71 K20 Idaho Edition

[landarts]

Had to take a pause for a few days to work on the 2009 Silverado. During that time I tweaked my back again so a few more days on the mend and back to getting the other items painted. Also received my large order from Classic Industries for this truck. Freight dropped of 7 boxes, cant wait to start putting on the new.

[Greg58]

Get better!
Then keep us posted.

Greg

[Ol Blue K20]

I hope you're feeling better soon.....

[best view]

And I can’t wait to watch u put it on lol ,don’t rush the back u want to enjoy doing it

[landarts]

After sitting around for a week trying to let my back heal I could not stand it anymore and headed out into the garage to see if I could move the ball forward just a little. I had recently painted the outside of the cab and jam areas. The paint turned out great with virtually no orange peel. However I did have a few run areas that needed to be addressed. So I decided today was the day and that would be something I could do without putting stress on lower back.

I spent some time while healing to see what others do when there are runs in the paint. What I found is that are several ways to fix runs. One that I thought I would try was using a straight razor blade that you put a slight bend into it and round off the both ends to prevent a gouge. I figured the worst thing that would happen is that I would have to sand the area down a bit and feather out and respray.

First I want to say that I am not a professional, I do this as a hobby and enjoy the challenges and learning something new on every build. I try to push myself to do something different or try to do something on the build I have never done before. This is one of those situation, fixing runs in a fresh paint job.

So here is what I did in this order.

• Opened a new box of blades and bent one slightly so it has a slight curve shape
• Then I grabbed a piece of 220 grit wet dry paper and rounded off both of the ends so it would not grab and cause a gouge
• I proceeded to drag the razor across the top of each run holding the blade horizontal, you actually hear a scrapping sound
• After the run was flush to the existing paint I stopped
• Then I grabbed the 3M 3000grit Trizact and cut a little square off and glued to the end of a large popsicle stick, tongue depressor size
• Soaked it in water for a while and began sand the area with the 3000 grit to smooth everything out to prepare for 3" buffer
• Once I was satisfied with the area smoothness I moved onto the 3" buffer with a yellow pad and used the Groit's fast correction cream
• Then just buffed with a microfiber towel
  

I was very happy with how it turned out and I feel like I learned something new today so it was a great day in the shop. The rest of the afternoon I addressed a few area on top off the roof that had some dust nibs. I knocked those down with some 3M Trizact then buffed with buffer.

[best view]

They have proved using your back is better than not using it but not to over do

[Ol Blue K20]

I have a nib file for repairing runs dust etc...

[landarts]

Well the back is feeling better after a few acupuncture treatments and I was able to get back out in the shop early this afternoon. next up on the plate is getting the two front fenders into primer and paint along with hood. I usually hang the fenders from wires in the garage and have had good success, but this time I wanted to put together a little paint tree that will be adjustable for how high you can go and be able to pull the uprights out so it makes it easy for storing when not in use.

Put together this version so I can bolt two fenders onto the outriggers and also at the bottom back of the fender for stability. I can raise the height up to about 16" higher than it sits in the picture which as at about 3'6", so at max height of 5'. I will also add some welded on washers across the top to allow for paint wires for other small parts like hinges, cowl, glove box, a board with several bolt heads, etc. I am working on another slide in adapter for upright for the doors to be attached by the hinges.

Some if all goes well I will have a few more paint pictures coming soon, then I will be tearing down the interior for paint prep.

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by landarts

After getting the door removed on the passenger side and laying on a saw horse so I could address the bottom half of the door. There was a few rust spots that needed attention. I took a large hooked screwdriver type tool and poked along the bottom section to force holes so I can identify and make the repairs needed. There was one section that needed to be cut out with a grinder and proceeded to replace with some new metal.

Once I got the rust areas addressed I worked the area with a flap disc and a small air grinder. Then added some filler to smooth out a few areas where the bottom of the door had a few dings. After a few rounds of filler and skim coats i put to layers of SEM high build primer from a spray can that I had left over from another project.

Keep up the good work!!!
Your rust welder works a LOT better than mine!!!

[70stroker]

Truck is looking great!!

[best view]

It must be done by now we need updates lol

[best view]

Is this done yet ,I miss this ,watching these trucks fixed

[landarts]

Well it has been a little over 3 months since last progress report. Been healing up my back from the last go around with my lower back ruptured disc issue. Also spent some time helping and moving a loved one to assisted living.

