1969 Short Wide

[Low Elco]

Looks great! Buy some more BC, shoot somethin' else!

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by litew8

Sweet! Mirror finish nice work!

Thanks it's going to be a nice "driver" paint job.

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Wow that looks awesome Mike

Thanks Keith I pretty pumped.

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Now that's RED! Love it man. I'm eyeballin your build here to help map out my paint job. You've obviously got a bunch more time banked doing this kind of thing, so if I can get half the results I'll be stoked! Please keep updating with ALL the details.
Speed tickets - UGH!! Did you see my other thread "Project Stupid Move"? Chip off the old block I tell ya.

Thanks. I will post all the details I can. I'm pretty dang slow at finishing these panels, might take a while.

Originally Posted by Crash_OK

Awesome... Great job Mike... Can't wait to see it in person..

Thanks Mark. Look forward to having your company in the shop.

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Looks great! Buy some more BC, shoot somethin' else!

Thanks, I'm buying the rest today. $$

[Bennett68C10]

When do you think you are going to paint the rest of the truck? Are you going to paint it in sections at a time or paint all the areas you can't reach and then put the truck together and paint it as one?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

When do you think you are going to paint the rest of the truck? Are you going to paint it in sections at a time or paint all the areas you can't reach and then put the truck together and paint it as one?

Right now the tentative plan is to paint it in pieces and put it together. I'm going to mock everything up before I blow it apart and paint though.
here's what I have in mind:
1.) finish bodywork on all interior bed panels / paint the inside surfaces and floor
2.) assemble the bed/ seam seal check tailgate fitment
3.) mount the cab on the frame/ mount doors make sure my gaps are still good
4.) mount core support/ fenders fit my fender gaps
5.) mount hood check gaps
6.) mount bed check fitment to cab
7.) disassemble
8.) finish bodywork on cab and doors
9.) finish bodywork on fenders/ hood - paint inside surfaces
10.) finish bodywork on outside of bed
11.) paint all exterior surfaces at the same time/temp
12.) reassemble.

I'm sure I missed a few steps. This is my first time doing one to this extreme.

[Bennett68C10]

Thanks for the break down Mike, I have a similar plan for mine if I ever get to it

[68 Four on the Floor]

Color looks awesome Mike. Keep at it!

[Crash_OK]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Right now the tentative plan is to paint it in pieces and put it together. I'm going to mock everything up before I blow it apart and paint though.
here's what I have in mind:
1.) finish bodywork on all interior bed panels / paint the inside surfaces and floor
2.) assemble the bed/ seam seal check tailgate fitment
3.) mount the cab on the frame/ mount doors make sure my gaps are still good
4.) mount core support/ fenders fit my fender gaps
5.) mount hood check gaps
6.) mount bed check fitment to cab
7.) disassemble
8.) finish bodywork on cab and doors
9.) finish bodywork on fenders/ hood - paint inside surfaces
10.) finish bodywork on outside of bed
11.) paint all exterior surfaces at the same time/temp
12.) reassemble.

I'm sure I missed a few steps. This is my first time doing one to this extreme.

Great looking plan Mike.. Let me know when you need help and I will come out and give you a hand...

[nasqar]

OK man...I got paint and pics of mine up....where are yours???? LOL

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by nasqar

OK man...I got paint and pics of mine up....where are yours???? LOL

Hope to have some in the next few days.

[screaminchevypickup]

Everything ready to paint?

[hgs_notes]

This is based entirely on my experience the past couple years with 1st, the paint job done on my C-10 and 2nd, my first paint job I did on my jimmy.

Get all your body work done before you spray any paint.

When my truck was painted I did all the bodywork before sending it to the body shop to get sprayed. I knew I wasn't "ready" to spray it myself yet. I was making too many mistakes. Once I had the sheetmetal where I was comfortable with it I sprayed a final coat of primer and that was it. I let the body shop do the final sanding so they knew what they were spraying over. Everything turned out great. I was happy. The body shop was happy.

Fast forward to the Jimmy. Knowing I was going to spray it all myself I did basically how you described it above. I had most of the body work done, but as I finished up the sanding on the insides of panels I sprayed them with paint, then mounted them up. Because of the paint choice I had with lots of flake and translucency I knew the outside would all have to be shot at once. But the biggest hassle really was having to have all the previously painted sheetmetal masked off whenever I needed more primer sprayed. Total PITA.

