Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

i like the way you have it now ..but the chrome does look cool too

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

It looks like I may have created a monster. Now that the front of the house looks nicer, I had to repaint the ugly entry door from the garage to the house. Obviously I didn’t think much of the putrid old color as the latest picture I could find of it was taken about 5 years ago:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/nkpr.jpg

Here’s the new look with 3 coats of white gloss Rustoleum:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/841/nbvau.jpg

Of course that made the old wooden back entry door look so crappy it’s being replaced with a nice metal version.

All this activity got me inspired to relocate my Giant Gila Monster diorama to the center of the front wall for better access and viewing, while moving the TV over to the corner so I can now watch it with the hood open while I’m working on the truck. The fun ever ends!

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/855/0uht.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/xjs1.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The Man Cave continues to improve!!! :metal:

Happy Father's Day Sir!!! :flag:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Happy Father's Day Mark! :metal: And the garage looks good to! Personally I like the bumper bullets the way you have them now...but yer truck man! Do what ya want with it. :chevy:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks guys, and happy Father's Day to all the other dads on here. I think I'm going to leave the bumper bullets alone, at least for now. I like how they turned out and I really prefer the white front end over chroming. I do love chrome and I think the main grille looks great in plating, but I can't afford it, an once plated I can't do any touch ups.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Okay so I know my truck is done, and there’s no need to keep messing with it- but!

We cruise through parking lots and car shows with the pipes open, and it’s so disappointing closing the cutouts when we head back out on the street. So I’ve been contemplating different mufflers to make it sound better with the exhaust closed, and it dawned on me these are the best sounding mufflers I’ve ever heard. I’ve used them on several cars and my wife’s truck as well as my truck.

What killed how cool they sounded was adding a balance tube when I had the new exhaust done back on 2007. So today, I popped over to my custom muffler shop (Discount Muffler corner of Argonne and Sprague) and had the balance tube (H pipe) removed.

The cool part is Harvey removed the pipe, capped the sides, and then welded the tube back in place for strength so there’s no evidence anything has changed! Except for the sound of course which is much more impressive, especially on full throttle.

The before and after pictures looks the same:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/850/ur20.jpg

Here’s a short clip of the truck idling after “removal” of the balance tube. And yes it’s a rainy and a very moist day. This isn’t a very good capture as I’m using my cell phone but it sure sounds better in real life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wdw...ature=youtu.be

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Those mufflers are seriously...:metal::metal::metal:

Songs Great, even on the cell phone video...:mm:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Sounds great Mark! I subscribed to yer Youtube channel!:metal:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Sounds nice. What mufflers are they?

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The disappointment with the cell phone is it doesn’t capture any of the base. The microphone will tolerate the open pipes, but it doesn’t reproduce the full range of percussion “music” very effectively. Before we start attending car shows this year I am going to replace the Chinese dash cam with a GoPro. That should get the job done and allow uploading more interesting videos.

Back in the late 70’s or early 80’s when the mufflers first came out, they were called “Tarantula” mufflers. Later on they changed the name to “Terminator”. They’re made by Flowtech. The mufflers may have been their only product when the first started out. The sales kid at Super Shops pointed me towards them, as I needed to mount the muffler with the inlet in the center and the outlet at the top (I think).

At the time, Flowmasters could only be installed in one direction which wouldn’t work, so I gave the Tarantula mufflers a try because they could be installed in either direction. The part number I’ve always used is 50121:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/843/1qw8i.jpg

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/big-50121flt

They also started out much less expensive than Flowmasters. The Tarantula’s were about $35 each while the Flowmasters were like $55 each. Now both brands are right around $75-$80. I immediately fell in love with the sound, which is somewhat like the old Walker Corvair Turbo mufflers. They’re deep and throaty, but don’t have the tinny sound of many competitive mufflers. I had them on my 46 sedan, my wife’s 68 F250, and the GMC. They never wear out or burn out in my experience, and they don’t get louder with age. I’ll probably never experiment with anything else simply because I like these so much.

