Project: Custom 71 4x4 hotrod

[silver7]

What did they charge you for the first bottle? I am definitely going with a med size bottle and considering converting to another supplier if the initial cost isn't so high.

[msgross]

it's high, like $230 or something...

but I didn't pay that, long story but my welder came with a bottle from another vendor who wouldn't refill it without proof of ownership. I happened to find a nice, and clueless, girl at the TSC that exchanged it for the price of the refill ($45). I didn't know that you had to purchase the first bottle so I didn't feel too guilty. Now i'm in the TSC bottle club I guess!

[silver7]

Good one. $230 is a lot more than I had to pay at National Welders but I may have to pay more if I go with a larger bottle. I may see if I can turn it in and get my deposit back then switch to NT.

[silver7]

Is there a fastener kit I can buy for my 71 chevy which would have most all my OEM fasteners in it? I figured this would save me a lot of time and coin once I get past the custom work I am doing on my frame.

[msgross]

totally stainless has a SS kit, I used grade 8's from tractor supply on my frame. Not sure what i'm going to do on the body yet... some of our vendors have "body kits" of bolts...

[silver7]

My frame is pretty much complete so I was mainly looking for a kit which would cover the cab and bed.

[msgross]

I bought some SS bolts for the door strikers, i'm gonna try and clean up as many original bolts as I can since they will be painted anyway

[silver7]

Mike - I took your advice and finally accepted that I will need to primer and paint my frame. I wanted to powder coat but there are too many spots with pitting which requires too much grinding and sanding to get it where I know it needs to be for a good powder coat finish. My buddy Nick and I will shoot it with some Kirker epoxy primer later this week. This will buy me a little more time to get me bumper brackets, tow hooks and tow hitch mounted with holes drilled. Not sure if I am going to single or 2 stage paint it yet.

I also sold my tires and rims and decided I will go with a set of KMC XD Black 'Monster', 'Diesel', or 'Badlands' rims for my truck. If any of you out there know of any good deals on 17" - 20" used rims in good shape for sale please let me know.

[silver7]

Scored some barely used 35 x 12.50 R20 Nitto Mud Grapplers from a guy in Roanoke Falls, NC. Drove over and picked them up last night - 5hrs round trip. Barely got all four of the big son of a guns in my Yukon...

[6600DURAMAX]

Sweet tires,

I still think powdercoat is the best option....... but each there own.

Good luck

[Conroe trucker]

I used totally stainless for my hardware.
It costs about $250-300 for a truck, and you can get diff covers and an engine kit also.
It saves a ton of time, it is all laid out and labeled, visor screws, grill screws, bumper bolts etc.
I have bought three sets, and now have a small stainless collection left over.
I have used the button heads, but they are kind of a pain in that it is hard to get them real tight since the allen is so small compared to a big hex head.
It really grabs peoples attention when they start checking out the truck, and it saves a ton of time.

Killer deal on the tires.

I used single stage acrylic epoxy primer.
I have used egg shell and semi gloss.
Of the two, semi gloss is easier to keep clean, but egg shell is more to OEM.
Egg shell hides pitting more........
Put it on top of a black metal etch epoxy primer.
It will out last the rest of the truck.
I used it for hinges, air filters, rad support, frame, bumper brackets, anything black.
Two stage would be too soft for the frame, you need something that will not chip, but can resist dings and stuff.
Best part, enough to do a truck is around $ 100 with primer.

[VA72C10]

Sweet rubber there. I think you'll be happy with the paint. I just scratched my frame putting the cab on. Two minutes with some sandpaper and a quick shoot of the rattle can and it looks like new again....powder can be patched but then you still run the risk of water getting under it and starting to pop chunks of it off....(Which I have seen first hand on a 1yr old completed build where there is no powder left on the front frame horns of a ford coupe)

[monte0185]

Looks good so far. I guess i need to look at the 4x4 thread more often cause i totally missed this one. One would think I would since Im building one as well. Subscribing.

