198Plus build

[ruffrida2005]

man that fender looks slick. pun intended. You might be able to dukes of hazzard it when your done!

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

First I have a question. The bed parts that come from Mar-K are galvanized if I'm not mistaken. What do ya'll use to prep it for primer?

Alan, its been awhile since I did that, but since it is new, I would just wipe the panel down with a good wax and grease remover, let that dry and scuff with a red scotch brite pad, wipe down again and let dry then shoot 2 coats of DP90. After that, top coat as you prefer.

You want to scuff the surface of the galvanized to create a profile for the paint (DP90) to adhere properly. You do not want to remove all of the zinc coating, just as little as needed to get a good scuff so that the paint sticks.

Looking good as usual!!!!!

[70 Suburban]

good to know I have sheets of galv. I was goin to use it for my floor in the ext cab. so I guess its a go then

[joe231]

I'm sure you know...be very careful welding galvanized metal....the fumes are deadly.

[1964C10]

I might be chiming in late or irrelavant but I have read that you shouldnt paint over galvanized steel because the zinc coating forms an oxide which protects the steel and will continue to do so even under painted surfaces. I could be way off base here though :p

[70 Suburban]

I want to paint for cosmetic. also when you weld you will burn off the ink.(I have a respirator/fresh air hood) So it will have to be coated..

[daverod]

I had a guy weld a hay rack on top of my horse trailer. It was gal. he passed out and rolled off the top. I think he's still alive though.

[joe231]

[ruffrida2005]

well did he atleast land in a hay bail?

[daverod]

Nope. Right in the dirt. Started doing the fish out of water thing. I got kinda scaried. Thought I was going to have to do mouth to mouth or somthing. He would have died if that was the case.

[ruffrida2005]

should have thrown him in the pond.

Alan get home from work and get to work on the trucks. we need more motovation pics!

[daverod]

I can't believe Allan has a real job and still gets twice( ten times) as much done on his truck as I do. I guess I better go throw on some filler and sand for awhile.

[daverod]

He's going to be pissed when he see's we jacked up his thread.+2 just wasting time

[198plus]

I think he's hanging out at the pool.........Probably get some good pic's then

[QUOTE) Alan get home from work and get to work on the trucks. we need more motovation pics![/QUOTE]

[Bazooka]

Lookin good. Wished Alan lived near me to do my body work too..

[ruffrida2005]

Maybe we should get him to sell his house and buy a travel trailer, a mobile welding and paint shop. Then he could just travel the country and fix trucks. That would be my dream job!

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by 198plus

Fender looking good.........Happy Happy Happy

Originally Posted by Strodder

You should be. Nice job Allan.

Thanks fellers!!

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

man that fender looks slick. pun intended. You might be able to dukes of hazzard it when your done!

Thumbs up. I can't use the smileys because I'm only allowed 10 per post.. I also have to delete some of the ones already posted.

Originally Posted by aggie91

Alan, its been awhile since I did that, but since it is new, I would just wipe the panel down with a good wax and grease remover, let that dry and scuff with a red scotch brite pad, wipe down again and let dry then shoot 2 coats of DP90. After that, top coat as you prefer.

You want to scuff the surface of the galvanized to create a profile for the paint (DP90) to adhere properly. You do not want to remove all of the zinc coating, just as little as needed to get a good scuff so that the paint sticks.

Looking good as usual!!!!!

Thanks for the info and comment. I figured there was some speacial process to go thru.

Originally Posted by joe231

I'm sure you know...be very careful welding galvanized metal....the fumes are deadly.

Yes sir you are right.

Originally Posted by 1964C10

I might be chiming in late or irrelavant but I have read that you shouldnt paint over galvanized steel because the zinc coating forms an oxide which protects the steel and will continue to do so even under painted surfaces. I could be way off base here though :p

Don't know if you off base or not, but haven't heard of that. I've read that the oils need to be removed and so on.

Originally Posted by daverod

I had a guy weld a hay rack on top of my horse trailer. It was gal. he passed out and rolled off the top. I think he's still alive though.

LOL

Originally Posted by daverod

Nope. Right in the dirt. Started doing the fish out of water thing. I got kinda scaried. Thought I was going to have to do mouth to mouth or somthing. He would have died if that was the case.

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

should have thrown him in the pond.

Alan get home from work and get to work on the trucks. we need more motovation pics!

Man, don't any of ya'll work. Or is it your jobs to jack threads while noone is lookin'

Originally Posted by daverod

I can't believe Allan has a real job and still gets twice( ten times) as much done on his truck as I do. I guess I better go throw on some filler and sand for awhile.

Yeah, go do something productive. LOL

Originally Posted by daverod

He's going to be pissed when he see's we jacked up his thread.+2 just wasting time

Nope, not pissed. I needed a good laugh

Originally Posted by 198plus

I think he's hanging out at the pool.........Probably get some good pic's then

I wish. LOL

Originally Posted by Bazooka

Lookin good. Wished Alan lived near me to do my body work too..

thumbs up

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

Maybe we should get him to sell his house and buy a travel trailer, a mobile welding and paint shop. Then he could just travel the country and fix trucks. That would be my dream job!

Yeah, I mentioned that in my build somewhere. If I was single I think I would consider something like that.

