Junkyard Jimmy Super Low Buck Build Thread

[87Jimmy4JP]

I would go one more round....its amazing what a tiny bit of flex will do later after its painted...all that work and your paint develops little cracks later.....or maybe it wont?

I would rather have the peace of mind.

this hood looks great. cant wait to see the final transformation....

JP

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by RatRod68

I think it is really preference. I like mine to be welded solid, but i also flap wheel mine down until the weld is almost completely flush. I know it makes the metal very thin, but i usually add a skim coat of body filler (just enough so a magnet will still stick to the metal) to help with strength. I know i have seen many patch panels done the way you were talking about though

Originally Posted by 87Jimmy4JP

I would go one more round....its amazing what a tiny bit of flex will do later after its painted...all that work and your paint develops little cracks later.....or maybe it wont?

I would rather have the peace of mind.

this hood looks great. cant wait to see the final transformation....

JP

So far I have one person each telling me 3 different things. ( I posted the question in the bodywork board too) One says I could probably do it like this, one says one more round, one said weld it 100% or it will look like poo (paint and body section).

So who will be the tie breaker?

I kind of expected this. It seems there are more opinions on the right way to do body work than there are cars to work on. I would say the best way is welded 100% or close to it. I think I could get by doubling up what I have now and I already started that on one side. I'll probably just keep tacking away until its pretty much 100%.

I ran into welder issues today though. Got a snarl at the wire drive, not unusual, but when I looked at it there wasn't much wire left on the roll. I finished it out anyway, about 10 more tacks. So I change the roll out but the new roll is a different mfr and it is spooled like crap and I have to tighten down the drive wheels to get it to feed steady, which means its a snarl waiting to happen, which came about 5 minutes later. I need a new roll of wire cause this will drive me nutz.

I got the black vinyl paint today and sprayed the dash pad. It looks great, pics to follow later.

And I'm going in circles deciding how I'm going to do the main flat sheet attachment, and just thought of another option there.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by RatRod68

I think it is really preference. I like mine to be welded solid, but i also flap wheel mine down until the weld is almost completely flush. I know it makes the metal very thin, but i usually add a skim coat of body filler (just enough so a magnet will still stick to the metal) to help with strength. I know i have seen many patch panels done the way you were talking about though

I have always done mine this same way. If you don't weld it all the way around,there's a good chance the filler will crack from cracking due to flex of the hood being pushed up and pulled down.

On edit..... I posted this before going to the next page so I didn't see your post about the tie breaker.

Another option would be to use an epoxy and fill it in with that. I know a lot of body shops that do this. Usually never on vertical joints, but always on horizontal. They tack the corners and here and there and then glue it together.

[turp mcspray]

Back in the 80's, it was common practice to weld it that way, and then break out the Duraglass. I personally would weld it solid, and try to get the weld seam as smooth, consistent and invisible as possible, before applying any mud. Just my 2 cents.

[hgs_notes]

Alright, the votes have been tallied and the weld-it-outs have got their mandate passed.

Here is my painted dash pad. It's a reproduction and fits like crap. None of the screws or bolts are done because they are not lining up very well. But I'll persuade it into place eventually. But I'm happy with the how the color turned out.

Before...


After...


And my tack progress...

[87Jimmy4JP]

I think you will be happier with the results this way!..looks great.

dash pad is slick....this is such an inspiring thread.


JP

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 87Jimmy4JP

I think you will be happier with the results this way!..looks great.

dash pad is slick....this is such an inspiring thread.

JP

Happier with the results, but a lot more work.

Dash pad is bolted in now. Looks alright. I oblonged one of the holes so the pad would settle in better.

[RatRod68]

it is a little more work, but the peace of mind knowing there isn't places where the metal can flex, shrink, expand or anything else under your gorgeous paint is worth the extra time. You will most definitely be happy with the result in the end.

[Dieselwrencher]

Exactly what these guys are saying. Your dash pad turned out nice. Is it getting chilly up there yet?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by RatRod68

it is a little more work, but the peace of mind knowing there isn't places where the metal can flex, shrink, expand or anything else under your gorgeous paint is worth the extra time. You will most definitely be happy with the result in the end.

Gorgeous paint? You did read the part where I'm doing it myself and it's my first attempt right.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Exactly what these guys are saying. Your dash pad turned out nice. Is it getting chilly up there yet?

Not yet. Supposed to be 40's or warmer for another week or more. BTW, I'm working in Iowa next week. I have to go to Des Moines tuesday for a plant visit on wednesday.

[hgs_notes]

Here is what I meant by the weld wire being rolled like crap. I just bought a new one but set them side by side to show the obvious difference. The unruly wrap on these small wire feed welders causes problems with how smoothly it feeds. It has more drag so you have to loosen the nut holding the wire spool and tighten the tension on the feed roller. The problem with doing that is if the wire hits the work without an immediate arc it can cause the wire to snarl at the feed rollers where a little looser tension there might be enough for the feed to slip and not snarl for better wire spools.


Went to an auction this morning and won the bidding for a leg vice. For those not familiar, it it commonly used by blacksmiths. The leg will go to the floor and brace it for serious hammering. For $50 I figured it was worth getting now and storing until I have room for it. It will pair up well with my multi-function vice I just got that has the rotating head on it. Eventually I'll have a shop where I'll be able to form just about anything I want.


Also won the bid for this cooler. I plan on polishing it up some and painting a chevy logo or script or something on it. I already have the one painted to match. For some reason I can't identify, I really dig these old coolers.


