1948 KB5 Railway Express


The place to put your K or KB "Build Off" story.

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:41 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

PASSENGER SIDE COWL REPAIR - Part 1

I had thought the driver's side cowl was bad, but the passenger side was worse once I uncovered that side and examined it.

Basically a repeat of the drivers side. I used paint stripper to get the layers of paint off and get into the bare metal. Then I used the sandblaster to clean up the panel and get all the rust out. Had a lot of heavy pitting in the metal and even a few pin holes right through. The lower sections were really bad. Rot went right on through to the inner panel on the cab compartment.

Pic #1 & 2 is after I had sandblasted everything and put a coating of POR-15 on it all, inside and out. You can see all the rot and the heavy pitting.

Pic #3 - I made a template that I laid over a piece of wire mesh and cut the wire mesh for the holes. This gave me my backing for the fiberglass cloth I put over the panel and wire mesh. The template is the blue panel behind the rotted hole.

Pic #4 - I shaped my metal screen mesh, put it in place, then I brushed on the fiberglass resin and laid on my fiberglass cloth. Then I brush more resin on the cloth to saturate it. The tape helps to hold the cloth from moving around until it cures. The cloth appears clear once the resin soaks into the cloth.

Pic #5 - I trim the fiberglass cloth around the edges of the cowl, sand it to rough it up, then I apply the fiberglass bondo. It took several applications of the bondo and sanding each application. The lines of the panel were gone due to the rotted out sections. So I used the driver's side as my template and cut out cardboard templates that matched the contours of the good cowl and transposed them to the passenger side. Using the templates allowed me to build up, measure, and shape the fiberglass bondo so it matches the driver's side cowl.
Attachments
01  Passenger Side.JPG
02  Passenger Side.JPG
03  Passenger Side.JPG
04  Passenger Side.JPG
05  Passenger Side.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:01 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Passenger Side Cowl - Part 2

Pic #6 - While I wait for the fiberglass bondo to cure so I can sand/shape it, I move on to other things I need to do. I had to strip the paint of the front of the cab section adjacent to the cowl. Again, I use paint stripper as it works fast with less effort. The photo shows the different colors and layers of paint. The top color was a light primer gray, then a light green, then the original dark green used by REA, and then a red oxide primer. Took 2 applcations of paint stripper and using a razor knife to get most of it off. Had a dent I hammered out a little to get it better, but not perfect. Have another corner dent at the bottom I will fill in and shape with the fiberglass bondo at a later time.

Pic #7 - Final application of the fiberglass bondo and sanding. Next I prime the panel, let it dry overnight, then applied a layer of epoxy spot putty to fill in any scratches and imperfections. I sand that smooth and then a final coat of primer.

Pic #8 - Taped off the cowl section and spray canned Rustoleum primer for the final time. You can see the front cab panel is not stripped of paint and ready for sandblasting.

Pic #9 - Taped off the glass and the cowl panel to keep sand off. Then I sandblasted the panel. I applied a coating of POR-15 to the lower panel section that get covered by the 1/8" steel plate - which I sandblasted and also painted with POR-15. Wiped it clean with lacquer thinner and then sprayed on the Rustoleum primer to protect.

Pic #10. Everything all primed up. I used the truck bed black spray can paint on the cowl inner fender area. That takes care of the passenger side cowl area. I will move on to the top of the cowl and get it into primer and then on up around the glass and front of the cab areas. The goal is to get the cowl and front cab section all in primer - as long as the weather holds out.
Attachments
06  Passenger Side.JPG
07  Passenger Side.JPG
08  Passenger Side.JPG
09  Passenger Side.JPG
10  Passenger Side.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Thu Dec 30, 2021 5:55 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Tackled the top of the cowl and lower front of the windshield.

Pic #1 shows the top of the cowl. It was rusty & pitted at the area forward of where the hood closes. The cowl-to-hood seal was deteriorated to the point of pieces only being left in small sections. The seal is held on by nails driven through the seal and into the cowl. Pulled up all the nails & seal material. I have a new rubber seal and will use small stainless steel screws to secure it.

Pic #2 shows the top section cowl-to-body seal. Not any bad rust or holes like I had on the sides. I dug out what I could of the leather seal to expose the metal for cleaning.

Pic #3 is the cowl top prepped. I first used paint stripper on the top as I usually do to cut through the many layers of paint. I then used an air powered Dual Action (DA) sander and 180 grit discs. Sanded it down, but not to bare metal in all spots as I was going to be using the sandblaster next. Taped up the windshield rubber/windshield to protect it and sandblasted the rusty areas of the cowl in front, the top of the cowl, in where the leather seal had been dug out, and the section below the windshield. What little paint I had left from the DA, cleaned up real fast with the sandblaster so I decided to do the entire top section.

