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Mordachai · 08-30-2005, 09:28 PM

Yeah, I have been away for a while. But I tell ya, vacations are never long enough!!
well, I've made a bit of progress, I got the front end all sealed, and waxed and waxed and waxed. The type of mold I'm making requires a wax release, and not any kind of car wax! You have to use a special parting wax, that will allow the FGR/gelcoat to pop right off. Once It was sealed, I waxed and waxed and waxed some more! IT's gotten it's coat of PVA, now just ready to put the shims on and make the mold. It will be the first time I will use a Gelcoat gun( although I have used a chopper gun), but I have laid up glass many times.
Once the mold is made, I am going to hand fab at least 2 different grilles for the truck. The more I look at it the more Ideas I get for the grill. I'll rough a few of them, and the one that looks right will be cleaned up real nice, and chromed. It will be one of very very few visible chrome pieces on the finished truck.
I am anticapating unseen problems of course, but will overcome them all!

HAHAHA!

Um, as for the rear, I have a few wild thoughts up my sleeves. First I am going to fab up some wheel wells out of Stainless Steel, and then I will put all new bed wood in the bed. Then at least I can use the truck again, getting materials, etc. then the fun starts.

Once I'm done with that, I will get into my radical rear stretch. I'm going to cut the bedsides, heat and stretch/shrink them in what I think are the right spots, then cut some sheet to fill in the areas. It will be a challenge with the TIG welder, to get it right without warping, but hey, I need the practice! Even if I have to do it a few times, I'll do it till it's right.Basically I will be widening it in two ways, one I will make the factory bed 'flare' much more pronounced, and two, I will make the whole bedside about 2" wider on each side. I anticipate running 20"s, as it sits now, with 12" wide wheel wells, I'll be able to get 14"s under there without even coming close to rubbing. Not sure exactly what rubber I'll be running, but ya know it'll be meaty!

I already have my Gas tank moved under the bed, and set up the filler in a reminscent way of the old bel-airs. I fill it through the rear brake lens. I tell ya, welding that damn filler neck into the tight shape to bend through the bed corner sure seemed to take forever! I also had to cut and modify the rear bed corner support, and weld in a few new gussets to make it strong as new. But I got it right, and was well worth the time.

After that, I still have a few more ideas, but I'm keeping them a secret!!!! and oddly enough it does not include a radially chopped top(maybe just a few inches!) but it will have a more than a few things done to the cab. It'll all be in the tiny little details.

OH, There is a reason why the hood is so tall, that's for one of the secrets!
|M|

08-30-2005, 09:28 PM	#10
Mordachai Fat Fendered Fleetside Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: WPB, S. FL, USA, Earth Posts: 718	Yeah, I have been away for a while. But I tell ya, vacations are never long enough!! well, I've made a bit of progress, I got the front end all sealed, and waxed and waxed and waxed. The type of mold I'm making requires a wax release, and not any kind of car wax! You have to use a special parting wax, that will allow the FGR/gelcoat to pop right off. Once It was sealed, I waxed and waxed and waxed some more! IT's gotten it's coat of PVA, now just ready to put the shims on and make the mold. It will be the first time I will use a Gelcoat gun( although I have used a chopper gun), but I have laid up glass many times. Once the mold is made, I am going to hand fab at least 2 different grilles for the truck. The more I look at it the more Ideas I get for the grill. I'll rough a few of them, and the one that looks right will be cleaned up real nice, and chromed. It will be one of very very few visible chrome pieces on the finished truck. I am anticapating unseen problems of course, but will overcome them all! HAHAHA! Um, as for the rear, I have a few wild thoughts up my sleeves. First I am going to fab up some wheel wells out of Stainless Steel, and then I will put all new bed wood in the bed. Then at least I can use the truck again, getting materials, etc. then the fun starts. Once I'm done with that, I will get into my radical rear stretch. I'm going to cut the bedsides, heat and stretch/shrink them in what I think are the right spots, then cut some sheet to fill in the areas. It will be a challenge with the TIG welder, to get it right without warping, but hey, I need the practice! Even if I have to do it a few times, I'll do it till it's right.Basically I will be widening it in two ways, one I will make the factory bed 'flare' much more pronounced, and two, I will make the whole bedside about 2" wider on each side. I anticipate running 20"s, as it sits now, with 12" wide wheel wells, I'll be able to get 14"s under there without even coming close to rubbing. Not sure exactly what rubber I'll be running, but ya know it'll be meaty! I already have my Gas tank moved under the bed, and set up the filler in a reminscent way of the old bel-airs. I fill it through the rear brake lens. I tell ya, welding that damn filler neck into the tight shape to bend through the bed corner sure seemed to take forever! I also had to cut and modify the rear bed corner support, and weld in a few new gussets to make it strong as new. But I got it right, and was well worth the time. After that, I still have a few more ideas, but I'm keeping them a secret!!!! and oddly enough it does not include a radially chopped top(maybe just a few inches!) but it will have a more than a few things done to the cab. It'll all be in the tiny little details. OH, There is a reason why the hood is so tall, that's for one of the secrets! \|M\|