Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 18, 2020, 12:50:47 pm
I decided that since I had the entire truck torn apart I’d go ahead and paint it. Slippery slope there. The truck was in good enough shape when I got it, but it shows every one of its 30 years and 200k miles...
My dad has been using Raptor coatings on the trucks he sells and got me sold on it. It has a texture, but far less than comparable products. It also goes on easily and I figured it would hide some of the war wounds my truck has. So far it’s working on both counts. The stuff is fairly easy to apply and I’m really digging the texture and REALLY like the shade of white! They say it’s GM Fleet White and I agree. No frills, just a good, solid white, just like I wanted. I’ve started with smaller, more manageable pieces and once I’m really tuned in I’ll paint the entire body/cab. So far I’ve done the tailgate and insert and a door. I’m prepping pieces as I paint and trying to not make a career of it. Here’s what I’ve got so far:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200318/13ac9c6d4a3861b5a295964e9423315d.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200318/3302908a5213d1811810323e9dd92084.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200318/ad452d5e96286550719e1bfcb8866d33.jpg)
Jeremy
More pics to follow as I get more parts done.
Post by: Shifty on March 18, 2020, 03:46:11 pm
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 19, 2020, 10:59:00 am
I’ll follow those lines onto the cowl.
Also hit the grill with the same:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200319/8ae3e490ec428398e9202cb7372cd6e4.jpg)
So far I’m super impressed with the way the Raptor “lays down” paint on the hood is still wet,
the blotchiness goes away when it dries. Jeremy
Post by: Shifty on March 19, 2020, 11:00:44 am
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 19, 2020, 11:56:05 am
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 24, 2020, 06:19:03 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200324/eff1b0095d167e0dbfe959f13a5a80cb.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200324/48ec0f915aa84bbbfc4823057b22b6e6.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200324/ccd2aba9e64d6972e8155adf660335ad.jpg)
I’m thinking one coat of primer to sand, a second to seal it all in and then on to actual coating. Hoping to get the cab done by the weekend. That way I can start putting some of the truck back together and free up some shop space for the doors and other small parts.
Jeremy
Post by: Mike81K10 on March 24, 2020, 07:23:14 pm
Post by: Shifty on March 25, 2020, 09:47:17 am
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 10:03:28 am
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200325/23b302ae040d75221f256c88298dd7d4.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200325/8266ae8ec0a8f33e65b26d2356f26ad3.jpg)
Truck is almost white again.
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 12:58:12 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200325/0f17daa9e34d369c43f88d4a0170930d.jpg)
I can’t wait to start putting her back together.
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on March 25, 2020, 01:58:52 pm
Looking very good BTW!
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 02:18:10 pm
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on March 25, 2020, 02:38:29 pm
I think the only car I ever name is a '76 Mercedes SL 450, "Poofy Boots" after a cat my daughter had.
Long story... 8)
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 03:15:24 pm
that’s a story I want to hear. Dad was a Mercedes salesman for most of my young adult life... I had a string of those. You couldn’t pay me to drive a new Mercedes, but up to the W123 cars they were some of the best vehicles out there. I wish I could get the formula for the MBTex they used for upholstery on the older cars. No idea how it was so much better than regular vinyl, but it was. They should coat tanks in that stuff. I had an eighties or early nineties SL560 for a couple of weeks... just like this suburban, there was a point where the speedometer and gas gauge were inversely proportional, one went up at the same rate the other went down.
The only thing I never liked about Mercedes was they were so good... the average user really couldn’t improve on them THAT much. The paint stuck, everywhere but on the hoods... MBTex would dull a razor knife... and the motors, with a bare modicum of maintenance ran forever. The aftermarket never supported them because it never had to. I’ve owned several older diesels, all purchased for a song and sold for the same. The only issue I ever had was that the odometers just stopped working after 350-400k miles.
I bought an 81 300SD in 2000 with 325k on the clock for $1000... the clock stopped at 355k. I drove it as my long haul car for several years, sold it to my younger brother for the same $1000 when I got tired of it, he put several sets of tires on it and when he was done sold it for $1800.
