge is arched a little more, that dragging edge can be pulled away from the edge...dunno if this can be done without dressing the paint up in that area.

[Guest Kuster13]

Unless you have put on new door skins...consider that often there is nothing wrong with the door or the gaurds, its all in the leveling of the shell to the frame..

From were I sit..It is almost as if the cab line up is sacked in the middle,under the front window pillar, a bit like a V shape. Follow the lines with your eyes and you may see it.

I think The solution maybe to raise the middle of the cab (center of the truck, the pillar were the door hinges are located) upwards. This can be done either by shimms or extra rubber on the Cab mounts. Doing this will cause the gap to open between the door and the front gaurd and also the gap between the bonnet (hood) and the gaurd. You then may have the space to move the hing lower and so increase the gap between doorskin and hinge.. hope you follow me.

In my years of panework I found a lot of issues with door /gaurd gaps are traced back to the mounts that are used to bolt the shell back to the frame. When adjusting make sure you keep an eye on the other side aswell.

Hope this helps

Doors are what was on the truck when it came to me. I understand what you are saying but I've been looking at this truck for to long to see what you mean about the cab lining up and it having a bit of a "V" shape. I never even thought to level the cab floor to the frame:o I squared it to the frame and the mounts.

I was thinking of taking the upper hinge off first and confirming that the hinge half that is mounted to the door itself is not loose. I don't remember it being loose but if a light tap up or down causes if to move then I would have to secure that first. If the hinge does move I think the weight of the door would pull the hinge up and could cause the current problem and be an easy enough fix.

While the hinge is off I will also check what Dave72dt and 49Dodge1Ton suggested and check the formed edge and see if the arch is out of whack.

Currently have a couple of cracked ribs so fixing this will have to wait.....Oh who am I kidding. I'll dig into this more in the morning.