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Man, you guys sure are hard on a guy. :) I meant, end that dangum transmission! And the projects keep me sain. :LOL: Geeze, have you been talking to my wife? Haha My Dad used to tell me I could never leave well enough a lone. He quit saying that after I put a cummins in his truck. Then he just encouraged the idea fest.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Today I picked up the trans from the tranny shop. It is suppose to be good to go now! Today and tomorrow it's going to be raining. In the morning I'm going to remove my engine adapter to see if I can find where the mysterious oil leak on the back of the engine has developed. Once that is fixed, I'll put the trans back in and go to town on it. I still have a lot of stuff I need to finish up on the truck anyhow. I'll try to work it in when I can.
No, this thing still isn't done. I have been picking things off the list in my spare time. I got the radiator brought forward a bit so I have more fan to radiator clearance. I pulled the oil pan because I thought it was my leaky culprit. Turns out it was a soft plug behind the cam. So I replaced the rear main seal while I was here. I have to get the oil pan, soft plug, and rear main plate put back on. I'm waiting on my race torque converter to be turned back into a normal one, and then I can get my trans put back in. I had a friend come over for a couple Saturdays and he has been working on installing and wiring my speakers. It has speakers on the lower cowl panels, one in each cab corner, and one in the middle of the dash. Well, will have. I got a speaker for a non air cab, and mine is an air cab. I probably got the speaker when I still had the non air cab way back in the early stages of this poor truck's build. Haha Today I ordered a new Boyd aluminum 19 gal fuel tank for it. Slowly but surely, more things are getting knocked off the list.
As it's been said, ANY progress is good progress. Good for you..
Time for a update. First off, I got my table back from the painter. I had it cleared so it won't rust. A big thanks to Mike, 34_40, for turning down the wood pieces for the glass to set on. It is currently at the pin striper's and I'll be taking it to the car show April 28th. 2nd, I got my ASE cert updated. Big fun there. 3rd, progress on the 72. I've been squeezing time in on this thing. I was hoping to drive it to the car show on the 28th, but I doubt that will happen. I have stuff I want to change, and a whole slue to still finish.
Here are the speaker brackets that go in the cab corner area. I drilled the speaker mounting holes, primed and painted them. I also ran the cargo/third brake light wires before I stuck the speaker brackets in. I got the RH and LH seat belts installed. I have to make a bracket to attach the jump seat re tractor and then those will be done.
While I was running the speaker wires, I decided it was time to install my sill plates. They are suppose to be SS and they were suppose to fit OE holes etc. Well, they fir horribly and I've had them for years. So, I filled the original holes, and bent these around to fit as best they can. Then I drilled new holes and mounted them with SS 1/4" button heads.
I almost forgot. I also installed new door weatherstripping. These are newly out from Precision. These are the first type of push on door seals on the market for these trucks. They are way nicer than the original glue on type.
My Boyd welding fuel tank came in. Luckily the measurements I gave them were spot on because the tank will fit without moving my rear cross member. That's really good because it wasn't going to happen. Haha I need to make some tank straps and add another cross member to the front so I can use straps to mount the tank. These tanks sit under the frame and have a plate you put on top of the frame to attach the bolts coming from the bottom to attach to. Well, since my frame is boxed, I can't do that. I have to change a couple of the bumper bolt directions so the bolts don't rub the tank, and I am going to do a behind the tail light fuel filler. It will be behind the LH tail light.
I also got a catch can to catch the oil from the excess boost. Mainly the issue is my billet tappet cover has no divider to stop all the oil from being pushed out the breather holes. These were designed for pulling trucks and no one has incorporated a baffle system on them. The next one I put on will have one and then maybe a catch can won't be needed.
