Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Definitely, and I might contact Line-X directly to let them know that he's not giving the customer what they're paying for. If it was something our shop paid to have done then it would be stripped and redone, and any damage to the bed's body/paint work would be taken care of as well by the shop that sprayed it. The owner arranged to have the liner sprayed himself and paid them directly, so it's not our place to complain, the owner would have to do that. He hasn't seen it in person yet since we picked it up for him. If we were the paying customer then we probably wouldn't have loaded it up and brought it back to the shop, we'd be working out the details of having it stripped and resprayed properly.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Thanks Greg, most people that look at the bed will probably never look close enough to notice. He actually does want to lightly use the truck, that's why he wanted a spray in liner instead of paint.

I do want to say that I'm not against Line-X in any way; I'll just find another dealer to have future work done. They have the best looking liners IMO.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Bed and fenders are sanded/buffed and mounted.

Guide coated with sharpie marks.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...31071773_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...84907555_n.jpg


After blocking with 1000 grit, marked some areas to go over again.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...70518453_n.jpg


Guide coated with powdered charcoal before wetsanding with 2000.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...77905512_n.jpg


Fenderwells shot with bed liner after sanding with 2000, 2500, and buffing.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...10786634_n.jpg


Fenders bolted on.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...35807740_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...32852932_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...67770772_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...82204661_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...61917905_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Is there any way you might do a video on applying the powered charcoal and sanding process? Man if that question doesn't make me out to sound like a total newbie.....


Best paint and body work out there. Finish to perfection.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...35807740_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...32852932_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...67770772_n.jpg


We're talking car show quality here comparable to something that only gets driven out of the trailer into the event... and he will be hauling with it :lol:

Can't blame him, I'd be showing it off too... As always, awesome work! :metal:

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Here ya go- it's easy peasy, you just flip the can up to get some on to the rub pad, then rub the whole thing down, recharging the pad as needed. Kinda like waxing a car.


3M 05861 Dry Guide Coat Cartridge and Applicator...

I've been using it for everything. Even the SEM guide coat will clog a bit, especially in finer grits, this stuff doesn't. Plus which, the first thing I do is drop my new can of SEM guide coat and snap the ^%$@$%^ newfangled non-replaceable spray tips off, leaving me with a useless can of guide coat. I have three in stock now, I think. I can drop the 3m stuff, pick it up and keep right on truckin. It's good stuff.

Beautiful work, BTW. Something for us all to aspire to.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Thanks Greg, the wetsanding is the same as the "How-to" I posted awhile back, just with 1000 grit. Then I switch to 2000 grit with a 3M foam sanding pad, then 2500. For 2000 and 2500 I use Meguiar's Unigrit sandpaper, I had trouble with uneven grit causing scratches that wouldn't buff out when I was using 3M sandpaper. Soak the paper overnight in a bucket of water with a little dish soap added in.



Here's a vid that shows dry guide coat in action.





Thanks Robert! Yeah, he wanted the Line-X all along so he could lightly use the truck. He's going to drive it home to Washington state from our shop in Anderson SC. Definitely not afraid to use it! We'll be covering the front end, fender edges, and other high-wear areas with 3M paint protection film before it leaves.



Yep, it's great stuff. I haven't tried 3M brand yet since the homemade stuff works so well for way less money. It won't clog 2000 or 2500, can't say that about spray on guide coat.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

First drive out to the exhaust shop to have the tail pipe finished up now that the bed is on. The owner dropped off a tailgate and front bumper; those and tail lights are just about the last things it needs.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...10258877_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

That is a very sharp truck .

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Nice....extremely nice

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Thanks!!

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

I'm working on making a tailgate for it, nearly have it finished.


