52b3b Joe Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Posted April 12, 2015 Hank, I do have the pads in there, but I think I will have to add more thickness to raise it now. Merle, that's what I kinda figured. Looks like I have to shim everything up now... I have three weeks to get the truck done, times ticking away and I'm gone for work starting today until Friday. Things are going to busy! Quote
ggdad1951 Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Just make sure your shims don't attract and hold water against the metal! Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Joe; Did you have the cross bed members that came with the bed? Just asking as if you don't or have substituted something different that may be why the bed is sitting low. I actually had to shim my running boards up a bit......just the opposite of what you are looking at. Jeff Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 13, 2015 Author Report Posted April 13, 2015 Joe; Did you have the cross bed members that came with the bed? Just asking as if you don't or have substituted something different that may be why the bed is sitting low. I actually had to shim my running boards up a bit......just the opposite of what you are looking at. Jeff I am using new crossmembers from a vender. They are exactly like the originals and I did have two good originals to compare to before I installed them. I am thinking that maybe the fiberglass running boards are thicker than the originals. Quote
ggdad1951 Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 I am using new crossmembers from a vender. They are exactly like the originals and I did have two good originals to compare to before I installed them. I am thinking that maybe the fiberglass running boards are thicker than the originals. that would HAVE to be true, I don't think .060 thick fiber would be very sturdy. 1 Quote
Darkrider Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 Finally got caught up! Awesome project so far! 1 Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 19, 2015 Author Report Posted April 19, 2015 Today we have fenders! I fitted them and drilled the mounting holes, wet sanded, and hit the color on them. Then I cut the grass, did the rest of the yard work, and most importantly, I put the fenders on! I also shimmed the bed up in the front which has fixed all my fit issues, and go figure the grease zerk holes line up perfectly with the zerks now! Tomorrow the tailgate and lights go on, and I will paint the running boards. From there I'm a few odds and ends away from being back on the road for the warm weather with a complete truck. 5 Quote
Brent B3B Posted April 19, 2015 Report Posted April 19, 2015 Nice! That has got to feel good.... did you rebuild the tail gate hinges? Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 19, 2015 Author Report Posted April 19, 2015 Nice! That has got to feel good.... did you rebuild the tail gate hinges? I bought new hinges from VPW, and the tailgate itself was a NOS (basically) that was off a 3/4 ton. I shortened for the tailgate to fit my 1/2 ton, so lucky for me the bottom tube for the hinge is perfect. Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 21, 2015 Author Report Posted April 21, 2015 (edited) The truck is getting closer every night now! One side of the truck is almost done (I can only work on one side at a time with my available space right now! I am hoping that I got the running boards in the correct place. They are the fiberglass re-pops and I am very happy with them. They are very sturdy. I looked over tons of pictures for reference to get them right (I hope). Here are pictures: Edited April 21, 2015 by 52b3b Joe 1 Quote
Merle Coggins Posted April 21, 2015 Report Posted April 21, 2015 Lookin' good Joe. You're almost there. Atta Boy!! Quote
HanksB3B Posted April 21, 2015 Report Posted April 21, 2015 Joe, you could always quit your job and become an auto painter ! Super Nice Job Guy ! Hank Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 21, 2015 Author Report Posted April 21, 2015 (edited) Lookin' good Joe. You're almost there. Atta Boy!! Thanks Merle, I have 9 days to finish it now, the time's ticking! Joe, you could always quit your job and become an auto painter ! Super Nice Job Guy ! Hank LOL, thanks but, I wouldn't go too far now Hank! I'm no expert, just a backyard mechanic. I'd never make money doing it for all the times I "learn" why not to do it that way next time. I actually have to touch up a stake pocket on the bed because I caught it with the buffing wheel and it scratched it up in a few spots before I noticed, and there's that spot where I may or may not have burned through the paint with it too If you look in the picture with the door open, you can see where I went through the paint and put the scratches in the stake pocket if you look close! I guess if I'm not learning something, then whats the point? It would be pretty boring, and they make paint everyday (even if it is super $$$). Edited April 21, 2015 by 52b3b Joe Quote
pflaming Posted April 22, 2015 Report Posted April 22, 2015 Joe, I understand your frustration with the buffer, my hands are not too steady anymore either, so I "burned" through in a few spots as well. Quote
Don Coatney Posted April 22, 2015 Report Posted April 22, 2015 Scratches in a paint job add character. After the first one the rest don't matter as much. In the early 60's when I was young and foolish I bought a 57 Hemi Desoto to flip. I stripped the chrome and hood latch, drove the car to Earl Shieb for his $29.95 paint job. Car looked great. On the drive home I just had to let that Hemi eat. At about 60 MPH in a 35 zone the wind caught the hood and flipped it. Took out both front fenders and the back corners of the hood. Visibility went to zero so I had to make an instrument landing with no instruments. I laugh about this now that I am old and foolish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkdtOOYdQOs 1 Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 22, 2015 Author Report Posted April 22, 2015 Joe, I understand your frustration with the buffer, my hands are not too steady anymore either, so I "burned" through in a few spots as well. Yeah it is very frustrating, but that's all part of the game I guess... On a second note... I can't resist Paul, but didn't your entire truck burn through? Sorry Paul, I had to! You're probably getting tired