I also got the oil pan installed, rear main seal plate, and rear main seal installed. I replaced the cam expansion plug, and am waiting on the torque converter still. I know, there is crap everywhere. I've been cleaning and putting up shelves trying to get organized. I really need to get my shed put up so non garage stuff can get out of the garage. :LOL:
I almost have that darn bed frame done too! Hopefully I can finish the last bed rail this weekend and it can get out of my garage too! I wanted to see what my 35s looked like that I have for my 76. I stuck them on here and I really like the look. That was a bad idea. :LOL: Hopefully the TC will be finished up next week. I'd like to get the trans in this thing and see if it works. I need to fire up the engine before I stick the trans back in and make sure my expansion plug is seated. I'd rather find out now it is not right rather than after the drive line is all back installed.
Looks like some really nice pieces/part....
"....I wanted to see what my 35s looked like that I have for my 76. I stuck them on here and I really like the look. That was a bad idea......"
Yeah been there done that.LOL
That table is really neat you (and Mike) did good.
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Congrats on being so busy and getting things accomplished! Now I'll have to get some things done to catch up.. LOL.
I wanted to work on the truck this weekend, but it was so nice outside! I finally got some things done outside. The kids got some chickens for Easter, so momma needs someone to build a chicken coupe. There was a make shift roof over a sand box behind my garage. Originally she wanted to use it as the base for the coupe. (But, it turned out to be not that nice so now it is parts.) The wife and I tore that apart after my middle son's 4yr birthday party. My mom was bored while my dad was taking a nap, so she started raking my leaves where I left off before the party. Sunday I was able to get the rest of the front yard raked, got the sticks picked up in the yard, and raked the gravel back in to the yard. While the kids and wife were napping, I drilled the holes in my last side board for the bed frame. I then cleaned it up and stained it to match the other side. I put one coat of semi gloss poly on it and then we went to town to get chicken supplies. I also got grass seed. On the way back I stopped at my parent's place to grab a part to sell, and try to drive a dodge with a bad lift pump home. (Last time I tried, it didn't make it out of the drive way) Luckily yesterday the lift pump worked long enough to drive 9 miles. Haha When we got home, I seeded the front yard and some of the back. Hopefully the rain we get beds it down and some new grass starts up. Then I flipped the side board, put poly on it, and then cut some wood for the wife. I had a large wood crate we got a part in at work. I took it apart and she finally found a use for it. She's making letter picture signs for the boys's room. I felt like I didn't get anything done, but I guess we did. Haha Now this week, I have to get this dodge done and try to get my Excursion put together. Sheesh.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
...and you still haven't got the chicken coop built!
They'll be out there scratching up your lawn seed and eating it before it gets a chance to germinate...
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
You still got more done this past weekend than I did!
My big accomplishment was blowing a gear in the auto feed for my little horizontal mill:CRY:
No, not yet Johnboy. The chickens are only 4-5 weeks old we think. They're in a tote in our up stairs bathroom. We have to keep them in there and lock the door so the dang Husky doesn't get in there and try to feast. She already sniped one and almost had it for a snack when we first got the chicks. I'll need to get on it soon though. They are growing pretty fast!Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
Mike, that sounds like a bad deal for sure!Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Some new emblems I had made arrived today from Canada. These look closer to originals than the set I currently have.
What's worse is it was my own fault! Not terribly expensive to repair but it is downtime and I have a project mounted on the table as it sits there. GRrrrrrr..Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
Oh well.. LOL..
The new emblems look nice. When I first glanced at'em - I thought it read "396" .... oops!
