What have you done to your square lately??

[Grit dog]

Looks good, you must have a good heater! I have to wait for warmer weather again it was 25 degrees this morning and my heaters can't warm up the barn enough!

Thanks! Like I may have said earlier, good thing I'm good at sanding and polishing....
Tailgate turned out sweet. I'm gonna do some more practicing before I continue with the primary color. Plenty of "non critical" square footage to paint still. If I can't get it better by the time I do the underside of the hood and back of tailgate and inside of the bed, I'll just buy stock in 3M sandpaper!
Yea your barn doors have a bit bigger gap than mine! Temps here are 30s-40s and garage is not insulated and open air to the roof/vents, but a little electric heater combined with the torpedo heater shown in one of those pics and warming the paint by the fireplace in the house before painting gets it where it needs to be.

 

[Doppleganger]

In the interest of full disclosure, less some of you lot feel under appreciated for the work you are doing personally on your rigs. My rig is at a pro shop. 4 people are working on it. 1 painter, 1 body man, a part time apprentice, and a drunk helper. Guess who I am? I am the drunk helper! lol. I am fueling all the parts and paint and materials. I do what ever they ask me to do with my sweat equity in labor when I am there 16 hours a week. The guy in most of the pics holding the beer is not me, it is Anthony the painter and his shop.
My hat is off to you guys who are going it on your own. I do not have the talent or time to go that far. You guys helping with my engine swap when I joined was my best work. lol Wrench turner with help from others.
Eric

There are several working on mine as well - none of them know what they're doing - all of them drunks and all of them....me! (I'm schizophrenic and so am I).

Reasons I do my own is 1) cant afford a real shop and 2) dont trust the 'real shops' to do it like I would want it done. Plus I find it rewarding to do something I never thought I could (and then counting all the $ saved). lol Alot to digest and figure out with only the few weeks a year the weather is palatable in this state.

 

[hoagster]

There are several working on mine as well - none of them know what they're doing - all of them drunks and all of them....me! (I'm schizophrenic and so am I).

Reasons I do my own is 1) cant afford a real shop and 2) dont trust the 'real shops' to do it like I would want it done. Plus I find it rewarding to do something I never thought I could (and then counting all the $ saved). lol Alot to digest and figure out with only the few weeks a year the weather is palatable in this state.

I hear you, I got a ridiculous quote from a local custom shop for paint. Decided since being retired I can research this and learn something new! So taking it one piece and a time with the primer and getting them all prepped for color and clear. I figure by the time I get done with the primer, the bottom of the cab and bed. And the inside of the engine compartment I'll be ready for the color and clear. I can see the why of the cost now just in the time spent sanding between coats.

 

[Grit dog]

^ Like I tell you very one who asks, gonna paint that yourself?
Hell yeah, I’ve already done the hard part and most of the work. Even with a full sand and polish the “painting” is like 5% of the actual hours overall.
Got a quote just to have the truck squirted. $2k if I brought it 100% ready. And that didn’t include him doing the bottom/back/inside of bed.
That’s only 2 days worth of work. Would be one if it didn’t have 2 colors.
I’ve painted a few cars and fixed plenty of whiskey dents. Last full repaint was 20 years ago now. Tryna teach my kid something useful but he no too interested.

 

[hoagster]

Here's the other side of the hood, 3 coats of chassis black on top of 3 coats of primer. If I can do that I think I'm ready for color and clear! This side is all taped off so I can finish the other side.

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[hoagster]

Burned up half a pack of 1000 grit erasing Saturday's amateur hour with a paint gun! Now I can re-clear the bed stripe at the same time I paint the rest.

Tamco sent the new, hopefully right, base coat color yesterday.

With any luck, I'll get a chunk of the truck painted the primary color this weekend...

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you're already into it but 3M has a 1,2,3 sanding using scotch brite pads! I still have found regular sand paper to get the smoothness I'm looking for but they are handy at the end. National tool wharehouse. I have found the 7747 the equivalent of 180 grit sand paper, but smoother! So I have been using them before the cleanup wipes. Haven't use the Clear blend ones yet, but the color prep is around 320-400!

