Time for another update! This one is a doosey!
So I tried to do a push this past spring and into summer to get the truck on the road so I could take it to some shows. I hate to admit, I failed again. Work took just too much time from me this past winter so I didn’t get as many hours into it as I wanted and come summer, my schedule further got ugly. So the truck was left untouched from June till October. But with snow again coming and wrenching season almost upon us, we had to get one more move before winter: Project crew cab needed to get a windshield and rear window sealed in so the interior could be complete.
I can do many things but sealing windshields in is not something I have experience in. As I didn’t want to find wet carpet from a crappy install, I had professionals do this task so I don’t regret my “I can do it myself” theory later. lol
Now, with the driveline and brakes being done already, this became an easier task and is why it was left so late. The truck was driven out of the garage for the first time under its own power, in 12 years! After a very intense wash cleaning off 12 years of crud, it was loaded onto the float, and taken to a specialty glass shop for window install.
So, I guess I will share a few pics as these will likely make the thread.
But before I do, let me say, this was an epic day, and these are the moments a restoration makes it worth it. Hearing that engine rev, and slowly letting that clutch out for the first time and feeling what it was once like to drive this big old landyacht……. Mmmmm hmmm.
OK I am done tormenting you. Lol Here are the pics taken in the first daylight this truck has seen since 2006 when this all began!
Loaded after her bath: (Take note, no front or rear window so you can bet bathing her was fun considering all the exposed electronics inside! Lol)
'
A few glam shots on the way to the shop. Couldn’t resist stopping at this field with that lighting! Take note its getting cold again in Canada….frost is on the ground in October!
'
'
While I waited for the shop to open, I couldn’t help but notice how sexy that ass is in the morning sunlight! DAMN!!! 🙂
'
Then install! YAAAAY!
'
And the back…
'
Then on the way home, another photo shoot.
'
'
'
'
The last shot was as I was driving home and was taken by my father as he followed me home to assist in unloading. You can see how the weather was changing rapidly! Makes a great photo!!
'
So the truck is on the final stretch now. Wrenching season has again begun, and all going well, should be done by spring. Yeah I know….we have all heard that before. Lol
Robert
January 2019
It has been far too long since I did an update here. Was a bad winter last year for working on the truck so didn’t get too much done. This winter however has made good progress already.
Wheel Disks:
One of the things that you all may remember my being unhappy with was the machined in holes in the wheels that I got from American Force. They said they were unable to not machine the center cap mounting holes in the wheels as that’s the way they got them. I believe when I ordered them, they were still getting these CNC’d off shore so that makes sense. In 2016 they bought a bunch of CNCs and now do that in house with the off shore blanks they get. These are the holes to refresh everyone’s memory as it has been a while since I posted pics of them:
'
'
So given I was stuck with these holes, I decided to cover them up with a disk that would enhance the wheel look, and also cover the holes at the same time. I chose a high quality aluminum as I knew the lug nuts would be clamping against this disk, so I couldn’t have it bow or warp. I started by doing up a sketch and doing my measurements onto the sample.
'
'
Once I had laid it all out, then I threw my chunk of aluminum into the lathe, and began cutting.
'
'
'
Once the size of the hub bore got bigger than my largest drill bit, I changed over to a cutting tool so I could hog out the center.
'
Once I got the material to correct bore size, I strapped it down to the big mill at work, and one night I made a mess. Lol Lots of shavings! So I drilled in the correct 8×6.5 bolt circle. I also drilled to correct lug size.
'
'
Once the bolt pattern was in, it was back into the lathe so I could cut off evenly thick slices of disk. This basically looked like cutting a load of bread.
'
'
Disk 1!
'
Keep cutting!
'
'
Disk 2!
'
By the time I got through the block, this is what I had left:
'
Next was to send them to a friend to polish them as my polishing skills are not to the level of detail that I wanted these to be! This is what came back:
'
Now part of what I was planning when I designed these disks, was to allow a small machined groove in the back side to hold the hub cap on. As the cap didn’t have the ability to press through the wheel due to the cab being a legit Alcoa cap off a bigger truck, I designed the disk to also hold the cap on.
'
'
Wheels Disks Part 2:
The finished rears looked like this with all in place:
'
'
And with the lug nut condoms on….
'
For the fronts, they turned out like this:
'
'
'
'
'
Electrical Panel Part 1:
One of the things I was doing when I last stopped working on the truck was some of the wiring being started throughout the truck. That brought me to the design of a wiring fuse panel that would handle all those rocker switches on the overhead console. I looked at MANY aftermarket fuse panels but after months of searching, couldn’t find what I needed. So in true built not bought fashion like everything else on this truck, I decided to built my own.
It took me a full weekend to plan out all of the circuits, fuses, relays, and individual IOs that the truck would need. I have 30 overhead rocker switches that must feed off this panel. CB power. Also need to feed power for the amps into the truck. Fuel pumps. Lighting. Gauge feeds….. In the end, my list came out to the following:
– Would need 2 panels 24” wide and 20” tall
– Would need 39 relays
– 40 fuses
– 1 power inverter
– Two ground blocks
– Two power distribution blocks
– 100 IO slices
– 2ga power supply
– The last point scared me as I determined there would be close to 600 wire connections that would take place!
Given all this, I had to step up my game. Soooo, I started learning about wiring and what needed to be done. Ordered a few things, and then the fun began!
I started with cutting my panels to size, and then forming them in a small brake.
'
'
'
Next up was the overall layout so I could mark my holes. I had already done pages worth of layout drawings, so this was actually fairly easy. DIN rail and raceways were cut to size and laid in:
'
Once done, the panels were sent out for paint. Once back, I did the final markings and then the assembly began:
'
'
At this point, having the needed supplies are your friend. I had already picked up extensive amount of wire, as well as fuses and relays.
'
'
'
'
Then the populating began!
'
'
Oh, did I mention that this is a do it yourself program? Every wire for every relay I had to do by hand. FML lol
'
'
'
'
'
'