What Did You Do With Your Truck Today ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

doob, I was giving you a hard time but kidding.

I have no idea what the roads up there are like....maybe you need to move back to civilization? Naaah...civilization is not all that civilized anyway and its definitely overrated!

What's new with your truck anyway?

[dubie]

It's all good man, I know you well enough on here to read into your ribbings.

The truck is back in the shop to have some brake adjustment done but we're sure having fun cruising with it. Thumbs up and head turning all over the place
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[agnes the dog]

Worked on my interior. Got the steering wheel covered and some new upper door skins made. The flash washed out the picture of the steering wheel. All the leather is the same color...

[TNBandit]

My truck is a rough long term project so to feel like I'm making progress I'm working on rebuilding one part at a time as funds allow. Yesterday & todays project was the heater box. Removed it and dissasembled it. Hot wired the blower motor and it works fine.. Yay ! Pressurized the heater core and it holds pressure, and blowing through it, it's clear and not plugged: another "Yay" moment. Time to rebuild it. As you'll see from the pics it was a severaly rusted, pitted mess. The truck sat outdoors for a few years with no windshield in it so I'm not surprised. Here are the "before" pics. I don't have much choice but to try to save it since they aren't being reproduced and I can't seem to find any parts trucks locally.

[TNBandit]

Got it completely dissasembled and cleaned up in my bead blast cabinet. Then tried to take out some of the worst pitting with a die grinder and Scotchlock pads. The blend door was also all messed up and it appeared that someone had kept turning the handle until it would up inside the box like a clock spring. Got that straightened out the best I could as well.

[TNBandit]

Time to try out the Eastwood powdercoating kit I bought 5 years ago and never used. Between selling my house in New Hampshire, moving to Tennessee, building a big new shop down here, etc. I never got an oven set up to bake the parts in. This is my first attempt at powdercoating other than helping a friend several years ago. For the heater core & motor assembly I went with paint. I'm thinking that soldered tubes & electrical wiring might not mix well with baking at 450 degrees..

[TNBandit]

Back together and ready to reinstall one day when the cab has been repaired and painted. At least I can begin setting aside components that are done. Not perfect but it will work and the total cost out of my pocket to rebuild the heater was ZERO. My biggest expense will be a set of repro decals for it.

[OrrieG]

TNB, Craftsman has a sale on wrenches.... Nice job on the repair, did you use a smooth or hammer finish?

I was all reved up and ready to paint my doors, bumpers, grille and some misc stuff but found I had used all the clear on my steering wheel. so working on speaker enclosures instead....

[vht]

Block sanded, and then I did more block sanding. I'm beginning to see why people like ratrods.

[TNBandit]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

TNB, Craftsman has a sale on wrenches.... Nice job on the repair, did you use a smooth or hammer finish?

I was all reved up and ready to paint my doors, bumpers, grille and some misc stuff but found I had used all the clear on my steering wheel. so working on speaker enclosures instead....

I guess that's in reference to my crusty rusty old wrenches in the background ? LoL Those are just some antique tool kit wrenches I've been picking up here & there. Got some Maxwell, Nash, John Deere, and Triumph & Indian motorcycle & railroad marked wrenches as well as the usual Ford stuff. Here's most of a Model A tool kit I've been putting together. I actually have enough Snap On, MAC, Matco & Cornwell stuff to put 5 guys to work. Now that I'm retired and all my "work tools" are home as well as my "home tools" I have too much stuff.

[Stepside Jim]

TNBandit, a most excellent job on the heater restoration. I am also impressed with the circular design of the heater core.

I've never seen one like that and am impressed what engineers could do 60 years ago. Very cool.

[hsdropout]

Tinkered with the front. Got some white letters for the tailgate..............any tips on how to put them on straight......square......?
Front letters on grill came out so...so...

[Daze57]

TNB
Great job on rebuilding the heater - paint came out real nice
i always like takin things like that apart and makin em all look like new or newer again .
best part is the fact that it still works - and prolly very well also
great job once again !

[GMCGoat]

I finally got around to repairing the floor where the body mounts were. all welded in, seam sealed, and painted....just letting it dry, then I'll put the bushings an dbolts in.

Also decided to sand and paint rear cab wall and floor before putting in a new gas tank.

[arturo7]

Dropped my hood into the electrolysis tank. POR'd the final batch of chassis bits.

[nvrdone]

Went to one show yesterday and one today. Put on about 170 miles and the truck ran great!
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[Russell Ashley]

"Tinkered with the front. Got some white letters for the tailgate..............any tips on how to put them on straight......square......?"

I recently put the chrome letters on my tailgate and followed advice I got from Dan. I took a straight edge and made a pencil line across the top of the stamped letters on the tailgate. Then you match the tops of the stick on letters to the line. The letters are decals and you spray the tailgate with water, so you can move them slightly to perfectly align them. Instructions come with the letters.

[hsdropout]

Thanks Russell........I got mine from Classic parts; they didn't come with instructions........
I assume they are the same kind you all used.....vinyl sticky back.....light blue backing paper...says ARLON on back. I thought they were peel and stick.

So just soak them in water and slide them off paper into place? Thanks again.

[Highsider]

Draw the line as suggested above.
Spray the tailgate area you are starting, with windex.
Peel a middle letter and stick in on the windex area. It will allow you a short time to adjust/line up the letter.
Smooth out the bubbles, too.
Then go to the next letter, spray and stick.

[hsdropout]

white letters..........bang.........there you go.........get 'er done. thx.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by TNBandit

I guess that's in reference to my crusty rusty old wrenches in the background ? LoL

yes, just a gentle jab. I have lots of old tools too, mechanic, machineist and carpentry, lying around.

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by hsdropout

white letters..........bang.........there you go.........get 'er done. thx.

Looks like you got it figured out. Looks great.

[Denee007]

Love the letters!!! great job!
dne'

[Denee007]

We drove the 59 around, 98 degrees here, the AC was working ok, but the shell of the truck and Sun coming through the glass still makes for a warm ride. Maybe some tint would be in order? or just drive it in the evening for a while. I'm thinking of one of those little fans that go on the dash, or from the mirror? otherwise, this Apache is awesome!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Excellent job on the letters!

I got no instructions from The Truck Shop either, so being an old draftsman - remember those? Kinda like a blacksmith or a buggy whip maker nowadays, that career doesn't truly exist anymore.

Anyway, I came up with the very light pencil line because I couldn't think of any better way. I just "eyeballed" the side-to-side distances. But I DIDN'T use water - I never thought of it! You guys are more clever than I am. Once mine were on they were staying unless I stretched & ruined them.