Project: Over My Head

[Kim57]

Those little things can seem to take forever to get done.
Nice job on the trans spacer.
Kim

[yossarian19]

Nothing quite picture-worthy. I have been attaching lines, covering / bundling wires, patching holes in the floor & revising lists. Seat belts should show up in the next few days. Once seat belts are in & I've wired in the OBD2, it's just finish attaching all the lines to the frame. Then it's DMV time...

[yossarian19]

OK, so I've now got a 1957 chevy truck with an OBD-2 connector, which I plug in to a bluetooth interface. I can read trouble codes & operating parameters (air flow, fuel trim, etc) on my cell phone.
Feeling pleased just now...
Another trip to the hardware store for bolts, a few more line clips, a little paperwork, bolt in the seatbelts & I'm on the road.
I think for at least a couple months I'll keep it within the range of my AAA's "free towing" plan. In the last year and a half, I'm almost bound to have laid myself a couple traps...

[Kim57]

Sounds like you're real close.
Kim

[yossarian19]

A quick update:
The little lady is starting to show and is eating a *lot* of icecream sandwhiches. I applaud both.
The school semester just keeps getting harder as we approach the finish line. Grades are holding at strong "A"s.
The wedding day is now just 3 weeks out.
And, of course, the truck:
The lines are all secured and the wires are out of the way of moving parts, etc. Road-ready on that front, I think - though there is still (always) room to clean things up a bit.
The seat belts, I've gotten the lap belts securely bolted in to the floor with beefy backing anchors. Used some 6" extensions to get the "female" side of the belt up onto the bench seat.

The shoulder belts, since I've got a big rear window cab, are another story. I drilled into what I thought was a good spot to slide an anchor plate up into (B pillar) only to find that there is a lot of interfering sheet metal in there. So it's looking like a bit more fab to make it work. Here's what I ran into inside the B pillar...

Oh - and one of the rear brake connections I'd made just isn't going to cut it, so I'm waiting on a quality flare tool I'd bought online. Nobody local sells one worth a darn...
Two forward, one back - but even if I can't drive the truck to the wedding, I'll be able to take it to the grocery store for the late-night baby food runs.
Tired & happy.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by yossarian19

<snip> The seat belts, I've gotten the lap belts securely bolted in to the floor with beefy backing anchors. Used some 6" extensions to get the "female" side of the belt up onto the bench seat.

Those look like they should hold nicely! -Bob

The shoulder belts, since I've got a big rear window cab, are another story. I drilled into what I thought was a good spot to slide an anchor plate up into (B pillar) only to find that there is a lot of interfering sheet metal in there. So it's looking like a bit more fab to make it work. Here's what I ran into inside the B pillar...

Can't help you there. I'd rather have your problem than my small window though... -Bob

Oh - and one of the rear brake connections I'd made just isn't going to cut it, so I'm waiting on a quality flare tool I'd bought online. Nobody local sells one worth a darn...
Two forward, one back - but even if I can't drive the truck to the wedding, I'll be able to take it to the grocery store for the late-night baby food runs.
Tired & happy.

...as you should be. Looking great!

[Kim57]

Nice progress.
I'm going to have the same problem doing the shoulder belts on mine so will be watching what you come up with.
Kim

[oldman3]

Moving right along...Jim

[hsdropout]

yo, yosarian...........great project you got going............it is always worth it all when progress is made. This board is my therapy, it's great.
Yea, I live over in P-ville, don't get over to GV area much. But hope to see you and your pickup sometime. Maybe when we get them street legal we can meet up somewhere. I did buy my truck from a fella in Colfax about 4 1/2 years ago, and yes I immediately realized I was "in over my head", but ya just keep going.....Lots of things done twice or more.......I'm a back yard mechanic not real like you.
I admire the use of the newer motor & tranny. I got the 350 350 combo with stock rearend.....curious to see how it does on the road.
Figure out how to get that shoulder belt attached yet?
I went with the third row seats with belt built in....just have to make sure seat mount is solid
I am in save up $ mode for wire kit.
Keep up the good work.