I had good weather, so I did not do anything at the time to prep the bare steel except apply the POR-15 on the areas that had the rust and pitting so as to neutralize/seal any rust. The POR-15 dries hard, and then I sanded it down exposing the bare metal which leaves the POR-15 in any of the pitted pockets and provides a good surface for the primer to "bite" to.

Pic #4 - Top of the cowl, lower section below the windshield, and some of the frontal side posts all in primer. I use Rustoleum primer in the quart and then thinned it down for use in my automotive paint spray gun. I do use spray can Rustoleum when it is smaller areas, but I wanted to try my hand at spray painting as it has been about 30 years since I had a spray gun in my hand. Came out good - no runs or drips and looks pretty even, like riding a bicycle.

Pic #5 - #6 Taped off the area at the front of the cowl that sets under the back of the hood when closed and has the seal. It won't be seen, so to preserve it and make it match the firewall, I use the DupliColor brand spray on truck bed paint. It has a slight rough texture, semi-gloss, and hardens like a rock. I still have to seal up the cowl-to-body gap. Then the cowl section is done and I am moving on to the passenger side of the box body stripping paint and cutting out/replacing the rotted out section/panel over the wheel well arch.
Attachments
01 Top Cowl.JPG
02  Cowl Seal.JPG
03  Cowl Sanded.JPG
04 Cowl Primed.JPG
05  Top Cowl.JPG
06  Top Cowl.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:02 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Part 1 - KB5 Passenger Box Body & Wheel Well Repairs

The side of the box body is made in 2 pieces. There is the upper panel which is flat from the roof rail to what looks like a "mid-rail." The mid-rail down is 1 piece with the mid-rail stamped to form a square shape. The top panel lays on top of the mid-rail. Both the top panel and lower panel are spot welded to the inner support braces found inside the box body. The wheel well is a welded sheet metal box that gets welded to the floor and is also bolted around the rear wheel well which also holds the box body lower panel in place around the wheel well. The box body uses 14 gauge sheet metal. There are also inner metal panels along the lower section of the box body which appear to be screwed to additional braces behind them. This acts as a double-walled panel and protect the outer panel from damages if the inner panel were hit hard by freight or abusive loading.

The first thing I did was sandblast the very bottom of the top side panel where it meets and overlaps the lower panel at the formed mid-rail. Blasted all the rust off and applied POR-15 to the pitted metal.

Pic #1 - Sanding the box body side. Using the DA sander and 180 grit paper. I used an electric grinder with sanding wheel to remove the paint on the stamped/formed mid-rail section.

Pic #2 - With almost 75 years on the truck, there was a lot of layers of paint. A-Unknown what this top layer was as it was almost like a white-wash of some kind of thin paint. B- Layer of primer grey. C- Layer of green paint indicating the panel had been repainted. D- Dark grey primer layer. E- The white color is a thin layer of bondo or spot putty. There were a number of scratches in the paint below it and rather than sand out the scratches, a body shop will simply put a layer over the panel to fill in deep scratched and then sand it smooth before applying the grey primer and green paint top coat. F- At some point in time, the truck seems to have been painted a light green. I found this on the fenders and hood as well. G- The original green that the truck was painted in for Railway Express. H- Brown/Red Oxide primer. I- Bare steel found under the 8 layers on top of it.

Pic #3 - I sanded what I could reach from the ground. I will have to get up on my ladder to sand the upper area and roof. I then mixed my Rustoleum primer and shot the panel with my spray gun.

Pic #4-#6 - The lower body panel that goes over the wheel well was rotted. To fix it correctly, I had to cut it out and replace it. I marked off the section I wanted to replace. I had to remove the nuts/bolts that hold the lower section of the panel on and around the wheel well. Tried to take a couple loose with a ratchet - that wasn't going to happen as the nuts/bolts were rusted as one. I did not want to use my torches because I wanted to save the cut panel for a template in making my new panel. Torches would have been real fast, but I would have destroyed the holes that the bolts go through and making the replacement panel would have been a little more work locating the bolt holes.

I used the high speed grinder and cut-off wheel and sliced off a section of the nut on each side of the bolt getting close to the panel, but not cutting into it. I used a chisel to break the sliced section off from each side of the bolt and then with the chisel off the remaining pieces of the nut releasing the bolt from the metal panel.
Then I cut the panel out using my high speed die grinder and cut-off wheel. Slow going as it's 14 gauge steel and not thin metal like a car. Once removed, you can see the rust on the wheel well panel that was up against the outer body panel. On each side of the wheel well housing is the interior brace. The outer panel is spot-welded to the brace.

