Projects It's alive!!! A 1957 Fargo Tale....

Started on the right rear fender, spent some time with a hammer and dolly, should need minor amounts of filler.


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Dent gone.


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Today’s progress:

Stripped the fender, welded a couple of cracks up, then on to body work...



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Epoxy primer on the box parts that were mostly ready....then a couple coats of high solids ready for blocking. It’s supposed to rain for a week, nothing like primer to highlight how crappy your body work actually is!

 

I only wish the box sides on my 49 were anywhere near as straight as your box sides are.

Somewhere in my box history, someone drilled holes to mount 3 hooks onto the outside of box to secure a load. They must have had it tied down real tight, all 3 hook brackets on both sides have distorted the box sides where the hooks were bolted on. I've welded the holes closed and ground them flat, and hammered and dollied as much as possible. Still going to take a lot of filler on both sides to make them look somewhat smooth.

Don't be mislead, the bed liner does not hide defects in the metal, if anything, it points them out even more. Gene

 

Gene, mine are not terrible but not great either, both bed tops were bowed up in the middle and there was lots of hammering and dollying. Typical farm truck. I understand what you mean about the box liner but the reality is I’m not a talented enough metal worker to get both sides straight, filler is my friend, the texture does help distract from the waves! Plus it’ll likely get used as a truck a little. I really don’t care if it’s perfect it’s just an old farm truck from Saskatchewan!

 

Next thought, I’m considering doing the inside of the box white as well, opinions?

 

You're talkin' white bed liner; right? Can you get that stuff clean again if you ever get it dirty? Note: I don't know. I've never had a pickup with bed liner in/on it. I think it would look good, but have this reservation.

 

Terrible idea.

 

That's beautiful man

 

Yes; that's beautiful. Also it's a slam dunk that no gravel or dirt gets hauled in it. I wouldn't even put suitcases in it if it were mine. Well; maybe if the suitcase was wrapped in a brand new moving blanket.

 

Awe hell, I hadn’t noticed that’s how yours was. But thanks for making up my mind!

 

Hey what brand of canoe is that? Looks very similar to my Frontiersman... Mr. Canoe Head model!

 

well the canoe is definitely a red model….I really don’t have a clue!!

 

Good thought about not painting the inside of the bed white. After a few days in the real world, it would never be white again.

My 49 Dodge is going to be a work truck, and I intend to drive it year around here where they spread road salt all winter long. In view of it seeing salty road winters, everything has been painted on both sides of the metal. I'm hoping to get 15 years out of it, by then I probably won't care (if I live 15 more years that is). I'm going for the +15' look, if it looks good from 15 feet away, I'll be happy. Gene

 

It won’t see heavy work as a truck so it should last alright.

 

Look at it this way, like you was saying, it's hard to make both sides straight, but if you cut some panels to fit and cover them with some white marine grade vinyl, you'd never see the inside and some of the industrial velcro would make them easily removable. Just thinking out loud

 

Well shit… that’s a good idea as well

 

That is the plan for my truck, I've already made the top of the bed flat all around and intend to made a bed cover. I'll probably put a hinge between the front panel and the rear panel, so I can open only 1/2 the cover if I want.

 

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday old man, happy birthday to you eh?

 

Can always count on Lloyd to make a guy feel better…I think….

 

A little slow here lately…when I put the high solids on my box parts apparently I mixed it with the epoxy activator. Not good. After many days of sanding and much ridicule from the paint tech guy (yes he laughed at me) I got it all off and laid down another coat of epoxy and high solids and now have both box sides blocked.

Waiting for the running boards and front box panel to come back from the blasters then off to get the box liner done and the box painted.

Then I can start assembling the box on the truck for motivation while I strip the bad primer off the tailgate and finish up the bodywork on the fenders.

not exciting pictures…

 

Picked up the running boards, and box front from the blasters this morning. Welded up a few pinholes in the running boards. Did a little bodywork on the box front. They will get some epoxy this afternoon then the box parts all go to get the spray box liner and paint, then assembly begins on the box.

I didn’t have intentions of making the running boards perfect, instead I just smoothed out the flaws. To me they are part of the character of the truck. It is just an old farm truck.

 

I'd consider the bedliner coating on them running boards if it were mine.

 

Oh they are getting it as well!

 

painted the bottom of the running boards. Hopefully box liner and paint will be done this week…

 

Bedliner is great for the underside of the fenders and running boards if gravel is part of the future, it keeps the star chips in the topside from happening.

 

not worried about box liner on the bottom of the running boards. The top side is getting some. The inside of the fenders is also getting some.

 

Hey, making progress! Last I knew we were talking about bumpers! I'm watching, but the site doesn't seem to think so! Glad I caught your thread again.

Devin

 

I'm late to the party, but I read all 13 pages. Great work, very impressed, watching for more...