Rat repair.

[Vic1947]

Starting to come together, Mike, and looking good! Having spent some time up in that neck of the woods, I know from experience daylight's fading and drizzle's on the way. Do you have room to move indoors or will the rat be under the tarp again this winter?

[swamp rat]

Under the tarp as usual unfortunately Vic.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Starting to come together, Mike, and looking good! Having spent some time up in that neck of the woods, I know from experience daylight's fading and drizzle's on the way. Do you have room to move indoors or will the rat be under the tarp again this winter?

Life has gotten in the way this week but its given me time to ponder this issue, I have measured the space in my garage between the air compressor, work bench, shelve unit and the support post in the center of the garage and the door, I figure I have about 6" of space to spare on the front to back and 6" maybe 8" side to side, Oh, about 2" clearance at the top of the garage door, this is if I can get everything else moved over to the other side of the garage and the truck will be at a slight angle. I'm going to give it a shot before it gets too damp outside. This is going to choke my ability to do anything in the garage unless I pull the truck out or clear the other side, but I understand that that primer won't last forever over the body work I have done.


So I had the hood closing before I installed the grill and the cowl, naturally now the hood hits the cowl on the driver side but the fender to hood gaps on both sides are very equal front to back and relatively the same side to side. I'm guessing I need to move the driver fender forward rather than try and slide the hood or hinge forward? I'll try and address this soon, working this weekend.

Front bumper was blasted and premiered yesterday and was in the drying oven at 4PM, will pick it up after work.


I had hoped to have the truck down to the glass place a week ago but nothing go's as hoped.. I need to get the hood issue resolved, bumper on and turn signals working before I can drive it anywhere.

[Vic1947]

That sounds pretty tight but if you're able to get access to work on it on nice days it might be worth the hassle. A good coat of epoxy primer over everything works best to protect against moisture in the air, but 2K is pretty porous and might not work as well depending on how you wrap the truck if stored outside under a cover. After all the work it takes to get the surface ready to paint, it's a PITA to have to re-do it.

It takes a lot of effort to finesse the gaps. Mine needed shims on the fenders, doors, cowl and core support as well as a few elongated holes here and there to get decent gaps ...and it's still not perfect. So take your time and you'll be rewarded.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

That sounds pretty tight but if you're able to get access to work on it on nice days it might be worth the hassle. A good coat of epoxy primer over everything works best to protect against moisture in the air, but 2K is pretty porous and might not work as well depending on how you wrap the truck if stored outside under a cover. After all the work it takes to get the surface ready to paint, it's a PITA to have to re-do it.

It takes a lot of effort to finesse the gaps. Mine needed shims on the fenders, doors, cowl and core support as well as a few elongated holes here and there to get decent gaps ...and it's still not perfect. So take your time and you'll be rewarded.

Yea your not kidding on the gaps, almost everything I do I learn I should have approached it differently, do something else first or save doing something for last, but anyway the gaps are probably as good as they were before I started, I think if its going to get any better the truck needs to be on flat/er ground like a driveway. Tell ya one thing, that cowl don't fit for crap and I think part of it is the tolerance in putting the cab together but its on.


I did find out that there is supposed to be a place close by that rents out a paint booth, I may check into that or just take my truck someplace to have it finished, not sure yet, kinda depends on finances in the next couple years.
I do know that my old bones are complaining more and more these days, everything hurts, sucks getting old LOL! so that might sway my decision on what I do too.

Next up, I got to find warm enough weather ( Its been raining) to put a coat of paint on my front bumper which is now sealed in primer powder coat and the new bumper bolts heads. of course my luck I'll put it on and then the truck won't fit in the garage till I remove it.. LOL!

[swamp rat]

Spent the last week cleaning the garage and moving as much stuff as possible to the other side, the rest had to go outside. Fired up the rat and drove her down the street and back, kinda a bumpy ride, flat spots? 🤔 Got her started into the garage and got out to check, yep about 2” to my compressor and 3-4” to the center post, slowly moved in till the door cleared the center support post, and it fits! First time this truck has seen the inside of a garage since it’s been in my family, now it’s going to have a pretty dry winter to protect that body work and primer, but I won’t be able to get much done to it, I can deal with the trade off.

Took a look at my outside “shop” that used to be grass once 🙄 I lifted all the plywood and man that dirt stinks .

[DD1]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Spent the last week cleaning the garage and moving as much stuff as possible to the other side, the rest had to go outside. Fired up the rat and drove her down the street and back, kinda a bumpy ride, flat spots? 🤔 Got her started into the garage and got out to check, yep about 2” to my compressor and 3-4” to the center post, slowly moved in till the door cleared the center support post, and it fits! First time this truck has seen the inside of a garage since it’s been in my family, now it’s going to have a pretty dry winter to protect that body work and primer, but I won’t be able to get much done to it, I can deal with the trade off.

Took a look at my outside “shop” that used to be grass once 🙄 I lifted all the plywood and man that dirt stinks .

Wow, and I thought my garage was tight! I see a windshield on there. Is that the one you had professionally installed? Did you end up driving without the windshield or go the duct tape route?

What's the deal with the red truck?

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by DD1

Wow, and I thought my garage was tight! I see a windshield on there. Is that the one you had professionally installed? Did you end up driving without the windshield or go the duct tape route?

What's the deal with the red truck?

No on the install, the weather turned pretty fast and I never made the appointment, I don't want the truck sitting in the rain in primer so its going to wait for a bit, like next spring/summer. The shield I have had sitting around I got with the 67, unbroken original glass, I lined the edges with painters tape then a couple layers of duct tape and laid it in place mainly to keep the dust and dirt out of the cab.


The red 67 is my next project, I have had it sitting around for about 5 years? plan is to shorten the frame, replace the cab (rusty) and install a step side bed which I already have, the bed on it now is full of sheet metal, of course rebuild the 6 banger. I have been collecting stuff for it for a few years.