[yossarian19]

Heh, I'm a pro mechanic but almost none of this project is stuff i'd done on the job before. I think we're (most of us) on a level playing field in this hobby, except the guys who work in body shops or metal fabrication.
Thanks for the kind words all.
I haven't had time to work on the truck but there have been two promising developments.
One, I finally got a quality brake flare tool. It's a world of improvement over the $30 cheapie I'd had before.
Two, I found a way to mount the shoulder belt that'll work for me.
What I'm going to do is this:
When you open the door there is a little rubber bumper in the upper rear corner. Pull that bumper, notice the small hole that it inserts to. Right about there is where I'm going to put a 3/4" hole, through both sides.
I'll cut a bit of 3/4" outer, 1/2" inner tube and run it through there, cut flush to the sheet metal on both sides. Weld in place.
1/2" bolt & nut the shoulder belt, add some RTV for weatherproofness & a small adhesive backed rubber bumper for the door.
A 1/2" nut fits just fine in between the door sill and the door. I'm not *that* excited about how it will look, but I couldn't come up with anything else safely inside my metal working skill.

The other option, requiring tools I don't have & skills I'm unsure of, is to cut a flap just above where the B pillar widens out, put your anchor plate back there, bolt the seat belt in & then re-weld that flap. This is probably the best overall option, but as I'd said - tools & experience.

[yossarian19]

OK, so, scratch that sleeve-thru idea. That fin in the B pillar runs straight through where I'd been thinking to drill. I guess it *could* be done, but I don't really want to try and control a 3/4" bit of any sort drilling the centerline out of an "I".
Here's the map of the options for seat belt shoulder mounts...


I'm leaning toward "let a pro do it, someday" at the moment.

[Clarance J]

Yossarian19, I know you're not going to give up. There is a solution out there some where. There are alot of big back window trucks around on this forum, so someone must have done it before. I can't help you but I know you'll keep looking. Good luck. Out of all the trucks that I have seen over the years I never paid attention to how the shoulder belts were attached. I'll be looking next time I see a big window truck.

Earl

[yossarian19]

Been busy with life... I stole 15 minutes or so today and confirmed that Painless didn't program my ECM with the "fan on" temperature I'd asked for, or any at all. Put a ring terminal on the relay trigger wire & screwed it to the firewall behind one of my line clamps. Now key on = fan on (hey, at least it works...)
I've kind of lost track of what I need to do and in what order before I can call it driveable.
I think, though, it's just a registration sticker away from driving itself to get some upholstery & 02 sensors.
Figure it out when I come up for air in a couple weeks.

[Baldeagle SR]

Yoss check out my thread for a couple pic how I did my seat belt. I used 1 1/2 angle iron . cut to look like an L . drilled a 11/16 hole, welded a 1/2 nut on the inside of the L. Then welded 1/8 steel to the outside and rounded the back part. then welded the unit to the pillar. The belt real is in the corner of the cab, It has to be pretty vertical for it to work right. Rich
My build
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=576185

[dug224]

Originally Posted by yossarian19

OK, so, scratch that sleeve-thru idea. That fin in the B pillar runs straight through where I'd been thinking to drill. I guess it *could* be done, but I don't really want to try and control a 3/4" bit of any sort drilling the centerline out of an "I".
Here's the map of the options for seat belt shoulder mounts...


I'm leaning toward "let a pro do it, someday" at the moment.

Watching this with interest and to see what you come up with. Thanks Dug

[yossarian19]

Family has been in town, school has been winding down, I'm getting married tomorrow AM - and I stole a few minutes to replace the front shocks on the truck.
I had some rear shocks for my '98 Jeep Cherokee that are the identical length as the '57 uses. Pressed out the bar pins from the Jeep shocks, stuck them on the '57.
Plenty still to do but the state only wants $120 to register it, so as soon as I can catch up on a few bucks & a few hours for the DMV, I'm driving this sucker.
My wife-to-be is 5 1/2 months pregnant, so I don't think the truck will get much attention over the next few years. I might have to settle for getting it "safe" and make it "awesome" later on.

