Grandpa's 72 restoration

[MDPotter]

Yep, the spraying is the fun part. It's like 90-95% prep, 5-10% actual painting. But the more time you spend prepping, the better the finished product.

Glad to see progress happening again!

[TA_C10]

Looks good!

[sprint_9]

Sweet!

[Snake72]

I had time to spray the hood this weekend. It didn't lay down as smooth as the fenders, there is quite a bit of orange peel which I believe is from the sealer I sprayed directly prior in a wet on wet application. I dont plan on using sealer on anything else, just spray on top of 600 blocked 2k primer as it seems to lay down much better. Wet sanding should have the hood smoothed out pretty well.

Driver door is final blocked and ready for paint, passenger door needs epoxy coat and 2K yet, then I can assemble the front end and get the bed on the rotisserie for paint and bed wood install.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Congratulations on the trucks progress. I’ve flipped through all 9 pages and absolutely love the restoration. I’m currently after my grandfathers 71 gmc and hoping to get it back eventually from the current owners

Grandfathers truck is the same color as yours but it’s a GMC

I can’t wait to see more progress and hear it run(unless I missed a page)

[Richard]

Just read through your thread. Admire your perseverance. Looks like you are handling the obstacles fine as they come up. Would love to live in an area where I could have tried to do my own paint without going to jail. Crazy how the 510 blue looks in different light. Keep up the good job. Looks great! Awesome you have a family truck. Would have loved to restore my dad's 72.

[Snake72]

Had a nice long Labor day weekend to work, finish welded the 1/8 rod on passenger door gap and ground smooth followed by epoxy and 2K high build on door and tailgate. Mounted the bed on the rotisserie and final blocked that and sprayed blue but the paint came out like absolute crap. Dry spots and several areas where I mush have missed heavier grit sanding marks so those are visible through the paint. I may have used too hot of reducer as well. So I'll try wet sanding the bed with 600-800 and do another 2 coats of medium blue.

The lower insides of the bed will get raptor liner.

Next round of work should have the doors and tailgate painted, bed repainted...and at last....final assembly

[cornerstone]

Nice progress man!

[72 tigger]

Coming down the home stretch with the paint

[LT7A]

Great story and exemplary build. Glad you went stock. So awful about your father-in-law, especially after all the work you guys did together. That part was hard to read. I'm impressed with your methodical approach to getting the doors to fit. Had to be very frustrating after doing all that work and having it not look right initially. I look forward to following this as you continue on.

[Snake72]

Doors and tailgate painted, I left the "arm wear" on the inner door frame. Paint match is very close and should blend in ok. I scuffed both bedsides and will respray those next work day.

Paint looks good but not great, a little orange peel but will cut and buff after assembly

[rustytruck50]

Great work! Looking forward to the end product

[68Gold/white]

Look’n good in the blizzard neighborhood! Be safe!

[cornerstone]

Looks really good man!

[Snake72]

Scuffed the bedsides and resprayed this weekend, came out much better but still some orange peel. In my adventures of learning to paint, I've found if I over reduce the paint it lays down like glass but runs if I'm not careful. If I mix per manufactures directions then it doesn't run but orange peels. Still trying to perfect the mixing and technique. But I'm officially done painting blue.

Also bought tailgate lettering decals, and so far pretty happy with them. Took all of 10 minutes to apply vs hours of masking. We'll see how they hold up.

[Snake72]

I was also able to hang the doors for the last time. All the trial fits, welding up gaps and adjustments paid off. Open and close perfect, the honda door seals were a good choice.

Hung the fenders and cowl to check gaps, both just loosely attached so they look wonky. I'm planning on trying to install inner fenders to outer fenders while off the truck, and then install as one piece.

[MDPotter]

Looks good! Where did you get the tailgate letters?

If only all coating were as easy to spray as base coat, I would be set. I don't know if you're spraying single stage or base/clear, but I have the same struggle with clear. I'm getting myself psyched up to resume bodywork in the next few weeks. My first black paint job.

[Snake72]

Letters were from Phoenix Graphix, easy to apply and great color match/sheen.

I'm spraying single stage, if I could go back I'd do base / clear or buy SPI universal clear to mix in with the single stage on last few coats. I think part of my inconsistency is the temps and humidity I've been painting in. The best paint finish was when it was hot and humid over the summer, but then I dealt with bugs and dust in the paint....or I just suck at painting...

Good luck with your upcoming black paint!!

[Snake72]

Installed inner fenders, I found it much easier to bolt the inner fender to outer fender while off the truck, and then install as one piece. Just an FYI for anyone doing this. Also installed grill and bumper.

[Dieselholic92]

Wow that looks really good! I can't wait to see the finished product

[Ol Blue K20]

Nice, it's looking good

[Snake72]

Progress continues, hood and bed wood installed. The wood is hackberry I milled and finished myself, non polished stainless strips. I dig it.

[Snake72]

Also my dad found this tag, I've never seen one before. Apparently back in the day when issued plates, you received this tag for your key chain that was number matched to your plates so if you ever lost your keys they would be mailed in and the person registered to that vehicle could be located, and the keys returned. Super neat! This tag is original to the trucks first plates.

The current '72 plates I have were a garage sale find.

[Snake72]

More progress yesterday

[Snake72]

Before and after pics of the bed