1973 IH Travelall - Family Cruiser, Big project....

So many trim holes..... 128 welded up so far. Have the front fenders to do still....

Threw a quick skim of duraglass over the welds, a few had little pits. Still have to grind and bondo the drivers side.

Now a question on epoxy prep.... There is old seam sealer, I can get most of it out, but not quite all (without hours and hours of dremel work) is that going to cause me issues? Same goes for old paint/primer is posts, if its roughed up with 80grit, is it ok to leave little spots?

And, seam sealer before or after epoxy? The is a tractor, they stuck panels together and seal sealed on the outside..... I stopped by the local body supply place, the suggested a SEM product, came is a caulk type tube, and stayed a little soft/flexible, but was paintable. Thoughts?

On my experience, you should be fine with scuffed seam sealer and old promer as long as its clean. Epoxy should stick good.

I would have epoxy over all that bare metal and build everything up from there.

Fiberglass filler over welds and deeper dents you can cut this with 40 grit cause it sucks to sand

Rage gold over everything and keep filing and sanding and filling and sanding with 80 grit till the thing is damn near perfect.

Featherfill you want to finish this to like 320 grit

Polyurethane Sealer you want to finish this to 600 grit

Paint

Not that I would undo anything that is already done, just  scuff with 80 grit wipe with panel prep and make the thing one color of epoxy.

Pete

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Thanks

In reply to NOHOME :

Thats the plan, just trying to figure out how much more I need ot take down to bare. There is still paint paint and primer left in spots, and seam sealer....

I was just doing a quick coat of the dura glass under the epoxy in the big spots and welds. It was my understanding that the duraglass is waterproof. DA closer w/ 36 and Epoxy over it. Then regular filler on top.

Paint progress has been made. Coworker traded me his big compressor for a new small one.

I need a couple more boards and a roof. And wiring amd piping.... But those are little details :D

Welded up all the fender holes. The good fender.

The bad fender....

Also drilled out the holes on the exhaust flanges. Not pretty, but it should work.

And did I send someone from the GRM secert santa game an exhaust bung plug?! Because I swear I had one.....

DA paper is expensive! Holy hell. Got a roll of 80 and 150 for the 6". Have a few 36 for the 8".

Finished wiring up the compressor, did a big disconnect switch inside the garage and sized the wire for a 40amp circuit in the future if needed. Ran air lines.... And I think I needed bigger ones. I ran all 3/8 since I had it, but the DA'd dont seem happy.... I can stall them with my hand. Ugh. 

Frustrated I moved on.

I bought a plasma cutter! $300 Chinese special. And WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS EARLIER?! I need to cut two things, the body seam so I could slip the fuel filler under it, and a hole for the filler to get into the old fuel tank well. No way I was getting a grinder to those spots. Stick plasma torch up, cut, done. I have some learning to do so it doesn't look like a three year old did it with a crayon, but it worked a treat.

Fulled tube stuffed in, I clearanced the tank to fit....

Pretty sure I can make this work! I need another set of hand to help pull the filler tube, I can push it anymore by myself. Looks like I will need another metal bend inside as it kinks a bit trying to turn back up to the filler neck.

Poked around with wires for a bit too..... This doesn't exist in my wiring diagram.... But its in the one for the 74-75 model, I think.... Anti dieseling solenoid and Vacuum solenoid. Garbage and garbage. Found what "should" be coil + and starter signal, thats all I really need. Plus oil pressure and temp. Those wires are pretty old and stiff. Will need to be re-reun I think.

Got the final pieces of glass out. Seals did not survive... Thoughts on new rubber vs glue in?

Window channels were chunky, but actually very solid, no holes or anything.

And got the pass side DA'ed to 80 grit, except where the handles are, and a few little spots around the windows. Gutters are cleaned up and a coat of POR15 went on them.

The goal is epoxy Monday..... eeek.

That is looking pretty convincing.

How good of a finish are you aiming for here?

Pete

In reply to NOHOME :

The more and more I look at it I am going driver. Not willing to spend the hundreds of hours on body work I dont think. We will see once I really get into it.

My current thinking is epoxy, fill the big obvious dents, Father fill or similar, and block it out. Call it good. 

Pretty sure I am leaning towards this color (hot rod flatz tunnel ram metallic) from widow sill down, and shiny white above.

That color combo should look great! Carry on please!

In reply to Sparkydog :

I sure hope so! And being a flat single stage it saves a lot of work on the color sanding and clear etc.

I'm open to opinions on the Hot Rod Flatz too, my reasearch shows its just a pre flattened Omni single stage. Apparently the metallics are hard to spray as it dries REALLY fast. I like the bit of shine they produce however. I could be convinced to go a similar color fomr another mfg and flatten it a bit less to get a similar effect. I want a ~30% shine per say.

For seals, try calling your local IH dealer, I've been shocked at what they -still- have in inventory.

The dealer up here found me a windshield seal for a 1956 S120.

If not, Metro Molded Products, Soff Seal or Steele Rubber. They probably won't list it by application but they probably have a generic profile in bulk that will work.

In reply to ShawnG :

Good call, I need to measured the old stuff but I think this is pretty damn close http://www.crlaurence.com/crlapps/showline/offerpage.aspx?ProductID=11808&GroupID=55422&History=30587:19748:19770:19748:19780&ModelID=55422&pom=0#

Sorry, you cant see me, but I am at the computer chuckling a bit.

Once you start block sanding you will be made aware of every ripple and deficiency in your surface preparation. It becomes hard to say "Good enough" knowing all the work you have done so far and all the $$$ you are about to spend on paint. Be aware that paint is like a magnifying glass when it comes to surface imperfections.

Looking forward to seeing this in primer.

Pete

In reply to NOHOME :

I know..... I am afraid.....  

Even just Running the sander over it is making me keenly aware of how not flat it is.

It was originally sort of an olive green, wasn't it?  I'd lean that way if it were mine.  Having said that, lighter colors or white will tend to minimize body imperfections, darker ones make them more prominent.

In reply to stuart in mn :

Yeah gross 70's green. Not my cup of tea....  Hoping the flat will help a bit with hiding imprefections.

Ive never been a fan of flats, but, it doesn't matter what I'm a fan of!

Is the flat single stage paint as difficult to maintain as a flat clear? With that stuff, any rubbing, etc makes shiny spots. Just wondering. 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Supposedly not, but I can't imagine it doesn't. I have never done flat, I'd prefer a semi flat if such a thing existed I think. You can always clear over it and make it shiny.

Why am I trying to save this?! 

In reply to java230 :

So you can fill the non existant front tank?

In reply to TurnerX19 :

It's just to cool to get rid of 

In reply to java230 :

I think I would try to get another tank under this thing cause your present cruising range is really short. What happened to the original forward tank, and why are you not duplicating it?

In reply to TurnerX19 :

I kept it, but it's REALLY crusty. Nothing aftermarket fits, unless you buy the repop really expensive plastic one. 

I cut the filler neck off, but one could be added if desired later on. 

This isn't going to be a long range thing, I should have about 200 miles range I hope! That should get me most everywhere. 

Picking up my EFI this weekend!