66 4x4 my sons new project

[vectorit]

Nice!

Just please don't start telling all of us that you are gonna bend and weld a bunch of steel tubing on the bed just to mount it and your spare tire

Joking aside, I am interested in how you plan to pack this piece of equipment.

[argonaut]

Hah! You read my mind!
Not sure about location yet . Maybe I'll stick it on the roof along with some KC lights?

[argonaut]

I have been weighing a few different options for mounting the spare tire, hi-lift jack and perhaps a Jerry can or two.

1. Off the front hitch or bumper. But it might impede air flow to the radiator too much.
2. Off the rear hitch or bumper. Would always be in the way of the tailgate. Could be a swing out design but then it wouldn't really allow driving with the tailgate down
3. Roof rack mount. More drag means even worse fuel mileage
4. In the bed. This was the prevailing option for mounting the spare tire. The tire is too big to fit on a stock in-bed spare mount, so I was planning to build a stand that mounts to the bed floor and holds the tire vertically right behind the driver, to simulate the same location as the factory mount. I don't want to lose use of the majority of the bed like those pre runner desert trucks.

Maybe the roof is the best way to go after all. Unused space and I'm already too high to be using parking structures

[argonaut]

And then on Tuesday my crappy mini starter decided to lock up, pulled way too much current and started melting my battery posts.... more fun times.

[argonaut]

It's been a while since I posted any progress. I pulled the mini starter and put in a big boy Chevy unit. Mostly I've been just driving it and using it. I recurve the distributor with a different vacuum advance and a different spring set from Crane and set my base timing. Trying to tune for best combo of power and mileage. I'm squeezing out a solid 10mpg on the highway.

I also had some mean exhaust leaks at the manifold flanges but I'm using a different gasket setup which has solved that problem. Then last week on my way back from a buddy's house I noticed a dreaded ticking sound coming from the front left. Pulled the locking hubs when I got home and sure enough the pvc sleeve that I epoxied in to repair the plastic selector switch had failed. I need to tear into it and fix again but this time with some pvc contact cement or something with more bite and more chemical resistance. In the meantime swapped on some old school drive flanges I had randomly picked up a while back. Surprisingly they haven't affected the mileage much at all.

Other than that I'm getting antsy to install one of my nv4500s. I have a 1994 unit with the lower first gear and higher overdrive and also a 1995 unit with the later gearing. Not sure which to use. I've heard the later gearing has a more street driving friendly gear spacing. Either way they need to be freshened up. Anaheim gear quoted me $550 for a basic rebuild including bearings, seals and synchros, plus a other $225 for a new main shift since splines are worn on mine. I'm strapped for time otherwise I might do it myself. Wonder if this price is reasonable?

[duallyjams]

Does the rebuild include the super pricy specific trans fluid.

[argonaut]

LOL, I wish! Deciding between Amsoil and Redline.

['63GENIII]

I'd rock and the Amsoil. Its worked great in mine so far. Lots of towing the boat and enclosed Mc trailer. Knowing your skill level Jason, I'd do the rebuild yourself. The 4500's aren't that hard. Heck, if I can do one, you could surely do yours!

[RANDY COX]

Jason any updates..

[williamdale]

Hello Jason I hope that you are still working on Big Ugly I have enjoyed reading all of your post and sure would like to see some more pictures of your truck it sure is looking good and hope you are still working on it.

[argonaut]

Hey guys, no major updates lately. I have just been driving it all over the place when I can. I've put about 5,000 miles on it since it made its maiden voyage to the Brother's Truck show this time last year. I have parts to do several projects to it but I haven't had much time to do anything. I did stick a small 160Watt amplifier in the glove box and hooked up a couple 6.5" component speakers. No radio, I just plug it into my phone. Sound isn't that great but at least I can here something along with the roar of the road and engine and transmission and exhaust!

