Starting 1966 Factory Short Bed Build, Bagged, 383 Stroker and Muncie M20 4-Speed

[88Stanger]

Ok now onto body work....

So i had a dent in the roof that was causing "oil canning" but in reverse sort of.... the oil canning would stay down, not up. So i used some heat form a yellow can of propane gas and water rag to heat and cool the metal to get rid of the oil canning, which worked rather well. then i used a Harbor Freight stud welder for pulling dents and got most of the dent out, not all but good enough for me and then some thin bondo... i will sand that down add more if needed and then final with glase.

In the damn middle and rear of the roof are two holes, not sure what for, but they are there... so I will try to correct as much of the dent as possible then weld up the holes. So made why people do this crap..

I am not a body man by any stretch, but I try to get it good enough... if that makes sense. .. Mote pics to come....

By the way, any and i mean ANY suggestions on body work i am all up for!! LOL

[cwcarpenter98]

Hmm, I'm thinking CB antenna or a light of some sort for those two holes

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Hmm, I'm thinking CB antenna or a light of some sort for those two holes

I would agree... Just frustrating for me to fix.. lol

[88Stanger]

Big brown truck delivered my Vintage Air kit. Interesting how that much $$ can be in what looks like such small boxes... lol
Going out to do more body work... oh yippiiieee
lol

[88Stanger]

Pics of body work... filled in the holes with weld and now just getting straight... lol straighter... lol

Got the final piece for the March Serp. belt system in... the AC Pump. now get belts..

[roll_the_dice]

Looking good! It's amazing how much I think they look like engines with the belt system in place. I remember when I put mine on...I said to myself...now that looks like an engine!

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Looking good! It's amazing how much I think they look like engines with the belt system in place. I remember when I put mine on...I said to myself...now that looks like an engine!

So very true. I have chased many a V-Belt flying off under hard acceleration or just jumping on it... i know you can make them work, but i just prefer a good serp. belt system. This one from March was not bad, under $600.00 well actually with the covers to match, under $800.00. - Sorry about all the dust...

[88Stanger]

I have been looking for a rear corner panel for behind the seats. I remember that Jason Vannatta with Vannatta Fabrication makes the ones I liked, with or without speakers. I have been buying some stuff from him before he really had the business going and not it is going great! He is really a good guy with some great fab. parts, so maybe jump over to his site and take a look at what he has.
Here are the panels.

[SCOTI]

He does make some nice stuff.

[88Stanger]

question:
I am going to be running air bags. with that said, i want to place the tank and pump in the bed. So, i am trying to see if there is a way to temp. air up the bags? Maybe use like a bike tire valve or ? put air in each bag? run lines back to near the bed area and use these valves? I have no idea, any help? Ideas?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

question:
I am going to be running air bags. with that said, i want to place the tank and pump in the bed. So, i am trying to see if there is a way to temp. air up the bags? Maybe use like a bike tire valve or ? put air in each bag? run lines back to near the bed area and use these valves? I have no idea, any help? Ideas?

Just 'T' the lines together (front & rear). On the 3rd leg of the 'T' put a short fill line w/a schrader fill valve on it then you fill them just like you'd air up a tire.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Just 'T' the lines together (front & rear). On the 3rd leg of the 'T' put a short fill line w/a schrader fill valve on it then you fill them just like you'd air up a tire.

Thank you sir!!!! I really appreciate the help here. as simple as it seems, i just want to make sure. I have the complete bed on order now, but just want to make sure i check everything, air leaks, set up and such.
Really appreciate your time to respond.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

Thank you sir!!!! I really appreciate the help here. as simple as it seems, i just want to make sure. I have the complete bed on order now, but just want to make sure i check everything, air leaks, set up and such.
Really appreciate your time to respond.

No problem. I install my fittings into their respective parts first & then use the schrader set-up to test for leakage. I like to submerge bags & tanks under water for the testing. You only need ~25psi for the leak test.

Once you know your good there, it helps keep your scope for leak chasing to the remaining fittings. The 'T' set-up works good for adjusting the suspension during the build. I also have 'stands' built that are used under the frame rails so that if the air is purged from the system, the truck drops to 'ride height' & remains there. Mine are 4" tall @ the front cab mount; 5" @ the rears so just build the stands to the ride height designed for your application.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

No problem. I install my fittings into their respective parts first & then use the schrader set-up to test for leakage. I like to submerge bags & tanks under water for the testing. You only need ~25psi for the leak test.

