1969 Short Wide

[jlsanborn]

I'm envious! Any scuffin between the clear coats? Are you still going to cut and buff that?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by litew8

Very cool

Originally Posted by nasqar

OK, fine....I thought I was doing good with getting the bed painted....but dang bro, this is bed is incredible!!! Great job Mike, keep it up man.

Thanks Eddie. It has it's share of issues. trust me It's not as good as I wanted but it will work for the inside of the bed. The outside needs to be better. I have literally hundreds of hours in my metal panels. not including the cab repairs.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice spray work!!! I'm jealous you have like no dirt or specs in there at all.

Thanks Ryan. Not so, they are there very small nibs they will easily sand out with 2000 or 1500. My old camera doesn't pick up all the small details
I also think photobucket is killing the resolution on the pics when I upload them.

[jlsanborn]

Hey Mike! I'm fixin' to get ready on choppin my bed sides and wondered if you could sneak me a couple photos of them square holes along the bottom (spacing). Up at #1353 there's a good view of the row in front of the wheel tubs but I can't quite make out the ones behind. I'd like to take my sections where I can cut out some crud in the skin but want them holes to wind up where they oughta be. Not that I couldn't fill any wrong ones and make new ones, but it'd sure be easier to just section it just so. Paint is really looking good man. My eyes are peeled on the assembly and final. I think you've changed my way of thinking on how to go about it.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

I'm envious! Any scuffin between the clear coats? Are you still going to cut and buff that?

Sorry, missed this last night. Yes it will be sanded and buffed. I'm going t let it cure for a while though. That was most likely the reason for the sand through in the first place. The clear blocks out quick while it's still green.

No scuffing between coats on the clear. "Most" activated paints and clears can be top coated up to 24 hours before scuffing is required.

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Hey Mike! I'm fixin' to get ready on choppin my bed sides and wondered if you could sneak me a couple photos of them square holes along the bottom (spacing). Up at #1353 there's a good view of the row in front of the wheel tubs but I can't quite make out the ones behind. I'd like to take my sections where I can cut out some crud in the skin but want them holes to wind up where they oughta be. Not that I couldn't fill any wrong ones and make new ones, but it'd sure be easier to just section it just so. Paint is really looking good man. My eyes are peeled on the assembly and final. I think you've changed my way of thinking on how to go about it.

Thanks for the props. I can take some pics tonight. I hope to get some assembly done on the bed.

[Jahloha]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Kyle had me a little worried so I double checked the A/C duct routing. A little tight with the cluster installed, but I believe it will work good.


Next I started prepping to paint the bottom of the bed and tubs:



Painted - single stage urethane cheap and easy:



Lined with Raptor liner:

Definitely like the raptor liner on the bottom side in these pics. Did you use this on the cab and front inner fenders as well?

What prep did you do?

Love what I am seeing on your thread!

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Jahloha

Definitely like the raptor liner on the bottom side in these pics. Did you use this on the cab and front inner fenders as well?

What prep did you do?

Love what I am seeing on your thread!

Thanks for checking out my build. I apologize for the length in advance....HERE is where I did the cab floor. Notice I added some heat insulating spheres to the Raptor on the bottom of the cab floor. The inner fenders up front will get the plain black treatment. Also, for reference I reduced the Raptor on the bottom surfaces so it doesn't build so high. On the top surfaces it's reduced just not as much. It will spatter big chunks if you leave it just as mixed.

As far as prep goes, I used 220 grit on a DA sander where I could reach and the red 3m scotch brite everywhere else. The light gray primer is Matrix epoxy and the dark gray is Omni epoxy.

On the bed floor (top side) I painted it with the same bc/cc that I'm using everywhere else. I did this so there would be no issue with gray spots. I know now the tinted covers good enough to skip this step.

