Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build

[nuke1]

OK, first off i want to say this to you, you are doing a great job so far. What you have done so far is the perfect ground coat. You now know where your high spots are and your low spots are. You can not tap down your high spots with your body hammer slightly ( in RED) and add another coat of fiilling over top of the whole thing. the blue is in the green and that green patch is a near perfect featheredge of the filler. now get out to that shop and finish that filler. And i will start to get my work done also. Make sure you do not see any jsharp edges in the filler, this will cause you to have shadows in the paint. I hope you did not take this in a bad way, I just want to help you out. From one truck guy to another, good luck and struggle on, i still do!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by nuke1

the blue is in the green and that green patch is a near perfect featheredge of the filler.

Thanks for the tip, and all comments regarding my work, good or bad, are appreciated. I've been hoping for some feedback here. I did not quite understand the statement above. Does that mean the blue areas you marked look ok or not.

I was thinking about spraying primer and then finishing the filler on top of that, is that wrong? I can learn patience, especially if there is someone saying, hold on there fella, do this first.

I planned to mix up more filler and cover all the previous work, but was wondering if I should use a different kind of filler, something that is a thinner mix that would go on thinner.

[nuke1]

Hey bud, glad you did not take it the wrong way, thank you. ok, as for the blue areas in the pic, that is where the mud is llow, you need to apply the complete area with mud once again, and not just spots, it is easier to apply to the entire are and then sand it off. Tap down your high spots that are there, red arrows, but not too much, by the looks of it maybe a 1/32nd to a 1/16th". this will be fine, once that is done cove the whole area and start sanding. you see where the green area is, that is near perfectly feathered out, you will want all of the edges of the mud to look like this, if you apply primer yet, you are just wasting money, as it will all get sanded off and then you have to start again, never, i repeat never rely on primer to get rid of your mistakes, it will remove imperfections but not craters. It is meant to cover 180 grit sand scratches and that is it. You are in a cold climate, your truck shrinks and stretches with the weather resulting in shrinkage and expansion of the mud, you need to get it as close as possible and then prime. We can not get away with what the guys in cali can do, where they have nice weather all the time. Start sanding with 40, just knock off the roughness of the mud , then 80, and 120 and finish with 180 grit, this will make you a sore and tired and grumpy man, but patience will pervail in the end to a nice looking truck. I will be here for you along the way do not worry. if you need the help. later. I have a wedding to go to and the wife is gettin all dolled up in front of me, i will answerr more tomorw

[hgs_notes]

Thanks for the tips Nuke. Once I take the next steps as you explained, I'll post the pics and we'll see if if got better. I'm already done sanding for the next couple days at least. My shoulders and arms are not in shape yet, but getting there.

[hgs_notes]

OK Nuke1 or anyone else that actually knows what they are doing, am I doing better? This is just sanded down with 36 grit. I haven't gone to the lighter stuff yet. My shoulders and back are a bit stiff tonight.

[lyrikz]

Yes, that looks REALLY good. See that one area were the metal is coming through a TINY bit. That would be a bit of a high spot, but without being there i couldnt tell you if you would want to touch that. If your at 36 grit now, by the time you got to 180 you may need to...

Looks really good.

[p_rubottom]

I agree its looking great. Just make sure you feather all the edges out and use a block, its easy once you get the hang of what to feel for. Also make sure to clean up your egdes, like the rocker seam and door jamb lip. Thats the little stuff that pops out after your prime! Keep up the good work!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

If your at 36 grit now, by the time you got to 180 you may need to...

Looks really good.

Thanks, I'll probably try to tap that in a bit more and add a bit of filler. Once I get this stuff done I'll do around the rear window and the roof I think. It's fairly flat, but does have some low and high spots, so more filler and more sanding. I'm really understanding why I avoided body work all these years. Sanding sux.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by p_rubottom

I agree its looking great. Just make sure you feather all the edges out and use a block, its easy once you get the hang of what to feel for. Also make sure to clean up your egdes, like the rocker seam and door jamb lip. Thats the little stuff that pops out after your prime! Keep up the good work!

