Started on the 71 4x4 SB

[My427stang]

Here it was, sitting in the garage today, spare rear and all the junk collecting in the back. Been driving the Mustang and Harley, so the F100 was sort of just waiting for me.

Looking pretty ugly, but not nearly as ugly as the pics seem to be. Started by cleaning out the bed



Then I got my "heavy lifting crew" and the three of us put the bed in the trailer



Then ended up with this



Going to start by prepping the frame and replacing the cab corners. Then I'll probably jack the cab up in place and do the rest of the frame and new insulators. This will be a clean driver kind of resto. The truck is very solid, just needs its 14 yr cleaning and puff up:)

[CO684X4]

Cant wait to see some pics. Your truck looks like my trucks twin. Im in the process of building mine. Gota love the SWB 4x4's.

[lifted72]

Looks about like mine when i first bought it, hopefully yours doesnt take you 7 years! Good luck, i cant wait to see it when your done!

[My427stang]

It cant take 7, its got to be painted by July before I move.

BTW This is the THIRD time I did it since 1988.

First time was a rebody and paint when it was a long bed 4x4, second was prepping it for paint as a shortbed before the AF (Didnt get to spray it before I left)

I could take this old girl apart in my sleep

[My427stang]

Well today I pulled the rear springs, the tailpipes, the rear axle and started cleaning the frame.

What a dirty job LOL

Game plan is to buy a set of new springs and shocks, clean up and reseal/paint the rear, and wire brush the rear part of the frame and get it in a modern chassis black after etching and priming.

Rear axle is merely rolled under to make room for the Harley, its not bolted in

[My427stang]

Should have more pictures soon.

I ended up not buying new springs, as I had a hell of a time getting the short F-100 springs for anything less than 500 bucks. I even considered moving the rear perch and using the longer springs which are easy to find for 100 a side, but with a 6 foot bed I wouldnt have been able to bolt my bumper back on

However the springs are stripped, getting new poly bushings, center bolt, u-bolts, etc. Same with the shackles. New brake hose, basically anything unboltable will be new or cleaned/painted

I hope to that the back half painted and back on 4 wheels in 2 weeks. I'll take some pictures next weekend, ran out of time today and this week is NOT going to be truck frriendly

[My427stang]

Well I started on the frame, used some enamel primer that supposedly converts minor rust, has high adhesion, etc. Seems like good enough stuff, but I wanted to do a test panel before I trusted it. So I did the easy frame rail. I wire brushed and ground it, then metal etched it, then hit it with the primer.

It doesnt fill much, but it should look nice and clean. Tomorrow I'll sand some and see how it adheres.



After that I took apart the springs and wire brushed them, replaced the broken Superlift add-a-leaf with a BDS kit. Here is a pic of one 9 leaf spring, did both and then painted the individual parts



I'll post more as I do more

[My427stang]

Well the frame is in primer, springs are ready to go back in. I bought a BDS adda leaf to match the Softride 4 inch front springs, BDS U-bolts (price was great 10 bucks each with nuts and washers) and the urethane bushings. Havent decided on shocks yet and I need to buy a new brake hose from frame to axle.

I also plan to order these traction bars
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-236 ... ar_kit.htm



Game plan is to paint 1/2 the frame, reseal and paint the axle and driveshaft, then reassemble the back end. After that I will pull the nose and slide the cab back to do the front half of the frame.

When I slide the cab back, The plan is to rock it back to clean and paint the floor and cowl, then slide it right back into place. Sort of a goofy way to do it, but I need to keep the truck on 4 wheels and dont have the garage space to let it take up more than a bay.

Starting to look much better!

[70shortwide]

lookin good keep on with the pics

[My427stang]

Getting a little closer

[stangconv]

Looking Good!!!

Did you spray your frame in the Garage? looks like there is NO oversray...

[My427stang]

I covered the floor in plastic and brush painted it with tractor and trailer enamel after etching. Its very nice, it lays out flat, it really is great stuff if you cant spray.

However I am a bodyman and have been for years and years, both resto and insurance work, so to do this killed me. I've been bitching and whining to myself and my wife for weeks LOL Nature of the beast though, in the neighborhood I live in, I cant have disassembled cars.

The body I will be doing in the booth, but all in all, its coming out very nice

[1971ford]

I covered the floor in plastic and brush painted it with tractor and trailer enamel after etching. Its very nice, it lays out flat, it really is great stuff if you cant spray.

However I am a bodyman and have been for years and years, both resto and insurance work, so to do this killed me. I've been bitching and whining to myself and my wife for weeks LOL Nature of the beast though, in the neighborhood I live in, I cant have disassembled cars.

The body I will be doing in the booth, but all in all, its coming out very nice

oooo what materials are you painting with? BC/CC or SSU? details

[stangconv]

I covered the floor in plastic and brush painted it with tractor and trailer enamel after etching. Its very nice, it lays out flat, it really is great stuff if you cant spray.

However I am a bodyman and have been for years and years, both resto and insurance work, so to do this killed me. I've been bitching and whining to myself and my wife for weeks LOL Nature of the beast though, in the neighborhood I live in, I cant have disassembled cars.

The body I will be doing in the booth, but all in all, its coming out very nice

oooo what materials are you painting with? BC/CC or SSU? details

Yeah details... Also details on the Tractor enamal... I need to learn how to make my frame and suspention pretty

[My427stang]

The last time I did the truck I used Centari acrylic enamel with 780S clear, at least I think it was 780S, it was over 20 yrs ago LOL, it was their acrylic enamel urethane clear, versus the 580S that behaved like a synthol enamel (heavy and slow dry) but I may have the numbers backwards. I havent touched that stuff in a long time, and have really been happy with the Chroma line from Dupont

This time I am either going to do it in Chroma-one or Chromabase. I did the Mustang in Chroma-one and I really hated how it sprayed but after almost 10 yrs I still love the way the single stane urethane looks on a solid black car

As far as a nice building primer/surfacer, I used Mar-hyde Urthane primaer/surfacer on the Mustang, I am perfectly happy with it and it worked great, but when I added the scoop I used a PPG product, I forgot the name now, seemed like the same stuff but it sanded so much easier, it was also 7 yrs later than the original, I'll probably use the PPG.

I am not overly fussy with brand, all the new 2 part primer surfacers are incredible compared to the crap we all learned with, and same with the paint, modern b/c has made some crappy painters look real good since it came out LOL