Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Nice us of your time....I cant wait to see this one come together....Hurry up, would ya!!

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

cross your fingers for me, i really want to try painting very soon before the weather gets any colder!

https://media.giphy.com/media/WmP68n...svkg/giphy.gif

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

LOL.... good stuff right there.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

BOOM! DONE!

i mean, as done as it's going to be until after assembly. the chassis is still missing f/r bumper mounts and rear hitch receiver. things that i need the bed on to get a complete look at to know where they go. to this point i've only confirmed that i'm pretty sure the bed will somehow fit if i cut some things up a bit, haha.

the big add last night was the Zip-Tie tabs, 39 in total. i had 31 welded to the chassis before i thought ... "i should check and make sure a ziptie fits in these". also kind of detailed out the other bits in prep for paint. one more fancy plate got holes drilled, and the LCA's got drain/rock escape holes on the back edge of the bag pockets. front edge will still push gravel if needed, but the back i wanted stuff to be able to get out.

https://i.imgur.com/Z9S1lxq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/n8VFrsD.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/svwb9yf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Qt6ouCq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2aQ9A95.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ioFVrC1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/btjWQNl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L086MBN.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Great idea on those tabs. You can never have enough zip tie attachment points. That chassis is unreal.

Keep it up

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

thank you sir!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Well that got messy :lol: i still never found a better way than to squirt it out n finger paint with it.

She's sealed n ready, just needs scuffed, taped, n shot with LizardSkin.

https://i.imgur.com/2Vu2wIk.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/YldusP5.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/mKj0Z9i.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/x6MvSYu.jpeg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

You can also buy the brush on sealer dunno if that would work any better.
Looks good.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks good. What sealer did you use and did you use a calking gun? Steve

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

3M 08367
Urethane seam sealer

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Thank You Steve

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I think the finger paint method is the "proper" way to do it. That's how I did it on my floor as well and the stuff responds to that method pretty well.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

tried to lay a clean line with caulk gun, but it still needs smeared down into the voids and lay down a little flatter to the panel. i tried the whole "dip your finger in water" trick and it didn't seam to help much if at all.

i actually did 2 finger passes. one to press it into the panel gap and to lightly spread it out even, then another to flatten. if doing it again, i would run my finger in different directions each time to really press it into and behind all the welds better. right now i can see a few spots where there's a little void "behind" a weld.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That must be the official method. The last truck I did I tried wearing a latex glove, ya didn't last long and my finger was poking out lol. It's coming along nice.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I find it dries fast but when done I have dipped my finger, or some sort of formed tool, in wax/grease remover or lacquer thinner and used that to smooth it out for the final. Whatever the caulking tube says to use for clean up should work to soften the surface for a nice smooth finish. I have done a real mess at times and finished with a solvent soaked rag to smooth and clean up the mess, it looked good when done and filled all the voids.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

i like the cleaning solution finger dip suggestion, i'll have to try that inside! i actually have a few cans of urethane reducer for paint too.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I also used the finger smear method. Start with a glove... end with... hopefully a glove still :P

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Very nice work! I have always used the finger method too. Licking your finger works better than water but it is a bad taste after the first swipe. :lol: I tried wax paper one time over my finger but it was sort of a pain so I just went back to a bare finger. What do you plan to cover the frame with paint wise?

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I prefer to use those cheap disposable acid brushes to smooth the sealer.

Looking good.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

If everything goes well ... you'll get to find out Monday :metal:

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

It's Monday......

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

everything did not go as well as it could have ...

so Sunday morning i hauled it outside with a few buddies, my painting tent has not yet shown up. was a GORGEOUS day, but the light breeze was too much to paint in. i cleaned it up n got the primer on, but no way i could shoot color. the shadows were also crazy and i missed places that i looked at 3x.

also now that it's all one color, i found a few places i want to go back and touch up, just clean up the weld spatter or edges a little more.

https://i.imgur.com/V3RFxgQ.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

ANY progress is good progress...Is that DP40 primer? The green color looks like it.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

true, very true

Rustoleum self-etching rattle can

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Ok, I used a lot of that myself....I like it for a rattle can product.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

yeah, i've always had reasonable luck with it. but this is the first time I'm doing a 2-part acrylic urethane over it. we shall see. I'm ok with just a rattle can finish, but i really wanted a little better chemical resistance for this. plus i couldn't find anything near the color i'm spraying in a can.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Life is too shot not to Hotrod :rock:

WOW, that took maximum effort. 12:30pm i started chipping spatter, 8:30pm i finished dragging tools back in.

