1965 LWB Stepside Build

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Thanks again John! Yes, I was thinking the same thing about the dimensions from GMC Pauls! HAHA

Well if they are off we can make some more for sure

[roll_the_dice]

OK, so I started the task of removing the DIY bedliner from the PO. Not fun! I put paint stripper on it, scraped off as much as I could, then rinse it off let it dry and used 80 grit on an orbital sander. Slow moving, but it is coming. Once I get out of the corners, I think the rest will go faster. I will remove a few of the cross sills also so I can climb under and work from the inside of the bed...which will makes things move faster I think.

Here is a quick pic of an hours worth of work or so. I am either going to clear coat the results or paint the inside bed sides green. i will make that determination after I am done.

[Johns 66]

Gonna look good once all the bedliner is off

[Captainfab]

Have you tried a heat gun or hair dryer to soften up the bedliner and then scrape it off?

[cwcarpenter98]

I used GMC Paul's measurements for my fleetside wood. It turned out great!

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Johns 66

Gonna look good once all the bedliner is off

Thanks John...I should have done this sooner, but I am a procrastinator. I can't wait to get the bedliner off...I hate it!

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Have you tried a heat gun or hair dryer to soften up the bedliner and then scrape it off?

I did try a heat gun. It worked ok...i also thought about putting the paint stripper on and using the heat gun at the same time, but wasn't sure how that would work. I will probably do a combination of the stripper, heat, and sander.

[roll_the_dice]

Finally clear coated my tailgate. It has been sitting in my garage so it wouldn't have any surface rust on the bare metal parts...too much shade to really see the shine, but I love the CHEVROLET showing some of the original green paint.

[Johns 66]

That looks killer....I really like that look

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks John...I can always count on you to keep my spirits high!

I took another picture...better lighting this time. Still need to wetsand and polish, but looks pretty good as is.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Thanks John...I can always count on you to keep my spirits high!

I took another picture...better lighting this time. Still need to wetsand and polish, but looks pretty good as is.

That looks really cool that way...not sure you could TRY and paunt it to get that look....It may not be a show truck but sure does look good rhe way you are doing it.

[roll_the_dice]

Thanks John! I love the tailgate.

Ok, back at the bedliner a little bit this morning..as my wife is on a zoom call and I can't run power tools while she is on the call!

It took me about an hour to go another 2 feet down the bed. With that pace, I have about 8 hours left to finish getting the bedliner off. It is a tedious task for sure. I put a coat of paint stripper on let it sit for 10-15 minutes....then scrape off a layer of bedliner. Then I put another coat on, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and scrape more. This time I start seeing good chunks of paint and get most of the bedliner off. I do a 3rd coat of stripper and then scrape again and that is what you see to the right of the "clean" spot. I then gather up all the scraped off bedliner and dispose of it. Then on to the next section.

To make the green come through and the white to be whiter, I sand with 180 and 220 grit paper. That is what I did for the first section to the left. I am not going to sand again until I am done with an entire side or I get bored of paint stripper and want to do something else.

Anyway, a long arduous task, but I think it will be worth it in the end. I still have't decided if I am going to just clear coat the bed or repaint it solid green.

With the wood I have going in, I am going to paint the bed strips black. I should have the wood at some point next week.

As always thanks for looking, if you have an opinion on the paint inside the bed, let me know your opinion...my wife (big opinion) wants me to just sand and clear coat.

[Johns 66]

My vote is for the left side of the picture

[roll_the_dice]

One side down...one to go, plus the front bed panel. I may try to knock out the front panel today. Here is the one side finished with the paint stripper. I still need to sand off the black bed liner residue and try to expose as much green as I can. I have decided to sand it as good as possible showing green and then clear coat it. It isn't a show truck and will be used as a truck. So no need in prettying it up!

I plan on putting new stainless fender bolts in also.

A picture of the finished side and what I have left to do...

[roll_the_dice]

Didn't quite get all the front of the bed done tonight, but 2/3rd or so. I would have finished but it rained most of the afternoon and I had about an hour window before it came back to get that far. They must have sprayed it thicker on that panel because it was taking 4 coats of stripper to get it off. Then I ran out of paint stripper and found a brand new container...I think it is a little stronger because it is eating it a little better. I will definitely finish this panel tomorrow and would like to be finished with all of it Friday. My wife said she would sand the inside of the bed to bring the green out like she did with the tailgate. Good to have a wife that not only likes old trucks, but will participate sometimes! I will then clear what we get sanded and have as much of the original green show as possible.

