Little Black Gets A Face Lift And A Ride [LOTSA Pics.]

Effie · Post by **Effie** » May 2, 2009, 9:36 pm

Well, it's been awhile since I've done an update...other than my frustration/vent thread.

We're still working on getting the engine together, but while pulling stuff off the old engine my brother looks and studies and decides there's not too much to taking the fenders off. Little more and the inner fenders/core support will come off. And it'll be Sooo much easier to do an engine swap with the front clip off. Plus easier to prepare the engine bay. And as all automotive projects go, one things leads to another and "well, while we're doing this much...."

Then he finds out he's probably gonna have to spend a week in Tennessee on a job site and that will severely limit truck working time in the evening if he's not there to help and guide me. We proceeded to work quickly and got Little Black to the point the body shop could have it to paint. We'll just have to be super, double barrel careful putting the engine in after it's all painted.

Anyhow, on with the pics....

One fender off:

Nice core support:

Wow, lookit how convenient to reach the engine now:

I wanna whoop the doofus that used this sticky dum-dum crap on ever nook and cranny possible. Like they could possibly make this truck less drafty:

Cleans up nice with a little sand blasting, sure easier than sanding

Before the oven cleaner and pressure washer:

Heh, cheated a little:

All clean:

Sanded down and ready for some Rust Shield:

The only real rust on the whole truck:

Oooooh, prreeeeeetty:

Nice floor pans:

Time to go for a ride:

I've got a satin black for the inner fenders/core support. And I'll probably use the Rust Shield on the underside of the inner fenders.

I'm also gonna update my engine build thread with some new pics.

Probably be two weeks before I get him back. I'll take pics as the body shop progresses. I work for a Ford dealer and our body shop agreed to paint it. It'll be base/clear Black.

Little Black is gonna look SLICK.

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » May 2, 2009, 9:42 pm

i'd kill for a core support that clean. lol. the ol' girl looks good. can't wait to see the finished product.

jkimbrel65 · Post by **jkimbrel65** » May 2, 2009, 9:45 pm

Congrats on the progress Keep up the good work

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » May 3, 2009, 1:45 am

Little Blacks looking good !,Effie, that crane sure would be handy for oil change time,

Hoofbeat Racer · Post by **Hoofbeat Racer** » May 3, 2009, 2:23 am

Way to go on your truck Effie. I know that once it is all back together you will be glad that you took the extra time and effort. Little black is gonna be even slicker when its back together. Thanks fot the pics. Helps keep the wolves at bay

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » May 3, 2009, 3:27 pm

wish I could've found a truck with as little rust as that!! The truck is looking great Effie. looking forward to the paint pics. I think these ol' trucks look great black, just can't make mine look smooth enough to do black. Keep us posted...... Anthony

Effie · Post by **Effie** » May 3, 2009, 8:57 pm

Thanks for all the replies and compliments. I'm excited.

Yeah, Anthony black looks great, but it sure is a bear to get right and take care of.

coledaddy541 · Post by **coledaddy541** » May 3, 2009, 11:44 pm

lookin good effie, can't wait to see it!!!

kstones63 · Post by **kstones63** » May 5, 2009, 11:19 pm

Your truck looks good Effie. Do what you want to now while it is apart but draw a line in the sand where you want to stop because you can go crazy on these tucks..
Keep up the good work.
Kevin

Effie · Post by **Effie** » May 6, 2009, 12:00 pm

kstones63 wrote:Do what you want to now while it is apart but draw a line in the sand where you want to stop because you can go crazy on these trucks..

Yeah, I'm figuring that out. My brother wanted it to look super dooper show worthy, I just wanted it to look good and be one color.

The good thing about it being here where I work, I can go see it every day. Monday when they rolled it in the shop, they weren't busy, Monday after lunch they got covered up and they've been busy ever since. So not much has been done.

There were some excess holes on the bed rail where guys have attached things through the years, he got those welded up. And I think they've got some of the bolts for the bed loose. The painter was bored and got the underside of the hood painted, so I got to a very small taste of what's to come. I took a couple pics, but not much to see so far.

Effie · Post by **Effie** » May 13, 2009, 9:02 am

Took the core support off the inner fenders yesterday for more sand blasting and painting.

[Thumbnails, click for fullsize pic.]

There is one bad spot on the back side of the core support.
Before:

After:

Pile of clean parts:

Shot the underside of the inner fenders with SEM Rust Shield:

Did the backside of the fenders with it, too:

Hood hinges and battery tray sand blasted and primed:

I hope I remember where all this stuff goes:

Oh and still no update pics from the body shop. They haven't touched it.

I'm gonna tell them today when I take the fenders up there that they've got two weeks. We're leaving for Oklahoma next Thursday then I'll have another day off when we get back when we can come get the truck. The only thing is, I won't be here to take any pics.