Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...

[McMurphy]

VERY cool photos of the get-together !!

The envy is all mine for not being able to make that one!
Thanks for the photos and the story telling, with any luck I can get something like this going at my place, once it is a place of course....
...right now its just a pretty camp ground ..... LoL

Well ok there old zoomie, the break is over, back to work !
We need updates !

[Ta2Don]

SIR,YES SIR! Thanks for the kick in my backside...
Is the garage frozen yet?

[realvc]

Great pics. of the get together and congrats. on your seat and trim find.
I've been working on my truck today and am taking a break here on the forum.
When I saw the bobble head dog from Grizz in your pics. I had to laugh, that is so cool.

Take care bro.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

SIR,YES SIR! Thanks for the kick in my backside...
Is the garage frozen yet?

Getting there, a tad slower this year than others...it was in the 50-60s last week and weekend, but the morning frost has lasted all day today and been in the high 20s since Monday.
The river is starting to ice up, and snow is expected Friday.....

Let the freezing begin !!

I hope to have a fairly interesting update on my build here in the next week or so....

[Ta2Don]

fairly interesting update coming... Looking forward to it Murph!

Jeff is hooking me up with the piece to repair my inner fender... picking up some metal before the weekend for my radiator support... Body filler ordered... Time to get after it again!

[Ta2Don]

Not really an update, but the big brown truck dropped off my Body Filler today...


Gonna get the passenger fender ready to prime, then do the same with the, new to me, hood for my DD...

Ordered online due to the fact the only local Body Shop Supply burned down and hasn't quite made their re-opening yet...

[TJ's Chevy]

Alright then! Let's see some work!!!! Hint hint!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Your making faster progress than me!

[likaroc13]

Just made it through the end of your thread so far. Keep up the good work, & I look forward to your continued progress. Great pics of the git down at Clem's as well. Oh, and cool artwork! I like to doodle myself every once in a while.

[realvc]

Here's the deal, since I've been following your thread I've also been checking Craig's List and ebay for 61-66 Chevy and GMC trucks. They are out there and some even seem reasonably priced. I keep talking myself out of pulling the trigger on one because I already have enough stuff to deal with even though a cool older truck could be worked into the mix. Can we have too many trucks, cars, toys and projects? How many is too many?

[markeb01]

Let us know how that body filler works out. I've used several U-Pol products but never tried their filler yet. I love all the stuff I've tried. Interesting to see that looks like it might be produced domestically because it's in an American style can. All the other stuff I've used has been in a European designed can, which is much easier to open and reseal.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by realvc

Here's the deal, since I've been following your thread I've also been checking Craig's List and ebay for 61-66 Chevy and GMC trucks. They are out there and some even seem reasonably priced. I keep talking myself out of pulling the trigger on one because I already have enough stuff to deal with even though a cool older truck could be worked into the mix. Can we have too many trucks, cars, toys and projects? How many is too many?

Too many… NEVER, not in my vocabulary anyway!!!
Hope to see ya soon… Grizz has put something in the mail to me and included a bauble for you as well...

Originally Posted by markeb01

Let us know how that body filler works out. I've used several U-Pol products but never tried their filler yet. I love all the stuff I've tried. Interesting to see that looks like it might be produced domestically because it's in an American style can. All the other stuff I've used has been in a European designed can, which is much easier to open and reseal.

I'll have to take a look at the can to see where it was made… Not really sure how to compare this product since this is my first attempt at body work... A friend recommended UPol so I decided to give it a try… Since I am a newbie at body work, I decided to play with a free hood for my DD… Today I sanded and rattle canned primer to see how I had done... My thought was to prime and see if and what further work might be needed…. Primer sure showed me the areas that need more attention.
Here are pics of Before and After the primer…



Happy Wrenching Folks!!!

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Alright then! Let's see some work!!!! Hint hint!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Your making faster progress than me!

Thanks for the kick TJ… I need that occasionally, or often, as my better half says...

Originally Posted by likaroc13

Just made it through the end of your thread so far. Keep up the good work, & I look forward to your continued progress. Great pics of the git down at Clem's as well. Oh, and cool artwork! I like to doodle myself every once in a while.

Thanks Man!!! Clem is doing this the 3rd Saturday of every October… A must attend just to meet Clem and see his Awesome slice of Automotive Heaven!!! Just my opinion...
Gotta get primed for more artwork, winter time gives me the time to doodle more...

[Ta2Don]

Dropped by a local car show yesterday morning… More recruiting...

Here are a few Trucks that I passed out cards to the owners...

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Thanks Man!!! Clem is doing this the 3rd Saturday of every October… A must attend just to meet Clem and see his Awesome slice of Automotive Heaven!!! Just my opinion...
Gotta get primed for more artwork, winter time gives me the time to doodle more...

