Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Yep, 12 out of the center of the frame and front of the bed and 8" off the rear. Thanks, I love the way the proportions turned out. I think one of my next projects will be raising the bed floor a few inches. When it's laid out the pumpkin pushes up on the bed floor and I can see the whole thing flex. It also wouldn't hurt to have a little extra room on top of the rear tires in the tubs. I'll probably raise it 2-3 inches max. This will also give me a little extra room to route the gas tank filler where ever I want it. I'm not sure where its going yet since I don't have the tank but I'm thinking of putting it somewhere stealth so it's not visible. We'll see.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I haven't heard of slick sand. Who makes it?

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Slick Sand is made by Evercoat. It's a super high build primer that sands nicely. You have to spray it with a 2.2 tip because it's so think. Good stuff for leveling.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I wonder why you can't spray it over etching / sealing primer. You said because of the acid in it. But how come it is is OK for other primers, and paint to cover it? It must be a chemical thing.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Exactly. You have to read the product sheet carefully. If you're like me you find a process that works and stick with it. Any time you're mixing brands you need to be really careful to make sure they're compatible. I don't know the exact reason, something about the acid from what I hear. I'm not about to do a chemistry experiment, especially on my truck!

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I don't blame you. I wouldn't either. :agree:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I love the long arches now that I know they're different. I never really noticed before but I went back and looked through all 3-400 60-66 truck pics I've been collecting and looked at the wheel arches. I decided I'm going to take out the center stake pockets but they're useful to me right now so that will have to wait. I do most of the work on my truck myself and I lift the bed on and off with a cherry picker from a center stake pocket mounted piece of angle.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I got my hydraulic clutch master cylinder mounted. It's a little overkill but I'll only have to push the pedal down about two inches to fully disengage it.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Aircraft stripper is what I used on the MGA. It worked well on this car and there was 7 layers of primer and paint! I tried it on a piece from my truck and it didn't work worth a crap. I don't know what kind of paint the general was using back in 66' but it's not affected by stripper. Also, sometimes the stripper at the parts shops is old. I buy mine from the local paint shop because they sell more so it's fresher. That's my theory anyway.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Paint stripper didn't work for crap on my 56 Chevy either. I used a DA to sand it off. It was faster too, and didn't have to worry about residue left from the stripper.
And I'm not talking about her clothes. :haha:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

If you start messing with strippers you will get burned. You definitely need to cover up.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Ok, I started back to work on the truck a little in the garage. I'm still a bit sore from the accident- physical therapy three times a week for six weeks. It's a PITA but my back should be fine after it's all through.

I hooked up the Mar-k tailgate hinges and the stealth latches this weekend. I did my best to do a step by step with the pictures since there are some deviations from the vague directions in both kits. I started with the hinges and immediately the directions went out the window. Step 1 is to unbolt the tailgate chain mount from the bedside facing the tailgate. Well mine weren't bolted in, they were plug welded. I drilled them out, lined up the new ones and plug welded them in. I did the relief cuts on the gate so they would tuck in and they were done.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I screwed that last post up so here's some more pics and the rest of the install.

I realized when I was measuring out the stealth latches that they weren't going to be long enough to reach where they were supposed to. I had to hammer out a plate and weld up so the latch would have a housing. I welded a stud to it so I could hold it in place while I tack welded it. Repeated on the other side. The instructions showed a step side bed and it wasn't even close to the same install. After I got the latches into the tailgate I closed it and pulled them and let go a few times. It made enough of a mark to where I could use it as a punch and know where to drill. I drilled the holes out, ground the welds down and put the rubber grommet on. I plugged the holes where the chains mounted on and I was done. Quite a bit of finagling for a straight forward conversion.:waah:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Nice work. I've seen those before did'nt know it was a kit.:ito: You missed a little paint.:lol:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

They're two separate kits but you need both to replace the chain functions. Ok so it's not 100% bare metal but damn close. There might be one or two other spots with paint on them too. Don't tell anybody else.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Ya I did'nt think about the piece that holds the gate up.;)

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I used a Industrial Chemical stripper to remove the paint from a buddy's car. Even though I had Industrial rubber gloves on, I lost two layers of skin on the palms of my hands. Second degree chemical burns. My hands do not callus anymore and are sensitive to heat and cold. Please be careful when using this stuff.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Trucks lookin good. I agree on the mar-k instructions. It's easier to figure it out than to fallow those things. I know you feel good about seeing it roll out of the garage like that. The only thing better is to drive it out.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Wow, what stripper was it that you used? It sounds like some toxic stuff. I used Aircraft stripper and had some hazardous waste gloves on. They were probably 1/16 thick rubber coating and I would still have to stop once in a while and wash up good. There's never any question if you have some on you. It starts burning instantly and don't even think about trying to wear regular rubber gloves. They just disintegrate. I don't know if I'll ever strip a car that way again.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Soon the day will come when the shorty will exit the garage under it's own power. Congrats on that TOTM deal. You got my vote.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

