Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 1978 F-150 shot box 4x4- New project

If possible on flat surfaces this tool......body punch.......puts a nice recess in the original panel to give a nice flush surface when all is welded up.

I would like one of them. I'm not sure it would have been useful on the wheel arches or not since they fit into the "curved" part above the wheel. It would be handy on the piece behind the wheel though.

What is the actual name of that tool?

Too much winter...you're not kidding. I like that truck a lot, just like it sits.

can I have that please?

Makes me want a trip to AZ next winter.

See here.....

http://www.usaweld.com/MIG-Welding-5-16-Combination-Punch-Flange-p/12005.htm

I use the pnumatic version of this same tool.

Dave, do you have the pictures handy of how you put those pieces together after you use your tool?

Do you spot weld it is or seam weld it after it's in the "groove"?

It's been quite a while since I threw some pics into here for an update.

It's coming slowly but surly. Lots more rust than I ever want to deal with again...but it's coming. I hope to have it in the woods by October.

repair to the "rear rocker" behind the drive wheel. I don't have any before pictures. Must have been too busy for them.

full shot

Drivers side cab corner and door plate.


This took a long, long time to fix. 5 hours! I'm sure most of it was it being my first time on my own laying down glass and body filler, but man, it took me all day.
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Finished as good as it's going to get.


Door shuts, I'll take it.


Other things that have been fixed/added since the last update is plugs/wires, distributor, water pump, thermostat, aluminum radiator, upper and lower hoses, and new belts.

Me and the boy took it wheeling in some mud holes up the street to goof around and she passed with flying colors. They boy smiled from ear to ear. (ssshhhhh, so did his dad)

Good job tzone.It's come along way since the last time I seen it.

Tack, tack, tack, tack, tack.

Take your time, allow to cool.

I'm not a patient man, but I've learned your wisdom the hard way.

Signed,

Grasshoppah.

Thanks,

Next time I hope to post pics of sanding old paint, laying some primer/filler.

I'm still not 100% on a color yet, but leaning heavily towards copper. Plus, I found a penny in the door when I pulled the interior panels off.

Lookin good T!

Copper would be a good choice of color..Different from the same old same old

Think the color of the current hood. I'd also like to paint a white roof. Like many of these dent sides had.

Got a lot done on the old Ford truck this weekend. A few more weekends and she'll be ready to hit the woods. I'm hoping for mid-September.

Started off with hitting the roof with the DA to remove the old crappy paint and fill a few tiny dents on Friday afternoon. That was about all I could do for the afternoon.


Hit it early Saturday morning, starting with the hood. Stripped the paint from the fenders down to bare metal and again fixed a few dents.






Got her in the shop and masked off with help from my dad.
He shot the roof, hood and fenders with primer/sealer.


[img]http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr102/tzone777/tomspics085_zps92283d97.jpg[/img]

That was it for Saturday.

Today I got the doors and the rest of the cab sanded and stripped where it had to be. Dad showed me how to shoot it last night, so it was my turn to take a poke at it. Even though it was a bit heavy in some areas, it didn't run.

[img]http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr102/tzone777/tomspics088_zps06ac0ca8.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr102/tzone777/tomspics089_zps1630c316.jpg[/img]

So far...Not bad, but a few weekends to go before she's ready for the road.
[img]http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr102/tzone777/tomspics093_zpsd02e9a58.jpg[/img]

Looking good! Thought about this thread the other day and was wondering how the old girl was coming along.

She's coming along pretty quick now. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a train.

The welding type repairs are finished so now it's just pulling and filling dents as I strip paint. There are more than a guy thinks. Throw some primer/sealer on it and they stick out like a sore thumb. I'm hoping to have the box complete by the end of the next session.

She's lookin real good Tom.