Our Chevy Blazer Hits the Paint Studio For a Fresh Coat

(NARRATOR)>> TRUCK TECH IS BACK ON OUR BLAZER PROJECT AS WE GET ONE STEP CLOSER TO LAYING DOWN SOME COLOR.

(JEREMY)>> IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF TRUCK TECH. OUR 1989 KFIVE BLAZER IS ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH A FRAME OFF CUSTOMIZATION AT THIS POINT. NOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU'VE SEEN IT AND IT'S COME A LONG WAY FROM WHERE WE STARTED EARLIER LAST SEASON.

WE PICKED UP A PRETTY CLEAN BLAZER, AND BEFORE WE DID ANY WORK WE GOT HER OUT ON THE TRAIL. OUR GOAL WAS TO TEST THE LIMITS OF WHAT A BONE STOCK 28 YEAR OLD TRUCK COULD HANDLE, AND WE PUSHED THAT OLD TBI 350 AS HARD AS WE COULD. NOW TO MAKE IT UP MOST ANY OBSTACLE WE HAD TO HAVE OUR FOOT BURIED ON THE GAS PEDAL. WE KNEW THAT ONCE WE ADDED LARGER TIRES THE STOCK ENGINE JUST WASN'T GONNA CUT IT. SO WE REPLACED IT WITH THIS BIG BLOCK CHEVY, AND IT MAKES ABOUT 430 HORSEPOWER RIGHT NOW, AND HEY THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, BUT WE'VE GOT SOMETHING IN MIND A LITTLE LATER ON THAT'S GONNA PUMP UP THE POWER JUST A BIT. LAY IN IT, GO! ONCE WE GOT ONTO THE TRAILS IT QUICKLY BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE STOCK AXLES HAD A FEW SHORT COMINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS TO IMPROVE OUR BLAZER'S OFF ROAD CAPABILITIES.

(LT)>> YOU KNOW THAT LITTLE 10 BOLT? THAT MAY NOT LIKE THE TIRES THAT WE HAVE IN MIND FOR THIS THING.

(JEREMY)>> WE TOOK CARE OF THE REAR AXLE WITH A 14 BOLT FULL FLOATER WE SOURCED FROM A JUNKYARD, AND FITTED IT WITH 4.10 GEARS AND A GRIZZLY LOCKER. UP FRONT WE KEPT THE ORIGINAL 10 BOLT BUT REGEARED IT, AND WE ALSO CONVERTED IT TO AN EIGHT LUG BOLT PATTERN USING DANA 44 PARTS, AND WHILE WE WERE AT IT WE SWAPPED OVER TO THIS REED RACING HIGH STEERING KNUCKLE SO WE COULD CONVERT TO CROSSOVER STEERING. THE BODY WAS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE TO START WITH, AND ONCE WE GOT IT BACK FROM THE BLASTER THERE WERE ONLY A FEW PLACES THAT NEEDED ATTENTION. USING A COUPLE OF METAL TOOLS WE HAD AROUND THE SHOP, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE BODY PATCHED UP AND FREE OF RUST. NOW WE ALSO TOOK SOME TIME AND COATED THE BOTTOM SIDE OF OUR KFIVE WITH LIZARD SKIN. NOT ONLY WILL THIS HELP PROTECT OUR METAL, IT'S ALSO GOING TO GIVE US A NICER, QUIETER RIDE WHEN WE'RE HEADING DOWN THE ROAD. NOW THE CAB IS PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO BACK ON THE CHASSIS FOR GOOD, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY SINCE IT'S ON THE ROTISSERIE AND PAINT A FEW OF THOSE PLACES THAT WOULD BE HARD TO GET TO IF IT WERE ALL TOGETHER, AND THE PLACES WE PLAN TO TACKLE ARE THE FIREWALL AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAB. NOW NORMALLY WE ARE AT THE STAGE WHERE WE WOULD TEST FIT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO ENSURE WE DON'T RUN INTO ANY PROBLEMS, BUT SINCE BLAZERS DID COME WITH BIG BLOCKS, PRETTY MUCH THE SETUP WE HAVE IN THERE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE MUCH TO WORRY ABOUT. PLUS I DON'T KNOW WHERE LT IS BUT I THINK HE'S HIDING OUT ON US. SO WE'RE JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND PROGRESS WHAT WE CAN. SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE A NICE, SMOOTH FINISH, THERE'S NO NEED FOR A HIGH BUILD PRIMER OR TO DO ANY WET SANDING. WE JUST WANT TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE SO OUR PAINT HAS SOMETHING TO BITE INTO FOR GOOD ADHESION. FOR THIS I'M USING A RED SCUFF PAD. NOW THERE'S NO SPECIAL TECHNIQUE HERE. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HIT EVERY INCH WHERE PAINT PLANS TO LAY. NOW THE SAME PREP GOES FOR THE INSIDE OF THE CAB. NOW WHAT WE PLAN TO PAINT IS THE DASH, THE INSIDE OF THE APILLARS, THE ROOF, AND THE BPILLARS. NOW THIS MEANS PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING AN INTERIOR PANEL DOES NOT COVER IS STILL GONNA LOOK REALLY SWEET, BUT YOU'VE GUYS HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF THIS. SO WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

