46 Power Wagon Restoration pt. 2

[Desoto61]

I hung the one door I have painted on the cab. There is an area that will need touched up and I am still having an interference issue where one of the door bolts hits the inside of the door, but I can start installing and fine tuning the door and all the interior parts. I picked up some stainless latch bolts but they are just slightly too long, have to see if there's a way to shorten or just give up on them.

Otherwise I've gone back to getting more parts ready for paint. The other splash panel, the three drive shafts, and most of the interior panels were blasted and are ready, as is the other door and fender and a bunch of other parts. But I don't have room to hang them all in one go, so I'll have to do a batch at a time.

I'll prime all the stuff that will need some filler work so I can do that as well as the driveshafts before putting in the new U-joints and dropping them off to be modified and balanced. Hard part is trying to get everything that needs the same work done at the same time. The next big part has to be the radiator cowl however since all the other front sheetmetal can't go on till it has something to bolt to.

I also spent a lot of time turning round holes into square ones on the fenders so I can use fender bolts to replace the rivets that used to hold on the fender brackets.

[Desoto61]

The big project of the day was to fix the other front fender. The replacement set was in good shape except for one had rotted out pretty good at the lower mount which is common. I had a replacement panel for my original ones before I realized they were too far gone, so I used it here in place of the previous repair job, which was to tack a piece of metal behind the area and just cover it with body filler.

Since the fender isn't actually flat and the patch panel is I had to tack it in a few places and then slowly work it into shape, tacking it as I went. Then go back and finish welding everything in. Since I needed a hand free and there were some gaps in my panel fit I just stuck with the MIG. There was also a missing captured nut and a few extra holes that needed to be filled as well.

[Desoto61]

Moved the cab to the back of the shop and carefully covered it all so I could work on some other body parts as well as fix a gate for a friend while I had the welders out.

Had a few areas to patch on one of the inner fenders/splash guard. Mostly simple stuff, also had the two captured nuts missing/broken so I welded in a new set as well.

Played with the driver's door next, had a few minor holes from the stud puller that I needed to weld shut, then decided to pull on it a little more in a few areas before cleaning it all up. Also noticed a crack on the inside door webbing so I welded that up while I was there.

[Bruce in BC]

quarter panel pillow

I have made up plastic bags that the pillow will sit in . They are sealed. This is what many new cars have in them from the factory. They do not hold liquids when done this way.

[Desoto61]

More quiet!

The vinyl/foam barrier is supposed to form a "bubble" around you from the glass down, since the glass will always be a break in the bubble. I finished the back wall up around the window, as well as the front kick panels. In areas where there is more space, like the ceiling you can use a material that actually has some absorption, in this case he recommends 3M Thinsulate Automotive, it doesn't hold moisture, and does provide some insulation, as well as being an actual sound absorber, but that also means it's thick. I tucked the front into the overhead wiper cover and used a few drops of hot glue to hold it up until the headliner is installed, adding a few cutouts around the headliner support. Other areas that also have enough room can benefit from this material, like in the kick panel area, it's probably the one thing I didn't order enough of.

The last big task is to do the firewall. The Vinyl is heavy enough and strong enough I should be able to use it as my pad, I'll likely double up the foam for a little extra insulation, and the seller recommends a layer of the aluminized mylar insulation between the vinyl and the foam as a radiant barrier, but first I need a template. I installed the hanging pedal bracket so I knew where to cut around it. Then used some masking paper to plan out and cut a template of the firewall shape. Keeping the paper in place was tricky as I was cutting, if it shifted some tape to either mark the correct cut line, or repair the first cut and allow a second allowed me to get the rough shape that I can transfer to the vinyl.

[Desoto61]

Ha! I think this is going to be like my kitchen cabinets. Now that I know what's involved I know what I don't want to do. I'm relatively OK with the body work aspect of this, but in the future I think I'll try and find someone to do the color/clear, if for no other reason then just having the right area to do it in (like a nice clean booth), but I'm more than willing to show you the limited amount I'm learning.

About converting from vent windows to single windows: What Chris was talking about doesn't apply to me (I think). If someone wanted to go from a non-vent door to a vent door they might need the extra holes, my understanding is that all the doors had the non-vent rail mounting holes, they should be the ones in the recessed area toward the front of door in the trim panel area in the photos above (easiest to see in the blue door photo).