To the point of where this thread has gone though, none of them got named.
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on March 25, 2020, 04:12:56 pm
Poofy the car was Silver with Red interior. When you sat in her, the hood's sloping curve reminded us of the cat's nose.
I'm with you on a new MB. I have owned W140 S class, all used too.
I ran the '94 till she was 336K, she was giving out, could hear it in her. I maintained it real well, so....
I came up on a '96 in a driveway, lost interest, flats. Knock knock, no, saving it for teenager.
Called back a year later, Yeah, come over. Had it pumped up and running. Test drove, good ride, paint, straight, perf interior. 150k miles.
Negotiated to 1100.00, took her home, donated all my good parts; tires, 17" wheels, front shocks, everything that made sense and sold the old girl for 500.00
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 04:35:56 pm
Sorry, not sorry to get so far OT, I hope every one out there is staying safe and sane and healthy.
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 25, 2020, 08:25:46 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200326/b3387ba719ffad96106cce71eb56d49c.jpg)
Jeremy
Post by: Mike81K10 on March 26, 2020, 01:44:21 pm
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 28, 2020, 04:54:41 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200328/6fa7222fec635a966e12e5731a660fd9.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200328/a8dfec433a05d110a8662a369ec8e692.jpg)
I had to pull a bag off to show a friend that I OFFICIALLY have a big boy truck:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200328/747978de7d760445b72310bfa143e527.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200328/dba50d1eee274ed166e5587557d89618.jpg)
If this stuff is half as durable as it claims I’ll be a happy boy. Really happy that I’ll be able to start reclaiming my shop next week when I can start putting things back ON the truck.
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 29, 2020, 10:31:57 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200330/1a1a4fcbfd4bbad9a73c539446edc47e.jpg)
The rear windows were installed and sealed by committee. Keeping with the 20’ aspirations of this truck they came out... alright. The SEALING part is the problem. I bought this thing with weirdo rust. At this point part of the exercise is to... I’m not sure... but I’d just as soon not have any more rust.
Some clean-up required.
My dad and girlfriend will claim their parts of the process and I don’t think they caused permanent harm.
Mostly I’m glad that most of the big glass is back in place and unbroken. The windshield still has to go back. I pulled all the glass myself, but invited others to blame in case WE broke it going back in. See what I did there!!?!
Sidebar: Whatever GM did obviously didn’t work as evidenced by the rust I hopefully curbed. Ultimately WE opted to glue the glass trim in with black weatherstrip adhesive and then to caulk the body to glass trim in with black silicone.
Jeremy
Post by: Shifty on March 30, 2020, 09:24:24 am
Post by: jeremy.farlow on March 30, 2020, 04:49:26 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200330/36983ea343e73bbe8cfbd1fe617eb7cf.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200330/2ba32dd1ea50510c6528342157d7e393.jpg)
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on April 01, 2020, 01:04:39 pm
I would black them out, just saying...
Nice work Jeremy!
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 01, 2020, 02:44:07 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200401/b2ec5b2c9e32329806ad6c12f65b7f0b.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200401/340f9f5913ce722bdb3c14e53bf7ae44.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200401/3650b4b941ca6eb8249e52493e689254.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200401/f47c8359e6191e756e65fc11efdbe1b7.jpg)
One of the reasons I bought this thing was to have something I could stretch out in the back of on lunch breaks or during downtime. A home away from home if you will... pretty sure I won’t have too much trouble catching a few zzzz’s in the back now.
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 01, 2020, 05:16:05 pm
Longhorns!!!
I’ve decided a set of them will be my first frivolous purchase once I have an income again.
Also wanted to show off one of the only things i masked off when I painted.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200401/cf437d64e7cf102fb6d96d54af3a3b9e.jpg)
This sticker and where the hinges mount. Everything else got paint.
