Dug's 1959 Fleetside

[dug224]

Originally Posted by ptc

Handy tip note: BEFORE you weld in that dash panel you may want to do all your firewall work first. attaching nuts and bolts and everything for the electrical panel(s), A/C, Heater, ECM Devices, etc etc etc... cause its easy to get to right now and then primer it all up and even paint it with your interior color....

makes it a whole lot easier with that flat panel out of the way....

ptc: Man, now that I have had time think about it, your suggestion has become a real eye opener. Will save a bunch of time/effort in the long haul for sure. I got to thinking about the windshield wipers specifically in addition to the air handling unit. Anyway, as of this morning, I am thinking I may leave the Cleco's in place (add some to the bottom as well) to give me time to sort out all the goods that go under the dash. I can even prime the cab in this condition and not lose any time. In addition, this will help me prioritize what parts I need to get (specifically, wiper motor & AC) and get them installed while the cab is resting on the trailer and is still rotatable. Thanks!!! dug

[ptc]

Hey .... thats where the "BEEN THERE DONE THAT" comes into play with these things and we pass them on to the next guy.... glad i could help!

After looking at so many build pages all these things just occur to me and then I try and work them into my own plan.... sometimes parts or CASH or time doesnt always work into that plan so well....

[dug224]

Welded up the patch panels. While upside down I noticed all the holes in the bottom of the dash panel. Some apparently factory and some not. I'll weld those up today except the two I need to hang my steering column.



Did I mention I may need a new roof panel???? Counted the holes. There are 59!!

[dsraven]

looks like a gangster's work truck, haha. funny the number of holes is the same as the year of the truck. what up wih that?

[dug224]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looks like a gangster's work truck, haha. funny the number of holes is the same as the year of the truck. what up wih that?

Ha! Didn't even realize it. Maybe that's a sign!!!

[dsraven]

yup, it's a sign you better wear a hat if it rains, haha.
still like the idea of welding them up then putting bullet hole stickers on over top of each weld.

[dug224]

All 59 holes in the roof are welded shut. Not pretty but will hold the body filler I intend to put on it. Sanded the roof with 80 grit in preparation for primer. Plan tomorrow is to inspect the remaining parts of the cab and make sure all the welds are ground down. I'll then sand the entire cab with 80 grit. May get to priming in a couple of days.

[dsraven]

looks like it will hold water. done plugging away now i guess, haha.
I would recomend sanding and priming the same day to diminish possible rust problems on the main part of the cab. sand everything that was blasted for sure to knock down profile, epoxy prime, allow to flash the recomended time, fill, sand to shape to your spec, epoxy prime over any bare metal, high build prime, block sand to your spec-wet sanding works well to not plug the paper, high build-sand-high build-sand-repeat to your spec-final prime then color coat. assemble and drive the crap out of it with large smile on face and small hole in pocket book. if/when the roof bondo peels drive only at night or with paper bag over head and park in front of jim's place until the funding is released to replace the roof.
haha, kidding about the bag part. still could park in front of the neighbors.
ha ha, comedian eh?

[dug224]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looks like it will hold water. done plugging away now i guess, haha.
I would recomend sanding and priming the same day to diminish possible rust problems on the main part of the cab. sand everything that was blasted for sure to knock down profile, epoxy prime, allow to flash the recomended time, fill, sand to shape to your spec, epoxy prime over any bare metal, high build prime, block sand to your spec-wet sanding works well to not plug the paper, high build-sand-high build-sand-repeat to your spec-final prime then color coat. assemble and drive the crap out of it with large smile on face and small hole in pocket book. if/when the roof bondo peels drive only at night or with paper bag over head and park in front of jim's place until the funding is released to replace the roof.
haha, kidding about the bag part. still could park in front of the neighbors.
ha ha, comedian eh?

All good notes, observations and advice! I plan on seam sealing the heck out of it as well. Assume I can seam seal over primer.

Besides welding my smooth dash at a later date, my "what to weld" part of my To Do list is now depleted to one item which is to weld a plate/beam to the back floor rail of the cab. Back in the day, I cut the lateral beam under the cab near where the back bolts go for the seats. Had to cut it to clear the tall part of the fuel tank. See small round white-ish plastic cap near front of plastic gas tank in the following photo. Can't remember what it is but it touched the cab beam.


The shot of the beam profile with floor missing.


All buttoned up.


The shot under the truck showing the beam.

[dug224]

Floor beam reinforcement welded into place.


Decided to reinforce on the front of the beam rather than the back to avoid the e-brake location.

[dsraven]

sorry Doug, forgot that part about the sealer

[dug224]

Decided to do a little rustproofing. Mixed up a small amount of 2 part epoxy primer and brushed it into the hard to spray locations. This stuff is thick. Thinned it a little to try to lay it down better. I'll have to thin a lot to get it through the spray gun. I plan on devising a way to stuff some paint down deep into the cowl area. Maybe a rag on a coat hanger.


Painted the old fresh air supply. I'm pretty happy with the smooth dash now that the cab is upright and I can see it in the proper orientation.