of the jokes, so this is my last one! Scratches in a paint job add character. After the first one the rest don't matter as much. In the early 60's when I was young and foolish I bought a 57 Hemi Desoto to flip. I stripped the chrome and hood latch, drove the car to Earl Shieb for his $29.95 paint job. Car looked great. On the drive home I just had to let that Hemi eat. At about 60 MPH in a 35 zone the wind caught the hood and flipped it. Took out both front fenders and the back corners of the hood. Visibility went to zero so I had to make an instrument landing with no instruments. I laugh about this now that I am old and foolish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkdtOOYdQOs That's a great story, too bad it wasn't caught on film!! Any pictures of the car? I think those 57-58 Desotos look great, but I don't think any Desotos looks too bad except for maybe the 61's, and even so, I don't mind how they look too much. joe, it's looking awesome! Thanks Mark! Quote
Don Coatney Posted April 22, 2015 Report Posted April 22, 2015 No pictures but it was a 2 door hardtop all black. I will never forget the sight behind the wheel as the hood started raising. I hit the slammers but the hood continued its upward travel. 1 Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted April 22, 2015 Report Posted April 22, 2015 Joe; Glad you got the clearance issues figured out. It sure is looking good. Jeff 1 Quote
John-T-53 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Posted April 22, 2015 (edited) Scratches in a paint job add character. After the first one the rest don't matter as much. In the early 60's when I was young and foolish I bought a 57 Hemi Desoto to flip. I stripped the chrome and hood latch, drove the car to Earl Shieb for his $29.95 paint job. Car looked great. On the drive home I just had to let that Hemi eat. ...snip... Before I read the rest of the post, I wondered for a second if the paint started to peel off on the way home! Edited April 22, 2015 by John-T-53 Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 25, 2015 Author Report Posted April 25, 2015 Well, she hit the road Thursday night! It never missed a beat, and ran great! Now I am finally put new axle seals (again). Merle got to see them leaking first hand last summer in Detroit. I have I week from today get it completely ready. I'll get it! 2 Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 26, 2015 Author Report Posted April 26, 2015 While doing the axle seals, I found all but one of the rear wheel cylinders leaking. So I thought I had better check the fronts, and sure enough they were leaking. Thankfully I had rebuild kits on the shelf! Now all the brakes are up to snuff. All that's left is the interior handles and the toe in adjustments. Then it's ready! 1 Quote
48Dodger Posted April 28, 2015 Report Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Joe, its time to learn spot repair. lol • Your paint is new, so color matching is easy. • If its a burn through....sand out maybe 18 inches from the inury in all direction with 2000 (very little paint will reach these edges) • Sand from the injuried area out with 1500 or 1000, leaving a good 8 inches of 2000 on the perimeter.....then 800 in the mostly affected area • Cover the whole truck in a plastic drape, leaving the work area exposed. • When taping the area off....do not create ANY hard edges...reverse taping** is a good technique. • Mix two cups...one cup color ...then a 9 to 1 mix of your color reducer(9) and color(1) • Spray out the damageded area very lightly and work color back into the panel, staying away form any edges and only out to the 1000 zone. • When its looking like it covered, hit the 2000 zone with the solvent mix, again staying away from the edges....you are in affect burning in the edges to the first coats of paint. • When its dry, the 2000 area should buff out seamlessly. • By all means, practice....if you have time to do it wrong, you have more than eonugh time to learn to do it right. 48D PM me with your questions... ** How to practice reverse taping...draw an X on a practice panel, that's your damaged area. lay your paper right over the damage, then tape the top edge of the paper. lift the paper up and over the tape edge, notice that underside of the paper is now the exposed side. The tape will be "rolled" at the bottom edge. This is your unsharp edge... repeat surounding the whole work area. Edited May 15, 2015 by 48dodger 1 Quote
52b3b Joe Posted April 29, 2015 Author Report Posted April 29, 2015 Joe, its time to learn spot repair. lol • Your paint is new, so color matching is easy. • If its a burn through....sand out maybe 18 inches from the inury in all direction with 2000 (very little paint will reach these edges) • Sand from the injuried area out with 1500 or 1000, leaving a good 8 inches of 2000 on the perimeter.....then 800 in the mostly affected area • Cover the whole truck in a plastic drape, leaving the work area exposed. • When taping the area off....do not create ANY hard edges...reverse taping** is a good technique. • Mix two cups...one cup color ...then a 9 to 1 mix of your color reducer(9) and color(1) • Spray out the damageded area very lightly and work color back into the panel, staying away form any edges and only out to the 1000 zone. • When its looking like it covered, hit the 2000 zone with the solvent mix, again staying away from the edges....you are in affect burning in the edges to the first coats of paint. • When its dry, the 2000 area should buff out seamlessly. • By all means, practice....if you have time to do it wrong, if you have more than eonugh time to learn to do it right. 48D PM me with your questions... ** How to practice reverse taping...draw an X on a practice panel, that's your damaged area. lay your paper right over the damage, then tape the top edge of the paper. lift the paper up and over the tape edge, notice that underside of the paper is now the exposed side. The tape will be "rolled" at the bottom edge. This is your unsharp edge... repeat surounding the whole work area. Wow, I figured I'd just rough it up and spray it! It's a good thing you explained this to me. I would have failed before I even started! When I get to fixing the area I will follow as you said. I probably won't have time to fix it for a couple weeks or more unfortunately. Thanks Tim! Quote
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