Thank you that is some really good advice. I will most definatly use that idea.

 

I did a slick over the course of 4 years-a little at a time, while still driving it now and again. I'm very happy with it and wouldn't sell it for 10 times what I have in it. But--there were so many things I wish I would have done-and couldn't get to!
I decided if I ever did another, it would be taken off the road for the majority of it's restoration.
Well, I'm now doing a 67 F100 short-wide box. I pulled it into the garage in December, and tore it completely apart-down to the frame. It took months just to do the frame: disc conversion, power steering, all new bushings, every part removed, cleaned and painted-or powder coated.
The cab is back on now, and it is in the bodyshop being painted inside and out. When I get it back I plan to take the rest of the summer/fall just putting everything back in the cab.
This is tremendously time consuming, and can be a bit of a drag at times; but it is VERY satisfying!! When this project is done, I will know every part intimately, and cherish that relationship.
I would do it all again-and probably will-as long as I can keep up with the cost.
I say kudos to you for taking on this project. May I suggest you invest in a media-blast system, a paint spray system, and maybe even a small powder-coating unit. These will save you a lot of time and money, and they're also a lot of fun to use!
Good luck with your project, and keep us posted on your progress.

 

Great stuff, biggut. And at the heart of the suggested tools is an air compressor. I went on the affordable side and ended up having to borrow one. Now I am saving up for another unit. Definitely invest in a good compressor unit. All of the other tools you buy will only be as good as what is behind them.

 

A big thank you for the advice. I will be in touch with you for sure. I need friends like you that know the ins and outs and how to deal with the difficult parts. Rock on!

 

I got one (air compressor) already. LOL I gotta fight with it every time. Its real old. But I got it for free and it works. LOL I guess you do the best you can with what you got. My ace in the hole is my buddy. He owns a steel fabrication shop not far from me. I'm gonna chum up with him. He's got a paint booth and everything! And tons of extra space. He keeps his '26 boat in there in the winter and still has plenty of room.

 

I do have a question for you. I got an LMC magazine through the mail and it says that the vin for a 71 f-100 should be on the firewall. But the vin in mine is in the drivers side door. Should I be concerned with this? It was made in Ontario. I dont know if that makes a difference or not. But this truck only has 39k original miles. And if I was to try and tell any truck fanatic that this truck WAS NOT all original I'd almost bet my life they would disagree. This truck is in very good shape considering the year. The horn even works. It was a barn find.

 

Lucky, you! Certainly wish I had some connections like that. I've even tried bartering; it seems that everybody around here barters with cash only. And to get something for free like your compressor, that is totally unheard of these days. Well, even if you have to replace some parts on it you are way ahead of the game.

 

And start ordering parts catalogs now. All of them. Dennis Carpenter, Blue Oval, LMC etc. Those catalogs helped me a lot when planning the cost of my resto and even more when it came to identifying parts and where they went on the truck. My truck arrived on three trailers and in 7 or 8 large boxes.

Photograph EVERYTHING. Buy index cards, write notes on them, have them in the photo. Log all of your work on the computer. Keep a back-up.

Something I learned from my father... If you store a steel part outside (hood, fender, bed etc.) and cover it with a tarp: place one of those cheap synthetic wool blankets between the tarp and the part. It will keep condensation from building up under the tarp and rusting it from underneath. This may only be a Southern/high humidity thing though.

And if it ever starts to feel more like a job than a hobby, stop, go fishin and try it again tomorrow.

 

thats what i got with putting in my new engine.....

but your vin is in the right spot, the vins were in many different places on these trucks. but the drive door is where the vin plate is located.

 

Thank you Brady!

 

Thnk you very much. I love all this advice. You guys are rock solid!

 

Well, actually the very best kind of paint job is metal finished. With the proper tools and access behind the panel you'd be amazed at what you can straighten with no filler of any kind. And if you do have to use a thin layer, lead is used. It's old-school, the way things were done before the advent of plastic filler. It's still a much better method, but a lost art now. Modern vehicles metal is too thin and difficult to get behind the panels.

I took a 2 yr auto restoration course in college, and there was no bondo in the shop. Of course, we didn't work on anything newer than 30's & 40's vintage stuff. The metal in bumpsides is still thick enough to use this method, and what I personally do.

 

I posted pics so that you all can see what kind of project I got here. Click on the photo albums tab. It's titled " '71 for fun?" Thanks for looking.

 

If you want to minimize body filler, look up as much info as you on "metal finishing". If you can find someone teaching a class TAKE IT! It takes a lot of time, but in my opinion is more fun than using body filler. At the very least, even for a novice it gets you "close enough" to where you only need a thin thin layer of filler to smooth things out. Getting it perfectly straight without any kind of filler is going to be really really difficult for a novice though. There are only a handful of people in the world who can do that.

Anyway, you'll want to invest in a welder, torch, DA sander, various sized angle grinders, body files, spoons, hammers, dollies, bullseye picks, normal picks, sanding blocks, and a hand held light. The light is to be held at different angles to check for dips and bumps in the work.