Project "My Happy Mess"

[bundeber]

nice photochopping litew8

Here's what I'm thinking on mine. Do the sides and tailgate in black bedliner but have the painted strips on the floor in truck color. I'm not sold on the colored bedliner. Seems like the coloring gets CLOSE. HGS did a great job of matching his. Drews looks good too, but it is a little lighter. SO why not just go with black and pull a little color back in with the bed strips. I think a true matching color would look sweet but I am actually digging how this looks with the black too.

[litew8]

Originally Posted by litew8

"Only after I finished them did I realize that the bed front panel is actually sitting crooked"

Correction... the front panel isn't crooked, the bed wood is actually an overlay.
Called a "show deck". Sits on top of a stock steel floor.
The one corner on the front / right is sitting higher than the other.

[litew8]

wow, great job bundeber! That does look nice.
I'm starting to like the outlined logo alot after seeing it here.
I colored my strips, but they are stainless, not polished.
Couldn't get them colored to a good silver so I painted them.

I figured tintable liner because the bed is suppose to be the same.
I had read you can add more tint to darken it up, but I'm not sure
how that'd affect the hardener etc... chemistry in the end.
I'm still not sure what I'm going to do yet. I think I'll spray the
undersides of the wheelhouses with the black and see what the
texture turns out like and then make a decision with the tintable stuff.
I'll spray the undersides of the wheelhouses with HIGH air pressure
so the liner hits harder and lays flatter since I have no need for
too much texture there, I just need durability.

I might photoslop another truck later if I have time.

[Low Elco]

Truck, schmuck, you got mad photoshop skillz! You oughta get into the rendering bidness!

[litew8]

Thanks, but I don't have the patients for it to make it a career.

[litew8]

Have a nice Memorial Day. If you get a chance, thank a Veteran.

[litew8]

I think I've hit my mark.
Steve Hafner's picture/truck, my reinterpretation.

Before:




After:

Personal favorites -




Bedsides included -


Bottom of wheel tubs and gate included -


I'll do one last one with a solid

[oldman3]

They all look great, can't go wrong with whatever you decide....Jim

[litew8]

Thanks Jim. I don't think I'd do the last rendition, but maybe the 2nd or 3rd,
if I do. The second rendition (front panel only) is simple, and I'm finding the
third rendition (bedsides included) interesting.

[bundeber]

I think doing all the inserts in the bedsides looks great. Nice way to tie it all together.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mike Bradbury]

This is just my opinion so take it for what it is worth; I love bed liners weather tinted or black, I think it makes a truck able to be used for what it is designed for. I am going to be putting one on my '69 soon so I will not worry about parts clunking about in the bed. I also like the polished and varnished look of the wood and S.S. pristine bed that the trailer queens have. My dad and I are in process of putting one of those on the '29 roadster p/u that we are hot rodding. Combining the two is mixing two medias that are polar opposites. The part that the bed liner is for (the floor), you are actually putting the nice wood and S.S.. and the part that usually does not get that much abuse (the bed sides) you are putting the liner. My question is; What are you planning to do with the truck? If I spent that much time making the bed floor look so good, I would not be putting anything in the bed that required bed liner protection. Is this just for looks? Because I think nice paint looks better than nice liner.

My intention is not to devalue your work, I think you are doing a great job on it and if this is what you want to do then I think it is the best for the truck, I am simply stating my opinion from an outsiders point of view.

[litew8]

Hey Mike, no problem man. My ideas aren't really for anything in particular, just simple ideas I'm considering on the way to putting the truck back together. The bed wood being replaced is just that, being replaced because that's what its suppose to have. Bed wood was implemented in our trucks for being easy on livestock's hooves etc..., not for a showy appearance. I know they are suppose to be painted and not have a natural wood look, and maybe someday down the road I'll actually paint the boards.

I went with a satin finish for the wood, not a gloss finish - so it isn't for looks as much as it is to be used from time to time. I know it isn't going to last forever so whatever becomes of it becomes of it over time. The liner, just thinking of ideas to mix it up a little - trying to see if I can achieve that "custom" idea/design to put a stamp of personal customizing on it.

Of the all the trucks I've seen with bed liner and stencils, I haven't seen one where the logo/etc... is the underlining basecoat/clear. This isn't going to be a show truck, or even attempting, but just maybe it'll be clean enough to drive to a small local show every once in a while to relax and kick back a few cold ones after having actually used it.

[litew8]

Originally Posted by bundeber

I think doing all the inserts in the bedsides looks great. Nice way to tie it all together.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks It does seem to add a neat, simple (subtle) change/difference.
Still haven't really made up my mind though
When push comes to shove (soon), I'll be forced to decide.
If you want to still make up the vinyl cutouts bundeber, that'd be awesome.
Maybe two? One of a solid bowtie and the other an outline?
I can get measurements later this week, let me know.

[bundeber]

Happy to. I leave Saturday for mn so let me know ASAP. I will probably ship from mn. Two is no problem just pm me an address with measurements. Heights and width would be great
Posted via Mobile Device

[doubleb's69]

When do we get to see color?!

[Mike Bradbury]

That is the cool thing that makes your truck "your truck" I'll bet I have done some things on my truck that others wouldn't have but it is mine and that is all that matters. The bed liner and wood does look good, What is the process for masking off in detailed areas so that you can pull the masking off without pulling the liner? Do you have to razor knife it first?

[litew8]

Originally Posted by doubleb's69

When do we get to see color?!

My Brother has a handful of side jobs he needs to attend to.
A couple of driveways to pour etc... Then we should get back to paint.

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

That is the cool thing that makes your truck "your truck" I'll bet I have done some things on my truck that others wouldn't have but it is mine and that is all that matters. The bed liner and wood does look good, What is the process for masking off in detailed areas so that you can pull the masking off without pulling the liner? Do you have to razor knife it first?

Not sure others wouldn't have done it, or at least I haven't seen it. A while
back I was able to find a video of someone going through the process. Pulling
the tape off before the liner fully cures is key, unless you like tape embedded
into your liner . Raptor isn't as thick as Line-X, so it shouldn't be much
of an issue.

Also, the bed front panel gets lots of abuse. Evidence from mine is now
covered for the most part with body filler. There were plenty of dings/marks.
If I do decide to spray it with the liner, the ones we missed will get filled.

Just saying, the front panel does gets plenty of abuse and isn't entirely immune to
getting hit. Same with the other areas outlined, brush doesn't discriminate.

[doubleb's69]

I do a little concrete finishing on a weekly basis. I'll go help to speed things up.
Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device

[litew8]

We'll be working this week. Not sure finishing work is needed, send pm.

[litew8]

Bud, can you operate one of these?

[bundeber]

Ohhhhhhh a power trowel. Those leave the surface smoothe.
Posted via Mobile Device

[litew8]

Originally Posted by bundeber

Ohhhhhhh a power trowel. Those leave the surface smoothe.
Posted via Mobile Device

Serious though, if your interested in helping out...
Puddling, striking etc... Power trowel later.

[doubleb's69]

Originally Posted by litew8

Bud, can you operate one of these?

I've never used one. I've only done one smooth finish and it was for a shed floor and I just troweled it by hand. I was joking about helping just so we could get to see some color. The wife and I are trying to get the house/yard ready for my sons 5th birthday this weekend and then its onto some much needed time on the GMC if it is going to make it to Goodguys. It looks like June has a full schedule for me.

[litew8]

It's only 35 cu. yd. cement divided between two projects.

[litew8]

Knew you weren't seriously offering.
He's got plenty of weekend help, and the other 1/2 will be done next week.
....so, doesn't look like they'll be [much] paint to show anytime soon.