Body work question... - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jplinville · #16 03-15-2019, 01:17 PM

I won't post photos yet, but after two good coats, it's looking really nice. I had to fill in chips I missed after I did the first coat...so much got sanded down, glazed over, and primered again. So technically, I've got the second coat on it. I've noticed a few dents I didn't see before due to the dull paint, and with the semi-gloss, they don't show too much...but they're there. And, since the inner panel is in the way, I can't get behind it to tap them out. So, the dents will remain for now.

When I have the hood done, I'll post pictures of it. It will be a week or so, due to the extra curing time I'm giving it due to temperatures. I think that this is the way to go...inexpensive paint, not too labor intensive, and a semi-gloss, near matte, finish.

The old girl is going to look great when finished.

jplinville · #17 03-29-2019, 11:12 AM

Well...I never was able to get the rolled paint to look right, so I changed over to a flat white spray topped by a couple coats of satin clear. I've got the hood and driver's door done, and will be prepping the passenger door tomorrow...I still need to remove the power guts, since I never was able to locate a good harness for the doors.

All I'm looking for is a decent 20 foot appearance.

I did find out that I need to locate a body man that can handle the driver's rocker panel and cab corner for me. Passenger rocker is good, and I can handle the passenger cab corner...but don't have the inclination to do the driver's side.

Anyone have a rough estimate on how much a rocker and cab corner cut and weld job might run?

Antony · #18 04-11-2019, 10:40 AM

I just found a very useful website for painting supplies:

https://repaintsupply.com/

I just shot a bunch of SEM black trim paint - and loved the result. In searching for an outlet to buy more I found that website.

They are very responsive to email, and looks like they shipped my order from Nebraska.

Just wanted to post an update - good luck with the remainder of your project.

-Tony

jplinville · #19 04-11-2019, 08:16 PM

Good info...thanks

Got a price on some body work...instead of the rocker, it's a small patch at the bottom of th A-pillar and can corners. Weld, plastic, and epoxy primer for a total of $1100...with me doing the paint. Bed inner wheel wells need replaced, as well as outer patch panels...quoted $900 for that. Thinking about just doing total sides and inner walls for $900, with my spot welding and painting.

Either option sounds good...

barry12345 · #20 04-12-2019, 09:06 AM

Asked my brother in law the current local rates to do your metal work. He quoted about 1K and does a lot of them.

I did not post because of regional differances plus it depends on who you know as well. It surprised me your estimates turned up very similar.

When you are finished painting.I would take a rocker panel spray type canister. Mix some grease and oil. Heat it up in hot water and spray in all the places you can get into. Especially the frame as well. It really extends the metals life in areas where rust is common. Just never apply anything that sets up hard as it actually creates more rust.

That is what Mercedes did at the factory for years and is the bane of these cars in the rustbelt.

jplinville · #21 04-12-2019, 05:47 PM

Ran down to KY yesterday to pick the donor truck again...came back with the fenders this time. I'll get these cleaned up, one dent hammered out, and painted. The next nice weekend we have, I'll remove the hood, old fenders, and cowl panel...the cowl panel needs cleaned and painted, so does the piece under the grill.

While everything is off, I'm going to torch and try to straighten out the bumper a bit, as it has the standard pucker right at the mounting brackets. Someone posted on a FB group I'm a member of a photo of the pucker, asking "Why does every Ford truck have this pucker?" It made me laugh, because every older F series truck I've seen has it, as well as the bent rear bumper. At any rate, a come-along, some heat, and a few well placed whacks with a hammer across a 4X4 should bring it back to a smaller pucker.

It's going to take a few days, but I'll get all the removable parts put back on over the next nice weekend. From there, I'll remove the visor, sand on the roof a bit, get it painted and cleared, then reassemble the visor to the roof.

All that will be left to do at that point is to wait for the bed to be removed and paint the back of the cab and get the rust dealt with on the lower A pillar and cab corners.

I'm not wanting a show truck...just a 10-20 footer. Anything more would require I hire out for a paint job...and I just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on an old truck, unless it is for mechanical work.

Once I get the body done, I'll start thinking about the 351W block I have on a skid in the garage. It's fresh from the machine shop, bored .030" over and deck slightly milled, just missing heads and intake. I'll keep it with factory EFI, so a junkyard hunt will be in the near future for parts, as well as some ordering from the local parts house for water pump, A/C bits, and alternator. I already have an O/D pulley set sitting in a box. This motor will be a direct bolt in for the 302...using the same computer and harness.

That engine will be next winter's project for sure. I've got to get the garage cleaned up , move the R107 from storage into the garage, and get it back on the road. It's been sitting for more years than I care to admit, and I'd like to get it back on the road, going to cruise ins, gather interest in it, and likely sell it to the highest reasonable offer. With my back and leg issues, getting down into a low slung car is beyond what I care to do anymore. Besides...I could use that money to finally locate and ship the Bronco of my dreams...a 1987-1991 Bricknose Bronco! You don't see many of them around here that isn't covered in rust holes, so I'll have to source it from out west. I'll likely have the 302 from the F250 rebuilt to put into the Bronco.

It's been the dream I've had since the late 1990's to own a Bricknosed Bronco. Life just hasn't blessed me yet with the ability to have one.

jplinville · #22 04-12-2019, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry12345

Asked my brother in law the current local rates to do your metal work. He quoted about 1K and does a lot of them.

I did not post because of regional differances plus it depends on who you know as well. It surprised me your estimates turned up very similar.