[iowaboynca]

Congratz on the wedding and finishing up school. It sounds like moma is doing fine which is good to hear.
I think you'll find that "making it safe" will "make it awesome"
Congratz again on the wedding!

[DransportGarage]

Congrats, and enjoy your special day tomorrow, Yoss. All the best to you, the wife and the upcoming little one!

[Baldeagle SR]

Yes congrats on the wedding and the little one. Rich
my build
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=576185&page=5

[dmack91]

Congrats on the wedding and all that comes with it.

Getting the truck driving will be enough to keep you interested instead of getting annoyed every time you go into the garage and see it buried in clutter as any immovable object just becomes a shelf.

Enjoy all of the changes you have coming.

[yossarian19]

I've had some good ones but I think getting married was the best day of my life.
Finished the semester with a 4.0, too - so 2014 has been a big success so far.
Started working in my father in law's business part time, too. Land Surveying. It's a good gig, good enough I'll finish school as planned but might stay in the business long term. I could do worse.
Anyway, though, I finished up another small project: MIL and high beam / turn signals.
The Speedway Motors cluster panel is drilled 5/32 in three places for high beam / turn signals. I guess they didn't plan on a check engine light... 5/32, as it turns out, is an oddball size. So I decided those weren't meant for lights at all... they were pilot holes for a 1/4" bit.

Turns out, though, the aluminum is about 1/2" thick right there. This means that the mounting threads for the LEDs I'd bought off Amazon didn't go far enough up the body of the light. Black adhesive caulk to the rescue : sticky enough to keep the LED in place, not so sticky I can't remove it by hand.

So, mix in a few hours dry time, a whole mess of Dorman electrical connectors, some wire clippers, corrugated wire wrap & a little spare time - the dash wiring is "there". Amber blinkers with the turn signal, blue stays lit with the high beam, red is lit when the computer sees something wrong.

The red MIL light is under the dash, out of sight but should be visible when lit. Of course, it will *always* be lit until I get some 02 sensors into this pig...

[hsdropout]

Congratulations on the "good life" you got goin' on there!
Gauges look good...........it is amazing what you have to do to make things work sometimes eh.....I'd like to purchase something just one time and not have to modify it.
Keep up the good work.

[Kim57]

Glad things are going good for you.
Nice job on the gauges.
Kim

[yossarian19]

No real updates. I've been busy with school which means I'm not busy making money. More like investing. I'll put fresh registration on the truck in the next few weeks, I think. Meantime, I took a joy ride around the block with another mechanic buddy of mine. He agrees the 1-2 shift is a bit hard.
Speedometer doesn't work, not sure why it doesn't. Not too worried about it.
Aside from maybe registering / insuring it, I don't think I'm going to put much money into the truck for a while. Got a hotel booked for Speed Week out at Bonneville and put some money into my DD, so the truck is strictly a neighborhood bomber at this point.
Wife is now 6 1/2 months, too. Life is good

[yossarian19]

Got insurance & registration. Made an appointment with the exhaust guy. I had to replace the fuel pump to drive the truck down there (spontaneous pump death syndrome, SPDS for short) but got o2 sensors, a balance pipe & side dumps done.
Truck handles pretty vague but stops on a dime and lays a little rubber when I push the skinny pedal. Makes glorious noises, too.
Temps stay at ~200 by the gauge even climbing the ~500 ft hill from town to my house, this at 93*.
Sooo, I think there's a handful of things to straighten out but she's pretty much "there" - and just in time. Baby is due in 4 weeks...
I want to do something with the steering intermediate shaft (aftermarket CPP joints are sloppy already)
Bench seat needs upholstery
The MC seeps from the back seal (annoying, as it's got under 20 miles on it...)
The computer should probably get moved where the heater box is now. I thought under the hood was going to work... not as sure anymore. It gets pretty warm right there.

Someday I'll get pics up but then, not much has changed...
I can drive it, though - and that feels pretty damn good.