[dsraven]

looking good. dash turned out well.
I have tossed around the idea of a small garden sprayer with a hose and wand that could be dragged through a tight area. gonna put down waaaay too much product but better than no product. even if it were to be a rust paint or undercoating material that is fairly cheap compared to epoxy. better that than nothing due to access issues. have also thought of a pump up 1 quart sized sprayer with a jury rigged hose and nozzle attached that coiuld be tossed down the cowl then dragged out slowly while pulling the trigger on the spray bottle. they are cheap enough to discard rather than spend the time and money on thinner to clean them. there is also the solvent sprayer idea from napa or the like. it really sprays a fog and would get into a lot of tight spots for sure. would want to allow time to drip out on the ground before getting it back into the shop, or lay something on the floor under it. would wanna also wear some good respirator stuff with any of these hair brained ideas. what about drilling some holes in discreet areas, spraying, then plug the hole with a plastic plug, like the undercoating guys do?

could you call the paint supplier and see if there is a thinner for the epoxy? mine wasn't that thick but I think it had a thinner to add as well. so much part a, so much part b then up to a max amount of XX thinner to get the viscosity required to spray.

[dsraven]

and now the dash welding begins?

[dug224]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looking good. dash turned out well.
I have tossed around the idea of a small garden sprayer with a hose and wand that could be dragged through a tight area. gonna put down waaaay too much product but better than no product. even if it were to be a rust paint or undercoating material that is fairly cheap compared to epoxy. better that than nothing due to access issues. have also thought of a pump up 1 quart sized sprayer with a jury rigged hose and nozzle attached that coiuld be tossed down the cowl then dragged out slowly while pulling the trigger on the spray bottle. they are cheap enough to discard rather than spend the time and money on thinner to clean them. there is also the solvent sprayer idea from napa or the like. it really sprays a fog and would get into a lot of tight spots for sure. would want to allow time to drip out on the ground before getting it back into the shop, or lay something on the floor under it. would wanna also wear some good respirator stuff with any of these hair brained ideas. what about drilling some holes in discreet areas, spraying, then plug the hole with a plastic plug, like the undercoating guys do?

could you call the paint supplier and see if there is a thinner for the epoxy? mine wasn't that thick but I think it had a thinner to add as well. so much part a, so much part b then up to a max amount of XX thinner to get the viscosity required to spray.

I like the idea of the garden sprayer. I have a few from which I can choose one to sacrifice. I can unscrew and remove the nozzle, which, when you do, it sprays all over the place. The wand is flexible so it should slip right down into the lower cowl. I can push it up from the bottom as well. I used the paint thinner I used in my motor cycle paint to thin it initially. I just did not use enough. Looks like no negative effect on the finished product. Like you indicated, anything is better than what I have in there now. I can also push it up into the pillars where my seat belts ares mounted and also in under the cab in the tight areas I created with my cab corner floors.

...and yes, I do wear a respirator. This is pretty bad stuff and don't need it circulating in my lungs/bloodstream!! May have to leave the cab in the AC'd garage just like it is for a bit. Being overrun with family stuff and the weather has suddenly jumped into to deep balmy summer with much rain and humidity.

[dug224]

Originally Posted by dsraven

and now the dash welding begins?

Not yet. Still haven't mapped out the WS Wiper solution or the Air Handling Unit for the AC. I've been working on my PERT Chart to see how long I can get away without worrying about it. Haven't assigned any times to this Chart. It's only there to let me know in what sequence things should happen. According to my Chart, it looks like it has to happen before the steering column goes in!!!

[dsraven]

if youre gonna use a garden sprayer you could keep the nozzle on and bend some stiff wire to hold the nozzle off the "floor" of the cowl. thenas you pull the hose up it will be a more uniform spray, maybe.
just ideas, dunno if it actually works, haha.

[ChuckDriver]

Have you had a look at this product from Eastwood?

Its an inside the frame spray with a long nozzle.



http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-int...z-aerosol.html

[dug224]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Have you had a look at this product from Eastwood?

Its an inside the frame spray with a long nozzle.



http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-int...z-aerosol.html

No I haven't but I've looked everywhere else! Thanks for the tip. This is exactly why this build site is great. I did not know it even existed. I ended up purchasing a $10 one gallon sprayer from Home Depot with a flexible wand. Current plan is to use my FREE Epoxy Polyamide Primer Formula 150 Green Type III MIL-DTL-24441/20A marine grade epoxy primer/coating. I'll thin it a bit and push it into the appropriate cowls, cracks and crevices. With the flexible wand, I hope to push it up into the pillars, the double walled space under the back window and maybe even in between the inner and outer roof panels.

This stuff comes from a local company that has a much larger Regional reach than I ever realized...BLP Mobile Paints. A little plug from their website..."... Since 1921, BLP Mobile Paint Manufacturing Company has followed a commitment to produce the highest quality paints and coatings specifically formulated for southern climates. Then, like today, "BLP" stands for Beautiful, Lasting and Preservative....Mobile Paint Company started manufacturing its "Southernized" coatings in Mobile......". Here in Mobile, if it's not inside, it's rusting or growing mold.

[dsraven]

hey Doug, hows the build coming, had any time?

[dug224]

Originally Posted by dsraven

hey Doug, hows the build coming, had any time?

Well....stopped for now. The Good Lord decided it was time to call my 92 year old Mom home to her final resting place so I had to redirect my energy. She had a great life. Pictured here sippin' a Fairhope Brewing Company Beer in Fairhope Alabama not long before she passed. In addition, headed to California soon for a wedding and a hunt for more California trucks I can steal away!!! Will be back on the job sometime in July. Thanks for asking. dug

[Kim57]

Sorry for your loss.
Prayers sent.
Kim

[Rods57]

good progress on the truck, sorry to hear about your loss.

[ChuckDriver]

Sorry for your loss!

[dsraven]

sorry to hear about your mom, it's great to hear she had a good, full life. she will still be missed by loved ones no matter.