Another “feature” that’s hard to describe. With individual head pipes (no crossover or H pipe), they have a harsh “bark” at full acceleration under a load. Revving the engine doesn’t really create that sound, but full throttle in gear does. Installing a balance tube really quiets them down and kills the bark. To me, with the balance tube they sound like a 1960’s Corvette with a stock exhaust system. It’s nice for those preferring that sound, but IMO it’s kind of tame for a hot rod.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks for the link Mark !!
I think you just solved a question I had for me :metal:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Today certainly went a different direction than yesterday. I was taken back almost 50 years to Marine Corps boot camp, and reminded what an entire day of physical punishment and abuse feels like. Our back yard had about 20 yards of embedded river rock that needed to go someplace else to make room for more lawn and edge blocks. The rocks were stuck in mud, roofing felt, and weeds. We went to rent a Bobcat, and discovered a smaller piece of equipment called a Dingo (made by Toro). It’s a tracked machine with many accessories available, including a small bucket on the front. So it seems at least one of its functions is moving material from one place to another. Here’s what it looks like. Yes that’s me in my fancy duds providing ballast on the back!

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/841/ihuse.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/840/51dg.jpg

For an old guy with bad knees and a rotten back, it appears the primary function is to injure the operator! Holy crap this thing is rough!! As it bounces over rough surfaces the standing platform slams into the ground sending shock waves through the spine. At the other end of the cycle, it can easily send the operator flying through the air if not holding on firmly. The standing platform pivots (for clearing rocks and debris), making it easy to fall off for first timers. When running on smooth surfaces, the cleat tracks cause it to vibrate so violently it shakes your brain into stupidity! After the first minute of operation, I realized I’d never survive the experience without a back support and braces on both knees.

On the other hand, I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun. I love working outdoors, but anything that requires bending and stooping is out of the question, so I don’t get to do much of it anymore. We finished the day having relocated about 75% of the rocks. Tomorrow should be fun too, completing the rock removal, pulling a couple of tree stumps, and grading the driveway.

While we were out we also picked up 5 gallons of white paint so I can finally get the rest of the garage painted once the yard stuff is done. Life is good!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Morning Mark

Never realized just how grey your beard was..... ( says a grey beard)

You are right, outside work is greeat.

Love special tools. Here in the UK a lot of them are available but in South Africa most yard jobs are done with a pick n shovel and a barrow.

If you were closer I could have given you about 20 liters of paint, more cheap bootfair scores from last year when I painted my garage.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I too enjoy outside work… Looks like a productive day and well worth the aches and pains...:mm: I find that following the aches and pains comes a better countenance and better outlook… I always feel invigorated and ready to keep going following the initial aches and pains that follow a busy weekend...:metal:
As much as proper maintenance requires painting, that is the one chore I avoid at all costs, I am glad my wife enjoys painting…;) A few years back, the boy and I were able to attend a Bears game up in Chicago, thanks to free tickets from an Eagles player that happened to be a friend and client. We left Saturday morning and by the time we got home Monday evening, my better half had completely re-painted and re-arranged the Living room. :metal:
Have a great weekend Sir! :gmc2:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

dude, I have a full size Case 580 backhoe you could borrow !!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

And if he leaves Alaska now driving it he'll reach you in a few months!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

:lol:

Mark is actually closer to it than I am.... it is on our place up in Chattaroy. :metal:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I used to claim they were blond hairs popping out, like when I was a young child. But I gave that line up a long time ago as I don’t think it was fooling anybody!

I have exactly the same feelings on both subjects. I can sit around and be in pain from doing nothing, or I can be in pain from running myself into ground. Both approaches hurt, but I feel much more accomplished if I somehow “earned it”.

I also despise painting, always have. Models, cars, and houses. I don’t like any of it. Normally with rooms I do all the roller work (the easy part) and my wife does all the miserable tedious details. Somehow those rules seem to have gone out the window when it comes to the garage however as my wife is too busy doing the landscaping!

Another reason you need to hurry up and retire!

. . . . . . . .

