Project "Red Dawn" (1 Viewer)

[letterman52]

Replaced the gas tank pan with one I had leftover from a 69' tub I gutted for parts. It ended up being way more work than I had imagined. I brushed lizard skin over the gas tank pan as it was leftover from another project. Also removed the factory mating with some dry ice and isopropyl alcohol.

 

[letterman52]

Felt good enough with the panels so I started shooting primer and wet sanding to see how they would look with paint.

 

[letterman52]

Shot the entire inside of the tub with Monstaliner I had color-matched with a piece off the truck.

 

[letterman52]

Got the quarters and the rest to the point I could shoot a basecoat of single stage to see how good/bad a job I did. Only pic I took which doesn't show much I know. I had a tent set up.

 

[letterman52]

Coated the underside this last weekend. Used my hardtop removal contraption in the rafters to pull the tub off the frame and overhead for access. Same color matched Monstaliner was used.

 

[letterman52]

Coated the entire frame in Chassis saver today. Also ordered a header from JT outfitters and a Holley 2300 Sniper EFI kit. The engine has a weird mix of emissions stuff. It's all coming off and into a box for later.

 

[letterman52]

The plan for this week is to get the sandblaster fired up and strip all the odds and ends. Then get serious about doing the final coat of single-stage on everything left. I'm tired of painting. I'd like to instead start building the seats in the coral-colored fabric I purchased from Cruiser Corps. Pic is borrowed, but I like the look of it.

 

[letterman52]

Finished one leaf spring refresh. Pulled it all off and sand blasted it. Then chassis saver and new u bolts, bushings, anti inversion shackle, and greaseable pins.

 

[letterman52]

Finished the rear suspension minus shocks. New shackles, bushings, greasable pins, and leafs were stripped and coated in chassis saver. Went ahead and tore off the front steering linkage and stripped and Powdercoated it as well. More to follow.

 

[SergP]

Then started the quarter panel.

View attachment 2741535

Any advantages to weld it this way vs "under channel"?
I just thinking what to cut... panels or canal cover

 

[letterman52]

Any advantages to weld it this way vs "under channel"?
I just thinking what to cut... panels or canal cover

I forgot about this thread! I’ve only replaced the panels this way. The channel is nice to have as a backer since the metal can be thinner in this area and if it blows out you have something to put a patch against. Since the area is closed off that can be challenging. Since each tub is different I normally will lay the panels over the existing metal and get a rough cut line. Then Go back and forth cutting out the old panel and comparing it to the new one on how it lays. I’ve done this about 8 times now and it’s all I know.

 

[letterman52]

Well since I’m still stuck teleworking I drank a decent amount of Japanese beer and stripped this guy down to bare metal. Then shot it in high temp primer and paint. Didn’t even miss a meeting

 

[letterman52]

It won’t be that bad…. 45 minutes later. Yup it’s that bad. Breaking out the welder again. Stripped it all back and lots of thin metal and thick bondo. It’s all good. I can fix it. Just not happy about it all as all I wanted was to sling paint this weekend and get this one off to the new owner.

 

[SergP]

I forgot about this thread! I’ve only replaced the panels this way. The channel is nice to have as a backer since the metal can be thinner in this area and if it blows out you have something to put a patch against. Since the area is closed off that can be challenging. Since each tub is different I normally will lay the panels over the existing metal and get a rough cut line. The. Go back and forth cutting out the old panel and comparing it to the new one on how it lays. I’ve done this about 8 times now and it’s all I know.

good point

 

[franklin40]

i’ve seen a few builds like this that move along at such a great pace. do any of you guys actually have jobs and work for a living? . i’ve been going for 8 years on mine so far and it’ll take me at least another couple WITH someone else doing the body before i’m done! hats off to you for the work! really amazing to see it come back to a fully metal body! well done

 

[SergP]

i’ve seen a few builds like this that move along at such a great pace. do any of you guys actually have jobs and work for a living? . i’ve been going for 8 years on mine so far and it’ll take me at least another couple WITH someone else doing the body before i’m done! hats off to you for the work! really amazing to see it come back to a fully metal body! well done

I can't speak for those guys. They really good. I have job for living (no related to any mechanic) and family too. I can only do an hour or few hours per day (after work) or some days non. Covid lockdown actually help a lot last summer. Body work is really slow me down, I can't work at late time (worry about my neighbors). Mechanics work I can do until midnight.

 

[franklin40]

well you’re making killer time in my books. keep it up! it looks great

 

[letterman52]

i’ve seen a few builds like this that move along at such a great pace. do any of you guys actually have jobs and work for a living? . i’ve been going for 8 years on mine so far and it’ll take me at least another couple WITH someone else doing the body before i’m done! hats off to you for the work! really amazing to see it come back to a fully metal body! well done

I retired last year and now telework doing the same job as a civilian.

 

[letterman52]

Here’s how the rear suspension turned out. Passenger side upper shock mount wasn’t looking great so I redid that shortly after this pic. Waiting on a new rag joint to tighten up the front.

 

[letterman52]

Finally welded a nut onto the broken emissions bolt. Prepped the sides for paint. Also placed an order at Redline Land Cruisers for the CNC’d adapter, heat shield, and other odds and ends they sell for the Holley Sniper 2300 install.