49' Patina bagged in PA

[lower50's]

Every thing is lookin good!!
Wiring takes a long time to do properly, anyone can twist some wires together and a bit of black tape.

[99 to Life]

3-7 sat. thank you gentleman. So today is one of those days where not much to show pic wise and or progress wise. I don't have alot of pics bc my phone is always full. So anyway, my bed was missing the DS stake pocket and the PS you can see it's mangled on the bottom. So I can't even mount my hinges for the tailgate. (which I have since done on the DS since I got the new pocket on). This is the story of my life with this build. Just so many things that normally wouldn't need addressed. So rather than shell out $75 for one I got it done and on. I actually just bolted it on. I really don't like that these were welded on. its a haven for rust.

I started working on my door panels that I'll be upholstering. I'll get some pics when I get them done. Also got a few things done on my tach conversion. Maybe I'll have a pic tomorrow. My garage leaks really bad with all this snow on the roof (flat roof). Can't wait for spring so I won't be soaked all the time and stop wasting money on heat!

[Advanced Design]

Nice save on the stake pocket. Maybe patch repair the right side, lower portion of the stake pocket?

Come on spring!

[oldman3]

99, nice job. I'm like both you guys, tired of the snow and cold, ready for spring...Jim

[lower50's]

I'll second that Oldman3

[99 to Life]

3-14 Finally some warm weather and rain. Just in time cause I was running outta places to put snow!

So the windshield was a disaster. Initially was giving me alot of fits. I finally put some bolts through the center to help it stay in place. Buddy of mind broke the driver side (can't see in pic), so I'm just getting get a whole new deal which is beyond annoying. I think everything I do on this truck I have to redo.

Got some bed wood in, nothing special right now. Gonna stain it later on and also going to try another wood version.

I did paint my cup holder and I'm really glad I did. I'll get some pics of that. Did some more wiring inside. Still chipping away. lotta work left still.

[Advanced Design]

That is too bad about the windshield 99. This bedwood looks pretty good. Lotta snow there, ours finally melted this week!

[99 to Life]

3-16 thanks AD, yeah I'm gonna stain this wood and I was thinking about doing another version of it to compare (don't wanna spoil the surprise). as for that stake pocket on PS side, yeah I'll just be patching that.

So I got my 51' out today, was hammering on it! short work day but feel good about it. Spent most the time wiring in behind the seat. first I had to rewire my AVS box since the way I keep my controller is upside down, so I had to reverse some wires. Then I got a Ground distribution block and Positive block plumbed in. I just have sticky velcro on the back of all this stuff and then secure the wires with tape. Most of this will get covered with heat shield.

Anyway, the AVScontroller and VU4 manifold needed final wiring up front. so I ran a wire up the cab roof and down the pillar over to a toggle switch that will run to the ign switch. So when you turn the truck on, you can control the relay to the compressors that will kick on from the pressure switch. I also have a heavy duty kill switch for the wires that run from the compressors to the relay, just for added saftey and if you ever need to rework wiring in bed, you can kill all the power to the air system.

Here is the painted cup holder console, flows much better. Can't wait to get some carpet in and get my seat, headline and door panels done. Moching up some interior as well. Here are my LED amber lights, for some extra interior lighting.

last little things. Steering wheel need painted, int finished. rear fenders need some patches and coated put on. ordering mufflers and hanging them soon. need heater and wipers. cd player and speakers (can do after truck is on road). doors, glass etc need finished, bear claws and remote entry need done. Front rack and PWS pump need put on (have the parts) and ya know a few things here and there, more wiring to wrap up. need to finish my tach conversion and also order up a speedo to do that conversion. Shifter needs made, water traps need installed. Money is scarce but hopefully it starts coming back around with the good weather.

[oldman3]

99, moving right along,that snow get melted yet?...Jim

[99 to Life]

there is still some snow around but alot has melted. I was able to get my 51' out of the garage and gate. I couldn't get my 49' out unless I did some shoveling.

[lower50's]

The interior looks great so far. Just remember fist day of spring friday

[99 to Life]

3-20 Not many pics, but I did get a lot done in a short amount of time today. Some good some bad. Got my back glass in. Don't remember the rubber being so difficult to get around the glass, I had to use duct tape to keep it in place.

The way I installed it was start from the inside, get the bottom and bottom corner on (hard part is getting the gap open on the rubber to sit on the cab) once that is started then its just a matter of someone on the inside putting pressure on an area, and me on the outside with a screwdriver, pulling the rubber out. Once all the rubber was out, I had to go inside and push the glass slowly so it popped up into place, thats the last hoorahh of that project and just got to be careful is all. Took me about an hour to do, but there was a good 15 minutes getting the rubber placed around the glass. I still have to do the lock bead.

I got a full stainless Jones full boar muffler in. I just wanted something throaty and stainless, getting down to the wire here, so if I don't like them in the future I'll dedicate them to "start up" mufflers. Still need to order the other and debating on cutting the exhaust back so the mufflers aren't right under the air tank.

I got some more interior wiring done. Finally got the all the air ride wirings done. I have a toggle switch that controls the comps when the key is on ACC, so they just don't start running bf you start the truck. I tested it out and the pressure switch is working properly (shuts the air off at 150psi).

Wrapped up some more interior wiring as well. I just have to get speedo and tach in, get them wired up. and a few odds and ends and interior is just about fully wired.