Running the Dingo 3 days in a row really beat the crap out of my back and knees, so I haven’t been getting much done the last few days. Today I felt good enough to start on painting the garage, so I began with the entry wall (where the garage doors are). I picked it first knowing it would be very tedious, since almost nothing can be removed and all the garage door hardware had to be painted around. So a few hours later that part of the garage was painted. Some spots needed stain blocker, and all of it needed at least 2 coats as its 30 year old sheetrock that’s never had anything on it but dirt. Painting it white sure brightened things up:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/822/wmwf.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/jhsl.jpg

As I wrapping up the paint work for the day, the mail man showed up with my newest acquisition. I keep asserting the truck is finished, but I keep finding that one more thing it just can’t live without. Going back to my childhood, my next door neighbor had several Buicks. In addition to educating me on Dagmar bumper bullets, he also had a 1949 fastback with the gun sight hood ornament. He affectionately referred to them as pedestrian gun sights, and claimed they were one of the greatest marketing gimmicks ever created by man. In a war weary nation filled with millions of veterans, what better product to plop right in front of the driver than a stylized gun sight.

I always thought they were cool, and with my Buick grille bar, portholes, and somewhat Buick like bumper bullets, it’s been bugging me that I’m missing one critical piece – the hood ornament! I’ve been studying these things for several months, and wasn’t convinced I could easily adapt a late 40’s – early 50’s Buick ornament to my hood. The slope and size of the hood is so different, I thought it would likely be problematic to make the base fit and align the “torpedo” at the correct angle. Here’s an example which I believe is a 1947:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/834/ahrjl.jpg

After extensive research I discovered there were numerous aftermarket flavors of Buick-like hood ornaments around (both vintage and current). I finally found a mint condition vintage accessory ornament designed for a 46-47 Ford:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/823/bwpdh.jpg

It appeared relatively easy to adapt, and since my last car was a 46 Ford, that sealed the deal. As of tonight, here’s what my hood looks like:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/850/a8cj.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/849/wzk7.jpg

I’ll take some better outdoor pictures as soon as I get a chance to wash the truck again.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Garage is Looking Great! and that Hood Ornament is Sweet!!! :uhmk:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

now that will look cool on the hood

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Another full day in the garage today, but not much to show for it. I spent another 2-3 hours “adjusting” the mounting of the hood ornament so the “ring” sits vertical and the “torpedo” is level with the ground. As mounted yesterday it was sloping forward too far and just didn’t look right to me. I used a pair of stainless steel mag wheel washers my son fabricated for me years ago as a base. They needed to be angle ground to correct the level on the hood, and also needed to be Blanchard ground flat on the mating surfaces. It’s just not that easy to accomplish when done with hand tools. So I just kept working until the fit was perfected:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/841/91o27.jpg

Once that was done, I turned to the “ugly” wall and stripped it of everything but the brackets that will remain. There were at least 50 holes in the sheetrock from years of wall anchors that were all filled, followed by covering and stains with Kilz stain blocker.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/843/73txh.jpg

If all goes well I’ll have it in finish paint by tomorrow afternoon. The shelves may take a bit longer as I’m going to paint them in gloss white instead of leaving them in bare wood.

In the FOB* department, we took the truck out for a ride tonight and were amazed at the performance improvement brought about by the addition of the hood ornament. Driving through a smoky area, it was easy to see the ring caused the smoke to swirl past the sides of the windshield, and the torpedo caused a reverse vortex that created negative pressure against the base of the glass pulling the truck forward like I had added nitrous!


*Full of Baloney…..

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

:haha::haha::haha:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

:metal::haha::haha:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Love the FOB moment!!! :metal::haha::haha::bann:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Okay - so I may have slightly overstated any gains brought about by the hood ornament, but I did get the ugly wall painted this morning. Now all that's left is the ceiling. I'm sure looking forward to the additional brightness and having this wrapped up after all the years of putting up with the crappy appearance. I'm imagining the ceiling will offer the greatest improvement in light improvement. The new garage doors have certainly eliminated the dust, noise, and breezes:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/849/8xpo.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I always paint my garage walls white or even off white with any cheap paint as under coat and a second layer of cheaply acquired white of decent interior grade, regardless of how much stuff goes up on the walls.

The extra reflected light makes a huge difference.

Looking good Mark.

Har Martin over for BBQ, Bikes and Bü!!$#1771NG last night and he was going on about his love for the GMC grilles, which led us to the conclusion that yours is one of the best of the breed.
He also insisted on trial fitting my Chevy bonnet badge, which I will not be refitting, but agreeing we like your gun sight.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Don't forget the floor.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I use that "special epoxy" paint on the floor, helps one clean spills easily.
I can crawl under a rig and not even have to use a trouble light. Naps are optional.

