Time to change that bit at the bottom of the Avatar

[ORCoaster]

I have been wearing out my body and doing the body of the pick-up a favor.

When I purchased this truck back in 2017, I figured that in a couple of years, I would be ready to paint it.  What kind of nonsensical thinking was that?  One who didn't know about VW weirdness. Mods to be done, engine work that flares up, and turbos, brakes, and gauges that need to get in first. 

So it sat, slowly starting to show rust spots here and there. Finally, I decided to at least attack those places and get some primer on the Bondo. Well, primer doesn't really do much if you don't cover it with something that seals it, at least not on the coast. So I ended up tearing that all out and redoing it, dedicating myself to the final product. 

I am not there yet, but after getting on most of the parts I took off, I rolled it out into the sun and did an honest evaluation on it.  Is it a 2-foot, 10-foot, or 50-foot paint job?  One that looks OK from all those distances.  I have to say, it is less than a 2-footer.  I pulled the Rabbit out of the hat on this one. 

Not having painted since about 2003, I had to learn stuff all over again.  Especially since I bought a new gun and a different product.  A Base Coat/ Clear Coat combo this time.  Not a stage 1 product.  It was costly too so I didn't want to waste it by having to sand it all off.  I had to do some of that back in 2003.  Too much paint was not the way to go. 

I still have the canopy to paint in glossy black and put on the front bumper and those two chrome strips down the sides.  I didn't have it figured out how to get them on, and the little clips I had didn't work.  They came with the truck as the guy I bought it from was in the process of doing the same thing I did. Restore it!!!!








https://imgur.com/XYTb7kF
https://imgur.com/XRDKvAU
https://imgur.com/6Vbu2FE

[Dennis Froelich]

That truck looks great sir!! Nice wheels too!!

[ORCoaster]

I stole those wheels off a lady who moved here from CA and those were her winter snow tires and rims.  I bought all four for 300 bucks and then spent several days pulling the studs out each tire.  Although, when I was painting it I saw that I missed one. 

Tires are off a Mini Cooper.  16-inch rims with 4 X 100 spacing.  The center hubs are that crazy little bit larger, so I have to run spacer rings and 1/4 inch wide spacers on the front or the rims rub the struts. 

I hope to have the canopy painted and put it back on this weekend.  Going for Glossy Black.

[Dennis Froelich]

That is pretty cool about the wheels!!

I figured you might paint it body color... Black should look good too!!

[ORCoaster]

I got most of the prep done on the canopy today but also put a scratch on it when the pop rivet cut off on the passenger side front strip.  Not a big one but I did let out a huge NOOO as I saw it happen.  I have other touch ups to do so I will wait until all parts are on before I paint them. 

I lack three of those termination parts that are on the end of the chrome and rubber strip that runs down the length of the truck.  Any idea where I can buy some?

I need to finish up with this project.  I have others to do and I am thinking of trading the use of the shop for painting the ladies house.  Paint for paint. 

Later man.  Enjoy that freshly burned Canadian air. 

[Dennis Froelich]

Understand about projects sir....
Way too many myself!!

I will look around.

So far so good on the smoke!!

[ORCoaster]

I was able to go to Heritage Parts in the UK and find what I wanted and more.  I figured if I was going to have to spend 80 bucks for shipping, then I better buy at least that much in stuff.  The little bits will come in a couple of weeks, so I will just hold off putting the chrome strips down the side for now. 

They did not have the end of the strip parts I was hoping for, but they do sell a couple of different styles of those side rails.  I am just going to keep my eye out for parts cars and see IF I can get them over time that way. 

I am having a hard time securing the channels for the truck.  I thought pop rivets would do the job, but you have to get down in the channel about 1/4 of an inch to get the head of the rivet to stay where you want it.  Maybe my handheld rivet tool is just not up to the task.  I am looking at some plastic pop-in type now that I found at the hardware store.  The diameter seems right, and the depth is good, but the head that will do the work holding the channel in place is the weak spot.  I still have to have enough room in the channel to slide the rubber bumpers.  I am not sure I will have that.  Trial and more trials. 

I did get the canopy prepped and coated with primer today, and hoping I can beat the high winds tomorrow and do the glossy black and be done with it. 

[ORCoaster]

I was able to paint the canopy a glossy black but when I went to put it on this morning it slid down the side of the truck scuffing the paint.  I didn't even swear.  I put it back on the trailer I was using for transport and decided enough of that, get a buddy to help and save the paint job.

I have most everything on except the lower chrome strips as I wait for the right clips to attach them from the UK.  I have the metal and rubber strip on the passengers side but the drivers side has two short pieces of the rubber so I am debating putting them on.  I might just get the all chrome ones. 