When you are finished painting.I would take a rocker panel spray type canister. Mix some grease and oil. Heat it up in hot water and spray in all the places you can get into. Especially the frame as well. It really extends the metals life in areas where rust is common. Just never apply anything that sets up hard as it actually creates more rust.

That is what Mercedes did at the factory for years and is the bane of these cars in the rustbelt.

I plan on doing just that...I don't want to go through this again in 20-30 years.

vwnate1 · #23 04-12-2019, 07:47 PM

Here's hoping we'll get photos ! .

jplinville · #24 04-16-2019, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Here's hoping we'll get photos ! .

Ask, and ye shall receive...

I'm working on the replacement fenders right now, so there are no photos of them on the truck.

Rustoleum seems to be working quite well...but I'm no longer rolling it on due to issues I had in getting the consistency right. I'm spraying with Rustoleum Flat White, not wet sanding, spraying at least 6 coats, in all directions, then finishing with a satin clear top coat, again without wet sanding and using at least 6 coats. The finish is slightly pebbled, which is fine for what I'm looking for. I didn't want to go black due to how much dust and crap flat and satin black shows. White seems to hide it, as well as minor imperfections and my lack of skill and patience.

I destroyed my 20 year old random orbital sander yesterday after many years of faithful use...so I'm headed to HF in the morning to find a replacement. If my air tank was large enough and the motor could handle it, I'd get a pneumatic sander...but the 2.8 amp model they have on their site seems to be close enough to what I had.

One thing to note...those that remember the pictures of what the truck looked like when I bought it 10 years ago likely remember it having dealer installed American Racing Wheels to replace the 16.5" rims with 16"...Ford was into screwing around with rim sizes then. Anyway, I got rid of them when it was proven that two of them had damage beyond my repair, and were warped a bit. Well, the guy in KY, who is a Ford truck man, stocking only Ford trucks and parts on his yard, has a set of the same rims, which are wider than the steel rims I'm using now. They need refinished, and I already know that cost...and will be selling the rims to me for $100. These are aluminum 8 lug wheels with 5 directional swooshes. He wasn't aware that they were a dealer installed item, and assumed they were installed by one of the past owners of a parts truck that came through. He's had them for the last 12 years, sitting in the loft of one of his buildings. He's pressure washing them for me, and I'll pick them up in a few weeks when I head back down to Northern KY.

Most of the parts I have needed over the years for the body are coming from the same truck in KY...the one that came from Oklahoma. His pricing is fantastic, and his knowledge, other than dealer applied parts, is pretty impressive.

The bed on my truck...you can see it's sides are shot. The box is in great shape, with no rust. I'm seriously debating on just buying replacement whole bedsides at $410 each, and inner wheel wells for $65 each, cutting the sides off and spot welding them in place on my own. I'll clamp it in place, and rose weld in each hole to attach it...which is what the body guy I saw recently said that they do when the do the whole sides. I have a welder, and the price of paying someone else to patch versus my doing the sides myself are about the same. I just need to get a couple strong friends over, give them lots of beer, and have them remove the bed from the frame.

vwnate1 · #25 04-16-2019, 08:14 AM

Buy the bed ! .

It'll be square and as long as you look closely before buying should be an easier way to go .

Beds tend to get hammered as well as rusty and tweaked .

I'm very lucky in that my shop truck (1969 Chevy C/10) was a ranch foreman's rig in Texas so the bed is *perfect* , not a ding anywhere and shiny original paint in spite of the cab being rusted beyond repair .

? Do you off road your truck ? .

Simpler=Better · #26 04-17-2019, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

The truck was originally a two tone blue...darker on the major, and lighter on the minor. I'm just going to wind up doing the Rustoleum sponge roller paint job, in a white major, and some sort of a blue minor, and call it good. It's an old truck, not a showroom show truck. This paint should last a good long time, according to all the write-ups I've seen, so long as I wet sand at the end, buff, then wax it to protect it, and keep it waxed. I know I won't match the right shades of blue, but what I'm planning will do me well enough.

Right there with ya. $50 paint jobs on trucks are always appropriate!

We have completely winged it with paint jobs, and had them come out fine for 20 footers. Still looks bettern than faded and scratched 30yr old factory paint.

barry12345 · #27 04-17-2019, 04:10 PM

Check around for a southern or box from any source. If not too expensive it may be the way to go. Around here most the boxes for replacement come up from the south. No rust. Current price unknown though.

jplinville · #28 04-23-2019, 05:04 AM

Today begins the front end tear down. I'm looking at at least 4 days of removing panels, cleaning and detailing, painting the cowl, re-assembly, and adjustment before it's done.

jplinville · #29 04-26-2019, 06:06 PM

Progress...

Bed will come off in a few weeks so I can clean and paint the rear frame, repair cab corner, and paint the cab. It's looking much better than before

jplinville · #30 05-30-2019, 10:22 PM

I picked up the rims earlier in the month, sanded the machined face smooth, removing the corrosion of salt and neglect, then polished them up. I didn't work on the black areas, as I plan on having the blasted over the Winter so I can re-paint the black.

I also picked up a set of Falken WildPeak M/T in 33X11.5 last week, putting serious meats on all four corners. The truck rides smoother and handles better than with the pizza cutters, but those are my winter tires on steel rims, and these are my summer tires.

Fuel mileage sucks with these, but they weren't put on to save gas...

I had to put the truck body on hold so I could help my younger brother with a home project, but will continue on it soon. The cab will be coming off next, so I can work on the cab and frame, getting it cleaned up and painted to match the rest. When all is done, it will likely be sprayed complete to cover a few of my early holidays...just need to find a clean enough place to do it, and not in my small garage.