Re: Johns 66
 

Well with my new found enthusiasm I started today and the goal was to get one piece done....If you look at the overall project you will lose your mind and get discouraged easy. My inexperience in body work is kinda telling on itself a little bit in that Im not sure what will show. I can finish furniture and wood so with that in mind I started.

I smeared filler on a lot of the bedside in and out and then commenced sanding with 80 grit....only to sand it down and still had small dents...more like pings...then I finally realized its not like spreading sheetrock mud where you press hard....need more of a light touch.....So I spread filler again...lightly this time so it will fill all the low places.

Sanded in and out with 80, put a guide coat on the sanded with 180....It took a little bit of doing but got the hang of it by the time the outside was done......so the passenger side and the rear cross piece is block sanded down to 180...YAY

Re: Johns 66
 

Back in the day when I was in Jr college paint/body classes (more than a decade ago) the drill was:

*High quality epoxy first on a stripped & prepped panel.
*Then rough up where the filler is going to go.
*Thoroughly clean the surface.
*Prep & apply filler.
*File & block as needed.
*Repeat as necessary using proper guide-coat for the Highs/Lows.

I guess things have changed.

Re: Johns 66
 

ALSO today was a good news bad news from Bryan. Besides some finish welding the drivers side will be done......He also got the passenger side NOS door drilled for the mirror and somehow welded some nuts on the back side so I can simply bolt it in...kinda like the drivers side. Since this was an option back in 66 they didn't come pre-drilled with captive nuts.....

BUT then he told me about my bed wheel wells....He said when they got blasted they were pretty much gone...big holes filled with bondo and undercoating so I will have no choice but the get new ones.....

Boy my "Pretty Much Rust Free" truck isn't what they said it was....I guess the PO didn't lie to me because instead of rust they just made body panels out on bondo...I guess that's why the PO wont take my calls...lol

Re: Johns 66
 

Oh Im sure they probably haven't....Im just a real newby at this as in never done it.

The one bedside you see was blasted and I had it coated with epoxy primer...that and the rear cross brace for nearly 400.00...no sanding just sprayed the primer...bout fell out....Then decided I can do this...

So here is my plan going forward......I got the one bedside that was epoxied block sanded down to 180....I will then spray epoxy primer on it , them high build primer and block with 220, etc...down 600 and ready for color.

The header panel and drivers side are replacement parts and edp coated...I blocked then down with 80 and found only a few places than need filler, Once I get filler applied and blocked I will block it down to 180 and then repeat the epoxy/high build process .

Am I missing something?

Re: Johns 66
 

Good work. Was wondering on the green engine paint if anyone checked out the Buick green? The Alpine green looks a little light. I got the code for Detroit Diesel/Alpine Green.

Darrell

Re: Johns 66
 

Couple more updates......Progress is always good.

Didn't work on the ole girl today had some church things to do...but did organize my parts and realized one of my backup lamps is ate up....so rusted couldn't get the bulb out normally....had to pry it out and then broke the socket....So now gotta get another one.

Re: Johns 66
 

The cab is looking great! They do some great work there

Re: Johns 66
 

Yes Sir...Bryan and his crew are top notch

Re: Johns 66
 

Looking very nice. Bryan and his crew are doing some great work there. Trust me its not as easy as it looks. Throws hammer across garage....LOL

Re: Johns 66
 

Better be careful...might throw the hammer and accidentally hit the truck and cause more work!

Looking great John! I've got to learn how to weld...never expect to be at that level, but I want to learn.

Re: Johns 66
 

Oh How I know...I tried to MIG weld a spot on the door....way out of my league...just kept burning holes.....

Yeah learned long time ago that throwing things just cost me more money......Bryan has a TIG welding class he offers periodically...I may just have to go learn some things.

Re: Johns 66
 

Ok...for todays episode of "Rust Free Truck"/ "Not A Show Truck"

Continued to sand on the bed sides, header panel and I THINK I have them ready for primer...They are all blocked down to 180. Will put epoxy and then high build on them Saturday.

