Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Does this help?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Big day today - I fired the engine with the key for the first time. As you may know, I had to disassemble the engine's upper end to access a broken sender plug - nearly two week setback to my "first fire" plans. The engine started instantly and ran smooth as I made minor adjustments to the timing and carburetor. No visible leaks - yay! While at it, I checked the operation of all lights and gauges - everything is working perfectly! The only glitch is that the trans didn't have enough fluid to move the truck under it's own power, and by the time I bought more fluid it was after dark and too late to keep working.

Wiring is an amazing part of a truck's progress. It's like a nervous system - suddenly everything is alive and functioning like a real vehicle! Next step: add trans fluid so I can move it out of the garage for the first time in a year and get some better photos! (Door and hood ajar here).

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Congrates, on key start, etc...Jim

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I need to get in closer than that, it looks like it goes back further than I thought, crap.

Thanks, Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

WHOOO HOOOOOO!:metal:


Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

When I have changed the bed floor, I have noticed that the left rear springs fixation was not correctly installed. See photo.

https://i13.servimg.com/u/f13/19/19/52/56/dsc06110.jpg

I have cleaned the system and reinstalled it. But now, I have checked the repair manual and I think that it is necessary to replace the parts with new ones...
I can find replacement part for the 3100, but not for the 3600. Are they the same ?
Is it easy to replace them?

Another challenge for me !

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I have an extra one of those grill filler pieces. It's a little bent but free if you want it. Let me know if you're interested and I will send you a few pics.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yeah, send me a few photos. But I am thinking I will just repair this one, it's in good shape other wise so I may just be trading work from one to another if you get my drift.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You can see some bends on the pass. Side

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yikes!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yeah, I am thinking I will fix mine, or even leave it, what the heck, it's cut nice.


Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

That'd be a good place to put the stealth turbo...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

THE INTERCOOLER! Yep, I have a plan. :D


Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Roll-out party!

It moves under its own power, out of the garage for the first time in a year!

Forgive me Moderators, but I'm so excited that I'm placing a duplicate thread in the forums!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

It looks great in the light of day!

Congratulations

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

MPC, looks good...Jim

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I got a piece of metal cut and folded for a patch on the lower grille apron. I trail fit my radiator on the support too just to be sure that they matched.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You are making good progress Brian. Very impressive.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Thanks, that five minute a day plan is working. :D


Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

MPC’s post got me thinking, even though the seat isn’t in I figured I should back the truck out and see how it looks in natural light. It was a nice evening so what the heck...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Awesome! Looks like a great pic for your TOTM entry. What kinda number is on the big block fender emblem?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Sawwwwwwweeet. Love that glistening chrome!

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Thanks Bob, the badge says 454 Turbo Jet

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

got the coolant back in the truck. I need to tighten a few bolts before I drive it but its good in and out of the garage. I let it run and warm up.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

You know how I will often "feel" the presence of the man who 50 or 60 years ago put a bolt in some old car I am working on when I remove it? Well today I felt ME. Today removing this orange paint from the hood of my truck that I painted over 40 years ago, Aug 1st 1977. When I think of the changes in my life since then, the relationships, children, jobs, you know that is all I was thinking about as I removed the PPG "Omaha Orange" that I bought at Township Auto parts for $32 thinking I bought "Competition orange" like they put on a Camaro only to open the can and see the orange that is on Cal Trans trucks! No kidding, the exact same color! I had no more money so that is what I used in the third paint job I ever did.

Got this half of the hood stripped, inside and out. Well, it will need a BUNCH of detail work with a disc. I also got the patch for the lower grille apron fit and finished ready to weld.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Mark, truck looks super outside, nice job.

MartinSr, all I can say is "sweet memories"...Jim

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Glad I could inspire you, but that's WAY nicer than mine, ha ha. Variety is what makes this hobby fascinating. I never cease to be amazed at how each individual makes their respective truck unique and different.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

pulled it out of the garage and later back in. nothing like that rumble.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Started work and couldn’t find my tools, so I spent the evening cleaning the garage.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

That's "almost" working on the truck. :metal: Tomorrow you will be ready to roll!

Stripped the paint from the other half of the hood today instead of sanding it all off like I did the first half. It did work out much better.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Unfortunately I have been using the back of the truck as a work bench due to having limited space and the truck had been sitting for years. Lucky enough I got it running and sold another project sitting around. I should have done that a long time ago, moving around the truck has never been easier.
:waah:

Nice job on the fender, is that a stripper? I have never used that with good results. Prolly something with how I applied it

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Yep, Jasco paint stripper. http://www.jasco-help.com/product/pr...-epoxy-remover

One of the BIGGEST mistakes people make with paint strippers is to back brush it, like they painting a bathroom wall, moving it over and over breaking the surface of the stripper. You want to pour it on, spread it out with ONE pass of the brush and then leave it to do it's job. Back stroking it with the brush breaks it open and lets the gasses out that do the paint stripping!

Nope, this stuff works like a mad man, WEAR PROTECTION as it WILL burn you REAL FAST!

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I got the edges of the hood cleaned up (I wasn't done in this photo) inside and out, the inside of the hood, that's another story, will need a bunch of work before I can get some epoxy on it.

I also used a shrinking disc on some damage that I poorly repaired 40 years ago.

I then relinquished my garage over to my daughter so her and her friends could get in there tonight to build a 57 Chevy......out of cardboard for a "Spirit week" display. Hope they can pull it off, got to be in the school tomorrow!

Tonight may be the first night in many years the Gran Sport stays out in the driveway.:pain:

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Getting the interior of the cab smoothed out, and made a bed moving dolly so I can fit the new painted Gaylord's bed cover out of the shipping box to inspect it!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

:metal:

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I’m putting the finishing touches on the interior before putting the seat in. I used 2” heavy duty Velcro to secure the carpeting to the firewall. I also put in the sun visors, dimmer switch grommet, etc. I don’t know what car this old vanity mirror came from but it looks pretty cool...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Shot a little basecoat yesterday. Everything from the cab forward is now in color, with some already cleared. Waiting for the temperature to get up to about 68 degrees so I can shoot 3 coats of clearcoat today. Trying to decide whether to de-nib the few pieces of dirt in the base (scuff & spot shoot - never did this before). It's has a pretty heavy metallic content. Doing a test panel to make sure it won't leave a halo...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

The seat is in, I just have to find the bolts...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Daaaaamn, so that's what it looks like when you finish a truck, wow!

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Without seeing it, it's hard to say but a little thingie here and here in base coat isn't a big deal as long as it's not a different color than the base. If it's not standing out like a little black thingie on white paint kinda thing, if you don't see that, clearing it will make it all but disappear. You then cut and buff the clear and it's gone.

That is "in the real world", wanting perfection for a show job, that's different.

Brian