(NARRATOR)>> UP NEXT, IT'S TIME FOR SOME COLOR INSIDE OUT.

(JEREMY)>> WHILE YOU GUYS WERE GONE I GOT THE INSIDE OF THE CAB FINISHED UP AND I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY EVERYTHING LOOKS BECAUSE THIS FIREWALL AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAB ARE PRETTY MUCH IN LIKE NEW CONDITION. SO IT ONLY TOOK A LITTLE EFFORT TO GET THEM READY FOR PAINT. UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT FOR THE EXTERIOR OF THE TRUCK BUT WE'LL SAVE THAT FOR A LITTLE LATER. THE NEXT THING WE NEED TO DO BEFORE PAINT IS A LITTLE MASKING. NOW EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT OVERSPRAY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK SINCE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE EXTERIOR INTO HIGH BUILD PRIMER, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN FINISHED IN LIZARD SKIN, AND MASKING WILL ALSO HELP PREVENT ANY TRASH FROM BLOWING INTO OUR FRESH PAINT. TO DO THIS I'M USING OVERSPRAY PROTECTIVE SHEETING, AND I'M LOCKING IT DOWN WITH TWO INCH TAPE. ONE OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE WHEN DOING A FULL BUILD LIKE THIS IS CHOOSING A COLOR. NOW WE KNEW ON OUR BLAZER WE WANTED TO GO WITH A BLUE, AND I DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING OVER THE TOP BUT I WANTED JUST ENOUGH THAT WHEN YOU SAW IT ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD IT CAUGHT YOUR EYE. SO AFTER A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH I DECIDED ON "PROTRONIC BLUE". THIS COLOR LOOKS KILLER, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT CAME OFF OF A BMW.

