Well guys I am in the process of a partial build on my 72 F250. I just found and bought a 40/20/40 seat that was in a 96 F250. I know from reading on this forum that it is a pretty easy swap.


I would like to post the pictures of my redo but I have never done it and don't have a clue.If there is a tutorial here I would appreciate a bump in the right direction.




Right now I have the whole front clip off the truck and it's in my basement. I have been working on each piece, finishing one at a time since September of this year. I have the truck tented on my brick pad in the back yard.


So far I have about 60% of the alum. trim sanded down and polished to a dull shine I plan to put on the black stripes and then do a final polishing to a chrome shine.


I have all of the brackets, and power steering components sanded and painted. The inner fenders, hood and misc. access. are all done. I need to buy the radiator mount and the mounting kit to the frame and some bolts that were rusted.


Doing the trim is very labor intensive! But the result are pretty awesome.




It's funny, I started this as a project to just repaint the truck but it has snowballed with the decision to replace the rd. support!. Since I'm not buying all that many new parts it really isn't that expensive. I've nothing but time, so getting it done is just a matter of doing something every day and multitasking.


So if anyone wants to help me get my pictures up on a build site I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Did I say something wrong?

 

No. Just give it time. You can upload pictures to your post. Just click the little yellow looking square that says insert image.

 

Thank you 351CC4, Todd

 

Quick reply

Dan

 

2nd method
Note the link at the top...

Dan

 

I got a '72 too, I would be interested to follow you on your build. Add me and I will post some photos too, I am currently trying to upgrade my ignition system and just hit a snag (check my posts, if you can help, please do). Ok, good luck on the project

 

Okay guys here's some more of my story. I will try to get some pics up soon but I have to share this so hopefully someone else that is contemplating what I am about to discuss will have a better idea of what is involved before they begin.


Since I had decided to paint the beast I took out the trim that the guy had given me with the truck. Minus a wheel well trim piece and some mounting hardware I had everything. It was all pretty nicked up and dull so I went online to see what I could find to improve its appearance.


I came across a youtube video of this guy showing how to take off the anodizing by wetsanding with 220 grit up to 600 grit and then using mothers polish. Viola! His trim went from dull to shinin' like chrome in no time.


If I ever meet this guy I am going to start with 40 grit on my belt sander and polish his gonads.




Seriously, If I had known what it really would take to get all the trim to look like chrome I would have had my welding nephew fill all the trim holes and tossed the trim in the dump. But I didn't so, you can guess I am in the process of making it look like chrome.


I tried something else (oven cleaner) after I did the first piece. I found that you really have to baby sit if you use the oven cleaner because If you don't it will quickly ruin the trim. I decided to stick with sanding


Here's what it has taken ( mind you, I am a perfectionist ) so far.


Orbital sander: 220, 240 grit dry


Wet sand: 240, 500, 1200 grit, 000


steelwool with ajax cleanser


Mothers x3 buffed out.


With that you will get very close to chrome,


Time per piece not counting time to tap out dings = avg. 4.5hrs. per piece times 22+ pieces. I still have the hood and back of cab trim AND the entire grill to do.




It does look pretty once it is done and it definitely looks better than the factory. The shine is deeper. The factory trim looks tinny next to it.

 

I admire your patience.

 

Once it is nice and shiny, how are you going to keep it that way? Anodize, wax, clear coat?

 

Rebuilding any vehicle always includes the intangibles. my methodology is to fully evaluate the scope of the work and plan include the "while I'm there" items because while it may extend or delay the work, it will likely save time later on because the job, like disassembly and reassembly, would only have to be done once. Of course, build in a allowance ($$) for those unanticipated encounters like your decision for replace the core support.

 

"Here's what it has taken ( mind you, I am a perfectionist ) so far.

Orbital sander: 220, 240 grit dry

Wet sand: 240, 500, 1200 grit, 000

steelwool with ajax cleanser

Mothers x3 buffed out.

With that you will get very close to chrome,

Time per piece not counting time to tap out dings = avg. 4.5hrs. per piece times 22+ pieces. I still have the hood and back of cab trim AND the entire grill to do. "


With 4.5 hrs. per piece +/- and 22 pieces you'll have 99 hrs. in trim.
Depending on what your time is worth let say $20.00 this total is $1980.00
A shop usually charges by job but if you had to pay shop hrs. depending on shop of course $40.00 to $80.00 an hr.
A good shop will strip the anodize off.


All our parts are shipped out and acid dipped, no more anodize.


So far you've only done straight pieces wait until you tackle the grille shell.
A reproduced grille shell goes for, $700.00 plus shipping +/- $100.00
at $20.00 and hour, you have 40 hrs to make it look perfect.
Now add your headlight bezels $$


So at $20.00 an hour (I'm sure being a perfectionist your time is double that, at least) but at $20.00hr just the trim and grille shell $2780.00
labor.
This does NOT count headlight bezels or hood or back of cab trim.
Sorry just doing a little math. Wow my head hurts.

 

All that makes my head hurt too!!

 

Clear coat.

 

That's the math. Of course if I had more money than time I wouldn't be doing it. But, alas I have more time so the labor is cheap but at least it's American