1965 LWB Stepside Build

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by 350TacoZilla

If they aren't the normal truck\van rally wheel they might be something oddball like caprice or impala. I keep thinking they were 5x5 also.

Hope you get to drive it soon man it looks great!

Thanks Taco! I hope to get to drive it soon too. I am calling the shop tomorrow and make sure they are ready for me. They are installing my exhaust and going to weld in my radio patch panel and give the truck the once over to make sure I didn't do anything stupid.

I am picking up the wheel in about an hour...will post pics when I get home. I hope they work...I know he will take them back if they aren't the right size. That's the best part of buying from a buddy!

[Johns 66]

Wellllllll....wheres the wheels and hood dude?....LOL Inquiring minds want to know

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Johns 66

Wellllllll....wheres the wheels and hood dude?....LOL Inquiring minds want to know

Been doing my job that pays the bills the last few days unfortunately. ANyway, I picked up the wheels last night. They are still in the back of the SUV, but here is a sneak peak at one. They need to be cleaned up and painted, but are definitely 5x5 so they will work!

I am planning on re clearing the hood tomorrow and get it on either late Sunday or early next week. I finished painting the drivers hood hinge so that can be installed tomorrow and hopefully get the springs on as well.

Going to get the wheels cleaned up and painted this week. No hurry on them...I am thinking silver to match the interior, but haven't made up my mind yet.

[roll_the_dice]

Started clear coating the inside of the bed...got the head cleared. I think it is going to look pretty good with some of the green showing.

Also a few pics of the wheels. The beauty rings are in rough shape, but I can clean up the wheels and get beauty rings...or something...

[Johns 66]

Love it!!!

[pdxhall]

Those are some nice rallys. They'll look good on your truck. Nice progress.

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

Those are some nice rallys. They'll look good on your truck. Nice progress.

Thanks! I am thinking of using push through caps like forestb did on his...I really love that look, but will probably use these first to see how I like them before I try something else.

[roll_the_dice]

So I am clear coating the inside of the bed. I have the head done and the drivers side finished. I hope to get the passenger side finished today.

Here are a few pics and a question...Do I leave the old fender bolts in as they are...which matches the rest of the bed of the truck or do I swap them out for new stainless hardware?

I am torn...I think the SS would look good and stand out with the patina look of the sides or do I keep the old patina bolts? I am swapping out the head bolts to SS since the old ones sheared off when removing them.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

So I am clear coating the inside of the bed. I have the head done and the drivers side finished. I hope to get the passenger side finished today.

Here are a few pics and a question...Do I leave the old fender bolts in as they are...which matches the rest of the bed of the truck or do I swap them out for new stainless hardware?

I am torn...I think the SS would look good and stand out with the patina look of the sides or do I keep the old patina bolts? I am swapping out the head bolts to SS since the old ones sheared off when removing them.

I say paint them huggar orange...
Seems like lots of folks think huggar orange is for everything, engines, bodies....so why not bolts...LOL

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by Johns 66

I say paint them huggar orange...
Seems like lots of folks think huggar orange is for everything, engines, bodies....so why not bolts...LOL

HAHAHAHAHA

Funny you mention it. I picked up some OEM bumpers last year to paint white...and they were painted orange. Not sure if it is hugger orange, but orange. Now they came off a beautiful orange truck, so they were appropriate...but orange is one of my favorite colors, so ... that led me to my orange dually. haha

[cwcarpenter98]

If the header panel already has stainless, and you like the look of it, go ahead and do stainless on the rest of them. Brushed stainless would look the best in my opinion

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

If the header panel already has stainless, and you like the look of it, go ahead and do stainless on the rest of them. Brushed stainless would look the best in my opinion

You are right, I don't think polished SS would look right. I know all SS bolts are not created equally...so I just don't want them to rust.

[cwcarpenter98]

You could always clear coat the bolts to help protect the brushed finish a bit more. Not sure if that would take away some of the brushed look though

[roll_the_dice]

OK, I am clear coating the hood today or tomorrow...I have it in my paint booth (garage) and have sanded it down to get ready. Just need to wipe it down and clear it.

So here is todays question...since I am so close to finishing the truck, do I:

A) put the bed on the truck with no wood
B) put plywood in the truck bed (temporarily)
C) wait until my new wood is ready to install

I am leaning towards option B so I can drive the truck sooner than later, but will be slightly more work.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the finished clear coated inside of the bed...I haven't gotten a good picture yet to show the shine...too much shade (never enough when I am working).

I'm also going to paint the inside of the fenders and underside of the bed with POR 15 just to be on the safe side.

[cwcarpenter98]

Option D would be to use some scrap pieces of wood that are the same height as the actual wood so that the bed is still bolted solid around the flanges, you just won't have any wood in the rest of it

[Johns 66]

Yeah just put some 3/4 wood so its mounted solid and you can repalce it with the boards once ready.....Thats what Im gonna go since its easier to move without the wood in it.

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Option D would be to use some scrap pieces of wood that are the same height as the actual wood so that the bed is still bolted solid around the flanges, you just won't have any wood in the rest of it

Originally Posted by Johns 66

Yeah just put some 3/4 wood so its mounted solid and you can repalce it with the boards once ready.....Thats what Im gonna go since its easier to move without the wood in it.

I think I am going to put a sheet of 4x8 plywood in the bed and bolt it down. I may not even worry about the 1" gap at the head...since long bed is 97". Or I may use a piece of metal at the head to take up the gap...guess I'll figure it out this weekend.

[roll_the_dice]

Got my hood clear coated today...should install it this weekend! I need to wet sand and polish it in s a coupe of areas....one sag/run in the clear, but nothing I can't fix with sanding and polish.

I cleared it about 2 years ago, but didn't like how it turned out...so I sanded off the old clear. I tried finding some green paint, but zero green on the hood...sad. However, this time was much better, in my garage with a fan blowing out. Here are a few pics of the freshly cleared hood.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Got my hood cleaer coated today...should install it this weekend! I need to wet sand and polish it in s a coupe of areas....one sag/run in the clear, but nothing I can't fix with sanding and polish.

I cleared it about 2 years ago, but didn't like how it turned out...so I sanded off the old clear. I tried finding some green paint, but zero green on the hood...sad. However, this time was much better, in my garage with a fan blowing out. Here are a few pics of the freshly cleared hood.

Great Job Andy...really looks good my friend

[cwcarpenter98]

Ooooooooh, shiiiiinyyyyy

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Ooooooooh, shiiiiinyyyyy

Show truck...lol

[The Rocknrod]

Well, no matter what anyone say's - it's better than I could do.

[Johns 66]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

Well, no matter what anyone say's - it's better than I could do.

For sure fore sure....I had primer that cracked so I knew it was time to let the real folks do it

[roll_the_dice]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Ooooooooh, shiiiiinyyyyy

Originally Posted by Johns 66

Great Job Andy...really looks good my friend

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

Well, no matter what anyone say's - it's better than I could do.

Thanks guys...I appreciate it. I enjoy painting...it relaxes me for some reason.

[roll_the_dice]

Installed the hood this morning. My wife, son, and I got it on and mostly adjusted...then my friend Carl stopped by and we finished adjusting it. Here are some pictures of it after install. I am sure my wife has some as we were installing it. Looks great to me, but also looks weird. It is the first time the hood has been on in 3 years....crazy!