My LQ4/T56 build thread

[ChuckLee]

Originally Posted by kehstr

That is either for the horn or the timing advance that the trans controls

You are right on sir, thank you for the help. Looks like the trash can will be claiming that relay then.

[ChuckLee]

1) Finished getting all the sound deadening out of the cab. That was a fun 8 hours of my life wasted. metal looks good underneath, and will be much better after a sandblast and recoat.

2) I finally got the high hump tunnel after incorrectly getting one from a newer truck. I used the high hump as a template over the low hump and traced its footprint onto the floor of the cab so I knew where to cut the old one out with plasma cutter.
Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

This is my first attempt at a patch panel with a welder, so it isn't perfect. Made it on paper and transferred to metal then welded it on then bolted it up with stainless hardware. Used extra sheet metal from unusable fender.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Next, I need to extend the rear section of the tunnel come out further to make clearance for the shifter hole location (using the T56's most rear tailshaft shifter location. I will again make a template and convert to metal then tack it in. I'll do something like this...
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3) There is little to no info on people using 2nd row Odyssey seats in their c10's so I'm hoping this will help some people down the road. If you aren't a fan of the factory saggy bench or just want to "update" in this area, these seats fit GREAT and look excellent in my opinion. It is personal taste for sure. These do give the look of a modernized bench seat or buddy bucket look with cupholders when you fold down the middle seat.
But out with the old (anyone want to buy this let me know)
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After much deliberation, I decided to remove the Odyssey seat bracketry on the bottom that allows "click-in" installation. They simply sit too high and in reality I will never need to remove the seats in a single cab truck in less that 1 minute. Removing these is not difficult at all, but the first one will be time consuming until you get the hang of it (like everything). Couple nuts to remove, and a 5/16" drill bit will pop out the rivets for the back. Undo the couple clips holding the adjustment cables and then they will pop right out after a couple other things.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

This presents a problem, as it separates the left and right rail on each seat. Not having synchronized sliders is a pet peeve of mine, so I welded a piece of steel between the two rails in an area where it would not affect the sliding mechanism.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Now, I know I will get burned for this, but I'm learning as I go. Welcome to my journey of making the most over-engineered, over-strengthened seat mounting brackets of all C10-dom. It is embarrassing how long this took me, but it's the beginning of my attempts to "make my own stuff". I had a blast doing it I must say, and the build is always the fun is it not?!
I plan on taking my little girls (toddler ages) and baby boy (he'll be a toddler by the time this truck is running, lol) in this truck for ice cream and what not so safety was a must. I know that the force of an accident sends most the force into the safety belt mounting locations and less on the cab floor, but I still felt safer doing it my way.
I made 4 separate brackets for each seat so that there would be more support. I used square tube and flat bar for everything
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These are for the back corners of each seat. (now you are thinking....this guy is insane, yes I know)
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installed
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I did all the rear first so as to ensure even fitment across the seating surfaces in the end.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Under my seats looks like a jail cell!
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And under the cab matching length plates to ensure footprint strengthening across the sheet metal cab. I haven't decided yet whether I'll weld these undercab plates in after sandblasting the whole cab or if i'll keep them removable. I don't see any real added benefit to welding them honestly but I may still do it.
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I have my seats sitting an inch or maybe 1-3/4" higher than stock seating surface because I need a little more clearance for the shifter that will pop out under the middle seat a little. I didn't want to turn my floorboard into swiss cheese, and I really didn't want brackets getting in the way of shifter area and the trans tunnel extension I'll make, so I connected the front inner brackets to the middle seat and welded in a gusset of sorts to prevent any movement or stress during an accident. They aren't going anywhere.
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As a general rule, my brackets are approx 4" tall from floor to slider for the outer seats. The center seat is shorter due to higher floor. Obviously you can cut that in half if you are super tall, but this is perfect for me.

The outer front brackets utilize the factory threaded mounting hole and underplating.
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Messed up on passenger side one, remaking it, and will grind down and paint these a semi-gloss black (or maybe it's time to make a powdercoating station, hmmmm.)
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voila
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

[Trackman101]

How much narrower are the Honda seats compared to your stock bench seat?
Looks like you might have to move your shifter ahead?