WIPE IT DOWN WITH WAX AND GREASE REMOVER, AND RUB DOWN THE AREAS WE PLAN TO SPRAY WITH A TACK RAG. THE FIRST PRODUCT WE'RE GOING TO LAY DOWN IS A GRAY SEALER. IT MIXES TWO, TO ONE, TO A HALF WITH AN ACTIVATOR AND REDUCER. I ALWAYS RECOMMEND LAYING DOWN A SEALER FIRST. IT WILL MAKE THE END RESULT OF YOUR PAINT JOB BETTER TAKING THIS EXTRA STEP, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, THIS WILL MINIMIZE HOW MUCH BASE COAT YOU HAD TO LAY DOWN BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING YOUR PANEL AN UNIFORM COLOR. THEREFORE SAVING YOU SOME MONEY BY NOT HAVING TO PUT DOWN MORE BASE. NOW I'M SPRAYING THIS AT 16 PSI AT THE INLET OF THE GUN, AND ALL WE NEED IS ONE EVEN COAT. AFTER ABOUT A 20 MINUTE FLASH TIME WE'RE READY FOR BASE. OUR "PROTRONIC BLUE" MIXES ONE TO ONE WITH REDUCER. NOW SINCE THIS IS A METALLIC PAINT, IT'S CRUCIAL TO HAVE YOUR GUN SETUP PROPERLY, AND WE'VE SHOWN YOU HOW TO DO THIS QUITE A FEW TIMES. SO AFTER A QUICK TEST PANEL ON THE WALL WE'RE READY TO GET AT IT. I'M ALSO SPRAYING THIS BASE AT 16 PSI AT THE INLET OF THE GUN, MAKING SURE TO MAKE NICE, EVEN PASSES WITH THE GUN AT A CONSISTENT DISTANCE FROM THE PANEL, AROUND EIGHT INCHES. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT ALL OF THAT METALLIC FLAKE LAYS DOWN EVENLY, AND I'M LAYING DOWN THREE COATS, AND THE LAST THING TO GO DOWN IS CLEAR COAT. THIS CLEAR MIXES FOUR, TO ONE, TO ONE WITH ACTIVATOR AND REDUCER. NOW BE SURE WHEN SPRAYING YOU USE THE REDUCER THAT'S RIGHT FOR THE TEMPERATURE YOU'RE SPRAYING IN. THIS PLAYS A BIG PART IN HOW WELL THE PRODUCT LAYS DOWN ON THE PANEL. A GOOD TIP FOR YOU GUYS THAT PLAN TO PAINT A CAR OR TRUCK IN YOUR FUTURE OR A MULTITUDE OF THEM, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE AN ARSENAL OF GUNS, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS I TYPICALLY HAVE A GUN TO SPRAY EACH ONE OF MY MATERIALS. I HAVE A PRIMER GUN, I HAVE SEALER AND BASE COAT GUN LIKE WE JUST USED ON THE BLAZER, AND I HAVE A CLEAR COAT GUN. NOW BY BASE COAT GUN I NORMALLY RUN A ONETHREE TIP. THAT KIND OF BREAKS THE PAINT DOWN AND ATOMIZES IT A LITTLE BETTER SO IT LAYS OUT NICE AND EVEN, AND ON MY CLEAR COAT GUN I RUN A ONEFOUR TIP. THAT GETS A LITTLE MORE MATERIAL OUT ONTO THE PANEL. NOW THE REASON I LIKE TO USE A CLEAR COAT SEPARATE FROM A BASE GUN IS YOU'RE ALWAYS RUNNING DIFFERENT COLORS THROUGH YOUR BASE GUN, AND NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU THINK YOU CLEAN IT THERE MAY BE A LITTLE DEBRIS LEFT BEHIND. SO SAY YOU'VE SHOT LIKE A WHITE CAR OR SOMETHING, AND THEN YOU PUT SOME CLEAR IN YOUR BASE GUN AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DEBRIS COME OUT FROM AN OLD PAINT JOB AND YOU'RE STUCK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET IT OUT, OR YOU'RE RESPRAYING THE PANEL. IT'S ALWAYS A SAFE BET TO HAVE A FEW GUNS LAYING AROUND. WELL WE'VE GOT THE CLEAR COAT LAID DOWN, EVERYTHING SLICKED OUT, AND THIS THING LOOKS AWESOME. THIS BLUE IS REALLY GONNA POP WITH ALL THE METALLIC AND THE PEARL IN IT. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT OUTSIDE. IT GETS ME REALLY EXCITED TO DO THE EXTERIOR OF THIS THING, BUT WE'RE GONNA WHEEL THIS INTO THE SHOP AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE A LITTLE MORE HEADWAY.

(NARRATOR)>> THE CAB JOINS ITS MODIFIED CHASSIS, ALONG WITH SOME NEW BODY PARTS.

[ mechanical whirring ]

(JEREMY)>> WHILE YOU GUYS WERE GONE WE GOT EVERYTHING UNMASKED AND GOT THE KFIVE BODY OFF THE ROTISSERIE AND ONTO THE LIFT. SO THE NEXT THING FOR US IS TO GET THE KFIVE FRAME UNDER THIS BODY.

(LT)>> I LIKE THE COLOR.

(JEREMY)>> MAN WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

(LT)>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

(JEREMY)>> WELL I SAID THE WORD "SANDING" AND I HEARD TIRES SQUEALING IN THE PARKING LOT. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WAS YOU.

(LT)>> I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU ENJOY PAINT AND BODY WORK, AND IT'S REALLY NOT MY THING. I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU. SO I HAD TO GO DO SOME SHOPPING.

