Project Vitamin C-10

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by daverod

Nice older truck Alan.I want to get rid of my Fo#r and get somthing like that. Glad to see you sold the trailer. I've been tenting it for years it's much cheaper. Now take all that $$ your saving and get that truck runnung.

I'm gonna try to make some progress.

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

You got one heck of a trade Alan. The bed is looking really good. Getting close.

Besides the bed what else is left to do?

It was a good trade. I've got a lot to do after the bed is done. Here is a short list, hood, headers, AC, glass, finish up seats, bumpers, wiring, carpet and a bunch of nickle dime stuff.

I went out and got the tailgate fitted and all hardware installed. It couldn't have been any easier. Had only one minor problem I will discuss that later.

First I centered the tailgate in the hole with bondo spreaders and a ratchet strap. I like using spreaders because they are tapered and I could fine tune the gaps.



All of the hardware.



Had to assy the strickers and install them in pre existing holes.





Then attach the side locks.



Hooked up side locks to stricker plate.



Installed latches.



A working tailgate. I like it!!!



The only problem is the latch on the right side was hitting the taper on the stricker (pointing to it in the pic) causing the TG to shift to the left closing up the gap on the left side. I haven't fixed it yet. There was a shim under the latch, but I removed it and installed a thinner shim. It helped, but not enough.



2 more pics on the way.

[Alan's Classic]

Here are 2 pics to compare the left to the right strickers. It might be hard to see what I'm talking about, but it's there. I'm thinking of grinding the main piece so it will allow the stricker to move some. I only need a 3/32". The side locks rattle quit a bit when closing the gate. May have to install some anti rattle blocks.





Over all this Mar-K product is awesome in every way. Other than paint it is a easy mod. Thanks Mar-K for a great American Made product!!

[Strodder]

Nice score on the 95 Truck. What opens the tail gate? Is there an inside handle? Maybe I missed something, but I didn't see it.

[4dranch]

Clean install Alan, Thanks for sharing.
And I'm with Dennis how do you un-latch it?
David

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Nice score on the 95 Truck. What opens the tail gate? Is there an inside handle? Maybe I missed something, but I didn't see it.

Originally Posted by 4dranch

Clean install Alan, Thanks for sharing.
And I'm with Dennis how do you un-latch it?
David

Here are some pics of the inside handle.

[Strodder]

Kewl. That's better than using a can opener.
Really Allan looks great

[MAR-Ktech]

Alan:
Your truck is looking great. Regarding the problem with the right side latch striker, can you tell what is the cause of the difference side to side? Is it the tailgate, the bracket holding the striker, or the bedside that is different? Things are supposed to fit. If there is a product problem, we want to know about it.

Thank you for feedback.

Mar-Ktech

[protrash64]

Nice progress report Alan; the tailgate looks killer! Glad to see your truck moving along.

[Captainfab]

I really like these new tailgates that Mar-K is making. I just first saw them a couple months ago. Yours looks good on there Alan.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Kewl. That's better than using a can opener.
Really Allan looks great

Originally Posted by MAR-Ktech

Alan:
Your truck is looking great. Regarding the problem with the right side latch striker, can you tell what is the cause of the difference side to side? Is it the tailgate, the bracket holding the striker, or the bedside that is different? Things are supposed to fit. If there is a product problem, we want to know about it.

Thank you for feedback.

Mar-Ktech

Thanks for the interest. I'm still trying to figure this out. I took the stricker plates out and did some comparative measuring. Pics are below. I gave up tonight, but hope to look at it some more this weekend.

The stricker plates are within .015 total height of each other. The only thing I noticed with the stricker plate was the welded on bung is beveled on one and not the other (noted in top 2 pics). It wouldn't be causing this problem just something I noticed. It's hard to tell in the pic, but there is a noticeable difference when looking at how far the stricker sticks out past the bedside when compared to each other. I tried my best to get the same angle on both sides. I did have bondo dust in my eyes. I did measure how far my bedsides stick out off of the post. They were pretty close to being the same. I also measured the cavity where the latch sits in the TG nothing noticable there. I'm gonna play with the hinges some and see what that does. This problem is very small and I will figure it out. Just kind of mind boggling right now.