I'm leaking anti freeze from what I believe is the "brand new" water pump. So I gotta take that off and investigate. My fuel reg is leaking again. I'm getting annoyed with redoing everything!!!!

[Billys68SS]

Hey Henry, In your future projects... Dont know if you have heard about this or not, but the way to get a glass in like that with a rubber seal is to use a piece of string around the perimeter of the glass inside the rubber channel where it goes on the sheet metal. You loop the string in, overlap it where it crosses, lube it and the channel up real good with silicone, have someone on the outside put the window in place, someone on the inside with the 2 ends of the string in hand and just gently pull in opposite directions. The rubber will slip right up onto the sheetmetal. Lickity Split! I have done it this way for years. Using a screwdriver is not the best way. It will work, but you chance damaging the rubber and cracking the glass. Glad you got it in though. Looking good man!

[Advanced Design]

Good progress 99! Too bad about the new water pump leaking. Probably from the weep hole? These are challenging enough to build without the new parts not cooperating..

[IWanna49]

Almost there! It does piss you off when "new" stuff doesn't work tho!!

[99 to Life]

thanks guys, billy. I'v used rope on my windshield on my 51'. it was pretty easy. Then tried it on this windshield and it just wasn't working. This one was really tuff. So on the back glass I didn't even bother trying, the rubber was just not sitting on the glass for crap. Soon as I taped it up, which was a task on its own, I then went right over to get it in. It really wasn't too bad. I do believe the rope trick but just wasn't happening for me on this. Maybe I got crappy rubber, I dunno.

yes new parts not working sux. I just took my old temp water pump off to put the nice polished one on. So now I'm gonna take it off and start all over. Hoping to refire it up next weekend and possibly a drive outta the garage very soon.

[Billys68SS]

Hey Man, I understand. Biggest windshield I ever did that method on was my first a 65 Ford Falcon. It was my dads car and the windshield was cracked. He found a used one, Mom and I went to Dennis Carpenter in Charlotte and picked up the new rubber. Best thing to do with new rubber before trying to install it is lay it out in the sun and get it warm. Same thing with new seat covers, or headliners.. etc. Of course that might be difficult this time of year in some areas. Ha. We still have to do the same thing on the 66 we are working on. The rubbers are in a box in my garage.

[99 to Life]

3-28 Not much to report but some things getting done. I only had my headlights and turnsignals rigged up front (because I was unsure of what turnsignals I wanted to use) I folded and just used these ones. I bought retrofit sockets that go into the assembly so you can use a dual bulb. I ordered 10 amber bulbs online for the cost of about 2 bulbs in the store. I cleaned up my sockets and got new gaskets for them.

I final wired my headlights and turnsignals, took waaaaaay longer than I expected. Though I did wire up weather packs to each unit on both sides, so I can easily disconnect if needed. I also made some good grounds to the frame. I hate doing grounds, I like wiring but hate grounds, always just takes forever trying to figure out where its gonna go and is just more wires to deal with (my dumb ranting)

been firing up the engine a bit. carb is running so rich it burns my eyes everytime and is pissing me off. as if I don't have enough crap to redo on this truck! So Im about to take it off and see what jets etc, the prior owner had. Probably one of the biggest mistakes I made is being lazy about that (it came off a running car) and I didn't bust it open.

here is a random ride height shot, running boards aren't really on. still need to patch rear fenders and get them bolted up, odds and ends for days. interior needs finished, doors need fully hung and bear clawed.

I'v been having some trouble with my tach that i'm converting. Not sure if I have a bad tach or what, or if I messed it up by fiddling with it. So I'v been playing around with that. I'm going to hook up PWS monday and it should be able to drive outta garage, even though I need to do some final bolting on alot of things.

[Advanced Design]

Good looking at ride height 99. Hopefully you can sort the carb out quickly. Good idea on the connectors.

[oldman3]

Looks great, can't wait to see it outside...Jim

[99 to Life]

thanks guys, yeah the weather packs IMO are worth the extra work. I like the idea of quick removal or access to things, just never know when you gotta swap and engine or if you get in a wreck or whatever.

Jim, I can't tell you how bad I want to get this out in the light. sick of these dingy garage pics.

[SSABMUD]

Looking really good. I can't tell you how many things I have done twice and even three times. I guess it is all worth it in the long run.

[daverod]

getting there

[99 to Life]

4-3 Daaang wassup daverod? Nice to see you back, hows the 52? Making some more progress, sorry no pics. Will try tomorrow and also maybe some more footage. shooting for rain so not sure if I'm taking it outta garage or not. its getting close. Today I fought for hours on my PWS pump. I bought one for a 85 c10, I could have swore the one on my 51' is outta a c10. So come to find out they have different bolt patterns. See the pic. I have an extra one that is like the camaro and the new one I have is like the c10.

Problem with the c10 clocked position, with this style aluminum bracket is.... A. had to cut and drill the lower bracket, B. only one part of the lower bracket that bolts to waterpump could be used (no bolt in back of reservoir) C. its clocked so tight to the waterpump I have almost no adjustment room.

So my problem with the c10 pump is no adjustment, so I'd have to be dead nuts with the belt and I just don't even see how its gonna work. So I may put the other pump I have on. which sux, cause I bought a brand new pump and pulley for a reason, now I can't prolly use it.

Anyone experience this? Here is a pic Hopefully get more decent posts coming soon.

[oldman3]

99, that sucks, wish I could help, but no info...Jim