[landarts]

Saturday I spent doing a few more wet sanding passes on the filler primer and seam sealed the lower fender cups and few other places that I thought would make it a better paint job.

Sunday when I got up an out into the garage I had a few hours to waste before I could move the fenders outside to spray at the right temps and still be in the shade. So I removed the front radiator support, inner fenders and a few other small pieces so I can get them scrubbed down and cleaned up for a couple of coats of satin black while the fenders are curing up. All of the above items need no metal work since there is no rust at all. Actually I think this is the first passenger inner fender I ever had that was not rusted at all, usually there is some sort of rust from the battery acid. The sheet metal will get a good scrubbing with soap and water, power washed and then another good scrubbing with a green Scotch Brite. A couple of coats of epoxy primer then a couple coats or satin black.

Shooting the fenders went well except for a couple of nats that I will have to remove after the paint cures up nicely. I expected to get something in the paint when you shoot it outside, goes with the choice. Once the fenders are cures up for a couple of days I will tape off and shoot the inner backsides that get covered with the inner fenders with the 3M under coating that come in a light green spray can.

While the front support and inner fenders are off I will get the truck ready to paint the firewall, possibly the engine, frame forward area and install the new 2.5 EZ Ride lift kit. Makes the most sense when all of the sheet metal is out of the way. Firewall is in great shape with no signs anywhere of rust, the only issue I saw was that the two bolt hole locations that hold the parking brake mount have small hairline cracks or rips in the metal. Will make the metal repairs there and reinforce the area so it does not happen again.