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Cool..........

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youre going to need some stainless roundbar and a bit of flatbar to make the hooks for the hangers

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No problem w/that.

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Very nice exhaust bummer about the brake line action rusting..

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usually brakeline have this ugly greenish gold plating to prevent that maibe they stopped that lately deu to cost

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Nice stuff Scoti.....you now have 94 days till Columbus!:lol:

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Scoti,

You planning to use stainless bolts or SS studs to hold the manifolds to the heads? Stainless has a higher thermal expansion rate, so using similar materials will help to avoid overstressing the fasteners due to the differential expansion.

John

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The manifolds are actually just cast iron & will be coated. The exhaust collectors & tubing will be stainless; the mufflers are just aluminized tubing.

The reason for the different materials? I bought the manifolds new. I didn't care for the look of the optional 'natural' stainless manifolds & the polished stainless version didn't fit my 'theme'. My plan was to coat whatever I got in an 'as cast' color. Since their going to be coated, the cheaper iron versions will work just fine.

The exhaust 'lead' piping (collector & initial head pipe) were 'garage sale' stuff that was considered blems. I was able to get them for the cost of mild steel. Since that was cheaper & I have acess to mandrel stainless tubing, I get better material @ a much cheaper price. I already had the mufflers & really don't think it will make a difference that they're polished/aluminized steel vs. stainless (it's not like you'll ever be able to see them unless I provide picture proof :lol:).

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any idea what you're gonna use to coat the manifolds? i want to either blast & coat my stock "rusty" ones or get some new ones & coat them as well

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Wow.... I didn't notice this question before. I'm going to have them professionally coated w/a high temp coating similar to powder coating (pending cost). If it's too much..... VHT high-temp cast iron gray in a rattle can will get 'called-up'.

I've been chipping away @ BS stuff.... I've literally spent a week working on the 3/8" hard fuel line. It's ok looking & should be functional but when I do my next one, I'll spend the coin for some of the black nylon/braided high end fuel hose w/AN style fittings. No rattle worries, easier for routing in those ultra hard to reach spots, & smaller installation headache. The hardline would have been much easier to do w/the motor & Dropmember frame reinforcment brackets not in place but I felt everything needs to be installed so you don't have any 'oops'.

Now that the fuel line is in place, it uses all of the available space above the R&P frame notch on the pass side which is where the rear hard brake line was also routed. I'll have to re-make that line & route it down the driver side & across the back of the crossmember (my brake lines were routed like a 73-80 model truck).

I started mocking up the 2.5" exhaust too. Should look very nice when done (much nicer than taking it to a muffler shop & subsequent 1.5hr install).

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It is looking real good. Just keep plugging away, you WILL be driving it before too much longer.

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lookin good, i really like the ram horns they are going to look great on your truck.

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I would have preferred the original style 2.5" ram-horn manifolds but the outlets dump straight down vs. these which dump @ a slight angle toward the block. These are growing on me though....

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i honestly believe i like the ones you have, the casting just seems so much cleaner, if i wasnt allready running headers i would be hunting a set.

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I wanted to do a little test work today to see how well things went together, give me ideas, & allow time for researching answers if necessary.

I did 3 different butt welds on some 2.5" scrap stainless from the recycle bin (seems fitting no? ;) ). I played around w/the migs temp & speed settings after the switch from solid steel wire to the solid ss wire & wound up where I was set previously before the wire switch. I was also still using the 75/25 Ar/CO2 gas mix for the mild steel vs. the spec'd Tri-mix (90/7.5/2.5 He/Ar/CO2) for stainless.

I wasn't real happy w/the amount of spatter & it was very difficult to visually see my seam as I welded. I also didn't want to have to grind off everything but I just didn't like the appearance of the 'semi-ground' weld.

I'll pick-up a bottle of the 'correct' gas tomorrow am (pending the local suppliers recommendations) & melt a few more 'recycled' pieces of pipe....

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Did you try straight helium? I thing thats what I used last time I welded SS and if I remember it welded alot hotter so adjust accordingly. Nice work BTW.

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I just used what I already had.

Research suggests the 75/25 will work leaving more carbon deposit in the weld area vs Tri-mix. This might be critical for some applications, but a ss exhaust most likely isn't one of them. The Tri-mix is supposed to allow the weld puddle to lay flatter everything else being equal. I figure I'll see what the supplier says/recommends.

