Bed and Paint Questions

[JacobSchni]

I'm planning on restoring my truck, but don't know much about restoration. What would be the easiest way to remove the bed? After I get it off what steps should i take? Sand blast(harder for me to do), wire wheel, ect. then when i paint it what should I use. Por15, rustoleum, ect? I want to do it the right way, not have to redo a bad job. (By the way I'm still in highschool so price is in mind, but i can pick up hours between my jobs)

[69chevytrucker]

i did my frame with tractor paint

works great and hard as nails when cured and prevents rust

[JacobSchni]

did u sand blast and use any kind of metal prep solution?

[69chevytrucker]

pressure washed and wire wheel on grinder and the tractor primer grey and the gloss black tractor paint

[69chevytrucker]

if you have a sand blaster all the better

[JacobSchni]

my grandpa does, dont know if i could borrow it

[JacobSchni]

Im assuming you used a paint gun, if so what did you use. and where did you get the paint/ whats the brand?

[69chevytrucker]

well if you have a grinder and can pressure wash the frame it would work good no need to blast

[69chevytrucker]

ya i used a gun and case tractor paint

[69chevytrucker]

goto any case dealer and you can buy the paint by the gal cheap too

[91V3500]

To take the bed off, remove the 8 bolts, unhook the gas filler neck(s), unplug the tail light harness and then bribe about 3 or 4 buddies to come help lift it off. I used a forklift to get mine off but an engine hoist works good, too. I ran some wooden 2x4's under the upper bed rails and then ran 4 4x4's across the bed under the 2x4's and ran the forklift forks under the 4x4's.

I had to take my "new" bed apart to get it home because I have some lazy friends and had to do it by myself, but I wouldn't take yours apart if you can help it because it has about 150,000 bolts that hold it together and some welds at the back that keep it square, but not really a big deal if you can weld.

[69chevytrucker]

ya i used my homemade cherry picker the one in the pic above to get my box off jacked the one end with the picker put a block 8 feet in front of my truck lifted the other end of box by hand and push my truck out from under with my foot the block stopped the truck in the alley lol

[stampy]

I used an engine hoist, centered in the bed and a tie strap to each corner. Mine is a short bed so this was pretty easy, not sure if a long box would really be much different. I also made a frame to set the box on so it is a nice height to work on, and so I can move it around the garage easy to keep out of the way. I picked up some casters at TSC when they were on sale for half price and now I can drag it around with one hand! I needed a way to be able to do this all myself. I just started wire wheeling my frame and will paint it with Tremclad (Canada's Rustoleum) Gloss Black. First coats with a brush to get it thick where needed, last coat with spray gun to get it even looking.