Blue Ribbon 4x4 Build Thread

Scheduled for Saturday- Pismo beach! I’ll get a little shakedown session on the dunes with the new shocks.

 

Your paint is so damn nice!

 

Thank you!! This damn blue takes a lot of work, right?

 

Had a blast in Pismo! The Kings performed amazingly, I was smiling the whole time. Weather was pretty nice, and brought the pup for some beach fun.
Got her home to wash all the salt off and hit her with some Turtle Wax Wax and Dry. And found a bottle of P&S Beadmaker. Man I forgot how that stuff makes the truck shine!

 

If that ain't the face of pure joy, IDK what is. I love your pup!

 

Thanks Adam! He had so much fun at the beach.

 

Going through my spray waxes…
I try not to have too many. I really try to find something that works and that’s it. It just doesn’t work out that way, as they have different uses.

The purple Griots rinseless is great as a drying aid, as well as a rinseless wash if needed.
The Turtle Wax-Wax and Dry is my go to for drying aid/quick detail.
The Seal & Shine is awesome before a regular spray wax, supposedly around 4 months protection.
The Hybrid Ceramic coating left a really glossy finish last time I used it.
The Griots Speed Shine is my favorite quick detailer before a show or run. Goes on and comes off super easy, and leaves a deep gloss, but doesn’t last long. Like a couple weeks.
The P&S Beadmaker gives the best shine as a topper after any type of wax. It’s not the easiest to work with, seems to work best the more you use on each panel.

Of course I have other waxes for my DA polisher, which it really is time. I have quite a few spots that need buffed out.

 

After the hubbub about some antifreeze video, I drained and refilled the coolant this morning, I’m at 80k mi.
Then went tooling around in my backyard for a bit.

 

Cut & buff on the headlights. I had some orange peel from my last coat of clear. Used 2500 grit wet sand, maybe could have gone a little heavier, but I was afraid of burning through the clear. Then polished with a DA polisher and Meguiars finishing polish.

 

Had the trunk or treat last night and decked her out properly. We usually have to skip it because our wedding anniversary is on Halloween (I guess the wife doesn’t wanna hang out in a parking lot on our anniversary, who knew?). We had a blast, tons of raffle prizes all going to cancer awareness.

 

Dogs helping with some future planning in the shop today. Ya gotta excuse my photoshop “skills” on the last pic.

 

Aaaawwww. Love the puppers! Give them a few ear scratches and belly rubs from me.

 

Thanks Adam! You got it.

 

Getting started on refinishing these sliders. O want the tubes black this time to match the front/rear bumpers. I only have black Raptor liner so that will be the tread as well. They are super faded and beat up underneath.

 

Treads sanded and touched up with self etching primer. Sprayed three coats Raptor liner.
Think I’ll go with satin black for the tubes. Easy to touch up when damaged again.

 

Satin black.... I'm not familiar with that shade of blue. Do you have a pic?


It's gonna look great!

 

I know, I know. I knew I was gonna get some shit.

 

What third brake light is that

 

I honestly don’t know. It’s new, I know that. I was going to make my own out of fiberglass. I found the picture on Instagram, and didn’t make note of the manufacturer.

 

Slider tubes finished. Gonna let them dry and possibly reinstall the treads today.

 

Looking nice, Geno! Double check the joints/corners. When I got mine coated there were some thin spots around there.

 

Yep, thanks!! Totally went heavier on the tips and inside corners. They were light in those areas from my first finish.

Also, I really like the black. The appearance is more sleek. I guess more isn’t better sometimes when it comes to color match. SOMETIMES

 

Its all about the balance of accents!

 

Yessir!! Sometimes I gotta relearn that.

 

is it molded plastic or fabricated metal?
Edit - found a first gen one at "Cutless Designs" that looks close.

 

Its Geno, he found something to use as his visual model as he custom makes it with the spare things he has lying around his garage and somehow it will end up looking better and functioning better than whatever he was copying.

Just sit back and wait to see what he does hahahaha







Omg, could you image if you and Geno where close and RMF and Geno Designs partnered

 

I already work for a crazy perfectionist. I need a little flexibility to be normal. @RainMan_PNW is far beyond my level to be held to his standards.

 

Sliders finished. I wanted to get the treads back on before the liner fully cured, so hopefully it wouldn’t crack or flake under the heads of the bolts when tightened. I made sure to tighten from below as to not rotate the bolts and twist the liner. I really dig the black, it will be so much easier to touch up after damage now.