Still to do are:
Fabricate the in bed spare tire carrier
Rebuild the NV4500 and install it.
Figure out some softer front springs, or maybe 52" leafs up front.
Fix some rust floorboards
Paint and swap on the straight doors and fenders
Fabricate some small splash guards to protect the area where the lower fender meets the firewall and floorboard
Wire up the backup light switch
Rebuild the carburetor
Fix the slight rear main seal leak (if it's even possible!)
Install the door switches for the interior lights
Install my big back window interior panel
Swap out the hickey style skid plate for the factory 73+ style with the secondary crossmember behind the transfer case
Swap to a double Cardon rear driveshaft and tilt up the rear axle with new spring perches.
And the lost goes on and on...forever

[argonaut]

Oh, and I need to buy a replacement 120V MIG welder. I have been using my buddy's for the past 2 years but now he is moving to Vancouver, WA and taking it with him.

[chevy_man5]

Are you making a factory looking spare tie holder? If so, I can send you some pics and measurements of the one in my son's truck if that would help.

Still haven't gotten the slider installed, but he has been working odd jobs and saving some money up, so updates are on the horizon!

[argonaut]

I have a factory in-bed spare tire mount bracket. But with 35" tires the mounting slot is way too low. Basically the circumference is so big that the tire hits the front panel and the top of the wheel well but doesnt touch the bed wood! So I will build a tubular stand that mounts the the two bed rails just in front of the driver's side wheel well and extends up with an arm and a mount flange to hold the tire right about where the factory one would hold it.

I figure putting it directly behind the driver will avoid blocking most of my view from the driver's seat. I considered a swing away arm behind the tailgate, or a front hitch mount but these options would obstruct my normal field of view. I already crushed one civic that was behind me in the in-n-out parking lot because i couldn't see it back there. Roof mount was the other option.

Glad he is psyched on the slider! It had been sitting in storage for about 15 years since I pulled it off of my own pickup back in high school.

[chevy_man5]

His is in the drivers back corner of his bed. Not as bad of a place as some, but I think you plan is even better yet.

[61K10]

Jason, you better get to work as i am catching you---how far is your mom from Beaumont? my daughter's bo is part owner of Frijoles restaurant.

Kimble

[argonaut]

I know! Unfortunately all of these projects are kind of on the back burner because I'm working on getting my Mom's 64 back on the road, trying to keep the gf happy, and trying to study for the Civil PE exam. No rest for the wicked.
And it didn't help that I looked and saw that a new MIG welder is going to set me back around $800

[argonaut]

My Mom is in Yucaipa, where I grew up, maybe 10 or 15 minutes down the highway from Beaumont. Never been to that restaurant though.

[MTCK]

Civil should be no problem for you Jason. Just answer all C's - worked for me.

[duallyjams]

Where's the thread for moms truck ?

[argonaut]

Eh, I dont have one for hers. There are some old threads on here about it from back when i used to drive it.

Not much new with the Big Ugly. Took the Flowmasters off and put some Dynomax super turbos on it to quiet ot down a bit and it helped.

[duallyjams]

Originally Posted by argonaut

Eh, I dont have one for hers. There are some old threads on here about it from back when i used to drive it.

Not much new with the Big Ugly. Took the Flowmasters off and put some Dynomax super turbos on it to quiet ot down a bit and it helped.

put gas in it and drive

[argonaut]

Originally Posted by vectorit

Nice!

Just please don't start telling all of us that you are gonna bend and weld a bunch of steel tubing on the bed just to mount it and your spare tire

Joking aside, I am interested in how you plan to pack this piece of equipment.

I started working on my next project: the mounting of the spare tire.



I picked up a roof basket with gutter mounts and four lights from a local guy. The plan is to cut it down to 5' wide by 3' long and mount it on top of the cab.



Once I get the rack on I'll pull the jack off the bumper and mount it and other recovery equipment up there too.

[argonaut]

I also pulled this setup from a 95 454 at the junk yard a couple weeks ago, with accessories, water pump and all for about $100. I'm debating whether or not I should pull the stock v-belt pulley setup off in favor of this serpentine setup. I've been wanting the serpentine for a while but it wasn't until I got home with it that I realized that it uses a long water pump. That will force me to try and push the radiator forward 1/2" or so and even then the fan clutch will sit extremely close to it.

[vectorit]

That's cool Jason!
Just be aware of everything when approaching garages.