Another after the weekend update. Nothing major on the truck. Still waiting on the converter to be done. 2 weeks ago I called and they said they'd have it done in a couple days. That must have meant weeks. Anyhow, I took last Friday off, (it was my birthday). That turned into, "Hey dear, I need you to watch the boys so I can go grocery shopping." So I obliged. :LOL: The boys and I serviced the rider and we mowed the yard. It's crazy that on April 22nd, it was 83* and I had to mow. It makes me wonder what June will be like. (Not cool) Saturday I made some finishing touches on the bed frame, and watched the kids agian while my wife went to Bloomfield to get fitted for a dress fro my middle brother's wedding. During nap time I removed a VP44 and got the new one installed. On Sunday, my parents came over and my Dad helped me cut branches and limbs from trees that I wanted to get done since we moved in. Most of these were dragging on the roof of our trucks and was more annoying than anything else. We also delivered and set up the bed in my parent's spare bed room. Then at 10 o'clock last night I got one new emblem swapped out and stripped the black paint from the 71 grill shell so it will look like a 72 again. Then there was this morning. I was going out to put brake pads on my 98.5 dodge daily driver. Nope. The wife found a free hutch to go get. Guess what, another project found it's way into the bed's spot. I hope she gets it done soon. There's a body shell coming home soon. :LOL: One of these days I'll get the rest of the stuff out of the corner of the garage. When we moved in, it all got put in the big open space. Then all the help left so I've been taking it to the basement as I get or build shelves. Just another project. Haha
Here are pictures of my oldest son in his new hot rod. His sure was a way better deal than any of mine. Faster too. :LOL:
Then there's the sand box we tore down last weekend to use to recycle in to pieces for a chicken coop. (No, not done yet. Still in planning stages.) Haha This area behind my garage is going to be parking for projects and I plan to put a car port up to park a couple in doors and eliminate storage costs.
The pictures of the kids just brought a smile to my face Ryan. Too bad they outgrow those cars so fast.
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The slower you finish that coop, the bigger the mess in the bathroom will be!
Sweet pics of the kids!
Your tires and wheels look good too. Coop? not so much. 8-)
I've got a 72 Burb shell that would make a cool coop quick. Not to sure the city would approve of it. :LOL:
Hey, you guessed it! No more real big progress on the truck. I swapped out the other side emblem, and put more crap in the bed of it. That's it. :LOL: The converter guy isn't answering calls so I'm still waiting.
I did manage to get version 1 of the chicken coop built. The boys wanted to test it out first. :D
Oh look! It didn't take long for the wife to clutter up the other side of the garage! This is a hutch she got for free off a swapper site, and a vanity we baught for $20 that has been sitting in the basement. Her sister is having a barn sale so we're getting things finished to take there to hopefully be sold in the sale in June. :cool: She says these will be gone this weekend but I keep hearing of all the other stuff she wants to build/fix up. :o My friend says I'll have a full wood working shop soon if I don't stop the shenanigans now. Haha
I also managed to get some work done to a 5.9 I've been working on off and on for a while. I just need to get a few more things done to it and I can start it up then list it for sale. Hopefully to drum up some Hemi parts funds. I did buy some more parts for the 72 though. I got adjustable bump stops for the rear axle, shock mounts for the D60 front, and some billet exterior door handles. They are actually like the 5th set made for these trucks ever. :LOL: I haven't received mine yet. Hopefully they'll be here tomorrow. Here's a picture my friend sent me of his he got the other day.
Great shot of the kids!
And some fancy parts for the truck too!
"sharing" garage space is always tough.
This past weekend was spent taking my wife garage sale-ing on Saturday for mother's day. She picked up 3-4 more projects to redo for the barn sale in June. We were able to take the hutch and vanity to the barn where the sale is also. So, things are coming in and out of the garage. They're just not my stuff. :LOL: Sunday my brother and I spent the day working on my parent's fences. My Dad has been down and out as far as real labor intensive stuff goes due to his surgery last year. I mowed the fence rows around their property with a push mower. (I'd like to kick the farmer in the nuts that farms around their place. They have gotten so close to their fence that a push mower is all you can take back there. When we put in the fences we left 4' of their property on the field side of the fence so we could mow it easily. Well, that went to crap.) I told Dad I'd just use the super H with the woods mower to mow it later. It will dang near cripple him to mow it like I did. Anyway, we also replaced some fence posts and started fixing wire on the fence. We'll have to finish the rest this weekend I think.
A couple weeks ago my little girl started pre-school. It's hard to believe she's starting Kindergarten in August.