I hear ya. The wife bought me a nice set of blocks for xmas I'm using. There never seems to be end to the details that need just a little more toughing up.

[Dieselwrencher]

I know a lot of body shops here are primering the repaired bare metal areas first before applying filler to help eliminate rust. They say that these new fillers will adhere to the primer and will not come off without sanding. I think they are using urethane primers when doing this. Anyone else hear of this being done?

It is really looking good, keep up the good work!

[nuke1]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I hear ya. The wife bought me a nice set of blocks for xmas I'm using. There never seems to be end to the details that need just a little more toughing up.

Hey bud, filler is really coming along, looking much better. What i would do know is sand it down to a 120 grit and see where you are from there. That one spot on the back right that is showing should be fine. All dependds on how much is left around it. But normally when i get to that point, just about this point i mean i start with finer grits. I would go from there. Then off to the races you are. But great start

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I know a lot of body shops here are primering the repaired bare metal areas first before applying filler to help eliminate rust. They say that these new fillers will adhere to the primer and will not come off without sanding. I think they are using urethane primers when doing this. Anyone else hear of this being done?

It is really looking good, keep up the good work!

Diesel, what they use is epoxy primer, let it dry, then scuff with 120grit. Apply your mud and go from there.

[Dieselwrencher]

Ok, thanks Nuke. I might try that on my next project as there will be a lot of welding and body work required.

[hgs_notes]

Thanks for the input guys. After all the sanding yesterday, then digging out from our blizzard today, my back, shoulders and legs are shot. I'll get the finer grit sanding done this weekend. So once that is done, I should be ready to spray the epoxy primer right? I started scuffing the inside of the cab using a red scuff pad and planned on spraying the inside of the cab and the back at the same time.

[dan76]

Great thread.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by dan76

Great thread.

Thanks. Didn't get to it this weekend. Ran out of propane for the heater and places to fill it are closed weekends. All those gas stations that fill little lp tanks charge about twice as much as the ag places. I can get a 100# tank filled for $60 at the ag place and well over $100 for the gas station to do it.

I had to work today also. I'll do more sanding this week though.

[hgs_notes]

Did more sanding, 80 grit this time and it smoothed out pretty well. Problem is I still have a few high spots, which means more banging, putty and sanding, just to get back to where I'm at now. Frustrating.

I'm glad this is the back of the cab and won't be seen with the bed on, but I'm trying to learn to do it as well as I can here so when I'm doing the bed sides later it looks as good as I can get it.

[mcbassin]

Great looking project! I have to commend on doing the same thing I did back in 1989 after my first "paid" paint job didn't turn out the way I expected for $600 (family deal..go figure). I know that's not much by todays standards but when you only make $6 an hour that's a bunch of cash. BTW, I did all the finish sanding and taping for that one. I figured, no way I'm paying someone to do this if I can figure it out. And you were right when you said your not worried about the actual painting...thats the easiest part of any paint job....almost like a reward for all the hard work building up to it. Nuke has directed you with some really good tips that I had to learn by trial and error. Especially the one about the primer is only for filling sanding scratches. I would recommend using a long sanding block (I think 8") with some high quality 3m 80 grit HERE, then 120 and so on, it will allow you to feather the edges easy. There is a reason that the paint stores charge high $$ for supplies. Most of them are worth the extra cash. I have also heard really good things about the newer body fillers. They are supposed to sand better and not bleed through the paint. Anyway, listen to Nuke he (used) to do it everyday. Good luck! I will be following.

[hgs_notes]

Spent the day outside or in the garage. First I had to move my parts blazer. It's been sitting in my neighbors driveway for over a month. I couldn't park it where I wanted to because the snow was too deep. But it's moved to a friends place under his A frame hoist set up. So when the time comes I can lift the tub off and get it parted out, swap the tub to my Jimmy, etc. etc. That took a few hours.

