My "little" project

[PetesPonies]

First of all, there no turning pink. Whoever told you that has no idea about painting. I've been painting for 44 years now. I taught Auto for over 20 years as well. You need to be careful where you get info and what to believe. That is just idiotic.

However, I suggested to paint the white first, not worrying about any taping or exactly where the white ended.. Then come back and tape the white off and spray the red.That is the most logical way. But if the truck was white with a red center, exactly opposite as the one posted, I then would paint the red first. And , then come back with the white last.And . . there would be no pink . .wow.

It was from my dad who been doing body work back in the late 40's, again the paint was a whole lot different back then.

You ever do a 1 coat hot enamel paint job with no reducer then a 50/50 cut mist for the second and last coat? As it cools and dries if flows out like glass without sanding & buffing.

Cant do that with todays paint as it is the wrong type of enamel paint and the heat speeds up hardener if it is added.

Back then it took so much longer for paint to cure, like a hot paint job, that it could bleed colors and why I said that.

Because I don't do this every day when I go into get paint supplies I sometimes get strange looks and have to explain to the young person what I am looking for.

I only have 1 more project to paint and that will be it for body work& painting for me.

Dave ----

Paint was lacquer. Lacquer never chemically cures. When you spray more lacquer over lacquer all ready there, it loosens the old paint and mixes. Enamel won't even do that, much less urethanes. They go through a chemical curing. I could prime the car in black primer and spray it white. It might take an extra coat. Tinted primers are used when working with transparent paints. It can save a coat of expensive paint. But if it isn't transparent, it isn't needed.

[PetesPonies]

Paint was lacquer. Lacquer never chemically cures. When you spray more lacquer over lacquer all ready there, it loosens the old paint and mixes. Enamel won't even do that, much less urethanes. They go through a chemical curing. I could prime the car in black primer and spray it white. It might take an extra coat. Tinted primers are used when working with transparent paints. It can save a coat of expensive paint. But if it isn't transparent, it isn't needed.

Put the painted bed on today.

[Rembrant]

Put the painted bed on today.

Lookin' good Pete! Are you doing a plastic bed liner or a roll on?

[Gary Lewis]

Put the painted bed on today.

Looks great!

But did you use straps to lift it? If so, I'm curious why. I would have thought you'd use the rubber pads on the lift to raise it, so I'm seeking to learn.

[FuzzFace2]

Looks great!

But did you use straps to lift it? If so, I'm curious why. I would have thought you'd use the rubber pads on the lift to raise it, so I'm seeking to learn.

Yes does look great.

Looks great!

But did you use straps to lift it? If so, I'm curious why. I would have thought you'd use the rubber pads on the lift to raise it, so I'm seeking to learn.

Gary I am thinking you cant lift it from below as where would you put the rubber pads?

You can't lift from the lower bed side as they are not stiff enough and would fold like a wet paper towel.

I am guessing he lifts at the stake pockets with straps around the arms.

I do the same on my flare side but my straps go around the rafters and down to the bed stake pockets.

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

Yes does look great.

Looks great!

But did you use straps to lift it? If so, I'm curious why. I would have thought you'd use the rubber pads on the lift to raise it, so I'm seeking to learn.

Gary I am thinking you cant lift it from below as where would you put the rubber pads?

You can't lift from the lower bed side as they are not stiff enough and would fold like a wet paper towel.

I am guessing he lifts at the stake pockets with straps around the arms.

I do the same on my flare side but my straps go around the rafters and down to the bed stake pockets.

Dave ----

Dave - Maybe I got lucky, but I've lifted on the bottom of the bed sides. Both with the lift as well as carried a bed from the front of the shop to the back. And didn't have any problems with it folding or bending. But I can see the issue.

As for lifting from the stake pockets, that would solve the bendy problem, but now you have the potential for sway. And then the bed could hit the cab. Perhaps if you keep the straps really, really short?

As said, I'm seeking to learn. I'm not anticipating picking up the bed, but the cab on Dad's truck. That's so I can drop the engine and tranny in as a unit and install the rear cross member, which has to be positioned and new holes drilled, so I need the cab out of the way But, I want to ensure I don't damage the cab or the bed in the process.