I'll prob also make some quickie shields to keep spatter to a minimum controlled area (and get some anti-spatter spray).

For the record.... there's 3 splices in that pic ;) .

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Scoti,

You don't want to use the 75/25. Way to much CO2. Those carbon deposits will turn into rust pretty quick due to the corrosive nature of the exhaust gases. The stainless exhaust with carbon deposits will corrode quicker in the weld heat affected zone than just plain old steel due to carbide precipitation at the grain boundaries. Basically crazy fast corrosion adjacent to the welds.

As you stated, a 90% Argon / 7.5% Helium / 2.5% CO2 "tri-mix" is pretty much the industry standard for short circuit welding of stainless with GMAW (mig).

But 98% Ar & 2% CO2 is probably your best bet. Check out this information from Ed Craig's website: Ed Craig: MIG Welding Gases. This guy is a hoot, he does his own research to evaluate what works best and doesn't do the "we have always done it that way" approach to anything. Really interesting guy and a wealth of knowledge. We used his expertise at "my day job" and his no bull$hit approach is refreshing in the field of welding.

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I came across that info last night when searching. I was going to see what the supplier said & bring that to the table (should also be cheaper). Thanks for looking out for us!

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My local supplier (AirGas distributor) didn't have the 98/2 mix.

But, after BS-ing w/the guy & telling him what I was up to, he helped me out. He filled a small (40#) bottle of the Tri-mix for me to see if it worked. I got the bottle, a new lighter shade tinted lense, & interior lense for my helmet for $23 :) . I also found the brake line clips I needed @ a local Smileys Racing center (pkg of 4 for $4). So far so good for a Saturday morning....

I headed to the shop (work) but there was some 'company' work going on. The maint team had the overhead door open & there was a pretty good wind current today so I didn't get to try the new gas. Instead I focused on finishing the brake lines. I had to shave down one of the new brake line clips slightly to fit my thicker frame material (these are made for .125" tabs) but they work like they're supposed to & the rear brake flex hose is now secured to the frame. This let me determine the cushion clamp placement for the line as it routes toward the front of the chassis (trying to keep everything from looking like an after-thought). I also worked on the re-routing of the front-to-rear brake hardline. I was able to re-route this line partially down the driver side & across the main engine x-member. I still need fittings & an additional union but the parts store had to order them in.

Nothing really to show other than the 're-bent' brake line & the brake line clips....

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Still working on it.

I finalized the rear brake line routing & I'm ready to cut the front to rear lines to the exact length (the front section of line will get trimmed to length). This took a little longer than desired because I needed to get the e-brake hardware in place to ensure there was no interference between everything. Before the e-brake stuff could go in, I had to find it all & then clean it up....

I have to get more hardware for the cushion clamps tomorrow (I keep moving the same set of bolts from here to there for trial fit). Then I'll secure the line front to rear so I can be 100% certain I have the correct length before cutting & flaring the line.

When that's done, all the hard lines come out again for 'detailing' (fuel & brake lines) then it's on to the exhaust!

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Brake line plumbing is complete. I yanked everything back out to clean all the lines to prep for some detailing before final install....

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nice looking bends

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Clean look Scot. Keep it going buddy.

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Looks good Scoti.

What are you going to do to them for the "detailing" you mentioned?

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Some color. I need something on them after having to strip the oxidation & surface rust that started forming (because of the storage/work environment they've been in). Simple color should be quick & painless plus easy for touch-up purposes should there be a need (brake fluid & paint suggest there might be a need).

I did reach out & inquire about possibly plating them but haven't yet received solid answers on brake fluid vs. plating.

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i think there ways of doing the plating youreself http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/
all you need is a big enough container to dip the lines in (might make a custom one verry simply from pondliner covering a trench dug in some sand somewhere )
be warned that it produces some hazardous waste materials and vapours

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Well, the 'paint' detail looks decent enough but I don't know.... My buddy called me back & said we could plate the lines if a few obstacles can be over-come.

So tonight is research & tomorrow I'll get some feedback from another gearhead who understands how my AOCD works (he'll get a chance to see the line in person vs. trying to assess a picture).
















