Here are a few more pictures of the other body panels. I remember the running boards having quite a bit of rust, so they must have been repaired well. Unless I'm remembering the running boards on my 45, its been so long things tend to run together.

 

I'm missing the cross braces for the bed. They must have been taken out by the shop it was at for a while since they are the ones that did the sand blasting on that part. If anybody has pictures of what they look like, or at least some kind of measurement for how it sits in relation to the frame of the truck I can make something that will work.

 

The cross braces were originally wood. Bruce Horkey's has replacements. Maybe has dimensions?

 

Looks like a very solid truck! Please read up on the very necessary breathing apparatus needed for spraying BC/CC, it can do permanent damage to your lungs!

 

I should've known that... I have a bed floor kit from LMC floating around here someplace. Not sure, but I doubt it would have come with the cross braces? If somebody could just tell me where it sits in relation to the frame at various points, I could put in metal bracing and then just put a thin rubber isolator between the bed and the frame.

 

I have a few respirators floating around here somewhere. I always wear a dust mask when sanding paint or filler. I remember I used to have one that has a couple different filters, I always used one filter set for sand blasting, and swapped to another filter set for painting. I'll have to see if I can find that one.

Unless you are talking about something more than a regular cartridge style respirator? Can you point me in the right direction to do a little more research on the topic in order to get up to speed with what is current now a days?

 

I used 2 1/2" sq tube. I think original wood was 2 1/2" tall by 1 1/2" wide. Front one is bigger to go under front of bed.

 

 

Thanks Scotty! I like what you did, I'll probably go that route. It looks like you notched the two in order to clear the hump in the frame?

 

 

The tubing I used is over kill but all I could find at 2 1/2" locally. Later I found a place that had 2 1/2" x 1" which might be better?

 

Thanks for posting the details! Looks like you did a really good job. I like the overkill factor. But with the cost of buying tubing, I'll have to think about it a bit. I'm not opposed to using a smaller diameter tubing, and still using a wood spacer/isolator between the bed and the frame. Wood is fine for that, I just don't like it being structural for bed integrity like the original ones must have been.

There is talk of using this truck as a truck once it is done. My mom wants to drive it regularly, and we have talked of putting logos on and using it on the farm for certain things such as going to market.

 

I would never sand blast small, thin parts. I'd use electrolysis, instead.

Rust removal by electrolysis


I'd do just about anything to avoid media blasting parts. If I had a big enough tub, I'd even do body panels this way.

 

That's cool, I like the idea. However what tells you when it has been long enough and the part is ready? Is too long going to hurt? Too little time and allows rust to come back from underneath whatever you coated it with to resurface years later?

Big problem... how do you dispose of the solution once you are done?

 

Basically, you pull the part out and wash the goop off. If you're happy with the result, it's done. If not, put it back in. I can't believe it can be left in too long, but the most I've heard of someone doing it is overnight. The more powerful the electrical feed, the faster it works, within limits.

The best thing about this process is that the rust doesn't just go away; the part's surface molecules are also changed electrically to repel oxygen molecules, which are what foster rust formation due to the ionic bias.

The solution after you're done is utterly inert. It's literally water, bicarbonate soda and iron oxide. All that stuff occurs naturally and can go down the drain or even thrown on the ground. If you are worried about it's alkyd properties, put some vinegar in it until it quits foaming.

Note: you ARE going to produce some hydrogen gas during the process, so maybe next to your water heater or near other open flames might not be the best place to do this.