Also got the bed braces scuffed down and coated with POR 15 along with the bottom side of the rear rock guards. I sure hope this POR15 stuff is as good as they say it is....then again I probably wont be here in another 50 years to find out...Maybe Christian will be able to document it in his old age...lol

And lastly the wonderful gauge reface kit I bought was JUNK...Andy went to put them on and JUNK...they had what looked like waves in the decals.....SOOOO Called LMC and there are gonna send me another set out.

Re: Johns 66
 

Now that's funny right there :lol: Might not even be able to drive them 50 years from now if driverless cars become a thing. That's a scary thought

Re: Johns 66
 

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn welding in the back yard from dad. He demanded that I learn to Oxy/Acetylene weld and cut and then become very proficient at arc welding. Applied that knowledge while working on my uncles farm as a young teenager through the summers and again working for another uncles trucking company in the winters and then again in High school where they taught Mig and Tig welding. Back when shop class was highly regarded as a necessity. Spent many a night in the shop welding aluminum and chromoly for local sprint car teams in California. After 40 years of welding I too still have my moments. Never hurts to expand ones knowledge base that's for sure....

Re: Johns 66
 

Yeah....Black Market gas and out running the Po Po!!!!

That is so cool...My Uncles taught me how to do woodworking which does come in handy...building cabinets and furniture and hobby projects which I do enjoy but welding would sure help a lot. I know you cant know how to do everything but I think I will surely take Bryans class next time he offers it.

Re: Johns 66
 

For todays project of Rust Free Truck, Not a Show truck..lol

I actually didnt do much but get the underside of the bed braces POR15 coated but I did start on a project FOR the truck....I little back story. This tool box is what my uncle carried in his 63 Chevy Stepside for many years ( Since 64) he could pretty much do what he needed to do if the truck broke down with the tools in the box...within reason of course...fan belts, hoses etc.

Well he gave it to me when I got my 66....So I started piddling with it today a little bit...I had the bowtie that came off the C60 grille and decided to mount it to the box...Im thinking about seeing if Bryan will but me some letters out that say
J O H NS 66 and mount then to the angle part of the lid.

Not sure what color to do it in yet,,,maybe white like the truck with a red bowtie, charcoal like the interior with a white bowtie.....Taking all suggestions..lol

It needs some work done to it since its a lil beat up after bout 55 years...Its an old western auto tool box....

What ya think?

Re: Johns 66
 

That tool box is sweet! The backstory on it is the best part of it. What about charcoal with a red bowtie and white letters? Get all 3 colors in there

Re: Johns 66
 

How about leave that tool box as it is with all those wonderful years of memories and family love. Maybe add some small pin striping in the trucks colors and your uncles name on it...
Then pass that down through the fam.....

Re: Johns 66
 

I love it John...I think Grey with a white bowtie....maybe the handle in red?

Re: Johns 66
 

Thanks Guys....I played with it a little bit yesterday trying to get the lid to close correctly and of course one of the little pins broke on the top side of the latch....since it is really thin metal I may try to make one....But I did get it sand blasted today along with my license plate while I was waiting for the weather to warm up a bit.

Im still unsure what color to paint it...I will try my hand at metal straightening so I can get the lid to close without scraping...……

so for the rest of my day...read on

Re: Johns 66
 

So as I wrote earlier I played with the sand blast cabinet for a bit while waiting on the weather to warm......and I got all the panels cleaned and free of the sanding dust and let them dry during this.

Then I re-read the epoxy primer instructions just to make sure and mixed up a batch after I cleaned this super wonderful ( Cheap) Harbor Freight HVLP gun...yes I am being a smart alec….you will know more in a minute.

