Putting It Together - '51 B3B

[Jocko_51_B3B]

My sheetmetal parts are finished and it's time to put it together. I ran into a problem with the engine, so it's back at the machine shop for now. I should be getting the engine back from the shop in a couple of weeks. After the engine goes in, the cab and doors go on.

 

   

 

   

 

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Jocko_51_B3B
Add a photo. Remove blank lines.

[Jocko_51_B3B]

I put the bed together yesterday. The fenders aren't fully bolted on yet. I still need to add the fender welting.

 

   

Edited September 12, 2019 by Jocko_51_B3B
To add a sentence.

[DJ194950]

Beautiful work on the paint. ?

Another pair of running boards that Cannot be stepped on, oh well, I will never have the chance to ride in that beauty anyway! ?

 

DJ

[Frank Elder]

[Jocko_51_B3B]

The running boards and bed sides needed a lot of metal work before the paint went on but they turned out pretty well. I had help from some guys who know how to do body work, but I worked on every aspect of the body and paint work - mostly filler application, filler sanding, guide coating, high build primer sanding, clear coat sanding and final polishing, and a little bit of actual painting - in other words the stuff an amateur couldn't mess up too badly. Before taking this on I did not realize how much time and effort goes into paint prep. Painting is the easy part.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Jocko_51_B3B

[Dodgeed]

15 hours ago, DJ194950 said:

Beautiful work on the paint. ?

Another pair of running boards that Cannot be stepped on, oh well, I will never have the chance to ride in that beauty anyway! ?

 

DJ

I've got running boards like that, well, almost, and I put down a non slip piece of rubber like material, each and every time I get in & out, of the cab. ?

[tanda62]

Good looking stuff!  I am curious is your bed wood composite?  It really looks nice.

[Jocko_51_B3B]

The bed wood is oak. The bed strips are powder coated in semi-gloss black. The side angles are glued on and were painted along with the bed sides. I stained the boards with a a black solid exterior Behr stain. You can't see it in the picture, but a problem with the stain is that it tends to show scratch marks. I was thinking about applying a coat of marine varnish to prevent scratches and make the wood easy to wipe off, but Behr doesn't recommend varnish over exterior stain. Black paint might have been a better option. Time will tell.

[tanda62]

It really looks good in the pictures.  Scratch marks are like scars - gives the truck character ?