The billet door handles showed up. Now I have to decide if I want to polish them or just clear them. My converter is finally on it's way too! I ordered some spacers for the front wheels to get the track a little better looking. Since I used a dodge D60, it's about 2 inches narrower than a chevy D60 wms to wms. So this should bring the fronts closer to matching the super wide D80 I used in the rear.
Ryan, Ryan, Ryan....:HMMM: don't you understand yet? It IS your "stuff"... :eek: you just haven't realized that her projects are YOUR projects! ;):LOL:
And a milestone has been reached.. a pre-schooler.. Don't blink, she'll be on a date before you realize whats happened!:eek::p:)
Man oh man this truck is driving me crazy. Not as crazy as the kid with the 7.3 rebuild I'm in on though. :LOL: Anyway, I decided to finally check my king pins in this front axle since I never did yet. Turns out they were fine but I'm installing new bearings, seals, springs and wear cups anyway. The axle u-joints were shot so I replaced them. I also replaced the wheel mounting studs because dodge ones are 1/2" and GM ones are 9/16". The knurl size is the same between both so I was able to use GM ones. I took the lock outs apart, cleaned and regreased them. I painted the knobs a blue because stock 4wd's had blue knobs. I may get a lighter blue and try that. These are a bit dark. I did get the radio wired and tested. I installed the new center speaker and that was a crap deal. :LOL: My big head aches are from the turn signals. They are being a pita. Hopefully I can get that sorted out. The wipers work though. Haha
It's getting there Ryan....that's a pretty good list of things knocked out.
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Yep.. it's moving along. Now about that dirty windshield??? rofl..
What's the crazy radio? pretty futuristic for an "old truck"..
Yes it is. :LOL: There's more technology in this truck than I had planned for sure. The radio is a DVD player touch screen deck with a back up camera. I wasn't going to go with such a large unit but decided for the little extra cost, the back up camera will be handy to have.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
I keep forgetting all this technology.. CD's, BackUp Cameras??? Touch Screens??
I still have 2 of my first 8 track players! And the one for the car was "quadrophonic"! oh well.. now I feel like a dinosaur. LOL.
Shoot, you're still having a hard time figuring out how to turn on your camera and take pictures of your work shed. :) I've been driving a truck with 1 speaker and a plain jane radio so I might be spoiled if I ever drive this truck. :LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
I did figure out my turn signal issue. First off, the flasher I got wouldn't work. Then, the dipstick that installed the connector on the turn signal switch skipped a hole and had 3 wires 1 space down too far. I guess I should have had the better work light in the cab. But, the turn signals work now. But the horn has power all the time. I'll have to check out the contact-er and relay and see which is stuck.
It's time to give an update on the saga of projects I have been working on. June was a blur. I've been dealing with getting all the parts ordered for that 7.3 build, got it drug to my house and now the owner wants me to paint the entire chassis and engine compartment. I got the parts to get my other excursion put back together. New head lights, a dented up bumper I straightened, sanded , and painted, the old grill from Allyson's excursion, misc clips, screws and bolts, and a power window motor. I got a new to it header panel. It was broke on the LH side. I had to cut out a lot to get the new head lights to fit it. So after I made the alterations, I fiber glassed the header panel and painted it gloss black. I painted the new ford LH front fender for it, sealed it first. I just used single stage as I need to shoot some stuff with base clear to get used to spraying it. This fender turned out pretty nice. It has some orange peel, but no runs. That was my main concern. I'm no pro painter and just learning as I go. Now I need to find the time to work on getting this thing stuck together.
Ok, enough about fords. :whacked: Back to this old Chevy. I got the LH side of the D60 put back together. I decided to replace the wheel studs because this was a dodge axle. The dodge axles had 1/2" wheel studs and chevy D60s have 9/16 studs. The dodge axles are also 1.5" narrower than a chevy D60. I got some 1.5" spacers to bring the front tires out to match the rear. Kind of negated my stud replacement, but oh well. It's done. Once I stuck the LH side back together, I finished up the trans install and put fluid in it. I fired it up and topped off the fluid and took it around the block. It actually worked and shifted up through 3rd. Great! While it was outside, that is when I painted the fender for the excursion. After that was done, I backed the truck back in and began the RH side rebuild.
