Mr T Bucket
Member
Agreed!
Purple Powder Pickup
- Thread starter benT
- Start date
benT
Active Member
'nother quick update:
Not tons to report as work on the PPP slowed due to the Holidays, work schedules, and vacation, but we've got a few things done and hit the big milestone of taking it for drive. Unfortunately, it was only about 28 degrees, but to Dennis, it didn't matter! He was driving it no matter what! After a quick recheck of the running gear and a throttle cable fix, we got 'er started and warmed up. Before we could give any meaningful words of wisdom or instructions, Dennis just took off. All went well and I was able to take it around some as well. Good news is that the drivetrain, suspension, steering and brakes are working well and do not need any major work. We have a little tuning to do to get the timing and advance dialed in, but that's to be expected. Yesterday, we tackled a few smaller items that needed to get done before the body gets separated form the frame for some more glassing, bodywork and paint. I'm afraid that dust and primer is in my near future!
Here is a couple quick vids of the very first drive:
And a few pictures in the shop yesterday:
Not tons to report as work on the PPP slowed due to the Holidays, work schedules, and vacation, but we've got a few things done and hit the big milestone of taking it for drive. Unfortunately, it was only about 28 degrees, but to Dennis, it didn't matter! He was driving it no matter what! After a quick recheck of the running gear and a throttle cable fix, we got 'er started and warmed up. Before we could give any meaningful words of wisdom or instructions, Dennis just took off. All went well and I was able to take it around some as well. Good news is that the drivetrain, suspension, steering and brakes are working well and do not need any major work. We have a little tuning to do to get the timing and advance dialed in, but that's to be expected. Yesterday, we tackled a few smaller items that needed to get done before the body gets separated form the frame for some more glassing, bodywork and paint. I'm afraid that dust and primer is in my near future!
Here is a couple quick vids of the very first drive:
And a few pictures in the shop yesterday:
Last edited:
Wow! That is cool, and it sounds great! Awesome ride!
Wow! That is cool, and it sounds great! Awesome ride!
benT
Active Member
'nother quick update. 
Last month or two, we've separated the body again and started body work. Being that this was an inexpensive body, there is probably more work that a CCR or some of the other bodies. The biggest issue was the cowl under where the windshield would sit. The middle was over 1/4" lower than at the ends. There was a few low spots in the doors and some work to be done at the seam area.
After scuffing, filling, and a bunch of sanding, we got a couple coats of primer on the body today. Not close to ready yet, but the body is is pretty good shape now. Next comes more sanding, and more filling! Hope to get it ready for final paint in a couple weeks.
Last month or two, we've separated the body again and started body work. Being that this was an inexpensive body, there is probably more work that a CCR or some of the other bodies. The biggest issue was the cowl under where the windshield would sit. The middle was over 1/4" lower than at the ends. There was a few low spots in the doors and some work to be done at the seam area.
After scuffing, filling, and a bunch of sanding, we got a couple coats of primer on the body today. Not close to ready yet, but the body is is pretty good shape now. Next comes more sanding, and more filling! Hope to get it ready for final paint in a couple weeks.
benT
Active Member
Well after several coats of primer and a bunch of sanding and minor glazing, we were able to squirt some purple color this morning. Body turned out great. Color looks awesome in the sun and it has a ton on metalflake in it which is just what we wanted. Not bad for a $250 body, some filler, primer, a bit of labor and $50/gal paint!
Hopefully, we can get it off to the upholsterer by the end of the month.
Hopefully, we can get it off to the upholsterer by the end of the month.
one finger john
Active Member
When you showed the end color I was literally stunned ! What an eye popper !
choppinczech
Well-Known Member
Nice!
benT
Active Member
Its from a dealer that sells paint at midwest area swap meets - Hot Rod Custom Paint - or something like that. He has about 12-15 colors he offers. Its an economy single stage, but is loaded with multicolor fine metalflake. The package with a gal of color, reducer and activator was $65. This project was meant to be a true budget build and we figured it was worth a risk. We painted the engine, trans, and headlight prior to this and it shot well and looked good. It'll work fine for this little bucket. This time was no exception. Besides Dad spilling a pint of mixed color on his shirt (his belly is still purple), the painting went well. I'll take a shot of the can when I'm in the shop next - not sure if there is a website or not.
Thanks for all the nice comments. Dennis is pretty stoked and having it painted is certainly helping motivate getting it done.
benT
Active Member
More progress tonight. The paint hardened up nicely and we set the body on the cowl and gave the entire underneath a coat of truck bedliner coating. While all the wood had been resined, we wanted to coat the entire underside to give it a nice consistent finish and a waterproof seal. One quart of Hurculiner from Autozone ($30) did all of it including some of the inside floor (under seat) with enough left for the inside of the bed. Now after we change out the torque converter tomorrow, we'll be ready to mate the body back to the chassis.
john dioli
Member
very nice Ben absolutely beautiful
I want mine done
John
I want mine done John
benT
Active Member
A little more progress to report. I'm traveling out of state a few days a week, had a week off for a family reunion, as well as planning my upcoming nuptials (5 weeks!), so to say its been a bit hectic, is an understatement. But, working in the shop is my "happy place" so we've been able to get some progress made. Dennis and I got the interior of the tub coated with the bedliner to help seal it up as well as give it some added durability. We're still planning on carpet in the areas that are seen, but the bedliner will serve as the finish for the unseen areas. We were able to get the firewall installed and a few other things in preparation for re-mating the body to the frame. On the frame, we actually yanked the engine long enough to put in a higher stall converter. The one that was with the rebuilt tranny, was stock and with as light as this thing is, it wasn't enough. The new one is an advertised 2400-2800 stall -still fairly mild. Saturday, we went back through the chassis and swapped out all the mock-up bolts for the final ones and made sure they all had the appropriate anti-seize or thread lock, and final tighten as required. We spend some time and got the suspension centered and aligned. We'll mate the two back together this Saturday. We did get the radiator and shell final mounted which definitely makes it start looking like a car again.
We made the decision to not send the car out to the upholsterer until winter. We will send out the seat and have it done, which will allow us to keep the car and get it completed and titled for the Indy Mini-Nats in September. In the meantime we'll cut and install some cheap grey carpet on the floor and side panels to get us by for the rest of the season. We've started the bedcover and we'll probably just paint it for now until the car hits the upholstery shop. I'll post more pics this weekend after the two parts come together again!
We made the decision to not send the car out to the upholsterer until winter. We will send out the seat and have it done, which will allow us to keep the car and get it completed and titled for the Indy Mini-Nats in September. In the meantime we'll cut and install some cheap grey carpet on the floor and side panels to get us by for the rest of the season. We've started the bedcover and we'll probably just paint it for now until the car hits the upholstery shop. I'll post more pics this weekend after the two parts come together again!
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