No motivational pics
But have an update...........After I DP90 the inner bed panels and looked at them, the more I realized it would be cheaper to just get new ones. I didn't want 198 to worry about it so I called him up to tell him what I was thinking. I decided to give him his money back (credit towards labor) on the bed since the labor to repair would outweigh the cost of new panels. He agreed and was very pleased with my decision. He said not many people would have done that. It's not all about the money. It's about the love we have for old cars and making the other person feel like they got treated right. Yeah it hurts a little, but when it is all said and done it will work out. Just goes to show you, you never know what your going to get your self into with these old trucks. This bed looked pretty good to me before this whole process started. Once you get them shinny again everything is evident.

He called me a little while ago to let me know he had found a fleet bed that had been blasted and primed and is pretty solid. Lets see what round 2 brings us. So needless to say the SWB step side bed is for sale again. It can be fixed and if I wanted a step bed I would straighten it and use it since it would only cost me some time and some materials.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

Maybe we should get him to sell his house and buy a travel trailer, a mobile welding and paint shop. Then he could just travel the country and fix trucks. That would be my dream job!

It will get old after a while. Nice to dream though.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

No motivational pics
But have an update...........After I DP90 the inner bed panels and looked at them, the more I realized it would be cheaper to just get new ones. I didn't want 198 to worry about it so I called him up to tell him what I was thinking. I decided to give him his money back (credit towards labor) on the bed since the labor to repair would outweigh the cost of new panels. He agreed and was very pleased with my decision. He said not many people would have done that. It's not all about the money. It's about the love we have for old cars and making the other person feel like they got treated right. Yeah it hurts a little, but when it is all said and done it will work out. Just goes to show you, you never know what your going to get your self into with these old trucks. This bed looked pretty good to me before this whole process started. Once you get them shinny again everything is evident.

He called me a little while ago to let me know he had found a fleet bed that had been blasted and primed and is pretty solid. Lets see what round 2 brings us. So needless to say the SWB step side bed is for sale again. It can be fixed and if I wanted a step bed I would straighten it and use it since it would only cost me some time and some materials.

Allan your a good guy. I think you did the right thing. It's hard to judge how long something will take. There's no guide for flat rate times for restoration, or fabrication. When you look at the bed he brings you. Just say this time once you start it there's no refund on labor no matter what you find. Remember when you give a price for repair say it's an estimate, and could cost more depending what you find. The last truck fenders I straightened I charged a little more than half of what it would cost for a new one. But if it's not available, then I charge a lot more. With your attitude you will have repeat customers, and they will recommend you for future jobs. I try not to take advantage of people and be honest with them. It pays off in the end. But some times the customer takes advantage of YOU.

What do you charge per hour? I'm only at $40. But most of the time I don't charge by the hour. How can you justify spending 20 hours fabricating special motor mounts, transmission mounts for a car that nobody has anything for. I lost track how many times I had the engine in and out.

[1964C10]

Originally Posted by Strodder

What do you charge per hour? I'm only at $40. But most of the time I don't charge by the hour. How can you justify spending 20 hours fabricating special motor mounts, transmission mounts for a car that nobody has anything for. I lost track how many times I had the engine in and out.

I find this very interesting, when I started out doing web design, I could easily charge that, now 15 years later, I am down to barely $20 because there is always some young kid with no car payment, no house payment and a new computer for only $500 taking my work. Sorry don't mean to vent, just interesting to see that job types/wages can come full circle, I guess the reason is that typing on a keyboard has nothing to do with how much pressure you use, but a hammer/dolly on sheetmetal well we all know how much talent that takes! Ok I feel better now good looking work Alan & Dennis

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Allan your a good guy. I think you did the right thing. It's hard to judge how long something will take. There's no guide for flat rate times for restoration, or fabrication. When you look at the bed he brings you. Just say this time once you start it there's no refund on labor no matter what you find. Remember when you give a price for repair say it's an estimate, and could cost more depending what you find. The last truck fenders I straightened I charged a little more than half of what it would cost for a new one. But if it's not available, then I charge a lot more. With your attitude you will have repeat customers, and they will recommend you for future jobs. I try not to take advantage of people and be honest with them. It pays off in the end. But some times the customer takes advantage of YOU.

What do you charge per hour? I'm only at $40. But most of the time I don't charge by the hour. How can you justify spending 20 hours fabricating special motor mounts, transmission mounts for a car that nobody has anything for. I lost track how many times I had the engine in and out.

Thanks Dennis. I appreciate your input. I gave him credit for the bed, but not labor spent on it so far. I think that is a happy medium for both of us.

I'm at $40/hr, I don't know what I will do when it comes time to fabricate something that will exceed reasonable cost. It's a hard call. I don't mind going home tired I just don't want to be broke and tired.

[scotts62]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

I don't mind going home tired I just don't want to be broke and tired.

Yeah that's true.. makes for a bad week

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

I just don't want to be broke and tired.

That's what I mean about customers taking advantage of us. Bottom line we still have to make a living at it. Plus have fun.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by 1964C10

I find this very interesting, when I started out doing web design, I could easily charge that, now 15 years later, I am down to barely $20 because there is always some young kid with no car payment, no house payment and a new computer for only $500 taking my work. Sorry don't mean to vent, just interesting to see that job types/wages can come full circle, I guess the reason is that typing on a keyboard has nothing to do with how much pressure you use, but a hammer/dolly on sheetmetal well we all know how much talent that takes! Ok I feel better now good looking work Alan & Dennis

Thanks, and vent any time. There's always someone doing it cheaper, and ruining the market. There's still some people out there that want quality, and will pay for it. You get what you pay for.

[1964C10]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Thanks, and vent any time. There's always someone doing it cheaper, and ruining the market. There's still some people out there that want quality, and will pay for it. You get what you pay for.

Thanks Dennis!