Looking back I wished I had just got all the primer and sanding done before I had sprayed any of the paint, like I had done with my C-10.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by screaminchevypickup

Everything ready to paint?

Not yet but getting closer.

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

This is based entirely on my experience the past couple years with 1st, the paint job done on my C-10 and 2nd, my first paint job I did on my jimmy.

Get all your body work done before you spray any paint.

When my truck was painted I did all the bodywork before sending it to the body shop to get sprayed. I knew I wasn't "ready" to spray it myself yet. I was making too many mistakes. Once I had the sheetmetal where I was comfortable with it I sprayed a final coat of primer and that was it. I let the body shop do the final sanding so they knew what they were spraying over. Everything turned out great. I was happy. The body shop was happy.

Fast forward to the Jimmy. Knowing I was going to spray it all myself I did basically how you described it above. I had most of the body work done, but as I finished up the sanding on the insides of panels I sprayed them with paint, then mounted them up. Because of the paint choice I had with lots of flake and translucency I knew the outside would all have to be shot at once. But the biggest hassle really was having to have all the previously painted sheetmetal masked off whenever I needed more primer sprayed. Total PITA.

Looking back I wished I had just got all the primer and sanding done before I had sprayed any of the paint, like I had done with my C-10.

Thanks, and Very good advise.
Actually, I have thought about what you are talking about with finishing the inside then having to tape off to finish primer and blocking. But, what I didn't mention above is I'm finishing all the block sanding on the bed panels inside and outside. So now all I lack is the final wet sanding on them.

I will do the same on the doors, hood, fenders and cab. Basically the whole exterior will be done in one shooting session with the inside of the bed being the only taping off I have to do.
Right now it's the plan I have but things change. I really wish I could put the truck together and paint it with everything already lined up and gapped. There are some negative aspects to this too.
BTW, you did all the hard work and let the bodyshop get the reward of painting? that must have been tough. 90% of the paint job is the bodywork

[mcbassin]

Can't have an update without some pictures. These were on my cell, sorry quality.
Shows the high build primer I'm using LINK HERE. It's sprayable polyester filler basically. So far I'm pretty happy with it but my bodywork leaves some to be desired.

[Bennett68C10]

Nice job on the bed panels Mike, I have the same primer waiting for me to use. From what I have seen and read, it fills in the imperfections nicely. Which is good for this amateur bodyman and painter What size tip did you use to spray it with?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Nice job on the bed panels Mike, I have the same primer waiting for me to use. From what I have seen and read, it fills in the imperfections nicely. Which is good for this amateur bodyman and painter What size tip did you use to spray it with?

Thanks Keith. I am using a 1.8mm it's a bit too small from what I have heard but it's the biggest I have. It takes a bunch by volume. I bet I will have 4-5 gallons by the time I'm done. You have spray it on pretty thick to get the build you need. then block it, shoot it again and repeat as necessary.


I think if I was better at the filler sanding it wouldn't take near as much primer. Just like the filler most of it ends up on the floor as dust. Maybe on my next one I will take more time finishing the mud work? I have a lot of respect for the guys that do this crap for a living. It's hard work to say the least.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Not yet but getting closer.


Thanks, and Very good advise.
Actually, I have thought about what you are talking about with finishing the inside then having to tape off to finish primer and blocking. But, what I didn't mention above is I'm finishing all the block sanding on the bed panels inside and outside. So now all I lack is the final wet sanding on them.

I will do the same on the doors, hood, fenders and cab. Basically the whole exterior will be done in one shooting session with the inside of the bed being the only taping off I have to do.
Right now it's the plan I have but things change. I really wish I could put the truck together and paint it with everything already lined up and gapped. There are some negative aspects to this too.
BTW, you did all the hard work and let the bodyshop get the reward of painting? that must have been tough. 90% of the paint job is the bodywork

That is pretty much how my C-10 went. As long as the spraying is all done and all your doing is the final sanding, it should go smoothly.