In the background I have got a few things done with a few of the K20's trucks so they can be sold. I have a friend that quit his full time job to make a go at repairing and build a few projects for some customers. So I decided since I could not work on the trucks for a bit while I was healing I would get a few things done so I could sell a few.

First was a (pic 1) Blue 72 Custom Deluxe K20 I purchased last November from a forum member. When I received the truck it was not running and had been stripped of a few items on the truck. With some of the spare items I had in the garage and a few purchased items, it is now a running driving truck that is going to be sold soon. I am not going to do anything else with truck but let it go.

Second truck (pic 2) was a Bronze 72 Custom K20 I picked about two years ago. The truck was complete when the P.O. bought it and drove it for about six months, then he decided to restore it. He tore it down and started to do the rocker and floor repair then decided it was too much work and sold it in pieces to me. I have traded this truck to my friend that is doing repairs for a 67 Suburban and a 8.1 Vortec motor. Those two items will become a K20 4x4 crew cab truck in the near future.

Third truck (pic 3) is a Orange/Red 68 K2500 long bed stepper truck I picked up at the beginning of Covid. I sold the motor that was in that truck and installed a 292 motor last summer. It needed a few more items wrapped up so it can be a running driving truck. Once it gets back I will be selling this truck also.

Back in the shop this weekend, anxious to get back into the build so progress post and pictures coming for the 71 K20 Idaho Edition project.

[Greg58]

Glad to hear you are healing up.

Greg

[Ol Blue K20]

Keep healing, the trucks will still be there when you're ready. I look forward to future updates but take care of you first and foremost.

[CG]

That long stepper could be a really neat truck. I hope I dont see an ad for it when you are ready to sell. Im having a very hard time sticking to my dont buy anymore stuff deal with myself haha!

[best view]

Jim are you going to finish this truck or do I have to come out there , and I won’t know what iam doing so that won’t be good lol

[landarts]

Finally back in saddle on the build. Been doing all kinds of truck stuff in the background over the last couple of months. Acquiring other trucks and selling a few, collecting parts for future builds, purchasing tools and multiple parts. Was able to get three K20's running and driving that were left for dead. Know I feel like I can concentrate on this project and push it across the finish line.

One of the items I purchased was a new 60 Gal Ingersol Rand compressor (picture #5). Installed the 220 power for it and while I was trying to move it by myself and slip the vibration mat under it the compressor got off balance and started to fall, so I let it go and it hit the corner of the cab that was already finished and painted. So the redo for that area was the first item I had to take care of (picture #2). Had the spot light on it for a couple hours drying out the filler primer so I could knock it down one more time before repainting. Nice to have a compressor that will keep up with the DA sander but not nice to have to redo items.

Also spent some time on finishing most of the wet sanding on the fenders and some of the last of the filler work on the bed. The long strip of filler toward the front is where I pulled the long crease a while back with stud welder and the Steck Lever, the is actually only about a 1/16th or so of filler there. One day I hope to work a crease like that with just metal finishing, but for now I will have to rely on some filler to get it right.

Last two items is in (picture #3) I purchased a crew cab project for a future build. It came with all the sheet metal for cab, glass and front clip. I will be putting this on one of my K20 trucks probably the rough 72 GMC Super Custom K20 I picked up from Wyoming last year. I have a 8.1 Vortec motor for the build and a few other items stashed away.

Picture number 4 is my first stab at my new laser addition to my CNC machine. Put a few items together and did a test burn on a piece of scrap pine I had in the shop. I think this is really going to be a fun addition to the shop tools. Already dreaming up a few projects in mind for the laser.

[57taskforce]

Nice progress, sucks when you have to redo work already done but it happens. At least your new compressor is kicking up and running. That etching looks really cool. You could make yourself a little side business just doing etching work I’d bet. I can’t wait to see you build the crew. That’s one of my dream projects, I’ll get to it one of these days.

[Dieselwrencher]

So much awesomeness in your threads! First off, awesome work on this truck. Your metal and body work looks super nice. I also like you do this in a normal garage and I know I share the same struggles as you.

What a sweet score on that crew cab. One of these is on my build list too. Sorry to hear about the dent in the cab. It's always something. I have the same compressor in my garage and it has been great. Now that I think of it, it is going on year #7 and I haven't had any issues other than a leaking drain valve.

I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished. I have a 71 K20 in the same color combo but it is much worse. I just actually picked up a new floor for it I just need 72hr days to get some stuff done.

That laser would be sweet for sure! It would be cool to make some type of thin wood overlay for the glove box doors where you could burn logos or whatever on them. You could probably sell a lot of them.

