DeconsTRUCKshon
So now I can finally start working on the actual truck. Step one is to clean off the glue goop from the vinyl graphics. Acetone and Paper towels folded into 2” squares and then unfolded and refolded to expose new clean surfaces got the job done fairly easily on the truck body. I was concerned about the Acetone attacking the paint, but it didn’t touch it, though I was careful not to leave it on too long or scrub too hard.
The box in the back was another matter. There were large areas of thick gloppy glue that just wanted to smear around and not come off. Fortunately nothing seems to touch the FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plywood) so I was able to use different solvents, including Lacquer Thinner and Spray on Goof Off which contains Xylene, Ethylbenzene, Butyl Carbitol, Toluene, and other nasty stuff. All of these worked to some degree, but the Goof Off also contains a light oil which seems to help prevent the more volatile solvents from evaporating before they can do their job. I could then use a spatula to gently scrape up the glop and sling it into a garbage can. With the bulk of the glue removed it was back to scrubbing with paper towels to get it really clean. It might not sound so bad, but it took a couple of long days to get it done. After that was a good overall wash and wax by conventional means. Even that took most of a day.
The next step was the deconstruction of the inside of the box. The whole box was originally wired for both AC and DC. Nothing fancy, just armored cable, a circuit breaker box, and lots of cable clamps screwed into the walls. It also had some very industrial 12V lighting with wiring back to a switch in the cab. All that had to go, but not get thrown out, because it might come in handy later.
As I bought it, the truck had multiple heavy duty shelves along the entire length on the left side. They were made with angle iron and FRP inset with caulking all around. There was also a super heavy duty stainless steel work surface in the front of the truck, and a large display box along the entire right side of the truck. The display box was also made of FRP with heavy duty aluminum L and U channel. It was originally accessible from the two full length side doors. It was lined with peg board, and I assume the original idea was for some kind of an industrial display case or store front. The previous owner had wanted more access so he chopped out the front half of the display box which meant the front side door gave full access to the box interior.
The whole thing was held together with various forms of big heavy duty rivets, some of these coming through the FRP on the box outer walls to secure things on the inside. I say “rivets” but they are actually a special kind of two piece fastener that is pressed together. I gather one piece comes with a sacrificial screw stud attached. A special tool (I assume) uses that screw stud to pull the two press fit pieces together and when the force becomes too great it snaps off. It makes for a very strong fastener that is never intended to be removed, and I had to remove lots of them…
At first I tried my angle grinder with a cut off wheel. That worked but was slow, and left me with a face full of sparks and hot metal. It also tended to damage whatever the rivet went through. Never the less, for many of the rivets it was the only option. Once I got some out I was able to figure out how they were made. I figured I could pound them apart with a modified ¼” drift punch and a hammer, which I did, but it took several good solid blows on a solid surface that didn’t just flex and absorb the energy. Many rivets were in places where I couldn’t get a proper swing, or where I couldn’t support them from behind. Even for those I could wale on, I soon found that my ability to hit a target with a hammer had somewhat deteriorated over the years. Fortunately that got better with practice over the next few days, but I still wasn’t going to risk my hand holding that drift punch, so I ended up making a side handle from a piece of heavy dowel rod and some duct tape.
Beyond the rivets there was caulk, lots and lots of caulk. Whatever it was they used on the inside of that box, it was good stuff. It grabbed and held, and didn’t let go until something broke. Eventually I found I could work under it with a wood chisel and then pry it up. Once I got a loose spot I could peel it back and out of a corner with lots of force and stretching. One inch of caulk in a corner would become 4 to 6 inches long as it peeled out, ripping my hands raw and then sticking to everything it touched. Eventually I started wrapping it into a ball and by the time I was done I had a couple of 6” caulk balls. (Te-he, I said caulk balls.)
All of this took a couple of weeks of evenings and week ends with lots of loud crashing sounds, usually followed by swearing. Ultimately it all came out, and was taken apart, and stored for reuse, because I am cheap. I only dropped that stainless steel work surface on my foot once, and all the other scrapes and bruises eventually healed.
To be continued….
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