Pic #7 & #8 - This is inside the box body. You can see the wheel well is a simple welded box. Seen on each side of the box is the inner support brace. You can also see the inner panels and attaching screws that affix it to another shorter inner brace. The second photo is looking down through the back plate of the wheel well - which is slightly pulled away from the wall because all the bolts that draw it and the outer panel together are removed. I'll seal that all up.
Attachments
01  Box side panel.JPG
02  Paint Layers.JPG
03  Box Primed.JPG
04  Rotted Panel.JPG
05  Panel Bolts.JPG
06  Rot Cut Out.JPG
07  Interior Wheel Well.JPG
08  Interior Wheel Well.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:06 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Part 2 - KB5 Wheel Well Repairs

Pic #9 - The back side of the wheel well cut out rusty panel. You can easily see the rust built up around each bolt hole. The rust build up was pushing the panel out. It was not sealed going around the wheel well arch, just drawn tight with the bolts, so water was able to get up and under and between the outer panel and wheel well inner panel as the rust built up making it worse.

Pic #10 - I went to a local steel supplier and had them cut me two 14 gauge patch panels. I then laid the wheel well cut-out section on top of the new panel and outlined it with a sharpie to give me my lines that I needed to cut the panel with a plasma cutter I have at my workplace. I left my lines oversized so that it gave me some leeway to trim-to-fit when I fitted the panel to the truck. I can remove material better than have to add material. Here is the panel after laser cutting.

Pic #11 - I once again laid the old panel on top of my cut panel to check for fit. I clamped the 2 pieces together and used my small 4 1/2 hand held grinder with steel grinding wheel to grind away the plasma cut edges following the curvature of the wheel well arch. This was just the first of a lot of grinding & fitting of the panel.

Pic #12 - I made alignment marks on the box body to help in shaping/cutting the new steel panel. I made an alignment mark in the middle/top of the wheel well arch and a matching one on the center of the replacement panel so as to keep the panel lined up each time I made an adjustment to it. I had to shape the bottom "legs" on each side of the wheel well so the panel would fit and drop down snug over the wheel well arch. Slow going grinding, re-fit, mark where to trim with the sharpie, grind, and repeat until the panel would drop down into place over the wheel well arch.

Next are the alignment lines that are made directly above each of my cuts on the panel sides. I also put a line down at the base on the wheel well molding. Then I placed the panel back in place and made my "cut" marks on the replacement panel to match the alignment marks on the body. I removed the panel and connected these cut marks with a straight edge and then used my die grinder and cut-off wheel to trim the panel following my line. Then is was back to fit, grind, refit, grind some more, and finally a panel that fits. Since the metal is 14 gauge, I also ground a slight bevel along the edge of the replacement panel and the cut body which will be helpful when I mig weld the panel together and grind the seam smooth. Here you can see the panel fit and in place.

Pic #13 - This is the finished replacement panel ready to be welded. I sanded the backside and then applied a High Heat silver paint used for outdoor barbecue grills. This will protect the bare panel from rusting and the high temp paint will only burn off close to the weld - which is not much. Regular paint would bubble up/burn off to a much greater degree.

Pic #14 - Got the sandblaster out and blasted the wheel well box panel and the inner arch where some rust had built up under the outer wheel well panel I removed. The rust was pretty stubborn and I got off all of the loose rust, but some of it was rock hard and part of the metal - but at least it was clean.

Pic #14.5 - This is my sandblasting set-up, both from Harbor Freight. I had the 40 lb blaster for some time, but moisture is your enemy even though I have a water separator on my compressor. Sand kept clogging up due to moisture and would not flow and I got tired of dumping sand and breaking the clog. So I purchased the smaller 20 lb blaster to become my new blaster, but used the 40 lb blaster tank as a moisture/water trap. My line from the compressor hooks at the bottom of the tank, and air then goes out the top through the pressure regulator/water separator which has a hose coupling end. I then fitted a hose on my smaller blaster so I can hook into the larger tank. No more moisture issues and clogged sand. I can also connect a hose to the tank which I power my air tools and spray gun without fear of water going through them.
Attachments
09 Backside Rotted Panel.JPG
10  Rough Cut with Plasma Cutter.JPG
11  Old Panel Used as Template.JPG
12  Alignment Marks on Body.JPG
13  Trimmed to Fit.JPG
14  Sand Blasted.JPG
14.5  Blaster.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:12 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Part 3 - KB5 Wheel Well Repairs - Pics 15-19



Pic #15 - I thought this interesting. There was a primer red line along the edge of the wheel well molding and it went down the side. it did not have 7 layers of paint like the side panel had. Instead, it was just the primer and black paint over it. So that would indicate that this was the original paint scheme on the REA truck - a black surround at the base of the body, the green paint overall, with some red trim.

