Prepare yourself
Prep Prep Prep prep prep and more prep....*groan*
Yep roughly now a year of prepping but I am finally coming to the end I think. Some I am happy with some not so happy with...
Cabs at the body shop been there over a week and they haven't struck a bat on it. They were to collect it while I was on me Jollies but the weather was to bad so they didn't want to put it on the trailer and get it rained on... So when I got back I had to sort out transport in my mate Puddz Merc Sprinter... it just fit in. It's there now and hopefully this weekend 12th of Oct 2007 it is going to get blitzed and put into colour. I have taken the remainder of the front metal also to be painted. I have done about 70% of the prep with the final 30% for the experts to make perfect... this is their chance to impress me. They promise faithfully the cab will be prepared to finish.. The idea is do as far as poss with a couple of coats to final colour. put it on the finished chassis loosely and final paint as one to get the colour matching... easier said than done but that is the plan.
So I am balls out to get all the metal finished to the best of my ability, that I reckon is about 70% good enough and then take to the professionals before winter weather sets in and fuks up all my hard work with surface rust.
I worked on both rear wings at the same time, as one lot of filler was hardening I was flatting the other one. They are both very close and up at the painters now.
This was one of the hardest jobs to work out and get accurate I have ever done not sure why it just was. I had the original mounting plate and had to transfer the holes to the bed sides, but they had to be bang on the middle between the edge scrolls I fitted and the stake pockets .. then fill the gap where I cut out the misaligned section.. took the best part of a day to get right.
But finally they were right and the end panel fits a treat. Another job jobbed
The gap on the top of the tailgate I had never noticed how big it was before but it was horrible so I cut some tube and welded 3mm onto each end and closed it up.
I think it looks much better now and I capped the open end up and tidied it inside.
The top of the rolled edge I am not to sure what to do, I have ground off as much as I dare with a few flap discs and filed to a radius.. now just got to work out how to smooth off a perfect radius??
Over a year now prepping I must be bloody cuckoo... I just cant see any sense in this lot really. I have looked at carsonline etc and could of bought a better one already done for less money and without any effort from me.. what a fuking stoopid hobby I have gotten myself into.. why did I ever give up micro-lighting I will never know ;o) xx I am only kidding, I dream about driving it and seeing peoples reactions to my creation everyday I imagine that whine of the gear drive the rumble of the tuned V8 as I trundel around... the sheer sight of a dropped 55 F100 should be mind blowing for normal people... hey and ya never know maybe even some Rodders may be impressed to... ya never know... well onward and er er onward ... Bugger! still loads more to do..
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