Steve's 64 Short-bed Project

[SteveCanup]

Slick stuff! Finished welding my exhaust this morning...I have some major rust issues to address on my bed.



Then I built some shutters, stained them and installed them...(in the frigid weather)



I'm about to get the exterior of the garage finished...

[SteveCanup]

Still finishing up the exterior details on my garage. Went out today in the truck and came back and misjudged the door opening (insert: face palm ) and slightly bent my new front bumper. I will straighten it out on Monday...

On another note...for most of us, Spring is arriving and there are lots of outside "things" that need my attention. I want to start sanding on my truck for a repaint...possible pics to come.

[shipwrecked]

Dang.. but that’s what bumpers really for... to protect the body.

Your garage is looking great.

Lovely weather we’ve had this week. Sure made getting stuff done easier.

[SteveCanup]

Yeah...the bumper can be straightened with no problem, it's minor. I am enjoying having a garage again...it's been a few years now.
I've got one piece of facia to put on the front and then paint the eaves...




Planning on leveling the apron outside the doors tomorrow and having some gravel delivered tomorrow afternoon.

[SteveCanup]

Gravel spread and some of the eaves painted. I need to haul some mulch...



Now to start sanding the truck so I can repaint it.

[oldsmiley]

My hat's off to you.....Mr. Steve:

I thoroughly enjoyed eyeballing all the pics of the garage, and the results of all your hard work. When you can look at all the pictures in just few minutes, it makes it look SO easy. But believe me, I know the difference in looking at pictures, and building things. I built my own shop 5 years ago (like you) by myself. But I ran into 1 little snag. I did splurge and buy a $700.00 roll up door (yeah a cheap one, but it works ($300 and $400 for delivery).

When I was putting the header up over the top of the door opening, it was a chore to get up there alone but I managed with some rope and pulleys. I got it in place and when I set the first nail and started to drive it on home, the bottom of my ladder kicked out and down I went. I've been on ladders most of my life, so I figured I'd just ride it on down. Half way down it decided to turn sideways and dumped me off on the concrete floor. I broke my left wrist, cracked my pelvis, and hurt my lower back.

But working by yourself, sometimes you gotta do what a man's gotta do, so 2 days of healing and I went right back to work on it (very slowly of course) and stayed on it until it was finished. Where I'm at, you're supposed to get a permit even if you look at somebody cross-eyed, but I had it finished before they even knew what happened. So when they finally saw it they just added it to the tax maps and started charging me tax on it. That's a lot better than killing time with permits and inspectors.

It's not as nice as yours but I think it will last me my life time.

You did a SUPER job, and you didn't get hurt like I did. That's why I called you MR. Steve. I really like what you did.

[SteveCanup]

You did a SUPER job, and you didn't get hurt like I did. That's why I called you MR. Steve. I really like what you did.

THANKS! Nothing, in humble opinion, like building it yourself. I still have some finish work to do on the inside. Hoping to get some "F-100" stuff done soon...

[SteveCanup]

i love Hobby Lobby...and their patina'd signs...

[SteveCanup]

My 14 year old grandson, Zack, is here for the week. He has a '65 F-100 long-bed at home that he and his dad are getting 'road worthy." Today he and I redid my center console in my truck...no pics. Then we started removing the 1000 bolts holding my bed wood in place. I am going to rework or replace what is there. We ended up setting the bed off of my truck tonight about 8 p.m. It was just getting dark, so...no pics. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny...he is going to pressure wash the under-side and wheel wells of my bed so I can put something on it to keep it from rusting further. Maybe I can remember to have the camera handy.

This is what my frame looked like a few years ago when I installed the new gas tank...all cleaned up and painted...


It sure doesn't look that good now...lol...

Zack did comment this evening about 7:30 how nice it was to have a garage to work in....I agree!

[SteveCanup]

It's official...I have a rotten bed.






Keeping my feelers out for another bed...they are impossible to find in the area of the world. All the decent ones are too far away.

[SteveCanup]

I am planning to cut out all of the rusted metal in the middle of the bed and put wood back in. The metal corner pieces of the bed are in good condition. I also have rust behind the wheel wells on the outer panel that will need to be cut out and replaced. I figured that I will leave the bed off for now and take my time and finish it right. I cannot find another styleside anywhere around here that I can afford and I don't really want to go to a step-side...although I did consider that option. So....here we go....