Pic #16 - I used POR-15 on the wheel well box panel to seal the rust, then put a coating of the Dupli-Color spray bedliner. The bedliner has a rough texture and dries hard as a rock. I use this wherever I can. That panel won't rust out again in my lifetime.

Pic #17 - Fitted the new replacement panel on the box body. Did a little trimming in a couple places to get a perfect fit. I am "butt welding" that panel so no overlapping to allow rust to build up between the 2 joints.

I used my Lincoln SP-125 mig welder and solid core wire and shielding gas. Have tried flux core in the past and it did not work as well as solid wire and shielding gas. A bigger welder would have worked better/faster on the 14 Ga. metal, just went a little slower. I first beveled the edges of the panel and box body to make then thinner/easier for welding. I can grind the welded panels smooth and have weld within the bevel.

I used the magnetic angle block to keep the butted metal panels even with each other and to hold them in place. I used a large putty knife edge as straight edge up against the two butted panels to make sure they were even. Then I put a tack weld on the panels. This is then repeated along the panel at various points to secure the panels and to keep from putting too much heat into the panels and warping them.

Pic #18 - I tacked a metal strip on the patch panel to get a better ground than the bolt (rear door hold-back) on the wheel well arch. After the first series of tack welds, you go back and fill in those empty spaces between the tack welds and tack weld more. I jump around, rather than follow the panel from end-to-end, to keep heat down and let the most recent tack cool a little. I had a number of tacks done and decided to switch it up a little and start grinding down the tack welds. I was not finished tack welding, just wanted to do some grinding and better see those other empty spaces between my tack welds. Got the welds ground down, but not a finished grind, just knocked down fairly smooth. I will finish grinding the welds once I have all my tacks done.

I am not too concerned of any spaces I missed or did not tack. Once I finish grind the welds and get them smoothed out with a sanding disc, I will be applying a layer of fiberglass filler over the welds and panel. The filler will find its way into the beveled edges. I have enough tacks and being 14 Ga. metal there shouldn't be any panel movement or flexing.

Pic #19 - Ground down all the welds smooth. Found a couple areas where the welds did not join/melt the 2 pieces together - so got out the mig welder, turned up the heat, and touched up these spots and ground them down. Then I sandblasted the panel to get it clean. Next I applied a layer of fiberglass bondo over the welded area.
Attachments
15  Primer Paint Line on Molding.JPG
16  POR-15 & Bed Liner Paint.JPG
17  Tack Welding Panel.JPG
18  Tack Welded.JPG
19  Fiberglass Bondo.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:19 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Part 4 - KB5 Wheel Well Repairs - Pic 20-24

Pic #20 - Sanded the fiberglass bondo using my electric flat panel sander which uses a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper and I sanded using 60 grit. Took it down pretty quick leaving low spots, so another layer of fiberglass and sand again. On the final layer of fiberglass, it is a thinner skim coat and I take this down with my air powered DA sander and 120 grit paper.

Pic #21 - After I sanded the fiberglass smooth, I applied a coat of primer. I am using the Rustoleum primer thinned with acetone and applied with my spray gun. Can't seem to find any primer brown in any stores, so I had to use white.

Pic #22 - Let the panel dry and then sanded it down with my air powered DA using 120 grit. To finish the job, I applied a skim coat of glazing putty to fill in any scratches or low spots. You want to use the 120 grit so the glazing putty will hold. You can apply glazing putty right over the fiberglass before priming which is the way most do it. I let it dry out and then used the DA with 220 grit to get a smooth surface prior to a final prime coat.

I drilled all my bolt holes to size that go around the wheel well and hold the bottom of the panel to the formed arch. I then filled in the space found between the patch panel/side panel and the wheel well box with expanding foam to seal the space. You can see how the foam has pushed out of the bolt holes.

Pic #23 - I removed all the excess foam and cleaned up the panel wiping it down with lacquer thinner. Then I sprayed on the white primer to finish the panel. All that is left is to insert the bolts around the wheel well and add the two small sections of flat trim that bolt/butt up to the wheel well arch where I had to cut the small sections off.

Next is the driver's side panel and its replacement will be the same process as the passenger side.
Attachments
20  Sanded Fiberglass.JPG
21  Patch Primed.JPG
22  Foam & Glazing Putty.JPG
23  Finished.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun May 15, 2022 5:27 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

KB-5 DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL REPAIR

Moving right along as some good weather has finally arrived. Tackling the driver's side wheel well rot.