However the front window rail on a vent window assembly is closer to the middle of the door and has bolts to hold it to the inside of the door. Those bolt holes sit in a recess "dimple" in order to allow the trim panel to sit flat. It's been a while but looking at the photo from the door above I'm pretty sure you need the holes in the large oval-shaped dimples about in the middle of the door (front to back), one is just below the windshield opening and the other between the two access holes at the top of the brace piece seperating the two. (easier to see in the primer photo above)

Obvously you wouldn't need them to be exactly that shape, they just need to be recessed to enough to allign the rail centerline correctly with the door centerline and contain the fastener head so the trim panel can sit flat.

I worry that my interior handle mounting panel will have that issue since I removed the recess (those little half-moon shapes were the ends of the old recess), but I plan on padding the trim panel, so I can hide the screw heads under the padding or a trim piece around the door knob, but the latch adapter is too thick to fit in between the glass and the door otherwise.

So I should just need to get the front window chanel assembly, the correct window regulator mechanism, and the bracket at the bottom of the window. Then of course new glass and weatherstripping, but I need that either way.

Keep the pics coming, I enjoy the portion you're working on far more than the paint and body stuff I'm doing! Need to shoot you an e-mail about getting some holes cut on the table at some point too.

[Alxj64]

I don't check in on this build often enough... It looks great man! I may have to contract you out to do the paint on mine!!! I'm not even going to dare attempt it myself.

In regards to your message on the DPW.com board and Chris's comments about the dimples in the door panel, do those need to be round, or square or whats the deal there?

I have a small set of dimple dies now but need to pickup a knockout pull press to get them to work away from the shop press like inside of a door or something... Can also just use a bolt through them if the gauge is thin enough.

Lemme know if you need to borrow one and the size you are looking at.

[Desoto61]

Quiet!

Summer heat is in full force this week, luckily with the cab painted inside and out I can keep the door closed and the AC unit on and get some other work done.

First order of business was to install some sound deadening in the empty cab since I would need access to everywhere. After doing some research online I decided to go with Sound Deadener Showdown products. I liked the systematic and scientific approach he outlines, and while you can get everything from him, you don't have to, there's no secret sauce, just a simple formula.

I did end up ordering everything from the site, since he's in MD, shipping isn't outrageous or slow. If you don't live close I'd recommend getting the tiles, foam, and glue from him, but find the vinyl locally, that stuff is very heavy and expensive to ship!

So the first step is to install the CLD tiles. This is like the stuff you see elsewhere but the foil is heavier and since all it's really good for is damping panels you don't apply it everywhere, just follow his formula. More doesn't hurt but it's diminishing returns. There are good instructions on the site.

Second I used the butyl rope between the cab braces and the back wall, the stuff is very sticky, they provide a special paper to help you work it with it sticking to your fingers. That further supports the panel and helps keep it from ringing. The factory had some sort of fiber material stapled in here, but it's obvious they put it on before the two were together since the staple ends that held it face inward. Mine was partly missing and the rest went when the cab was dipped. This easily works as well or better. I didn't fill all the gap, I want air movement, just installed chunks, again it's all about a flexible support of the panel.

Both of these made a huge difference in the sound of the cab, everything just "thunks" vice the hollow ring it had before, but that's just the first step in his system. It helps dampen vibrations from the vehicle itself, the next step is to try and dampen outside noise.

There's not enough room to absorb the sound, so the goal is to block it, for that you need mass, and for that he uses heavy vinyl, to keep it from vibrating the metal a thin closed cell foam is used to separate the vehicle from the vinyl. Basically you are trying to create a second wall inside the cab so any sound has to work through both items. Again the web site has lots of instruction on how to build these, it's a little tricky, but it will all be hidden so beauty isn't the goal. I also like that he recommends velcro to hold the vinyl panels to the metal to allow for easy removal should it be needed.

