1957 Chevy truck re-rebuild

[dubie]

thanks for the tip on using the engine crane to lift the cab Jim. My wife and I put a 2x10 through the cab and balanced the crane arm in the middle. Getting the cab to balance on jack stands so we could get the legs of the crane under it proved to more challenging than lifting the cab itself. We recruited a little more muscle to get the cab over the steering column, but it's on the truck now

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Stepside Jim

_Ogre, sorry so long for a reply. With all the blasting media out there, I've only got availability to sand right now. I've been using it for over 30 years now so I'm familiar with the characteristics of using sand.

dubie, sounds like you and I have the same "gotta do what I gotta do" attitude. I can't count the times I get myself into a teetering situation trying to balance something with my heart pounding. Shoooey, rubbing the sweat of my forehead, that was close.

Here's my situation.... This is my first picture without using Photobucket. They changed the site and I can't get to the upload to work. Hoefully this will work, if it does, I can get back to posting again.

Am I to assume laying the cab on its back does no harm to it?
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

It seems to handle laying on it's back quite well.

I do place a furnature blanket on each side where the rear cab flares will contact the floor.

I've been rolling it forward on the firewall also, once again, I place the furnature blankets where the fire wall contacs the floor.

Going even further, I'll roll it further forward till the roof touches the floor, once again, using blankets where the roof will touch the floor.

Once weak point I do watch for is the front of the steps/rocker panels. They have no true support and will give when rolled forward. I found that by placing a 4x4 wood spacer under the steps, I can roll the cab forward without touching the front of the rocker panels to the floor. The front fender lower mounting tabs touch as it rolls forward then to the lower firewall.

I wanted access to the bottom so I could sand blast it clean. After the blasting I'll do any metal repair then apply seam sealer everywhere I can.

Once the seal dries and the weather warms, I'm figuring on a couple coats of epoxy primer, then a top coat. For the little bit of bad weather it'll ever see, the underside should be good for another 55 years.

I hate blasting, but I love the final result.

[Indian113]

I think floor patchs would be easier for me this way.

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by Indian113

I think floor patchs would be easier for me this way.

Oh, the workability difference is huge. I originally started with the cab on jack stands while I was scraping the old oil and rust proofing off the bottom. My arm got sore and I had crud in my eyes.

Once I rolled it back, I was on a fasttrack to getting the bottom finished.

Jim

[Kim57]

thanks for the info Jim.
It will definitely make it much easier to work on mine when I get to that point.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by dubie

thanks for the tip on using the engine crane to lift the cab Jim. My wife and I put a 2x10 through the cab and balanced the crane arm in the middle. Getting the cab to balance on jack stands so we could get the legs of the crane under it proved to more challenging than lifting the cab itself. We recruited a little more muscle to get the cab over the steering column, but it's on the truck now

I didn't see this reply last night.... I'm glad to help.

Since I'm back to posting pics, let's see how to get the yard cart under the truck with out using the lift.

It seems these inexpensive carts/wagons are everywhere so I hope this idea helps someone put one to use.

Once the cab is rolled forward on the firewall there is a cab reinforcement that goes from both front cab mounting bolt holes to the opening of the transmission tunnel opening, this is what the cart/wagon will hook to.

On the cart/wagon there is a bolt on each side by the drop gate. I removed the original bolts and installed longer bolts so the threads are facing up. These longer bolts are going to hook to the cab reinforcements that I mentioned.

Hopefully the pics will help explain. The end result, I can pick up the cab and move it around by using the cart/wagon as a dolly.

[jmedero]

Wow... This truck is insane. Your fab skills are awesome man. I want to be able to make the parts I want for my truck like your doing. Bravo man.
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[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by jmedero

Wow... This truck is insane. Your fab skills are awesome man. I want to be able to make the parts I want for my truck like your doing. Bravo man.
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Thanks for the compliment jmedero.

Slowly but surely moving forward I resealed most all the metal to metal joints.

Then also starts the filling and smoothing of door jams and firewall. Good news is I've reached the bottom of disassemble and clean up, now time to move to some of the reassemble.

The left over maroon color in the cab has been sandblasted and gone in real time, well as of Wednesday afternoon anyway. lol

[Baldeagle SR]

Nice idea on the little trailor. Work looks awsome. Rich

[Stepside Jim]

Originally Posted by Baldeagle SR

Nice idea on the little trailor. Work looks awsome. Rich

Thanks Rich, the trailer was a last second idea that has worked out well.

These pictures are no different than most everybody elses, it's just all part of the process......

[Stepside Jim]

Good day today... The weather was near perfect for priming and as luck would have it, I managed to get the day off. Knowing I had a chance to be able to prime I worked every night this week getting the truck ready.

