My baby needs a facelift!

[Perry]

After 27 years my baby was looking tired. Given that pure road salt is used up here in the winter I have her undercoated every year, but still.....   A few rust spots stopped her from passing inspection back in December so I had to get some work done to keep her on the road. 2 new front fenders, a complete rocker panel and both cab corners and she passed inspection. 2 new fenders, rocker and 2 cab corners only cost $300 in parts.







The 2 rear wheel wells are still a bit rusty (darn wheel trim caused it) but didn't cause her to fail inspection.





She went in yesterday to have those repaired and then a complete paint job! I also tracked down 2 like new chrome bumpers front and back for $100 each.

Bahama Blue, baby, Bahama Blue! I'm the second owner of this lady, picked her up back in '02. I've looked at others but she has always been in my heart. Here's to another great 16 years together.

[Wandering Man]

Nice truck.  Will you bury her in your bee yard when she finally dies?  Or just add a little lure to the holes and crevices to catch swarms?

[CBT]

I got a feeling as long as Perry’s tickin that truck will be kickin.

[LazyBkpr]

The joy of those trucks is that the parts are plentiful and cheap. I have rebuilt a dozen of them from the ground up, and as soon as the weather cooperates I will be starting another rebuild on an 89.
   
   Here where I live, rust doenst matter. it could be 90% rusted away and still be road legal... but, up in Maine.. if it gets a rust hole.. nope, won't pass inspection...
   So I can buy them CHEAP in Maine, drive them back here and sell them for 2/3rds more...  But that wiouldnt be nearly as much fun as actually making them look and run nice in the process!   Love your truck Perry!
 

[Perry]

Yeah, the salt wreaks havoc up here. Inspections are done every 2 years and if there are any holes or perforations, particularly around the cab where exhaust might get in, it fails. If there are "jagged edges", even on the box, it fails. I don't mind so much as it gets stuff that shouldn't be on the road off. They check brakes, lights, etc., and it eliminates a lot of junkers that aren't roadworthy.
I am the second owner of this truck, bought it in '02, and I know it, verses buying another and ending up with someone else's problem. My buddy Kevin on the other hand, buys used trucks at the auction for around $3000 and keeps them for 2 to 4 years and then junks them when they don't pass inspection. I guess either way works. I have stopped at the GM dealership and looked at the new trucks, but price tags of $40 to $70 grand are insane.

[LazyBkpr]

I agree. My wife used to throw a fit about me working on those old "junk" trucks all the time... why don't you go buy a new one abd be done with it?
  Yeah... Took her to the dealership, saw the near 70K price tag, and now she is very happy I work on those old "junk" trucks!

[Wandering Man]

Maybe you should just try a wrap, rather than bodywork and paint. I bet someone could do the truck in honeycomb.

[Perry]

Maybe you should just try a wrap, rather than bodywork and paint. I bet someone could do the truck in honeycomb.

You know, I have actually thought about that  , thought it would look awesome. Not sure what those would cost, or how long they would last though?

[Wandering Man]

http://www.vinylfx.com/contact-us/

[LazyBkpr]

How long the wrap lasts? With PERRY driving?   

[Perry]

How long the wrap lasts? With PERRY driving?   

Well I know it wouldn't last long on the roof, I'm up there quite a bit using the extra height to catch those high swarms in some of my yards.

[Riverrat]

we dont have these types of inspections in Kansas.  But we have duct tape bailing wire and Rattle can paint 

[Perry]

I know that the inspections (every 2 years) are a pita and really inconvenient at times, but it really does keep a lot of un-roadworthy junk off the roads, which makes me feel a bit better when my wife and son are out driving around.
They are cheap enough @ $27 and only take 1/2 an hour. They put the vehicle up on a hoist, check out the entire front end, they take off a front wheel on one side and a rear wheel on the other to check brakes, tires, all lights/signals/horn are checked to make sure they are working, just common sense stuff.

[LazyBkpr]

If they tried to do that here, they would have to pave ALL the roads. There is NO WAY I would take a 70 THOUSAND dollar brand new truck out on the gravel roads...   90% of the roads here are gravel and dirt. The main highway is the only thing paved.  That gravel DESTROYS paint and windshields.