(automotive OCD for those wondering :lol: )

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I know your not letting the grass grow under your feet so.......what's the status of the truck? ;)

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The brake lines have not progressed beyond what was last posted (& what you last saw in your driveway). I did drop the manifolds off early last week to get them coated & picked them up Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, I didn't leave work until 10pm Friday night.

We had a big project @ work that we've been gearing up for that started Friday. It required alot of validation & testing so between work & family obligations, I haven't even been in the same building as the chassis since the night I stopped by your house.

Any spare time I've had has been spent working on the dually. I'm trying to determine the source for my 'water loss' issue. If I get it out on the highway, I start losing water from somewhere & the truck starts heating up. Tonight I finished up removing the water pump & radiator (for replacment tomorrow after work).

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Any progress Scoti?

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Depends on your definition....

I installed the brake lines & part of the fuel lines (rear line from the tank). I still need to get some rubber fuel hose to protect the outside of the middle/front fuel lines to isolate them where they route thru the frame boxing & reinforcements.

I got the 3/8" stainless exhaust pipe flanges finished. I mounted the pass side manifold & have been chopping up pieces of tubing to determine the 'right' length of exhaust drop so I can remove/service the starter & not cook the brake fluid to the rear brakes.

I played w/a couple of different pieces after work today to get things close so tomorrow I'll start trimming them to tack in place. Once tacked in place, I'll verify the starter can be easily removed & continue on from there.

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Hope life is treating you well SCOTI... been a while since I've been able to keep track of your build. Are we going to see you up this way again in September?

BTW...what did you coat the ram horns in? Powdercoat?

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Hey Nate, thanks for looking in.

We do plan to be there again this year. It should be the same group w/a few others from what N2billet mentioned in previous conversations. I do hope to be bringing the 64 (driving it actually :flag: ).

The exhaust manifolds have a high temp coating that's basically like powder coating. They did the standard 'ceramic' finish (like what you get on ceramic coated headers) & then they did a top-coat of 'tungsten' which is a higher temp coating that looks very close to 'as-cast' parts in color & it has an egg-shell/satin feeling to the touch.

Today I cut up a 45° elbow & indexed several pieces of tubing to form the transition from the manifold flange to the straight section of pipe that runs parallel to the frame rail (alongside the trans). I'll tack it together tomorrow @ work & verify things are 'close'. I'm trying to get each side indexed & tacked together so we can get it welded by early next week.

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And for the wise-guys.... those aren't my digits. They belong to my freshly graduated young-gun....

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Nice try Scoti, but your busted.

Only way to have any credibility now is to use Chevy Orange nail polish when you hold the parts next time.

:lol:

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Sure , sure , I'm sure those aren't your fingers in the pics.;)




Nice progress. Done anything else to the dually?

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I thought we both agreed we were going to wear black!
Posted via Mobile Device

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:haha::haha::haha:You knew it was coming:haha::haha::haha:

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Yes & no....

I worked on the cooling issue I've had since late March but found out today, it's still around. My normal 15-20min drive to work yielded 210° as I was pulling into the parking lot. When I re-check the coolant level, I was 2.5gals low again.

But, driving home tonight from the shop may have provided some info. As I was cruising along (5mins into the drive home), the truck just died. I coasted to a parking lot for a quick inspection. Each attempt @ a re-start seemed like I had a heat-soak issue. I removed the EXTREMELY hot air cleaner lid & it looks like the inside of a boiling pot. Once I got it re-started, I can see a mist shooting up from the TB base. I guess the TB coolant loop is cracked @ the base plate. I'm going to try & bypass the loop & see if there's a change.

I took off from work next week to finish up the 64's exhaust & rebuild the duallys brakes/suspension. My plan was to drop it while completing the other tasks (mild 4/6 drop).

As far as the 64, I got several pieces for the pass side tacked together today & things look good. I finished setting up that side so there's a couple more pieces that need to be tacked in place & then I'll verify the starter can be dropped w/that exhaust pipe in place.

Since I came to a stopping point there, I started the drivers side. I got the preliminary discharge piping cut & mocked up. I'll get them tacked together as well tomorrow & re-installed to verify everything fits/flows well. If I can get things tacked early enough, it's possible I'll have both sides (from the manifold flanges to the truck-arm x-member) welded by tomorrow night.