The Lunchbox Build... 4x4 chevy shorty van
- Thread starter Lunchbox2
- Start date
I got lucky this time around.... I really made it out with nothing more than a bruised ego.... I'm definitely going to have a wicked scar, but chicks dig scars right?! :victory:
Also be wary of sanding discs. I was holding a handrail I'd just made with my feet while I sanded the arc welds (standing on it). I just grazed my foot, and the disc went through an 1/8" of leather, a pair of socks, and left a 2" last by cut in the side of my foot. Off to Emerg I went.
Scary stuff, it's easy to get complacent and bad stuff will happen in the blink of an eye... We've all been there. Glad you're ok.
We'll have to fine tune our stories... Your chest... My neck also (carefully by neurosurgeon). It could be much more fun to come up with a good tale
I ran into a group of hostile guerillas while out on the trail, and was held at knife-point while they rummaged through the Lunchbox. The knife slipped and sliced me when I decided to go all Chuck Norris on their A$$ES.... Luckily I was able to duct tape it back together, and make it back to civilization, after I wiped out all 37 of them with my bare hands...
Now that I think about it, it was more like 57! My kung-**** was just too much for them to handle
Pinnacle Campers
Chateau spotter
That cut off wheel thing is crazy.
Thanks for posting, makes the rest of us that do stupid stuff all the time really think.
Good to see you are out enjoying the lunch box.
Thanks for posting, makes the rest of us that do stupid stuff all the time really think.
Good to see you are out enjoying the lunch box.
It was a bit of a wake-up call for me, that's for sure....
So I healed up well, and started the bodywork on the van the week of thanksgiving. While I was out-front, my 82 year-old grandpa decided he'd stop by and sneak a ladder into my back yard and help me out by cleaning out my gutters (******??)....That resulted in him falling off the ladder and breaking his heel bone...ugh. The man hasn't been on a ladder in over 20 years, and he fell off the roof the LAST time he was on one, so I don't know what he was thinking. Long story short, we spent 3 days down in nashville for surgery, and because of thanksgiving, I missed out on another week of work. I spent a few days keeping an eye on him, making sure he got around ok over at his place, and then got back to work on the van.
I finished up the patch panel on my driver side rocker panel, then made a patch panel for the bottom of my slider door. While I was playing with bondo, I also smoothed a couple of the creases and dents that were more noticeable. I only spot-primed the major problem areas, then backed the big girl into my garage, and started the sanding process with my good ol' faithful DeWalt orbital sander... I had sand-paper left over from previous projects, so I used up all my 60,80, and 120 grit paper getting the beast ready for paint
I pulled out the lights, the grille, and taped off the window mouldings, and laid down a good first-coat of paint. My poor camaro got covered in dust while I was sanding, but it'll wash off....
I used a large foam roller, a small foam roller, and misc. foam brushes
I let the paint dry for several days, then gave it a good scuff and cracked open the 2nd can of paint and proceeded to lay down the final coats...
I also painted the grille and light surrounds with the same rustoleum that I used on the bumpers, just a good scuff and then brushed it on... Then I let everything sit for another 2 days with the kerosene heater going in the garage. This morning I pulled her out into the light to see what it looked like, and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't thin the paint at all, and with the foam rollers, the texture looks a lot like bedliner. Now it's no show car, but from 10'-20' away, it looks great!
We've had a lot of rain and the trails would be a lot of fun, so we were going to go wheeling with a couple jeep buddies this weekend. My transmission leak has persisted though, and the pan gasket just didn't fix it. I pulled the cover from the torque converter and fired the van up, and noticed fluid squirting from behind the converter.... ugh. So out came the transmission this evening. Upon first inspection, the front pump seal isn't pushed out, and I can't see any other problems anywhere else? There's fluid everywhere though, and I saw it squirting out with my own two eyes. I may have a crack in the torque converter or in the front pump itself....:violent-smiley-031: Pulling that tranny by myself sucks though, so I decided to head inside to make dinner for us and relax for the rest of the night. I'll get a closer look tomorrow.....
I finished up the patch panel on my driver side rocker panel, then made a patch panel for the bottom of my slider door. While I was playing with bondo, I also smoothed a couple of the creases and dents that were more noticeable. I only spot-primed the major problem areas, then backed the big girl into my garage, and started the sanding process with my good ol' faithful DeWalt orbital sander... I had sand-paper left over from previous projects, so I used up all my 60,80, and 120 grit paper getting the beast ready for paint
I pulled out the lights, the grille, and taped off the window mouldings, and laid down a good first-coat of paint. My poor camaro got covered in dust while I was sanding, but it'll wash off....
I used a large foam roller, a small foam roller, and misc. foam brushes
I let the paint dry for several days, then gave it a good scuff and cracked open the 2nd can of paint and proceeded to lay down the final coats...
I also painted the grille and light surrounds with the same rustoleum that I used on the bumpers, just a good scuff and then brushed it on... Then I let everything sit for another 2 days with the kerosene heater going in the garage. This morning I pulled her out into the light to see what it looked like, and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't thin the paint at all, and with the foam rollers, the texture looks a lot like bedliner. Now it's no show car, but from 10'-20' away, it looks great!
We've had a lot of rain and the trails would be a lot of fun, so we were going to go wheeling with a couple jeep buddies this weekend. My transmission leak has persisted though, and the pan gasket just didn't fix it. I pulled the cover from the torque converter and fired the van up, and noticed fluid squirting from behind the converter.... ugh. So out came the transmission this evening. Upon first inspection, the front pump seal isn't pushed out, and I can't see any other problems anywhere else? There's fluid everywhere though, and I saw it squirting out with my own two eyes. I may have a crack in the torque converter or in the front pump itself....:violent-smiley-031: Pulling that tranny by myself sucks though, so I decided to head inside to make dinner for us and relax for the rest of the night. I'll get a closer look tomorrow.....
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Good grief! Glad your Grandpa's alright. Sucks about the time off and everything but all will work out. Van looks great btw. Are you gonna put a clear coat on? I spray painted my ride with Rustoleum a couple years ago and it looks white when dry. No clear coat and not too cool. At least you are a light color so wouldn't be as noticeable as my green.
I'm not doing anything else to it at this point.... if it fades to a point that it looks really crappy, I'll just roll another coat on... lol
ClubWagon
Observer
I think it looks great! I just sprayed mine with black rustoleum bedliner. I bought 12 cans on amazon at 6 bucks a can. It's not super thick but seems pretty durable so far. It was super easy to spray on and very forgivable too. I had a couple places where it ran a little. I literally just wiped it, off let it dry, sanded it down a little and sprayed it again. You couldn't even tell I screwed it up. LOL! I'm like you if it fades some I'll just spray it again. So far it's worked out really well and I liked the way it turned out.
Hell ya man! I am super happy with how mine turned out... I just don't see the point in putting a nice paint job on something that's going to be drug through the woods and rocks...lol
Bikersmurf
Expedition Leader
You should be happy it looks perfect. I agree with your logic completely... same reason my 4x4 has been rattle canned a few times over the last 25 years. They're highly collectible now so it may one day have a bit nicer paint job... once it's finished and I decide on a colour.
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