1969 Ranger - Project Glory Days!

[sargentrs]

I will be building my own electrical harnesses for this truck with a complete re-wire from front to back, so I've been working on laying that out and ordering parts for it too. I'll show you guys once I start laying it out on the jig board.

I was wondering when you were going to start that. How else am I going to know what to do? Looking great!

[67nukeford]

Tyler, the truck is looking fantastic! I love that blue! You'r building the wiring harness? Man, now there's a job! Can't wait to see the cab all painted!

[tylerb43]

Thank you Randy and Pat, I really appreciated the comments!

Well, the last couple weekends I've been making progress on the bed. I started to work on the original bed, but soon realized it was in WAY worse condition that I thought, and that I should really look around for a replacement. Many years of abuse, hauling wood, arc weld repairs, ugh (all in the 80's before I got the truck). I really hated the idea of not using it because it was the original bed. But reality and logic from my head teamed up and put the smackdown on the sentimental-ness in my heart, so they win. -Replacement bed needed.



It turns out I didn't have to look very far. My brother has a '68 that's been parked for 15 years and is probably headed for the scrap yard. So I went down and checked out the bed. (red one) It's not perfect by any means, but it's a lot better than the blue one, so I made the executive decision to grab it and go.



Lifting it up with the 5600 so we could torch off the bed bolts.


Then comes the boom to remove the bed and bring it up to my Dad's shop so I could get a better look and start blasting.


We stood it up so I could blast the bottom, minor pin holes here and there, but mostly just surface rust that blasted off fine. My plan for the bottom side is to use POR15 or Encapsulator and then top coat with a satin black.


So after blasting the bottom and some of the outside and inside, I now know exactly what I'm looking at, so I loading it up and hauled it home. I'll finish the blasting and metal work here at my shop.




More work ahead!! As you can see, I got my curtain installed in my shop to separate the two bays. So the dirty bed work will happen on the far side, while assembly on the rest of the truck will take place in the large bay. Hopefully this will keep much of the dust and nastiness off the pretty new paint.

[sargentrs]

Congrats on the new bed Tyler. And man, I love your shop! I've been dreading tackling my bed but now that I'll have your work to go by, I'm not so worried anymore As usual, you're running about 9-12 months ahead of me. Don't slow down now. And thanks for posting your work!

[tylerb43]

Thanks Randy, I post my work so you guys can tell me what I'm doing wrong!

I unloaded the bed off the little trailer, and stood it up on end by myself - power-clean style. I wouldn't recommend that, but I rarely can find help at the moment I need it. I've been moving it around for 2 nights now alone, and the old back is starting to complain, so I'd better take it easy the next few nights just to play it safe.



Last night I got some more time as a gift from the wife, so I tried to take advantage. I drilled, cut, and hammered about 200 spot welds and finally got the floor out. I was really tempted just to take the plasma and hack it out in pieces, but for some reason, I talked myself into keeping the floor totally intact and removing it as one piece. It seemed like a huge task at first (my Dad thinks I'm nuts for removing it for wood), but all in all, it probably only took about 3 hours of work and head-scratching.

Used the spot weld cutter in the wheel well.


Here, the front of the floor is coming loose. After the welds were drilled, a quick bang of the air chisel is the ticket.






Now, I could've just cut and removed the large forward and aft channels with the floor, because I'll be replacing them with lower profile ones to accommodate the thickness of the wood floor, but I wanted to keep the bed together and as square as possible during the surgery, so they stayed.

And the aft-most channel (at the tailgate) was dented pretty good and had quite a few rust holes in it, so it was plasma'd out with the floor. I'll fabricate a new one to replace it too. Yeah - I know. You guys are probably like "what the hell is this guy thinking??" right? But trust me, it's going to be cool, Because if you trust me, that will make one of us!

[cole71]

Looking good! Had to do similar work to my short bed. Replaced one complete bedside and had to cut open one to replace rust behind the tail light. Then, had the body guy weld up all the seams on the bed. I thought I was crazy the whole time! Although, in the end the extra work, time, money was worth it. I'm sure yours will be too.

[tybob81]

I remember cutting all those spot welds out on my short bed. All I can say is that I don't envy you! I think I still have nightmares about that, but it is worth it in the end. Looking good man!

[67nukeford]

Tyler, I was thinking of doing the same with my bed, removing the floor, so I could remove the rust in thos channels, and the floor under them. Good to see it's possible, without going nuts! You are kicking butt, man!

[sargentrs]

Now you've gone too far, Tyler! There is no way I'm doing that. Fortunately, my bed's in good enough condition I won't have to. Still watching closely and taking notes though. Keep up the good work!

[tylerb43]

Looking good! Had to do similar work to my short bed. Replaced one complete bedside and had to cut open one to replace rust behind the tail light. Then, had the body guy weld up all the seams on the bed. I thought I was crazy the whole time! Although, in the end the extra work, time, money was worth it. I'm sure yours will be too.

Thanks Cole! I really appreciate the encouragement! Your truck looks freaking sweet by the way!

I remember cutting all those spot welds out on my short bed. All I can say is that I don't envy you! I think I still have nightmares about that, but it is worth it in the end. Looking good man!

I was hoping you'd chime in Tyson, I'm sure you haven't forgotten what this surgery looks like. I'm trying to decide what kind of wood to use, what did you use again?

Tyler, I was thinking of doing the same with my bed, removing the floor, so I could remove the rust in thos channels, and the floor under them. Good to see it's possible, without going nuts! You are kicking butt, man!

Thanks, Pat! Those channels are galvanized, but I was surprised to see them packed with mouse nests from side to side. And years of mouse pee will destroy anything, including a galvanized finish. So seeing that made me feel better about taking the floor out. (just a little better, ha) As you can see, the main channels have only one drain hole in the center. I'm thinking of locating at least 8 or so in the new channels, especially since hypothetically rain could make it into the channels by coming down through the wood slats.

Now you've gone too far, Tyler! There is no way I'm doing that. Fortunately, my bed's in good enough condition I won't have to. Still watching closely and taking notes though. Keep up the good work!

Oh, come on, Randy! Everybody's doing it! Thank you for the kudos, sir.

[tybob81]

I used red oak for mine, but the options are endless as long as your checkbook is! Lol The red oak was the most reasonable priced for the durability.

[tylerb43]

In the booth right now, boys! WOOOHOOO!!!

[sargentrs]

.......

[tylerb43]

These are the most beautiful pieces of painted metal I've seen in a very long time.

These guys at Team 1 Autobody are freaking experts, they took this to a level I wasn't expecting at all, and frankly didn't know was possible on a truck like this, just awesome!

I think I stood there for 30 minutes just staring at them. And yes, I know that sounds silly, but man, what an awesome feeling to see it finally at this stage. I bought this truck in September 1992, 20 years ago this month. Very happy.

[sargentrs]

WOW! That is beautiful Tyler. Congratulations!