[cwcarpenter98]

That doesn't look like a fun job, but the reward is looking good!

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

That doesn't look like a fun job, but the reward is looking good!

Thanks! Not fun, but I am more than happy with the results so far. Hopefully I will be able to update with a new picture tomorrow of all the bed liner off.

[Johns 66]

Once this is sanded down and cleared its gonna look killer!!!

[roll_the_dice]

So I tried to install my radiator last week, but the radiator bracket didn't work...I had a "modified" 6 cylinder bracket that was bent to work with the PO's v8 radiator. So I found an original V8 bracket on ebay and bought it. I received it today...I opened the box and made sure it fit the radiator...success! Then I used my media blaster to clean it up. Here are before and after. Going to either paint or powder coat it tomorrow.

Also got back to work on the bed liner. Finished the front of the bed...now to finish the drivers side panel tomorrow...I already have done 24" or so on it...so it shouldn't take too long. I will say Goof Off paint stripper is strong! Works much better than the other I had...I hope I have enough to finish!

[cwcarpenter98]

That mount cleaned up real nice. Having a sand blaster sure is easier than the wire wheel I used

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

So I tried to install my radiator last week, but the radiator bracket didn't work...I had a "modified" 6 cylinder bracket that was bent to work with the PO's v8 radiator. So I found an original V8 bracket on ebay and bought it. I received it today...I opened the box and made sure it fit the radiator...success! Then I used my media blaster to clean it up. Here are before and after. Going to either paint or powder coat it tomorrow.

Also got back to work on the bed liner. Finished the front of the bed...now to finish the drivers side panel tomorrow...I already have done 24" or so on it...so it shouldn't take too long. I will say Goof Off paint stripper is strong! Works much better than the other I had...I hope I have enough to finish!

You know what struck me funny today when thinking about this....We, You, Christian and I do not and will not have a show truck in our trucks....and like you I took mine down so that I could paint and/or clear it....spent many hours sanding etc.....in reality I could have taken mine and had it blasted, and put primer on mine in less than 2 days, but spent weeks sanding on mine....LOL What was I thinking???

Your bed cleared, with Black rails and Black Walnut is gonna look sick...Im thinking you are creeping to the edge of Show truckville

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Johns 66

You know what struck me funny today when thinking about this....We, You, Christian and I do not and will not have a show truck in our trucks....and like you I took mine down so that I could paint and/or clear it....spent many hours sanding etc.....in reality I could have taken mine and had it blasted, and put primer on mine in less than 2 days, but spent weeks sanding on mine....LOL What was I thinking???

Your bed cleared, with Black rails and Black Walnut is gonna look sick...Im thinking you are creeping to the edge of Show truckville

Too funny! You know you are right. I could have sanded down the entire truck, primed it and painted it red with a white roof (what I originally wanted), but now I love this truck for what it is. It is an honest truck...originally green, repainted white...now some original green showing, but still mostly white. Made it mechanically sound more than anything. The bed of the truck I think is going to look outstanding when I am finished. I love that lots of green shows and the clear coat will capture it and some rust spots too.

Not a show truck, but I plan on taking it to shows. When I go to shows, I am going to have a bucket and a sign. I did everything on this truck myself. Not one bolt I haven't touched. If you don't like how I restored the truck, the donation bucket is here...

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

I did everything on this truck myself. Not one bolt I haven't touched. If you don't like how I restored the truck, the donation bucket is here...

Love it...I feel the same way

[roll_the_dice]

OK, I finished the bed of the truck. I NEVER want to have to take bed liner off again! Going to start sanding tomorrow and see how much green I can get to show. Whatever I get will be clear coated and go from there. I also got a few of the cross sills painted as well as the radiator bracket. Going to try and get the radiator installed tomorrow also.

I'm getting the 64 GMC Sunday...about to get crowded in my driveway...the neighbors are going to love me more.

[cwcarpenter98]

Sweet! Mine's a show truck, it just has to work when I want it to Eventually I'll do a full restoration, but that'll be about 5 to 20 years from now

[roll_the_dice]

OK I mocked up the radiator today. Tomorrow I get my "new" radiator support that I will need to clean up and paint. Even though I cleaned mine up it is rough...so no need to go further until I get the new one. Added bonus the new radiator support has a horn on it too, so hopefully it works.

Took a pic of the radiator temporarily installed.