Another Flareside: "Silver"

I think this weekend I'll try to work on that oil spot a bit and try to get the tail of the bed to blend with the rest... and look as original as possible.

Then try to go with the approach you mentioned below (first coat is a spray, second "wet" coat I can apply directly from the can I believe?)

Thanks for your help!
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Jim wrote:

"It is somewhat counter to the idea of preserving the wood, but if you want to keep that look, you probably want to clean it best you can. Let it dry thoroughly. Then apply dusting coats of a water white catalyzed lacquer.
You don't want to soak it in, and unlike traditional lacquer you don't want the next coat to dissolve the last.

Once the surface is encapsulated you can apply wet coats of a matte lacquer to build a finish that protects it (somewhat) from the elements and doesn't appear 'plastic'"

Update:  This weekend I cleaned the metal on the bed with CLR and steel wool, then gave it all a good cleaning with soap and water... scrubbed the wood with a soft bristle brush.  Really brought out the silver and reddish colors

Then I buffed the good paint areas with Griots 3 in 1, and treated the metal bed strips and patina areas with Penetrol.

I worked with the wood, but the spot I made with Boiled Linseed oil was still "off".  I took the advice above and went ahead and applied some BLO to the rest of the wood.  I've started working on it with a scotch brite pad, and the brown tones are really coming out... liking the look

Here is a pic, there are some pretty cool contrasts developing

It is going to be a lot of work, but it'll be worth it.  You can't get that kind of patina with new stuff.  

Lookin' good.

It really is an impressive transformation!

The way there's almost no weathering or wear up against the cab seems like Silver wore a tool box for quite some time.

Thanks!  Actually to your point, for a while a prior owner had either a toolbox or an in bed tank, or both.

Once I get the color to look right (whatever that is), debating the best way to seal it.  I hate to spray clear on it, maybe just... leave the oil and periodically treat it.  Again appreciate thoughts

I think I said "I love the way it tells a story"

If you are now liking the way the oil deepens the tone of the wood, it definitely is the easiest to apply and maintain.  👍

I'm really glad you like it, and are willing to put in the effort to keep on top of it periodically!  😎

Took Silver out to Lowes today, first nice day in a while.  I applied Penetrol to most of the exterior to seal the patina... outside isn't going to stay this way though, still planning to have it painted at some point.

The inside of the bed is looking good though and heres where I'm planning to keep the patina.



At Lowes, ran into another blue bullnose, long bed F100 - introduced the owner to Garagemahal :)

Penetrol is great stuff by the way... it brought the decals back pretty well and also is great on the chrome

Looking great!  Love the patina.  

So I'm approaching another decision point on Silver.

Talked with the body shop, and the truck is waiting for it's turn.  I'm planning to go back to the factory silver, and Reamer has even started producing the original factory stripes in the OEM colors.  The outside of the truck is going to look pretty new, and I'm still planning to keep the inside of the bed (bedsides, bed strips, inside of tailgate) in it's patina.

Except for the wood.  That's what I'm wrestling with

On one hand, the wood has survived so long, and the truck may be one of the last with original wood.  

On the other hand, the tailgate end of it is pretty rough.  I may need to splice in some new pieces to preserve integrity.  AND the body guy tried to talk me into putting in new wood.  His comment was: "Most people will ask you when you're going to finish the bed".

He may be right

So my quandary is this: preserve it just because it lasted this long, and it's cool to still have original wood... OR, put in beautiful new wood with the patina'd metal to appeal to probably more people.  Heck I'd like it too.

Augh.  Please weigh in with opinions :)

You could put in pretty new wood, then make something like a coffee table or work bench out of your original bed.

One of our pilots years ago made a coffee table out of a Beechcraft King Air flap that we had to replace.

My wife weighed in with this:  you can always replace it, but you'll never be able to replicate it.   You can put a tonneau cover on the bed, and the whole truck will look new... then remove it to show the trucks history.

I'm leaning that way again :D. Still happy to hear opinions.  Maybe the body shop guy swayed me...

It is always good to follow our mate's suggestions.

