47-55.1 49 Chevy Power Wagon 3/4ton hauler build

[americanmusc1e]

July brought the biggest expenses to the truck yet.

First a brand new set of 255/85r16 Falken Wildpeak mud tires. They really do fit the look I was going for. I didn't want anything too wide.




Next I started on the most ambitious project I think I've ever done. Building a flatbed from scratch.

The main channels are 3" c-channel and crossmembers are 2x2x1/4" angle. The outside edge is 3x4x1/4" angle. The best thing I did for this project was the Evolution cold cut saw.






Mid July saw the new shop come together really fast. Then I took a few weeks off to finish electrical in the new shop before they spray foamed it.



Finally the end of July I moved the truck to its new home.

[joedoh]

wow! i like everything you just posted

[americanmusc1e]

August has been a busy month so far!

For starters, My trusty white 98 3/4ton chevy developed a bottom end knock on it's 290k mile motor This has pushed me to get the 49 on the road.

I feel like i've been working on the bed forever now. Here's more pictures. It's pretty much done besides the wood bed floor and eventual stake sides.








Then came a lot of frustration building a brake light switch bracket that I didn't take pictures of and getting the turn signals working. I finally took it for a real, road legal test drive last weekend. I still have a host of things to complete, but it's very roadworthy. I had some trouble with reverse in the transmission, but a band adjustment solved that. Here's a picture from the first offical gas station visit.



Last night I swapped the 195* thermostat and 210-195* fan switch for a 180* thermostat and a 195-180* fan switch. My gauges indicated that the thermostat was actually opening about 210 and the fan was turning on at nearly 220. Now hopefully I'll stay below 200.

[americanmusc1e]

Originally Posted by joedoh

wow! i like everything you just posted

Thank you! I'm getting excited to actually be able to drive this truck soon. It's been in project hell for nearly 5 years

[8man]

Ahh, wiring, the party that seems to go on forever! Nice work.

[americanmusc1e]

Time for my yearly update

Well it hasn't quite been a year but getting there quick!

I made a bracket for the front bumper! it sticks out a little more than factory, but it looks like it's made for a winch if I ever get there



I finished the bed! This is cheap pine 2x10s with some Thompson's water seal stain. It's held up surprisingly well so far. The 2x10 planks are attached like you'd do a trailer.



I started driving the truck a lot! The big flatbed comes in handy!


Two main complaints remain. The truck overheats very easily, and the interior sucks.

[americanmusc1e]

October stayed pretty busy! We hit a couple car shows and did an overnight camping trip with a tent on the flatbed. Was pretty fun!

[americanmusc1e]

November more driving pictures. The truck was still running hotter than I thought it should be. I had reinstalled part of the inner fenders and switched to a 160 thermostat. The truck also still rides pretty rough unloaded. It wants 500lbs on the back otherwise it's still pretty bouncy.

I don't know if i posted about it before, but I added a GPS speedo. It works great! I need one for the C10.

[americanmusc1e]

December and more driving and hauling with the truck. The water temp just isn't right. it's not overheating, but it's not right. Put the truck going up a moderate hill and I can gain 10 degrees of water temp in 20 seconds. I broke down and bought a new larger aluminum radiator and a new water pump. It made no difference.

[americanmusc1e]

January my cousin came up and we fabricated a new tailpipe section out of 3.5" aluminized tubing with some v-bands and new hangers. The truck had a 3.5" turndown under the bed right past the cab, and the interior noise is so much better exiting behind the rear tire out the side now. I also put the carpet in and recovered my seats. I still hate the factory seats.

[americanmusc1e]

February I did more interior work. I cleaned up and painted all surfaces under the carpet and seat and painted them and added some fatmat. I also did some jute under and behind the seat as well as installed a 4x4 Posi-lock kit to be able to lock and unlock the front axle instead of leaving it locked in all the time.

[americanmusc1e]

March I just worked a lot

April I installed my wideband O2 and cleaned up the gauges a little bit. I also cut down and built brackets to install the side steps. Late april I got serious with the temperature issues on the truck. I bought a bleeder funnel and tried to bleed the air out of the truck. Every time I revved the motor up, I'd get a ton of air bubbling up but no drop in the coolant level. It passed two different combustion gas tests for a bad head gasket, but on a whim, I hooked shop air up to my compression tester on each cylinder and let it sit for 5 mins. I learned that I had four cylinders where the valves were leaking down badly. And I could also get bubbles in the cooling system if I left shop air on cylinder #5.

I broke down and ordered a brand new set of EQ cylinder heads and the associated gaskets. And a very tiny camshaft.

[americanmusc1e]

May was just a lot of cleaning parts and putting the top end of the motor back together. I did install new valvesprings in the heads for the cam. I also may have done a little work to the bowl and port matched the new heads. Not that it matters on this truck. It just bothered me. I have put the truck back together and taken it for a quick spin. I don't have enough time with it yet to confirm that the overheat problem is entirely gone. I sure hope it is.

[americanmusc1e]

Mid month update! The engine is back together. So far no overheating. Fingers Crossed that it's fixed.

Now I'm tackling a transmission issue that's been bugging me. Reverse is very sluggish and I can't get the low/reverse band adjustment right. I ordered a reverse band strut that's 0.100" oversize, but when I actually got mine apart, it's nearly 0.350" shorter than my new one. I had to drop the valve body to install the strut. Then I had to install the valve body twice because I left out the accumulator spring the first time.


While I was in the transmission, I replaced the pan because my original is dented and possibly not straight on the flange. The new pan has a drain plug as a bonus. I also helicoiled a stripped thread in the pan bolt flange.

Just got the transmission back together last night. Reverse feels more normal now.

[americanmusc1e]

The transmission works great! I still have an overheating problem though. I'm currently running a new temporary radiator relocation to see if I can get more air flowing through the radiator at speed. So far the results haven't been that great. i just ordered a higher flow electric fan to see if I can make some improvements.