my shipwrecked '63

[shipwrecked]

The higher grit of sand paper, the longer it takes! I spent the entire day yesterday just working on various parts of the cab.




I still need to sand the lower part of the dash, the ribs between the back panels, the inside of the back window area and door jams.

I spent some time smoothing out the kick panels, and the steps. I did use some filler, and those will probably get chipped--- hmmm...

Today I have a super long day at work. I gotta be in at 11 and finish at 8pm. I got home at 2am this morning from work (3 busses of recruits came in).

Maybe I will sand the back panel ribs.

Next step after the 320... wet sand.

[grump]

April. I prefer to wet sand anything 320 and higher grit, you spend too much time trying to clean the sandpaper and you're going to be wet sanding sooner or later anyway, at least I do. If you're using two part paint you are getting icocyanate fumes leaching out of the paint when you are sanding, so wear a respirator instead of a dust mask. I still find myself not following my own advice because respirators are a hassle, like dust masks aren't, but be safe. You want to be able to still run your recruits butts into the ground in a few years and you can't do that if you have trouble breathing.

[shipwrecked]

I've been contemplating what to do about the steps inside the cab. If I paint them, they will get chipped and will look like shit in no time. I could paint some sort of bed liner on them, but it would look weird. That was what I was thinking.

Well, I borrowed this photo from a chevy truck build. This guy has a 46 or so chevy truck and painted his running board with monstaliner. The same stuff I use on my truck cab and will use inside the wheel wells.


So- Since I just happen to get my monstaliner kits in today (black for the frame, and medium quartz grey for the inside the cab floor and inside the wheel wells, I am going to paint the step pad. I will leave the vertical panel painted, but the place your foot touches will be gripped.


When I paint the frame, it is going to be smooth. I will not use the texture roller, but a smooth foam roller I bought at the box store. I will save the foam roller for the inside cab floor, and the steps.

Stay tuned! I am going to work today for a few hours, then hit the garage for some work on the truck. I didn't get anything done yesterday at all.

My new tailgate showed up from Dennis Carpenter. It looks good! I need to do some cleaning up on the welds, and also the pinch welds. I want to smooth those out.

[shipwrecked]

April. I prefer to wet sand anything 320 and higher grit, you spend too much time trying to clean the sandpaper and you're going to be wet sanding sooner or later anyway, at least I do. If you're using two part paint you are getting icocyanate fumes leaching out of the paint when you are sanding, so wear a respirator instead of a dust mask. I still find myself not following my own advice because respirators are a hassle, like dust masks aren't, but be safe. You want to be able to still run your recruits butts into the ground in a few years and you can't do that if you have trouble breathing.

I noticed after two days with using a dust mask that I was waking up hacking. It was gross. So, I switched to a respirator and I haven't had that issue the last few days. I may be getting a cold again, but I think the sand dust had a little to do with this.

I am going to wet sand the rest of the truck Friday evening. I just am not sure if I need to recoat the cab with high build since I hit primer in a few spots. I broke thru in one spot, and used the touchup paint gun to put a little epoxy down. It is smooth now as I took a piece of 320 and blocked over it. Scuffed up the epoxy but it didn't break through it again.

I guess if I don't re coat the cab in high build, it will be fine. I am planning on building my paint booth for the cab on Saturday morning. Maybe paint on Saturday morning once I get that done. I have to work Sunday again- so I won't have the full day to do it. I am not sure yet. I don't think I can really f- this up too bad now. It is 1000 times better than it was when I started this project.

[Michelle]

You scared me girl, when I saw the running boards my first thought was where is she going to put them on Slick, then I read what you had to say.

[grump]

As long as you only go thru to the epoxy primer you're okay if you go thru to the metal put a little epoxy primer over the bare spot and lightly hit it with 400-600 grit and you're good to go. When you get done wet sanding wash the cab down good and blow it out good, and when you think you have it blown out good enough do it again. Make sure your cab is dry inside and out, you don't want to rush it and watch a little stream of water get blown out of a crack and across the paint you just sprayed. Ask me how I know this. It sucks.

[shipwrecked]

As long as you only go thru to the epoxy primer you're okay if you go thru to the metal put a little epoxy primer over the bare spot and lightly hit it with 400-600 grit and you're good to go. When you get done wet sanding wash the cab down good and blow it out good, and when you think you have it blown out good enough do it again. Make sure your cab is dry inside and out, you don't want to rush it and watch a little stream of water get blown out of a crack and across the paint you just sprayed. Ask me how I know this. It sucks.

good call grump! Thanks. I will do that. May be a job for the leaf blower again lol. Done that before on the cab twice when I sandblasted it.

[shipwrecked]

It has been a slow week for me on this project.

My tailgate came in on Wednesday. it looks just about identical to the original one I have.



I spent last evening working on the truck frame again. It is super windy and chilly out this weekend so I didn't want to get the cab outside and play in the water/wind.


It was super foggy out too.