(JEREMY)>> WELL MAN, YOU BETTER BE GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT HAVING FUN WITH THAT YET. YOU'RE GONNA HELP ME GET THIS FRAME UNDER HERE.

(LT)>> ALL RIGHT, I'LL GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY. THIS IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME DURING A BUILD BECAUSE THE PROJECT REALLY STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE, AND WE CAN START TO ENVISION WHAT THE FINISHED TRUCK WILL LOOK LIKE.

(JEREMY)>> SOMEWHERE IN THERE.

(LT)>> TO ISOLATE THE BODY FROM THE FRAME WE PICKED UP A NEW CAB MOUNT KIT FROM LMC TRUCK.

MAN, THAT BIG BLOCK'S A TIGHT FIT BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA CLEAR JUST FINE. WE'LL GET THE FRAME AND THE CAB LINED UP. THEN WE CAN ATTACH THE LOWER MOUNTS, AND INSTALL THE HARDWARE. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT MAN. THE NICE THING ABOUT HAVING A TRUCK ALL LIFTED UP LIKE THIS IS I'M SITTING ON THE GROUND AND I STILL HAVE HEAD ROOM.

(JEREMY)>> I KNOW IT MAN. A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WORKING ON THOSE LOW TRUCKS.

(LT)>> YEAH!

(JEREMY)>> WE'RE SHOWING YOU GUYS A LITTLE DIFFERENT METHOD ON THIS KFIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE BODY AND PAINT. NOW IN THE PAST WE'VE SHOWN YOU HIGH END RESTORATIONS WHERE WE GO THROUGH THE MOCK UP STAGES AND WE SPRAY EVERYTHING BLOWN APART, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE PREFERRED WAY TO DO IT, BUT WE'VE ALSO SHOWN YOU RESPRAYS WHERE WE PAINT EVERYTHING TOGETHER. NOW ON THIS KFIVE WE WENT AHEAD AND SHOT THE FIREWALL AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAB, AND MOUNTED THE BODY TO THE FRAME, AND IT'S GONNA STAY THERE. WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS MASK EVERYTHING UP AND PROTECT IT WHEN WE DO OUR BODY WORK. NOW THIS METHOD IS KIND OF FOR THE GUY WHO WANTS A FRAME OFF RESTORATION BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THE ROOM TO KEEP EVERYTHING BLOWN APART, AND NOT ONLY THAT, THIS IS AN OFF ROAD RIG. THIS IS NOT A $100,000 BUILD. WE'RE GONNA BASH ON THIS THING, BUT BASICALLY WE'RE JUST SHOWING YOU ANOTHER METHOD. YOU CAN GET THE SAME RESULT.

(LT)>> THE NEXT MOVE FOR US IS TO HANG SOME SHEET METAL, COMPLETING THE FRONT END OF THIS TRUCK. OUR ORIGINAL PARTS WERE ACTUALLY IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, WE THOUGHT. SO WE SENT THEM OFF TO THE SAND BLASTER ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE TRUCK, BUT WHEN WE GOT THEM BACK WE REALIZED THEY WEREN'T REALLY THAT GREAT. NOTHING MAJOR, JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF LITTLE RUST HOLES AND DENTS. SO WE JUST DECIDED, WHAT THE HECK, LET'S START OVER. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE USE LMC TRUCK SO MUCH IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH AN EXTENSIVE INVENTORY OF SHEET METAL FOR THESE CLASSIC SQUARE BODY CHEVYS. SO WE GOT ONE OF EVERYTHING. GOT A COUPLE OF DOORS TO REPLACE THE ONE THAT SOMEBODY DENTED OUT ON THE TRAIL, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF INNER FENDERS AND OUTER FENDERS. WE GOT A COWL INDUCTION HOOD TO SPICE THINGS UP JUST A LITTLE BIT IN THE STYLING DEPARTMENT. OUR ORIGINAL CORE SUPPORT HAD RUSTED OUT PRETTY BADLY UNDERNEATH THE BATTERY TRAY. SOME ACID HAD JUST DRIPPED DOWN OVER TIME AND CAUSE A BIG GIANT HOLE. SO WE REPLACED IT, BUT WE ORDERED ONE FROM MID '80'S CHEVY TRUCK WITH THE DOUBLE STACKED HEADLIGHTS JUST TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CLASSIC LOOK, AND THIS IS THE FIRST PART THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT ON.

