Well, wouldn't you know it, just like on the build-offs on TV, after getting the cab floor down to the real nitty gritty, I discovered there was a lot more rust damage to the sheetmetal than first appeared. Unfortunately, unlike some of the reality shows on TV, we don't have any little elves to come in at night and catch us up for the next day. This issue is sitting right on the deadline, but I'm not about to cut it short and Mickey-Mouse the truck with as much effort as I've already put into it. So I'll finish this tech based on my knowledge from using KBS Coatings and Lizard Skin in the past. At this point, I got stopped in my tracks, but the good news is there is a welding supply store near me that sells Miller products, so after I turn this story in, I can fire up my new Miller Spectrum 375 Xtreme plasma cutter, blow out the rusted bits, and weld in some spot patches with my new Millermatic 252 MIG welder. In the meantime, I'll keep pushing for the November deadline Grant and I are both facing to meet at the Scottsdale Goodguys show for the Build-Off's finale.
 A good habit that can really...  A good habit that can really save you from experiencing the unpleasant discomfort associated with the agony of a stripped bolt is to pre-soak every fastener in sight with Liquid Wrench. Before removing the seat bolts, we accessed the threads from below the cab floor and soaked them good. |  Another good trick to speed...  Another good trick to speed up the process of stripping the interior is to find the most accessible position of the mounting bolts by moving them back and forth. |  The seatbelt anchors were...  The seatbelt anchors were held in by TORX screws. We used an air impact wrench to back them out, because unbolting them by hand can increase the odds of "cam-out," which can lead to stripping the TORX six-point drive. |
 If there was ever a common...  If there was ever a common design trait amongst early trucks more dangerous than mounting the gas tank in the cab, we don't know what it would be. This tank is history and will be replaced with an outside configuration. In addition to safety, the benefits of relocating the tank will include better weight distribution. Notice the mounting nuts have been soaked with Liquid Wrench. |  Here's another handy trick...  Here's another handy trick one should know before they attempt to remove the gas tank. Applying a screwdriver or flat prybar on the head of the carriage bolts (back of the cab) attaching the gas tank will prevent the carriage bolt from spinning. |  On top of being awkward, undoing...  On top of being awkward, undoing the nuts by hand produces a counter-productive lateral load. The next step is to use an air impact wrench to buzz the nuts off in a hurry. |