[ChuckLee]

Originally Posted by Trackman101

How much narrower are the Honda seats compared to your stock bench seat?
Looks like you might have to move your shifter ahead?

I don't intend on moving the shifter to the center "inspection location".
If I have to I will, but I don't see that happening at this point. I'm goinng to have one interesting shifter

To answer your other question, that all depends on how you mount them and space them out. My goal was to use the most provided space in the cab and also have the seating surfaces FEEL seemless when sliding from one seat to another.
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[ChuckLee]

Looks like old bench at front of seating area is about 58". The way I have my chairs set up it's 56.5" in the same seating area. If you included added width from armrests it's wider than stock there obviously

[ChuckLee]

I have been very torn for months on paint color.....I'm doing it myself and it will be my first paint job. That said I have really been trying to think of a color that would lay down easily (no super darks, no metallics, etc). I finally found one that I believe will work that I am excited about.
It will be something like this...
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

[solidaxel]

After you finish sanding the mouse grey primer you will want to see a different color than gray !!

[ChuckLee]

Bahaha that's funny. Good point

[NewType72]

Being a painters son I can't say I'll knock it till I see but she better be laser straight if you're going with gray buddy!

[NC_John]

I really like how those seats look. I'm not a huge fan of my factory bench seat either.

[ChuckLee]

Originally Posted by NewType72

Being a painters son I can't say I'll knock it till I see but she better be laser straight if you're going with gray buddy!

Yah, it won't be perfect....but I'm not going for perfect either. If I was, I would be paying someone else to do body/paint. This is a good learning opportunity for me. The more I researched, the more I realized that there are ups and downs to every color choice. At least with this color I am spraying something that SHOULD lay nicely.

Originally Posted by NC_John

I really like how those seats look. I'm not a huge fan of my factory bench seat either.

Much of this stuff is personal taste.....but yes I agree. The factory bench was just not happening for me. I like the looks of it when its covered nicely and has new foam underneath, but I wanted a more modern look for this particular part of the build and more versatility and I wasn't about to dump $2k for buddy buckets. I fail to comprehend the allure of $2k bucket seats for these trucks? I mean they look nice, but at $2k I'm not even considering them.

[ChuckLee]

That sounds like a bad time you had there, sorry. This sort of "came with the trans" I bought. It's got like 20-40 miles on it, probably a lot less actually. I've used this clutch in the past with better success than you have had, but if i had to choose i would go Mcleod RST (i had this clutch on a 800hp vette and it worked great). I also had a couple different cars with spec clutches, no major complaints with those. The RXT clutch is much better if you are going big HP although I don't have personal experience on that clutch. If I were buying one off the shelf I probably would go RST again.

[jadedbird]

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

That sounds like a bad time you had there, sorry. This sort of "came with the trans" I bought. It's got like 20-40 miles on it, probably a lot less actually. I've used this clutch in the past with better success than you have had, but if i had to choose i would go Mcleod RST (i had this clutch on a 800hp vette and it worked great). I also had a couple different cars with spec clutches, no major complaints with those. The RXT clutch is much better if you are going big HP although I don't have personal experience on that clutch. If I were buying one off the shelf I probably would go RST again.

AH well I guess everyone has a negative encounter every once in a blue moon. I'm enjoying your build. I had planned a lq9 swap in the ws6 as well as my c10(s) but I sold them before those plans came to fruition. I wish I never sold the lq9 either

[ChuckLee]

Thanks man. I'm hoping to get back working on her next week for at least 3 or 4 nights. I need the time in the garage right now, been too busy to even think about the truck and it's time to dedicate some time to it again.

[ChuckLee]

Definitely didn't get to spend a lot of time on it as planned.
But got a few things done:

1) Filled in the fuel filler hole on the cab. Used a pre-cut/bent metal insert from Flebay ($20 shipped) so it was worth it. The bends in the cab make that fill panel time consuming.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

2) Repurposed my neighbor's old deck wood and made a cab dolly that rolls the cab to its back. I only did this because it was free, lol. It simply utilitzes the 4 cab mounting locations and is made to roll easily to its back, where two 2x10's spread the weight out as it lays on its back. I've seen some really cool metal ones with bent tubing and pretty welds but those look nicer than my truck lol. This will do for me.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr


I was originally planning to sandblast the living daylights out of the entire cab, but now as I ponder more and consider that the panels look pretty straight as is, it may be better for me to sandblast the rust prone areas then sand/prep the rest of the truck with a filler/primer just to make sure I have all the dings/waves/etc out. Maybe once I start blasting I'll want to go deeper, not sure yet. For now......it's probably best for me to start by just replacing the 4 cab supports since they are trashed.