I have never done this before so it was a learning experience.....I got the first coat of epoxy primer sprayed and it laid out pretty nice....then waited the 15 minutes so that I could apply the second coat...…….should have left well enough alone...lol and no I didn't clean the gun while I wasted 15 minutes....BIG BIG BIG MISTAKE

Luckily I started on the rear cross brace first because the second coat came out like bed liner...lol...gun was clogging up....UGH.....Not sure if it was because of the cheapo gun or my inexperience of not cleaning the gun in between coats.......YouTube videos didn't show that part..lol

Cleaned the gun...sprayed the second coat and it came out ok....not as flat as the first coat...looks like a little orange peel...don't know what the cause of that is...Yet

But was able to get 2 coats of epoxy on the bed parts, cowl piece and license plate. Directions say I have 72 hours to put high build on it before I have to scuff it …….

Oh and YES I have a run in every panel I sprayed....least its primer...lol

Re: Johns 66
 

Looks good from here! :D I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination as I have not sprayed a ton of primer on multiple panels, but I never clean the gun between coats...maybe it is the thickness of the primer or the gun...but if you are doing multiple panels...by the time you finish the 3rd panel...should be about ready to go for coat 2 on the first and so on...right?

Re: Johns 66
 

You shouldn't have to clean out your gun while waiting 15 minutes. What brand of epoxy primer are you using? Are you certain you mixed it correctly? What is the pot life as specified on the tech sheet?

Re: Johns 66
 

Andy I didn't think about it that way...Part of my mistake was thinking that I ONLY had 15 minutes and then realized I had 72 hrs that I could take between coats.


Hi John....I am using PPG epoxy, high build etc. The epoxy is mixed 2 to 1. I don't have a scale to weight it but do have the mixing cups so I am pretty sure I got that part right....Its is PPGs Shop Line series...

As of now I am not sure of the Pot Life as the data sheets are in the shop with the chems. It was about 60 degrees so don't think it was too hot.

I guess I am thinking it may have been the gun. It has a 1.8 tip on it so that should be good to spray primer and of course I may have not had the gun adjusted right.

Its definitely a learning process for me. I am considering buying a gun from Eastwood...the Concours Gun set https://www.eastwood.com/concours-pr...ssory-kit.html

The lady at the paint store suggested Iwata but they are really high. I "Have Been Told" that the gun makes a difference in the quality of paint job...but again this could be someone trying to sell me something...I have no clue at this point but it looks like the Eastwood gun set may be good for what I am doing.

Im gonna try to get one bed side and the header panel sprayed in high build before the 72 hrs is up.....the other bedside has lots of runs I gotta fix first ( my first panel sprayed) If the highbuild comes out like bedliner with a clean gun then Ill get me another gun....Fingers crossed its gonna lay down correctly.

Re: Johns 66
 

I have sprayed a lot of PPG's DP, Omni and industrial epoxy primers as well as other brands and have not had the issue you had, even during summer temps. I would say it might be the gun you were using, but there is no need to spend the $$$$ for an Iwata gun. I use an old SHARPE siphon feed gun, but a HVLP would be nice. There are other budget friendly guns out there that are decent quality.

Re: Johns 66
 

I doubt it is the pot life of the epoxy primer as 15 minutes should not be too much.

As for the gun, for the clear coat a high quality gun does make some difference, but not for most of us that only do a few paint projects...I have a kit of 3 guns I got off of TCP Global a few years ago, as long as you maintain them between use, they should be good for a long time.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/TCPG7000.ht...3#.XGsJ9I3ruUk

Do you have a good filter/dryer on your compressor and a moisture trap right at the gun? Moisture in the line can cause a ton of problems as will a loss of air pressure and volume.

Does your compressor have enough output to maintain 10-14 scfm at 40psi? If it can't keep up with that then your compressor could be an issue. That HF HVLP gun will likely be on the high end of that cfm range.

Re: Johns 66
 

I checked the pot life today on the epoxy and the paper said 8 hrs so that was not it. Im gonna do some research and get opinions before I buy my color and clear gun.


Aggie.....I have an 80 gallon Ingersol Rand twin air compressor...When I sprayed they bed sides it only came on once ...so Im thinking it may be big enough to spray...I do have a moisture trap on the line and 2 inline filters but do not have a dryer.