Looking great

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Looks good Marke---funny how yards--garages--trucks seem never finished, always something to do.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

It looks like I’ll be using your approach on painting the ceiling. So far in the garage I’ve used “ceiling paint” which is inexpensive and comes in a 5 gallon bucket. The walls have so much pegboard, tools, and stuff on them the sheetrock doesn’t really show up all that much. But the ceiling looks terrible. 4 coats of paint aren’t enough to cover the tape marks. I painted 1/6th of the ceiling last night, so for the rest of it I’ll just give it one coat at do a 2nd coat with something better.

I fell in love with the GMC grille back in the 1970’s when my brother in law had a couple of hot rod trucks with 8” & 10” slot mags and other typical stuff. Both had the GMC grille which I thought really suited the body style. My favorite Chevy grille is the 63, but whatever year I got I intended to swap to the GMC grille anyway.

It’s funny I never even considered the floor until now. With everything else all tuned up, the floor looks terrible so I’ll have to something.

Do you remember what brand and color you used? And did you add the little specks/flecks in the paint? Does it get slippery when water is spilled on it?

That is certainly one of my biggest problems. I have a hard time knowing when to leave stuff alone, and if I look hard enough I can usually find something that can be made better!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

In the first shop I had I mixed 1 gallon of white with 1 gallon of battle ship grey. I was surprised how I could lay under a vehicle without having to use a trouble light. When moving everything back into the shop I dropped a torque converter and fluid went flying. Didn't mar the floor and clean up was nothing more than a simple wipe.
In this shop I decided to go pure white. It allows me to work under vehicles without the use of a trouble light (I do have around 28 4ft lights and 2 Camaros hanging so illumination isn't a problem)lol.
One thing I didn't realize was how much dirt shows up around the edges/corners/off to the side where the broom doesn't reach on quick clean ups. The grey helped hide the filth.
Im unable to remember which brand exactly I used but it wasn't the one with the speckles in it from HomeDepot or Lowes. Not that they don't work but I wanted total overkill.
One thing I did notice right off the bat was when welding you will smell burning floor epoxy. The area I weld wasn't painted for that reason but the edges of where I left off get a spark or two at times. Nothing horrific but that's one of the disadvantages.
Here are some links to similar products. I also did a light etching of the floor to prep it for the epoxy.
Follow the manufacturers directions and you'll have no problems.
http://www.epoxy-coat.com/?gclid=Cjg...hapDBXBpfD_BwE
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/b_floor.html
http://www.behr.com/consumer/product...alers-and-prep
Your truck and garage look great.
Always a good time peeking in.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks for the feedback and links Greg. I'll be looking into options once the wife's landscaping project is completed! I don't do any welding so that part won't be a problem. It's going to be interesting to see is the dirt patterns continue with the new garage doors. Historically I've had tons of dirt and debris all around the edges because the doors leaked so bad the only part that stayed clear was where the cars parked. Now it's almost sealed like a bank vault with the doors down, very quiet like being inside the house and no dirt intrusion. I need to wash the truck to see how long it will stay clean. With the old doors it was covered in dust in about 2-3 days.

I started painting the ceiling two days ago, hoping I could restick the loose paper tapes joints with paint. It turned out they applied the tape with water only, no mud and no paint, so even trying to cover it caused it to disentegrate or fall off. So Ruthann stepped in a stripped it all off and mopped & vacuumed what was left. I retaped 3/4 of it yesterday and if my knees hold up the rest will be done today. I'm really looking forward to having it all done and being able to start enjoying the benefits of the overhaul!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Nice work on the garage, & I dig your new hood ornament. :bowtie:

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Yesterday was a tough day. I finished taping and mudding the ceiling, but my left knee failed completely and it took a 3rd pain pill before I could finally get to sleep at 3:30 this morning. Once back on my feet around noon, it was obvious I wouldn’t be doing anymore ladder work today, so my lovely bride stepped in and painted all the detail stuff like the gas pipe, around the lights, and ceiling brackets while I painted the main ceiling surface with a long handled roller.

