Junkyard Jimmy Super Low Buck Build Thread

[Bomp]

Paint Flingers Unite!!
Its On Like Donkey Kong!!

[Low Elco]

YEEEEE-HAWWWW! Git it, son! And then, of course, show us the pics!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Tynee]

Sweet

[Dale99]

sweet!!!

[hgs_notes]

Teaser shot. Color on. Clear next.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Bomp]

Gold Member.

Looks Great Man

[Low Elco]

Niiiice!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dieselwrencher]

Looks too sparkly.
























I mean, it looks sweet!

[71swb4x4]

Awesome Mike!!!

[hgs_notes]

I'm typing this as 20 pics are uploading to photobucket to be attached here when complete. Been a long day, made even longer by spousal issues, 4 hours of sleep, then learning as I was finishing up the taping this morning that my best friend in high school died. We haven't been close since then, but we got in touch this winter, met for lunch one day and talked for a couple hours. He has had more than his fair share of struggles during his adulthood, but what ultimately claimed him was probably cancer. I haven't heard the cause of death yet, but he has been in treatment for that for quite awhile. He was 46.

May you rest in peace John.

I wasn't gonna do something corny like dedicate my paint job to him, but he has been on my mind all day. And when I see my son with his friends, John is who I thought about.

As for the paint job, it went well, but not without some adversity. Marv at the shop was absolutely a huge help. Lowell took the time to look at my progress and gave advice throughout the day also. A few years ago they had no idea who I was. I rode up on my bike and introduced myself, told them what I was working on and asked for help. They obliged and since then we have become pretty good friends.

It didn't take me long to finish taping it up. Just needed to do the things that had to wait until after the drive over. I wiped it down with some paint prep solvent as a final degreaser. Tacked it, and sprayed the sealer.



No real issues there. Then it was time for paint. I was past the point where my nerves were gonna bother me, so I just mixed it and started spraying. The first coat was uneven and striped a bit, which made me a little apprehensive, but I knew I had a long way to go.





After 3 coats I had fairly good coverage but I had some stripes down the sides in certain light. So Lowell said to change direction of the next couple coats, which gave me some tiger stripes. Great. Five coats and I'm struggling to get it evened out. It's a yellow, it's transparent, it's got a ton of flake and I have no almost experience painting. I still had plenty of paint though. So Marv showed me how to do a mist coat, which basically means you paint like a monkey on cocaine. First mist coat made a pretty decent improvement. Second one took care of most of the rest, third mist coat was for good measure. So at least 8 coats of paint, might be 9, (I kinda lost count in the first grouping) and that left me at this point...







It looked good in the booth. So it was finally time to spray some clear. Biggest problem with clear is that you are spraying a lot of material for a good wet coat, which usually means runs. I sprayed real heavy on the hood cuz its flat, and not likely to run, and it was rough from all the misting coats. First coat of clear went fine. Actually all 4 of them went alright. I found one run on a fender as I was spraying the 3rd coat, and I might find more tomorrow when I pull off the tape and get it out in the sun. I have a lot of orange peel, which both Lowell and Marv said was no surprise given how many coats I had to spray and the type of paint used, etc, etc. Sanding and polishing it would smooth it out, but both of them said it would be acceptable as is. Pics after clear...








I won't judge it until its outside in the sun. It looks good in the booth though. I knew I did a good job when I asked Marv if he would let it go to a paying customer and it was his work and he said "oh yeah, no problem there." He even came back after work to check on me and see the final results. I was there til 6:30, he gets off at 5 and lives about 10 miles out of town. Everyone loves the color. They say its perfect for this style of truck and that it will definitely turn heads.

On the downside, I may have to respray the windshield frame if the color doesn't match up. Not a big deal, but will see it in the morning. Enjoy the show everyone. Thank you all for your support, encouragement, teasing, razzing, tips, tricks, chains and whips. More pics tomorrow out in the bright sunshine. Have your sunglasses ready.

[Bomp]

Awesome Awesome AWESOME!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Low Elco]

Don't you love it when you're all geared up to face the demon and walk into the fire.... And at that exact moment everything else in your life goes berserk? REALLY? Interestingly, you wind up walking in the door, flipping the demon the bird, and taking care of business. Sorry about your friend, at least his suffering has ended. Truck looks terrific! The biggest challenge is getting it on, you got all the time in the world to cut and buff. Congratulations, it's a big deal and definitely a life box to check off.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Low Elco]

Ps- Like a monkey on cocaine- That's just about right! Lol!
Posted via Mobile Device

[hgs_notes]

Its home.

[Low Elco]

Hot Damn, that's nice! Now ya gotta polish the slots! Are you happy with it in the light?
Posted via Mobile Device

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Hot Damn, that's nice! Now ya gotta polish the slots! Are you happy with it in the light?
Posted via Mobile Device

Don't think I'm gonna polish them, just clean em up I think. Honestly haven't had more than a couple minutes to see it. I got it home and I'm stuck on a conference call and goofing off online while thats going on. From what I've seen it looks good. When the sun hit the tailgate while I was pulling off tape and plastic it made me smile. The 2 pics above are nothing even close to how it looks in person. Only found 1 run in the clear. Gotta be happy with that.