[landarts]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

So much awesomeness in your threads! First off, awesome work on this truck. Your metal and body work looks super nice. I also like you do this in a normal garage and I know I share the same struggles as you.

-Yes it is a challenge sometimes working in a 3 car garage. I try to make things movable and efficient but sometimes I have to take a day just re-organize the work space in order to do the next task.

What a sweet score on that crew cab. One of these is on my build list too. Sorry to hear about the dent in the cab. It's always something. I have the same compressor in my garage and it has been great. Now that I think of it, it is going on year #7 and I haven't had any issues other than a leaking drain valve.

-The crew cab will be a fun project that I will build for myself. I am excited for that project and hoping it will motivate me to push forward on the trucks in front of it. As for the dent it made me sick when it happened. Had to take a day or two to process what happened and what would be the best way to fix the issue. One thing I have figured out is the longer the truck build goes on the more chances for things like this to happen go up.

I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished. I have a 71 K20 in the same color combo but it is much worse. I just actually picked up a new floor for it I just need 72hr days to get some stuff done.

-I feel you on that one. I am always trying to figure a way to fit in some truck time and balance the other responsibilities with life.

That laser would be sweet for sure! It would be cool to make some type of thin wood overlay for the glove box doors where you could burn logos or whatever on them. You could probably sell a lot of them.

-I do have a few projects in mind for both the cnc machine and the laser.

Response above in blue text above.

Picture 1 is from this weekend dragging the carcass of the crew cab back to the stable. All the doors and parts are in the inside of the cab. The rest of the items I transported in the bed of my truck.

Picture 2 is a cart I seen in my neighborhood last week. The company was using it to move a big spa into a backyard. I ran out and watched them do it with ease and thought it was a great design for moving cabs, front clips, beds to and from my side yard. So I am working on a version of this to use here on my property.

[Dieselwrencher]

Awesome score on the crew cab! I have found a better body shell for my wife's burb. Now to come up with the funds to get it so I can save time repairing her rust. I'd rather cut her current shell for a crew cab and eliminate the back rust issues. That cart definitely would help out!

[landarts]

Well been chipping away the last few days at the fenders. Every time I think I have it licked I find another pin hole or something that needs attention. Over the last few days I did some sanding, filling, scrubbing, power washing, wax and degreasing and some more sanding again. Felt that I was pretty close so this morning I waited until the temps warmed up to about 70 and got everything set up to spray primer on the side yard in the shade before the sun hits the side yard and really heats up the metal.

Went pretty well laying it down and the first time using the new compressor for painting was a win. I think I only heard the compressor come on once or twice. The old compressor would be running all the time and still running to catchup after I was done painting.

So for tomorrow I hope to get the color on the backside where it is needed and possibly shoot the 3M under coat in the other areas so I can get them bolted on.

[landarts]

Got the front fenders out on the front driveway and set up for a little wet sanding and blocking with some 3M wet n dry paper. Spent about an hour on each fender blocking and cleaning off to see where it was coming along. After a few rounds I use a graphite pencil to make squiggly lines where I need to knockdown more.

When I was all wrapped up I had to pull out the power washer and cleanup the driveway and while I was at it I decided to give the old 68 K20 a bath and take her for a spin. She is a little rough around the edges but I kind of like her that way.

Pict 1- is the primer and etching primer I used on this project. The primer brand is Wanda by Akzonobel and the etching primer is Martin Senour Tec, I used if I burned through the primer to metal.

Pict 2- is how I have the fender rigged up on a saw horse with a couple of clamped 2x4's. this allows me to work on stuff without having to bend over all day.

Pict 3- shows after a few passes with wet sanding I let it dry off and went over the areas that need more sanding with a graphite pencil.

Pict 4, 5- a few shots after getting the 68 K20 washed off with the power washer and headed out for a little drive in the hills behind by house.

[landarts]

While working on getting fenders ready for color over the weekend it reminded me that I wanted to do a custom badge for the fenders on the second lower set of existing badge holes. The top holes will be for the "Custom/20" badges that go with the truck. The bottom holes I believe were for the "8/350" emblem.

My intentions were to design a badge that looks like the it could be period correct and have a twist on the build. Place it on the fenders in place of the "8/350" and when I decide to pass the truck on to a new owner it can be swapped out if they want.

This is the first draft of the emblem done in illustrator. Once I get it where I am happy with I can open the vector file in my CNC software and create cutting files and do a test cut from my CNC machine.

Here is a picture of the first draft.