Jans 53

[NorCalGal]

Thanks guys I have been following both of your builds since they began. I find it keeps me motivated to keep plugging away at mine. So thanks for the inspiration!
Today's plan is to get out in the garage and continue to figure out where to run the wiring in the cab.

[solidaxel]

How many options do you have ?

[NorCalGal]

I should have clarified. I smoothed the fire wall so I'm looking to hide where the wires run through the firewall and hide as much as I can under the hood.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

I should have clarified. I smoothed the fire wall so I'm looking to hide where the wires run through the firewall and hide as much as I can under the hood.

I just installed my fuse panel and have been looking for the right place to drill the hole to pass wires thru as well. I have a couple of big wire harness grommets and I think I’m going to put them on the right and left kick panels right about where the floor turns up into the firewall and right next to the firewall. The wires will come out in the wheel well and I can run them along the wheel side of the inner fender. I welded a row of zip tie clips along the inner fender to secure the wires. So nearly all of my wires will run inside the cab or on the wheel side of the inner fenders until they have to enter the engine compartment to connect. Make sense?

I also welded studs at the very front of the wheel well to mount my PCM (LS Swap) inside the wheel well and get it out of the engine compartment.

[solidaxel]

That is where I run my front harness on the drivers' side wheel well
For the HVAC hosed I do the same and run them in the pass side wheel well
Haven't found a way to hide the spark plug wires yet !!

[NorCalGal]

I'm going to use the drivers side wheel well for my headlight harness also, I'll hang my wires from the bolts that mate the inner and outer fender.
My a/c is hurricane air and the bulk head comes directly thru the original fan motor hole so I'll just go ahead and run them under the hood.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

I'm going to use the drivers side wheel well for my headlight harness also, I'll hang my wires from the bolts that mate the inner and outer fender.
My a/c is hurricane air and the bulk head comes directly thru the original fan motor hole so I'll just go ahead and run them under the hood.

My Vintage Air system is the same as yours. If I had thought about it earlier I would have swapped the fittings so I could route the hoses thru the wheel well as solid axel did. I did manage to route my trans cooler lines thru there so that reduces the clutter a bit.

[ptc]

I used 1/4-20 rod couplings that you can find at HD or Lowes. and then I welded them to the inside firewall so I didnt have any bolt heads on the engine side. Make your plate first to fit all your stuff and then do the mounting holes to the firewall. Just tack them first and remove the plate and then weld em tight!



I put my main fuse box and CDI ignition box on one plate there in the upper drivers corner.

[NorCalGal]

That looks sharp, I welded some elevator bolts to the inside firewall to mount a/c and the firewall to dash support.

[NorCalGal]

Fed Ex delivered my Birthday gift from my hubby today.

[gigamanx]

That's pretty slick! Mine didn't come with a manual so I had to figure out what each wire did and how to connect that to the existing harness. Are you going to use the control panel thing? Seems kind of new for these old trucks compared to hooking it up to the old needle gauge.

[NorCalGal]

No, I will only use the control panel for programming purposes. I like the old school look.The hubby is a loose cannon,lol. I was trying to keep things simple but he reads about all this cool stuff and next thing I know I come home to gear vendors over drive and brushless programmable fans, now he keeps talking about the aftermarket EFI. I can't complain he buys I do the work, WEIRD RIGHT!

[NorCalGal]

Mocked up the radiator with the fan installed, looks like about an inch clearance.

[NorCalGal]

Spent the weekend making running board supports (used Hussey's idea). Still need to blow it apart and do the final welding, but glad to get one more thing done.
Next is to rethink my bed support. I would like to be able to lift the bed wood to have access to fuel tank and battery. Anyone have any slick ideas?
Here's the pictures of today's progress.

[oldman3]

nice job...Jim

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

Spent the weekend making running board supports (used Hussey's idea). Still need to blow it apart and do the final welding, but glad to get one more thing done.
Next is to rethink my bed support. I would like to be able to lift the bed wood to have access to fuel tank and battery. Anyone have any slick ideas?
Here's the pictures of today's progress.

