72 GMC K2500, short bed build

[randy500]

Spray equipment.
You need a good compressor, at least the large upright 220 style with a decent water seperator

I have Sata spray guns, one i bought recently, there very expensive. I dont really have much experience with cheap guns. I dont buy nor recommend buying used ones either.
I did buy a cheap gun with a large tip for primer, i bought 2, one was ok the other is junk. O have since replaced the chap primer gun with a Sata primer gun.

You need a good gun and you need to know how to operate it.
You have a better chance for success with a good gun because the quality control is very high and it will likely spray great right out of the box.

[cornerstone]

Pretty sure my equiptment is all good with the exception of a good spray gun. My weakness at the moment is a good place to spray, but I can fix that issue. I have most of my truck in black epoxy at the moment but have a gallon of white I intend to use before paint.

[randy500]

Not much to report. I have been busy with parts sales and column rebuilds. I think i have rebuilt or done major repairs on about 1 column per day the past week.
I did get a decent set of blue seatbelts from 69Tom which means my interior parts are almost complete now. I think i mentioned I ordered new parchment seat covers and headliner, maybe not. I also ordered new bucket seat foam. Parts orders are taking way longer than usual due to the pandemic.

Today i got this really nice cupholder console. Too bad i have to paint it white.

[cornerstone]

Man, the console looks amazing... Where did you score that?

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by randy500

Not much to report. I have been busy with parts sales and column rebuilds. I think i have rebuilt or done major repairs on about 1 column per day the past week.
I did get a decent set of blue seatbelts from 69Tom which means my interior parts are almost complete now. I think i mentioned I ordered new parchment seat covers and headliner, maybe not. I also ordered new bucket seat foam. Parts orders are taking way longer than usual due to the pandemic.

Today i got this really nice cupholder console. Too bad i have to paint it white.

Maybe you should go with a black interior. Haha.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Man, the console looks amazing... Where did you score that?

thanks it is a nice console. I traded a clock conversion kit with installation and a few small parts for the console, i got it from a forum member.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

Maybe you should go with a black interior. Haha.

Luckily they are easily painted. Looks like its never been used since it was painted so i can probably spray white right over it.

[Richard]

Progress looks good randy. May end up using the Nason paint for my truck as there is a supplier in Ventura that carries it. Slim pickins here in California for paint in the older codes. My painter may have another route for paint he likes to use. Was thinking about using GM code 10 white on my truck (Corvette). Is a bit brighter white. What do you think?

[randy500]

Originally Posted by Richard

Progress looks good randy. May end up using the Nason paint for my truck as there is a supplier in Ventura that carries it. Slim pickins here in California for paint in the older codes. My painter may have another route for paint he likes to use. Was thinking about using GM code 10 white on my truck (Corvette). Is a bit brighter white. What do you think?

The old paint codes are not abaialbale in a lot of modern paints. It sucks and prob worse in CA cause of air quality regs.
I used to always use a pure spraying white, im sure the cleaner white will look good. I really just chose the white i did because it was cheap and i believe the factory color code.

[randy500]

This is why i don't get anything done...drove 200mi each way for this new to me tool box.
I love my snap on boxes. Its an epiq 68” in candy apple red.

[CG]

Id be happy with a harbor freight rolling tool box haha.

Man I love your big ol four door!

[randy500]

Originally Posted by CG

Id be happy with a harbor freight rolling tool box haha.

Man I love your big ol four door!

Thank Mark.
I love it too. Its a real work horse. In the past couple months i made 2 trips to Eugene, OR, about 500 miles round tip. Week before last I went to Yakima, WA, 300 miles round trip and today Moses Lake, Wa, 400 miles round trip. Been checking mileage and its always over 17mpg.
The second trip to Eugene my wife and 25yo daughter went with, it was a pretty comfortable trip for us all. I got tired the last 130 miles and got in the back while my wife drove and took a little nap.
Today i picked up the toolbox, i bolted 7’ forklift extensions to the liftgate to lift it, the box hung off the gate 3’, lifted it right up and i slid it in the bed on the extensions.

Couple pics of the toolbox put away in the garage. I bought it to store truck parts. I have parts all over the shop in boxes buckets and bins.
The top drawer is huge, i Laid a tilt column in there to show the size.

