What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[MARTINSR]

Oh heck yeah Bob! I have used everything from broom sticks and even a full paper towel roll! LOL

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

I took my panel truck out to a deserted country road where I could stop at each end of a measured mile to calibrate my speedometer. The DigiHUD smartphone app sure was invaluable for GPS-measuring an exact mile.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

I took my panel truck out to a deserted country road where I could stop at each end of a measured mile to calibrate my speedometer. The DigiHUD smartphone app sure was invaluable for GPS-measuring an exact mile.

"Calibrate" your speedo, how do you do that? You have some modern thing or are you talking changing the gear in the trans?


Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

"Calibrate" your speedo, how do you do that? You have some modern thing or are you talking changing the gear in the trans?
Brian

It's a programmable speedo - push the set button, drive one mile and it automatically calibrates itself by counting the pulses from the pulse generator (installed in back of trans in lieu of a mechanical speedo drive gear).

[Patience]

Finished up the AN fittings for full filtered oil. Still a good ways from cranking, but progress is progress!

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

It's a programmable speedo - push the set button, drive one mile and it automatically calibrates itself by counting the pulses from the pulse generator (installed in back of trans in lieu of a mechanical speedo drive gear).

WOW! I am a flip phone dude, that is out of my league.


So I got the passenger door finished outside of a one inch or so area up over the window, so it's as good as done, ready for primer.

Then I came home and got one of the rear springs in the frame, that was it today.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I made it to a milestone last night. The cab is on the frame! WHOOO HOOOOO! I could have fallen asleep standing up last night but went out to the garage for my "five minutes" to remove the original base of the rear axle cushions on the frame. I had left them there when the frame was powder coated and that ticked me off. They are riveted on and there would be rusty metal under them. So I HAD TO remove them last night being I had a few tablespoons of epoxy primer from straying the rear end housing that would be perfect to coat that metal under the cushions that I knew would be rusted.I was NOT going to let that epoxy go to waste. So I ground off the heads of the rivets, drilled them out and cleaned up that metal and applied the epoxy.

Covered in metal shavings and tired as hell that was going to be it, then I took at look at how close I was to getting that cab on. I jumped on that and got the cab on the frame to find out I was missing some washers and the bolts were all rusty anyway I just couldn't leave them so I ran to the hardwares store getting all new hardware and got the cab bolted all onto the frame! WHOOOO HOOOOOOO!

I had to get the family out to look at it, and kept telling them up until I went to bed "You know I got the cab on the frame tonight right?" LOL I think they got tired of hearing it, but I could be wrong.

Brian

[dsraven]

Brian, do you plan on spraying color with the cab on or off the frame? just curious because that will get overspray on the frame. been there before. I am sure you have a plan though, you know, old dog and his tricks. lol.
sure is nice to pass a milestone isn't it?
hey, did you notice your cab is sitting on the frame? did yuh?

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Brian, do you plan on spraying color with the cab on or off the frame? just curious because that will get overspray on the frame. been there before. I am sure you have a plan though, you know, old dog and his tricks. lol.
sure is nice to pass a milestone isn't it?
hey, did you notice your cab is sitting on the frame? did yuh?

OMG HOLY CRAP!

Yep, I will paint it on the frame wrapping up the frame with plastic. We have all that at the shop, covering complete cars to paint a fender kinda thing is an everyday thing here.

Brian

[oldman3]

Martinsr, congrats on cab, frame together...Jim

[MiraclePieCo]

If you've been around AD trucks at all you've no doubt seen those ubiquitous cowl creases from hyper-extending the doors. Today I reverted to my old Model A technology and installed some home-made door check straps. No danger of cowl creases now!

[MiraclePieCo]

BTW, while working in that area I noticed factory holes for a right-side factory ID plate, apparently for right-hand drive versions of ADs. I've heard that in England, Australia, etc. the ID plate was on the opposite side (right) door jamb; I guess this proves it.

[MARTINSR]

What did I do to my truck today, does it count if I watched my brother install the bearing races in my hubs? Well, that was it, but that got done. I went to his house 160 miles away to get my Gran Sport and he did that for me while I was there. He and his son did an amazing job with the Gran Sport with it now running sweet!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

After spending the whole day at a car show, driving an hour each way didn't think I would have it in me but I got out to the garage and got the other spring in place and the rear end setting on them!

