I got really close to painting the frame the other day, but hadn't pulled the cab bushings or rad support bushings off yet, or the brake line. So I decided to wait. Got the bushings off. Rad support brackets rusted through almost bad enough for the bushing to fall through. Got those chiseled off, haven't got the radiator support off the '85 yet to see what shape those brackets are in. They have to be nicer. They'll either be good enough or the ones getting washers welded to them. Need to do a bit more cleaning before I paint. Although tonight I almost said the hell with it and painted it anyway. Got too much going on to work on the truck, but it's got the same deadline as everything else. I still plan to try and photograph the work as I go, but I may forget. I'd like to take pictures of all the part numbers I come across and log them in the book I'm going to build to go along with the truck. Think if I turned my phone off that I could get it all done in the next two weeks? Weather is much nicer now, I'd say it's practically spring.

 

How much paint and of what type did you use? I highly recommend at least 2 coats--only one coat will leave many pinholes untreated and rust will take hold.

 

Long story short, I can't remember how this got started... Wait maybe I do. I was pulling the bed the replace the float in the sending unit and decided to paint the frame when I had the bed off. She snowballed on me. I originally got a gallon of black tractor and implement paint. But have since spent life savings on POR-15. Plane on two coats if it goes that far, if not something is better than nothing. Havent seen what the texture on it is. Plan on brushing it on. Have no way to pull the motor and trans. Have considered jacking them up and cribbing them in place with 4x4 towers. But this whole affair is starting to taste bad. Will probably 3/4 *** it.

 

I like the Tractor paint idea myself...

 

You could just remove front clip and cab without pulling drive train--- have done it before. Then jack up engine/trans and prop up with wood blocks where necessary. I think you'll be glad you did in long run.

 

That is what I used on mine with hardener but I sprayed it on being I had every thing off the frame.
Dave - - - -

 

Price is better on it. Holds up well, have used it on large surfaces on trailers. I'm hope the POR is a more forgiving product and won't care if I haven't completely neutralized all the rust completely. I don't have anymore time to dedicate to paint prep. I'm going to do just what I have to from this point forward. The tractor paint will get used though. Under the cab and on the firewall and the inner fenders. AAaaaaaaaand, not the best idea, but on the body panels I'm swapping I'm going to knock the rust down, scuff them and hit them with a coat(maybe two) of the tractor paint so the truck will at least appear consistent. This started as minor maintenance. Pretty well over my head now though.

That's where I'm sitting currently, just need to figure out how to safely block up the motor and transmission. Rear is on a slab, front is in the dirt and it's pretty wet. I have new motor mounts I had decided to not use since mine are fine, and I need to pull the pan to replace the gasket and paint. So will probably figure out how the float them lol

I've been meaning to ask about the hardener, what did you use? Does it cure it faster or actually make the finish harder, or both?

 

TSC brand paint I think is majestic oil base and they had the hardener on the shelf next to the paint.
If it is anything like auto body paint it makes it a little harder and dry quicker.
I have not gotten the truck on the road but so far with all the building it has stood up pretty good.
Dave - - - -

 

Put about a quart and a half of paint on the frame. Did you know POR-15 is just like super glue in that it instantly bonds to skin? I'm in it up to my elbows. Acetone and steel wool removed all but the first coat. Also got it on my face and in my eye and had to cut some out of my beard. It didn't stick to a couple of places on the frame. Looks like two weeks of degreasing wasn't quite enough. I didn't get it all done, some will have to be done when I swap springs later on. May rattle can the 300 6 tonight, primer anyway, got more rain coming tomorrow night.

 

I have heard that of POR-15 so between the $$ and not coming off your body parts I did not go with it.
Doing my frame a sprayed it on heavy and when getting under it to spray the inside rails it dripped on my work shirt.
I did not know this at the time so I have a black dot or 2 on a tan shirt.

Priming the motor before paint? I always make sure it is cleaned really well, final wipe down in laquare thinner and spry paint and never had any issues.
The race motor got to 220*+ on cam break in and it is still on it like I just put in on. Too many coats (too thick) and you can start to have issues.
Dave ----

 

Ive' got vht engine primer and paint. Haven't checked with the can to see how they recommend using it. Tripped over my new exhaust manifold the other day, it's completely orange I thought it was well oiled, but it wasn't.

