Truck Resto Rant

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October 7th, 2014 at 8:28:22 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Huge day today.

My seat-of-the-pants schedule said I had to have it sealed today for paint tomorrow for assembly Thursday for hockey Friday. So that's what I did. I didn't realize the scale of the prep yet to do.

First, I installed the support brackets and dropped the bed only to realize that the cooler stands were gonna be too short. I couldn't get a good whack at the lower stuff and needed it up. I left that for later.

While it was down and sturdy, I addressed a few large dents in the rail and the one big one I left half done. Very time consuming. The straight line sander I had had too fine a grit, and took forever to wear down and level out. Towards the end I was using the DA to level and the straight line to smooth. Just a very time consuming, labor intensive process. But it all looks great, save for a little warp where that big dent was. I couldn't help it. It involved the body line, and the only way to rectify that was break out the hammer and do some serious metal work. No thanks. It's just a warp =p

In order to do this right, I also needed to shoot the gate, the grille, and all the gate brackets. Well, the grille still needed a bit of scuffing, and the brackets haven't been touched. There went another hour.

The area where the lights sink into the bed were also a mess. Very scaly, and I hadn't touched them yet. Another 90 minutes.

And then there was just hanging stuff. The bed is easy, but takes forever. Two clicks here, two clicks there... if I had some dudes, it's 5 minutes. Alone, half hour.

The gate was just as bad. Having to hang it means holding it by the sides, arms fully outstretched, and lifting 60 lbs up over your head, arms straight out. Another 30 minutes.

And then tying up the grille and all the little brackets. And wiping everything down. And vacuuming up dust. And taping up the inside. And masking the handle. I just kept doing stuff, and something else just kept popping up. 5 hours later and I still hadn't shot.

Finally it was all set and I found that I only had the smallest amount of sealer left. I had to plan the whole shoot out and be extra careful not to double spray the slightest bit to make it last. I ended up running out just as I completed my final pass. Nailed it perfect.

Full 8 hour day today. For shooting it tomorrow, I need only raise the bed further, just to get it closer to in position for assembly. That's it. Lift it, shoot, and the 45 minute clean up will be the longest portion of the job.







It's hard to see because it was very dusty, but in the last picture it shows were I failed to remove the "CHEVROLET" decal. It was a good 3 mils thick so I left it. Now it makes a cool sort of shadow.

Digging this. Home stretch. It's fun once the break down is complete and you actually start making something =)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 10th, 2014 at 9:26:40 AM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Good day, but was also the worst day.

I did not shoot on Wednesday as planned. The weather was just terrible. The high was only 55*, and that's not good for curing. Plus it was so blustery I couldn't get a good flow. As you can see, my garage is only big enough for a mid sized sedan; fumes pile up real quick in there. Through the use of ropes and heavy things, I've been opening doors and windows to give me a good flow; enough to vacate the fumes while not enough to actually feel and jack up my spray. That was impossible Wednesday. It was either no flow, or enough to fill the garage with a thousand fallen leaves.

So shoot Thursday and just put it together Friday before hockey.

Well, again, I said this was an hour job. Everything was already hung and ready from sealing. But I wanted this to be the last shoot, and I remembered there was still parts left I wanted done. Bumper, brackets, rims... ooops. It was another case of things continuing to pile up. Chiseling rust, scraping scale, sanding rough, wiping clean, taping off, hanging in garage... 4 hours later and I still hadn't even mixed =p

Well, I finally got to it.

As I mentioned in the "pot" thread, I got a migraine yesterday. Since it began while painting, I didn't notice it come on. That's bad because the very first sign of getting a migraine is becoming "stupid". I get confused, can't recall simple things, lose fine motor function. Being deep into painting, I didn't realize it was happening. As a result, I jacked up some of it up.

I started with the gate, and that's the first whoopsie. Not my fault, but for some reason it spit water. It was on the inside of it and will be covered by the bed liner, so I didn't care.

Next came the bumper brackets, they went off without a hitch.

After that was the rims, hub guards and grille. The rims look good. They might end up being glossier than I wished, but the paint went on nice. After that was the hub guards, and whether due to the migraine or piss-poor lighting, I completely missed one side of one of them. I might be able to get by rattle-canning the bit I missed without being too obvious. The worst was the grille. Anytime I have to paint something angular with many surfaces like that, I lose track. I get a good coat on the face, then a good coat on the top, then a good coat on the bottom, then a good coat on the sides... and somewhere along the way I lose track of what has a coat and how many, I end up piling up too much, and it runs. Well, it ran. Pretty bad, too. Oh well. It's fixable, but I might not care. We'll see what Mr. Sun shows.

All the bits done it was time to whack the bed. I think this mostly went off without a hitch. Again, it's too dark to see properly and have to wait until it sees the sun. But by now I was full retard because of the migraine, and again piled up too much on the rail and it ran. I'm not sure how to fix it besides a full sand and shoot, and I'm not sure if I care to do all that. I guess we'll see.





It's all dry now. Just waiting for my bits and pieces to limber up and I'll go begin reassembly. I still have the front and rear bumpers to do. Time will tell if I get to them before winter (probably won't. Painting is starting to suck lol)

Hopefully I'll be back with final pictures in a few hours. Fingers crossed.
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 10th, 2014 at 3:34:10 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Ugh!