Jeremy
Post by: Shifty on April 01, 2020, 05:42:07 pm
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 01, 2020, 06:47:44 pm
I’m NO machinist, but I do own and operate a lathe and mill. Machine work is one of the few places where imperial measurements still rule. Additionally, In my day job we’re still primarily imperial and SAE-based. I’m fully aware how Mickey Mouse the imperial system is, but I’m COMFORTABLE with it. I’ve been pleased that so far the only metric fasteners on this vehicle are a smattering of self-tapping screws that require a 7mm nut-driver. Otherwise it’s all SAE and I’m okay with that. I’m aware that the US is the only country still using imperial... but we’re also the only country that’s put men on the moon...
Hope everyone out there is staying healthy. I’m personally mainly hoping I can stretch this project and my savings out until this thing is over.
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on April 04, 2020, 01:45:01 pm
I’ve never had luck getting paint to stick to aluminum.
Jeremy
Sorry, meant behind the aluminum- The vents on the doors. Would look much better.
I like the aluminum look, Custom!
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 04, 2020, 07:59:41 pm
Yeah... I’ve got a ton of aluminum 1/8” perf metal. I was thinking cutting inserts of that and sticking that behind the “portholes”... I thought showcasing the factory louvers would be cooler than its turned out to be.
I thought you meant blacking out the panel I made. I would love to if I thought I had 1/2 a chance of executing it well. Anodizing would be the only thing with a snowballs chance and my parts aren’t NEARLY clean enough for that.
Copy blacked out behind the portholes.
Check blacked out mirrors:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200405/c60b73aa62472103599735d8b68ab709.jpg)
Also check new fender painted and installed.
I’ll get a picture tomorrow, bumpers are black raptor, like the mirrors.
I swear I am not on the raptor payroll.
I also will attest that if this stuff doesn’t prove highly durable I will be VERY UPSET.
Hope everyone is still healthy, safe and SANE! I’m distancing, but thankfully I’m not limited to home. I drive across town twice a day...
How long until things get REALLY weird???
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 08, 2020, 10:51:46 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/c574394bf70628d9b9fd1b3803b196f8.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/a47b38db940e0402f7396a8925946409.jpg)
The hanging LED is not a permanent fixture, just helping out on the black hole the interior is becoming.
As white as this thing was not terribly long ago, with most of the interior trim in place it’s GREY on the inside.
I’m real happy with the job I did on the headliner. Funny aside, when I bought this truck I got it shipped to dads lot. His initial offer was that he had some take-off tires I was GOING TO buy and that his headliner guy was coming by and he’d have him redo the headliner for me. $1000... tires and headliner. Anyhow, the headliner guy refused the work, too many old plastic bits, the part itself was TOO big... no thank you.
So I bought some vinyl and a gallon of contact cement. Turns out super77 works way better. Several cans of that layer here’s the result. So far it’s defying gravity. I hope that continues.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/d19a7c3b7c770fdb28ae05112d87b0d9.jpg)
Here’s a close up of the mirrors in raptor.
I’ll probably hang the rear bumper in the next couple days, the front end has come further apart.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/4fd62d95d4e305700efdd1d246df300a.jpg)
The next couple of days are likely to be more of taking the truck apart.
Phase I was initially meant to be interior. It grew to interior, paint and windows. I swapped from an auto-lock, auto-window, auto-mirrors truck to a full manual lock, manual-crank window, still auto-mirror truck.
Phase II is brakes, dual battery and relocate, and disassembly for phase III
I’ve got a set of four-pot Wilwood calipers that’ll fit the front perfectly.
I’d like to use the existing front calipers on the rear and have four-wheel brakes.
I will lose the parking brake.
I’m pretty sure I can figure out a pinion brake. Pretty sure I have everything save the master cylinder on hand.
Phase III engine.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/3968f02b415e36b82af3c06d0b4ddc29.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/f36d878d88ce181fc269b805d9b888f7.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200409/c3fbe95fa4b4b5bf9a5191bda59ec36f.jpg)
Edelbrock multi-port EFI.
VERY mild, roller cam
4130 rockers and pushrods
Eagle full forged reciprocating assembly
AFR heads paid for, in hand whenever California opens back up.
0.060 over. Stock throw. 496ci. Oval ports. Small cam. Basically Gen VI stock replacement. 112cc chambers in the heads with 0.045” copper head gasket.
I’m a little aggressive with compression.
