Bruces Chopped 35

[bnelson]

What brand paint products you using?
I would take a couple of weeks off also.
Ralph

UreKem. Quality brand and Ive had good luck with them before using on painting motorcycle parts.

[RuffShod]

The paint could have been agitated by the proximity of the Ford logo....

[bnelson]

The paint could have been agitated by the proximity of the Ford logo....

LOL...could be

[RuffShod]

Might as well sand it down. Good Guys just cancelled....

[bnelson]

Might as well sand it down. Good Guys just cancelled....

Yea And I couldn't stand it anyway. Was in the shop till 2AM striping back down and spraying new sealer. Will get some new color on it today.

[RuffShod]

Get it done hand!

Im still waitin on shocks and upper a-arms.

[bnelson]

Got the quarters cut and buffed. Still have a bunch of hand work to do but was happy I was able to get out the couple runs I had and get it flat without going through the clear. learned a lot about urethane paints on these first parts!
Not completely satisfied with the flatness on the glass panels. They were supper wavy before I started. Blocked four times progressively but still not like I would like them. Should have skim coated the entire quarter and blocked. You really shouldn't need to do that much work Will pull the cab and get to work on doors, cab, and hood starting tomorrow. I pretty much covered them entirely with filler and blocked due to chop work so should be a lot straighter. I'll spend a few extra days priming and blocking a few more times to be sure. The rear panels I can pull on a rainy day next winter and re do but at this point I just want to get this thing together! Still have to clear the tailgate and roll pan but figure I'd do them with the doors.

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[CDXXVII]

This is truly one of my favorite threads. Keep up the great work.

Did you ever find out what caused your grief with the paint?

[bnelson]

This is truly one of my favorite threads. Keep up the great work.

Did you ever find out what caused your grief with the paint?

We think..... In the tech sheets they say to use 2-3 oz of hardener in the base coat to make it harder. (recommended but not necessary) if base coat was applied 24 hrs ago they say to spray another mid coat for bonding purposes before clear. Think the new mid coat over the base with hardener is reacting. lesson? Don't use the hardener in the base coat!

[rponfick]

You must have gotten your flexible brake lines routed better than I did. I had to cut some notches in the side panels to keep them from rubbing. I will be running fenders, so all my chainsaw cuts will be hidden.
Looking good.
Ralph.

[bnelson]

Finished the rear panels with satin black on the inside bed stainless. Came out perfect. sprayed the lower half with 3M undercoating just to make them uniform. Should have painted the whole truck satin black and I'd be done! Got more primer on doors and hood. Gonna block a few more times but plan on painting them this weekend. That's the beauty of solid colors. Can paint individually and not have to worry about color match like you would with metallic Was gonna pull the cab but been raining steady so didn't want to be pulling in and out in rain maybe next week.

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[bnelson]

Made some more progress painting. Got the base coats down on the doors and hood. They came out really straight so happy about that. Working on the striping between the black and orange and will need to sand out a few bugs Hopefully get some clear on tomorrow.

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[Salty Chief 35]

Your perseverance shows your true character. I appreciate your build thread. I can’t wait to see the end result. If I go with the truck, it gives me confidence that I can tackle the paint and body work. I might even give the chopped top a try. I think the chop drastically improves the overall look of your truck. Keep up the good work, you’re close to having one of the coolest trucks out there. Well done!!!

[Pat Landymore]

Great looking paint!!

[bnelson]

Got a bit more done today. Got all the striping on doors and hood done and got clear on. Should have waited. The gnats came out about the third coat of clear so I have a couple permanently suspended in time. Think most will buff out when I cut and polish. Oh well. The body work on doors and hood came out really straight. The paint wont be winning any trophy's at SEMA but will look nice and I did it myself

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[RuffShod]

Very nice!

[bnelson]

Threw a quick buff on the hood to see how it turned out. Check out that mirror flat finish! I'm going to touch up the doors a little tomorrow. Can't let the buried bugs slide

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[RuffShod]

Look at all the pollen on that oak tree!!!

I volunteer you too paint my truck! Thanks in advance....

[RuffShod]

Beautiful paint by the way!!!

[bnelson]

Look at all the pollen on that oak tree!!!

I volunteer you too paint my truck! Thanks in advance....

LOL man I wont be doing body and paint on one of these things again any time soon! Really was a lot more than I expected. I thought I'd be able to do the mods I wanted to do and the rest would be at a much more finished level. Think my next one will be a 32 high boy or three window that comes with the doors, hood, trunk all hinged and gaped and reinforced with tubing. Most of the ones I've been looking at come that way.

Don't anybody get there panties in a wad. I'm glad I got this thing and it is totally unique to anything out there. Will be totally worth it and a ton of fun when completed. Just a bit more work in some aspects than I personally expected.

