WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Gary Lewis]

A big step forward and two giant steps back.

The step forward: Finally got the cab painted. (Pic below before clear sprayed). Painting is going better with more knowledge and practice - like everything.

Now..for the giant steps back. I should have painted the cab first. So that, once the fenders were painted, I could have installed them. Instead, I ended up moving the fenders a half dozen times to keep them from being oversprayed on, etc. Big mistake.

This morning as I was cleaning the barn prepping to spray the cab, both fenders fell over. Scratched and dinged...I will now get some more knowledge and practice on fixing them.

Proof that I am not one of those guys that only shows their successes without also showing their giant bone head moments.

Erik - BUMMER! That is so awful! I'm so sorry.

[viven44]

Jeff - I've been "otherwise engaged" of late. So I'm missing a lot of posts.

Vivek - I'm surprised it would cool at all after all of these years.

Yes I was shocked too... I was just hoping to do a R134 top off .........

Ronnie would be the first male owner of this truck. The 2 prior owners were women. It looks like the ladies can keep trucks pretty original.... They don't hotrod like the boys

[viven44]

A big step forward and two giant steps back.

The step forward: Finally got the cab painted. (Pic below before clear sprayed). Painting is going better with more knowledge and practice - like everything.

Now..for the giant steps back. I should have painted the cab first. So that, once the fenders were painted, I could have installed them. Instead, I ended up moving the fenders a half dozen times to keep them from being oversprayed on, etc. Big mistake.

This morning as I was cleaning the barn prepping to spray the cab, both fenders fell over. Scratched and dinged...I will now get some more knowledge and practice on fixing them.

Proof that I am not one of those guys that only shows their successes without also showing their giant bone head moments.

That paint looks great! That is the highlight.

I am sure you can ignore those dings ... glass half full:nabble_smiley_wink:

[viven44]

That paint looks great! That is the highlight.

I am sure you can ignore those dings ... glass half full:nabble_smiley_wink:

Getting a new windshield on Ol’ blue (or Blue streak as Ronnie calls him)…

I’m a bit of a control freak and windshield replacement is probably the only job I outsource as it needs to be done right the first time.

I still like to remove the inner and outer trim myself first. As I was struggling to remove the outer trim with a little pick, my windshield pro was like “you need this?”

This made the job a lot easier

[Gary Lewis]

That paint looks great! That is the highlight.

I am sure you can ignore those dings ... glass half full:nabble_smiley_wink:

Between continuing to disassemble the 216 from the '50 and adding pages for 3D printing I decided to do something on Big Blue. After all, our show is coming four weeks from today, and I plan to take BB to my home town two weeks later for the Last Run show. So I need to work on some details.

Today was the rubber on the trim behind the doors on the cab corners. It has been missing since I got the truck and people have donated the full trim pieces, but it is a pain to get up into the corner to replace the whole piece. So I peeled the rubber off the trim pieces and glued it on to the trim that is installed on the truck using 3M Hi-Strength 90 Spray Adhesive. I've used that successfully to hold emblems, like the Lariat one, in the chrome surround so I know it works well.

Here's a before & after: (But it looks like I need to cover that rust showing on the bed. It is just where a camper tiedown was. It isn't normally seen but the flash sure picked it up. )

[BigBrother-84]

Today was the rubber on the trim behind the doors on the cab corners. It has been missing since I got the truck and people have donated the full trim pieces, but it is a pain to get up into the corner to replace the whole piece.

[...]

Here's a before & after

Nice job Gary!

But it looks like I need to cover that rust showing on the bed. It is just where a camper tiedown was. It isn't normally seen but the flash sure picked it up. )

Simply cropping the pict before posting does the job.

[Gary Lewis]

Today was the rubber on the trim behind the doors on the cab corners. It has been missing since I got the truck and people have donated the full trim pieces, but it is a pain to get up into the corner to replace the whole piece.

[...]

Here's a before & after

Nice job Gary!

But it looks like I need to cover that rust showing on the bed. It is just where a camper tiedown was. It isn't normally seen but the flash sure picked it up. )

Simply cropping the pict before posting does the job.

Thanks, Jeff. Somehow I doubt the judges at the shows, plural, will crop like that. Maybe I'll park where the sun can't get in there?

I've not tried to clean that up, so will give it a try. Didn't know it looked that bad until the flash lit it up.

[essmaker]

Thanks, Jeff. Somehow I doubt the judges at the shows, plural, will crop like that. Maybe I'll park where the sun can't get in there?

I've not tried to clean that up, so will give it a try. Didn't know it looked that bad until the flash lit it up.

Slowly coming along. Aligning the fenders and hood is no simple task. Still working on it.

But, this is the most "together" this truck has been in a couple years. Glad to see if going back together rather than constantly taking more of it apart.

Next up is to start working on the doors and get them painted and then to either find a bed out there somewhere or get to building a nice flatbed.

[viven44]

Slowly coming along. Aligning the fenders and hood is no simple task. Still working on it.

But, this is the most "together" this truck has been in a couple years. Glad to see if going back together rather than constantly taking more of it apart.

Next up is to start working on the doors and get them painted and then to either find a bed out there somewhere or get to building a nice flatbed.

Well 2 months ago I sold my 99 Honda Accord and bought a 2023 model year "coupe". I was paranoid the whole time that I had to go to the dealership until the warranty period for oil changes.... they made it very clear that should a problem arise in the engine oiling system and there was no traceability for oil changes that the claim would be denied. I have a problem relinquishing control when it comes to servicing MY vehicles.... After much thought today I traded in that for a new 4WD SUV for my wife so all the school drop offs are problem free on rainy days ..... I did well on the trade-in, in fact came ahead surprisingly..... and this works because I know for the next 5 years I don't need to perform maintenance under duress. If any problem arises all I have to say is "go to the dealer"

As far as I am concerned, I am down to Big Blue 2WD and my Bronco depending on the weather for the foreseeable future.... I would drive my Bronco all the time but it draws too much attention (theft concerns) and Hagerty doesn't like to insure daily drivers... so I am looking for something with a 460 ZF5 w/AC as a daily driver since Ronnie is taking Blue Streak that we bought a couple days ago..

[ArdWrknTrk]

Slowly coming along. Aligning the fenders and hood is no simple task. Still working on it.

But, this is the most "together" this truck has been in a couple years. Glad to see if going back together rather than constantly taking more of it apart.

Next up is to start working on the doors and get them painted and then to either find a bed out there somewhere or get to building a nice flatbed.

Erik,

I'm going to suggest that you're far better off lining up the fenders after the doors are installed.

The doors need proper gap top and rear of the cab opening. (This is fixed and can never move)

Then the fender can be adjusted to the front of the door, and the hood to the cowl (which also doesn't move -much-)

Then with the hood centered, the fenders can shim up-down and in-out when the gap at the back of the hood is correct.

Caveat:

I'm definitely NOT a body man, but I do have time to observe between tows for the shop, and understand why A before B before C....

This is in no way a criticism, I just hate to think you do all this work and pinch the door-fender the first time you get the doors hung. 💡