Fixin Dixie - 66 Short Bed Fleetside- Diary

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Well thanks to Photobucket changing its business model from free to fee i am going to try and rebuild my rebuild thread. I really wanted in the end a record of what happened. So here goes...

04-06-2014

Finally kick started a long time coming repair on our truck Dixie. Bought her back in 1996 and for many years have had others make upgrades from time to time, front power disc brakes, power steering, electronic ignition, and most recently a 700r4 added. Now the plan is to learn as I go making repairs. I have bought and continue to buy tools and equipment to get this job done and have some fun as I go.

Here are some pics of what she looks like before I get going...

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04-06-2014

Here is a closer at what needs help

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more

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few more

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04-06-2014

Today I took the passenger fender and sanded it down around the trouble spot to see how much I will need to cut out and replace. Ive been watching others make these repairs from this forum and want to try myself with my new equipment. Ive taped off where I think I will make the first cut and weld in the patch panel and brace (as much as I might need from them).

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04-15-2014

Well after staring at it for a while I finally made a cut

Made my template for alignment afterwards and then made the cut.Then I had to stop after seeing all the rust in there. I dont have a blasting cabinet but I do have one of those HF guns and figure once it stops raining Ill bead blast it in the yard as best I can and paint some SPI epoxy primer that I ordered in there and move on to welding.

After looking at how the brace clogged up I am going to cut out a bigger spot at the base for the road grime to escape and not cause this again in the future.

As I go along I am putting together the list of parts I will need to replace and ran across this part that I can not find a replacement for. Is there someone who has reproduced these? Its the seal bracket at the top of the fender.

I did find the clips with the help of pimpston65 at Classic Parts

http://www.classicparts.com/1960-66-.../#.U00-yuZdVt8

[MikeN]

Nice work! Whereabouts in GA are you?

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Hey Mike and thanks! Im in Newnan and its raining nonstop, got a leak in the ceiling now going on. Hope your dry up in Marietta.

[MikeN]

5 inches of rain here since Sunday. It's crazy.

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06-10-2015

Got some pvc pipes, plastic, duct tape, bungee cords, fans, filters to start the paint booth garage conversion. The air flow draws from a fan mounted on a ladder in the back corner and flows downward to the floor and out of a rigged up duct taped plenum about midway of the garage. Added some filters I replace as they get clogged up.

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About the same time as I was building the paint booth I had taken the first batch of parts to the company that will be doing the sandblasting. The blaster I decided to go with a company that came recommended from the PPG shop. Also called around to other garages I go to for help that do custom work and they have heard good things about their work. I got a local quote of $1200 to do the cab and bed if I had it removed from the frame. He said it would be the same price if I left the cab altogether or had it broken down more like removing doors, fenders etc. So I like the idea of a total part breakdown and have them blast. He also quoted me $250 for the frame.

He said he would use a media called starblast and take best care not to warp any of the panels that typically get ruined like hood and roof that are long and straight. He said there will be some spots Ill have to get my DA out to finish as to not risk warping.

So here was the first parts taken.In hindsight I shouldnt have taken the manifold and oil pan since there could be residual grit after blasting that try as I might to clean out will still stick around. Then the engine could get damaged.So I will be buying anew set of those. That manifold sure was caked up

[The Rocknrod]

Love the updates.
Makes me think you have worked on this for a long time and are now updating the pics online?

[The Rocknrod]

Ohhh ya - photobucket such a waste, I closed my account for good.

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April 2014

On the air compressor setup I had bought the compressor at Lowes and had it delivered, then hired an electrician to wire it up, then ran my pipes and hoses soldering as I went (first time for everything), then went to craigslist and found a used mini fridge, drilled holes in it to run the lines and ended up rendering the fridge useless as an auto coolant since I drilled my holes right through the coolant lines in the side of the fridge. So what I do now is fill the bucket up with ice each time i run paint, then have to siphon it out once it melts down to room temp. Diagrams arent hard to find online, I should have looked up where the lines were on that model. Just damn.

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07-14-2015

Loading up more parts and getting them to the blaster

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07-19-2015

I had hoped to get more panels painted that weekend but the sandblaster place was running behind. So I took time to strip down the fogged up and semi-pitted anodized aluminum custom cab trim plates and the front grill. Used oven cleaner to remove the anodized coating and then wet sanded with 600 up to 2000 paper and then tried out the polishing attachment to the drill with high gloss polishing compound.

After using the oven cleaner

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On left is polished after wet sanding, on right is wet sanded only