Project '53 Truck

[FM155]

It'll be good to see all the front metalwork back on again. Is there still some inner wing fab to do as there was no room in there from memory?
Great work as always!

 

[Ged]

This and Ben's Beetle are my two favourite builds on here at the moment, both for how quickly they are progressing as well as the actual content! Keep it up @Ged and @56oval

I havent had a chance to properly read the beetle thread yet but I know it will be some machine. Some evening im going to get a nice cuppa tea and caught up with it.

It'll be good to see all the front metalwork back on again. Is there still some inner wing fab to do as there was no room in there from memory?
Great work as always!

Yup your keeping track better than I am, I'm dreading it lol, I removed 60% of the inner wings so ill be having to remake them pretty much. also need to clear the shock towers and brake valve so more cutting to be done on them yet.

Havent any pictures yet but spent last night panel beating, hammering and welding on the bodypanels. they are all pretty much ready for laquering and painting.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[Ged]

Prioritys moved a little this weekend when my builder told me he had a digger coming to do that job ive been asking about for over a year. So quickly gathered up a tractor some steel and got to welding I was creating the retaining wall and hauling the hedge out as he tipped rubble and stone in round my ankles lol. Raised the yard over 2 feet to get it level Was good to get back onto the stick welder which I havent used in years took a while to come back to me.

Really great to turn a useless space into somewhere I can store the forklifts and the defender as well as alot of other stuff, and paves the way for an extension sideways at some point.

After all that and taking a half day yestarday I got into the truck a bit again working at the bodywork. Got the dash all hammered out primered skimmed and repainted

Inner wings rust treated and painted with zinc primer and 2 pack black.

All the dents in the cab finished skimmed with filler and then started reverese patinaing them. My old b5 passats blue seems to match pretty well as well as a varity of primers. Going to keep working on it and get it all blended in.

Bit of a before and after

Well and truely knackard now, ive a friend coming to clear the cab with some PPG Satin clearcoat later this week, as im ok at painting but clearcoat and me dont get on. So another push and ill have another milestone met on the project.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[Lee A]

This is brilliant, love the attention to detail. Proper build

 

[Ged]

Cheers, @Lee A

Spent yestarday evening sanding cleaning wiping and preping getting some laquer on the panels, been debating if I should paint it or not since I bought it, so we decided to throw some satin on the wings and bonnet and see what it turns out like. Im happy with it, Really lifted the patina and all the prep work has left them smooth, ill let you all throw your opinions in. Keep it or paint it a 50s colour??

Also got some gloss on the interior, commited to a sun visor now lol

Cheers.
Ged

 

[Lyons]

I think paint personally, but it’s hard to picture the final package in that finish.

 

[Dave..]

I would clear coat it and leave it

 

[mark19]

Personally i think paint it.
Just imagine it proper gleaming with a new paint job

 

[purplea4T]

Paint it and have the original sign writing redone. I think it'd be a shame to do so much work and not paint it.

 

[cauld1]

Clear over the patina rather than paint. Especially with the remnants of the old company logo on the doors.

Something so much cooler about having a minty fresh interior, chassis etc and then lovely patina on the body panels. I think most people would paint it, it's just a bit typical and boring, another reason not to imo!

 

[steeldevil]

Paint it and have the original sign writing redone. I think it'd be a shame to do so much work and not paint it.

Fantastic work @Ged but agree with @purplea4T that it would be a shame to put so much work in and not give it a matching paint job. Original sign writing would be a bonus.

 

[j44nty]

Perfect. Don’t paint it.

 

[jimc]

I am 50/50 on this i love the look of the patina but think it would look great with a fresh coat of paint too, can we see a picture of the door done with the logo on it?

 

[StephenMcC]

definitely patina, you can always go to paint in the future, but you can't go back to that patina.

 

[svensktoppen]

Keep it as is and just clear coat for me, just because it's so different and keeps the history. The clear coat and the rest of the truck still bring it up to date and clearly restored.

Probably a marmite thing, lol, but it's just so different. I love it.

Besides, you can always paint it later if it doesn't work out. But of you paint over it now then that original patina is gone forever.

If you did paint it, then see if you can recreate something like the original colour scheme and sign writing, but changing some detailing just to make it your own and not a replica.

Interior is lush

 

[veedubnoodle]

Love the patina. Deffo stick with the clear coat

 

[Captain Starlet]

I would go with patina and if you change your mind later you can always paint it, plus it gives you time to think about which colour would work well. Let's face it, painting it later will be a drop in the ocean compared to the work that you have already put into it. Looks great.

 

[pablo]

I can’t decide. Both will look awesome.

 

[Father Stack]

Exactly the same as most here. Both will look unreal, I can't decide! This is an absolutely class build. Love it.

 

[avsd]

The bonnet's patina looks class - almost like a tiger. I would not paint it.

 

[FM155]

Deffo go for the patina now, keep the history etc. If you get fed up with it, it's easy to paint it.

 

[seanmooney]

Id go with clear coat and leave the patina.

 

[RevT]

Patina! Can always paint it in a few years time if you get fed up.

 

[Mr.Mint]

Patina and Clear Coat with a lovely shiny chassis and gleaming wheels!

 

[HILL9N3GTI]

patina.... just clear coat it. would be such a shame to cover up the history and the old logos on the doors imo