Another neighbor of mine is a retired body guy, probably has 40+ years experience. He looked it over and told me it looked great.

[Lifetime Project 72]

The truck looks spectacular! The paint job is very well done,you could paint mine anytime.Great choice of colour.
Will be awesome once the chrome goes on.
Chris

[ColoradoK5]

Blazer Looks amazing love the color.

[Dale99]

Very good!!

Now the fun part, remembering where all the hardware goes(or where you placed it)

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Lifetime Project 72

The truck looks spectacular! The paint job is very well done,you could paint mine anytime.Great choice of colour.
Will be awesome once the chrome goes on.
Chris

Drop it off, and in about 4-5 years it'll be done and look amazing.

Originally Posted by ColoradoK5

Blazer Looks amazing love the color.

Thanks. I can hardly believe I did it.

Finally got out there to look it over in the bright sunshine. Freaking awesome is all I can say. No big mistakes I didn't already know about. I've had lots of people stop by to look. One guy pulled up just after I got it home this morning and said he's been watching my progress for years when he would grade the alley and worked for the city. He just wanted to stop and tell me how great it looked. I tried to take some good pics to see if I could capture how much it glows in the sun.






Sun sparkle...


And parked next to my C-10 (guess I have a thing for different colors)...

[71swb4x4]

That looks awesome Mike, great job!!!

[TennesseeZ]

I may have said this before, but I'm gonna say it again: I am IMPRESSED with this build. I look at it in this state, look at the shiney paint, and I remember hey, this is his first, maybe second paint job ever?. And that hood, didn't he cut apart a 67 hood and graft it onto a 71-72 frame cause he just liked the look better? The front fenders, IIRC he cut off the front lower part cause he plans to build a super-duper whooptedoo bumper and all that old rust was just gonna be in the way anyhoo? The windshield frame, he went thru a couple and still didn't have a good one, so he spent a lotta hours building a basically new one. That rear passenger quarter, wasn't that crushed beyond recognition at one point?I could go on and on, but I hope that helps get my point across. Saved a couple demolished Jimmys literally from the scrap yard, and built that shiney, beautiful truck outa them, and all for way. way less than than any restorer would have in it, even before the markup. Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, repeat that a couple hundred more times and you'll be getting kinda close.

Great job Mike, you've showed us all how it can and should be done.

[Lifetime Project 72]

Mike,my truck & I have been very patient,whats another 4-5 years lol!!

This Jimmy has been my favorite build on this site,has been very inspirational.You have a lot to be proud of!!

Chris

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

That looks awesome Mike, great job!!!

Thanks, man. Come over and see it sometime.

Originally Posted by TennesseeZ

I may have said this before, but I'm gonna say it again: I am IMPRESSED with this build. I look at it in this state, look at the shiney paint, and I remember hey, this is his first, maybe second paint job ever?. And that hood, didn't he cut apart a 67 hood and graft it onto a 71-72 frame cause he just liked the look better? The front fenders, IIRC he cut off the front lower part cause he plans to build a super-duper whooptedoo bumper and all that old rust was just gonna be in the way anyhoo? The windshield frame, he went thru a couple and still didn't have a good one, so he spent a lotta hours building a basically new one. That rear passenger quarter, wasn't that crushed beyond recognition at one point?I could go on and on, but I hope that helps get my point across. Saved a couple demolished Jimmys literally from the scrap yard, and built that shiney, beautiful truck outa them, and all for way. way less than than any restorer would have in it, even before the markup. Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, repeat that a couple hundred more times and you'll be getting kinda close.

Great job Mike, you've showed us all how it can and should be done.

Making me blush. But thank you very much. Speaking of cost, I need to update that. Haven't really spent much on it, but there are probably a few things to add.

Originally Posted by Lifetime Project 72

Mike,my truck & I have been very patient,whats another 4-5 years lol!!

This Jimmy has been my favorite build on this site,has been very inspirational.You have a lot to be proud of!!

Chris

Plenty of time then for you to learn to do it yourself. I'm out of your price range.

If I inspired anyone, or just got anyone at all to go out and work on their junk and try to do new things, got them out of their comfort zone, it makes the time/effort keeping this build and thread moving worth while. Because honestly, that's what a lot of the other builds/projects and people on this board have done for me.

Still a long ways to go on this project though. For now, it's time to slap some glass in it, throw lights at it, fix what still needs fixing and beat it around town while I can still enjoy the weather in my fresh convertible.

[TennesseeZ]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

For now, it's time to slap some glass in it, throw lights at it, fix what still needs fixing and beat it around town while I can still enjoy the weather in my fresh convertible.

You've sure earned that, enjoy it some now!