You can hear the end result in this video. I'm not finished but the vinyl layer only goes below the windows since they allow sound in and will always break the bubble. But still just the CLD tiles were worth it, we'll see how effective the rest is when it's on the road!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/S3k6LGnEQDs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Desoto61]

Yea, I sprayed a third coat on the outside knowing it was going to probably get sanded off, but the interior stuff is really good comparatively, there is some orange peel, but it's minor enough I'm not going to mess with it. As I spend more time around it the roof and even the firewall weren't bad, the worst is that back wall, and then the little runs I got in various places. But we'll see what it really looks like once I get it out in the sun. Still, if I can get my big gun to give the same effect on the rest of the parts I'll be a happy camper.

[wayneh]

Spraying the clear coat is a learned skill. The good news is, even if you have runs, you can always sand them out and buff it when it dries. We wet sanded and buffed the last truck I did and it looks great, and frankly that is about the only way to 100% eliminate orange peel as far as I can tell.

wayne

[Desoto61]

The rotisserie allowed me to get at the underside of the dash and the firewall easily. Once I was sure everything was covered I sat the cab down on the little cart and cut out the rotisserie bracket to prevent damaging the paint. I used a cloth to catch the metal shavings. Then cleaned up the areas under the brackets, cleaned the metal and sprayed that area too.

I had a couple of spots that needed a little work, some cream filler in a few spots and a little sanding before hitting it with another coat of primer. Then let everything flash, clean, and start with the color and clear. I stayed with the detail gun for all of the pieces. It sprayed well and worked well enough considering the size of the pieces and that only parts of the cab were getting color and clear.

Used a box fan with a furnace filter attached to help suck the fumes from the cab, but it still required slowing down to let the air clear a little so I could get a good view of what I was spraying. End result is pretty good, much less orange peel, didn't see any runs. Did have a few spots where I over-taped near the jams and openings and left some gaps in the color, but it's still not bad for a first-timer.

[Desoto61]

Thanks for the tip

Another nice weekend weather wise, there are few of these left till fall, so the goal was to get the inside of the cab done, as well as the back of the door. I didn't do anything with the underside of the hood yet as it can't be installed yet, so I probably should have not painted it at all yet since I'll have to find a place I can store it without damage. Though since I had the guns out I did also spray the bottom halves of the hood since they needed little in the way of body work.

First I covered the outside of the cab with plastic to prevent overspray. I covered the window openings, but in hindsight would have done better cutting the plastic around and taping it around the perimeter and leave the opening open. I also masked the outside of the door. Between that and trying to clean and wipe down all the surfaces inside the cab took a long time. The rotisserie made it easier to get under the dash and work on the rear wall and ceiling.

Spraying inside the cab is harder than outside, the overspray makes things hard to see very quickly. I started with a normal gun, but quickly ended up switching to a smaller detail or touch-up gun as the big gun prevented me from being able to access too much of the interior. Since most of the interior will be covered with panels I concentrated more on coverage of all the hard to reach areas than aesthetics, so runs and such were OK.

[Bruce in BC]

Welding nut trick

When welding a nut in place first put a bolt in it . the bolt will help prevent the nut threads from getting damaged. if you put some anti seeze on the threads it works even better. Never use anything with teflon or lead in it .


Hope this helps.

Bruce

[Desoto61]

It's Blue!

All the practice with primer, surfacer, and color didn't really prepare me for spraying clearcoat. As the name implies since it's clear it's tricky to see it going down very well, especially the second coat. Third they recommend two wet coats, and there ends up being a fine line between not wet enough, wet, and too wet.

End result was shiny and looks nice, but the first coat was a little dry in places which created a lot of orange peal on the vertical surfaces, other areas got too wet and ran, basically it's a bit of a mess, but I did three coats figuring it probably would be so I had some extra material to work with during the color sanding. The horizontal surfaces were better because the clear could flatten and level, which is a very slow process compared to most of the other paints I've sprayed up to this point.

In any event I still like the final result, and it's amazingly pleasing to see it in color, which I really like. Again the pictures just don't do the color justice. In the sun it looks different than in the garage, it's very blue and should look great against the black fenders.

[Desoto61]

We had some really nice weather this weekend, so I pushed to try and get some paint sprayed. Friday evening I did a final clean and sprayed the seal coat and let it set overnight.

First thing next morning I set everything up and started on the color and clear. The color sprayed out fairly nice, maybe a little dry but since there is no metal or pearl or anything fancy it was pretty forgiving. I only noticed one or two little pieces of trash in it, so I cleaned and re-touched those areas and then let it flash before moving onto the clear.