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Well gang this weekend proved productive as my bed is back on the truck after about three years Soon I will be ready for paint.

http://www.g741.org/photogallery/main.p ... =x4b2e6677

The wife and I went for about a 20 mile cruise Sunday afternoon. There is a local hill on a side road that has a sharp S curve on a 45 degree angle. It is in disrepair and filled with potholes. I have been waiting 4 years to take the M on it and yesterday was the day. It performed remarkably. We also visited the local Ohio Vietnam Memorial Wall. I got a big thumbs up from the Veteran visitors there. It is a beautiful memorial. It moved the Mrs. to tears and it was hard for me to hold back. I will have to take the camera next time. The caretaker invited me to bring the truck next Memorial Day to display.

I have put 168 miles on the truck since Memorial Day. I am getting braver taking the truck a little further from home each cruise. I am also more relaxed driving it now as my shifting is better and I am used to the M's "normal operating" feel . Early on I was listening for malfunctions and unusual noises, which kept me on edge and unable to enjoy the ride. I can say that yesterday was my first real "pleasure cruise"
Next weekend will be spent on finish bodywork. There is a All-Mopar car show Labor day weekend I plan to attend.

Great story, and lookin' good, David! Thanks for sharing!
Gary

Great job David. I know what you mean about driving a little farther and getting to trust the truck more each time.

David, I started grinding on my bed this weekend and like you had to cut off most of the nuts and bolts.

Question - Do the wheel wells inside the bed come apart separately from the sides? I've got about 6 bolts left to grind off after picking up another disc from HD so mine is almost ready for the blaster!

Todd in Placerville

David;

Truck is looking very good.

Thanks guys. Its good to have the help and support here on the forum.

Sierra, I left the inner fenders attached to the side panels. They appeared to be spot welded.

I know it has to be light and camera angle etc.....is that why the bed looks to be gloss black instead of 24087? Or is that like a primer coat and you still have to paint it?

Are you going to do a finial coat on the whole truck once it's all assembled?

K8ICU,

Darn, I thought it looked a bit dark, I must have grabbed the wrong can. The bed has not been painted yet. The black is the base powdercoat used as a primer/rust preventive. The back of the cab is the final color. It was more cost effective to shot blast the bed and frame and have the powdercoat applied than to sand and prime by hand or use POR. I have a large industrial powdercoat operation nearby that does very reasonable work for car restorers. The bed side panels, floor, front panel, and crossmembers were only $160 to blast and coat. I can't beat that versus labor time to prep and prime by hand
I simply rough it up with the DA and Scotch brite and top coat it. I hope to have the truck painted by late Sept/Oct.
I just received my 4 gallons of Krylon yesterday. Can't wait. This weekend I am going to paint the rims and fender undersides with the new color. I want the rims painted for the Mopar car show Labor Day weekend on Sunday the 6th. It is at Falls Dodge on State Road, you should come down K8ICU, only about a 40 minute drive for you?

Well if the wife doesn't have to much of a honeydue list for me I'll try to get there.

I'm going to have to call you...that blasting/coating place sounds like it might be a good deal for me... right now I have a sand blaster, but then I have to prime and paint and I would love to take a step out of the process.

As I said I wasn't sure if it was a lighting camera issue or if you were still in primer. 24087 will do some funny color things depending on the light. Sometimes it will look brown, other times, more black etc.