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Wow! you've been busy. Last I saw was that you just were test fitting the bed sides. Looks like that's nearly complete.

Looking good.

Do you plan on bringing it to Anchorage for the August show? You'll give that guy with the car carrier COE a run for his money.

My hope is to have it done in May, at first I thought that might not happen but now I'm leaning toward having it done. I only wish I could do more working than thinking, my cousin calls it analysis paralysis and I have it bad.

I'm the same way as you. But in the end when I actually do the job it comes out right because I end up doing it from start to finish in my head first. And there are usually no surprises when I'm doing the actual job because I've worked out every detail in advance.

Nothing wrong with overthinking in some cases.

I installed the tailgate yesterday, it was just tacked together but I took pictures anyway. The bottom of the tailgate is a piece of 1 1/2 " pipe that I installed a piece of uhmw As a bushing and a 3/4" bolt as the axle, smooth as butter. I really over thought and overbuilt this. The 2 oval holes are for the lifting straps, I may cover them with the turn/brake lights, time will tell. My plan is to remove the bed once finished and put it on my rotisserie and take it for blasting and acid etch.

Today I finished hooking up the intake, just a fitting. After that I reached critical mass, I had to stop work and put tools away then cleanup, it REALLY needed it..

Today I went to the gear shed ( the commercial fishing provider) and made up cables for the tailgate. I also prepared my rotisserie to put the bed on for blasting. I don't know when that will happen as it has to be above freezing with no precipitation and on a weekend as it is not his main occupation.

Interesting putting the hooks on the inside. You may not be able to get the tailgate unlatched if you have a full load of gravel in it.

The Gear Shed is a pretty awesome store. I assume you used stainless cable. Nice touch with the vinyl tubing covering it.

My friends said the same thing, one used the gravel comment the other said a dump run, I don't think either will happen . I wanted ss but I could only get galvanized, I could not believe they did not have it, but I used 5/32 which is not common.

ARG Industrial (formerly Arctic Wire Rope & Supply) in Anchorage has that size in stainless if you ever want to change it out. Surprised that the Gear Shed didn't have stainless, since they're a marine hardware place.

Yeah, I don't see you loading that thing up with gravel or even a dump run. I suspect it's going to be too nice for that to happen.

Yesterday I tore the bed apart and pulled it off the frame. I got my exercise and I felt it last night. The steel and wood in the bed are ballast, I got the cg off by a bit, it was only a guess anyway.

Now I am cooking! I put the bed on the rotisserie today, tomorrow will be a day of welding, at least now I have better access to underneath without laying on my back which kills me.

Looks like "cooking" with the good stuff - lol! Love the idea of not having to lay on a concrete (or any) floor and having to weld overhead. Sounds like it will be a pleasant and much quicker job.

I finished welding on the bed and moved it out of the way into the paint booth. Today I finished welding the trailer hitch receiver on, d-8s have been pulled with lesser hitches.

Today a Grey urethane primer went on.

At this rate you will have it on the road before you know it - great work!

That primer looks better than some paint jobs I've seen! Nice.

Ya, I thought it was the paint job when I first saw the pictures.

You should see Dave's final products. He's a great painter.

Late this afternoon I put a coat of epoxy primer on, tomorrow it's back to sanding. I very much dislike sanding. My fingers are hurting, both thumbs and 2 fingers have splits.

Today the green went on.

Looks awesome, Dave.

Did some polishing today and thought I would just put the hood emblem on for a picture. I have noticed the color always seems lighter in photos. I had them put mica in the paint and it makes the paint look like it is 1 inch deep.

Love the color and your paint (and emblem) looks great! Fantastic work!

Wow - That is looking nice! Making me second guess if I should paint my truck.

Painted the beltline yesterday. Spent 3 hours taping and masking, 10 minutes with an airbrush 15 minutes to remove the masking. I got a polyvinyl masking tape at napa, purple in color it worked wonderful! No bleed through, looks like it was cut with a razor. It will stretch so easy to do curves.

Painted the front fenders today ( black). Talked to my blasting guy today, maybe after monday. That will work great.

Painted the front fenders yesterday, stuck a headlight in today for the picture.

Fenders look real good. Interesting choice to use the body color on the headlight buckets. Looking forward to see how it all goes together.

What Dan said about the headlight bucket color. I would go with black myself. But it’s not my truck. Can’t wait to see it in person.

Over the last 3 nights I assembled this on the kitchen table. I had to modify different clips to hold the bars 54 of them.i need. To clean up my fingerprints all over them.

I hope no bugs hit that when you're driving! 😊

I don't think I would dare to assemble anything truck related on the kitchen table (my wife would object) but then again my parts never look that pristine.

Your truck is looking great, can't wait to see pictures of the finished project.

Today my blasting guy called and I delivered all my bed parts. Might come back in parts over the next week, he has a very full time job but does dustless blasting on the side.

A quick Pic today, the cover was on because I was sanding again. I painted the engine cover pieces today.

That looks great, good job!

Um, wow! Looking very nice.

Did some homework last night. Trying to finish this thing by the end of the month, it will be tight. My shop is about 15 miles away so going out and working after supper is not practical so whatever I can I bring home.

That would make a great desk front! Looks great!!

Gorgeous! Looks like what all the modern day junk wants to look like.

Just stuck the hood on for some pictures. I have not stopped working on the truck but I now fully understand I will not finish by the end of the month like I had hopes to do. On to summer things ,up here, that's what we live for.