[bnelson]

Got the doors touched up and all the bugs sanded out Came out much better. I'll have to keep my clear coating time to middle of day when the bugs are sleeping! A few dirt specs but nothing that wont sand and buff out. Sure would be nice to have my own personnel spray booth

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[bnelson]

Finished fixing my dash where I hacked it up doing the cutout for the Dakota Digital gauges. Changed up the paint scheme a little to bring some color inside. Was a bit to all black

So that's all the parts except the cab. Still need to cut and buff but will do that as I reassemble to break it up a little. Lot of work by yourself. I got cab removed this afternoon and will try to finish up the interior foam and get ready for paint this weekend. Its getting closer! I think I'm going to cut off the scallops I molded onto the cab and radiator shroud so It won't look strange if I decide to run without a hood now and then.

So then the real fun starts. Trying to get it all back together without cobbling it up!

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[RuffShod]

Dash turned out nice!!!

[Salty Chief 35]

Looks awesome! Very well done.

[bnelson]

Slowed up a little catching up on yard work but made some progress on the inside. I spray foamed the voids above the doors and ground to approximate shape. Takes a bit of time due to the curing time of the foam. Put a layer of light weight body filler over that to smooth out a little and form a solid surface. I'll put a couple layers of mat over that tomorrow and start gluing the closed cell foam up. Should be ready by weekend to paint...I hope....I keep saying that and still here I am....


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[bnelson]

Got all the closed cell foam installed and ready for headliner. Think I WILL NOT TRY THAT MYSELF! After wrestling the foam I cant for the life of me see how they do that in one piece. You spray that glue and place the material on and it is stuck for good! Have a little shaping to do around the edges and I'll take it to a local guy down the road for the headliner. After doing this I think I would have just flocked it like the other guys! But should really help with sound and heat insulation. And also give it a more finished look. I have 1/2" on the back to build up to the custom window frame I built and 1/4" on all the rest. Think I would suggest 1/8" to anybody thinking about doing this. Think that would be easier to form. I had a lot of glass work from the chop that I was trying to bury. After the foam install it does look clean and uniformly shaped.

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[bnelson]

Got all the closed cell foam installed and ready for headliner. Think I WILL NOT TRY THAT MYSELF! After wrestling the foam I cant for the life of me see how they do that in one piece. You spray that glue and place the material on and it is stuck for good! Have a little shaping to do around the edges and I'll take it to a local guy down the road for the headliner. After doing this I think I would have just flocked it like the other guys! But should really help with sound and heat insulation. And also give it a more finished look. I have 1/2" on the back to build up to the custom window frame I built and 1/4" on all the rest. Think I would suggest 1/8" to anybody thinking about doing this. Think that would be easier to form. I had a lot of glass work from the chop that I was trying to bury. After the foam install it does look clean and uniformly shaped.

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PS: You know what this means.... I WILL GET PAINT ON THE CAB this weekend

[bnelson]

Finished all the little spot repairs and sanding on the cab and got sealer on. Might get the white for the stripe on later tonight and get the orange, black, and clear on tomorrow. I'm getting pretty excited Cant wait to start putting it back together!

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[bnelson]

Was able to get all the paint on but ran out off time to clear coat. Started to get towards the bug invasion time of day. Will get the clear on tomorrow. Look's like all the body work came out good. I was a little concerned about the big flat roof but looks great!

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[bnelson]

WOOOHOOOO! Got clear on and can finally start putting back together! Cab paint came out real nice and flat and just a couple dirt specks that will sand and buff out. Just need to paint the part of cowl that the hood sits over black satin and everything done

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[wallace18]

Looking great!

[Robodent]

Nice job !!!!

[DamnYankee]

Awesome

[Pat Landymore]

You’ve done some amazing paint work!
Bugs...?
None here in any number for another two months!
I could only wish for a spring like that

[Salty Chief 35]

Very well done!!! In the home stretch now.
Jeremie

[rponfick]

I don't know how you are doing that in your garage. I don't see any protective material on rest of garage. I made a paint booth out of hanging plastic from the ceiling to floor, and putting box fans under the semi-closed garage door. Since I moved to a neighborhood, I will not be able to do that any longer.
Looking good.
Ralph

[bnelson]

I don't know how you are doing that in your garage. I don't see any protective material on rest of garage. I made a paint booth out of hanging plastic from the ceiling to floor, and putting box fans under the semi-closed garage door. Since I moved to a neighborhood, I will not be able to do that any longer.
Looking good.
Ralph

I put box fans in two windows. Just covered up stuff that I didn't want overspray on. Will be painting floor again once all is completed. Figured that was easier than trying to cover it up every time I painted something.

[cob427sc]

Looks great! Love the color combination and the white stripe works perfect. Obviously this shows the painting neophytes what can be done by an amateur in a garage without $30k in spray booth and equipment.

[bnelson]

Looks great! Love the color combination and the white stripe works perfect. Obviously this shows the painting neophytes what can be done by an amateur in a garage without $30k in spray booth and equipment.

Thanks $200.00 Devilbiss finish line spray gun, $1200.00 in paint from The Coating Store, and a bunch of patience and persistence to learn from and correct your mistakes

[Salty Chief 35]

I’m only in the planning stage and I’ve been looking at the us wheel smoothies similar to what you have. I’m still not sure if I’m going with the 33 or the truck. Just wondering what size did you go with on your wheels and tires as well?
Again I have to say well done on your build. It’s one of my favorites I’ve been following.