I sprayed high build primer today and Ill explain a little more in my next post....of course with some questions and observations.

I really do appreciate yalls input so very much.

Re: Johns 66
 

Today went back to the shop after letting things sit yesterday since it poured rain all day.

I was pleasantly surprised at the panels …..they seemed to have laid down a little flatter than they were...not completely flat but a lot better.

So I built a stand to hang the panels on to spray...much better than laying them down in my opinion.....Of course had to sand the runs out of the panels but got all that done and decided to play with the HF gun a little bit to see if it was me, the gun or??????

What I determined was 2 things...1 is that I didn't have the guns set right...I had it choked down....worrying about runs...lol well that didn't work and 2 was that the gun needed a little more air pressure than the recommended 40. Of course all this was on cardboard. Basically I opened the gun wide open, max air flow from the adjustment knob...pretty much max on all the settings and used 43 psi on the gun gauge......Seemed to do a lot better, plus I kinda found the right speed while spraying.


Sprayed 2 coats of high build on both sides, header panel and rear cross brace plus the hood cowl panel..

Note to self....don't have runs in epoxy...its a pain to get out....lol

I did notice 3 small areas when I was spraying on the bed side that fill need a little filler...Guess I missed them initially.

2 questions.

1. After applying the filler to any areas that need it when I block sand it with 220 do I need to re-prime the whole panels with high build 2 coats and re-block with 220?

2. The seam on the outside of the bed...Can I fill it with seam sealer? If I seal it with seam sealer will I be able to sand it smooth?

Re: Johns 66
 

Lastly I did get a few updates from Bryan.

The first picture is what appears to be emblem holes that were filled with bondo previously which tells me that this isn't the original passenger side front fender probably a 63 fender...my best guess. Looks to be the same on the drivers side as well

Re: Johns 66
 

Yes, you have enough compressor...

Responses to your questions:

1. I typically recoat the whole panel when block sanding. I give the body filler an extra coat before putting down two coats over the whole panel.

2. See post #29 in this thread. its a cab seam, but should answer your question.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=509519&page=2

Re: Johns 66
 

Karl...thanks so much for the info....I had to replace one bed side because the seam rusted out and was filled with bondo(More Rust) don't wanna have to do that again.

Re: Johns 66
 

Couple more updates....getting closer!!! Bryan is aligning all the body panels.....and yeah fixed the redneck gunrack holes..lol

Re: Johns 66
 

Looking good!
Seeing all this rust free metal is maybe starting to sway my stance on fixing rust...
I would have kept the gun rack, but that's just me :lol: I think they are neat

Re: Johns 66
 

Well all that remained was the holes when I bought her. Plus nowadays people usually try to steal guns out of trucks...didn't wanna temp anyone

Re: Johns 66
 

Good point, I just like the looks. Too many people would think you are up to no good if you have one visible these days as well.

Re: Johns 66
 

Looking good John! I have gun rack holes in my cab as well and no gun rack...I am leaving the holes, but no gun rack.

Re: Johns 66
 

Looking good!:chevy:

I plan on putting a gun rack in my truck(s) & if people see it and don't like it... well to bad!:lol:

Re: Johns 66
 

I too had the gun rack in my truck from the PO. Of course I filled em in and now just have the rack laying in the scrap pile.. If anyone needs an old funky gun rack just pay for the trip and its yours..

Re: Johns 66
 

Not sure how shipping it across the country would be, but if you don't mind checking, 30188 is my zip, thanks

Re: Johns 66
 

Been missing ole girl so today I took a ride to the ATL and checked in on her.....besides a couple of places she is almost done...Tailgate still has to be done, holes in cross member for exhaust plus finishing aligning the panels and that should be it.

Bought some stuff from Eastwood...bought a better quality paint gun, some metal hammers and dollies, plus some soft sanding blocks......cant wait to she gets home and can start rubbing on her

Heres a few pics