We finally hit the milestone of having the ceiling all in one color with all the tape joints in one piece this afternoon! There are at least 4-6 coats of “ceiling paint” on it now, but it’s going to need a final coat of something better to hide all the tape joints. That will have to wait until my knees grow back so it could be a few weeks before any further progress.

In the meantime, here are a few before (before we even bought the house) photos, and some relatively similar shots taken this afternoon. When we purchased the house, there was only one electrical receptacle in the garage. It can be seen at the far left of the snow shovel hanging to the left of the small door. It was also on a main line connected to a GFI in the front bathroom. The GFI was old and tired, and even plugging in a hand drill would pop the GFI and shut down circuits all over the house. It was ridiculous. To resolve the problem the GFI was replaced, and I swapped out a several 110v circuit breakers for half height breakers and ran multiple 110v lines to different rooms (including the garage) along with a 220v circuit for the compressor. There were also two mismatched garage door openers, but only one of them worked.

I’m glad to have this completed far enough to take a break for a while:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/841/tr08z.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/823/5mj9.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/834/bh76o.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/843/5idz8.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/834/rg1av.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/850/29w5.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/855/xg62.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/yfx2.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Amazing transformation.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

X2!!!
Rest up Brother… need those knees to operate da clutch and go pedals...

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

now get some much needed rest mark

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Hood ornament looks great and nice job on the garage. Hope you get to feeling better!!!!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

A few days of rest and my knees returned to working order, resulting in a fun day yesterday. Had family over for a BBQ dinner, then took my squeeze on a road trip date in the evening. We drove over to the Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho (about 35-40 miles) parked on the side road (with about 100 other cars) and watched the fireworks display at 10 pm. It was a nice show, but the best part was just being out and having fun together.

All I have to share is a couple of not very good captures off the dash camera:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/tpqd.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/849/sxdk.jpg

We did record the entire fireworks show on my cell phone. It’s a nice memory, but nothing worth posting.

I also realized it’s time to rework the layout of the dash switches again. It was the second time I’ve run out of gas because it was so dark in the cab I flipped up the fast idle switch instead of the fuel pump. The problem was quickly resolved the two times it’s happened, but it could turn serious in the wrong setting. So I’m going to move the arm/starting switch to the center position of the red safety covers, and the fuel pump switch will move to the 3rd position with an open toggle and a side guard instead of a cover.

It may not look as cool, but it will be a lot easier to select the correct choices in complete darkness.


I relocated the switches this morning, and ordered this guard for the fuel pump toggle switch which is now exposed:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/840/nmxh.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The simple story is I washed my truck this evening. I’ve been washing cars most of my life using the standard practice many people follow using a bucket of car soap, a wash mitt, and a hose.

The last time I washed the truck, I was having real problems with my knees and the simple task of climbing up on a step stool to reach the middle of the roof was a real struggle. So I started looking for a better way and ended up buying an RV mop with an extendable handle. Just an inexpensive Walmart version that looks like this:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/850/eofn.jpg

Coincidentally my wife wanted to install a water feature in the front yard where I normally store the hose for washing the truck. So I offered to try one of those collapsible hoses advertised on TV, along with a quick connect so I could store it in the garage when not being used.

It does everything they claim, but the green version has two drawbacks for washing cars. It is hard as a marble when inflated and is a slip and fall hazard if stepped on. Also the inside of the hose is tiny, creating great blast pressure of a tiny little stream when wide open. Both features aren’t very desirable for car washing by an old guy like me.

So I bought one of the black collapsible hoses to see if it was any different, and it is:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/856/pkxey.jpg

The hose is much larger inside providing a nice flow, and the hose is much softer. Stepping on it under pressure merely squishes the hose so the falling hazard is greatly minimized.

The side benefit of all this is the truck was washed in record time tonight. I normally spend an hour washing, and maybe another hour drying it off and wiping down the door jambs, dash, and interior. Rather than hand wiping every square inch of the truck with the soapy mitt I covered 90% of the truck with the mop in less than 20 minutes. Only the grille, bumpers, and detail areas like the mirrors required hand washing. I was pleasantly surprised how fast it went, and will be using this method from now on.