3M7745	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Clear Blend Prep Scuff	1	$24.19
3M7748	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Color Prep Scuff	1	$23.07
3M7747	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Primer Prep Scuff	1	$21.93

 

[Grit dog]

you're already into it but 3M has a 1,2,3 sanding using scotch brite pads! I still have found regular sand paper to get the smoothness I'm looking for but they are handy at the end. National tool wharehouse. I have found the 7747 the equivalent of 180 grit sand paper, but smoother! So I have been using them before the cleanup wipes. Haven't use the Clear blend ones yet, but the color prep is around 320-400!

3M7745	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Clear Blend Prep Scuff	1	$24.19
3M7748	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Color Prep Scuff	1	$23.07
3M7747	4-3/4" x 15' Scotch-Brite™ Primer Prep Scuff	1	$21.93

Thanks for that. I just looked it up and it seems the 7745 is likened to 000 steel wool, which is about 400 grit, maybe a little coarser.
About right for paint prep (final primer sand) and far too coarse for wet sanding clear (to polish). Maybe ok to scuff to re-clear. I've never tried block sanding with scothchbrite either.
I'm not much of an auto body man, but was always told, the finer you sand, the better the finish.

 

[John-Ryan]

Got my center caps cut and installed on H2 wheels..yall like em? I'm indifferent about the look.. complete new drag link installed and 1" tie rods are waiting on the bench for warmer weather. Now I have locking hubs to chase down. Have the D44 up front but have the larger spicer locking hub? Think this axle came out of a one ton even though it's a 44..I've read that some 1 tons came with the D44 and larger spicer, in early years?

 

[Blackbeard44]

are the axles 30 spline at the hub?

 

[John-Ryan]

are the axles 30 spline at the hub?

Good call..I'll check, forgot to count

 

[Blackbeard44]

Good call..I'll check, forgot to count

I accidently ordered these for a dana60, they are 30spline and I bought 35 spline axles, these are sitting on my parts shelf, if these will work for you I would sell them for what I paid for them.

they are way bigger than a corporate/dana 44 hub

 

[John-Ryan]

I accidently ordered these for a dana60, they are 30spline and I bought 35 spline axles, these are sitting on my parts shelf, if these will work for you I would sell them for what I paid for them.

they are way bigger than a corporate/dana 44 hub

I'm pretty sure those will work..doing some research those kept popping up. Ill pull them and count them tomorrow while I do my tie rods. Thanks for the heads up

 

[Grit dog]

Got my center caps cut and installed on H2 wheels..yall like em? I'm indifferent about the look.. complete new drag link installed and 1" tie rods are waiting on the bench for warmer weather. Now I have locking hubs to chase down. Have the D44 up front but have the larger spicer locking hub? Think this axle came out of a one ton even though it's a 44..I've read that some 1 tons came with the D44 and larger spicer, in early years?

Those look great! Seems H2 wheels always look unfinished since you never see them with hub caps.

 

[454-k10]

I traded my 74 Blazer for an 89 Jimmy. Just did a 3/4 ton swap and new wheels. Now I’m playing the power window/ tailgate relay game. And for some reason the heat won’t come out of the defrost. The blower motor died yesterday and I’m hoping that was the problem. If the new one doesn’t fix it I’ll start chasing that down. Also ORD steering box brace came in today. Lots to do.

 

[454-k10]

I'm pretty sure those will work..doing some research those kept popping up. Ill pull them and count them tomorrow while I do my tie rods. Thanks for the heads up

I had the HD Dana44 a couple years ago. The axle tube is a little bigger in diameter. The inner hub bearing is a little bigger. Those locking hubs are called external locking hubs. The other common ones are called internal. I’m not sure about yours but my dana44 was still compatible with all other dana44/10 bolt axles not dana60s. I’m almost certain those warn hubs for a 60 will not work with your application. I bought the warm 9072 hubs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQBMQS/

I’m pretty sure these are what you need. Hope that helps