The Super Duper Haggis Hauler

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by CraigRK

Brave man Bill!!! Keep it up!!

Says a man with this thread.........

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thre...auty-awakening

And this photo followed by some very interesting ones.

[MacQuigley]

Your not kidding Rian!

Craig, that makes mine look like its minted! I'll keep an eye on your progress.

[MacQuigley]

Gents,

Before I start welding the new Captainfab brackets onto the replacement 12 bolt does anyone see anything wrong in the way Ive set up the old axle to get the angle on the diff?

Old:-



Angle set on the top of two of the diff cover bolts:



Everything replicated and the diff central as per the old 12 bolt:



Nothing welded up yet so plenty time to alter things, but everything looks to be correct.

(And thanks again to John (Captainfab) for the link he sent me earlier which helped with this)

[MacQuigley]

So this weekends update.

Took most of the old floor/rocker/pillar bottoms away. Door pillars are really rotten as is the front cab mount (but I knew that). The rear cab mount is solid.







Also took the 78 front clip back off and started to shot blast the crossmember. Unfortunately rain stopped play, so I'll finish this later in the week.



And I got a couple of coats of sealer on the rear axle. Im not going to paint it any further as I need to weld on the panhard arm mount when it arrives.

[MacQuigley]

Well I finally got round to starting to build some cover over my drive so I can work on the chassis in the rain and stay dry. Why? Well I finally ordered my new suspension and brakes today. cost a bl**dy fortune and the sh*t exchange rate added another $400 to the cost but thats it ordered. Hopefully have it all next week but as long as I have it by the 1st of August as Im on holiday then for 2 weeks and I hope to get most of it fitted. Fitting it should be easy, its getting the chassis prepared and painted that will be the time consuming bit.

[MacQuigley]

Talking of getting the chassis prepared. Anyone know if these slots shol dbe in the X member?

[ibrown50]

Bill I don't know about the slots in your chassis but I have to agree about the exchange rate, bl**dy h**l it hasn't half whacked up the price of stuff from the US, I blame that Brexit lot !!
What brakes and suspension have you ordered ?

[forestb]

Are they for the emergency brake?

[MacQuigley]

Yes, I believe they are for t he parking/emergency brake (Thanks for checking Pete). Unfortunately a previous owner had removed the entire emergency brake system so I have no idea whats missing. Pete is going to get me some pictures so I can start a hunt!

Your absolutely right Ian, Bl**dy Brexit! Thats why I voted to remain in the UK 2 years ago and in Europe last month. However democracy has spoken. Not thats its stopping me!

So what did I get, well:

Wilwood front and rear disc brakes, slotted, drilled, venter rotors
Brake booster with master cylinder and proportioning valve
Upper and lower tunular control arms
2.5" drop spindles (with the front brakes)
Standard springs for the front
3" drop springs for the rear
Shockers all round
Tubular trailing arms
New track rod ends etc
Engine mounts
Parking brake kit for the rear discs
and a few other wee bits and bob's.

All from POL

Something I do need to source yet is brake pipe fittings. POL are trying to get me some but I dont think there are having any joy. I'll need male and female so I can make up my brake lines.

Anyway, got a little more done tonight on the shelter Im building over the drive.



Now Ive got all the angles and lengths worked out I should be able to finish it on Saturday morning - if the rain stays away. If only I had my shelter finished.................

[MacQuigley]

Saturday largely consisted of me finishing the frame over part of my drive, big enough to get the chassis in so I can start cleaning and painting it without fear of it getting wet.

Ended up with this.



On Sunday I remembered I had a couple of old military ground sheets and one turned out to be exactly the right size.



Eventually I plan a more permanent roof and covering but this will do for now.

The only down side is that the way the water runs off my garage roof means the drive gets wet underfoot no matter what I have above me, so some re thinking of the way the gutters work is in order.

Anyway, eventually I got back to the truck and got the axles primed after cleaning the front one.




I want to try and get these painted up so they don’t have to come back off the chassis once I get it ready.

[MacQuigley]

Finally I catch a break!

I was flipping through some websites early this morning trying to find casting numbers for TH350's and during that I brought up some pictures of both TH350's and TH400's.

Id believed what the guy I bought the truck had told me about my transmission being a TH350. Turns out its not, its a TH400!

Finally some good news. The 400 should be better able to take the 454 Im dropping in.