[Jahloha]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Time for a small update:
I have been planning this for a while. I spent a few hours this week to fabricate some exhaust pipe mounts out of some scrap stainless I had in my shop. I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for anywhere so I just made them. I also bought THESE and THESE to use with my brackets. I know it seems overkill but I didn't want to use anything but stainless on the exhaust (hope to have $$$ for stainless headers some day).
Sorry some are crappy cell pics. I will get some better ones
On to the pics:

Sawed and shaped the .125" ss sheet stock:


Match drilled all the pieces:

I made some quick and dirty break/bending and forming tools:




Installed:

Holy cow! Its not even funny how jealous I am of your machines and machining skills. I gotta find someone in Utah who can help with with customized brackets when I need them on my build, but will probably farm it out. Ugh.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Jahloha

Holy cow! Its not even funny how jealous I am of your machines and machining skills. I gotta find someone in Utah who can help with with customized brackets when I need them on my build, but will probably farm it out. Ugh.

Thanks.
Awe, bringing back some good memories of my exhaust fabrication.
On the custom parts, It is a fringe benefit that comes with the this job. I don't like farming out anything I can make for the most part. Sometimes I just buy parts that are easily made. Sometimes I make things that are cheap to buy.

[Pick]

You just showed me a use for the hardened, unground V-block I have had in the bottom of my tool box since college!



Seriously, you do nice work and come up with some nice solutions to problems! I enjoy watching and learning!

[Low Elco]

X2! Nice fab work!

What do you reduce Raptor with? Do you need to do that where you want it "pretty"?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Pick

You just showed me a use for the hardened, unground V-block I have had in the bottom of my tool box since college!

Seriously, you do nice work and come up with some nice solutions to problems! I enjoy watching and learning!

Thanks, I don't have a press brake so I made a small one. It's handy on small brackets.

Originally Posted by Low Elco

X2! Nice fab work!

What do you reduce Raptor with? Do you need to do that where you want it "pretty"?

Thanks. I used standard urethane reducer. Not very much maybe 5-7%?
I think, and I may be wrong but it seems temperature sensitive too. The cooler temps like we have had lately make it less "pretty". It's pretty thick anyway but when it's 95 in the summer it seems to flow and lay prettier. Ya know.

[jlsanborn]

I'm almost sure I did, but if I didn't comment back when you posted them exhaust fab photos - stellar work!

[knomadd]

Awesome exhaust mounting idea! Wanna come to the Houston area and do mine?

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Pick

You just showed me a use for the hardened, unground V-block I have had in the bottom of my tool box since college!

X2 to that, i have unground and also my good ones.

[Dieselwrencher]

It sure would be nice to have a mil and a lathe in the shop. A guy could make all kinds of things with those 2 (expensive) tools.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

I'm almost sure I did, but if I didn't comment back when you posted them exhaust fab photos - stellar work!

Thanks. Good to see those pictures again.

Originally Posted by knomadd

Awesome exhaust mounting idea! Wanna come to the Houston area and do mine?

Thanks and Sure I like the Houston area.

Originally Posted by swamp rat

X2 to that, i have unground and also my good ones.

Thanks. I have some big ones 6" I think, those would bend some longer parts.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It sure would be nice to have a mil and a lathe in the shop. A guy could make all kinds of things with those 2 (expensive) tools.

I have a nice little lathe in my shop still looking for a bridgeport or copy to stick in there. No where to put it right now even I did find one. But I have access to about any kind of machining center at work

[litew8]

Those custom hangers are nice looks super

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by litew8

Those custom hangers are nice looks super

Thanks.

[mcbassin]

Finally got past the backward steps.

Had to touch up some more sand through and re-clear on the bedside.
Warning: don't sand through your clear coat, it's a pain to fix.....









Bed assembly begins:












Fitting the tailgate:




Prepping the tailgate for paint:

[screaminchevypickup]

Great work mike!

[Zoomin]

Lots of little things add up to a lot. Love seeing it come together.

[Jahloha]

I am loving that bed!!!

[swamp rat]

I guess a lot of these paints can be sprayed right over the clear and then be re cleared again, so i hear anyway.. Your doing great work!

[Bennett68C10]

Looks awesome Mike

[Crash_OK]

Dang... Looking really good Mike.. If you are working this week on it I will come out and help you/hang out...