(JEREMY)>> WE'LL THROW ON THE NEW RUBBER ISOLATORS, AND SET THE CORE SUPPORT IN PLACE.

(LT)>> WHERE'S YOUR BOLTS?

(JEREMY)>> I GOT IT RIGHT HERE BUDDY. IT'S SECURED WITH NEW HARDWARE, ALL FROM LMC.

IT'S A TALL TRUCK.

(LT)>> WHERE'D YOU GO?

WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS SHE GONNA FIT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE?

(JEREMY)>> I SURE HOPE SO BUT YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.

(LT)>> YEAH, IT NEVER DOES.

(JEREMY)>> WELL RIGHT OFF THE BAT, I MEAN IT'S NOT AWFUL BUT THE BODY LINE DOESN'T QUITE MATCH UP. SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT A LITTLE BETTER.

(LT)>> UP WE GO! READY?

(JEREMY)>> ALL RIGHT, GO UP WITH IT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.

(LT)>> TRY IT AGAIN.

(JEREMY)>> THE BODY LINE LOOKS GOOD, BUT WE'RE HITTING SOMEWHERE RIGHT ALONG THE DRIP RAIL. YEAH I REMEMBER NOW, THAT WAS A PROBLEM WE HAD WHEN WE TORE THE TRUCK DOWN. THE DRIP RAIL'S GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A BOW IN IT. SO ALL WE'RE GONNA DO IS FINESSE THAT DRIP RAIL UP A LITTLE BIT, GET US A GOOD GAP, AND WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.

(LT)>> I'VE GOT YOUR TWO FAVORITE TOOLS FOR YOU.

(JEREMY)>> A BIG HAMMER, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THAT. [ hammer banging metal ]

(JEREMY)>> OH YEAH, NICE, EVEN GAP. THAT LOOKS REALLY GOOD! WELL ME AND LT ARE GONNA GET THIS OTHER DOOR ON AND WHEN WE COME BACK FROM BREAK WE'LL HANG SOME FENDERS.

(JEREMY)>> WHILE YOU GUYS WERE GONE WE GOT THE OTHER DOOR HUNG AND ALIGNED, AND IT'S STARTING TO COME TOGETHER, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO HANGING THESE FENDERS WE'RE GONNA INSTALL THE ORIGINAL KFIVE DOOR LATCHES IN OUR NEW DOOR. THIS WAY WE CAN SHUT THE DOOR, IT'LL STAY EXACTLY WHERE WE WANT IT TO LIVE, AND WE CAN PROPERLY ALIGN OUR FENDERS. WE'LL CLEAN UP THE LATCH AND PAINT IT LATER ON, BUT FOR NOW IT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE DOOR WITH A FEW NUMBER THREE PHILLIP SCREWS.

(LT)>> THE FRONT FENDERS ARE UP NEXT.

(JEREMY)>> SOMEWHERE IN THERE.

(LT)>> I NOTICE HOW YOU NEVER TRUST ME WITH THE SHINY END. [ Jeremy laughing ]

(JEREMY)>> WHY IS THAT?

(LT)>> WELL, YOU KNOW. WE'LL START A BOLT INTO THE COWLING AND CHECK THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE FENDER AND DOOR, PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE BODY LINES. IT IS A BIT LOW. SO A COUPLE OF SHIMS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE CORRECTION. WE'LL INSTALL A COUPLE MORE BOLTS IN THE CORE SUPPORT, AND ONE MORE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FENDER.

(JEREMY)>> NEXT UP, WE'LL ATTACH THE HOOD HINGES TO THE COWLING. THEN THE HOOD CAN BE LIFTED INTO PLACE. A THIRD SET OF HANDS HELPS HOLD EVERYTHING IN PLACE SO THERE'S NO RISK OF SCRATCHING THAT FRESH PAINT. THEN WE'LL GIVE IT A TEST. WELL WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE TWEAKING TO DO, BUT FOR THE FIRST ATTEMPT THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.

