My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[mjensen]

Hey, I was hoping to come back on here and see color on this thing! Good work Rick! It's coming along nicely.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Wow, you've come along ways. Looks great.

Thanks Bomp! Really good to see that you're back on Steiner!

Originally Posted by mjensen

Hey, I was hoping to come back on here and see color on this thing! Good work Rick! It's coming along nicely.

You and me both Mike - thanks! I am getting pretty close.

But, tell me that you guys have done something like this. Had just finished blocking the rest of the truck with 220 and climbed into the bed to do the roof of the cab. Found this! Dang, I forgot all about the roof and thought I was done with all the bodywork Hopefully I can get the roof caught up with the rest of the truck this weekend and start blocking with 320.

[y5mgisi]

Oopsie tootsie! Not really looking forward to blocking my truck... It's a crew cab long bed. Yippie.

[rgunlock]

The blocking doesn't really seem that bad, once you get the bodywork right. Looking forward to seeing yours in primer soon.

[y5mgisi]

Me too! Thinking of taking tomorrow off work to get it a little closer.

[rgunlock]

Well, it's one color again....
and its a new color....
but it is not "THE" color...

[rgunlock]

After the 1st pass at 2K primer and blocking, you'll remember that I found a bunch of spots needing a little more filler work. The epoxy primer I sprayed over those spots may do a good job at sealing the filler, but it does a dang lousy job of covering it. I'm pretty sure that any "designs" I can see through the primer (from the filler) will show up in the paint. Plus it doesn't block out worth a (fill in your own expletive)! So, another couple coats of 2K primer, this time in buff. I don't plan to use a sealer because surely by now I've sealed in anything that needs it. I'm thinking that this color will make my medium brown pop and be brighter. Now just got to start all over again with the block sanding

[19silverado77]

Wow this looks great! good job wish mine looked half as good.

[rgunlock]

Thanks! All comes down to how much of your time and effort you are willing to put into it. Oh, and a little money

[19silverado77]

I don't have much of the later so its a slow process, could you give my thread a look you might be able to help me.

[Bomp]

Wow, you've made amazing progress. That truck is straight

[y5mgisi]

Hooray for blocking!

[Greenlee]

Nice work! Looks like you are over the hump. She will start going back together pretty quick once you get paint on.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Wow, you've made amazing progress. That truck is straight

Thanks Bomp! To be totally honest, I am purposely avoiding guide coat this round of 2K and blocking because if it isn't straight, I don't want to know

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Hooray for blocking!

You betcha! Got most of the truck blocked with 120 last weekend. Should finish that and maybe 220 grit as well next weekend if I don't get too many honey-do's.

Originally Posted by Greenlee

Nice work! Looks like you are over the hump. She will start going back together pretty quick once you get paint on.

Thanks Greenlee! I hope it will, but there will still be a LOT to do after paint, and I take a LOT of breaks

[mjensen]

Good work Rick!

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by mjensen

Good work Rick!

Thank you Mike! Making a push for paint. Now finished blocking with 120, 220 and 320. Not sure it was supposed to end up looking like a cheetah, but only a handful of spots go through to metal and it is getting really smooth.

Did most of the blocking with a 16" board, so those probably are high spots you are seeing, but if they don't go to metal I'm hoping they are now straight. The curvy areas I blocked with one of those stiff 4" foam block sanders and just stuck the appropriate paper to it.

Bodywork still isn't perfect, but I drew a line and decided "heck, its just a truck and a driver at that". I am fixing a couple scratches with glazing putty, but then I'll finish up with 400 grit and pull her apart again for paint.

[Thebrownturd]

Nice work, makes me excited for my truck. I am going to start priming next weekend. I have ben slinging mud and blocking for almost two years on and off and it will be nice to see it all in one color again.

[y5mgisi]

Nice!

[boynton]

I can't wait.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by Thebrownturd

Nice work, makes me excited for my truck. I am going to start priming next weekend. I have ben slinging mud and blocking for almost two years on and off and it will be nice to see it all in one color again.

Thanks tbd (sound better than calling you brown turd ) Just checked out your build and looks like you are doing a top-rate job on what you've tackled so far.

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Nice!

Thanks y5mgisi! You need to get back after it and update your thread with pictures of your truck in primer!

Originally Posted by boynton

I can't wait.

I can't either. Still got to come up with a paint booth, and buy paint but shouldn't be too long. When are we going to see an update on your thread saying you've worked out the bugs and are driving the green machine? Sorry, can't remember if you gave her a name

[boynton]

The update is the only thing that needs to be done. I've been driving it (Gina) everyday for the last three weeks. Turned out to just be an alignment issue with the column and the transmission. It still isn't completely done but it's close.

[y5mgisi]

I have been working on it during the week but my weekends have been tied up. I have my fingers crossed to do primer on Monday. We'll see. Either way, should be epoxyed next week some time!

[rgunlock]

Getting closer...

[rgunlock]

I'm kind of torn, and would like your feedback. Years ago, I thought that this 59 Apache (actually the cab in front of it, but that's another story) was going to be my first project and I wanted to make it a 4wd. Through a couple of donor purchases, I ended up with 76 Blazer axles that I had built with 4.10 gears and limited slip diff. I also got a NV4500 that I had rebuilt and got the Advanced Adapters NV4500-to-NP205 adapter. I've been saving these items for the Apache while building this GMC.

Now that I've got the GMC back down to bare chassis, I'm strongly considering swapping these out with the SM465 and 3.07 axles currently on the GMC and just start with a clean slate on the Apache. Another part of me just wants to push on and finish, but I'm worried that the truck may be a dog with the 3.07s when I go up to 33 or 35" tires. Decisions, decisions... What do y'all think?

[y5mgisi]

Do you have any kids?