So my tent showed up Monday night after i had a horrible day trying to paint the primer, just in time to mock me. then sitting in the team meeting Tuesday morning i was having an aneurism over the nice weather, told my boss i would try the work thing again today and left. cleaned up a lot more welding spatter i had missed until i could see it in primer, and scuffed the whole thing. neighbor came up n helped me set up the tent and move the chassis out, if it wasn't for him coming up when he did i'd have never gotten done. thank god for neighbors!

i've painted before, but not enough to feel proficient with it. that first gun of paint is feeling awkward, but i wanted to hit the "gotcha spots" that wouldn't get much paint unless specifically hit ... i had a lot of those. just a little into that i'm under the chassis spraying the suspension tube work and splash most of my paint out on me and the ground when the lid pops off. well i gota finish the paint that's left in it ... while my hand glues to the gun. i had to do a full clean up of myself and the gun to start again. back at it, spraying along, 3rd gun of paint and i'm back under the chassis, spraying the same spot, and i laid in the puddle of paint. now my shirt is gluing itself to me while i finish this gun, my armpit sticking together. i still have orange armpit hair :facepalm: :lol: after that i got a system going and couldn't be happier with the results!

https://i.imgur.com/zSdXtKO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3LtYGZd.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nqyWc7q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqUTiqL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/OpIvwym.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/y8VwFst.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That frame came out gorgeous, and your story about the painting mishaps made my day (I have done something quite similar!).

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Awesome pics (especially the light up canopy at night). That orange chassis should pop nicely next to the blue body. I like your color choice.....Be bold my friend. Well done.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Thanks!

and the story is way more entertaining this morning than it was last night :lol:

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I imagine it is. I had my Youtube Channel logo t shirts printed before wheeling in AOAA and I ruined one the first time I wore it on Friday when I got transmission fluid on it while changing a broken drive shaft and I ruined a second one on Saturday while changing another broken drive shaft.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

HAHAHA yes very entertaining story for sure!! Looks like the frame turned out great love the color, what is it? The paint should come off your arm pit in a few weeks lol.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks great. Good story too, lol. What's worse, orangutan armpit or that burning sensation if you try to get it off with gun wash?

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

i tell ya what, had no issues washing up with gun wash yesterday ... but i had a major headache when i woke up. really good fume hang-over

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Summit Racing Single Stage Paints, Acrylic Urethane, Gloss, Bright Metalic Orange.

glad i can entertain everyone :lol:

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That looks very nice! What kind of paint is it? I can relate to the dam lid popping off and making a chit show. I dislike painting roll cages or hard to get areas because of that same thing. Maybe the water based paint is better because of this? :lol: IDK

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

ok, big push to get the 55 back into one garage bay only! i need the second bay something bad now. picked up a new distraction this weekend ... my 13yo truck with 200,000 miles is getting to be end of life, so i bought a 28yo truck with 335,000 miles. makes sense right?

flew to the gulf coast of Mississippi Thursday night, Friday paid the dude and drove 500mi to Nashville. Saturday toured Nashville, and saw Billy Ray sing Achy Breaky live! Sunday we hit up the Corvette museum on the 575mi drive back to PA.

she's good to go, but has a long list of tweaks n tunes i want/need to do. plus i just want it to live inside!

https://i.imgur.com/tYEKZ3I.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wn1Lnzq.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Very sweet new ride.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That is a beautiful first gen!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

ok, so the new truck has been kind of sucking up some time, but she should be ready to go for a while now.

i do have a 55 update though! sprayed the LizardSkin heat insulation on the bottom of the cab yesterday, and turns out i did NOT buy enough material. 1gal might have done the whole floor if i had perfectly sprayed 2 light-medium coats, but i went heavy where the manifold and exhaust will be. i got complete coverage, and it'll be way better than just paint alone, so it's done and moving fwd. now i know.

the stuff has a rough texture for sure, if i ever hope to clean it i'm going to have to topcoat paint it. it says to wait a few days, then i'll hit it with some summit single stage satin black.

https://i.imgur.com/STVUNOw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9mvcM1B.jpg