53gmc build! With pics!

[Ratical]

Any updates??
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[53GMC]

I have learned the art of sanding for sure with this build...i have a couple of pictures of me doing it but i have spent countless hours doing all of the body work and sanding myself. Needless to say my bill would be ridiculous if i didn't. I just ran it to the body shop the other day. The guy is going to spray some etching primer on it for me then give it back to me to sand and then i am going to let him spray her down with some paint....here are some pictures of the little bit before i took her in and i will post primer and paint pictures as soon as she busts loose outta there! plus i found a picture of my grandad's old sign he had outside of his shop...some of the pictures show me sanding and the hood looks popped up...it is - thankfully im not really that bad at aligning hoods

this is the closing end of a long fun, learning-filled experience for someone who had no clue before it all started what he would go through and what he would learn through it all...and i thank you guys for all of your help along the way!!!

[53GMC]

last post continued....

[53GMC]

and some more...

[99 to Life]

love the highway pics. keep em coming

[53GMC]

thanks! i will post them as i get em

[53GMC]

I sprayed the truck down this weekend with Slick Sand by Evercoat and I was extremely impressed and amazed at the difference! It made my older body that i spent hours upon hours building up and sanding look like a body man was turned loose on it...

I ordered my paint from Summit Racing - Ultra Blue Pearl - I'm really excited about it and I am going to let a friend of mine spray it that owns a body shop.

My grandmother and grandfather rode in the truck for the first time in over 30 or so years and it was such a wonderful thing to see. My grandfather's father owned it and my grandfather got tears in his eyes to be riding up the road in it all over again...my grandmother did not trust my engineering but i caught a rare smile during it all. Overall, it was an experience I could never relive and never want to try to top.

[99 to Life]

Oh man that is an F'n amazing story. I can't believe your great granpap owened that truck. Good for you man, that is awesome they get to see
it on the road again, instead off to a scrap yard.

I am ultra euphoric right now because I just came in from my test "little" test drive on my truck since my engine blew up. Its been a long three months to
get to almost where I was. So this little story just makes it all of a better day.

[53GMC]

I found out that the truck in the bushes was my great grandads when i was 18 and offered the guy $500 for it....he said no and then when i was 21 i turned around and offered $300 for it and he agreed!

My grandad and grandma were extremely happy.

Congratulations on your test run! That is awesome! That first test run after some work is an awesome feeling and it still makes me giddy like a kid sometimes haha

Congratulations man! I am following your build as well!

[53GMC]

Got my side of the bed filler neck in....the S10 one that I modified some...I also installed some aftermarket running boards from a 2003 chevy blazer....not the most beautiful but I liked the look ...

Getting paint done this weekend...hopefully with fingers crossed!!!!!!

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by 53GMC

My grandmother and grandfather rode in the truck for the first time in over 30 or so years and it was such a wonderful thing to see. My grandfather's father owned it and my grandfather got tears in his eyes to be riding up the road in it all over again...my grandmother did not trust my engineering but i caught a rare smile during it all. Overall, it was an experience I could never relive and never want to try to top.

Cherish that moment. Repeat it as often as you can. I lost my maternal grandfather when I was 6 year old. My grandfather Orrie died when I was 14, I had spent a lot of time with him. When I left home at 20 I did not get to spend much time with my family for 10 years. During that time my grandmothers died. I talk to Orrie when I'm out in the shop, using the tools he used 70 years ago, some inherited from his father and grandfather. I'd give just about anything to be able to sit down with him one evening and just shoot the breeze, ask all the questions I did not think were important as a kid, and hear his big old Irish laugh again.

[53GMC]

Thanks OrrieG for your compliments...It was great to hear him telling me stories about how they used it on the farm for different stuff and about driving it to the city (Augusta, Ga - about 60 miles away) going 45 the whole way every couple of months. It was a great experience - He was very happy and I will miss those stories one day when they are gone - made the past couple of years of work well worth it!

[bjcaldwe]

Those stories would be a good thing to write a blog about. That way they could live on digitally.

[53GMC]

Got my buddy to throw on some paint on the old girl....here are some pics...there are some minor dents that show up on the back of the can but I will "hide" them with my wood front bed panel and the wood Bed rails coming down the side...gonna rhino line the inside of the bed then lay my wood....

I know my body on it is not perfect but it is an accumulation of a lot of hard work so im proud of her..After all, i never claimed to be a body guy....thought I'd share!

[53GMC]

more from above....

[britnjc]

lookin good
Congrats

[53GMC]

posted some above but here are a few more...

[99 to Life]

I'm sure down the road you will want to fix more things on it in one way or another. What kind of paint did you use? are you clear coating it?

[53GMC]

I just used a single stage urethane paint from Eastwood.

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-royal-blu...vator-kit.html

[T Hilde]

Looks great Coach.
I don't think you'll be happy with the tailgate chains where you mounted them.

[99 to Life]

I was checking out the eastwood paints. either the next truck I do or the one after I am probably going to paint, so I am goin to start sampling different paints. I think your truck will look really good with the stake sides, stained. I think icing on the cake would be some rims painted blue and some white wall tires!!

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by T Hilde

Looks great Coach.
I don't think you'll be happy with the tailgate chains where you mounted them.

Bicycle tube will help...

Nice paint job, its amazing how fast the new paints flash, I expected at least 1 or 2 bugs to land on my interior and was pleasantly surprised. My neighbor used to paint outside because he said inside all the fumes killed the bugs a spiders in the rafters causing them to drop on the new paint! Love the color, keep posting.

Also, my brother and sister and I have planned our first mutual camping trip in 40 years next week. We have been getting together to work on our parents place but decided it was time to take a week and get out in the woods to fish, hike and sit around the campfire. A bunch of the grandkids, neices and nephews are coming also to hear all the old stories. We basically grew up in the woods when parents were not working and we were not in school so there is a lot of history to be covered.

[53GMC]

T Hilde - You're right about that...I was REALLY scared about it messing up the paint but I am going to put a tube on it like Orrie G said to keep it from hitting the sides as much.

That is awesome that you have the opportunity to teach them so much about family history and how things "used to be." I love those stories and what better place to tell them about it than deep in the woods away from the busy world. I know they will treasure every minute whether they show it or say it at all. There were times the stories "bored" me but now i look back and think "man I wonder what I missed out on by not listening!"

Have a wonderful time Orrie G and keep the stories coming - they need them like they need air to breathe....they just dont know it yet!!

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by T Hilde

Looks great Coach.
I don't think you'll be happy with the tailgate chains where you mounted them.

X2 on the looks great. Nice work.

I don't think he was talking about the chains rattling, I think he's referring to where you have the chains bolted in. They should bolt in near the top so that they hold the tailgate level when it's lowered.

[53GMC]

I see said the blind man....well I made use of the bolt hole from the tailgate hinge instead of drilling a new one...If I re-do that one day I will correct that

Thanks guys!