Project Super Duty

[Rollingrock]

that looks REALLY good dude.

[Blown F-150]

I was able to install the badges today. Pretty straight forward swap.

Grill and tail gate before. The tailgate emblem almost looks black stock, but it isn't. mostly due to the crappy pic.




After new badges installed




I'll hit them with Opti-Coat when I hit the remaining items.

I decided t make myself a quick to do list. 23 items... Mostly polish, opti-coat, paint stuff.

[Blown F-150]

If anyone has any tips on cleaning seat-belts, please share.

[Obsessive Detail]

If anyone has any tips on cleaning seat-belts, please share.

I've found that using a steam cleaner is the best way to clean seat belts.

[Blown F-150]

Thanks Justin. I don't have one and might try power clean with a brush and then water followed by the shop vac.

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[sscully]

General clean, enettez Cokcpit premium and a PB work towel.
- Heavy clean PB ACP mixed 15:1 and a work towel.

I spray it, and work it back and forth with the towel.

[Obsessive Detail]

Thanks Justin. I don't have one and might try power clean with a brush and then water followed by the shop vac.

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That will work great too, OPC diluted down to like 5:1 will work.

[Blown F-150]

I was able to get some things done today. I added 6x8" Kickers in the rear and a 200w (RMS) 4 channel amp. I already had the Alpines in the front, so with the Amp it sure picked up the sound. I found a Clarion Amp that is only about an inch and a quarter thick and about the size of a dollar bill. It fit well behind the dash and made routing of wires pretty easy.

I also used some Meg's all wheel cleaner since I didn't seem to bring my Spray and Rinse to prep the wheels for polishing. I also pulled the running boards off to paint under the doors and to polish the boards before re-install.

The grill, all of the glass and one wheel were polished. I am trying to get everything lined up for Opti-Coat.

Big thanks to Steve, the Magic Eraser worked really well in getting the overspray off of the dash. I have pics that I will post up tomorrow.

I hope to get some painting done and tackle the seat belts tomorrow. Maybe if things go well, I can Opti-Coat a bunch of stuff.

[Kitzy]

Someone I know called Optimum direct and inquired about Opti-coating wheels.  If I remember right, its a yearly application for wheels.

[Blown F-150]

Someone I know called Optimum direct and inquired about Opti-coating wheels.  If I remember right, its a yearly application for wheels.

Thank you, I thought it would last OK. I would be doing them at least annually regardless.

I grossly underestimated the time it would take me today to get things done. I need to take some more after pics, they will come later.

I sanded, ISP'd and painted the quarter panels under the doors. Polished the running boards with Metal Rx and re-installed. I then polished and waxed all the door jams. I still need to spend some time on the door hinges and very bottoms of the doors, maybe next weekend. I then polished the grill and hit the grill and upper front bumper cover with Opti-Coat. I wanted to get the front done since I have a trip to Chicago planned for Tuesday. I then tackled all the center caps. I must say that Justin's Metal Rx is pretty darn good for this, Cleaned them up really nice.

Here is what the dash looked like after using the magic eraser.


Center Caps. Bottom one is done. The pic really doesn't do it justice.


Here is the front end all done.

 

[Blown F-150]

Had to go out for supper, so not much was done today. I rainx'd the windows and mirrors, dressed the tires with Meg's Hot Spray Tire Shine and hit all the exterior trim with Meg's Ultimate interior/exterior trim protectant.

Door jams done


All dressed up and ready for Chicago tomorrow




Due to the marring on the wheels, I may try to wet-sand first, but the clear seems soft, not sure how the clear will respond to sandpaper. I played with the drivers front wheel using a 4" LC (flat) orange pad and 105. Really improved the look, but there is still some noticeable marring. I hope to get back to the interior this weekend to clean up the seat belts and hit the trim with protectant. I may even try polishing the faux wood bits to see if they will clean up a bit.

I seem to be all over the place, but I'm checking items off the list and just hitting what catches my eye too.

[Obsessive Detail]

Great work!  You are really turning this truck around, it looks awesome!

[Too Stroked]

I think the truck looks awesome too! I'd be careful with how hard you hit the wheels though. The clearcoat is actually the thinnest at the edges of each ridge line - and that's where you tend to take the most off when polishing.

[Blown F-150]

Thanks Tom, that's why I was thinking about wet-sanding the flat surfaces first so I'm not polishing as long. I'm only polishing the "face" of the wheel. The rest will just get a quick hit by hand.

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[Blown F-150]

I spent a wee bit of time with the truck today. I wanted to "flip" the drivers seatbelt and clean the driver and front passenger seat belts. Doesn't really seem like many people sat it the back and they looked pretty clean.

The seat belt flip was challenging, but I got it done. For whatever reason the buckle on the drivers seat was facing to the door so you had to flip it over in order to buckle up and you didn't have a nice flat belt.

I then moved onto cleaning the seat belts. I used Optimum Power Clean and then rubbed with a brush and towel. I was making some head way as the towel was coming out brown, but the belt just didn't seem to be getting super clean. I then had a brainstorm and went to the coin wash. Basically I pulled the belt out as far as it would go and then put it outside of the door. I then used the pressure washer on it. I think it worked great. I wouldn't really recommend it since there was power clean being blasted onto the paint, but I plan on doing some more polishing in a bit.

Here is what the belt looked like before


here was my brainstorm, I did end up moving it over off of the keypad


And a pretty clear 50/50


I just have the belts pulled all the way out and drying in the truck now. I'll get a pic tomorrow after they are dry.