[randy500]

I have this little snap on box full of new and used truck parts. The big one will store so much more.
And another pic of the truck out in the sun in Cle Elum, WA.
I bouht diesel for $1.98 today, out of a dozen or so truck stops the average was $2.79 or so but one had it cheap, all had regular for under $2.

[randy500]

I picked up some real nice doors for this truck today. I got them from board member PICKMUP(Frank). Frank always has nice parts.
I paid about $1000 for these which i feel is a fair price for quality doors. I will sandblast the bottoms, inside and out to clean up the surface rust, i don't expect any holes just a little pitting.
As far as other damage, no speaker holes!...just a few dings and 3 mirror holes on each door, pretty easy fix.

[cornerstone]

Originally Posted by randy500

I picked up some real nice doors for this truck today. I got them from board member PICKMUP(Frank). Frank always has nice parts.
I paid about $1000 for these which i feel is a fair price for quality doors. I will sandblast the bottoms, inside and out to clean up the surface rust, i don't expect any holes just a little pitting.
As far as other damage, no speaker holes!...just a few dings and 3 mirror holes on each door, pretty easy fix.

A grand seems like a lot...but, if you were to add up all the prices plus shipping costs for far inferior aftermarket parts that make up a complete door, your money ahead. No one ever said this was a cheap hobby!

Looking forward to seeing the new paint work... how does that fit in on your time line? Do you typically have a particular order or minimum things done on the truck before you spray the color?

[randy500]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

A grand seems like a lot...but, if you were to add up all the prices plus shipping costs for far inferior aftermarket parts that make up a complete door, your money ahead. No one ever said this was a cheap hobby!

Looking forward to seeing the new paint work... how does that fit in on your time line? Do you typically have a particular order or minimum things done on the truck before you spray the color?

As far as painting...it happens when its ready.
Prob spray the inside and door jambs as soon as i find some time to blast the inner roof. I want to get it back on the road.

[randy500]

I restored 2 sets of parchment door panels. I lightly bead blasted them and sprayed 4-5 liht coats of SEM super white. They look fabulous.
One set of panels i sold to 69Tom the the other set is for forum member John H.
I have a couple sets for this truck, i just didnt spray them because there just gonna get dirty until i get this project further along.

I got a new bead blast cabinet last week which made the job super easy. The cabinet is much bigger than my old one and the panels were quick and easy.
I also have a bunch of wheels that need cleaning up.

[randy500]

I also sprayed this set of parchment blazer belts. Pass retractor was black and the buckles were brown and green. Painting buckles isnt a great idea cause they get a lot of wear. They turned out nice tho.

Picture of my seatbelt collection too.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by randy500

I restored 2 sets of parchment door panels. I lightly bead blasted them and sprayed 4-5 liht coats of SEM super white. They look fabulous.
One set of panels i sold to 69Tom the the other set is for forum member John H.
I have a couple sets for this truck, i just didnt spray them because there just gonna get dirty until i get this project further along.

I got a new bead blast cabinet last week which made the job super easy. The cabinet is much bigger than my old one and the panels were quick and easy.
I also have a bunch of wheels that need cleaning up.

Door panels look great. Will need to do a refresh on mine as well. Glass bead?

[1971Stepside]

Randy I'm glad you live so far away from me, because if you didn't I would be hanging around your place way too much

[randy500]

Originally Posted by Richard

Door panels look great. Will need to do a refresh on mine as well. Glass bead?

Medium to fine glass beads at distance. My cabinet puts out a wide pattern as far back as i can hold the gun. It took a thin layer off the entire panel and left the grain.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

Randy I'm glad you live so far away from me, because if you didn't I would be hanging around your place way too much

If you ever get over this way your welcome to stop by.

[randy500]

I got new to me doors mounted. They fit nice.

[randy500]

Expensive trinket arrived today.....

[randy500]

And now for the $331.69 question....
Can i make a repro door fit?.....

Fits nice so far, decent gaps and latches.
I seen this door in related items on Summit, it was priced right with free sipping which ends up being truck freight. Figured i would give it a try, so far so good.
I bought a 72 drivers door a few years ago, it fit ok but the latch is about 1/16 to a 1/4” or so too low.
I screwed this order up and got a 68-71 door...so guess i will weld in the screw hole and drill it for 72 door panels, i hate doing that but it fits and I'm not sure they would take it back.