My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[rgunlock]

All in all, pretty happy! Need to fill 3 dings in the hood, and one in each fender then pretty much on to high build primer and block sanding. Oh boy am I excited about that phase - not!

[mjensen]

Looking good Rick!

[boynton]

Was the drivers fender a tri-plus fender? I remember you saying they were two different brands. Looks like you are almost ready for some of that shiny stuff!

[rgunlock]

Thanks Mike! Yes, the driver side fender was Tri-plus. At least on my truck, with this pair of fenders as examples, I'd be much more likely to go with Key Parts for future projects.

[andrewmp6]

Yeah body work can be hell but is worth it in the end.

[y5mgisi]

Well at least it wasn't a total waste! Looks good from here! You probably mentioned before, but what color are you painting this truck?

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

Yeah body work can be hell but is worth it in the end.

Yep, but glad to say its almost done. Now its time for block sanding!

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Well at least it wasn't a total waste! Looks good from here! You probably mentioned before, but what color are you painting this truck?

Thanks! Not sure that I have mentioned color before because it still isn't decided. I've been leaning toward a medium brown with copper highlight, but haven't really settled on a shade or specific color code.

[y5mgisi]

Gotcha. It's tough. If I might just suggest something, whatever color you pick, time will be more friendly to it if you pick a factory color. Even if you two tone it. As long as you pick factory colors, the truck will remain timeless. Custom colors make a truck look custom and is rarely a timeless look. So what happens is after 5-10 years or so, the truck starts looking like an old, washed up, once nice, has been truck. While that's not true in every occasion, in my mind, it's not worth the risk of going custom colors. Just something to ponder on.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Yep, but glad to say its almost done. Now its time for block sanding!


Thanks! Not sure that I have mentioned color before because it still isn't decided. I've been leaning toward a medium brown with copper highlight, but haven't really settled on a shade or specific color code.

Medium Brown with Copper. Sounds awesome! look into House of Color root beer
but of the shimrin base coat as apposed to the true candy's
http://www.kolorhouse.com/hoc-kbc07-q01.html

There's some really nice browns that are on the Acura's and Audi's as well.

Good luck, I think I changed color choices about 4 or 5 times. Truck is looking good by the way.
Chris

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

If I might just suggest something, whatever color you pick, time will be more friendly to it if you pick a factory color.

I feel much the same way about it y5mgisi. There is a member on this site, TexasJeff, with a truck called Ol' Brownie that is 1980 Dark Camel. In pictures, the color looks perfect but I don't know how well it transfers to seeing it in person.

Originally Posted by cmabolt

look into House of Color root beer
but of the shimrin base coat as apposed to the true candy's
http://www.kolorhouse.com/hoc-kbc07-q01.html

Chris

You're suggested color looks right on Chris, as if you are reading my mind I've still got a couple months of block sanding ahead of me, giving me plenty of time to change my mind a few more times! Thanks for the suggestion on Acura and Audi. I think I really won't feel good until I find a real vehicle in a color I like that I can see in person, or pick something that looks good in pictures and hope that it looks as good on a test panel.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

I feel much the same way about it y5mgisi. There is a member on this site, TexasJeff, with a truck called Ol' Brownie that is 1980 Dark Camel. In pictures, the color looks perfect but I don't know how well it transfers to seeing it in person.



You're suggested color looks right on Chris, as if you are reading my mind I've still got a couple months of block sanding ahead of me, giving me plenty of time to change my mind a few more times! Thanks for the suggestion on Acura and Audi. I think I really won't feel good until I find a real vehicle in a color I like that I can see in person, or pick something that looks good in pictures and hope that it looks as good on a test panel.

Well, on the more conservative side of things, I used a production color so in the event that I have a fender bender it can easily be fixed/re-painted. That is the advantage of using a readily available production color. Disadvantage is three stage paint jobs usually have more wow factor.

This is the fun part. I look forward to seeing it all painted up.
Chris

[y5mgisi]

That HOC brown is pretty sweet though.

[y5mgisi]

Yes, THis one is texasjeff. It looks incredible in pics.

[Greenlee]

Looks good! I think you are on the downhill run now. Pretty soon you'll be driving it!

[rgunlock]

Thanks Greenlee. I'm just hoping to be driving it before the end of the year since there is still a lot to do on it.

Made a little more progress this weekend working on getting door edges to match, fender-to-door, door-to-rocker, etc. Been under the weather though, so haven't finished. We have President's Day off Monday so hopefully a better update then.

[rgunlock]

Ok, I seriously hate it when my "selective OCD" kicks in. Or maybe it was growing up hearing "if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing right" about 39 gazillion times Any case, I couldn't live with the gap on the front of the driver's side door. This job made me really nervous, but I ground the edge of the door to create a gap. Since I went through the fold on the edge of the door, I had to weld it back up. Came out pretty good, but there is one low spot that's still bugging me, and a couple that could use just a bit more grinding. Door may have to come back off for the 15th time for just a little more tweaking. One lesson learned - get the doors to fit to satisfaction before doing the filler work. Now I'm going to have to redo along the front and bottom edges (I beat the bottom flat to match the rocker's profile).

[rgunlock]

Also I'd mentioned before that I noticed stress cracking around the upper hinge on this door when I first hung it after getting it into primer. Dealt with that since I had the door back off. It was worse than I expected. The drilled holes are my attempt to "terminate" the cracks, although in the pictures it looks like I didn't quite hit the tips of the cracks. I also needed them to get a pick in behind and pull the metal back out flush. The finish grinds don't look that good. This is a tough spot to get to with the grinder and I was worried about thinning the metal any more than necessary. If anyone knows of anything I should do to reinforce this area, please chime in.

[y5mgisi]

Two things. First, i have never seen a square with cracks in that area. Second, If im honest, you are inspiring me to NOT be a perfectionist on my 78. (If i ever get back to it... This new house has proven that it will be insanely time consuming and expensive!)

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

If im honest, you are inspiring me to NOT be a perfectionist on my 78.

So my wife came out to the shop to tell me it was time for me to start the grill for beer can chicken (one of my specialties). I was showing her my progress and she ran her finger down the edge of the door and said "isn't this a little wavy?" I assured her that it was just her imagination. Then I executed a bit of CYA by saying that this was a work truck, not a show truck and nobody is going to be checking the gaps that close! :LOL:

[rgunlock]

I am beat from taking doors on and off all day, but I'm pretty sure I can live with the gaps now. Here's the before & after on passenger door. Just had to build up the edge a bit in about a 6" spot. Never mind the ding in the fender - despite how handy those bent screwdriver things for backing off drum brakes look, they should NOT be used for prying up the edge of a door! If you see no difference between the before and after, please don't say so - let me think I made a difference

[y5mgisi]

Looks great! Good for you for going all out!

[rgunlock]

Thanks! You made my day.

[boynton]

There is nothing wrong with doing it the "right" way if you have the patience

[y5mgisi]

One thing is for certain. Upon completion, you will not have any defects that stare back at you and bug you. Fixing a problem now might take a day or two vs a problem staring back at you every day for years. Its just hard not to be short sighted some times. So its nice to see someone like yourself take time to do it right.

[swamp rat]

Got a question, are you taking the doors off by yourself? how are you supporting the door when unbolting it? Thanks! Truck is looking great!