Old Blue - 1984 XL Flareside

[FuzzFace2]

Yeah, a little bit. But it’ll probably be ok as is. I imagine an air dam of some sort could be made to prevent air from getting through that gap, but probably not worth the trouble.

I’m to the stage in this project where I just want to be able to drive this thing again haha.

Oh I hear you on just want to drive it again.

I was in the same place after 4 years of working on my truck.

On the air dam there is one across the top between the radiator and condenser so air would be pulled through the condenser.

I have the top one and I should check to see if I have gaps like you have on mine after spacing the bottom out.

Dave ----

[ckuske]

Oh I hear you on just want to drive it again.

I was in the same place after 4 years of working on my truck.

On the air dam there is one across the top between the radiator and condenser so air would be pulled through the condenser.

I have the top one and I should check to see if I have gaps like you have on mine after spacing the bottom out.

Dave ----

I'm at four years as well. I was slow in the beginning but now that I'm working from home, I find more time to trot out to the garage between Zoom meetings haha.

My goal is to be "done" this time next year, minus paint. Major work (assuming I've not botched anything in the engine bay) that remains is:

Repaint/reinstall interior

Take bed off, repair rusted front crossmember

Replace bed wood

Then, paint!

[ckuske]

I'm at four years as well. I was slow in the beginning but now that I'm working from home, I find more time to trot out to the garage between Zoom meetings haha.

My goal is to be "done" this time next year, minus paint. Major work (assuming I've not botched anything in the engine bay) that remains is:

Repaint/reinstall interior

Take bed off, repair rusted front crossmember

Replace bed wood

Then, paint!

So, I'm waiting for the rubber radiator mounts to come before I can move forward in the engine bay, so I decided to start scrubbing/cleaning up the cab. I've already stripped out all the plastic and dash, as I plan to paint everything in SEM in the next couple months so it matches.

There was some remaining glued down insulation on the passenger floor that I needed to remove, so I tore it out and had a nasty surprise. I realize this is probably minor compared to East Coast/Midwest trucks, but I was surprised as this has been a California truck all its life.

When the truck was still my dads, I remember that the heater core sprung a leak in the early 90s. Back then, the original rubber flooring were installed... maybe some of the water leeched underneath the rubber flooring and became trapped and no one knew any better?

The steel doesn't seem weak, you can press on the edges of the holes and it doesn't give. I'm thinking about just patching the small holes with something like QuikSteel after putting Evaporust on it and then spraying some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator in the affected area. Any advice would be appreciated.

Since I'm going to be painting in the cab now anyway, I was thikning of trying to paint the floor pan etc myself with the original paint (3L) as this is what I intend to get done in the next year or two for the exterior. Has anyone done this with the Preval sprayer? I don't have air tools etc. And, any ideas of where I could procure a quart or so of this paint? I can call around locally but I didn't know if there was a known website to get small amounts of exterior paint.

 

[Gary Lewis]

So, I'm waiting for the rubber radiator mounts to come before I can move forward in the engine bay, so I decided to start scrubbing/cleaning up the cab. I've already stripped out all the plastic and dash, as I plan to paint everything in SEM in the next couple months so it matches.

There was some remaining glued down insulation on the passenger floor that I needed to remove, so I tore it out and had a nasty surprise. I realize this is probably minor compared to East Coast/Midwest trucks, but I was surprised as this has been a California truck all its life.

When the truck was still my dads, I remember that the heater core sprung a leak in the early 90s. Back then, the original rubber flooring were installed... maybe some of the water leeched underneath the rubber flooring and became trapped and no one knew any better?

The steel doesn't seem weak, you can press on the edges of the holes and it doesn't give. I'm thinking about just patching the small holes with something like QuikSteel after putting Evaporust on it and then spraying some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator in the affected area. Any advice would be appreciated.

Since I'm going to be painting in the cab now anyway, I was thikning of trying to paint the floor pan etc myself with the original paint (3L) as this is what I intend to get done in the next year or two for the exterior. Has anyone done this with the Preval sprayer? I don't have air tools etc. And, any ideas of where I could procure a quart or so of this paint? I can call around locally but I didn't know if there was a known website to get small amounts of exterior paint.

I found similar holes in Big Blue's floor, and I cleaned it really well and brazed it. Then I coated it with POR15. You can see what I did starting here.

[ckuske]

I found similar holes in Big Blue's floor, and I cleaned it really well and brazed it. Then I coated it with POR15. You can see what I did starting here.

I’ll check that out, I have a propane torch - do you think that’d work? Google results seem split but “yeah, probably”

I’m not a rust expert thankfully, but this is a little different than what I’m used to seeing - it’s raised but not hollow bubbles either. Not sure what to call it. Scale maybe? But it’s not easily removed - I took a wire brush to it in a drill and it really didn’t budge.

[Gary Lewis]

I’ll check that out, I have a propane torch - do you think that’d work? Google results seem split but “yeah, probably”

I’m not a rust expert thankfully, but this is a little different than what I’m used to seeing - it’s raised but not hollow bubbles either. Not sure what to call it. Scale maybe? But it’s not easily removed - I took a wire brush to it in a drill and it really didn’t budge.

I use MAPP gas in my "propane" torch and it works well. Easily got the floor hot enough to braze. And I used the flux-coated brazing rods.

On the rust, I'd try a chisel on it. You want to make sure that nothing is going to come loose, either while brazing or later when the floor flexes.

[ckuske]

I use MAPP gas in my "propane" torch and it works well. Easily got the floor hot enough to braze. And I used the flux-coated brazing rods.

On the rust, I'd try a chisel on it. You want to make sure that nothing is going to come loose, either while brazing or later when the floor flexes.

Thanks Gary. I went to Lowe’s this morning and got some MAPP gas and some brazing rods. We shall see how I do!

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary. I went to Lowe’s this morning and got some MAPP gas and some brazing rods. We shall see how I do!

Good luck, Chris!

[ckuske]

Good luck, Chris!

Thanks! I got some Evaporust gel, gonna let that sit tonight and see how much it cleans up. I'm taking my son fishing out on the ocean tomorrow, so I'll probably try to braze on Tuesday. I'll send out an update at that point.

I was told by someone at work a few years older than me - if your teenager asks you to go do something with them... do it! As most of us on this board remember what being a 14 year old boy was like, I can't say it's bad advice! haha

 

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks! I got some Evaporust gel, gonna let that sit tonight and see how much it cleans up. I'm taking my son fishing out on the ocean tomorrow, so I'll probably try to braze on Tuesday. I'll send out an update at that point.

I was told by someone at work a few years older than me - if your teenager asks you to go do something with them... do it! As most of us on this board remember what being a 14 year old boy was like, I can't say it's bad advice! haha

That's good advice! Glad you are doing something with him.

And that Evaporust might be just the ticket for cleaning things up.