Thread: 55/58 Chevy truck build

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Originally Posted by BAM55

Yeah I done the bottom of the cab and interior floors with the raptor liner, so easy to use you can't go wrong.

I don't know anything about complete frame swaps, I install clips or aftermarket IFS.

I need to look at how large the frame is on this truck. But it is a 3800 and has at least a 10' bed. I'm guessing finding a 1/2 or 3/4 ton frame won't be easy that's why I guessed a frame swap may be easier. Once I get it home and out of the weeds I can get a better idea about it.

That DD cluster looks great!

I forgot to post a pic of the Dakota Digital gauges installed.

Making a lot of progress. Those gauges are just beautiful.

Originally Posted by v8nutz

Making a lot of progress. Those gauges are just beautiful.

Yeah I really like them alot. I learned something from buying those gauges. I was trying to avoid paying that much for gauges so I started looking into buy the bezel, and gauge set of a decent quality. Man I was only going to save about 100 bucks, so I might as well bit the bullet and get what I really want. All decent quality gauges are expensive.

Well I finished blending the paint on the firewall after the steering column mount fab work. It came out nice, you can't tell that I cut into that paint.

That sure looks great! Did you re clear the entire firewall or just blend it in and then cut and buff it too?

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

That sure looks great! Did you re clear the entire firewall or just blend it in and then cut and buff it too?

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Thats not cut and buffed yet, that pic is right after I shot the clear. What I did was wet sanded that side of the firewall to about the center of the truck. I then backed taped at the edge of the top of the firewall and blended the clear. I hope that makes sense.

Yes it does. Again, nice work.

Good job, I've never had much luck with blending. I always get a line in the clear.

Originally Posted by v8nutz

Good job, I've never had much luck with blending. I always get a line in the clear.

Well that can be fixed with wet sanding the line out. One trick is to use body filler over the line and start wet sanding once the body filler is gone so is your clear line. What that allows you to do is not sand too much clear away, you stop sanding when all the body filler is gone. I also do at least three coats of clear because I know I will be wet sanding.

Best way imo is to when you scuff (I use 800 or 1000 grit wet to scuff) the panel don't spray the clear the whole scuffed off area you only are trying to protect the basecoat that you blended, you can always take the scuffs out once you cut and buff the panel. Back taping helps also it gives you a softer edge that just taping off a area.

I hope that makes sense

I think I had trouble because the clear didn't burn in so it left a line. And then there's the issue of color match, it's an art to get the color to blend and disappear. Do you do this kind of stuff for a living?

Originally Posted by v8nutz

I think I had trouble because the clear didn't burn in so it left a line. And then there's the issue of color match, it's an art to get the color to blend and disappear. Do you do this kind of stuff for a living?

Nope I'm just a hobbist. I'm completely self-taught through trial and error.lol I'm just sharing what works for me. The things I've learned from the many mess ups over the years. I've always had the attitude that if I messed it up I can fix it.lol IMO this stuff is not so much talent (at my level) as it is developing skills. You have to build the skills to allow the talent to flow. I'm still in the building skills stage, I have to think my way through this stuff.lol I've seen talented painters and I'm not one of them. The one thing I've noticed with all the talented painters is their skill set is where it all starts, they are fundalmentally sound. Then they can be creative.


What I was trying to say in the second paragraph of my other post is, if you scuff the panel with 1000 grit, back tape before at the edge of the scuff and only paint up to and kind of feather over the back tape line. That way you will have a mechanical bond with the clear and the backtaping will give you a soft line if any line at all that can be wet sanded out.

As far as blending color. There are two ways to go about that. The easiest is if the paint is out of the same can that you orginally applied. The primer also should be the same shade as whats orginally used. Then I do light coats until I get the paint to match with each coat going about an inch pass each other until I achieve a satifactory blend.

The other way is if you have paint that is not the original and you are not sure if its a 100% match. You have to trick the human eye. That is you blend a little into the next panel so that there so gradual a change in color that the human eye finds it hard to detect.

With the column mod finished, I installed the steering column and I have to say I like it much better than the ididit swivel ball I had in place before. Less busy and a smoother look in my opinion.

Very nice! I didn't see it before, but where did you get your column mounting bracket? I can't use a swivel ball on my 40 like I planned, and need to do something different. I did what you did on it with the pipe coming out of the fire wall but I'd like to mount it more secure too.

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That’s not column bracket that is a Lokor cable shifter for the trans . The column is really sturdy because I installed a set screw in the pipe and the column drop has a set screw also