Project "Uncle Fester"- 9/21 Interior almost finished

[1971ford]

ive been using a flat one and thought it was magical!

ill get one of those fancy ones this weekend! thanks!

[72stepside]

ive been using a flat one and thought it was magical!

ill get one of those fancy ones this weekend! thanks!

I'm NOT kidding about being careful with it. I don't want to hear about how it attacked you!!!!

[1971ford]

i know your not kidding, and i have heard horror stories about angle grinders attacking

[72stepside]

Allright, I got some things done over the weekend. I got the flexomatic shackles cleaned and POR15-ed. I got the back half of the frame under the bed cleaned and POR15-ed. I finished that up tonight.

BEFORE any cleaning


AFTER pressure washing, extensive wire brushing, degreasing with Marine Clean, and washing with Metal Prep (hence the white coating)


And FINALLY, with one coat of POR-15 (the 2nd coat was put on 3 hours later)


I would have got the POR-15 applied yesterday but I found a crack in the rear spring hanger on the drivers side. I figured this would be as good a time as any to try my hand at welding. I cleaned it up real good and got a groove filed in the crack to fill. I got a bead on there, ground it flush, then beat on it with a hammer. It didn't break loose so I guess it will hold.


I had never stick welded before then. I practiced on 4 holes that were burned into the rear cross member by the previous owner. Not such a good job on patching them up, but it is better than it was. Below is a before pic. I guess I didn't take an after. Sorry about that.


I'm real impressed with the POR-15. I've been brushing it on. It has very noticeable brush strokes at application, but it really flattens out nicely once it starts to set up. I got some on my neck that won't come off. It'll have to wear off. Fortunately it's a little spot. Nothing too noticeable.

I should get to put the bushings in and get the rear portion of the rear springs attached to the frame again in the next day or so. I'll get the front apart, cleaned, POR-15ed and back together early next week.

Oh, by the way, the Van Halen concert last Friday night in New Orleans was OUTSTANDING!!!!

[mljjones67]

Wow Chris that looks awesome. Nice work!!

[JWW]

Wow! Great progress. Your posts are very helpful to me. I'll be getting one of those wire wheels.

[kilog55]

yeah por-15 is awesome at self leveling but man is it pricey. when you done with the frame and whatever else would you mid posting how much you used as i only have 3/4 of a Qt left and would like to know if i should get a quart or a gallon or what

[72stepside]

yeah por-15 is awesome at self leveling but man is it pricey. when you done with the frame and whatever else would you mind posting how much you used as i only have 3/4 of a Qt left and would like to know if i should get a quart or a gallon or what

I'd be glad to. I bought two quarts to keep from letting a gallon go bad. So far so good. It goes on real thin. It looks like a little will go a long way.

[kilog55]

awesome thanks man not sure if it goes bad if you seal it properly. ive had a quart for almost 10 years and it is still like it was on day one. but i should ask the guy who make it if it works as well as a new can. cause ya figure they dont sell out then make more.

but i have it sealed with saran wrap under the lid.

[69bumptruck]

AFTER pressure washing, extensive wire brushing, degreasing with Marine Clean, and washing with Metal Prep (hence the white coating)


And FINALLY, with one coat of POR-15 (the 2nd coat was put on 3 hours later)


I'm real impressed with the POR-15. I've been brushing it on. It has very noticeable brush strokes at application, but it really flattens out nicely once it starts to set up.

Man, that looks good!!! What did you brush it on with? I would've guessed you sprayed it.

[1971ford]

wow! thanks for that por-15 pic! you can really see the difference! i cant wait to POR-15 my whole chassis... may even do under the bed and cab

[72stepside]

I've already decided that everything under the truck will have POR-15 on it. If I'm gonna go through all this aggravation, I mean joy and fun, I'm gonna seal it up right.

[72stepside]

Not much of an update but I figured I'd post up some of the pictures of my leaf spring bushing puller in action. After a month of a bathroom remodel and a bout with bronchitis, I finally got a little done today.

This puller is just a piece of threaded stock about a foot long with a series of nuts and washers on it. The piece of pipe is the size of the spring eye, allowing the bushing and metal case to slide through when I put the pressure to it.


Here it is in the spring eye all loaded up. I start with just a nut pressing the inner metal sleeve and the rubber out of the spring eye.


Here is the inner metal sleeve and part of the rubber after the first pass.


To get out the outer metal bushing case, I ground a washer to the diameter of the case. I have an extra washer on there just to strengthen everything.


After applying a liberal amount of wheel bearing grease to the threaded stock, I put the power to it. Here's the final result with the outer case in the puller.


I'll work on getting this end of the spring and the spring bracket all cleaned up and ready for POR-15 over the next couple of days. I'll post more pics when I get all the bushings in.

[1971ford]

im going to be stripping my front frame rails and applying POR-15 tomorrow (Hopefully) and i just looked at all your POR-15 posts and i am sooo excited. i cant wait!


i thought the rear last 6 inches were "horns" like the front bumper area, and i was getting worried because i thought we wouldnt be able to make new ones at the welding shop, but we can easily remake that and welded it on (the last 6 inches of my frame became familiar with a torch)

you got me very excited

[72stepside]

I got the front part of the "bed frame" POR-15 'ed yesterday and got the remaining bushings installed tonight. Here are a few pics. You can see that I have the middle of the frame and the rear end assembly yet to paint.





Word to those of you who are about to use POR-15. Heed the directions pertaining to placing some plastic wrap between the lid and can upon re-sealing. I was very careful and thought I hadn't dribbled any in the groove where the lid sits. WRONG !!!! There was a few little specks and that was enough for me to almost have to destroy the lid to get it off yesterday. I now have 2 ziplock bags with a paper towel between them and some large carpenters clamps (because the lid is deformed and won't seal now) to hold it all back together to keep out the air.

Another word on POR-15. Wear long sleeves as well as gloves. I have some on my elbow and up my arm that I didn't get to in time with the mineral spirits. I'll be wearing it off.