On those kits for the tailgate links and hidden latches, what was the problem with the instructions? I'd like to know because I wrote them. If I'm not getting the message across then I need to do it differently. I have only seen a couple of trucks with those chain attaching pieces welded in from the factory instead of bolted. Can not explain that one. Maybe a specific year or build plant? Anyway, any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Looks good, Shrunken66Stroker. I haven't ever used any of Mar-K's stuff yet, but that's customer service right there.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

:agree:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Wright it for dummies.:D

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Sounds like a good guy. Maybe if your nice to him he'll come over and help you. Now that would be service.:uhmk:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Thanks for the kind words guys. I do find it difficult to write these instructions because I am part of the design team for these products. This includes initial design, prototyping, finished goods and the final, instruction writing. Knowing so much about the items, maybe I take some things for granted when writing the instructions. I will try to look at those a different way in the future.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Pretend like you have an IQ of 50, ten thumbs, one eye and just slammed down a 6 pac. You'll do fine. I never read the instructions any way. That is until I totally screw things up. :lol: Where were you when then put my step notch kit together?

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

:haha::haha:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Actually your instructions were fine if the bracket was bolted on instead of plug welded. When step 1 of a job is screwed up it tends to set the tone for the whole project. This could be extremely frustrating for someone who plans on doing a bolt on installation and doesn't have a welder. My venting was more directed toward the latch kit that came from CPP and the lack of a receiving hole for the latch. That's what took me a few hours of fab to make look half way decent. Thanks for the follow up.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I have just enough sense to cut my bed down.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

It's only a 15hr drive from OK. I'm done anyway I just wish it didn't take the better part of a whole day for the hinge and latch. :waah:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I see. The way this read it seemed it all came from mar-k. But really it was just the trunions. Sorry James.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

I'll try to be more clear about this one. It actually wasn't the trunions. It was the arms that hold the tailgate level when you let it down, what ever the hell those are called. But now that you mention trunions... I had to offset them in the middle about a 1/16 to get them the tailgate to line up with the bedsides at the top. There was no adjustment left in them so I had no choice and the mounting holes are so close to the edge there's no material on them to ream out. I had to lock the round part down, take it out and offset it to one side. These are from Mar-k. I'd like a little more material on both sides of the mounting hole if you're still listening James.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Yeah it looks like someone didn't measure twice. :lol:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

This part has been recently re-designed to match the original bracket.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Good to know. You can see in the picture from the circular marks that the bolt head overhung the edge of the mount. The first time I saw that I knew something wasn't right.I bought mine and had them sitting around for a few months. I'm sure they'll work fine. The tailgate will be closed 99% of the time anyways so who give a $hit really, right.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

My bed is 1/2 '62 and 1/2 '66......the earlier hardware was bolted and later it was spot welded. My theory is cost reduction during the production run. Other differences include a lot of metal that was eliminated as time passed.

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

any update on this build? I love your truck...

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

He's busy cutting his truck up.:lol::no:

Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.
 

Thanks dude. Between the two kids under 3 and work, I've been really busy. I also have a 61 MGA that I'm restoring for someone and that's eating up my garage time from the truck. I have been doing a few things though. I took the front end off, fit the new hydraulic clutch master, brake booster master and filled some holes on the firewall. I got a gas tank from a guy who said it's a blazer tank of an unknown year. Maybe someone who reads this can identify it but I don't think it's going between the back cross members without some heavy modification. He said he thought it was from an 80 or 81 blazer. The thing is gigantic, it's like 26x26. I'll have to hack seven inches out of it to get it to fit up in there. The price was right, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
Next I think I'm going to raise my bed floor up a few inches. With the air out of the shocks the differential pushes up on the bottom of the floor and bows the wood. I don't have the money to buy a wood kit so I'm stalled out on that for now. After the bed floor is done I'll blow it apart and paint the frame. I'll prime the whole thing while it's apart and then put it back together. I'm thinking of driving it in primer for a while to make sure there aren't any more modifications that I want to do before paint. It's nice sometimes to slow down and just look at it to make sure everything is like you like it before moving forward.