Pic #1 - I cut out the rotted panel section and the inner wheel well was worse than the passenger side. I sand blasted the wheel well and you can see the rusted through hole on the lower right. A small rust hole on the lower left. I used POR-15 on the wheel well and then cut a sheet metal patch to fit over the rotted hole and primed/painted it. I did not feel I needed to cut and weld, so I used a sealant on the backside of the metal patch and used screws to attach. I will add more sealant from inside the well and there will be expandable foam to keep any moisture out.

Pic #2 - I decided to try a different approach with my patch panel. I cut it to fit, but cut it slightly smaller than the box body hole along the top edge. I cut a strip of 14 Ga. wide enough to weld on the patch panel and tuck underneath the sheet metal of the box body - rather than butt weld the top edge. The sides were a butt fit so I could butt weld these. I also used my grinder to tapered a bevel on both the patch panel and box body sheet metal making the welding edges thinner and work better with my smaller mig welder. Sanded the backside and sprayed high heat silver paint to protect.

Pic #3 - Looking at the front side. You can see the added 14 Ga. sheet strip on the top edge that will slip under the box body sheet metal and hold it in place. I also have my bolt holes drilled for the wheel well arch nuts & bolts attachment. I used a 90 degree air drill with a drill bit that fit the arch holes and when the patch panel was in place, I came in from the back through the wheel well and used the drill point to make a mark so as to know where to drill through when I removed the panel and set it on my table to drill out the holes.

Pic #4 - When I cut out the old rusted panel, the wheel arch attachment bolts had drawn in hard on the metal and puckered up the sheet metal. When I fitted my patch panel I noticed a big gap at the wheel well arch - factory assembly. I made a spacer using a scrap piece of 14 Ga. and cut it to match the wheel well arch and drilled it. Then I sanded it, primed it, and applied Dupli-Color bed Liner to it - which hardens like steel.

Pic #5 - I put sealant on the backside of my arch spacer and laid it into place. You can see the small sheet patch panel screwed over the rotted hole. I then sprayed more of the bed liner over the entire wheel well panel, patch, and spacer to protect it further and let everything dry for the week.
Attachments
01  Driver Side.JPG
02  Driver Side Patch.JPG
03  Driver Side Patch.JPG
04  Spacer.JPG
05  Driver Side.JPG

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

Posts: 195

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:22 pm

Post Sun May 15, 2022 5:32 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

PART 2: KB-5 DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL REPAIR


Pic #6 - Tucked the top of the panel edge under the box body sheet metal and got the panel into position along the sides and inserted 2 nuts/bolts through the lower corner wheel well arch holes to help hold the patch in place. Some minor trimming was needed along the sides to get the 2 panels butted together. Drilled a couple holes along the top to use sheet metal screws to hold the 2 panels together. Then I tack welded along the seams moving about so as not to overheat and minimize any warping. Removed my sheet screws and welded up the holes. I did not make a solid weld, just stitch welded a lot of smaller welds. I then ground down smooth all my welds and sand blasted the panel.

Pic #7 - Applied my fiberglass bondo and sanded with 60 grit paper and my small electric sander. This takes several applications to get it flat and smooth. It may not be perfect as the box body is not perfectly smooth like you would find on a car body. Spot welds and metal posts don't lend itself to a perfectly flat side panel. However, you can get a good smooth repair at the welded areas on the panel where everything will blend together.

Pic #8 - After I have run my hand over the repair and can feel it is smooth and straight with no high/low spots, it is ready for a coating of spot putty. Apply the spot putty and then sand it smooth with a 220 grit paper. I had also filled in a small dent at the rear of the panel and sanded the remainder of the lower panel to get it ready for primer. Taped the lower panel off and it is ready to spray paint some Rustoleum primer.

Pic #9-10 - The primed panel. I still have to cut a couple short strips to add at the front/rear of the wheel well arches, but these are held in place by bolts and I will seal the pieces. Then I will spray some expanding foam down behind the panel like I did the passenger side and add my nuts/bolts. The panel will then be done.
Attachments
06  Welded & Blasted.JPG
07  Fiberglass Bondo.JPG
08  Spot Putty & Finished.JPG
09  Primed Panel.JPG
10  Primed Panel.JPG
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 739

Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:14 am

Post Mon May 16, 2022 7:24 pm

Re: 1948 KB5 Railway Express

Got a chance to read this post in its entirety again ,
very nice project, excellent craftsmanship..


Be safe - sm
PreviousNext

Return to K and KB Build-Off

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.