In memory of Tom Bowlin: the little green truck build

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

Looking sharp. I like that carpet you installed. Is that the "loop" style or early style carpet the resto catalogs sell? Your head liner looks great is it original?

Thanks! The carpet is 80/20 loop dark saddle for the 73/74 trucks. I like it better than the quality of cut pile carpets currently produced.

Yes the headliner is original, just re-dyed.

[mattcrp1]

Thanks Corts60, I like that carpet as well. I've had the later style in my '77 and it doesn't seem to hold up as well.

I like that style headliner to, I have it in my '76 project but its mostly gone.

BTW what kind of paint did you jamb the bed front with SS or bc/cc? I like the two green colors on your truck they go great with those "turbine" wheels.

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

Thanks Corts60, I like that carpet as well. I've had the later style in my '77 and it doesn't seem to hold up as well.

I like that style headliner to, I have it in my '76 project but its mostly gone.

BTW what kind of paint did you jamb the bed front with SS or bc/cc? I like the two green colors on your truck they go great with those "turbine" wheels.

It's a PPG bc/cc

[justcuz]

Cort,
That upholstery company that's in Portland, do they have pre-made seat covers you could re upholster your seat with?

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by justcuz

Cort,
That upholstery company that's in Portland, do they have pre-made seat covers you could re upholster your seat with?

Hey Chris,

You mean SMS? No, they have the factory vinyl and cloth but I would have to have it sewn together. I might try and sew up a cover myself but I'm not sure my machine will do the piping. Still thinking on it….

[Justin@EntropyRad]

fun project

[Corts60]

Thanks! The truck should be in the paint booth sometime at the end of the month. I have been working on the interior a bunch. Stay tuned for pics!

[Super_Dave]

Cort,

You doing the paint or having it done?

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by Super_Dave

Cort,

You doing the paint or having it done?

I am doing the body work and the painter at my work is doing the spraying. It'll be a quick turn around, hopefully no more than 4 or 5 days.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by BigMike608

I like the new wheels you swapped on there from the green truck

I like them too, what are they?

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by Gregski

I like them too, what are they?

They are 15x10 American Racing turbine wheels. Not sure the model name of them.

[Corts60]

It's been quite awhile since I posted, but finally after months of waiting the paint booth opened up and the green truck went in!

Today I unbolted most of the trim and bumpers and mirrors. Pulled the hood and began taping. Tomorrow the body work starts….




Stay tuned….

[Palf70Step]

Looking forward to this, as you have been too. Can't wait to see what she comes out as.

[y5mgisi]

Nice! I take it the forward trim is impossible to take off with the fenders in place?

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Nice! I take it the forward trim is impossible to take off with the fenders in place?

Pretty much. I really wanted to take off everything for a cleaner paint job, but I just don't have the time to take the front end apart again. Plus, she's my daily driver and I can't have her turning out too nice, I won't want to drive her anywhere. Haha.

[y5mgisi]

Yep! It's easy to get carried away!

[old Rusty C10]

looks great and nice progress... I am going to follow your thread to keep me motivated on my short stepper build

[Corts60]

Thanks guys!

First round of sanding today:


You can see the body work done previously on passenger door. I knew that door had been re-skinned at some point early in the trucks life when I bought it. I thought I found a bunch of bondo, but luckily just red primer and a couple tiny spots of bondo. All good metal.

[Corts60]

Todays, progress:




Tomorrow I'll have to fill about 5-10 nickel dents and then final sand for paint!

[y5mgisi]

I have some questions for you if you don't mind.

What tools and grit of paper did you use to sand the body with?

What type of primer did you lay down? Was it a kind that can go over metal and paint?

What approach (if any) are you taking to painting the door jambs? Are you going to mask them off? Paint them later? Etc.

What line of paint are you using and where are you getting it from?

Thanks for any answers! I'm going to be starting painting my crew cab after the 4th of July and will be taking a similar approach to what you seem to have done. One where you aren't striving for "perfection", but set out to have a nice looking driver. Something you can be proud of, without being worried about every little thing.

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

I have some questions for you if you don't mind.

What tools and grit of paper did you use to sand the body with?

What type of primer did you lay down? Was it a kind that can go over metal and paint?

What approach (if any) are you taking to painting the door jambs? Are you going to mask them off? Paint them later? Etc.

What line of paint are you using and where are you getting it from?

Thanks for any answers! I'm going to be starting painting my crew cab after the 4th of July and will be taking a similar approach to what you seem to have done. One where you aren't striving for "perfection", but set out to have a nice looking driver. Something you can be proud of, without being worried about every little thing.

No worries bud.

I used 120 grit on a 6" pneumatic DA to get the rough spots. I removed the decals on the bed before any sanding. I'm not doing door jambs at all. They are masked at the door seal to prevent dust in cab and unwanted overspray.

Then I used 220 grit all over again. I did the corners and contours by hand.

We sprayed a marine grade epoxy primer today. Not sure the brand but I'll find out if you want.

Next I'm going to fill nickel dents with a skim coat of polyester filler. Then re-sand everything again to 400, flat surfaces with a DA but probably 80% by hand. After that I'll do a final sand of 600 because we are using a metallic base/clear paint and any little imperfection will show up proud.

And, you're right, this is not the quality of an expensive paint job and I don't want that quality. I want to look good and feel relaxed. best of both worlds.

[y5mgisi]

look good and feel relaxed

Thats what i really meant!

Thanks! With the epoxy, you can do the body work on top of that right? And it is designed to go over both bare metal and painted surfaces? Are you also going to do some kind of filler primer after you are done with the body work? Or are you going base coat directly over the epoxy?

[77K10Silverado]

Awesome! So what do you think the body work and painting is gonna cost?

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by 77K10Silverado

Awesome! So what do you think the body work and painting is gonna cost?

I'm doing all the body work myself and I gave my buddy $500 to do the spraying. So total cost including paint and supplies is just under $1K.

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Thats what i really meant!

Thanks! With the epoxy, you can do the body work on top of that right? And it is designed to go over both bare metal and painted surfaces? Are you also going to do some kind of filler primer after you are done with the body work? Or are you going base coat directly over the epoxy?

Yes the primer is designed to go over bare metal and/or properly prepared paint. No filler primer. Next step is 400 grit, fill nickel dents, 400 grit those, then 600 grit whole truck and spray base coat.


Got about half the truck sanded with 400 tonight. Flying out for the weekend so not sure what kind of progress my buddy will get done while I'm gone.

Stay tuned.