Wife's 48

[olcarguy]

If you have it welded both sides you should be good to go....You are doing a good job.

[Tinbasher]

She's looking good 8man!

[mongocanfly]

looking good Robert!!!!!!

[8man]

Thanks guys.

I have been working on the dash of the 54. I know the OCD kicked in and I just had to figure something out. I started with the original 54 dash shown earlier and welded up the ashtray, and was going to use it as a replacement, but I could not get comfortable with the bars. So back to the "hotrod" dash I've been working on. I did figure some stuff out, like what vents to use and where to put the AC controls, and then I parked it again and told myself I have to get the 48 running and on the road before I get sidetracked again. We'll see how long that lasts this time.

[joedoh]

nice work on the hood! I have one a guy welded up and he didnt leave all the inner pieces installed so its too narrow at the grille. looks good on the shelf I guess.

keep going!

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by joedoh

nice work on the hood! I have one a guy welded up and he didnt leave all the inner pieces installed so its too narrow at the grille. looks good on the shelf I guess.

keep going!

Just use as an awning over your man door at the new shop!

[8man]

Ok, I'm not just a lurker, I have been working on fenders for the 54. I know, I know, finish the 48 first. You sound just like my wife, but like I told her, "I'm tired of sanding".

So, I had 4 rear fenders, none were very good, but I thought if I cut some of the more workable parts off of 2 and used them on the other 2 I might get 2 that I can use.

Here are two of the tails I cut off to work with. Looking at them now it's hard to believe they were better than the tails on the fender I worked with. The middle section was rusted out. I think someone stored it upside down, outside for a long time as it was bad.
IMG_0655 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
IMG_0656 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

Here they are welded to the better fender of the same side.
IMG_0797 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
IMG_0798 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

In the first picture you can see all the dark spots. Those are dents. I'll need to remove the paint and start work on them next, but I'm pretty happy with the fender as it is pretty solid now and I think I can make it better from here. I know they will need some more welding, grinding and metal bumping, but it is a reprieve from sanding for now.

[Gregski]

this thread reeks of quality plain and simple

[8man]

Thanks Greg. I'm trying to make this old stuff work, but sometimes it's just out of my reach.

[Tempest67]

good looking metal work.

Glad you are still at it, keep it going

[joedoh]

sheesh robert I am going to send you some fenders to work hahah

nice stufF!

[8man]

Thanks guys. I am learning and enjoying it.

[8man]

Ok, time for some trivia, what do you get when you take all of this?
IMG_0804 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

Well after about 20 minutes with that stuff, you get these.
IMG_0805 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
What do you do with those? You fit those in the bed rails.

IMG_0806 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
Which if you are lucky, come out looking like this...
IMG_0807 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

Yes, I started welding on the bedsides. I am using bed rail lights in back, and wanted to do something up front, so this is what I did. Now I'm going to work on drilling out the wiring location for the bed roll lights and welding up some other stuff.

I also got fenders for the 54 ready to be de-rusted, smoothed out and primed, but that was a lot of boring metal bumping and sanding, so no pics.

[8man]

Good news and not so good news to report.

First, after 16 months the upholstery guy called to say my seat was ready.
IMG_0823 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

Laura likes them and said they are comfortable, so it worked out since the truck is still not painted, and yes they are stored in her game room.

I have said this before, I'm no painter. I tried when I was a kid, but it just didn't take with me. I have a buddy who was going to help me by doing the actual spraying, but his health has gotten so that he just doesn't feel up to it. I've been waiting until I just can't wait anymore. So I'm doing a "course change, mid-stream", and on Monday, weather permitting, I'm taking the whole basket of parts to a guy who is going to paint it for me. His schedule is 3 months to get the cured painted parts back to me. That is about 1 month to check out my work on the parts to make sure they meet his satisfaction and primed. A month for the primer to cure before paint, and a month for the paint to cure. We'll see how it goes.

I guess I'll start back on the 54 for a bit, so I'll have something to do.

[dsraven]

Wowzers. What kinda paint does this guy use that takes so long to cure before it comes back to you?

[8man]

I'm thinking he is "covering his a.." because he is not going to just get right on it and knock it out. In his defense, he is also going to do some Lizardskin inside the cab, and bedliner under the cab and inside the fenders.

The good news is I can stop by all the time to check on what he is doing, how he is doing it and to make sure it isn't in storage someplace. I'm not sure he realizes I live that close!

[youngrodder]

The seats look great. Upholstery lead times can tend to linger.
Best of luck with your painter.

Marc

[8man]

Sorry Raven, didn't answer your question. It is a Dupont Chromabase paint. I'm thinking it is the addition of the Lizardskin and bedliner that is adding to the time. But what do I know, I have never messed with paint.

Thanks Marc. At this point I want all the positive energy and good thoughts I can get. I've been waiting since Last October just to get the paint started.

[dsraven]

Well, paint does take awhile for a full hard cure, but, body shops send your high end car back to you the next day after paint and detailing. If it were mine I would either have it stored and curing at my shop or it would be out getting cured while driving. Sure, dont wash it for a week , then hand wash with microfiber, but a couple months sitting somewhere else would drive me crazy. I would be there every day till he relented and had it trucked back to me. Haha.

[8man]

HA! Raven, you read my mind! I intend to be a "fixture" at his place until it all comes home!

[mongocanfly]

Seats look great..!!

[8man]

Thanks Greg.

Funny that Laura didn't comment on them until she sat on them and said they are comfortable, and then she said "oh, they look good too, I like them".

[8man]

Outlaw, thanks, but I feel like I've been sprung from jail, waiting on my buddy for so long. I think if I'm "helpful" enough I may get the new guy done sooner than his estimate.

[Tempest67]

seats look great (60/40 from mid 90's ?)

Hope all works out with the Painter.

[OutlawDrifter]

Seat looks great! Good luck with "paint jail"!