Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Skinny,

Might be too late in your though process but I can highly recommend Steel It to paint the chassis with. Looks good, goes on well - seems fairly durable going by my ham fisted attempts at fitting components, and best of all you can weld through it if you do happen to forget to weld the captive nuts on for the fuel tank...

You are definitely a dab hand at this blasting lark. Looking forward to the next update.

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

I've used Steel It on some projects in the past - nice paint!

For the '61 I will be spraying Epoxy Primer followed by Polyurethane Enamel on everything, as well as Raptor bedliner on the more delicate bits, then spray Corrosion FREE inside anything I can get to.

It lasted 60 years with the original marginally-applied poo coatings. With proper coverage and today's coatings, it will easily last another 60 years; I'll be well over 100 and probably shouldn't be driving by then.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Good day to get some primer done:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...49-672x378.jpg

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...21-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

that cab is really turning out nice

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

And four more hours of blasting:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...01-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Lots of rain, so no blasting today.

I fabricated a brace to put some strength back in where I had to cut to fit the exhaust pipe. AND this needs to be removable to install/change mufflers. Magnaflow on order.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...56-672x378.jpg

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...22-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Latest video:

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

great idea making the exhaust pass through a removable panel for maintenance. Very jealous of all the space you have to work on the truck - great progress...

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Six more hours of blasting today:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...53-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Four more hours of blasting, and I'm half-done the bottom of the frame.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...00-672x378.jpg

Found a crack too. Easy fix, though: drill the end of the crack so it cannot propagate, grind a V and fill it in.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...01-672x378.jpg

Supposed to rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I may deal with those (and the A/C Compressor notch, and the exhaust holes) at that point.

My hope is to get the frame finished tomorrow, and (if I'm lucky) get the crossmember blasted as well (or Thursday).

I have one week left to finish my goal of "everything blasted and primed by the end of the summer."

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

All be a big PHEW when you have finished the blasting.

I am still picking bits of media out of my ears 4 months later.....

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

twenty hours in total on the frame:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...02-672x377.jpg

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...01-672x378.jpg

Some welding to do, then prep for paint on the first nice day. Need to rig some kind of stand....

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Pouring rain today, so I went into town and picked up some pipe fittings to try and improve the pressure blaster. Also picked up a wack of fasteners - I'm REALLY looking forward to putting the frame together. Took SkinnyKid2 to a small tour of the highschool he's attending next week (not mine - I feel it's important for teacher's kids to be out from under the shadow of their parent. That comes with a thread - if they mess around, I WILL bring them to my school, and I WILL ride them like a rented mule).

Also did some cabinet blasting with some small stuff. Trans crossmember, bed floor risers, bag mounts, etc....

Fabricated the "patch" for the hole I cut in the frame to clear the AC pump.

Flipped the cab on its back and finally sprayed the bottom. Used my wee touch-up gun. Very little overspray, and it fits into small nooks and crannies well.

Super easy to move/flip the cab when it's on tires:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...06-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Over the next two weeks will be flipping Woodys cab on its back, question is do I take the glass out or not…..

Will the build slow down once school starts again?

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Depends how far you want to go. If you have rust in the window channel, I'd pull the glass. Also, new rubber seals are usually a good idea.

Do you have to pull the glass to flip the cab over? Nope.

Once school starts, all this will slow to a crawl, usually for about a month and a half, or two, until I get settled in at work.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

The front screen was replaced, along with the rubber before my tenure. A cursory 'poke' with a sharp stick has failed to show any signs of weakness around the windows so will leave it and call on my numerous children to help lower Woody slowly onto his back.

Thanks!

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Raptor sprayed on the underside of the cab. This is so when the frame is finally painted (maybe tomorrow), the cab can go on and stay there, and I can focus on paint prep.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...07-672x379.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Nothing to add from this side of the pond other than...Nice....

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

NOTE all of you doing a stepside: the aftermarket rear cab supports are not made at the correct angles. I followed a youtube video and altered the inner rocker flange end to fit, but I should have altered the floor-side flanges to fit - the "shield" used on stepper cabs attaches to the cab support, and needs to be perfectly inline with the rear of the cab so there are no gaps.