[FuzzFace2]

Dave - Maybe I got lucky, but I've lifted on the bottom of the bed sides. Both with the lift as well as carried a bed from the front of the shop to the back. And didn't have any problems with it folding or bending. But I can see the issue.

As for lifting from the stake pockets, that would solve the bendy problem, but now you have the potential for sway. And then the bed could hit the cab. Perhaps if you keep the straps really, really short?

As said, I'm seeking to learn. I'm not anticipating picking up the bed, but the cab on Dad's truck. That's so I can drop the engine and tranny in as a unit and install the rear cross member, which has to be positioned and new holes drilled, so I need the cab out of the way But, I want to ensure I don't damage the cab or the bed in the process.

Lifting the cab with the pads under the stiff rockers is fine, heck I even supported mine on horses under the rockers with out issues.

As for lifting with straps and sway I don't think you can get any longer than mine from the rafters, have to use a 6' ladder to put the strap over the beam, so they are pretty long and never had issues with sway.

I also have to lower 1 strap at a time so I lower the bed as close to the frame as I can before I push the truck back under it.

I also think (been a long time since I played with the bed / floor) I only had to deal with the floor. Once on the frame I then use the straps to help hold a side till I get the front panel bolted to it. I can then bolt the 2nd side to the front panel and then the sides to the floor.

But to be safe I hang a moving blanket over the back of the cab just in case.

But on a style side bed you could hang a blanket over the bed so not to hurt the cab paint.

Come paint time I plan to paint the bed apart then bolt it together and store it in the house garage (don't tell the wife her car has to go outside) till the truck is painted. I hope I can move it on the trailer for the garden tractor. So I think a blanket on the bed when installing it on the frame for the last time (I hope) will work using the straps.

It's what has worked for me so far.

Dave ----

 

[PetesPonies]

Looks great!

But did you use straps to lift it? If so, I'm curious why. I would have thought you'd use the rubber pads on the lift to raise it, so I'm seeking to learn.

Lifting with straps works great, easy peasy. A bed certainly could be lifted by the channels under neath. BUT, you have to lift it to get it in under the channels. Then when sitting down on the dolly, you have the same issue again. Then twice more taking it off the dolly and back on the frame of the truck. Straps, it's easy. One man job, did it with no help. Here's a pic of it sitting on the dolly.

Also, figured something out that is Bullnose related . . the early tailgates, I think 1980, '81 and maybe '82 Bullnose, use the same tailgate pivot bushing as the early Rangers. This is significant because the bushing are made for these Bullnose tailgates. Carpenter has them. But no one advertises them as fitting the early Rangers as well. And none of the early Ranger people I spoke with knew this. So there :)

 

[Gary Lewis]

Lifting with straps works great, easy peasy. A bed certainly could be lifted by the channels under neath. BUT, you have to lift it to get it in under the channels. Then when sitting down on the dolly, you have the same issue again. Then twice more taking it off the dolly and back on the frame of the truck. Straps, it's easy. One man job, did it with no help. Here's a pic of it sitting on the dolly.

Also, figured something out that is Bullnose related . . the early tailgates, I think 1980, '81 and maybe '82 Bullnose, use the same tailgate pivot bushing as the early Rangers. This is significant because the bushing are made for these Bullnose tailgates. Carpenter has them. But no one advertises them as fitting the early Rangers as well. And none of the early Ranger people I spoke with knew this. So there :)

Pete - You are right about the "Insert (Tailgate Hinge Opening), aka pivot bushing. Except, it was used 1983-86 on the Bullnose, and 1983-88 on the Ranger, as shown here: Exterior/Beds, Tailgates, & Components. (However, that part didn't show until just now, and as I added it I left the Ranger application info in just for you. )

As for the straps, what do you hook them to in the stake pocket?

[PetesPonies]

Pete - You are right about the "Insert (Tailgate Hinge Opening), aka pivot bushing. Except, it was used 1983-86 on the Bullnose, and 1983-88 on the Ranger, as shown here: Exterior/Beds, Tailgates, & Components. (However, that part didn't show until just now, and as I added it I left the Ranger application info in just for you. )

As for the straps, what do you hook them to in the stake pocket?

Just the lip of the pocket. The weight of the bed is enough tension. The hook is held in tight.