Well I don't know anything about body work, but I'm willing to learn, and I think I can probably handle some block sanding. Next weekend would be about the only time I'd have, I work this weekend. Would have to bring the boys along too.

 

Matt, Actually I'm gearing up for some time off for the holidays and plan on getting some work done on the house that's been bothering me. Most of my basement has concrete floors and I hate my kitchen floor. Last time I was at HD they had some laminate wood flooring for less than a dollar a sq foot, that I think would look better. but once that major project is out of the way, I'll probably get focused back on the truck for January.

 

I'm better with home improvements than I am with truck restoration, FYI. If you have any questions about putting that laminate floor in, give me a holler.

 

Matt, appreciate the offer, I actually cornered Marty at the dinner this past week to pick his brain. Seems there is a concern about one of the layers of linoleum having asbestos in it. Anyway, if this weekend is as nice as they say it will be, I think I might spend a day loading and unloading flooring... it'll beat doing it in a colder day... just got to make sure what I'm planning on doing, isn't gonna actually reduce the value of the house. Thinking bout it, I'd rather rebuild a tranny, at least I'd know what I'm doing!

 

So got some more time out on Arizona this weekend, since we had such nice weather. Pulled the core support. Started cleaning it up and getting ready to replace the front bushing with the poly bushings. Found the core support cracked, so made plans to head to a friends house in Raeford to get it welded back up.

After pulling the support I was able to get the bushing out and the new ones ready to go back in.



Corner crack



Side crack



Support out.

 

Not sure how well it will work, but I picked up some second row Econoline captain seats from a 94. One has a bracket, but I know it won't line up.

So is there an easy mount- little fabrication bracket I can get, or is this going to be a true custom fab setup?

 

Think I should have called this the ADHD build. It seems to be how I am doing things. So bright and early this morning went on a parts hunt and scored a door, fender, hood, and towing mirror bracket. 80 for all of it. Thought that wasn't a bad price.




Then heard from Ubereal on the forum, who was in need of some shop time. So I yanked the front bench seat while waiting on him to get to the shop.



Answered my own question on the seat brackets.

They is a custom bracket out there, that should just be bolt on. But for 80 or so per side, plus shipping, we thought we might just give it a shot. Have a lot of scrap metal laying around

 

Alright, so I've been looking into paints, paint methods, and all that jazz. This is what I've come up with. Remember, the truck has dents and scratches so i'm not just doing bare metal or painted surface, but a mixture. Oh and a small amount of bondo as well.

1. remove as many dents as possible
2. Fix cracks\holes - weld.
3. grind and sand smooth
4. clean clean clean
5. shoot with self etching primer - only non painted surfaces - let dry
6. shoot with 2k or primer surfacer primer - let dry completely
7. Apply Bondo, sand, and clean
8. Shoot with 2k or primer-surfacer primer again.
9. sand with 3-400 grit paper - DA or Block sand here?
10. Shoot with 2-3 coats of color Single Stage - tack rag between coats
11. Allow to dry and block sand 1000 grit wet?
13. Wax\polish?

I'm not going for show truck. But something I can at least enjoy from 10 ft. away

 

You boys look like your having fun in those pictures. I'm always alone in the shop

 

Hey Humphrey, Bob's a good guy. I met him through this website, the North Carolina Chapter gets together every month for dinner at some random place across the state. Since then I've seen and been to a few different things with chapter members. Car show, quite a few cookouts, a fun trailer build, a transmission pull, a couple of camping trips. I've also gotten a lot of shop help and friends through this website, and maybe a few stories to tell.

You should check out your regional chapter and maybe the state next door as well, you never know. Some states have a very active membership. We also have people with all sorts of skill levels and knowledge. Besides the stuff I'm learning on the truck, I've learned about chimneys, gumbo and ribs (yeah we do get to do a lot of eating)! I see you are in Missouri. I know Bob is moving there in a couple of months, and believe that chapter is pretty active.

 

Back when I was at fort Bragg 4 buddies and I started a jeep club. The Carolina jeepsters. Man we rode and wrenched everyday seems like. I wonder what came of those guys. Good times for you and your group but now I work more than hang.

 

They are on the NC4x4 site right? I've heard of them. Still active?

 

Wow, those seats look great! Any way they'd work with retaining a jump seat in the middle?

I could live without the center arm rest portions of the chairs as the jump seat takes over that duty.

Either way, looks great!

 

A month ago or so, one of the guys in the NC forum here said he had some free time, and if anyone had a project or anything to work on. I answered, and he came, of course several others here also had some free time and joined in.

BIG THANKS to FordTruckFan89, Ubereal, NCHeavyMetal, and Tarheel Blue for coming out today and giving a hand.




Bed out of the shop. Set up for sanding



Guys and their trucks.



Left to right FordTruckFan89, Ubereal, NCHeavyMetal. Not pictured Tarheel Blue.



Some test automotive paint.



Sanding started, and complete tear down on of the bed underway.


Today:
Another full day in the shop. Met up with a friend and had some coffee, then hit the sanding again. This may be the third for fourth full day sanding on the bed that we've had. Yeah, I'm sure if I knew what I was doing, it would take way less sanding, but I keep finding dings and deciding to add a little filler here, or do a little tapping there. Maybe shaping and sculpting on the bed.

Also shot my first 2k urethane primer today as well. Again, with practice I could get better, with a cleaner enviroment I could do better, and next time I shoot I'll be that much better.
But another chatter right? Here's some shots through out the day.





Doors on (this was done when everyone was out about a month ago)



Drivers door cost a lot more, but was in much better shape.



Cowl and hood. This hood was in great shape, besides the really crappy paint that was on it.





Bed, ready to spray



Truck is out, and covered up, using what's available to keep parts off the floor.



Passenger side. Bed was in great shape besides some dings, and holes where a ladder rack was mounted.



Feels empty with out Arizona in the shop.



New paint guns.



Cowl primed.



Header panel primed. (Core Support)





Hood, didn't turn out great. We got the paint mixture off



Fender was new in box, the point where the fender goes up to the windshield was bent over completely and had a ding in the body lines. Still pretty good, just maybe not worth what I spent for it.



Passenger side bed primed



Bed front panel



Drivers side bed primed.

 

Not sure, it would depend on where you got the jumpseat from but there is space in between the two custom van seats.