47 Dodge Turkey Truck Build

[Todd B]

White ash is a lot harder and heavier. It’s hard to push your finger nail into white ash. Plus the white ash is whiter than black ash. Black ash has a grey look to it. White ash is a better choice outside 

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

When putting a outdoor long lasting, non peeling paint or oil based finish the first two coats should be thinned down to a very thin watery viscosity.

This so it will soak deep into the wood.

Cut and drill all boards then coat. After two thinned /dried coats a final one or two full viscosity top coats.

 

I'm going to practice this technique on a scrap piece. Sounds like a good method.

 

2 hours ago, Todd B said:

White ash is a lot harder and heavier. It’s hard to push your finger nail into white ash. Plus the white ash is whiter than black ash. Black ash has a grey look to it. White ash is a better choice outside 

Sounds like I have white ash. These are quite heavy and I don't see any grey in them. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

White ash was the wood used in the Chrysler and other MoPar woodies.

Also a quick 400 grit roughing of the previous thinned and full vis coats is for good top coat adhesion.

[ggdad1951]

9 hours ago, Young Ed said:

any obvious ways to tell on wood that's already milled?

 

you have white ash.

[Young Ed]

got the temporary board removed that I had installed to hold the exhaust. Made up a hanger. Now that is out of the way I can start test assembling the bed on the frame

[Young Ed]

Getting close.

 

First test fitting on the actual truck. Now winter has come in MN so the truck is back outside. So far it hasn't gotten snowed on so if that holds I might be able to sneak out for a little more work.....

 

 

 

 

[Young Ed]

Back working on this again. Second guessing my statement of wanting to paint. Thinking I might oil it now. Truck is certainly no show truck and will be outdoors although id like to eventually make a bed cover for it 

[Plymouthy Adams]

that is an awful big cut on finish after going to the trouble of such a nice wooden bed floor and bed side rebuild...even the worst of paint looks better than the best of nothing and will add protection to the time you decide to go over it for a better finish down the road.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Plymouthy Adams

[Young Ed]

Still going to finish the wood just debating what product to use.

[Young Ed]

Anyone used this stuff?  https://www.flood.com/products/wood-stain/clear-wood-finish/cwf-oil

[Young Ed]

Did 3 of these last week. Box sides are close to ready. I need to convert 5 of the holes from round to square on each bed angle. Not sure if it's a W versus B series thing or what but my old strips used all carriage bolts and these are stamped for a mix of bolts and wood screws

 

 

[Young Ed]

Got all of the screw holes converted over to square holes for carriage bolts. Required new tools it's an official project now! Side boards fit much better now and this will be the final assembly before finishing the wood and installation. 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

that's make my neck hurt.....

 

 

[Young Ed]

It's amazing how much more it looks like a truck now!!

 

[Merle Coggins]

What did you use for a finish on the wood?

[Young Ed]

20 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

What did you use for a finish on the wood?

Ebony stain with two coats of flood deck oil. I was trying to protect it as much as possible while making it look old. Hoping it looks like someone dumped used motor oil on it like some guys used to. 

[Young Ed]

I'll still need to remove to get some anti squeak of some sort installed but I stuck the fenders on to see how it looked. 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

you got some critters hiding under that truck....future little fetch-ems   ?

[Jeff Balazs]

On 7/17/2020 at 5:32 PM, Young Ed said:

It's amazing how much more it looks like a truck now!!

 

Hi Ed;

I like what you did there. I may do something similar with the rustic walnut I used for my bed. It lives outside all of the time and the water based poly I used has almost entirely lifted. I will probably tackle it sometime this fall.....but I don't want to disassemble it. Just clean up stain and then oil.

Jeff

[Young Ed]

Got in a little time on the project today. Put the gas tank in twice! The first time there was a bed bolt that was sticking down a little too far so I had to cut that off at the nut. 

[greg g]

I used similar to this on my Studebaker.  Stuck it to the fender, then put the bolt holes through.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hushmat-HSM30300-Quiet-Tape-Shop/dp/B004J64OOO/ref=asc_df_B004J64OOO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312153141514&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9875536150706634385&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005117&hvtargid=pla-568958765253&psc=1

 

Got similar locally from body shop supply place.

[Young Ed]

Stuck the back and front windows in to try and make it a little more weather proof. The gasket for the back window didn't lay flat in the corners but otherwise looks good. Windshield is an old rusty frame with bad glass but it fills the hole. 

[Young Ed]

Might have changed my mind on seats. I was originally going to go buckets with integrated belts but this bench fits sooooo good. 

 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

dang near look right at home in there......go with what you got, spend your money on things NOT ON HAND....got a crumb cruncher looking on I see.....checking up on if you hiding Christmas gifts in the Turkey Truck....

[Young Ed]

3 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

dang near look right at home in there......go with what you got, spend your money on things NOT ON HAND....got a crumb cruncher looking on I see.....checking up on if you hiding Christmas gifts in the Turkey Truck....

Haha I already bought the buckets too! I'm still liking these better. Will have to fab up a mount for the shoulder belts and seat mounts