I've been considering a bed for myself also. I left a space in the center you can see below. I'm still deciding what style I'd like, but I'm pretty set now on doing a center split with two fold up sides. That way I can fold it from standing at the rear of the truck and potentially only have to unfold one side at a time. The added benefit is that I can split the bed down one of the seams between wood panels so it will look like the bed doesn't fold at all

Here are some poor sketchup designs of what I've been noodling around in my head...

Bed down flat:


A. Traditional lift of the whole bed towards the cab:


B. Split lift of the traditional towards the cab. Like a concertina:


C. The one I think I want is a split down the center with either side opening towards the wheel wells. Allows me to open just one side at a time and I can open either from the rear of the truck.


My current bed floor has a space in the center I'll use for the lift areas. I have given myself 6" on either side as a space for wheel tubs, if needed, and for somewhere to attach hinges to.


Something like a trunk hinge to help lift them

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Unive...20(Dec26_2017)

[NorCalGal]

I like the idea of your C illustration

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

I like the idea of your C illustration

I'm still mulling it over in my head to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious in the execution of it. e.g. is there space for two trunk hinges with the gas tank and an air tank in the way? How does the center of the bed not bend inward when I throw things in the truck? Where do I put air shocks as helpers to lift each side? When lifting, is the length an issue with it warping? How will I latch it closed so the sides don't fly open?

I think all those issues can be figured out in the ole noodle.

[ptc]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

I'm still mulling it over in my head to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious in the execution of it. e.g. is there space for two trunk hinges with the gas tank and an air tank in the way? How does the center of the bed not bend inward when I throw things in the truck? Where do I put air shocks as helpers to lift each side? When lifting, is the length an issue with it warping? How will I latch it closed so the sides don't fly open?

I think all those issues can be figured out in the ole noodle.

Draw it on paper --- then build it in cardboard first....

[joedoh]

mock up is the most important. I know a lot of guys who built tilting bed floors "for access" and with the floor tilted couldnt access anything. mock up a sheet of plywood in the position you will have the floor tilt to and see how much room you have for access. even the center split, will you be able to get to anything at the front of the bed? how often will you need to even get under there?

I had my airride and fuel tank under the bed of my 65. I was going to tilt the bed floor till I realized that there was no way to change a tire with a flat. so we tilted the whole bed. I never got to motorize it but it worked perfectly, access to all the airride, fuel system, and able to change tires.

IMG_8305 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8304 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

[NorCalGal]

hadn't thought about the tire changing problem. Thanks for the input. Fortunately I have plenty of time to mull some ideas over.

[JSavoie]

Like having the spare on the exterior side of the bed. One on each side would balance the look though only one on the driver side looks good too.

Simple idea from a simple mind (mine).

[NorCalGal]

So after tacking the running board bracket together I found it was kind of a pain to reach under the truck with it sitting on the ground. I decided to separate the running board bracket from the mounts coming off of the frame, now I can remove the runnng board with 3 bolts and just slide off. In the pictures I haven't drilled a tapped the upper forked end yet but you get the idea.

[joedoh]

hey thats a neat idea, nice thinking

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by joedoh

mock up is the most important. I know a lot of guys who built tilting bed floors "for access" and with the floor tilted couldnt access anything. mock up a sheet of plywood in the position you will have the floor tilt to and see how much room you have for access. even the center split, will you be able to get to anything at the front of the bed? how often will you need to even get under there?

I had my airride and fuel tank under the bed of my 65. I was going to tilt the bed floor till I realized that there was no way to change a tire with a flat. so we tilted the whole bed. I never got to motorize it but it worked perfectly, access to all the airride, fuel system, and able to change tires.

IMG_8305 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_8304 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I've pondered the same thing with airride suspension. When I'm stuck on the side of a road, how the heck will I get a jack under that thing or a tow truck for that matter. I'm half tempted to permanently weld some sort of jack to the truck as an emergency tool. My RV had hydraulic leveling jacks I used to use to change a tire. It was great. Press a button and pop the wheel off