I live in the south, Hotlanta, but I have
No plans to tow
And an O/D transmission w/ 3:73 rear gears
Hopefully Edelbrock has their anti-knock calculus figured out.
Engine will be in engine section, remaining interior pictures may find a home in that sub-forum. Hopefully I’ll have some cool brake pictures as well.
I hope all of you are still safe and healthy.
Jeremy
Post by: Mike81K10 on April 12, 2020, 02:24:32 pm
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 12, 2020, 04:43:07 pm
Both will add a nice layer.
Everyone stay healthy and safe
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 15, 2020, 01:02:15 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/d3adfc47ec8e52b4c48fbe2f9dea798a.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/c7b6eeb1c8ed98ef865bee7d83767f4b.jpg)
Compared to:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/c2e7bfcc9a10f7ef48f95b11a514393b.jpg)
And to suit popular demand and my own aesthetics, and since I was already back in paint mode:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/c2acfe1a0afdba9ed5d602096b972478.jpg)
That’s the perf metal for behind the “portholes”... once it’s dry enough I’ll shear four pieces out of it and see if that’s enough or if I need to just paint that part of the door black. Hopefully I can get that update tomorrow.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay sane!!!
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 15, 2020, 01:42:38 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/0232feadabf8d4cb0f4ae132edb52fad.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/2cf8e24686389d0c0471cf9a7f10b85c.jpg)
I’m happy with the texture the perf metal gives. Thanks for the suggestions. I’m open to others, but they better be GOOD suggestions... you’ve set the bar high!!!
Jeremy
Post by: JohnnyPopper on April 15, 2020, 02:21:16 pm
Post by: jeremy.farlow on April 15, 2020, 03:45:01 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/248da801a69148a0932a3012f429c349.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200415/9d6ee05591470132a91942e995eaaf32.jpg)
The light was not in my favor for good photography.
Jeremy
Post by: jeremy.farlow on July 06, 2020, 08:26:13 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200707/5da26e69eba8a962a98ab4777f912c41.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200707/3b0b2e7bddfbab778e5523a9ccba5906.jpg)
This was one of few places where I used the included raptor liner gun.
For a truck bed liner, the texture is great.
For a gas tank skid plate it’s fine as well.
I’m really glad I did HVLP on the exterior of the truck.
That finish would be a bit much there. Honestly, the HVLP finish was right on the edge of MY concept of acceptable.
I can report that raptor liner, fairly well cured and sprayed via HVLP was unaffected by the gasoline I poured all over it today.
Be safe, stay healthy
Jeremy
Post by: IdahoMan on September 30, 2023, 03:10:33 am
Do you keep it garaged?
How's it holding up?
Any fade/discoloration?
Any points of weakness/failure/rust?
Got a close-up of some of the edges?
When placing back on mirrors/trim/roof-lights/antenna, ect. can you get a good "seal" against the texture?
Very nice looking truck. Those of you that have the ability and space to do these kinds of projects, kudos.
I'm in the process of trying to find someone local to do my truck (either the bottom rockers or the whole thing) with a liner and have the color match. There are two people locally I am looking at (Line-X is out of the question), one is offering Speedliner and the other Raptor.
Thanks!
Post by: jeremy.farlow on October 02, 2023, 08:57:00 am
The truck has spent most of the last three years outside. The Raptor has held up perfectly well... where I did a good job to begin with. There is some rust that obviously I didn't treat well enough that has reappeared.
No fading, no discoloration.
It's holding up quite well. That said, I wouldn't do it again.
As durable as the coating appears to be, and even sprayed in a way to get the smoothest finish, it's still a bedliner-product, designed to be a rough finish, and as such it just grabs every piece of dirt anywhere proximate to the truck. It comes clean... well enough, but dirt doesn't just run off like it would with a smooth paint surface.
I would consider the rockers, but would advise against doing the full vehicle... unless your desired result is to have something a little "Mad Max-ish". From closer than 15 feet or so it's very obvious that the truck isn't painted with proper paint. I'm in a metropolitan area, so we've definitely got dirtier rain, it shows.
Be safe
Jeremy