Thanks for a great product and customer service. I remember talking to James last year about the inner bed patch panels he was fantastic to deal with. Keep up the great work.

Originally Posted by protrash64

Nice progress report Alan; the tailgate looks killer! Glad to see your truck moving along.

Thanks man.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I really like these new tailgates that Mar-K is making. I just first saw them a couple months ago. Yours looks good on there Alan.

Thanks Capt. they are slick.

[Alan's Classic]

I was wrong on the TG, about modifying the stricker. I adjusted the right side of the TG up and the left side down just a little and I'm happy. I thought the TG was where it needed to be.............I was wrong. It won't be the last time something like that will happen...........me being wrong. My problems may be of some help to others.

[daverod]

Nice to see the electron is still working. Maybe the molecules used on the one side are larger than the molecules on the other side. You might have to increase the mag. to find out. Looking good

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by daverod

Nice to see the electron is still working. Maybe the molecules used on the one side are larger than the molecules on the other side. You might have to increase the mag. to find out. Looking good

I just posted this question about help getting my video made. Here is the LINKY.

Still working on the bedsides. Honey don'ts finally turned into Honey do's. Haven't had much shop time.

[tommys66]

awesome as usual alan! Is that latch setup for the mark tailgates, or can i use it on my original tailgate?

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by tommys66

awesome as usual alan! Is that latch setup for the mark tailgates, or can i use it on my original tailgate?

looked at Mar-K's website to see if they had a kit for original TG, but didn't see this setup. They have hidden latches and side lock kits. Here's a linky. Look under TG parts in the left column.


The bed is getting closer to the first coat of primer.

[daverod]

Alan what size air hose to you have going to your paint gun?

[my67chevytruck]

Looking good as always Alan...

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by daverod

Alan what size air hose to you have going to your paint gun?

Sorry it took so long to answer. I'm pretty sure it's a 3/8. I was going to look to make sure. but never did. I picked the hose up 100 times this week.

Originally Posted by my67chevytruck

Looking good as always Alan...

Thanks Heath.

I'm getting tired of sanding and wiping on my bed. Working the inside of one more bedside. Then it's priming time. Then more sanding. Remind me again why we do this..........................?

[daverod]

I use 1/4 for work (nail guns,staple guns). I'm not sure how much a paint gun needs. I think it makes a difference when running air tools like a impact gun. Just bought a 3/8. Ah, we do it because we love it.

[Alan's Classic]

I've got a bad illness. I can't leave well enough alone. I just wanted ya'll to know to explain why I'm not getting much done. I'm doing 4Runner surgery. The 86 needs a roof and windshield pillar skins. Here's the donor roof.





I had to this this weekend so I could have some light. It gets dark by the time i get home during the week. Promise, progress is being made on the 65. Going out tonight to sand more.

[scotts62]

Well if the illness is more than a truck addiction or bondo fever, i hope you get to feeling better

Cool cant wait to see the runner all patched up and good to go.

[daverod]

Is it yours or work your doing for someone. Looks like a good project.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by scotts62

Well if the illness is more than a truck addiction or bondo fever, i hope you get to feeling better

Cool cant wait to see the runner all patched up and good to go.

It's an illness that stems from trying to fix everything and make it all look good. The 86 4Runner is a DD and looks like hell. I thought I could leave it alone so I wouldn't be afraid to scratch it when I go off road. Well, that didn't last long. If it gets scratched I'll fix it again.

Originally Posted by daverod

Is it yours or work your doing for someone. Looks like a good project.

It's mine.

I did get more sanding done tonight. i also included some pics of the 4Runner tht I will be fixing up.

[Alan's Classic]

Ronnie traded me some wood for my bed. It has some stains on it from sitting around, so I drug out the planner and tried to see if I could remove alittle material. It cleaned up pretty good.

Before



After



Side-by-side comparision



all done



Now a question for you wood workers. I've refinished wood before, but by no means am I a pro. I will be sanding the wood prior to coating. Should I use a type of sanding sealer prior to color (if I choose a color). Even if I don't use a color should a sanding selaer be used? I'm thinking just varnish all of it and sand it smooth and repeat the process several times. I want something that has a UV protector in it.

I'm still thinking of staining it a light orange color, but natural looks awesome as well.