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WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

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85lebaront2

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

I don't know that I would want to, those are the convertible top latch areas, and with the top down are right in the sun. That was why I sent the satin finish powder, so they won't be shiny. If it won't make them too reflective it would be ok, but it's going to get worn off where the guide pin and hook fit.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Ok, let's not then.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Bill - The "satin" black is more like semi-gloss.

Here are some pics to try to show it, but it is hard to tell. I've left it masked in case you want me to shoot it again with something flatter. But, I've not gotten good coverage with second coats, so I'm not sure that'll work very well.

Anyway, I'll hold off unmasking or sanding until you tell me what you want to do.

Here it is in sunshine:

And here 'tis in the shop with flash:

And here it is w/o flash:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

And here's the rest of the story.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I thought you were asking about the top latch and guide pieces. They were the ones I ordered the silver in a satin finish for. Valve cover looks great! Once the ribs and letters are sanded and a clear coat put on it will look very nice on the Pontiac blue-green engine and clear coated aluminum head.

The other bits look great too. I assume I will need a padded wrench for reassembly?

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Yes, you will need a padded wrench. I use tape and an oversized 6-point socket to install things. And I kept the threads clear, for the most part, so things will be easier to install.

Having said that, those studs have powder on the top threads because you want the very top to be black. So those nuts, which I don't have, are going to damage those threads. You may want to touch up the threads, which shouldn't be too difficult with the black.

Anyway, I'll now do the sanding on the ribs and the letters. Do you what the CHRYSLER letters sanded? Or just the TURBO, along with the ribs? I'm wondering if all of the letters being aluminum would be too much. Your call.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Here is what the painted one looked like:

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Looks good. We'll do that.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

NotEnoughTrucks

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Well, this weekend marked the beginning of the end for my old war wagon, (the red 84 in my avatar).

Too much rust to continue driving it. Parked it last summer and found a buyer for the 351W and C6. Had a date with the wrenches this weekend. I'm gonna miss that truck!

Of course, parts will live on in my Frankentruck project.

Frank Wyatt

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I've done a few things to my truck yesterday. I replaced the broken exhaust donut gasket that I was unable to convince the muffler shop to replace, even though they had a torch to heat the flange nuts and air tools. A little PB Blaster and a 1/2" drive breaker bar and they came loose. I replaced the sintered iron one with the Felpro composite donut as the iron one wasn't even all there any more. No wonder why it had gotten so loud. I adjusted the distributor for a little more advance at idle. I still need to drive it to determine if it will be OK or if I'll have to take some back out, now that I'll be able to hear if it is pinging. I also removed a spider web of messed up plastic vacuum lines and I have every thing hooked back up and functioning except the vapor recovery. I'll have to get some new vacuum line and connectors and get it hooked back up. The choke hot air tube also got replaced and it is working again so far.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

You were BUSY! Getting the exhaust off is an accomplishment alone, but to get all the rest of that done is excellent!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Frank Wyatt

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be based on my previous replacement of that donut. I could not see the nuts before so this time I took the air cleaner pre-heat stove off and was able to see the nuts this time. That made the job much easier. It still took me the most part of my available daylight due to the limited use of my left arm due to a near fatal head on collision with a semi eight years ago that crushed it from my elbow to wrist. I am also VERY stiff due to nagging back issues since still, but it feels good to have gotten that out of the way. That was also the only thing that has been done to it in the last eight years other than the Thrush glass pack two years ago. Next will be heater core and maybe replace the differential as the rear pinion shaft bearing has no bearings in it. The rear axle has been like that for ten years by the way.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

grumpin

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

white knite wrote

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be based on my previous replacement of that donut. I could not see the nuts before so this time I took the air cleaner pre-heat stove off and was able to see the nuts this time. That made the job much easier. It still took me the most part of my available daylight due to the limited use of my left arm due to a near fatal head on collision with a semi eight years ago that crushed it from my elbow to wrist. I am also VERY stiff due to nagging back issues since still, but it feels good to have gotten that out of the way. That was also the only thing that has been done to it in the last eight years other than the Thrush glass pack two years ago. Next will be heater core and maybe replace the differential as the rear pinion shaft bearing has no bearings in it. The rear axle has been like that for ten years by the way.

Good job! Keep it up. I was in a car wreck in 1979, and a very serious car wreck in 1981. I'm limited on what I can do, and it ain't getting any better.

Those are great accomplishments and keeps your spirit going!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Frank Wyatt

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Thanks.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Frank Wyatt

Without knowing what your problems are I was impressed with what you got done. But knowing a bit about the problems makes the accomplishments even more impressive. Well done!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

scbill

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Took brown out for a fun run, loaded with firewood, that old "6" never even grunted or squated, just took it on home.
Finished installing step boards, secured battery with new holdown, checked front brakes, got one rotor with a high spot, looks like new brakes and lines tho.Got new dash pad, just leting it lay and get the wrinkles out before I velcro it in place.

1983 F100 XL 300, 6 cyl, aod, long bed
1961 E100 pickup, 289,C4

Gary Lewis

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

SCBill - Looks like you had a good day.

And, I had a good day as well because I got my project done.

First, a shot of what Eastwood's Reflective Chrome looks like:

But, then I had a "realization" when I started sanding on a certain Chizzler's valve cover. And, that realization was that it is best to sand lettering and ribs flat before you do the base powder coat. Otherwise you'll find that the factory didn't waste any time making the letters flat and you'll have a LOT of sanding to do - all the while making sure you don't hit your new powder. This is after a lot of sanding, as witnessed by the aluminum running down the valve cover.

But, sometimes you get lucky.

Here's what a coat of satin clear looks like before it is cured in the oven. (I heated the cover in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes and then laid the powder down on it since it is hard to get electrostatic attraction through the base coat of powder. But uncured powder sticks to hot surfaces.)

And then, after curing it here's what the satin looks like:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

Very much aware of the amount of sanding needed. I had two young bucks doing the intake plenum and valve cover. One is related to me, the other was his neighbor at the time in Virginia Beach.

It looks great! I thought I had sent a semi-gloss for the convertible top hardware. You only really needed to do the best set of them, I guess I will keep the others for spares.

Right now, if we have some decently temperate weather, I am trying to get all the remaining windshield sealer off the body so I can clean up any rust and paint the area. After that I have to stick the dash shell in and top cover and measure what I need to come up with to fill the difference in windshield contour between the 1986 windshield and 1989 dash.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

That looks amazing!

It also looks like a lot of tedious work

Great job.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Angelo Voltura

Re: WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

Fixed some wiring that got broken when I was hit by a friends truck image few weeks ago in my tail light. Replaced the lense with an aftermarket one. Also ordered 4 new chrome 6" KC lights and my black and red covers arrived in the mail today.

1978 F150 351W
1979 F150 "410M"
1979 F100 302
1979 F250 400
1987 F150 300
1990 F150 302
1991 F150 300
1995 F150 (1985 clip swapped) 300
1997 F250 351W

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