(LT)>> HEY, LOOKS PRETTY GOOD MAN. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS THAT YOU CAN TAKE WHEN YOU'RE RESTORING A VEHICLE IS DOING THIS. COMPLETELY MOCKING UP ALL THE SHEET METAL BEFORE YOU PAINT IT. NOW IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE WE'RE MAKING JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK FOR OURSELVES CAUSE THINK ABOUT IT. WE'VE GOT TO PULL ALL THIS STUFF BACK OFF, PREP IT, PAINT IT, AND THEN PUT IT ALL BACK ON THE VEHICLE, BUT CONSIDER THIS FOR A SECOND. THE BODY, IT'S BEEN SITTING ON A ROTISSERIE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT'S NOW BOLTED ONTO OUR FRAME WITH NEW BODY MOUNTS. SO EVERYTHING COULD HAVE MOVED AROUND JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE ALL NEW SHEET METAL. SO IF WE TOOK THAT RISK AND WE PAINTED EVERYTHING FIRST BEFORE WE TESTED IT. WELL THERE'S ALWAYS THAT SLIGHT CHANCE THAT SOMETHING WON'T FIT PERFECTLY. WE HAVE TO GRIND OFF JUST A LITTLE BIT OF PAINT, MAKE THE REPAIR, AND BLEND SOME NEW PAINT BACK IN. SO IT'S ALL ABOUT WORKING SMARTER AND NOT HARDER. TAKE THE COUPLE OF MINUTES, MOCK UP THE BODY, AND YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF HEADACHES.

(JEREMY)>> OKAY, WE'VE GOT OUR KFIVE TO A STAGE WE'RE READY TO START BODY WORK, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS WE COULD GO ABOUT THIS. ONE IS WE COULD SKIM COAT THE ENTIRE PANEL WITH FILLER AND THEN BLOCK IT FLAT. WE WOULD THEN PRIME IT, BLOCK IT AGAIN, AND PROBABLY DO THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES UNTIL WE GOT IT LASER STRAIGHT, BUT OUR KFIVE IS IN SUCH GOOD SHAPE WE'RE GONNA FIND THE FEW LOW SPOTS THAT WE HAVE. WE'RE GONNA JUST FILLER WORK THOSE. WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN PRIMER AND SAND IT FOR PAINT. THIS IS STILL GONNA GIVE US A SUPER NICE PAINT JOB THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY BE PROUD OF, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS THING OFF ROAD. WE'RE GONNA RUN IT THROUGH SOME TRAILS. SO THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE WE COULD BEND A PANEL OR SCRATCH THE PAINT JOB, AND IT MAY HURT MY FEELINGS A LITTLE BIT BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND. SO TO GO ALL OUT WITH A FULL BLOWN SHOW PAINT JOB JUST ISN'T PRACTICAL.

(LT)>> EARLIER YOU GUYS SAW A PACKAGE THAT WE JUST GOT IN, AND INSIDE IS SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL, AND IT'S GONNA TRANSFORM HOW THAT BLAZER DRIVES. THIS IS A PROCHARGER DONESC. IT'S A CENTRIFUGAL SUPERCHARGER AND DEPENDING ON WHICH PULLEY WE PUT ON, IT SHOULD PUT DOWN BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT POUNDS OF BOOST. NOW WE'RE SHOOTING FOR ABOUT 600 HORSEPOWER, BUT THIS HEAD UNIT WILL SUPPORT JUST A TOUCH OVER 900.

(JEREMY)>> THAT SHOULD BE A BLAST, BUT HOPEFULLY THE NEXT TIME YOU GUYS SEE THIS KFIVE, LAYING DOWN A LITTLE PAINT.

(LT)>> WHAT, NO! NEXT TIME WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING ON A SUPERCHARGER!

(JEREMY)>> I KNEW IF I SAID THE WORD PAINT YOU'D GO RUNNING.

(LT)>> LOOK NOBODY WANTS TO SEE BLOCK SANDING AND PRIMING. WE'VE SEEN IT A LOT. YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS NEW AND EXCITING. LET'S DO THIS NEXT TIME.

(JEREMY)>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. NO DOUBT, THAT'S GONNA BE FUN, BUT FIRST WE'RE GONNA PAINT THE TRUCK.

(LT)>> WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

(JEREMY)>> YOU GUYS WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME.