Little things to chase down are no high beams, and one license plate light is out.  Not sure if that is just a burned-out bulb or poor contact in the socket.  Electrical gremlins, I am looking for my tingle bells first.

Turned out well enough to turn heads, so I am happy.  After eight years of ownership, I finally have the ride I saw in my mind's eye when I bought the truck in pieces and parts.

I still had the lady's phone number in my phone, so I sent her pics.  She said she has often thought of texting me for a progress report.  I made her smile, and she will share the pics with her mom.  It was her dads project about 15 years ago that never got done for him.     

[ORCoaster]

So now that I have made it all nice and shiny I contacted my insurance co. to increase the value of the truck.  I had it set at 5,000 and was hoping to make it 10K.  I have watched the Market Place prices, the CL prices and the BAT prices and I felt that was reasonable.

The response from them was No Can Do.  You send us pictures of it from these angles and include some links to the valuations on the current market.  Then we will determine if the value you are asking us to insure is reasonable.

I still had parts and pieces off of it so it didn't look complete at the time so I just told them I would get back to them when it was all done. 

My question for all of you is this: Is 10K too high a price for that truck in its current state?  143K miles on a turbo diesel 1.6 engine.  Five speed with the high top-end gear.  The truck now has a rear disc brake conversion and an upgraded Master Cylinder and booster.

Let me know if I am dreaming on that valuation.  Thanks.

[drrtybyl]

The paint looks great -- congrats. I like your dash setup. Are you driving the truck yet?

I had it set at 5,000 and was hoping to make it 10K

Seems reasonable: would it affect your premium?

[ORCoaster]

The dash setup was a mod over time.  I had a ton of analog gauges in it at one time and with the digital dash set up I pulled a few of them as I get real numbers off that display.  42% fuel, 200 degrees water temp, that sort of thing. Not the sweep gauges or idiot lights.

I acquired a dash out of a GTI I think, or at least a Rabbit that was Black to replace the broken Jockey box.  So I will be tearing into the interior in the future and getting that converted over from PB to Black in color.  I think that will match the black accents on the outside better. 

I found a full roll of the black rubber strip that goes down the side chrome channel in the shed.  I forgot I even had it.  It came with the truck back in 2017.  So the task this weekend is to get the channel on the driver's side and do a better job on the passenger's side.  I found these plastic rivets at the hardware store, and they fit just right in the holes on the strips.  They are flat-headed enough to let the rubber strip pass over them.  I have to wait on the special clips that hold the bottom chrome strip on down by the rocker panels. 

I will pop a few pictures of the rig and send them to the insurance folks and let them see it all done.  Canopy and all will be visible.  I was thinking my premium would go up some as I increased the value.  But since I only pay 125 for it for the year I am not worried it will break the bank.  American Collectors Insurance.  It is meant for classic, collector cars, I think I can drive it 5,000 miles a year.  Full coverage. 

[fatmobile]

Great job on that pickup.
 I have been seeing them go for over 10 grand lately.
 And all the extra work you put into it, I think it should be insured for that at least.
I have a buddy that is looking for one and was willing to pay 5 grand for something that didn't even run.
 And he would have to drive to get it.

[ORCoaster]

Yeah, I have seen some really beat POS trucks advertised for 5k and just scratch my bald head about that. 

I don't think the insurance folks are up to speed on the national market.  So I will just get it all dolled up nice, compare it to some of those 15K beauties that are on BAT, and see what they say. 

There can't be that many of these trucks around anymore.  Didn't they only make like 250,000 of them?  Most were made in 1981, and there were half as many made in the years following.  Nothing made after the 1982 model year.  Which might have been sold as late as 1983. 

[RustyCaddy]

Simply beautiful sir! So nice to see such a fine labor of love!

i have read that Caddy production was something between 75,000 and 90,000 for the first generation Westmorelands. Very few on the road anymore or there are a bunch in undiscovered barn finds.

[ORCoaster]

What I can't wrap my head around is these rusty hulks that have been sitting in a field of weeds or trees for the last two decades, and they want 2,500 or so for them.

Then you go to BAT, and they are selling for 15K.  I saw one that sold for 33K a while ago.  Crazy price on that one. 

I got the oil leak fixed on the top of the turbo today and got the door handles swapped over to some nicer black ones.  I had a set of chrome handles sent to me by a guy in mid-state, but they clearly were not for an MK1 car or truck.  I will have to upload those pictures to Imgur, and ask about them.  Maybe someone can use them, and I can ship them out of my shed.