 

I've painted the fuel tank and the radiator support brackets I stole from the 85 with the POR15 yesterday. Apparently Paint Over Rust doesn't much stick to rust. Maybe I didn't rinse it well enough. Which has got to be it because all I did for the brackets was a little wire brushing and it had no troubles there. Forgot about the tank straps or I would have installed the tank already. May just rattle can them with the rust red rustoleum rust neutralizing paint. Was stripping the 300 6 the rest of the way and had to quit, eat lunch and nap. When I got my set of flare nut wrenches in, I immediately misplaced the 5/8-3/4 one. Which of course is the one I need. Guess I'm going to start the day by rounding up all the tools I can find, get them sorted and put back up. Thinking about hanging a piece of peg board temporarily. Then I need to organize and store my parts a little better so I can find them later and lay them out and prep the ones that need it for paint. Still have most of the interior that needs paint. I have bins and buckets and piles of hardware, I'm sure I stashed them with a tool or two in them. And in between all that I still need to sort and toss more junk and repack the shed for when I have to tear the additions down.

I've got the 85 bed prepped for removal. Got the bed line out of it, bed's in great shape, little separation of the joints in the top front where the rails meet the back. Looks like it wants a little more seam sealer. Been spraying the bed bolts. I only counted six and they all appear to be different lengths, possibly replacements. Will probably keep hosing them down for a couple more days before I attempt. Really hoping to not have to tack the carriage bolts to the bed. Haven't decided yet if the inside is getting a coat of the por15 or the bedliner I used in the cab. Probably the bed liner. The heavy plastic bedliner is going back in the bed, and the top rail from the 82 bed is going on it as well. Still working on the logistics of swapping front ends, both trucks are sitting in the dirt and it's still really soft from all this rain.

 

Had a pretty good day. Spent the last two days hanging parts on the wall I'm going to have to tear down in hopes that line wrench would magically show up. Found it today looking for my steering wheel puller prior to attempting to drill out a lock cylinder to see how well it would work for another member. Build is back on first thing tomorrow afternoon, nice and early start lol. May have that engine painted this weekend. Friend of mine has got me on a pretty tight deadline, need two trucks to float the river, and it's just about time to start fishing.

 

Good to hear you are making head way as I know every little bit helps.

It was nice here today and met up with local FTE members and hit a local car / truck show and lunch.
They are calling for rain & cold for tomorrow just hope not to cold in the garages o I can finish off the front bumper & lights.
Dave ----

 

Yeah, calling for two days of freeze warnings here. Not that cold, but after all this warm weather it's miserable. Got some more stuff moved around, will try and get the last of the accessories off tomorrow. Do a little clean up and mask things off to get ready for a final cleaning. Not sure when I'll get around to paint yet. Going to work a steel mill shut down next week, could use a little beer and paint money. Got a lot of little projects on the truck I need to be working on. I figure I can do at least one a day. Still got to paint the rest of the interior. Should do that first in case I don't have enough duplicolor on hand I can get more before I drink all that paint money. Still have to swap door guts around. Going to pull and store them until after I shoot a little paint at the doors. Need to tear both tailgates apart and see what it's going to take to line out their mechanisms. Figure I'll have a good one between the two. Also going to try and swap the hinge straps from mine to the donor. Got to tear both steering columns apart to get all the good parts on one. Still need to try and remove the window moldings on the 85 to put on my truck. Need to get the bed off so I can measure the fit on the springs easier. May try and get the cab off the frame so it's easier to mess with. Also, got a trans leak at the shifter shaft seal. Got to get that on the parts list and get one of those removal tools ordered. And there are still lots of little parts that need tested, like the shift modulator. Still haven't rebuilt the carburetor, figure I will do that after I get everything else back on the engine. But between now and then I still need to check to make sure the kit I got was the right one. Stealing the front bumper from the 85. Mines bent up and I like the tusks. But I may end up using mine since the 85' has the rubber center trim and it's beginning to fall off. If I can get it to stay on without too much effort than I'll use it and replace that trim when I've got a more steady income. The bulk of it is paint and that requires the weather and my feel like it too cooperate lol