If I were still in northeast MS (where I'm originally from), I'd make the trek over to Clem's for sure. We're working on relocating a little closer back that direction, so maybe a future visit will be in the works. Clem & I have chatted a couple times about SEC football. He's a Razorback, while I'm a Bulldog (MS State). And I'm waiting on somebody to hit me up for some artwork. It usually comes around this time of year. Last year my mom wanted something done for her bedroom with Faith, Hope, & Love. The year before that it was a rooster painted on a garbage can for the kitchen.

[Alan's Classic]

The hood looks good. Dust some black rattle can over it for a guide coat and block away.

[TJ's Chevy]

nice pictures of the trucks! And cool hood!

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

The hood looks good. Dust some black rattle can over it for a guide coat and block away.

Thanks Alan… Being so new to bodywork has me learning some through trial and error… The primer coat sure highlighted some areas that need more attention… Once I address those areas, then I will do the black rattle can dusting and blocking...

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

nice pictures of the trucks! And cool hood!

Thanks TJ and the best part about the hood… it was free!!!

[BOXER957]

Originally Posted by realvc

Here's the deal, since I've been following your thread I've also been checking Craig's List and ebay for 61-66 Chevy and GMC trucks. They are out there and some even seem reasonably priced. I keep talking myself out of pulling the trigger on one because I already have enough stuff to deal with even though a cool older truck could be worked into the mix. Can we have too many trucks, cars, toys and projects? How many is too many?

I agree with Don, I'm at 5 trucks, 1 car, a jeep toy, always at least a couple Harleys around and a toyhauler live in camper....and I'm always looking for more.....I say pull the trigger! Just be careful you don't catch the bug that some of us other gearheads get Don, hood is looking good! Just like learning to weld, patience is key.. With bondo I have the tendency to sand off everything I put on over and over...I've been doing it for years and I'm still learning. I think your first time out of he gate and you're ahead of me! Doing a great job as usual, keep up the good work!

[Ta2Don]

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by BOXER957

Don, hood is looking good! Just like learning to weld, patience is key.. With bondo I have the tendency to sand off everything I put on over and over...I've been doing it for years and I'm still learning. I think your first time out of he gate and you're ahead of me! Doing a great job as usual, keep up the good work!

Thanks for the encouragement…

[McMurphy]

Good that you got a hood to practice on.
I am dreading mine, which I think will be on the list after the rear sway corrections I have to make.
Normally I would do the fenders next, but due to my limited space, I think they are safe and remaining unscratched/not dented just hanging on the wall right now.....
Hood on the other hand I can plop up on the front of the truck and not worry about too much.

Out of curiosity, how many days out of the week do you work on your truck?
How many hours do you suppose?
I been wondering because I know I spend a lot of time on mine, with somedays if it weren't for the need of food, I would be there till it was time to go to work the next day.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Out of curiosity, how many days out of the week do you work on your truck?
How many hours do you suppose?
I been wondering because I know I spend a lot of time on mine, with somedays if it weren't for the need of food, I would be there till it was time to go to work the next day.

Quick answer is Not enough! Sunday and Monday are my days off, so to speak, since I'm self employed... With that being said, when the studio is closed I'm not making money so I try to work when possible. This time of year is historically slow business wise in the tattoo industry, and to add to it I am in a small market area. Enough whining, to answer your ? I try to get in about 6 to 10 hours per weekend, but that varies alot thanks to life getting in the way... but I would venture to say that I average about 6 or so hours per weekend.

I need to spend more time, especially since I plan on driving my '65 to Clem's in 11 months for the next get-together...

[McMurphy]

I was wondering because with the amount of progress you make, I would have assumed you spent more hours on it per week.
Between Monday and Friday I tend to get 3-5 days at least a couple of hours on it before dinner is ready. Sat-Sun I am there pretty faithfully from noon until 6-7 pm when dinner is ready.
Once I put it down and clean up for the evening meal, I do not go back down to it however. If I did, I would be there until I could not stand any longer.

Case in point, one night my wife went out with the girls.
When she came home I was like: "Well that was a short night, the girls poop out on you, or did you poop out on them?"
She replied, "Honey, it's 1 am...."

[clemdaddy]

like the scooped hood. i would like to see the rear view if you've got a shot. and don't worry about the body work, with your talent, that fillin', sandin' primein' business will soon be easy.

stay after it my friend... looking good.

[likaroc13]

Hood is lookin' good. Just keep at it. I sold a dash bezel to a guy a couple weeks ago who mentioned he was going to looking at a double-scoop cowl hood like yours for his '95 C-1500.

I'm a big fan of the OBS ('88-98) body style myself. Had a '93 short/step as my first vehicle, & owned it for a little over 9 years. Just got into a fullsize again ('97 2dr/2wd Tahoe) in January of this year.