I started with Eastwood's Epoxy primer. I haven't used any other Epoxy primer, but it would have to be great to be better to mix, spray and dry than this stuff, I'm really happy with the use of this product.

I only have one picture tonight but it says volumes, 2 coats of Epoxy primer on the under side of the cab.

[Bomp]

Really nice job.
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[Kim57]

Looks real nice.
Kim

[dubie]

Nice progress Jim, thanks for the update

[Stepside Jim]

Thanks everybody.

Just a couple more of the bottom side and one of the cab on the engine hoist. As long as I didn't remind myself that if the hoist lets go I'm gonna be in bad shape I was able to focus on the priming.

[Kim57]

Looks good but I think I'll figure out another way to paint the bottom of my cab.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

Hi Kim, I must admit, I pondered many other ways. For instance, I've pretty well have the cab rolled upside down, this would work well.

I had a couple of variables to weigh.

This next bit of text is for most anybody thinking of getting into the priming and painting side of the build.

Timing and temperature are two very key rolls in painting, almost as important as the materials themselves.

Luckily I got Friday off, luckily the temps outside was a little over 70 degrees. That's a timing and temp situation.

Having day off was key, I needed a 4 hour window to spray. Using the hoist I was able to epoxy 2 coats under the cab, and 1 coat of epoxy on the outside and inside of the cab. Then after proper dry time I was able to spray 2 coats of high build feather fill primer on the outside and inside.

Using the hoist I could go up and down when needed, and with spraying everything within a certain timeframe, I cut down on alot of sanding and scuffing between prime times. Now I can get right into block sanding the high build feather fill primer.

On the bottom where I applied the two coats of epoxy only. Once the rest of the cab is sanded and blocked and primed and blocked a couple times I will scuff sand the bottom side and apply either an undercoating or a smooth finish bed liner coating before it goes back on the frame.

With todays paints and primers it's good to figure a plan, meaning the right time frame and temperature to guarantee the product won't come back and bite you later.

Two pictures, one in the epoxy, then after the high build feather fill.

I wish I could get Photobucket to work again, these pictures suck on clarity.

[Kim57]

Good info on the paint.
The pics look good.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

I'm gonna go down a road not often covered in many of the builds....the wet sanding and blocking stage. It is boring, and makes one heck of a mess, although it is what raises the bar when the project is finished.

In the last pictures the cab got epoxy and a high build primer (feather fill). The epoxy adheres and protects the metal, the feather fill leaves enough material to sand and fill, or level the slight imperfections in the surface.

By using a block or something straight wrapped with paper, either wet or dry, we sand the surface, since we'll only knock of the high spots, the surface levels itself.

In the pics below, the freshly primered step looks perfect, but after block sanding all the highs and lows show. I've sanded to the epoxy coating in many areas, that's ok, the sanding leaves a perfect texture for the next coating of feather fill. It does show the low spots so I've used a gazing putty to fill the few low areas. This glazing putty sands and finshes as smooth as the feather fill. NOTE.... only use a glazing putty that requires a hardner, he non hardening putty has a terrible problem with shrinking later.

Once the hole cab gets this treatment and I get the next 2 coats of feather fill applied, the next phase of blocking should show a very nice level surface all around.

Note.... there are a ton of ways of doing this and primer products on the market. I'm mearly introducing this step the concept of block sanding. Every painter seems to have a different twist on the steps to get to the finshed product.

On this step I did dry sanding, I'm working in a confined area,the next pics will be of wet sanding the roof.

[Stepside Jim]

Now for some block sanding/wet. It's nothing more than the common rubber block with 180 grit paper fitted to it.

Once again it's a matter of sanding down all the high spots. With the wet sand paper and keeping a continuous flow of water, the paper stays clear and cuts without clogging.

I usually use a sponge and keep it dripping water just above the area being sanded.

Being able to lay this cab on it's backside makes this much easier also.

[Kim57]

That's some good stuff your showing.
Kim

[Stepside Jim]

Well, day after day after day I sand, prime, sand and prime.

With all the work, there has been a decision to go to a two tone black and silver vs maroon and silver.

Once I got the cab in epoxy primer then feather fill primer I went to the block sanding. The block sanding showed exactly where there were imperfections are. Then goes a fine layer of spot/glazing putty. Once the putty is block sanded, time for a couple coats of feather fill.

The firewall is going to be clear coat gloss black, so I'm trying to get it as correct and smooth as possible.

A couple pics of during and after.

[ddubbs]

Like what you have going on here. Definitely going to keep a eye on your thread. Subscribed
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[Kim57]

Looking good.
I'll be starting on my body work in a few days myself.
Kim