Shrunken66Stroker's build thread.

[jgh64pkup]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

They're Cragar 397's 17x8 in the front with a 4.5" backspace. The 17x9 in the back with a 5.5" backspace. They fit perfectly. I used the old adage of measure twice and order rims once. I'm putting off ordering center caps for a while. I don't need shiny new caps when my truck is sitting in the garage. I'm just happy it's rolling again. I rolled it out a took a few more pics today before tearing off the passenger door and the entire front end.

so cragar soft 8s

[shrunken66stroker]

Yep, those are them.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by BTCHN 1963

Are you going to remove your middle stake pockets? I took mine off so no one could tell it was originally a long bed. I found only 4 spot welds on each one. I took an air chisel with a sharp edge and popped them off after I drilled them most of the way through. I then used a piece of top rail to make the filler piece. I believe you can buy the fillers pieces on eBay.
Rob

I haven't done it yet but I'm thinking about it.

[daverod]

Truck coming along good. Better get some primer on that thing. Winters coming fast. How about some pics from your real job? The last ones were killer.

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by BTCHN 1963

I took mine off so no one could tell it was originally a long bed.
Rob

You can still tell by the longer wheel arches. But only the trained eye will catch it...

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by daverod

Truck coming along good. Better get some primer on that thing. Winters coming fast. How about some pics from your real job? The last ones were killer.

The truck has been in bare metal for over a year. One of the benefits of living in the desert is the lack of humidity. There's no flash rust anywhere.

I don't have any interesting pics to share but I do have another project going on in the other side of the garage. I'm restoring my Stepdad's 61 MGA. It gets most of my garage time these days because it's a paying job.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

The truck has been in bare metal for over a year. One of the benefits of living in the desert is the lack of humidity. There's no flash rust anywhere.

I don't have any interesting pics to share but I do have another project going on in the other side of the garage. I'm restoring my Stepdad's 61 MGA. It gets most of my garage time these days because it's a paying job.

That's my excuse also. Need to make money first.

[daverod]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

The truck has been in bare metal for over a year. One of the benefits of living in the desert is the lack of humidity. There's no flash rust anywhere.

I don't have any interesting pics to share but I do have another project going on in the other side of the garage. I'm restoring my Stepdad's 61 MGA. It gets most of my garage time these days because it's a paying job.

You get paid when you work for family?Looks like you've been doing your share of sanding. I need to get back on it. My arms are getting flabby.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by daverod

You get paid when you work for family?Looks like you've been doing your share of sanding. I need to get back on it. My arms are getting flabby.

He actually requested chemical stripper on this car so that's why I'm getting paid. Hazard pay! That stuff burns and I hate it. I'm stripping the whole car down to bare metal, doing the body work and painting. That's not a job I could see doing for free. It's probably going to take the better part of 4 months mixed in with my "real" work and sneaking over to the other garage to work on my truck occasionally. Plus it's damn hot here now. It takes a significant amount of motivation just to go outside these days.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

He actually requested chemical stripper on this car so that's why I'm getting paid. Hazard pay! That stuff burns and I hate it. I'm stripping the whole car down to bare metal, doing the body work and painting. That's not a job I could see doing for free. It's probably going to take the better part of 4 months mixed in with my "real" work and sneaking over to the other garage to work on my truck occasionally. Plus it's damn hot here now. It takes a significant amount of motivation just to go outside these days.

I thought you said you had a swamp cooler. I have one and haven't had the time to install it.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Strodder

I thought you said you had a swamp cooler. I have one and haven't had the time to install it.

I do but I'm scared to introduce humidity into the garage with the truck and MGA in bare metal. I've been told that I'm being too cautious but I'm not going to take any chances. If they both flash rusted I'd be screwed. I feel like I've tempted fate just having my truck in bare metal for over a year.

[daverod]

I tried airplane stripper I bought at Autozone it did'nt do anything. What kind do you use? Stripper and max heat. Thats got to feel good.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

I do but I'm scared to introduce humidity into the garage with the truck and MGA in bare metal. I've been told that I'm being too cautious but I'm not going to take any chances. If they both flash rusted I'd be screwed. I feel like I've tempted fate just having my truck in bare metal for over a year.

Yeah I know what you mean. I wouldn't chance it. But how come you don't shoot it with etching sealer primer. You can still do your body work, and it won't rust. Plus you can be a lot more comfortable, and be more motivated to work on it..

[Frizzle Fry]

Just to be clear, you removed the standard 12" and 8" correct? I ask because the proportions look great.

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

I cut about a quarter inch in from the edge in front and back and then staggered the cut around the stake pocket on the bed rail. On the inside panel I cut about an inch away from the edge to give myself room to weld it up and grind it flat. The wire was .025 with a bottle of mild steel mix- 75/25

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Yeah I know what you mean. I wouldn't chance it. But how come you don't shoot it with etching sealer primer. You can still do your body work, and it won't rust. Plus you can be a lot more comfortable, and be more motivated to work on it..

I don't use etching primer because I usually spray Slick Sand after epoxy primer. The Slick Sand is not supposed to be sprayed over etch because of the acid in the etch. I just get the filler close and then epoxy the whole thing before spraying slick sand and blocking it down for a final sealer if necessary. Everyone has their own methods and that's mine.

I can handle the heat for another month then hopefully they will both be primed. By then it will be cooler and perfect temperature to spray.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Just to be clear, you removed the standard 12" and 8" correct? I ask because the proportions look great.

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.

[Strodder]

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

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Strodder

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

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.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

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.

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.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Strodder

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.

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!

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

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!

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

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

You can still tell by the longer wheel arches. But only the trained eye will catch it...

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.

[shrunken66stroker]

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.

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by daverod

I tried airplane stripper I bought at Autozone it did'nt do anything. What kind do you use? Stripper and max heat. Thats got to feel good.

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.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

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.

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.