Lurker OrrieG Progress Pics

[OrrieG]

Here they are ready to paint, primed and trial install. I angled them to point between the jamb and seat. They get fabric so "body work" is not perfect.

[apache200]

the speaker pods turned out great

[Kim57]

Nice speaker pods.
Kim

[trucktony]

Looks nice

I noticed your passengerdoor mirror install.
Did mine last winter

saw there was a reinforcement bracket in a door I had laying around the shop.
So, I made one from a piece of sheet metal.
But thought those guy's at chevrolet know what they are doing.
Maybe I will get cracks in my fresh paintjob if there is starting some metalfatique
from the mirror/arm weight vibration on my hot cam.
So I got out the old bracket and reproduced one for some better stiffness.
just my 2 cents
keep up the good work
the truck is getting better and better

[Denee007]

I love those speaker pods Orrie! As for the passenger side mirror, I haven't gotten around to that yet. I didn't look when I installed the door panel, but is there a bracket of some kind there for the mirror? As much as I want the mirror, I'm driving around ok without it, but would like to install it some day.
dne'

[_Ogre]

cab corner speakers look good orrieg
what other components in your sound system?
wrapping in cloth or vinyl is easier than paint for sure

[OrrieG]

Denee, my door came with the extra metal in the passenger mirror attachment area, I would have to go out an look to see if it has the right angle braces like in the previous post from trucktony.

Orge, right now all I have is the two kenwood 6x9, two 5" dia for the kick panels and some wire. I provided for radio and amp power during wiring for install of a head unit and/or amp under the seat. I am leaning towards an amp with MP3 or jump drive inputs. I have an extensive CD library (and cassettes for that matter) but those seem to be going out of style. All easy to access for later install.

[fabguy]

Build is looking REALLY good OrrieG
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[mvitale27]

This build is very inspiring, especially because I just purchased a 56 3600 (3/4 ton short stepside bed). I will also be converting to 4x4 in a very similar way to how you did, along with A/C and power steering/brakes conversion. I am currently waiting for my SBC to come back from the machine shop ready for my stroker kit. Planning on a NV4500 with 205 transfer case and 3.73 gears. Its been tough to find a K series truck for the axles I need however.

[6BT 56]

Originally Posted by mvitale27

This build is very inspiring, especially because I just purchased a 56 3600 (3/4 ton short stepside bed). I will also be converting to 4x4 in a very similar way to how you did, along with A/C and power steering/brakes conversion. I am currently waiting for my SBC to come back from the machine shop ready for my stroker kit. Planning on a NV4500 with 205 transfer case and 3.73 gears. Its been tough to find a K series truck for the axles I need however.

This build is one of the best on this site for sumone who is building our vintage of truck and going 4X4 with it . I have gone thru this thread a milion times during my build .

Keep up the great work Orrie . Truck is looking super .

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by mvitale27

This build is very inspiring, especially because I just purchased a 56 3600 (3/4 ton short stepside bed). I will also be converting to 4x4 in a very similar way to how you did, along with A/C and power steering/brakes conversion. I am currently waiting for my SBC to come back from the machine shop ready for my stroker kit. Planning on a NV4500 with 205 transfer case and 3.73 gears. Its been tough to find a K series truck for the axles I need however.

Thanks for the kind comments. Take a look at some of the new ways the steering box can be mounted in or near the stock location. It will eliminate interference between the drivers tire and draglink when mounted in front of the axle. I am going to finish mine up and drive it, if it gets to be an aggrevation then easy to change.

[mvitale27]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Thanks for the kind comments. Take a look at some of the new ways the steering box can be mounted in or near the stock location. It will eliminate interference between the drivers tire and draglink when mounted in front of the axle. I am going to finish mine up and drive it, if it gets to be an aggrevation then easy to change.

Do you have a link to the info of the new ways to mount the steering box? I havent been able to find any.

[6BT 56]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Thanks for the kind comments. Take a look at some of the new ways the steering box can be mounted in or near the stock location. It will eliminate interference between the drivers tire and draglink when mounted in front of the axle. I am going to finish mine up and drive it, if it gets to be an aggrevation then easy to change.

I did mine exactly like you did yours Orrie . Works well. Yes the tire rubs on the pitman arm when you crank it but it is what it is . I think i may take the pitman arm to a good welder this winter when I change out the steering box and have them shorten it by a inch or so . Its funny how the steerig shaft fits exactly thru the stamping on the inner fender once you cut it out . I have always messed with GM cars and trucks and the things that will swap out thru the years are mind blowing .

