Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step

[sduckworth13]

Vic, thank you again for taking time away from your project to rebuild my engine and help me out getting the engine fired up today. The trucks runs awesome, I am very thankful for everything you did for me.

[Vic1947]

With Scott's engine project transformed from junk to jewel, I've been forced back into bondo bondage. Picked up where I left off on the firewall. A month or so ago, I troweled some 3M seam sealer in the f/w rain gutter to even out the step created by the pinchweld. Most folks would have called it good but instead, I went all Foose on it and laid down some filler to smooth it out. Getting fingers and sandpaper into a one inch wide, 3/4 inch deep groove is a tester. I'm sure it will look great a year from now and no one will give it a second glance.

Good friend and metal man extraordinaire, Keith Daleen, requested an updated shop flat rate sign from our mutual best bud, Steve Smith. Lucky me ended up with an extra. Great addition to the wall art even if it's wishful thinking...

[sduckworth13]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

With Scott's engine project transformed from junk to jewel, I've been forced back into bondo bondage. Picked up where I left off on the firewall. A month or so ago, I troweled some 3M seam sealer in the f/w rain gutter to even out the step created by the pinchweld. Most folks would have called it good but instead, I went all Foose on it and laid down some filler to smooth it out. Getting fingers and sandpaper into a one inch wide, 3/4 inch deep groove is a tester. I'm sure it will look great a year from now and no one will give it a second glance.

Good friend and metal man extraordinaire, Keith Daleen, requested an updated shop flat rate sign from our mutual best bud, Steve Smith. Lucky me ended up with an extra. Great addition to the wall art even if it's wishful thinking...

Firewall looks great Vic. I thought it was perfect the last time I seen before you reworked it.
That's a pretty cool sign Vic. I'm just glad we got done before the rates went into effect .
With the superb work you do I think someone would be getting more than there money's worth if those were actual rates.

[Xeen]

Vic I thought this wasn't going to be a show truck, what's with the perfect firewall?

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Xeen

Vic I thought this wasn't going to be a show truck, what's with the perfect firewall?

Still no plans for a show truck, but the firewall is easy to work on right now (except for the #$%* rain gutter) so I figured what the heck.

[Elliot949]

Vic... This is looking Great... I should be getting Class Act back about the middle of November then hopefully I can start getting it straight as a arrow... I love what you have done with the firewall is awesome... Keep it rolling dude...

[Low Elco]

Glad you're not spending a lot of time on this new beater truck. good lookin stuff!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Glad you're not spending a lot of time on this new beater truck. good lookin stuff!

Well, some folks have set a pretty high bar for daily drivers....

[Low Elco]

It's just to drag the boat to the lake with....

I like the sign!

[jlsanborn]

Bondo bondage, goin all Foose

Great looking work as usual Vic!

[mcbassin]

Nice work on the custom wire loom mounts, the cab and I sure like the new sign.

[Vic1947]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. I'm gonna need all the support I can get to make it to the finish line. I'm at 19 months and counting on this build. Silver truck took 13 months total. Spending way too much time off in dreamland. Probably didn't do enough imagineering on Silver, though, or I'd have concentrated on creature comforts more.

Firewall is done except for primer and a little spot filler. Did have a brain fart, though. Filled up the two pilot holes required for mounting the A/C box. Should have drilled them all the way thru when I had the chance. Now I have to dig parts out of the shipping box to figure out where the holes should be. Started smoothing out the dash where I welded up the speaker opening. Bosch relays and the pop off valve arrived today. I was amazed at how much heavier the relays are than the "Made in China" clones. I feel confident these contacts won't stick.

[jeh]

Nice work Vic, I could only imagine if you "were" building a show truck.... Scott's engine turned out great, I heard a little sample of it idling today

[Dean'smeanmachine]

great work Vic, you are , hands down , A master !

[Xeen]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I'm gonna need all the support I can get to make it to the finish line. I'm at 19 months and counting on this build.

You got this Vic.
February 2015 will be 3 years for me and you are closer to being done than I am at this point considering I have to take a few steps backwards before I can go forward again, it will most likely take me another year to finish mine.

[Elliot949]

I can't wait to see that color on it... man you are really making me miss my truck...

[Bennett68C10]

Nice job on that firewall Vic, looks good. And don't worry about being at the 19 month mark in your build, I'm coming up on 60 months for mine lol.

[Vic1947]

Blocked out the first round of 2K primer on the firewall and dash and applied a second coat, so it's on to the back of the cab. Needed to see some color, so I tuned up the detail gun and shot the black on the steering wheel. It was originally a mahogany wheel, but Kathy never liked it. Plus, it had a lot of chips an dings, so I set it aside and bought an inexpensive one for the silver truck. I always liked the configuration of this one, though. It's a Signature Series wheel from Grant, but is no longer available. The depth of the dish is way less than you can get in that style now so it sits closer to the dash. Great for belly clearance. Anyway, I've been spot filling the dings and primering / sanding on it a little at a time for the last few months. It finally took shape and I sprayed some Jet Black single stage urethane on it. Looks good enough for who it's for, as my late uncle would say.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Great for belly clearance.

Now that's important right there!

Keep on Pressing on Vic!

[Elliot949]

Sweet vic!!!...

[SamsAutoParts73-87]

Nice! I really like that wheel, great choice on the color.
-Sam

[gdavis]

the fire wall turned out sweet and the steering wheel also. good luck with the rest.

[Vic1947]

Thanks, everyone!

Last couple of days I slathered filler on the back of the cab and started shaping it up. Then it dawned on me that brother-in-law Rick is leaving tomorrow and I really could use his help fitting up the tailgate. As soon as we got it mounted, it was apparent that the passenger corner had too much gap at the top between the repro bedside and the repro tailgate. We took some corner to corner measurements and discovered a small amount of diamond that might be the problem. So we rigged up the port-a-power, loosened the front panel bolts and stretched it some. After several tries, we had it adjusted close enough that the latches could handle the rest. Like the other repro panels, the tailgate will require some finesse. I took the slapper bar to it in a few places, but it will need additional bodywork to get the lines nice and crisp. Cool weather is a comin' so I'll add it to my indoor to-do list.

[sduckworth13]

Looks nice and clean. I know it'll look perfect when your done with the tailgate.

[Low Elco]

Shaping up nicely! Firewall really came out nice.