Center section made on our bead roller.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...39504786_n.jpg


Section of the old upper tube. Has sheetmetal wrapped around it in a "p" shape. Couldn't get any of the local fab shops to make this for us so we did it ourselves.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...55934527_n.jpg


Making the wrap in three sections so it would bend easier. I broke the edge 90* then lined up the three panels with a piece of square tubing.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...25265557_n.jpg


Tubing and sheetmetal cleaned and shot with weld-thru primer.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...40311614_n.jpg



Tubing and panels aligned and tacked in place.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...97197517_n.jpg


Used one of our carts to help hold the tube while we rolled the metal around it. Had to reposition the tube halfway through the roll. I made the sheetmetal sections about a foot longer to give us more leverage and have room to drill holes for the ratchet straps.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...81048110_n.jpg


Once the first section was rolled tightly we clamped it and cut a few slots through the sheetmetal so we could plug weld the pieces together. That kept the sheetmetal tightly wrapped after we took the clamps off.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...14638351_n.jpg


Front side after finishing the first section.
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...66464701_n.jpg


Second section wrapped. The panels are still aligned perfectly.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...17092261_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...33094647_n.jpg


All three sections wrapped. Ready for trimming.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...39338841_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...91072408_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...55262456_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

We took the old section with letters to a local fab shop and had them laser cut new letters. I beveled the edges so they look stamped and glued them on the tailgate with SEM Panel Bond.


Laid out the spacing.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...79547587_n.jpg


Tailgate and letters prepped by grinding with 36 grit.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...59716595_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...70800255_n.jpg



Thinly spread out the adhesive on my mixing board and stuck the letters into the adhesive. Left just enough to make it stick without squishing out of the edges and making a mess.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...30747225_n.jpg


Letters in place, adhesive curing in the sun. Once we prime it with epoxy and high build it'll be hard to tell that it's not stamped. Of course the back side will be flat, no way around that using the glue-on letters.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...61454914_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

What can I say???
There isn't anything you can't build/fabricate on that truck. Awesome!
Inspired me once again to give an idea a try.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Great work, Thank you for posting. Be sure and do a thread on your next project there is much to learn from your process.

Thanks
Dwight

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Wow!! Is the first thing to say . Thanks again for sharing

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Thanks Greg!! Checked out your build last night... I'm always amazed at how much you're able to accomplish as busy as you are!!



Thanks Dwight, we'll be starting a '40 Packard Convertible next week, the owner is delivering it from Connecticut this Saturday. Owner has the rolling frame and finished, we have to do the metal/body/paint work and assemble it. From pictures it'll need a good bit of metal work.



Thanks!

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

The tailgate is now ready for epoxy and bodywork. Finished up the corner brackets and top hooks this morning.

Corner brackets.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...19995365_n.jpg


I drilled through the tailgate tube top and bottom to plug weld the hooks in places. Then drilled and tapped the hook for a stainless button head screw to replicate the original rivet. I'll weld the socket up and smooth the screw head so it looks 100% factory.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...14606577_n.jpg



Short upper corner brace and clevis pin added on the bottom of the tube to replicate the rivet. These were glued in place with SEM panel bond.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...00441903_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

I tried the marker before wet sanding trick last night. Worked great. Thanks for the tips and showing us all the work that you accomplish.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

No problem, glad it helped!

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Tailgate is in final primer and I've started wetsanding it. I took the letters back off so I could skim coat and block, then prime and block the center panel. That way the panel is straight behind the letters; one of my pet peeves is tailgates that are distorted around the letters. I sprayed epoxy over the slick sand so the SEM panel bond would stick (its not recommended over polyester primers) and re-glued the letters on. I also dimpled the flanges to replicate the original spot welds.


Sprayed with tinted K36.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...05083435_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...59256160_n.jpg


Made a set of blocks to detail sand around the letters.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...91931786_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Tailgate and front bumper are painted. Need to buff the tailgate and have it shot with Line-X before I can install it. It almost doesn't need buffing, changed from DCX61 high solids hardener to DU5 normal solids hardener and a slower reducer to get the paint to lay out better. Need to get a set of tail lights and brackets, dad has to do the headliner and seat; not much more and it'll be ready to go home.



http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...95530907_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...72565866_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...50519241_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...08441298_n.jpg



Front bumper finished and installed with smoothed and polished bolts.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...40515763_n.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...97829846_n.jpg

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

That is hands down the best looking International truck I have ever seen ,amazing workmanship you do.

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

Love this truck, sorry to see this thread come to an end but I know you'll provide more excellent work to follow. Thanks!

Re: '55 International Metal/Body/Paint Work
 

The top notch quality of work that you do. Its totally amazing how crisp everything looks.
Thanks for all the tips you give out during the build.