The tailgate is disgusting. Too damn dark to see properly and it's run but bad. Ain't no way I'm putting it on without a reshoot. I guess I'll be doing bumpers after all ><

The rest, not bad. The run on the rail is pretty bad, but whatever. The runs on the grille are hardly noticeable. I did end up rattle canning the hub guards, and once those get brake dusted up, you won't be able to tell.

A big worry I have is durability. I barely bonked the bed with the tail light during installation and it chipped down to the old color. I'm hoping that's just because it's not fully cured. If not, I might be collecting some insurance money soon because I suspect it will accidentally catch fire somehow =p

Otherwise.... looks good =)





Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 11th, 2014 at 12:27:24 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Face


Otherwise.... looks good =)


Dude, no. The rusty frame is visible in the
rear wheel wells and really detract from
the resto. You should have blasted and
painted them too.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 11th, 2014 at 8:24:59 AM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Evenbob
Dude, no. The rusty frame is visible in the
rear wheel wells and really detract from
the resto. You should have blasted and
painted them too.


HA! Not for all the silk in Persia. Are ye mad?

We're talking a few hundo in medium alone. Then removing shocks and springs, and wiring harnesses, and fuel lines, and evaporator box, and fuel tank. Then spending a few hours doing the job. Then putting it all back together. Oh, but of course I don't have a blaster or booth, so I'd have to shop it at $50 an hour. It would have cost more than the entire project.

It's not a classic car headed for a show. It's a ten year old work truck with 12X,XXX miles that I want to take to 2XX,XXX.

"Good" is of course relative. It still has all its dings and nicks. It's covered in orange peel. It has overspray mist. It has runs. But all the scale is gone, all the rot is cut out, that big dent is now just a ding, and the million scratches from dog claws and tree branches and hockey bag are now all filled in. And that's Good Enough ;)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 11th, 2014 at 11:00:19 AM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: petroglyph
Quote: Face
You keep taunting me and this little inside joke is gonna end with a phone call telling you to get your plane tickets and bring the beer money.

It can be done. I could build us a ride from scratch. Including price of truck, I could keep it under $10k. Don't mess with me ;)


That's pretty cool about the factory 150, I wonder if going down to the dealer here and getting one and running the baja would void the warranty? I think they would let me take one off the lot for nothin down, now that is way under 10k. With any luck just leave the keys in it when done and chances are I wouldn't have to worry about making the first payment. jk

Another thing to help make the trip +ev is stop and get some dental work done in ensenadas for 1/3. I think I have talked myself into worse ideas. And, more expensive.

Lots going on right now in Lake Havasu, world jet ski competition, and Lucas drag boat races this month. The high temps right now are around 100, and dry.

http://www.golakehavasu.com/events/upcomingevents.aspx. No steelies, but there is a $ fishing competition it seems every week, It was just in the paper that our lake is one of the ten best in the country for fishing. I find that hard to believe, but it was in the paper so I know it's true.


The boats are doing qualifying today. The events are about 4-5 miles from our house and when they run the volume here is amazing.

I believe the best can do 260mph in one thousand feet in about 3 seconds. Adrenaline for sure.
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
October 11th, 2014 at 1:35:58 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
OJ, just a few cans of black Rustoleum on the
visible frame, will make a lot of difference.
Cost about 10 bucks.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 11th, 2014 at 1:43:12 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Evenbob
OJ, just a few cans of black Rustoleum on the
visible frame, will make a lot of difference.
Cost about 10 bucks.


That I can do. Just for you =)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 11th, 2014 at 1:49:17 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: petroglyph


The boats are doing qualifying today. The events are about 4-5 miles from our house and when they run the volume hear is amazing.

I believe the best can do 260mph in one thousand feet in about 3 seconds. Adrenaline for sure.


Those things are terrifying. I don't quite "get" drag racing, and with boats I'm clueless.

I know they sit on what I assume is a start line, just kind of "blahp, blahp, blahp"ing like a cammed out big block. Then it gets really loud and they take off, moving at roughly the speed of an average bass boat. Then suddenly they plane out, they go like a tiny Saturn 5 rocket, and all I see is a fine mist of water and what I assume is vaporized excrement as everything is forced out of the pilot's body at 5 million miles per second.

I don't get it. But I'd surely spectate =)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
October 11th, 2014 at 2:19:58 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: Face
Those things are terrifying. I don't quite "get" drag racing, and with boats I'm clueless.

I know they sit on what I assume is a start line, just kind of "blahp, blahp, blahp"ing like a cammed out big block. Then it gets really loud and they take off, moving at roughly the speed of an average bass boat. Then suddenly they plane out, they go like a tiny Saturn 5 rocket, and all I see is a fine mist of water and what I assume is vaporized excrement as everything is forced out of the pilot's body at 5 million miles per second.

I don't get it. But I'd surely spectate =)


Its obvious to me that you "get" it. The boats now when they explode, separate and the pilot and cockpit go down with air for twenty minutes or so and are rescued off the bottom of the lake.

The "blapping" up here at the house is a continuous roar, very impressive, five seconds and then flame out. When I was young [ before dirt was invented] I watched Big Daddy Don Garlitts break 200mph. The thrill of a lifetime until that point [besides sex], now cars and bikes will almost do that off the floor. People spent their lives trying to beat 10 seconds in the quarter. Now the quarter is too long and has been reduced to a thousand feet.

I think when Honda came out with "elsinore" bikes 125/250, is when they first started making machines faster then human reaction time.
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
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