I did get the chassis cleaned up and applied the 1 quart of black Monstaliner bedliner material to the frame.
I used a 2" smooth foam roller and a 2" foam brush *first brush in all corners* and it came out looking great.



I put tape over my vin on the frame so I wouldn't fill the letter/numbers



up close

[grump]

Lookin' good April.

[kjvforme]

Truck looks great, just read through your thread awesome work. You have the patience of Job doing all that sanding.

[shipwrecked]

Truck looks great, just read through your thread awesome work. You have the patience of Job doing all that sanding.

Oh I haven't done any sanding this week due to too much work going on. I got short handed at work and now spend too much time there. It is a battle I am about to win. I need to wet sand down to 400, and then I can spray some color! The temps are going to be in the high 60's this weekend. I am so looking forward to this, but sure hope I don't mess anything up.

Going to start with the cab roof, back of cab and firewall. The steps vertical area need a coat of high build still. But I could do that tonight after work.


Saw River City put up his youtube video about replacing cab mounts. he did a how to on it which looked good.

I dont do how-to videos but I have been using Youtube to learn and do my project. I post almost weekly an update (pretty much the same stuff I post pictures on here about)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI4Nwn ... 8O8DmIm3Dw

[bruceandersson]

I can't wait to see the truck in some color. Just a quick word of caution. You've put in all the right work, so do not get into a hurry in the end.

[grump]

What Bruce said. I'm sure that like me Bruce speaks from experience.

[shipwrecked]

I've been dragging my feet this week and got zero work on truck done. I'm having one of those weeks were the day I am going on a two week vacation, I get slammed with an accusation and it's bs. I'm freaking pissed and can't focus tonight. Nothing done.

[shipwrecked]

playing into the fact I am all over the place this weekend with this project, I ended up walking into my garage, taking one look around and disgusted at the filthy mess I had on everything.

I took every thing out! Off all selves, off the bulkheads, everything. I had one shelf above the workbench that no matter what, the items on it would find a way to falling off and landing on you or the bench. This is how my camera got broken a year ago. I used to store my circa saws on that shelf and not knowing it, the saws came off one day while i wasn't in there and landed on the bench which was where my camera was sitting.

Anyway, I moved the shelf to a lower place and actually attached it to the studs this time. The Previous occupant did not.


I swept out the garage, took a leaf blower to all surfaces and blew all the big dirt outside.
took a scrub bush, garden hose and purple power to the concrete. What i pushed out turned into a grey sludge on the driveway.

Wiped everything down, put it in a new spot where I wanted it and then decided to start building the paint booth.


The height is 7 foot tall, and the rest of it is 8x8. I probably should have left the length 10 foot, but I didn't know.


I used a full roll of duct tape and found out that it didn't stick really well for what ever reason. I have this cheap style masking tape we give recruits at work for their gear issue= and when the discharge kids leave, the leave a pile of this stuff. it works way better!
I used some of that for the plastic and will run down to work today to grab some more.

Anyway, top, and three sides are up. I am using the cut off left over pieces as a floor.





OKAY- here is the issue... I am getting a little apprehensive to spray color now. I am sure my body work is good. I am not sure I did enough in all areas. I have to re-spray some high build in the lower kick panels and know I can do that at a later day, but I am not happy I didn't do it when I did the rest of the cab. I guess I can start today with spraying that, and then just sanding it when I finish the rest of the wet sand.
Plan today to get some color on the cab. I was not sure if I need to spray all grey first, or the lower part of the dash red first. I think i will do the red first. Two coats.

[shipwrecked]

spent the day wet sanding the primer.



this is for the lower part of the dash.



I'm staying up a bit late tonight to do some painting.

[bruceandersson]

Wow, what a tease! Here I suggest being patient and yet so expected to see some color, on the cab - not in a mixing cup. I think you have been very thorough on your prep. Some of the best paint jobs I've done were the ones I sprayed twice. The first time highlighted a few areas that needed more work, but that could be cleaned up with a little wet sanding. Color coat really lays best over itself. Its also a little easier to see any imperfections as you sand in it vs primer. Please read this as the encouragement it is intended from just one member of your fan club.

[shipwrecked]

I sprayed some red but messed it up. I must have kinked my air hose. Because it just ran like blood. I know it's Halloween but dang... I will post a picture of the mess up when I upload to photobucket. Right now I'm going to get out and do some sanding. I also found a mysterious chip in the cab roof. It's not shrinkage or anything but like a rock chip. I am going to fix a spot I broke thru to metal on and let it sit so I can do some grey today. Lord baby Jesus don't let me screw this up again.

[shipwrecked]

I tape off the exterior of the cab, at the door jambs and left the dash inside the paper.


a bug found a way into the wet paint.






found a sag







a little trash found its way into the paint too. I don't think it looks bad at all.

[grump]

That looks pretty good April. Always keep a pair of tweezers close by for bugs, they always seem to find a way in the booth. You are showing nothing that can't be color sanded and buffed out although the bug might create a small problem.