'66 F100 Custom Cab Short/Styleside Factory Correct Resto

[theastronaut]

Those last shots look like they have orange peel in them? Is that just some kind of high build primer or what is going on there? I know you know what you're are doing so can you explain? Does it flow out as it cures?

That is Slick Sand high build. It is very thick so it doesn't flow out well, even when thinned 10%. That is the final texture, it doesn't get any smoother. It sands well with 80 grit though so it knocks down quickly.

[theastronaut]

More block sanding... Seems like this part never ends! We did this Tuesday and Wednesday, Rodney took the day off and I cleaned up and extra stall we weren't using. Needed a rest from blocking for two days straight.

I cut down and reshaped a Durablock to fit the bed floor grooves.




Then glued it to an inline sander. This saved a ton of time! I usually hate these things for any other kind of sanding but it worked well for this.




After blocking the top and bottom grooves, the edges needed sanding. Bottom masked off to keep the block from cutting stray grooves into the primer.






After sanding.




Fixing the high/low spots with a skim of filler.




Blocking the driver side... again.




Using PVC to shape the concave area.




Checking the reflection after blocking with 80 grit by wiping wax and grease remover over the surface. You can see how well the reflection carries over from the bed side to the bed corner.




The spot that was cut out and welded back in didn't need any filler, any distortion blocked out with just high build.

[rickairmedic]

Their gonna have to put foam down to set the lawn chairs and easy up on in that bed . Better still tell them to get a small trailer to carry stuff in no point in risking all that work on the bed floor even with a sheet of foam protecting it .


Rick

[loosrp]

Awesome work!!

[theastronaut]

Their gonna have to put foam down to set the lawn chairs and easy up on in that bed . Better still tell them to get a small trailer to carry stuff in no point in risking all that work on the bed floor even with a sheet of foam protecting it .


Rick

Yeah, it'll need it's own support vehicle... We'll end up on America's Most Wanted if he hauls anything in the bed...

Awesome work!!

Thanks!

[theastronaut]

Well, the inside of the bed is all been blocked out, and any high/low spots touched up. Just shot three coats of PPG K36 so we can wetsand and paint it. The outside of the bed bed is in Slick Sand, ready for what should be the last round of blocking.

[cwindsor]

That bed is CRAZY NICE!

[theastronaut]

That bed is CRAZY NICE!

Thanks!!

[theastronaut]

Did some work on the door gaps. Welded up the edges with 1/8" steel welding rods to close the gap, then used a feeler gauge to get them all even.













Also made a new cab corner piece. It has a few bumps from hammering it out but it'll hafta do. These are unavailable.

[skidoorulz]

Cab corners are available through Dennis Carpenter, Mac's, LMC truck and a few other suppliers. Keep up the good work and keep posting pictures

[theastronaut]

Cab corners are available through Dennis Carpenter, Mac's, LMC truck and a few other suppliers. Keep up the good work and keep posting pictures

We somehow overlooked those when ordering parts... oh well, the wait for shipping was pretty short on this one!

[rickairmedic]

Yours are probably made better and will be less hassle to fit .


Rick

[theastronaut]

Yours are probably made better and will be less hassle to fit .


Rick

It fit pretty well, minimal finagling to get it on.

[theastronaut]

Inside of cab corner coated with chassis saver and welded on. I left the bottom edge uneven to match the factory sloppiness.







Right door gaps mostly finished. Need to go across the bottom still, and can't do the front edge until the front clip is on.

[Shadow]

I Just Thought Of Something Funny. What If You Built A Truck This Precise For Somebody, And Upon Seeing The Finished Perfect Truck The Guy Was So "Anal" He Started Pointing Out Flaws! Believe Me That Guy Exists & Is Out There Somewhere!....................

[Toyz]

Definitely out there! I have a buddy who bought a '69 out of a museum; and then "corrected" it to his satisfaction! He called once asking why he could not get all gaps on the trunk lid perfectly even. Another time he was removing a very small decal from one side of the car, stating it was off location by almost a quarter inch!
The car is a lot more "perfect" than any which came off the production line.
If you think this guy is anal, you ought to see what goes on at some of the early Corvette judgings.
Paul

[theastronaut]

Yeah the Corvette restoration guys are nuts. I didn't know until recently that's there are guys who rent out their restored, date coded, correct Vette parts to guys having their cars judged/verified so that they'll have all the right parts to get the paperwork stating that the car is all correct. Then they remove the parts and send them back... So the car is declared "correct" because it has paperwork from the NCRS or whoever, but really isn't once the owner's parts go back on instead of the ones he rented to make it temporarily correct.

[theastronaut]

I Just Thought Of Something Funny. What If You Built A Truck This Precise For Somebody, And Upon Seeing The Finished Perfect Truck The Guy Was So "Anal" He Started Pointing Out Flaws! Believe Me That Guy Exists & Is Out There Somewhere!....................

When they start that, just ask them what they drove to the show...

[theastronaut]

Had to make the cowl drains since they aren't reproduced. Started with a paper template, the wrinkles show what areas need to be shrunk.



















Prepped the passenger side with Chassis Saver. Have to get the kick panel in before I can finish the drain for this side.




Fitted and tacked the driver side floor in place.




Then fully welded.







Kick panel tacked in place.

[Shadow]

Those Floor Pans Great. Are You Going To Use A Set Of Tom's Cab-Mounts Or Fab Your Own?