[SteveCanup]

Working on a 'jump seat' arm rest...this is a test fit. I ran out of black vinyl and used some brown leather look stuff on the bottom part. I still need to make some adjustments to the rake of the back piece and I need to vacuum my truck out...lol.


My truck without the bed...


Spent the day cutting out the rusted bottom of my bed. My grandson and I set the bed back on for now and bolted it down but it has no floor. I laid a piece of OSB in in for now. I am contemplating my options as far a the bed floor. I am definitely putting another wood bed in it, just trying to decide whether I want to use decking or treated 2x6's or 2x8's.

[SteveCanup]

Planning to go for some 'bed-sides' in South Carolina next week. I really wanted to find a complete bed, but I can rebuild mine with better bed sides. I have passed on beds and bedsides in the past and regretted it. So I'm going to bite the bullet and buy them...from the pics the owner sent me they appear to be in really good shape. My driver's side is bubbling everywhere with rust It's time to 'rework' the body and put some fresh paint on this thing. I did vacillate between doing this and letting it just naturally rust and have the 'patina'd' look.

[SteveCanup]

Not much to report...installed some new 8mm spark plug wires and found the "sweet spot" adjusting my carburetor today (finally...insert happy dance). Took the truck out and it ran great! Finished up some detail garage stuff this week, got some mulch down...my wife had to do some exterior decorating...



If she keeps this up...I'll have to hand in my "man card"....lol....

[SteveCanup]

Wild hair Monday. Musing about what I want to do with my truck bed. I have cut the rusted and rotted metal out of the middle and reinstalled the bed on the truck for now. I have a 4'x6' piece of 7/16 inch OSB laying in the bed. I am thinking of installing a layer of 3/4 plywood as a base and installing 2 three foot wide pieces of metal roofing on top of that. I called the metal roofing supplier and asked about 2 pieces 6 1/2 foot long, color didn't matter. because I can paint it. The guy said they might have something to fit the bill for about $20-30. Fair enough.

I will also rip up some furring strips and screw them into the plywood where the ribs of the metal stick up to give the ribs some support. I had some scrap pieces of metal roofing so I laid it out and took some pics. 2 pieces would overlap and I would not have 'stuff' getting down underneath them like I did with the decking lumber that I did have in the bed. I'm thinking of fastening the metal down with carriage bolts.




So...metal panels $20 plus 3/4" plywood $25 plus misc hardware...I might can do this for less than....say....$75. SOLD!

Pics to follow....stay tuned....

[SteveCanup]

Started stripping paint off of the header panel this afternoon. Actually a layer of black truck bed coating and was wrinkled and crinkled and looked awful. I have decided NOT to install roof metal in the bed. I purchased something else much better, nicer, cleaner, and......more expensive.


I will spend the next few days or so stripping and sanding and repainting the inner bed sides with fresh shiny black paint and then I will install ______________________....and it will look great!

Stay tuned....pics are promised....

(Hint: it is not a new bed wood kit...those are too $$$$$$$)

[SteveCanup]

Trex! Cut and test fitment...



The inner bed sides and wheel wells will be stripped, sanded and repainted in gloss black. I also have some patch work to do to the outer bed. I pressure washed everything thoroughly and blew through where the metal was rotted from road salt.


More to come...

[SteveCanup]

[SteveCanup]

Spent yesterday and most of today working on one rear spring pack. Take it apart... clean, paint, and reassemble. Also, I left 2 springs out of the pack as I am wanting the rear a little lower....lower.......lowwwerrrrr.

Planning on removing the bed and once and for all repairing all of the rust via the "cut and weld" process. I have a busy Spring season coming up so the truck may sit in the garage more while this stuff happens.

[SteveCanup]

Finished the passenger side...not to bad, but it seems that pics don't do justice (in my opinion)


The truck sits more level now, there is still a slight 'rake' to the stance. When I get a chance I will take it to a paved parking lot and measure at each bumper to see how level it really is...


I removed the drivers side spring pack and managed to get it disassembled and cleaned up. Will install it tomorrow if time permits. Then we will see...I'm somewhat anxious to drive it and see how it rides. I understand that removing some leaves will no only lower the vehicle but make the ride softer.

Stay tuned...