Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I think it will look better all white, but some photoshop renditions after you get it mounted will help you decide. No matter which way you go, this is going to look killer.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I’ve been torn about the paint options all along, and after seeing the McMurphy rendition I spent a big chunk of the morning attempting some detail painting. I tried a variety of brushes with some One Shot striping paint along the sharp edges of the original GMC letters. None of the results were acceptable to my standards. If the emblem ever gets detailing, it will be done by a professional striper.

Once I abandoned the detailing, assembly and installation commenced. The fog lights were pulled for clearance, the grille bar attached to the letter rack, and the hub bolted in place. It bolted right up to the truck and at first glance looked pretty nice. Here’s a shot of the first install. The lighting in this poor quality photo just makes the truck look like an Oldsmobile to me:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/29/000gi.jpg

Continuing study revealed the emblem appeared too high, although the positioning of the blades looked correct:

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/7910/001zgk.jpg

I don't have a profile photo for clarification, but eventually it came to me the emblem appeared to be pointed uphill. The support brackets are bolted squarely to the radiator support but it didn’t look right because the main grille itself has a somewhat downward tilt. So everything was torn apart again and the support brackets that bolt to the triangle mounting plates were angled and repositioned. Here’s the finished result:

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9370/002sfs.jpg

To my untrained eye it looks perfect. The gap over the license plate is the same as the gap over the center hub when viewed from the front, and the corrected angle makes it seem more finished and natural than the GMC letters:

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5583/003uer.jpg

And finally here’s an overall shot of the truck. This was a terrible time to be taking truck photos. Harsh sunlight and spotty shade, but I wanted to see how it looked through the lens. I’m very happy with the change. And the more I study the photos the more I like the white emblem. It looks like an ornament, but has no significant details which might detract from the overall balanced lines. I still think it looks like something Olds should have produced:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8515/006gte.jpg

I'll get some better photos over the next couple of weeks after all the dust is washed off the truck.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

looks awesome Mark! really looks like it belongs there...i still think it might look even better with black detailing, either the GMC letters or the background behind them...maybe you'll come across a professional striper to hook you up...until then, it looks great as-is...nice work, as always :bowtie:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

63 Olds short stepper! Looks great Mark, nice workmanship as always:metal:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

5 Stars *****:metal:
Perfect!
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Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I am not so sure handed that I would have painted the letters black.
I would have painted the whole thing black, and painted on the bigger less detailed white areas, just because you know I am lazy like that !!! :lol:

Looks good Mark!!

We land in Spokane this Thursday, wife and I are certainly looking forward to meeting you and seeing this beautiful work of yours first hand!!!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

such a nice truck!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Looks great Mark :thumbs:

Very nice detail oriented job as always.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

X'S 2 What the Captain said....Vernski:metal:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks for the comments guys.

Well I was out admiring my handiwork this morning and realized I must have applied too much paint to the Buick grille bar as it developed a couple of wrinkles. Of course they had to be right in front next to the hub so they really showed up. I pulled it back off for refinishing. As long as I had it out I thought I’d see how it looked with the chrome center instead of the GMC horn cap.

I’m torn because I like the GMC emblem, but not sure I’m all that crazy about how long it makes the center hub look. The chrome “emblem” makes the hub look shorter, adds a bit of sparkle, and a 3 dimensional aspect.

Here are a few photos with both the GMC and the chrome center. Opinions are welcome:

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6623/001xhrp.jpg

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/2189/006pyk.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2198/007vs.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2674/008alj.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Diggin the bit of chrome personally
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Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I also like the chrome center. As you said it doesn't make the bar look so big. Also it gives it a just a little retro look like 50 Ford or 50 Studebaker Starlite front end. I like it.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The repaint on the Buick grille has so far turned out to be a total disaster.

1st – I applied too much rattle can Rustoleum enamel and a week later the surface wrinkled in 3 places, two of which were right on top in the center and easily seen.

2nd – I attempted to sand off the paint and found it still soft and gooey inside. So I gave up sanding and started in with a razor blade, scraping 95% of it off. Amazingly the UPol 2K primer stuck like it was part of the metal.

3rd – My son volunteered to media blast the residue, and also offered to have it powder coated white to save me some time. I jumped at the offer figuring even if it was the wrong color it would make a nice base/primer coat.

4th – Got the grille back last night only to find something was incompatible between what was left of the original chrome and the powder paint, leaving every square inch of the entire surface covered in big nasty blisters.

