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Hello, My Name is...

Been a while, but just visited the body guy.
Here's some pics...

Rather than swapping doors, he was able to take the skins from the donors and put them on my frames.
That way all of the hardware stays as it was.
And he got a pretty good dent out of the hood. I was impressed, as I couldn't even find it.
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While there, he mentioned that the stripper he has always used is no longer available, due to environmental regulations;
and what he can get now just doesn't cut it. He's thinking about having the remaining sheet metal blasted,
but said he would open to trying a different stripper if any of you have a favorite to recommend?

Thanks y'all!
 
Assessment of the bed shows that the sides and tailgate are usable;
but the front and all of the sills need to be replaced.

Since 51 was the transition year between 8 and 9 board beds, and I am replacing all of the cross sills,
I get to pick... I'm going to look at a few pictures of both (finished), but other than cosmetics,
any reason to choose one design over the other?

Anyone use the cross sills sold by our host, and care to comment on gage and fitment?
Or should I be looking at Mar-K (American Made)?
 
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RE : Bed parts

Unless the host is seeling MAR-CO brand metal, don't buy it ! .

Mar-Co is the only American brand and it's top notch stuff .

The wood you choose is important too ~ if it's just a hobby truck get whatever wood floats your boat .

If you ever think you might possibly use it as a truck again, go with the original Southern Pine note that Southern Pine comes from Georgia, most places that sell pine bed wood are selling the cheaper and short lived soft pine....
 
Another vote for Mar-K. And the Southern Yellow Pine. They had (it was on their website years back, don't know if it is still there) a series of tests they ran on all the popular finishes for bed wood. A must-read for any bed wood that will see the great outdoors.
 
Thanks Mike, I found the articles and they are great.
Tips & Tricks - Mar-K Manufacturing
specifically http://www.mar-k.com/_assets/images/instructions/2010woodtestupdate.pdf

Pine from Mar-K it is!

I was leaning toward a black finish anyway, as I believe that was factory.
SPI Epoxy has UV stabilizers in it, so was thinking about that.
Mar-K's test was POR-15 with a topcoat, so I will consider that as well.
Now I just have to decide whether to do the retaining strips and hardware body color, or black.
 
SOUTHERN PINE not just 'pine' because Southern Pine is hard, most Pines are very soft .

Remember to paint ALL SURFACES of the boards before installing so they'll last longer .

Paint until the wood stops soaking it up ~ this takes a while but you'll be happier in a few years .
 
Nate, I'll go you one further... Southern Yellow Pine, or as guys with sawdust in their pockets say... "SYP" Not to be confused with Eastern White Pine (the 'soft' stuff you mentioned). I've moved/stacked/joined/sawn/nailed 28,000 board-feet of EWP for the new barn. I am the guy with sawdust in his pockets!
 
Thank you Mike ;

This is an important detail no matter what your desired end use is.....

Regular pine should only be used to start chimney fires.... #rolleyes# .
 
After reviewing the Mar-K instructions and their finishing instructions, I sanded all my Southern Yellow Pine bed boards, and broke all the sharp edges. I then applied 2 coats of "Pelucid" (a POR-15 product). The next step is a coat of oil-based Spar Urethane (for it's UV inhibitors).
 
Body guy got a little further into the bed sides and tailgate and we decided to order new from Mar-K; so I'm ending up with a complete new bed.
Wood will wait - we're working on metal now. And getting close enough that I've got to get serious about getting the frame blasted and painted; then ready to drop the engine in. So thinking ahead just a little - I had been planning a two-carb intake with 1-barrel carbs... But with today's lousy gas (alcohol), and the fact that I used to have vapor lock issues even back in the old days, now I'm rethinking that.
Would it be sacreligious to put a FITECH setup on a 302 GMC? NOS genuine GMC 2 barrel manifolds are available and reasonably priced, so I'm thinking that might be a good way to go for reliability. I do plan to drive this truck, after all. Thoughts?
 
I don't know what fitech is, I ass-U-me it's some sort of fuel injection .

If so, do some due diligence to discern what fettling it may need then if it sounds do able, DO IT .

I'm old and love my carbys yes but I'm also an avid driver so I understand the reality of turning the key and GO hot or cold.....

FWIW, I'm here in La La Land, home to evil "motor fuel" ethanol brews that degrade in two weeks, I only put premium pump fuels in my old carburetted engines and the 1960's Motocycles hate it and refuse to start after sitting for two weeks #mad# .

I'm not going to fuel inject them but no reason why not convert a sturdy good running InLine GMC 6 banger .
 
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Nate, Here's the link to the Fuel Injection I'm looking at-
Go EFI 2 Barrel 400HP System | FiTech Fuel Injection


Time to get serious – looking at paint colors. Bought the champagne interior from our host, then went looking for exterior colors. Don’t think I’ve ever seen an AD done in “Sun Beige”, one of the original options. Found some paint codes, but only for lacquer and enamel (DQE-20420), no modern base coats. A post on Stovebolt suggested calling the PPG Color Library (800-647-6050), so I did. I spoke with Cathy, who told me that DBC Deltron 2000 color Camo Beige #24651 is close, but lighter than the original. The offset needed to make it right is proprietary, but she could give it to a PPG Certified painter or distributor. So I gave the info to my local distributor, and $79 later, have a half-pint ready to spray. I was quoted $847/gallon (makes two gallons sprayable) if we decide to use this paint. Will post pics after we get some on steel, hopefully this weekend.
 
Well ;

I don't know enough to say good, bad or indifferent, it appears to have one large injector, I'm not clear on what triggers it ? .

If AFC I'd say it's prolly very good and in any case, unless you hear there are problems with it I'd think this is the perfect affordable and easy up grade over carby .

DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE FIRST ! .

I'm hoping you'll soon be telling us how easy it was to install, peak & treak and how much you love the engine roaring into life on cold morning & hot days....

I wonder how long before they make this for InLine engines......

Only one venturi should make it simpler .

? You're going with to stage paint then ? .

I just discovered a shop that says they'll use single stage Fleet paint on my oldie that I've been wanting to tidy up and respray for twenty years now, I recently got careless backig up and bashed the L/F fender so now's the time I guess #rolleyes# .

Let's see that color ! .

I'm very fond of Alaska / Yukon yellow .

(raining to - day so naturally I was out swimming in a oily/muddy gravel floored junkyard....)

EDIT : oh, jeeze, not only can't I spel but mi reedin' comprehsnions ain't much good eaither .

I looked and saw "two venturi" and being old (and feeble minded apparently) I thought : 265, 283, some old smaller V-ate, OOPS .

I'm sure this setup, f any good will make that old 302 get up and RUN !
 
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The 302 I bought was set up for late side mounts. I don't see an easy way to adapt those to my cross member, so thought I would swap over a front mount from an old 235, then just space things forward about 1 1/2" on the crossmember. I've read you can do this, and the pattern for the timing cover looks the same. But the 235 has an extra bolt going into the block where I don't have a hole in the 302 - I'm guessing it's to support the load of the front mount. Will this work without it?

And to swap the mount in, I need to pull the balancer and timing cover - anything I need to know before tearing into this?

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