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Scoti- The texture looks great around the gauges. Very good idea. On the bezel, have you considered painting the ribbed area a contrasting color, then overlaying with satin black and lightly sanding? Like ribbed valve covers that are painted between the ribs.

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Nice work SCOTI, keep at it.

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I got a little more done today.... I had to get the truck moved from my buddies shop as he was running out of room. I picked it up this morning & it's now back in storage waiting.

After that, I got up to the shop & finished the vent window frame repairs. It went fairly easy considering the curve I had to make but they turned out decent. Here's where I started disassembly, cutting out the rot, & a shot of the new side . . ....

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Once it cooled, I cleaned up the edges, traced my 'cut line' so that new transitioned to old seamlessly, & did final clean-up w/a DA.

A little 'pookie', primer, & satin black; you'll never know there was a problem . . ....

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nice work!!! Looks like new!

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That looks very nice. Probably nicer than the ones I was looking for...Sorry I could not help out with a spare set sooner for you.

Once those are painted and back together with new seals, no one will ever know they were so bad...

Great work!

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I was intending to send you a PM regarding this tonight. Thanks for the offer regardless!

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Awesome work SCOTI; love the cluster and some real nice work on the wing windows.

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I'm up to date now. It's hard to keep up with everyones build. Nice work on everything. The vent window looks great. :metal:

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I'm thinking of changing hobbies..... Anyone have experience basket-weaving?

I still have a rear window gasket that's pinched in the interior corners.... I'm now going to try a different rear gasket from yet another source (3rd attempt). This newest one appears to have 'molded' corners w/the bbw length vs. a 157" straight piece of molding/gasket.

I tried mocking-up the brake lines.... I'm using a collage of year model parts (pre-bent lines) & that doesn't always go as planned. I ordered front lines for a 73-80; front to rear line for a 67-70; & rear housing lines for a 67-70. The first issue I found was there was no 'front' half of the rear line. Apparently 67-70's are considered 2pc thus you need the front & rear while 73-80's are different. Since I ordered the 73-80 front stuff, I'm missing that 'front' portion of line that exits the prop-valve & 90's toward the rear (for the rear brakes).

The pre-bent kit will work as I've mocked them up previously on the PB-DM v1 in my 68 (that's version 1 for those out of the DM loop ;) ). But, the front 'kit' now has to work w/my R&P c-notch reinforcement plates (this is different vs. my other frame/mock-up). I did some preliminary install & needed the control arms, spindle, & caliper in position to ensure everything will co-exist. I grabbed the a-arms only to realize this Dropmember is the revised 'v3' & doesn't use the lower a-arm shafts. Since these arms were originally on my 68 which had the DM v1, the shafts are installed (w/brand new bushings). So.... just to test the fit of everything, I had to knock out a new bushing to remove the shaft (destroying the bushing of course). Now I have to go get another bushing to pop in just to test fit.

I ordered a front to rear fuel line for a blazer. I figured the length difference between the swb truck vs. a blazer could be made up w/a slightly longer rubber line from the tank to frame union. The line they sent is approx the length from the fuel pump area to the back of the cab. No freakin' way it's long enough for a blazer. Now I'll need to splice in some line to fill the gap.

See how well it works for me? 'Scot-Luck'....

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I don't know about the Blazers, but on my '66 Suburban, the steel fuel line from the fuel pump back appears to be the same as a pickup. Then there is another line that goes from under the 'cab' back to the tank. The two are connected under the 'cab' with a short piece of hose in a U shape. Maybe the Blazers are the same?

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The kit did include another short section of hard line but the 'bends' are waaaaaaay off from what the frames shape is plus the ends of the line had threaded fittings (not sure why).

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Threaded fittings on a fuel line? Strange.....

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Here's a few pics of what the 'kit' consists of. I laid the long piece out on another swb frame to get an idea of length vs. placement on the frame:

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Those look like "truck fuel lines",... with the short piece being the line that extends thru the cab floor from the in cab tank.

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That's what I was thinking as well but all of my OE 67-68 fuel lines & tanks have been scrapped so I didn't have anything to compare it to.

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Look'n good

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It looks like what I just took out of my 70 stepside.

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Look like truck lines to me too.

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Guess I'll make a phone call then 'cause that's not what I paid for (next to last line)....

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I called & spoke w/someone today about the fuel lines. He asked me to e-mail him my pics so he could get an idea on the length of the lines. Hopefully there will be some quick follow-up....

Tonight, I just about finished up the front rubber/flex brake line routing. I still have a couple of quick items to cut/clean. Then, I need to figure out how I'm going to attach the lines to the upper ART a-arms to keep them out of harms way....