Then I warmed up the garage and put on even more putty and did even more sanding. As far as I'm concerned, the back side of this cab is about as straight as I can make it. It's really surprising how unflat the flat areas of these cabs are. Like below the window, it looks flat, but it actually has a slight depression in it that runs all the way across. So just fixing the ends where the dents were wasn't enough. I had to mud it all the way across so it would be flat all the way across. The corners of the cab, behind the door, it looks like a nice even turn in that metal, but it's not. There are flatter spots, etc. Now I know why these things cost so much for body work and repaints.

If it was an easy scuff and shoot job, no problem. But if you have to fix anything, it just spreads to everything. Then it just depends on how straight and smooth you really want to make it. Anyway, couple pics of the days work. Did a bunch of cleaning up after the sanding. I was thinking about putting some primer over it finally, but I need to pick up some fittings for the new gun and get it set up the way I want it. Maybe tomorrow, if not, then maybe next saturday.

[nuke1]

Good morning, It's funny you know, when ppl ask how much bodywork and paint cost they get appaled when i tell them, but they do not realize how much time it really takes to do a perfect job, it is more work than ppl know to get something strait. I am to the point in my life now , that i use hardly any filler, i pick and file most everything, if i can.

Well, I am glad that you are working at it, remember patience makes perfect. Do not get frustrated, if you do, walk away for an hour, Return and start again, it will be fine. Anyhow, the back of the cab is starting to take shape, The right cab corner above the bodyline has a few high spots, that will need to be worked some more yet, it will show with primer. The rest looks close, left cab corner looks good, below the windows is close, it will be a little wavy but not bad at all. What kind of primer do you plan on using? If you use a 2k high build you will be ok. might have to prime, sand and prime one more time. Just remember, before prime to have the mud finished off in 180, other wise it will shrink and show through, you live in a climate like me. On a side note, if you have the time, let your truck sit in primer for a month before sanding, this allows the primer to shrink and the job will turn out even better!

Harder than most ppl think, and frustrating, I know. It takes a certain kind of person to have the patience to do this. You are doing a great job so far. Do not think otherwise, remember that you are new at this. Also, it gets mush more rewarding in just a bit. Trust me. Congrats on the ambition on getting this done. GREAT JOB!! Talk to you in a bit. Also, remember constructive criticism. Any questions ask. James

[hgs_notes]

Thanks for the input James. Yesterday I was at my limit and ready to take the shortcut to primer right then and there, even though in my mind I knew it wasn't quite ready. It's not that I lack patience, it's more that I am anxious to see the end result. Also, with the epoxy primer I can still use filler on it if needed.

The primer I have now is the epoxy primer so I can seal it up. It's in gray, and I plan on using another color for high build primer. But I've been wondering if I should use high build primer first then after sanding/primer/sanding and getting it smooth, then use the epoxy primer. Your thoughts?

[nuke1]

use the epoxy first, expoxy can not go over high build, and epoxy bonds to bare steel, not high build, you need an etch. so epoxy, finish body fill, high build then.

[mcbassin]

Looking good!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by nuke1

use the epoxy first, expoxy can not go over high build, and epoxy bonds to bare steel, not high build, you need an etch. so epoxy, finish body fill, high build then.

Got it. Is there a finish body fill I should look for?

[nuke1]

polyester putty, make sure it is a two part

[hgs_notes]

Picked up polyester putty the other day, along with some finer grit paper. It's been a busy week for work, so wasn't able to get out there until today. The glazing putty is ok, but it sets up real fast and you have to be quick getting it on the body. Went over most of the back side of the cab, sanded with 180 grit and overall, I think I did pretty good for a beginner. I'm getting the hang of it. Hopefully I'll be able to progress faster on other parts once I get past this part.

No pics, it doesn't look much different than the previous ones. Fixed a few more high spots, filled a few more little low spots, sanded. I found a couple very small dimples I need to fill yet, but other than that, it's ready for primer. Don't think I'll do that tomorrow, but probably this next week, if I'm lucky.

I'm a little nervous about that. New spray gun, a style I've never had before. Never mixed primer/paint like this before either. I'm not really worried about how it looks, because it is just primer. It will be covered and sanded again anyway. I've got some cardboard to practice on and set the spray pattern up, etc. I'll post pics after primer, good or bad.