[OrrieG]

Finally got some ac vents I like, came from a 09 Mustang. Chrome and silver without looking cheesey. This allowed me to finish the kick panels. Faux leather matchs the seats and column cover. Working the material over compound and reverse curves was fun, wifes hair dryer helped a little. Courtesy lights are mid 60's Olds Starfire. Speakers are for mock up, do not know if I will keep them black or maybe darker shade of grey? Need to get the rest of the interior buttoned up. Also fabbed my ac adjustment bracket, old end I had welded to 3/16 x 1 inch flat stock. Little more sanding and shot of paint and that is done too.

[Denee007]

Awesome Orrie, you're so creative! When driving back from the Nifty50ees at night, my interior cab is really dark, except for the illuminated instrument lights (which don't offer much light) and my 7" screen dvd/radio. I'd like those lights like you have and perhaps on a rheostat could offer a dim light on the floor? What kind of lighting could give a nice glow on the floor/ or leg area?

[Kim57]

Those are some nice kick panels.
Kim

[_Ogre]

nice work on the kicks orrieg. now you need to make a mold and sell them

[OrrieG]

Denee, I will shoot some dark photos when I get everything wired up. I am going to do a rough mock up w/o a reostat and see how it looks, would be easy enough to wire one in the circuit. The lamps are only 7w so not to bright to start with. I decided to go ahead in install the battery to test what wiring I have finaled (everything except front and back lights).

Orge and Kim, thanks for the comments.

[dubie]

Great job Orrie, that is going to add a lot of class to your interior. I think the under lighting will actually look better in the cab than the stock dome light does.

[Rods57]

Orrie, love the kick panel AC vents that's really a good idea.

[mvitale27]

Orrie, I have been looking at your thread for ideas on motor/trans mounting for my own project. Could you take a photo of your front motor mounts?

Also, I am a little confused on how you adapted your trans/transfer case to the stock frame/mounts. Can you elaborate on this? Thanks!

[sgtusmc]

Man, those kick panels look good. Vents & light look great there.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by mvitale27

Orrie, I have been looking at your thread for ideas on motor/trans mounting for my own project. Could you take a photo of your front motor mounts?

Also, I am a little confused on how you adapted your trans/transfer case to the stock frame/mounts. Can you elaborate on this? Thanks!

Here are three photos that tell the story. I did not want to mess with the front drive line so I installed the engine, trans and transfer with the driveline to locate the engine. It had enough clearance from the engine to firewall, tranny pan to original bellhousing crossmember, etc. I then fabbed some 1/2" plate and just fiddled with it to get the angle and location right. The large bolt uses a stock front crossmember hole, I think I had to drill the smaller one. The mounts are stock available from a number of aftermarket places. Nothing is mounted to the second crossmember. I wanted to keep it so the frame would not widen under off road conditions. I used the stock 74 transfer/tranny mount and welded it to flat stock to meet the sides of the frame. Once I had the engine level I drilled the holes and bolted it to the frame with G8 bolts. To limit engine rotation that kills autotrans cases under hard use I use a cable bolted to the frame and a bracket at the driver side side motor mount bosses. To keep the stock second crossmember in place you need to fab a two piece converter cover, you cannot get a one piece one up and into place. I ran that set up for 15 years and about 80-90K miles before I took it apart of this build. I did not have the bracket to the side of the transfer and am going to remove it, apparantly GM only used it for a coupld of years then found it restrained the trans to much and caused cracking problems.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

Man, those kick panels look good. Vents & light look great there.

Thanks, pretty sure I got the vent type from your thread.

[mvitale27]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Here are three photos that tell the story. I did not want to mess with the front drive line so I installed the engine, trans and transfer with the driveline to locate the engine. It had enough clearance from the engine to firewall, tranny pan to original bellhousing crossmember, etc. I then fabbed some 1/2" plate and just fiddled with it to get the angle and location right. The large bolt uses a stock front crossmember hole, I think I had to drill the smaller one. The mounts are stock available from a number of aftermarket places. Nothing is mounted to the second crossmember. I wanted to keep it so the frame would not widen under off road conditions. I used the stock 74 transfer/tranny mount and welded it to flat stock to meet the sides of the frame. Once I had the engine level I drilled the holes and bolted it to the frame with G8 bolts. To limit engine rotation that kills autotrans cases under hard use I use a cable bolted to the frame and a bracket at the driver side side motor mount bosses. To keep the stock second crossmember in place you need to fab a two piece converter cover, you cannot get a one piece one up and into place. I ran that set up for 15 years and about 80-90K miles before I took it apart of this build. I did not have the bracket to the side of the transfer and am going to remove it, apparantly GM only used it for a coupld of years then found it restrained the trans to much and caused cracking problems.

Thanks man! That was just what I was looking for.