However, you are restoring the outside, with no patina - right?  So is the bed with patina going to be in keeping with the theme? And if you don't have a "theme" then how do you know you are doing it correctly?

People are going to say "It is your truck, so do it your way."  Good advice.  But, how do you know "your way"?

My theme on Dad's truck is "As Ford could have done it."  The implication there is that they had this technology or these parts so could have built the truck as I'm doing it.  However, I've taken some rather big liberties there by using technology they only developed later, like the E4OD transmission and EFI.  But other than the heads and cam, all else is from Ford.  (So far, but I'm not done.)

Anyway, I'm just suggesting you have a theme for the truck.

Gary Lewis wrote

It is always good to follow our mate's suggestions.

However, you are restoring the outside, with no patina - right?  So is the bed with patina going to be in keeping with the theme? And if you don't have a "theme" then how do you know you are doing it correctly?

People are going to say "It is your truck, so do it your way."  Good advice.  But, how do you know "your way"?

My theme on Dad's truck is "As Ford could have done it."  The implication there is that they had this technology or these parts so could have built the truck as I'm doing it.  However, I've taken some rather big liberties there by using technology they only developed later, like the E4OD transmission and EFI.  But other than the heads and cam, all else is from Ford.  (So far, but I'm not done.)

Anyway, I'm just suggesting you have a theme for the truck.

If I listened to my mate all the time I would be driving a newer $10,000+ truck than my flare side. Happy I did not listen then

See I cant see doing the outside and leaving the bed floor "then looking like crap" but that's me.
All or nothing and as you know I am for the "ALL" way

I hear you on what FORD should have done back then.
Why did they ever put one 16 gallon gas tank on the flare sides? Love that I added the 19 gallon rear tank and everything is from a factory truck so when parts are needed, other than the age, I should be able to find them.

On the bed floor I do like a nice looking wood floor but cant really put anything in the bed with out hurting the wood. The metal floor that I also used from a factory bed floor is great as I can throw things in the bed and not worry about hurting the wood floor. I do worry about scratching the inside of the bed walls so I just be extra careful.

Only modern type of thing I did was put the driving / fog lights in the front bumper.
Factory did not do this till many years later but it makes the front of the truck much cleaner looking than having lights above or below the bumper.
Dave ----

Gary and Dave, thanks for weighing in.  Appreciate your thoughts...

As to the theme of the truck, Gary that's a really good point.  I've given it a bit of thought since reading your post, and to articulate it:

The truck is really despite it's rough exterior, an original survivor.  I'd like to respect that, and keep as much of the originality intact as possible.  Cleaning original stickers, keeping all the factory smog stuff on, and the like. When I can get to the body shop will return to original paint color.  That said, I'm thinking I'll tolerate light modifications like a brush guard and a few lights...

So to summarize:  Maybe the theme is "What it looked like in the first year, after minor modifications like a grille guard and lights"   "The cool '80s truck running around your town".   Without going over the top.

Now as to the bed, here's my quandary.  As it sits, it's a bit of a time capsule.  It has all the factory heat shields, the "mystery piece" of square steel... all right where the factory put it.   I wonder how many other original wood beds are out there.  To that end, part of me wants to keep it untouched and try to preserve it.  It would also meant it's not perfect and if I scratch it no worries.

Maybe I'm the only one that cares about that though?  Maybe I should just take a ton of pictures to preserve it as a reference, and pull it out.  A new wood bed in there, with all the heat shields returned to the right spot etc. could be sharp.  That goes to your to your point Dave.

I could even put the "mystery piece" back where it goes.    Could leave the patina of the bed strips and inside the bed just to tell the story, if I want patina.  

Argh :)  

Ken

IT is a tuff call and you are the only one that can answer that.

As for the heat tins on the under side.
I did not have them from the flare side but had the longer ones from the LB style side.
I was able to trim I think it was the front one shorter to fit them back on the now SB under sideand it looks factory.
Dave ----

Ken - I feel your pain.  Been there, agonized over similar decisions.

But it isn't an irrevocable decision if you decide to stay with what you have since you can always change your mind later.  Try it the way it is for a while and see what you think.  These trucks are never done anyway.