"LUCKY 13" Restoration Process

[coreyelliott]

Hello Corey,
Great job!!!
Just wondering if you're going to pull the dash back out to do the wiring?
It'll be a lot easier than standing on your head!!!

Keith

Thanks for watching out for us Keith.  We have the wiring harness built and installed, just need to hook up the gauges as I rebuild them.  We discussed leaving the dash out, or partially disassembled, but decided we could stand on our head for a least a little bit.   

Corey

[coreyelliott]

A couple of more updates!

Previously, I disassembled the hood latches and replaced the springs.  After cleaning them and reassembling they work like new, but they still didn't have any pads on them.  So, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some cheap leather pieces and cut out some circles with my gasket cutter.  While at Hobby Lobby I also bought some leatherworking rivets and used those to attach the leather pads onto the latches.  Of course, the first one I put on backwards.



















I finished up rebuilding the tachometer.  I think it came out pretty good.  Thanks to our friend overseas for making the decals.  They are a bit tricky to get installed to make sure it's clean.











The trailer brake control actually still works.  I measured the resistance and it rises and falls to what I think are the correct specs.  I stripped off all the paint from the plate, painted several coats of black and after drying thoroughly I wet sanded it to get what I wanted.  After a bunch more coats of sating clear, it turned out alright.  I don't have a close picture of the finished product.  The pictures I have here are actually my first try and I had to re-strip the whole thing and do it again.  You can see it in some later pics of the dash.















Lots of parts hanging to dry.










We got the passenger side aluminum floor panels painted and installed.










More progress on the dash.










And lastly, we started fitting up the driver's side.  Progress is good!




Corey

[Tapper02]

Great progress Corey...looking good.  Sometimes there is trial and error and it sucks, but when you’re doing all this work it’s worth doing right, right?

-Tom

[8683jb]

Outstanding job!!

[yd328]

Nice work, Its looking great.

Gary

[spillmk1]

Looking great!!!!

Keith

[coreyelliott]

Shon has been busting his ass working on the bogie assemblies.  This is crappy work.  Luckily we did make the tool that someone here recommended to help split the wheels from the hubs.  That has been a God send!








I've been messing around with the speedometer rebuild.  I'm still too nervous to commit to actually applying the decal!







Corey

[coreyelliott]

Finally did it.  It's got a lot of bubbles, but I'm happy with it!   A lesson I've learned, that I wish I would have known before I did our ammeter, is after I spray the plate with the aluminum color it is necessary to spray it with matte clear.  If you try to put the decals over the aluminum paint and then try to pull the decal off even just a smidge to adjust it, it will pull the aluminum metallic out of the paint.  Clear coat top stops this.

[coreyelliott]

Lots of good work tonight.  Got the rest of the bogie wheels pulled off and chose the hubs and wheels that we will be using.  We WILL be giving these the urethane treatment in the future, but it's just out of our budget at the moment.  We know we'll be losing some of this rubber.  It's an expected loss.






I can't remember who posted about this tool, but my brother is so happy you shared this that he could kiss you on the mouth.  It worked wonders!






Lastly, we picked all of our bogie assembly parts and laid them out.  Just need to sand blast and paint.




Corey

[Tapper02]

Finally did it.  It's got a lot of bubbles, but I'm happy with it!   A lesson I've learned, that I wish I would have known before I did our ammeter, is after I spray the plate with the aluminum color it is necessary to spray it with matte clear.  If you try to put the decals over the aluminum paint and then try to pull the decal off even just a smidge to adjust it, it will pull the aluminum metallic out of the paint.  Clear coat top stops this.

Corey,
  Mine had lots of bubbles too.  Tried really hard to work them out, even with heat, but they wouldn’t budge.  Had to take a needle and pop them all.  And yes, you have top coat in matte before applying the decal.
  Great progress!

-Tom

[spillmk1]

Great progress.
The bogie's had to be the most hard ass work of my project.
How were your crabs?
Any adventures getting the shafts out?

Keith

[8683jb]

Nice job! What a workout!

[8683jb]

I can't remember who posted about this tool, but my brother is so happy you shared this that he could kiss you on the mouth.  It worked wonders!

You're welcome for the tool design & posting. No thanks on the kiss though!
 
I'm glad it worked for you.

Jon

[coreyelliott]

You're welcome for the tool design & posting. No thanks on the kiss though!
 
I'm glad it worked for you.

Jon

 

Corey

[coreyelliott]

Major setback today.  I finished up rebuilding the speedometer and began assembly only to find out I put the decal on upside down.  I can't believe one of you eagle eyed people didn't notice.  The trip odometer is on the top and the main odometer is on the bottom, that ain't right!




Corey