Today, I was looking at my to-do list for Betsy and prioritizing the remaining items on my list.

I've kept a log of what I've done to the truck since I got it 4 1/2 years ago. I'm not sure I recorded everything, but there are 116 items listed. Some of those are "duplicates" as I learned how to do things right.

But here's what I have left that I intend to do with Betsy. Let me know if you think I have something in the wrong order.

Repair the passenger side floor. (the reason I bought a welder)
Body work and paint preparation
Remove all glass
Paint
Install all new rubber, windshield, rear window, door glass
Install sound dampener/heat shield
Install headliner kit and visors
Install firewall cover
Install floor mat (no carpet for Betsy)
Install bed wood
Build and install stakes
Repair steering wheel cracks
Recover bench seat

If I paint her myself, I think I can finish these things for under $4,000.

 

Hey Joe,
Good List - Motivating me to do the same. I've got a mental list
of items - might make more progress if I organized my thoughts like you.

I've always been intrigued by the tractor paint I've seen members use for their trucks.
It's appropriate for these old trucks. Your budget number can be consumed by just paint if you don't watch it.

Looking good in California!

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Thanks Ben. Yes I know having the body work and paint done by someone else could easily double or triple my estimated finishing cost. But she's not a show truck, so just having her all one color would make me happy.

 

Hi Joe,
Looks like you have been busy since leaving the work place. I'd vote to paint yourself. I got mine finally done and like you said mines not a show truck and I saved a ton of money and got good results, and learned a lot too.

 

Joe, you have approached each item on your truck with care and dilegence, and imho, I don't think paint and body work would be any different for you. Mine isn't perfect, but I am happy with how it came out and the fact that I did it myself, makes any flaws acceptable The guys here that do it for a living were more than happy to answer any specific questions that I had, which helped me so much. So I agree with ed.

 

Joe,
I say paint it yourself. I've seen many a driveway paint job that looks great. Since you are going back with the factory, non-metallic paint you should be good. If anything get help after the paint job with rubbing and buffing it out.


You can do this
Bobby

 

Hi Ed. Yes, I thought I'd have lots of free time after I retired, but it somehow gets filled with things to do. The difference is that it's mostly things that I want to do.

Your truck looks great! Did you paint it in a booth or garage or outside?

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence Jimmy. I have a paint gun that I've never used, and could probably paint the truck with it. I even got the Summit Paint Like a Pro DVD!

I know that the preparation is at least as important as the paint, and probably more important. I think I only have a couple of areas left for body work; a small dent in the left fender and some work on the roof.

But I have never disassembled a vehicle before, and really don't have room to do it here. I want to install all new rubber, and some of the original is missing altogether. And I'm thinking I may have to remove the bed again to paint the back of the cab.

It's things like this that keep the new paint on the back burner. I enjoy driving the truck now, and really am not ready to take it out of commission yet.

 

Thanks Bobby. I'm an adequate rattle can painter, but I've never attempted painting a vehicle. I get what you're saying about the non-metallic paint, and I have been having an internal fight over what color to go with, like so many others on FTE. Betsy was originally Silvertone Gray, and I've seen some others' trucks repainted in that color and they looked good. But I really like blue or red trucks, so the jury's still out on the color.

 

I love Silvertone Gray. But it seems more blue than gray to me. There's a newish VW Beetle color that looks real close. Stu

 

Yes Stu, that's one of the many pics I have saved over the years of Silvertone Gray trucks... and is one of my favorites. Another FTE member painted his truck SG and it looks fantastic. It is more blue than gray.

I'll have to look into that VW paint to see what you mean.

 

Part of my problem getting started on this is the interior has to be painted too, unless I paint the truck some shade of brown. A PO painted the interior light and dark brown at some point. And that would not look good with any color I would choose to paint the truck.

But first things first, I bought a welder to replace the rotted out section of the passenger floor. I'm not going to start on that until after the Salute to Veterans Parade coming at the end of April.

This year my passenger in the parade will be a very dear friend, 96 year old Pearl Harbor Survivor, Roger Marron, whom I met through the Boy Scouts when I took Wood Badge training in 1989. Here he is in 1940, fresh out of boot camp.

 

Very cool. You know the drill, lots of pictures.

 

I hope to have video this year as well as pics. I have already mounted the flag holders on Betsy. I had to change the design since I have a "new" bed this year.

 

I just spent the last week and a half reading through the whole thread.

Joe you have done an excellent job so far. I'm also happy to see the truck is still being used. Nothing sadder than a truck that doesnt "work" anymore.

My dad had one like that when I was a young buck in SLO. It got stolen though in 79 or 80. He still has the title somewhere incase it is ever found. His was used for taking crops to the farmers market back then.