Still never found the casting numbers though.........

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Finally I catch a break!

I was flipping through some websites early this morning trying to find casting numbers for TH350's and during that I brought up some pictures of both TH350's and TH400's.

Id believed what the guy I bought the truck had told me about my transmission being a TH350. Turns out its not, its a TH400!

Finally some good news. The 400 should be better able to take the 454 Im dropping in.

Still never found the casting numbers though.........

Great news indeed.

You really deserve a break.

[MacQuigley]

It makes a change mate!

Bet it doesn't work though!

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

MacQuigley, pretty easy to ID TH350 & TH400 by the shape of the pan. have a look at the chart below to confirm.

[MacQuigley]

Thanks for the chart. That was something I found our earlier today plus the 400's case is very different.

Im happy I have a 400. I just didn't dispute the seller when he told me it was a 350. For a change its a pleasant surprise that something is better than expected.

[mjh1965]

Here's the details you requested.





Hope that helps Bill

[MacQuigley]

Cheers Martin. I know that pic is on your thread but I couldnt find it!

[MacQuigley]

Definitely a TH400





Really glad all Ive ordered for the TH350 (I thought I had) were mounts and they will fit the TH400.

So a little more progress last night.

The rear axle is now in base coat (the diff cover will end up black)



And the rest of the rotten floor cut out to match the patch panel. Hopefully I’ll start welding that in tonight.

[MacQuigley]

Not got much done this week due to a problem with the front brakes on my wee Morris Minor, but thats sorted so hopefully I'll get a full weekend at the truck (I do have to bleed the brakes on the Land Rover as it has an MOT next week).

Anyway, I got the rear axle fully painted last night and tonight I got the primer on the underside of the front.

Also got the floor patch panel tacked in place



as well as the rear door pillar bottom



Tell you what its a bloody awful fit!

[MacQuigley]

After spending some time working on the Morris, I made some good progress on the truck today.

Thats the floor patch panel, rear door pillar repair, front door pillar repair, inner lower cowel and the front cab mount all fitted and tacked into place



Hopefully the outter rocker will finally be welded into place soon but looks like I will have to cut it up to make it fit just like the other side



Also got the front axle painted and cleared.

[CraigRK]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

After spending some time working on the Morris, I made some good progress on the truck today.

Thats the floor patch panel, rear door pillar repair, front door pillar repair, inner lower cowel and the front cab mount all fitted and tacked into place

Nice progress, keep it up!

[MacQuigley]

Unfortunately most of Sunday morning was lost trying to get the Morris Minor to start. For some reason its now not wanting to start and Im getting no spark, then suddenly it fires up.

Then I wanted (though thankfully didn’t need to) bleed the brakes on the Land Rover only to find the bleed nipples seized. As I didn’t need to do this desperately Ive just left it and will sort it when Im off for a couple of weeks first 2 weeks in August.

So after all that was out the way it was back to the truck. Im not sure what was worse, doing the first door not knowing what was ahead of me or trying to start the second knowing exactly what was ahead of me. So far the second door has been easier, lets hope that continues.

This is what I started with:









With the first cut made



It opened up like a bean can



After some sand blasting


Then off with the bottom



Swiftly replaced with a nice new (but ill fitting) replacement panel



So tonight I may make an effort and use the old bottom to fill this hole



I will have to repair this deep dent in the frame round the window.



I could just fill it as its not interfering with the window going up and down but the edge of the frame is bowed slightly in and you would see the damage after filling. Maybe I need to buy a slide hammer and weld some studs in the dent. That said I doubt Id be able to pull out the dent in the frame edge, so Id still be able to see it. Hmmm! Not something I have to decide upon

[MacQuigley]

Something that I only noticed yesterday was that the window runner in the below photo of my passenger door is missing from the drivers door for some reason.



The fact that its missing doesn't seem to effect the windows operation though it does rattle about (I thought because all the seals were missing). Out of interest does anyone have a spare they dont need?

[MacQuigley]

Had an early night last night as I had a very early start this morning so I didnt get much done (and only just home so nothing done tonight), however some progress last night.







Whats worrying me is that it came apart and is going back together far, far too easily. Something has t o go wrong!

[ibrown50]

Looking good Bill great progress

It appears non of the new panels fit too well but you're doing great with them anyway, keep at it