(LT)>> THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE YOU NEED TO JOIN TWO PIECES OF METAL TOGETHER AND YOU CAN'T USE A MECHANICAL FASTENER LIKE A NUT OR A BOLT. NOW LUCKILY THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO DO THIS, AND IT TYPICALLY INVOLVES MELTING ONE METAL AND STICKING IT ONTO ANOTHER. SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT THE MOST COMMON PROCESSES THAT YOU'LL FIND AT MOST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR OR FABRICATION SHOPS. NOW THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL THESE IS THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE METAL WILL MELT. NOW SOLDERING IS A TERM THAT YOU MOSTLY HEAR ABOUT IN THE AUTOMOTIVE CONTEXT OF WIRING. BASICALLY YOU'RE USING A LITTLE BIT OF FILLER AND GLUING TWO PIECES OF COPPER WIRE TOGETHER. MOST SOLDER MELTS AT AROUND 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, COMPARED TO THE MELTING POINT OF COPPER, WHICH IS CLOSER TO 2,000. WITH SUCH A LOW MELTING POINT ALL YOU NEED IS AN ELECTRIC SOLDERING IRON TO MELT THE SOLDER AND FLOW IT INTO THE COPPER JOINT. BRAZING IS A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS TO SOLDERING, BUT THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE BRAZING ROD MELTS. IT'S CLOSER TO 1,500 DEGREES, WHERE AS THE SOLDER IS ONLY 400. SO INSTEAD OF USING AN ELECTRIC SOLDERING IRON WE NEED TO USE A GAS TORCH. WE'RE GONNA HEAT UP THE BASE METAL BUT NOT COMPLETELY MELT IT. THEN SLOWLY INTRODUCE THE BRAZING ROD. BASICALLY WE'RE GONNA MELT THE FILLER WIRE AND IT WILL STICK TO THE BASE METAL, KIND OF LIKE A HOT GLUE GUN. NOW CLEARLY I'M NOT A BRAZING EXPERT. IN FACT I'VE ONLY EVER DONE IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE WITH MODERN WELDING EQUIPMENT THERE REALLY ISN'T THAT MUCH NEED FOR IT, BUT IT'S ESPECIALLY USEFUL IF YOU'RE JOINING TWO TYPES OF DISSIMILAR METAL TOGETHER, OR YOU'RE WORKING WITH CAST IRON. NOW THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WELDING AND BRAZING IS WHEN YOU'RE BRAZING YOU'RE ACTUALLY JUST MELTING ONE METAL ON TOP OF ANOTHER KIND OF LIKE APPLYING GLUE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE WELDING YOU'RE ACTUALLY FUSING THE TWO DIFFERENT SURFACES OF METAL TOGETHER, EFFECTIVELY MAKING ONE SOLID PIECE. THE OLDEST PROCESS IS KNOWN AS STICK WELDING. IT USES A SHIELDED FILLER ROD AS AN ELECTRODE, AND ELECTRIC CURRENT IS USED TO HEAT UP THE BASE METAL AND MELT IN THE FILLER, FUSING THE TWO PIECES TOGETHER. ONCE IT'S COOLED OFF, CHIP AWAY THE SLAG CAUSED BY THE SHIELDING, EXPOSING THE WELD. THE NEXT AND PROBABLY MOST WIDELY USED PROCESS IS MIG WELDING. A SPOOL OF FILLER WIRE IS STORED INSIDE THE MACHINE, AND IT'S FED OUT THROUGH A HOSE TO THE END OF THE TORCH. WHEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER, FILLER WIRE IS FED OUT ALONG WITH THE SHIELDING GAS TO PROTECT THE MOLTEN PUDDLE. MY PERSONAL FAVORITE IS TIG WELDING. HERE A SHARPEN TUNGSTEN ACTS AS THE ELECTRODE AND IT'S SHIELDED WITH ARGON. ONCE AN ARC IS STRUCK, FILLER MATERIAL IS FED IN BY HAND. IF YOU INCLUDE SOLDERING, THAT'S FIVE DIFFERENT METHODS FOR JOINING METALS TOGETHER. NOW IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANY OF THESE PROCESSES, YOU CAN TAKE A CLASS AT YOUR LOCAL WELDING SCHOOL, OR THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF RESOURCES ON THE WEB.