My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Really diggin' the color, great job laying out the paint on the rims.

Thanks Bomp! The way you're knocking out your metalwork, you'll be mixing paint in no time yourself.

Originally Posted by cmabolt

Well, if the wheels are any indication, you have hit the mark my friend. That is going to be one nice rich color. Leaves room for contrast either direction. You could accent with a darker color/interior or lighter if you choose. You could also go lighter or darker with a two tone-setup or pinstriping at a later date of so desired.

Chris

Thanks Chris! That's one of the reasons I like this color. Trim and accessories should look great with it in either black or chrome. I do plan to go with all the original side trim, badges, etc. For the interior, I'm currently planning tan. I think that should look pretty nice.

[Bomp]

Really diggin' the color, great job laying out the paint on the rims.

[19silverado77]

The wheels look great! And the tires are great to. I have the same but 12.50s on mine

[swamp rat]

Nice brace, wonder if they make one for a 72? Might have to check into that someday.

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Nice brace, wonder if they make one for a 72? Might have to check into that someday.

Yep they make one for a 67-72.

http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/ste...ing_box_brace:

[mjensen]

Loving it Rick! Your truck is coming along nicely!

[Greenlee]

Nice job on the wheels!

[swamp rat]

Thanks for the info, i do however think i have the straight brace but will have to check into that.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by 19silverado77

The wheels look great! And the tires are great to. I have the same but 12.50s on mine

Originally Posted by mjensen

Loving it Rick! Your truck is coming along nicely!

Originally Posted by Greenlee

Nice job on the wheels!

Thanks guys! Got some more lights wired up, so hope to be spraying more paint this weekend.

[y5mgisi]

Here's something I learned the hard way on my paint job... First off, if you are going to wear one of those tyvek type suits, tape your cuffs to your gloves to prevent sweat dripping out the cuffs. Also, if yours is like mine, the suit has a sewn seam. Sweat can also drip out of there! So keep a rag or old t shirt near by and each time you refill the pot on the gun, give your arms and chest and such a good pat down. Also, depending on what you're doing for eye protection, know that the fog from the clear will ruin safety glass post haste! I went through 3 or 4 pairs...

[rgunlock]

Well, you aren't kidding about how hot it is in those paint suits. So I spent Saturday finishing up sanding areas I could not reach with the truck assembled. Sunday morning cleaning the shop better than its been in years, washing the cab, bed and tailgate inside and out, wax&grease remover on same parts. Then sprayed epoxy sealer/primer on all outer surfaces that I'd been blocking (remember the leopard spots :-). The sealer went on a little grainy and the gun was apparently spitting a little. I'm thinking it was too hot at 90 degrees F to do this without reducer? Anyway, sprayed color anyway. Came out OK. Still see some light areas. Ran out of time to do clearcoat because a) working in that suit in 90 degrees all afternoon knocked me out, and b) I did not actually create a paint booth so swarms of mosquitoes came in at dusk. So, I'll have a little sanding and probably another color coat before I can do clear. Any case, this update is probably picture worthy even if the parts don't look great yet. Not going to be able to get back to this for a couple weeks so I'll need to research what I have to do to ensure the clear will still adhere well to the color.

[rgunlock]

So this weekend was really just creating more work for myself. I should have sprayed the sealer on a test panel and gotten it worked out before spraying on the truck. And I should not have sprayed color on top of that. Really needed to be more patient considering how much work I have put into bodywork and blocking, but I knew I was running out of time and only have a couple days window before covering that epoxy primer/sealer.

Will be a while before my next update, but before I go on I will be sanding the cab, bed, tailgate smooth again. Another coat of color at least and then clear. Guess it took a night or two to convince me that coming out "OK" is not good enough for the investment I've put into this project. Guess that is why I called this a "practice" project in the first place.

[boynton]

I know it is a little rough going right now but you will appreciate doing it the right way when it is done. Hang in there. I am happy to see some color though!!

[y5mgisi]

When I talked to berry at SPI on the phone about my list of questions he recommended I do 50% reducer for the sealer and that worked out good for me. He also said that with my base and the SPI clear, it could be cleared a week after base no problem.

[rgunlock]

Took last weekend off from the truck and spent it with my dad, son and wife in Galveston. Went out fishing with a guide and did pretty well. 4 redfish that needed the oversize tags! Actually caught a fifth big boy that got to be released because we ran out of tags.

This weekend I got myself back on track with the truck. Wet sanded the cab, tailgate and bedsides back smooth with 320 and 400 grit. Should be ready for cleanup and respray. BTW, dry sanding the color coat didn't work out well. Just tacky enough to gum up the paper. Fortunately, I also had some wet/dry paper to finish this up.

[y5mgisi]

Weekends away from projects help to prevent burnout.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Weekends away from projects help to prevent burnout.

Yep, it was nice to get away after a "less than productive" weekend on the truck, but also nice to get after it this weekend and feel like I made progress. So what's the plan for side trim on that kick'n truck of yours?

[ryanroo]

the wheels look killer!

[rgunlock]

Thanks ryanroo! I have always liked the truck rallys with beauty rings, so decided why mess with a good thing.

[7dee2]

Good choice they look great!

[rgunlock]

Thanks Brett. Bit of an update this week. Got the bedliner sprayed in the bed and cab floor and both back onto the chassis.

[Greenlee]

Wow. Looking good!

[83GMCK2500]

Great looking truck! I really appreciate how your OCD kicks in and demands that if you're going to complete a task, it will be done to the best of your ability. I was raised in a similar environment and developed a similar neurosis, to the extent that as I read through your thread I keep seeing one thing that I've got to ask about, it's driving me crazy...your radio opening. What're you doing there?

[rgunlock]

Marcus and Mike, thanks a lot for the kudos! I've been enjoying following your heavy hauler thread Marcus, and glad to see you rekindling interest in your build Mike. Just got to keep at it!

All of your comments on the color just get me more excited about it, so I'll share a pic in a bit better light that is far enough off you can't see all the issues

Appreciate you looking through my thread Devin. I have never thought of myself as being OCD, but my kids tell me that I am. Just heard over and over growing up that a "job worth doing is worth doing right". Another part of my particular neurosis is that while I plan ahead, its just a couple steps ahead or it would make me crazy. The truck came without a radio and to be honest I haven't paid much attention to the hole. I haven't noticed it looking hacked on, so I just assumed it was the factory hole and I'll find a system that will fit it when I get to that point (months and months away at least )

[83GMCK2500]

Ahhhh, this might make you irritated with your dash. The original radio is a shaft style, like this:

Image credit to user: HIGHWAY BY THE SEA

There are several options among original delco radios, even CB models, it seems like most of them can be sent off for modern internal upgrades. There are a couple aftermarket shaft style units that the restoration catalogs have in them, I've never been impressed with them, installed one in a '71 Chevelle and it was 'meh'.