Once you know your good there, it helps keep your scope for leak chasing to the remaining fittings. The 'T' set-up works good for adjusting the suspension during the build. I also have 'stands' built that are used under the frame rails so that if the air is purged from the system, the truck drops to 'ride height' & remains there. Mine are 4" tall @ the front cab mount; 5" @ the rears so just build the stands to the ride height designed for your application.

Just got my kit i ordered that has these fittings and 20' of extra hose. So i will be installing these this weekend. I am not sure how much will get done this weekend. I have a big day coming up .... the big 50 mark is reached on the 11th, so .... lol

[SkinnyG]

I like to lay down enough paint, that when I finish sanding out all the defects, I still have paint.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

I like to lay down enough paint, that when I finish sanding out all the defects, I still have paint.

sounds like a great idea... but i am shooting a matte red. might look at matte clear though.

[88Stanger]

some updates of the truck, not much to see, just body work going on. Almost ready for primer....

[88Stanger]

got the block off panels for AC, not sure how i want to to them.

[88Stanger]

Also, so i want to block out as much if not all the water going into the cowl panel, so i bought the no vent panel, not bad honestly.

[cwcarpenter98]

Finnegan's garage on youtube posted a video earlier this week of how they made a driveway paint booth

[Paul Y]

Really nice progress.

As for painting, not done a complete car (or truck) but done firewalls and the odd panel. Only tips I can give you are.

Cover everything you don’t want paint on

Sweep the floor. Wet it down and sweep it again.

Do a “dry run”. Hard to explain but practice how you are going to paint before putting any paint in the gun.

Wear the right protective equipment for the paint you are using.

Judging by the rest of the truck you will do fine.

P.

[88Stanger]

Update: Just got my bed sides and rest of bed stuff from LMC and Classic Industries. Damn, i have alot of work to do!! lol

[aggie91]

That's a cool find at the Hobby Lobby!

Do you have a Sam's Club or maybe a Costco in your area? For template material, since I shop at my local Sam's, I get card stock for my template material for free. The large pallets they get in of their paper towels, toilet paper and such have "slip sheets" between the layers of the tacks of paper towels. Some of these sheets are about like poster board, some are a bit thinker and constructed out of a thin corrugated cardboard sheet. The sheets are not always the same size, but in general are about 42"-48" x 42"-48". Best part is they are FREE. I usually pick up 4-10 of these each time I go if I am low on my stock at home.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by aggie91

That's a cool find at the Hobby Lobby!

Do you have a Sam's Club or maybe a Costco in your area? For template material, since I shop at my local Sam's, I get card stock for my template material for free. The large pallets they get in of their paper towels, toilet paper and such have "slip sheets" between the layers of the tacks of paper towels. Some of these sheets are about like poster board, some are a bit thinker and constructed out of a thin corrugated cardboard sheet. The sheets are not always the same size, but in general are about 42"-48" x 42"-48". Best part is they are FREE. I usually pick up 4-10 of these each time I go if I am low on my stock at home.

Really?! That is cool! I am going to Costco in a few hours with my mother, i will be looking!! Thanks for the idea, that is alot cheaper than buying them. I will be SO HAPPY to be done with body work!! lol I really suck at it and well just want to get the truck back together.

[88Stanger]

So Update:

Finally got all the bed stuff in, new sides, sills, braces tailgate and front along with a few other parts. I have a frieking storage shed full of parts to go on. Just waiting to get the dang body work done, which hopefully this weekend the cab is done, in primer. At least the first go with primer. What a journey so far. I got the holes in the roof fixed from antenna or something and the one bigger dent pulled and mudded up, and then as i was sanding the rest of the roof panel, i noticed a few hidden dents in the front!!! DAMNIT!! lol oh well, i they are very small and so little dent pulling and some light filler, all taken care of... knock on wood. LOL

I was watching Finnigan garage and the C-10 he just built, DAMN that is bad arse!! Love it, move over i really like the Wirecare company that sponsored him. I checked out their stuff and i really like it. Interested in the fire proof covering for my fuel lines. Anyways, really cool watch though.

Ok, well out to the garage to do, yet you guessed it, more sanding.... lol