5th - No problem, I figured I’d just hit it with the D/A and put some 2K primer over the top to smooth it all out. It took a couple of hours just to smooth out all the powder paint, after which some UPol 2K was mixed up and applied. After an hour in the 95 degree heat it was ready for blocking. It took at least another hour to block sand every square inch. Outstanding now it was ready for paint.

6th – The last step being a good wash with wax and grease remover, I noticed a couple of tiny specs sticking up in the finish. So I wiped them again and found they were actually small pieces of powder paint peeling off the metal! Then I found 3 more defects. ARRRRGGGHHHH! I attempted to feather the edges for more 2K primer, only to find it wouldn’t feather, it just kept peeling back and leaving a hard edge.

7th – Accepting that I was now screwed, I started in with the scraper again and stripped all the paint off that I could, then went to the wire wheel and stripper discs to return the thing to bare metal. My son is going to bead blast it again, after which I’ll do it right starting with epoxy primer. After that I’m covering the entire surface in Rage body filler, followed by 2K before finally applying the paint with block sanding in between.

Amazing how a little nothing project can end up consuming as much labor as painting the whole car, and it will never show how much work went into it.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I'm really thankful you post these videos. I'd never see any of them otherwise, and there are so many cool cars and trucks in there. The Willys and 62 Chevy certainly looked a bit scary! I particularly like their starters!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Yep, Hand Drop.
I love to see the old Pre-70 Traditional Hot Rods, Rad Rods, Altered Customs, Gassers, and Front Engine Dragsters. Nostalgia.:metal:

Here some more videos:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=506806

Also:
http://www.gasserwarsmagazine.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/GasserWarsMagazine/videos


By the way I have met "Big Daddy" Don Garlits in person when he came to Darlington Dragway once when he was doing a exhibition run. Pretty gold Ole' Boy. No camera. No autograph. I'm an idiot.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

One more:;)

Americas Car Collection - "Ivo Series"...

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I’ve always been a TV Tommy fan. The clip above showing the 4 engine car running is actually from the 1964 movie Bikini Beach. In the film the audio and video is clear and impressive. Once that sucker is up to speed the gears in the front axle scream as loud as the engines. He’s also in The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow, with both his early record setting dragster and his T bucket. The are some real nice close up shots of the dragster cockpit and engine.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

a couple of years from now this will be only a faint memory and i'm sure it will be perfect before you're satisfied. everything else looks great... do the grill, be the grill...

one things for sure, we all share that same experience at one time or another.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

You'll get it Mark and it will be Awesome!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

hey markeb, I kind of like the chrome center in the grill bar better than the horn button. wonder what a chromed horn button would look like...

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys. Yesterday I picked up a new small stripper disc so I could get the rest of the powder coat off the inside of the hub. Applied two coats of DPLF white epoxy primer and left it to cure overnight. This morning I sanded it down and applied a tiny amount of Rage filler to a couple of spots.

This afternoon after sanding the filler I coated it again in UPol 2K high fill primer and am leaving it overnight to cure. Hopefully tomorrow the only thing left to do will be to block sand the whole thing (again) and shoot the paint. I’m getting to know this one part a lot better than I ever wanted to!

Craigerrr - I’ve also decided I like the chrome center better than the horn button. It looks more universal like a Cal Custom accessory, and I like how it improves the shape of the center hub. If the horn button had been stainless steel I would have at least polished it up to see how it looked, but it was just an old dull chrome finish so I lost interest.

Normally I wouldn’t feel so rushed but my stepson and his family are coming in from out of state. I need to get this finished before they show up or it will never get completed in time for the Goodguys show next weekend, and I’d still like to find time to meet up with McMurphy and his wife if possible.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

That is so cool, hope you guys manage to hook up! If you do, raise a fine Ale to all of us! Have a waiter/waitress take a picture of you guys raising that Ale, and post it up... Please:D

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

This morning I block sanded the 2K primer and washed the grille bar down with wax and grease remover one more time. Last time at the store I noticed Rustoleum now offers Professional High Performance enamel, which is probably the same paint in a bigger can, but one advantage it offers is a high output spray nozzle that delivers 50% more paint. It actually applies paint more like a spray gun. Two medium mist coats and one heavy wet coat did the trick. No dust or bugs got in the finish, and it stretched out into a nice high gloss.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/4516/003byw.jpg

I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to paint the inside ring of the hub black which will require masking. I’m certainly enthusiastic to get this all back together and be done with this project.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Man you have patience!