In addition to promoting a friendly competition between the two titles, the Build-Off staged between Custom Classic Trucks and Classic Trucks has served as a platform to present a variety of tech features to our valued readers that contain information applicable to not only the '67-72 series of F-100 Fords, but to all trucks as well.
In keeping with this theme, the following story on creating a Gasser-style appearance for our '72 F-100's interior demonstrates how to properly prepare the surface before applying a heat barrier. And by virtue of leaving Lizard Skin as the only sound deadener/heat barrier in the '72's cab, we will be able to accurately evaluate its effectiveness.
The first step after gutting the interior, removing the seat and floor coverings, and pulling the gas tank out is to flush out years of accumulated hard-packed dirt and gobs of loose dust by filling up a 5-gallon bucket with hot water mixed with Tide and going to town with a sponge. Not wanting to leave water trapped in any of the numerous places it could collect and cause future rusting problems, we used compressed air to force-dry the cab's interior.
Next on the agenda is to screw a coarse wire wheel onto our trusty 75-model Makita polisher/grinder and knock off as much rust scale as possible. The key to stopping rust is proper surface preparation. In addition to the coarse wire wheel, we uses a 40-grit grinding disc plus some 40-grit dry sandpaper to reach in by hand to the areas where the Makita couldn't stuff its snout.
The next wave of organic-based liquids used to purify the '72's cab is a 1.5 to 1 mixture of KBS Coatings' Aqua Klean, which far exceeds Tide's capabilities to strip oil and remove contaminants from the metal's surface. After this, it is time again for the air hose.
The first thing we tore out...
The first thing we tore out to make the '72's interior echo the feeling of an early Gasser was the stock firewall insulation board. This area is prepped, and after masking it will be shot with a heat-proof barrier of Lizard Skin.
For the guys in the Rust Belt,...
For the guys in the Rust Belt, this isn't rust, but nevertheless, even this small amount can grow into a monster if it isn't stopped soon.
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.
We used a mixture of Tide...
We used a mixture of Tide and hot water in the first stages to dissolve the dirt into mud, making it easy to flush out with a garden hose.
The next and last step involving...
The next and last step involving a good flush was the use of KBS Coatings' Aqua Klean. It is essential to wear gloves and eye protection while using Aqua Klean.
We thought we were so smart...
We thought we were so smart and safe by using an air hacksaw instead of a die grinder with an abrasive wheel with sparks that could ignite fumes from the gas tank...
...until we walked around...
...until we walked around to the other side of the truck in bare feet and discovered a live extension cord was lying in a pool of water.
Before the stock seat goes...
Before the stock seat goes back in, it will be reupholstered in Parchment-colored vinyl.
One of the most important...
One of the most important steps to restoring or customizing any vehicle ever made of steel is to ensure that rust will not reappear after the project has been completed. That said, we used KBS Coatings' Rust Blast to leave a zinc phosphate coating that can be left up to 30 days before the next steps have to be done.
After completing KBS Coatings'...
After completing KBS Coatings' three-step oxygen-blocking process, the next step is to spray in Lizard Skin. We chose to use Lizard Skin for several reasons. Lizard Skin in its liquid state is water soluble, which means after you're done spraying it onto the desired area, all you need to clean up the spray equipment is soap and water. The Super Pro spray gun pictured is a special unit designed by Lizard Skin especially for applying their products and is available with a cup or a special adapter that draws Lizard Skin directly from the pail. Maybe our first reason should have been product performance. Since there will be nothing else used for floor covering in the '72 except Lizard Skin, it was essential we specified a heat-proofing system with superior qualities. Right off the bat, Lizard Skin's resistance to direct exposure to up to 500 degrees of heat can reduce solar and engine heat transfer by 25-30 degrees, but what cinched the deal was Lizard Skin's ability to soak up 10-12 decibels or more of noise.
Only an idiot would take a...
Only an idiot would take a picture of himself pouring gasoline from a gas tank into a 5-gallon jerry can...OK, so I'm an idiot.
Buying a new Miller Spectrum...
Buying a new Miller Spectrum 375 Xtreme plasma cutter was something I should have done as soon as I entered the Build-Off. It's not too late, though we'll show in the next issue how we used it to fabricate rust repair patches.
Ditto for the Millermatic...
Ditto for the Millermatic 252 MIG welder. After the metal patches are patterned and cut out, we'll show what short work the 252 makes out of welding them in.
Recreating a Gasser-style...
Recreating a Gasser-style interior is easy if you have the right parts; it's all about cool. Not a lot is needed; in fact, a minimalist approach is best. In the day, you had to have the right-sized steering wheel to get the look. Anything from 12-13.5 inches in diameter would work great. The perfect solution to create the exact nostalgia I was after was to pick up a 13.5-inch metalflake green steering wheel from Mooneyes. For the F-100 steering wheel adapter, I easily located what I was after from the folks at LMC Truck in Lenexa, KS.
In my book, the coolest thing...
In my book, the coolest thing in the world is still a Moon pedal. Don't call it a Moon gas pedal or you will be a square, and that's almost as bad as being a scumball all covered in sin!