While moving the truck around, I noticed the front suspension articulated odd. It also leaned to the left a little. These springs came out from under my brother's old truck and were used when I installed them in it. So I decided to order a new pair of Skyjacker 4" springs. It's a good thing I decided to do this. I forgot that when I originally installed the springs in this truck, the RH spring rear bolt was seized in the bushing. Oops. Haha I replaced the front springs, u bolts, u joints, and king pins. Do you think this front axle came from a farm truck? Round bale twine eh? :LOL: The RH caliper was wet so I replaced it and the pads. (This caliper was new about 6 years ago) Once I got it all back together, I went to bleed the brakes and of course the LH steel line to the caliper hose was leaking. I had to make a new line and that took care of my brake issues. I also cut off the old dodge shock mounts and welded some new mounts on to accept a shock at the proper positioning for a chevy. (See a couple posts down to see why the shocks didn't get installed)
Here is a picture showing the new spring compared to the old spring. Once the front end was done, I had to move to the rear of the truck. I never installed my air compressor and air tank. I decided to mount the compressor to the inside of the frame under the front of the bed. This should keep it out of the elements. It is a Viair 480. I put the air tank on the outside of the frame behind the bed side and it is mounted to the bed supports. You can just barely see it hanging below the bed side. It fit pretty well.
Next up was something to control the air bags. I originally was going to use a leveling valve with the dump valve integrated in to it from a semi. Then I found the little larry valves and got the Touche'. It is their 2 way valve. They make a 4 way too. This little valve is actually pretty fast. I made a wooden box to house all this stuff. I have a dual needle pressure gauge for bag pressures, an air pressure gauge for the tank pressure, the air valve, and 4 toggle switches too. I will need to come up with a better, more compact box later. I may also switch to quick connect air line fittings to make working on it easier.
Another thing that was driving me nuts was not having my breather hoses hooked to anything. I got a good sized catch can/breather tank off of ebay and then was having a hard time trying to decide where to place it. I finally decided that the LH inner wheel well was the best place. I wanted it up high so I can route the drain back to the engine eventually. I had trouble fitting it in between the hood hinge and the proportioning valve. I had to tilt it slightly to keep the hood hinge from hitting it when the hood closes. I used some new stainless steel mirror brackets I had laying around to make the mounting brackets for the catch can.
Here is a picture of under the hood now. I still have to finish installing all my Dakota digital sensors and modules. I will be removing the RH wheel well for some work as well as replacing the leaking heater core. This thing was new from napa 4 years ago. These parts suck anymore I swear!
I still have to make a fan shroud for it, and eventually finish the ac system. I'll get the trans controller installed, finish the tcase shifter, get the drive shaft built some time, and that maybe the stopping point on this truck. I have to get back to my 76 before fall. My main goal was to get this truck drive able this year and it's getting closer. I still have to mount my front shocks. I'm not real thrilled about this situation. I ordered them directly from bilstein last monday, paid to have them 2 day air freighted, and bilstein shipped them ground. So, I took the truck to good guys without front shocks. Oh joy haha. The shocks were supposed to be here today, and they still aren't. Nice......
Last, a pic of it at the camp grounds from this past weekend at Good guys. I need to remove my suspension bars and paint them black. My rattle can orange paint hasn't held up too well. :LOL:
HMMmm.. I'll get'er figured out one of these days.. :eek::rolleyes::p:3dSMILE::LOL::LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
Well, at least I can see in your updates you did get to drive it. No front shocks but.. the radio is more important right?!?!?! :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:eek::LOL::LOL::LOL::D
Yes, you have to have tunes. And it did drive out of it's own zip code :LOL:
The front shocks came in yesterday. I got them installed this morning. I might get some spring plates from ORD to gain some extra clearance on the shocks.