Oh, I did work on the Jimmy a bit too. Just kept tacking away on the driver side of the hood. I did most of the grinding and its about 95% done.



And here is a better pic of the dash pad.


I'm dragging my feet installing the rest of the dash parts. Mainly because I want to paint the kick panels first, then do the heater, then the rest of it. Once the paint is done though I might just mask it off and spray the als liner on the floor in the front half of the tub so its done and I can mount the seats. During all of this I still need to work on the hood. Egads that's a lot of work. Not sure I'll be painting the outside by New Years at this rate.

One more thing, I found that my horn relay was killing my battery. I think I have the horn parts messed up in the steering wheel. It doesn't move like it should and I thinks it's stuck on. I unplugged it for now but at least my battery will stay charged.

[VA72C10]

Looking good!
Posted via Mobile Device

[hgs_notes]

Thanks VA.

This morning I finished welding out the passenger side of the hood. Not ground yet. Front next. Might be able to finish the welding today and get the top piece fit up and ready to glue down. Between weld passes I prepped the kick panels for paint. Sanding is done. I need to mask it all off and I can maybe spray it today.

[hgs_notes]

I was able to get the front of the hood welded today. No grinding though because I was going to be spraying paint. Which I also got done. I really wish I had sprayed the kick panels when I did the dash. Would have been so much easier. I just had a different plan at that time. Anywho, pics...




After sealer...


Painted.


I messed up a little on the driver side. Last coat of clear and the spray gun got hung up under the dash and I held the trigger too long, so it made a run and kind of made the gold look like it melted in a spot or that the metallic flake shifted. I can live with it. No pic of that.

Been a pretty productive week. This week won't be. Too much work (job) to do.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Also won the bid for this cooler. I plan on polishing it up some and painting a chevy logo or script or something on it. I already have the one painted to match. For some reason I can't identify, I really dig these old coolers.

That cooler is awesome! Nice score.

I love old coolers too...I found this old Kampcold that is going to take up permanent residence in the back of my K/5 when it's done.

[jaros44sr]

Nice coolers, i like it...looks like i gotta start looking for one, nice accent piece

Truck is looking awesome, nice budget build. Wished my would stay on some sorta budget

Are you going to put a seam sealer in the toe kick area? or just use the liner as a seam sealer....

[87Jimmy4JP]

Really nice progress on this puppy!....


Your at that point in the build that I am just beginning to only dream about so hang in there!....

posted a thread about my starter adventures in the electric section...what a way to start a project!




JP

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

That cooler is awesome! Nice score.

I love old coolers too...I found this old Kampcold that is going to take up permanent residence in the back of my K/5 when it's done.

Nice one!

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Nice coolers, i like it...looks like i gotta start looking for one, nice accent piece

Truck is looking awesome, nice budget build. Wished my would stay on some sorta budget
Are you going to put a seam sealer in the toe kick area? or just use the liner as a seam sealer....

I'll be adding the seam sealer before the bed liner. I would have done it before paint, but I ran out and the store was closed by the time I noticed.

Originally Posted by 87Jimmy4JP

Really nice progress on this puppy!....

Your at that point in the build that I am just beginning to only dream about so hang in there!....

posted a thread about my starter adventures in the electric section...what a way to start a project!

JP

Thanks. I'll keep on keeping on until it's done.

[hgs_notes]

Spent about an hour tonight masking stuff off on the floor and kick panels. I got a bead of seam sealer along the floor edge by the kick panels. Removed the gas pedal assembly. Now I just need to get the tint, wipe the floor down good and it's ready to spray the als liner. Probably have to wait until thursday or friday though.

Sometimes it's hard to say which I dislike more. Sanding or masking.

[RatRod68]

sanding. that **** gets everywhere.

[hgs_notes]

This morning I picked up some tint for the Als liner. Just got done spraying it on. I'm having bad luck with the stuff not spraying evenly. I end up having to use a roller to even things out, which is a normal method also, just a bit of a pain.

Good enough for gov't work.

[hgs_notes]

Went out this morning to check on things. Its all still there. Waiting. Saying stuff like "Come on already, finish this up." and "What did you forget?"

Anyway, its setting up fine, but before I pulled all the paper out I figured I should spray those foot pedals black. Details, details.



I remembered to paint the transfer case shifter too.

[Low Elco]

I had a heckuva time with open time with Al's. It'd gel on me before I could get it on. Tends to leave quite a bit in the gun, it seems. Good product when done, though. Yours looks great!
Posted via Mobile Device

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I had a heckuva time with open time with Al's. It'd gel on me before I could get it on. Tends to leave quite a bit in the gun, it seems. Good product when done, though. Yours looks great!
Posted via Mobile Device

I've been able to get it sprayed, but its a manic few minutes. I really think it covers more evenly with a roller though. And since the yellow is so light and I can sort of see through it in areas, I think I'm going to get a coat of paint in the bed before I line it, so it looks more even if the liner is a bit thin. Just a single coat for a base color. Probably should have done that with the front. I think it would have looked much better.

When I did my truck bed it wasn't as much of a problem because it was a darker color. But even there in the sun I can see small little dots that weren't completely covered and should probably be touched up.

I think if I was just using black I would just use one of the cheaper off the shelf bed liner kits. But when you want to color match you have limited choices.

[hgs_notes]

Next phase of the floor. Bed liner floor mats.



Without the masking you can see the floor is a bit to yellow. It needs a second coat anyway, so I'll try some tint that is more orange.


This has been one of those days where I just need to end it with one or 3 of these...