[silver7]

Originally Posted by 6600DURAMAX

Sweet tires,

I still think powdercoat is the best option....... but each there own.

Good luck

I agree powder would be best, but I don't want to sand down the pitting on my spring hangers. Call me lazy but the epoxy primer should take care of that quite well.

[silver7]

I like the Totally Stainless idea. Makes complete sense to me. Thanks Mike and Conroe.

I already bought some 2-part Kirker epoxy primer from www.smartshoppersinc.com. I just ordered what my painter buddy told me to get - one gallon each of the activator and gray primer. The price is great and it is a popular product. It is at his house now since we were supposed to lay a coat down tonight but unfortunately something came up. Hopefully we won't get much more rain between now and the weekend.

[silver7]

The frame was primed with 3 coats of Kirker primer weekend before last. Unfortunately we got caught up in the multiple tornados which came through High Point the day after we finished painting the frame. We've been sorting out the damage and working with the insurance company getting things fixed lately so not much progress unfortunately. I was able to finish welding up my 12 bolt so it is ready to go to get powdercoated once I get my leaf springs taken apart so they can be powdercoated as well. I am working my my buddy Nick to find a suitable base/clear match for my frame. We are looking to by some metallic flake to add to a urethane base which is close already. I have some minor pitting and holes to fill but hopefully we'll get the frame painted within a few weeks.

[VA72C10]

glad you were okay. Any truck parts part of the damage?

[silver7]

No truck parts were damaged luckily. But right now it looks like around $16K in property and water damage so far. Just got an entire new roof yesterday. We were very luckily with no one getting hurt.

[fencepost]

Been through that before takes a while to recover.

[MrBeast]

Man looks like you are going to have a mighty fine truck when its done.

[silver7]

Thanks Mr. Beast. I'm taking my time and trying to do it right.
Update - still working on sanding the frame and filling in some minor spots so Nick and I can paint it. We have spent quite a bit of time trying to match my powder coated Dana 44 subway black with a comparable base-clear. Finally found A Kirker Candy Urethane Base which will be a close match - Carbon Fiber Metallic - UA-61264. It sure beats buying some flake and trying to match it ourselves. Bought both my Kirker epoxy primer, urethane base and activator from smartshoppersinc.com. Great prices and they got stuff to me within a couple of days. Just using a very, very small amount of Evercoat Rage premium lightweight filler to smooth out my welding and the pitting and wet sanding with 180 grit sandpaper as per my buddy Nick's recommendations. It is working very, very well and I should be completed soon.

[Conroe trucker]

Every time someone comes to look at it you are going to have to give them a kreeper to check ou the bottom.........
Diff is beautiful!

[silver7]

Thanks man. That powder coated subway black is amazing in the sunlight. Should show my rear real nice going down the road.

I wish I could have powder coated my frame the same way as well but plan B (base-clear) was the way to go. As with my welding, I am learning to how to wet sand on my frame. Should help me out when I finally get around to my body work.

That box sitting there is nearly $1K in suspension/bumper parts from LMC truck waiting on me to hurry up...

[silver7]

Made a template from the previous owner's hack-job bolt holes and was able to figure out the dimensions for the original rear bumper bracket bolt holes. I welded/filled them in and am in the process of drilling new holes. It was a lot of work but it was the right thing to do.

I also finished fabricating and hand sanding my 12 bolt then dropped it off at Advanced Powder Coating in Elon, NC for powder coating. Moved the spring perches, added dual shock and traction bar brackets and welded the axle tubes to the housing for more strength.

[silver7]

After a lot of time in the vise and hydraulic press I finally got the rest of my chassis parts apart and taken to the sandblaster today: front knuckles, tie rod, front 4x4 universal joint bracket, traction bar brackets, and leaf springs. Hopefully Nick and I can get these back, epoxy primered and painted with the frame and traction bars this weekend.

Taking the universal joints and leaf springs apart was an experience so I'll post some pics and more info on that later.