I needed to bend a sort of off-set flange in these shields to attach to the drunk shape of the cab support, but accurately fill the gap on the outer body. These are pop-riveted and 2K Seam Sealed into place. I hope they stay.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...11-672x378.jpg

And the frame and some frame-related bitties got primed (it's upside down in this pic) The hard part was getting the frame out of the shop and across the yard and up on saw horses all by my lonesome. Wish I had friends (grin):

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...30-672x378.jpg

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...39-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

I def would have come by to help if you were within an hours drive.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

You're 32 hours away. I bet, if you're good, you could knock that down to 30 hours. I'll have coffee on when you get here.

Or Sweet Tea. Iced Tea in Canada is Sweet Tea. I had Iced Tea in the states once. Yuck. Why would I just have cold tea? Needs me some sugar in there!

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Last night I hosed two cans of Eastwood "Internal Frame Coating" through the boxed sections of the frame as well as my notches, which of course leaked out of every orifice.

Eastwood had told me previously that you can spray an epoxy primer over their IFC, but could only guarantee that it works with Eastwood Epoxy Primer. I figured I would chance it.

Except that if I sprayed Epoxy again, I would have to wait 4 hours before I could final paint down. So off to KMS Tools to get a gallon of reducer for my epoxy and I sprayed it as a sealer (as per data sheet), which means I can spray colour in 30 minutes.

Nothing wrinkled, so I'm probably good to go.

Sprayed PPG Delfleet Essential gloss black over the frame and bits I primered yesterday:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...45-672x378.jpg

Taking a break until next weekend, so I can relax for the first time this summer. Wheeee!

Next Summer's goal: Colour!

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Been watching your thread for a few months. Great work!

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Met a new fellow in the neighbourhood, as I went around trying to find three guys to help carry the frame back into the shop. Seems all but one of my immediate neighbours are on holidays.

I dragged the frame out, but Mr. Robaxacet is saying "no" for bringing it back in myself.

Finished my trailer hitch and it's primed and sitting outside. I'll spray gloss on it tomorrow.

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...01-672x377.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Assembling the frame and some air ride components:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...40-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Steam rollin now.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

That is coming along very quickly, and nicely, Skinny!

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Hitch painted, along with motor mounts, lowering blocks, and bed floor risers:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...06-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

I must agree with you here, Iced tea in some parts of US is not Sweet tea, but down south it typically is Sweet Tea, and if you ask for lemon.... lol get ready for the "what the hell did you just ask for"'?!?! lol
i am with you, i must have sweet tea, NO LEMON!

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

But of course, we cannot stop there, oh no no no:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...02-672x378.jpg

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...03-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Just puttering today. Put the motor mounts on the frame and dropped the engine/trans in just to confirm pinion angle once I put the axle back in (comedy of decisions here, long story). Installed the hitch and the rear support for the gas tank. Corrected some improperly positioned bed floor risers.

Also, Muffler arrived: a 4" Magnaflow I can stick my entire arm through.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Really enjoying the videos Skinny, especially the cab one as that is next on my list of things to do.

Subscribed as you head towards 10K

P. :D

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Did you do the caster mod to the front lower control arms?

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Yes. 3/4" farther forward.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Mind explaining what that is in reference to? I'm not tracking.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Read about it here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ght=caster+mod

The benefit is additional Caster (current standards) w/o adding shims or shifting the wheel closer toward the firewall.

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

Hitch and back of tank support:

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...16-672x378.jpg

I need a rain-free weekend to paint the rest of the rear suspension and some other bits.

Picking up interior and engine bay paint tomorrow.

Anyone guess what I made this for??

https://www.gwellwood.com/wordpress/...05-672x378.jpg

Re: SkinnyG's '61 Apache
 

I should have looked back in his posts before I asked the question. He explains what he did in post #49 and continues to show suspension modifications up to like post #100. He did a lot more than just the caster mod. Those post are two years ago old though so I forgot that he had already set up all the suspension!