[NC_John]

Looks good Chuck. Is your garage air-conditioned? My current one isn't. I worked from 6 am to noon on my engine yesterday until I had to call "uncle" from the heat. Then as luck would have it a buddy (forum member) called asking for some assistance pulling his new 5.3/4L60 from a donor truck and i spent all afternoon in the heat anyway.

Did you finish your engine or is it sidelined for the moment? I'm somewhere between a short-block and long-block with mine. Every time I touch mine two things happen. I cut my hands somewhere and bleed all over the place (took 2 mins to happen yesterday) and i find another part i need to get (yesterday was a stroker windage tray).

[ChuckLee]

No AC in my garage but it isn't hot in there ever. My garage sits under the house. It does get cold in there in winter though. Motor has been sidelined for too long. Need to put it together so I can do another engine/trans mockup so I know whether or not I need to "extend" my high hump trans tunnel (I'm using the rear shifter location, not the center inspection port that would make this much easier)

[ChuckLee]

Note to self: don't be lazy and wear running shoes while welding. Slag easily burns through shoe, then sock, then your toes.

[sangell]

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

Note to self: don't be lazy and wear running shoes while welding. Slag easily burns through shoe, then sock, then your toes.

Ain't that the truth. When I was welding the new rockers on I was sitting cross legged on a creaper and had slag roll down into my shoe a few times.

[splatrd]

Nice work. I see you are in Richmond. I am in Midlothian. I am currently working on a 72 with a LQ4/4L80E swap and Vintage air. Let me know if you would like to meet up and compare trucks.

[ChuckLee]

PM'd

[slowcpe]

Cool project. I too am building an LQ4/T56 c10. Just read through your build and is giving me motivation to get back on it.

[ChuckLee]

Note to self #2: Welding a whole panel in, with the gas valve off, means doing the same job twice.

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

Note to self: don't be lazy and wear running shoes while welding. Slag easily burns through shoe, then sock, then your toes.

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

Note to self #2: Welding a whole panel in, with the gas valve off, means doing the same job twice.

I did something similar recently myself. It's "fun" figuring out why your welds just don't look right. Oh, and try grinding in shorts while sitting... I had a lot of little mini burns on both legs for a couple days after just one grinding session. Didn't burn myself while welding though, so it could have been worse.

[ChuckLee]

forgot to post pic of my ugly cab dolly in use.
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It can be discouraging when you start sanding and blasting. I realized how bad the passenger outer rocker really was. Bondo works miracles.
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so i cut that off
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and found this!
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And underneath the cab, you can see the extend of outer floor/inner rocker rust.
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So I had to slow down once again and just deal with the hand I've got. Instead of investing in Bondo stock like the previous owner, I decided to invest in precious metals, in the form of sheetmetal replacement. I made my measurements before cutting stuff off and made new pieces off those measurements and off the forms I cut off.
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Cut out the kick panel to replace as well.
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Cut out thingamabobber piece
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Then cut out the cab corner
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Then made some more measurements and cut out the outer floor/inner rocker after scribing a line.
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Tacked in inner rocker piece
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kick panel
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A pillar
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Thingamabobber piece
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cab corner
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Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Now I'm on to the outer rocker, and it's being a pain. My door has been put back on and adjusted to where I'm happy with the gaps..............all but the gap on the bottom. The rusty door bottom actually has no gap to speak of along the bottom of the door when shut.
When I just put in the out rocker panel, the front bottom corner of the door edge rubs the front rocker bad while opening/closinng. That's no good.
Then, to make matters worse, as you can imaging, the outer rocker is in contact along the door bottom. I can shut door, but its rubbing all the way for the most part. The front is where it rubs more so, and I've got to figure something out. Any ideas? I have a few but would rather hear your expert ideas than spout of my amateur talk.