I would have gotten more done, or relaxed more if I hadn't decided to change the right shackle bushing in the frame. The right one when I did it felt fine so I figured I would leave it. The left side was not good and I removed it pretty easily and figured I couldn't replace one side and not the other......and that is when the HELL began.

I literally broke the friggin handle with the head flying off on my 4lb sledge hammer trying to remove that friggin bushing! OMG I was beat beyond belief but just couldn't give up. It LAUGHED at a power saw like I was trying to cut it with a friggin shoe lace! I ground it with a burr cutter to be able to beat it out and it STILL took beating beyond belief!

Anyway, got it out and got the rear end setting in place.

whooooo hoooooo

Can I go to sleep now?

Brian

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

<snip> Can I go to sleep now?

Brian

You earned it!

[MARTINSR]

Got my third member and axles cleaned up and ready for some paint and got some new nuts and washers and such to put it together.

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

I had a couple of instances where my brake lights stayed on, so I installed an auxiliary return spring on my brake pedal. Really it's an old dishwasher door spring, ha ha!

Went for a drive, came home with my ears ringing. Man, I've gotta get sound deadener in this thing! And of course door seals so I can wash it...I know all my dust and dirt is embarrassing to this entire forum ;-)

[MARTINSR]

Got my doors on the door racks ready for primer at the shop. Then got the third member and axles painted at home, then carried one of my rear fenders back work tonight so I can get on that once the doors are primed. WHOOO HOOOOOO!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Got my doors primed, WHOOO HOOOO! Was planning on a bunch more when I got home then was hit with what I had forgotten, my daughters Girl Scouts advancement ceremony.

So, off I go and I am ok, I got the doors primed!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Thanks, they still need some fine tuning, thus the polyester primer (MEGA high build) but it looks better than I thought it was going to look. The 99% covering in bondo with specs of metal a million places looked like it couldn't possibly be smooth and correct. And feeling every square inch my mind was worn out. LOL

I am pleased for sure. These are the hardest parts on the truck to do so I am very happy to see it at this point.

Brian

[NorCalGal]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Thanks, they still need some fine tuning, thus the polyester primer (MEGA high build) but it looks better than I thought it was going to look. The 99% covering in bondo with specs of metal a million places looked like it couldn't possibly be smooth and correct. And feeling every square inch my mind was worn out. LOL

I am pleased for sure. These are the hardest parts on the truck to do so I am very happy to see it at this point.

Brian

I’m thinking about using a polyester primer this time around. Any pro cons or advice on usage.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

I’m thinking about using a polyester primer this time around. Any pro cons or advice on usage.

Both urethane and polyester (and epoxy) have their place. Back in the day I used "Featherfill" (polyester), made by Fiberglass Evercoat, before urethane primers became popular. Once the 2K urethane primers came on the scene at a reasonable price I never went back to the spray polyester, mostly because polyester dried too fast for my liking, and I was worried about adhesion. (...and that was probably because I didn't have a gun setup that would spray it wet enough, and I was too inexperienced to solve the root problem..) Today, if I need to build a thicker film in a given area I'll spread on a skim coat of polyester glazing compound, or even a quality general body filler, which is also polyester. That said, anywhere you need SLIGHTLY more build you could spray polyester rather than slather it on.

I use Southern Polyurethanes' Universal Clear, and sometimes use their forum for technical advice. Many of the contributors on there are working at the professional level and their advice tends to be well above a lot of forums. Here is a link where they discuss your question:

http://www.spiuserforum.com/index.ph...r-primer.5616/

Sherwin Williams gives kind of a "chemists' " perspective here:

https://www.sherwin-automotive.com/m...ethane-primers

If you want hours of fine reading, Google "polyester vs. urethane primer".

[MARTINSR]

Got the third member mounted and the whitewall wheels and tires all cleaned up to get on over the weekend. This baby is going to be a rolling chassis!

Got a little detail work done on the doors too.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

The one bummer I found was my shock mounts from a 55-57 passenger car that I got aren't working out, crap. They leave the shock right up to the backing plate.

Brian

[idbeast]

It's starting to look like a truck again!!!! Darn the reflection in the paint looks good! Have I said how much I hate Block sanding?!?!?!