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I will be watching for this. I need to do the same on mine. The black zip ties are working, but it doesn't look very high tech.

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If the zip ties are working, maybe some adel clamps will work to secure them to the frame?

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It's securing them to the arms that's problematic.

They make nice clean 'clamps' for attaching brake lines to tubing (roll cages/frames) but they're only available in .250". The rubber flex lines are .375" & I'm not sure there's enough material to simply drill them out....

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They make rubber insulated ones. I am not sure, but it seems like there may be different sizes too.

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I have something on the way to try. Regardless, I'll post up what I eventually use.


No zip ties for me.....

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I looked at them again last night when I installed the e3 ride height sensor in the front. I don't see a lot of options. I do not want to drill holes, and a clamp around the arm would be huge. I am waiting to see what you have come up with.

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There are already holes drilled in the arms for the brake lines to attach to. Another hole or two (especially with a screw in it) shouldn't hurt anything.

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I think Scot and Ken both have tubular a-arms from RideTech.

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Correct. We have aftermarket tubular ART arms.

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Scot this is what I have come up with. I don't like drilling holes in the arms, but I see no choice. I think a small hole in the side of the upper ball joint pocket might be safe. I don't have a "Made for You" line clamp large enough, so I may order some of those instead of this style.

Sorry about the thread-jack. I'll move these to my post later if you prefer.

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How about bending something in the shape of an "S" to go over the arm, and have the lower part hold the hose?

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would something like this with the tab work for you guys? possibly bolt the clamp to the arm, and use the tab to secure the brake line clamp too...

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/...mp-p-1727.html

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Ken, I considered the plated BJ area but it seemed to be too far toward the end of the a-arm to be optimal. I don't mind the discussion topic or your pics....

Jon, I have considered various options on your suggestion. I was actually going to just weld a tab to the a-arm & use a line clamp screwed to the tab. The issue was I wanted to be able to shift the line to the optimal position so there's no binding during steering as well as suspension travel. Still considering options though....

Heath, I did look into these but deemed them 'too bulky' for this application. I even considered buying one & cutting it in half to yield 2 smaller clamps. I did choose a similar option & should know by this weekend if it will work. Of course, I'll post pics as soon as it happens (or it didn't happen right?) :lol: .

I did finish up my hard brake lines @ the front end of the frame. I need to get some hardware today to permanently mount everything & then I'll get some pics. Still waiting on the 'tech' guy to look @ my fuel line pics & decide if they sent me the wrong lines or if I don't know what I'm talking about....

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sounds like you got it covered...

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Scot- My problem area is the castle nut on the upper ball joint. The line want to pull against it when turned sharp. I bent the hard line that is attached to the caliper, but the soft line still gets very close.

I talked with Tony at Ride Tech about drilling holes in that area. He said it would not be a concern. In fact he assured me that the upper control arm has almost no load on it, and we would be safe to drill and tap the control arm tubes.I appreciate his knowledge, but I just can't bring myself to do that, so I am going to drill the ball joint cup.

Considering your needs, the www.made4uproducts.com Screwless Chazis Clamp would be ideal.

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those clamps look nice , i think earls have simulair ones , you might even be able to make youre own if you have some of that aluminium left you used to make the spacers with .
it might allso pay of to scrounge around at a pick and pull , maibe one for big rigs or farm equipment , hydraulic lines on those vehicles are about the same size .

just a little bit of comment on the gaugecluster , not sure of the lexan front is strong enough to hold the cauges without cracking over time , wat might work is making a support in the rear so the gauges are held in the rear as whell so the full weight doest hang ontoo the lexan ..... not sure if that makes sence to you the way i tell it but as deep as the gauges are mounted they want to pull the top of the lexan in and push the bottom out and i suspect that on a bumpy road the load will be a little to much for the plastic and it will crack

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Yes, the OE gauge 'face' (lexan?) is definitely not ideal for rigidity. If the panel is disassembled (but the gauges still installed in the panel), it is very flimsy. Assembled.... not too bad, but not ideal.

I have a couple of potential solutions. Option #1: make the front panel from a sheet of ~.250" aluminum. If I can get my buddies to get involved, I would really like to recess the gauges slightly @ the same time so they're not flush mounted. Con's = cost (materials plus buddies 'time'). Option #2: use the existing face & panel bond a thin sheet of steel/alum behind it to stiffen things up (I could then even open up the current holes allowing the counter-sink option I've considered w/the alum version). Pros: a) already have the panel bond adhesive avail; b) GF's family owns a precision sheetmetal co so I can get the steel for cheap; c) budget & easy.

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Those are for 1 5/8" tubing. The ART arms are 1.25"....

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do they by any chance have a waterjetcutter , that would make the choice verry eazy