As for not spraying it myself, there were a few reasons. 1st and foremost almost every time I sprayed something on my truck I made some kind of mistake. Hit the fresh primer with a hose, my shirt, etc. Or missing areas by not getting the spray angle right, too heavy, too light, improper cleaning and fish eyes. I knew my limitations and after spending so much time and money on a project that means so much to me I didn't want to be frustrated at the end with a paint job that I did and would likely be sub-par. The body shop that sprayed it is just around the corner from my house. They advised me, lent me tools, came by to check my work and offer tips to help me progress. They have become friends and even though they have an antique shop with a converted garage space as a paint booth that most people would look at and walk away from, they do excellent work and don't let anything out of the shop that isn't done right. They let me be involved with every part of it, including letting me go into the spray booth and watch and learn. I even took breaks from my home office work to go over and help wet sand. In the end, I got invaluable lessons on painting, an excellent paint job, and knowing that all the prep work I did made that a possibility.

And a little ego boost is when the pro's tell me they hate doing jobs like this, where the owner did the bodywork, cuz it's usually not good and they end up reworking most of it. But with mine, the only rework was a cracked seam on a adhesive joint they fixed. All they had to do was sand it and spray and told me I could work for them anytime.

I also knew, even at that time that I would be spraying the Jimmy myself no matter what. So it helped ease the pang of letting that part of the project go. I paid them $50 to use their spray booth for a full day, including the plastic for masking. I had to wait my turn, and my patience was tested, but in the end, I got it in and got it done. And that paint job wouldn't have turned out nearly as well as it did without their direct input that day and more free lessons.

When I pulled it out of the booth the next morning and had 3 painters with about 120 cumulative years of experience look it over, the only real flaw they could spot was a single run on the fender (clear only, not in the base) and that because of the amount of coats its a bit orange peely. There is absolutely no way I would have been able to do that with my C-10. I just wasn't ready.

Man, that got a little long winded. Guess I'll skip chapter 2.

[Low Elco]

I use the hell out of a similar product called Slick Sand. I get the metal as close as I can, 'cause I suck at mudwork. Then, I leave it a tad high, 'cuz I'm the king of one stroke too many on mud. Then I put a good spot over all my mud, then 2 good rounds over the whole panel. Usually blocks right out with 80, and enough left to guide it again and 150 it if I'm lucky. Shoot another good coat and block with 320, wet block with 400 or 600 depending on the base, and HOSE that sucker! You guys' stuff all looks great!

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Here's what I've been working on, I made some sheetmetal mounts for my Vintage Air system. I really didn't like the ones that came with it. Next, I needed a bracket to mount my PCM up under the dash so I fabricated this one. It took me a few tries, and numerous hours, but I got one I'm happy with the outcome.


Vintage Air mounts, fabricated from 316 Stainless:

Looks good Mike. Can you show some more pictures of the brackets and a/c unit mounted? Do these replace the "sure fit" bracket? This may help me with the building "block" I've had on my suburban.... Thanks,

Rob

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I use the hell out of a similar product called Slick Sand. I get the metal as close as I can, 'cause I suck at mudwork. Then, I leave it a tad high, 'cuz I'm the king of one stroke too many on mud. Then I put a good spot over all my mud, then 2 good rounds over the whole panel. Usually blocks right out with 80, and enough left to guide it again and 150 it if I'm lucky. Shoot another good coat and block with 320, wet block with 400 or 600 depending on the base, and HOSE that sucker! You guys' stuff all looks great!

I have heard good things about slick sand too. That's pretty much exactly how I did my panels. They seem to have turned out pretty good so. We will see when the paint cures.

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Looks good Mike. Can you show some more pictures of the brackets and a/c unit mounted? Do these replace the "sure fit" bracket? This may help me with the building "block" I've had on my suburban.... Thanks,
Thanks Rob. I will have to get some pics when I get the V/A mounted back in the cab. This unit I'm using is pretty old. I have had it since 09 I think. I had to move around a little and the light brackets that came with it were just too flimsy. So I made these out of .06" stainless sheet stock.

Rob

[mcbassin]

More pictures:




Managed to knock one end of this bed side off the stands. Minor setback Ouch!






















Another small distraction....

[mcbassin]

More pictures from today:
Long hard weekend....

[Zoomin]

Wow, made great progress!

[Bennett68C10]

Wow Mike that red looks awesome, great job

[screaminchevypickup]

Looking good mike..

[jlsanborn]

Great update! Really really really nice work there. That red is RED!!