Ruby: Body work /resto-mod

[Old Nick]

her name’s Ruby, not “Rusty” (but she is in fact rusty). The worst of the rust was in my tail/lift gates. Rusted right through in places. I didn’t even bother taking pictures of those parts as they are scrap now. My donors are primed and rust free.

I’m working my way around the lower portion of the truck. Sanding - finding rust, cutting it out and welding in new metal.

My front end and p/s are all welded up. Just finished cutting out the rust in my rockers and door sills. Moving onto the d/s right now. My d/s quarter is a mess. Bondo and fiberglass throughout. I’ve got to cut out a big chunk of metal there. Hidden rust sucks. Rockers are rough and so is my wheel arch... total bummer.

 

[Old Nick]

All welded up (chopped up and patched panels with a little filler and primed). Sanding down the whole body... if the weather holds, I’ll be Monstalining!

 

[Old Nick]

After I got the fenders back on, re-installed the battery... the old girl fired right up (after 6 weeks in my driveway!

 

[Old Nick]

Finally got some fine weather so got started Monstalining my ‘62.

Heat and especially humidity are problematic. I lost some product not parsing it out little by little. Had to order some more desert sand to do my doors and touch-ups. Went ahead and ordered some more dirt bag so as not to get held up again. No biggie.

anyway, here are some pics of my progress.

 

[bentonrover]

I'm also a fan of the hood blackout.

 

[Old Nick]

I'm also a fan of the hood blackout.

View attachment 2737948

Nice ‘62, man. Looks good and I dig the hood.

edit: forgot to ask this... did you blackout under the body line?

Just finished Monstalining my truck (I’ll post finished pics tomorrow), but here are some pre-tape removal snaps with the 2-tone.

Applied in my driveway and turned out better than I’d hoped.

 

[Old Nick]

I posted these pics over in the Monstaliner thread, but wanted to add them here too. Got all of my tape off, got the trim on the door frames re-installed, together with front and rear side markers and my lower tailgate.

Tomorrow, I’m installing the rear lift gate/lower tailgate weather strip and hopefully getting the new weather strip installed on front/rear doors.

 

[Old Nick]

Got my new weatherstripping installed and got my tailgate (upper and lower) back together! Also refurbished my tail lights with new City Racer rubber. They look like new.

Just started preparation for blacking out insignia and external vents too.

here are a couple of pics:

 

[Old Nick]

Hit my driveway ready to get my doors sorted out and back on early this morning... realized that I had completely forgot to order door seals...

Jumped online and picked them up from City Racer. Will be here Tuesday.

So, rather than letting my own stupidity get the best of me, I got my wife to help me get my quarter windows and back glass reinstalled.., used the rope trick. My wife is haf and one cool chick . Got the glass back in with no problems.

Then, we reinstalled Ruby’s hood. A little alignment fine tuning to do, but it closes and locks/unlocks just fine.

Immediately thereafter I started blacking out my chrome. Used a VHT rattle can (gloss black) and clear coated with Dupli-color. Turned out beautifully. We’ll see how long it holds up (and still have my locks and handles to do).

Took a risk and decided to keep my chrome gutter rail trim and window trim. Blacked out the gutter rail trim and blow me down, it looks fantastic (to me at least!).

Last but not least got my new @TRAIL TAILOR bumper epoxied and then top coated with a filler primer. I’ll likely finish it in VHT (the same color as the rest of my trim) one evening very soon.

Here are a few pics of today’s results:

 

[Old Nick]

Got my window weather strip, rear door glass and outer welts back in today. Getting the rear door glass and new weather surround in place and secured was interesting. I ended up using some carpentry clamps to squeeze and hold the glass/ stripping in place properly so that I could get the upper screws and lower bolts lined up properly.

 

[Old Nick]

Also got my blacked out front end back together and my dash crack patched and painted. My dash pad isn’t perfect, but I think it will hold. I used caulk and dark walnut rust oleum for the patch.

This isn’t meant to be a show truck (it’s used for what it was meant to do), but still, it’s turning out nicely,

 

[Old Nick]

Also started cutting and air hammering out the rivets on the factory brackets on the front bumper. Got one side finished. Getting ready to install a new Trail Tailor bumper (with full grill and headlight protection). Jason made a bumper that outdoes ARB by a Redding mile.

Pics to follow.

 

[Old Nick]

@TRAIL TAILOR front bumper bolted up! Dang it looks great.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

@TRAIL TAILOR front bumper bolted up! Dang it looks great.
View attachment 2744658

Is the bumper supposed to block the headlights? Am I seeing this correct?

 

[Old Nick]

Is the bumper supposed to block the headlights? Am I seeing this correct?

Man, there’s no moving those steel supports out of the way so I’m guessing that’s the intended position of the bumper (it slid very precisely into the frame).
I dig it and will be adding a light bar to it in time.
Take it easy.

 

[Old Nick]

So, today I got my front and rear bumpers on my truck. (The rear is a Dobinson’s swing out). And, my glass guy came over to help me with the windshield install.

I bought the windscreen two months ago and left it sitting in its box... unopened. Huge f’ing mistake.

It was damaged in shipping. P/s side was cracked all to bits.

this is my first full on restoration and I’ve learned a lot about how stupid I can be!

 

[Old Nick]

My truck is all but sorted out. The last details to finish are Monstalining the four doors above the body line. Like everything else, Monstaliner has been back ordered due to problems getting their raw materials (F the ‘rona!). And, blacking out door handles and locks. Then adding my blacked out window trim.

Blacked out my grill, mirrors and vents, window trim and drip rail trim. Painted my emblems and wipers and door interiors in 2 shades of jungle green. Sanded, primed, rattle canned and clear coated all of those bits and pieces. Totally digging the combination of complementary colors and contrasts.

Got my @dogfishlake Bowfin roof rack installed and the super sturdy awning brackets… ready for my new ARB awning/room.

Here are some pics of my almost finished driveway resto mod!

 

[OG SUV]

Loooks good man!

 

[Old Nick]

Loooks good man!

Hey, OG, thank you. She’s coming along. I’ve got a couple more update pics to post soon.

 

[Old Nick]

Haven’t posted to this thread in ages. Did in fact get my 62 “finished”.

Upgraded my suspension from light/medium to medium heavy (with help from Cruiser Outfitters.

In December of 21, my transmission ate it hard. Invested in a Rodney special via Vally Hybrids.

Went wheeling a lot this summer and she ran great.

To-dos as time/money allow:

1. Balance my tires (drive line vibration).

2. If that doesn’t help, then Have my rear propeller shaft balanced (all new u-joints and bearings) and still getting a driveline vibration.

3. And, swap my ps gearbox with an 80 gearbox… I’ve got a leak. Actually, this will likely be number 1 on the list.