I'm stuck....can't roll Ram out to driveway to finish wet sanding due to waiting on brake parts (pass side rear wheel off).

Removed rear door windows and sanded the part under glass to allw painting to edge. Also removed plastic trim form tailgate and sanded it down and pulled dents from top edge of tailgate. Won't fill these as the liklihood of chipping off is too high, but wanted to pull metal back into place and work back into place. Then sanded tailgate on both sides and all edges.






Primed tailgate with etching primer. Inside of bed will get liner.




There is a small run just to the left of the handle opening. I am assuming that I can wet sand it off with 1000 grit sand paper before laying 2K primer on?



Still struggling with getting the small groove in lower panels smoothed out like I want in rear driver side door. If I cannot get it correct I will see about getting a door at a JY. This is proving more challenging than I thought.

 

Still trying to get the lower groove below the moulding on the quad door just right. Either too sharp an edge or not enough. Filled edge again tonight and will fashion a straigt edge guide to run a grinder the length to get correct radius tomorrow. May hold strightr edge against door with welding magnets.

Don't have an opportunity to check JY this week and on the road for work again next week. If I cannot get it like I want it this weekend I will probably go ahead and prime rest of truck and try to get another door next week or may take to a body shop to see what they would charge just to fix this area.

 

Admiting defeat huh? Sometimes the easiest things can be the most troublesome. I have the same problem at times, one simple bodyline and it'll take hours. Then your looking at one and saying "D*MN, how am I gonna do that?". Ten minutes later its perfect. Nature of the beast I guess. Best of luck on that one.

 

Not admitting defeat yet......wife says I am too much of a perfectionist. I am probably suffering from frustration over rear brake overhaul (waiting on parts) taking so long. In addition, weather has not co-operated, and it is the time of year that I start writing grant applications for next year and coupled with having to prepare for a presentation at a statewide conference. My Type A personality does not mesh well with delays!

But as this is the first body work I have ever attempted, I am honest enough to admit that there is tremendous value in experience. And if I cannot get it "perfect" I will be looking at letting someone with experience help me out. This will REQUIRE them to let me observe so I can learn! See, I have laready spiun it form "defeat" to "education!"

 

After way too long a delay due to crappy wwather and business trips, and havinbg to work on Yota a little last weekend, I finally did a little more on the Ram today (after working on lawnmower and launching an assault on the weeds in the yard).

Got the groove in the rear door on passenger side "almost" perfect. Still have a little more to go to get radius correct, but almost there.



Also went to Oklahoma to pick up my Super Beetle. It's been in my dad's pasture for about 7 years.




Also changing the headlights in Yota. I picked up a rock chip in one. Thougth I would try these (under $10) and if I like them, may look for a set similar for Ram. Haven't decided yet.

 

[QUOTE=gdstock;2711650]After way too long a delay due to crappy wwather and business trips, and havinbg to work on Yota a little last weekend, I finally did a little more on the Ram today (after working on lawnmower and launching an assault on the weeds in the yard).

Got the groove in the rear door on passenger side "almost" perfect. Still have a little more to go to get radius correct, but almost there.



Also went to Oklahoma to pick up my Super Beetle. It's been in my dad's pasture for about 7 years.




You should turn the beetle into a baja buggy!

 

It is so far down on the project list after Ram, Jaguar, and 54 Chevy.....Haven;t even thought about what I am going to do with it. But that is a possibility!

 

gdstock, I really admire your perseverance on this effort such that I bestow this homage upon you as a shining example for all:

 

Thanks. But is is not so much about perseverance. It is being a slow learner...... I have never done any paint and body before (except building cabs for offshore cranes 30 to 40 years ago). But it is something I wanted to learn. With the project cars I have, I cannot afford to have all of that done by a shop, which is why some of them have been waiting for so long. Once I get the hang of this, I will be more inclined to start working on them again. Thought the Ram would be a good one to start learning on since it is not my DD. If I get something wrong, I can sand down and do again, and not be in a hurry to get through it. But my paitience with the weather is getting pretty thin!

 

As you are just getting into body work you might wish to get one of these, they are a great help when doing body work. Copy the curve off a good panel then make a sheet metal peace to use as a applicator for your mud.


http://vansantent.com/welding_access...ur_gauges.html