Canadian Rustbucket 66

[inkabot]

This is really turning out nicely after reading through the thread. Good job!

[rustbucket66]

Received my fuel tanks today, I am very pleased with how they turned out. I have pictures of the old tanks that I dug out of the junk pile. They were the saddle tanks like some of the 67-72 trucks had, that typically had the aluminum door cut out of the box side (ugh) for the filler. I had the filler necks moved to the back and filled fuel from inside the wheel opening. Obviously, they are rusted out, and will live in a scrap bin from here in. The new tanks are stainless and make better use of the area where they will be mounted. Also sitting on the floor is the mold I made out of Styrofoam, so the tanks could be made the same dimensions. I need to get a few fittings for the fuel lines, return lines, vents, and drain plugs. There are some previous posts on this thread as to how they will fit. Stay tuned. We did some calculating, and they will hold 18.7 Imperial gallons each, 22.5 U.S. gallons each, or 85 litres each. That is a lot of fuel and will give a lot of range between fills. Also, the senders are the same as the behind the seat tanks use. They happen to be exactly the right depth, and will jive with the original guage in the dash. 0-30 ohms, 67 and newer I think is 30 to 90 ohms. When mounted, they will be out of sight, no filler doors on the box sides, and no filler cap in the box anywhere.

[TJ's Chevy]

OOOH FANCY!!!!

[rustbucket66]

Had to get the filler necks on the tanks turned outward about 30 degrees. My mistake. Should have pics of the tanks mounted real soon. In the meantime, I just got the seats back. Brown with silver, supposed to be. Not too sure about the material on the top of the console, looks like it should be darker. I'll install them anyway, and see what it looks like in the cab. It's not a perfect world.

[rustbucket66]

I mentioned in the last post about having the spouts on my tanks turned about 30 degrees. The first pic shows one of the tanks with the fill spout going out to the side. I have the drivers side mounted. There are some specially made brackets and straps that hold the stainless tanks up. The tanks are 45ed on the outside lower edge so they can hardly be seen from the side. With the truck on the ground you will have to get on your hands and knees to see them. The spout at the back is shown with the wheel off and the wheel on. It is pretty much totally out of sight also. I used senders from the behind the seat tank on both sides. I know they will jive with the guage, and they happened to be the right depth...lucky. The fuel comes from that sender, and there is a fitting for return line on the top, and a vent. Also a drain plug at the front on the bottom. Still have to hook up the lines and hook up the wires. 22.5 US gallons in each, or 18.5 Imperial gallons, or 85 litres. Lots of capacity with that much on each side.

[rustbucket66]

How do you get the fuel in?? I thought you'd never ask. Here is a gas nozzle inside the filler neck in the fueling position. I will put an upside down can over the neck to keep the cap and neck clean while driving, then just slip it off to get access to fill fuel.

[rustbucket66]

Both tanks are installed, wired, and plumbed. Should be able to start it up soon. The drivers seat and console are in, have to get it away from the wall to install the passenger seat.

[rustbucket66]

Both tanks are in, and I'm starting to put the fluids in everything. Hope to set it back down and start it soon, but it is too cold out to get it outside to start it. We put up with a lot of that up here. I got this bike a couple months back, and have been doing some minor restoration on it. Loaded it into the bed and strapped it in. It is a 48 Spiegel Airman, hasn't been restored other than a few touch-ups and some lovin on the leather seat.

[McMurphy]

Those seats sure loook comfy !!

[Grizz1963]

Still got this truck pulling me in the direction of a white truck.

Love it.

Seats look great.

[CPO1]

Very cool ideas you have there. Nice build.

[rustbucket66]

Got the thing running and sort of broke in, the next stop was to get the exhaust system installed. Pretty crowded under there, and we tried to keep it tucked up and out of harms way if it ever rubs the ground. It was ran through the crossmember where I had previously cut out. I wrapped some of the piping with asbestos heat wrap to try and keep exhaust heat away from the starter, under the cab, and areas where there were wires or lines. In the last 2 pics I have installed some left over dynamat to the bottom side of the bed wood to protect it from the heat of the mufflers. I will also install some aluminum plate to the cross braces in between the mufflers and bed to try and keep the heat away from the wood.

[rustbucket66]

Here are some more pictures of the back end. The first picture from the side shows none of the exhaust hanging down, and completely tucked up. A couple shots from the back and from the rear corner. it took most of the day for the exhaust guy and I to install.

[rustbucket66]

Got the seats in and tightened down to stay. Behind the seats is the speaker box/ storage box. The middle armrest folds up so there could be an extra passenger. The stereo is installed also, it uses the stock radio, faceplate and knobs, but has all new stuff inside. Has a jack for ipod or satellite also.

[Ta2Don]

Been a bit since I checked in...

[TJ's Chevy]

WOWZA!

[McMurphy]

Very nicely done !!

[NEWFISHER]

The only thing cooler than than the tailgate is the Spiegle behind it. Nice work!

[rustbucket66]

I have installed these aluminum plates to the cross braces of the box, just above the mufflers to protect the wood of the box floor from the heat. The mufflers are pretty close to the box floor, as you can see. There is dynamat stuck to the bottom of the wood also, as per previous pictures. With both the dynamat and the plates, the bed wood should be protected from damage from the heat of the mufflers.

[rustbucket66]

I almost forgot, thanks for the comments fellas, I appreciate it.

[chevycowboy1985]

Love the truck and what you have done nice to see a good old alberta truck done up

[rustbucket66]

I bought an Auto Meter volt guage at a garage sale for a dollar, and decided to try and install it in my dash. I took the thing apart and took out the ammeter guage out of the dash. The American Autowire wiring kit in my truck said in the instructions to not hook up the ammeter at all, as it can be a fire hazard. Those ammeter gauges were only designed to handle 40-50 amps. Most alternators now can make upward of 100 amps with all the accessories we run. The first picture is kind of fuzzy, but it shows the discoloration on the back of the guage where it had been hot. Hmmm. The next picture shows the Auotmeter guage taken apart so I can use the insides of it for my dash. The old ammeter is beside it. Next shows the guage installed beside the temp guage, which is being replaced also, because it doesn't work. I had to trim the face of the new volt guage a little bit around the top to make it fit. Next pic shows the wood spacer that was needed in behind the faceplate. I used a mousetrap, as the wood was the perfect thickness and was easy to grind it so it fits perfectly behind the faceplate. I used epoxy glue to fasten the wood spacer and faceplate to the guage. The only modification I had to do to the dash was to open up the holes a little bit on the backside where the posts go through. I used the gaskets from the old guage so nothing would contact the back of the dash and ground out. The last picture shows it installed in the dash. Pretty simple really. Now I know what the charging system is doing and battery voltage before it gets started. Those ammeter needles barely move, even in the 67-72 trucks, and aren't really that useful, especially if you are running an alternator with any kind of power. The new temp guage disappoints me a little, as the faceplate isn't the same. I was going to switch over the faceplates, but they aren't the same in the back at all, and I couldn't do it. At least this temp guage works.

[rustbucket66]

I think spring has finally arrived around here. The worst winter I can ever remember. Got the thing backed outside, with the new tires on, and it runs ok enough to back it in and out. Still needs some small stuff, wheel alignment, A/c charged and tested, and a tune up on a chassis dyno. The engine is fairly stock, but I want it running properly before it goes any where. Then start testing it to see how everything works. Getting exciting now.

[chad64chevy]

I did the same thing to my gauge cluster but it was a sunpro not a autometer! truck looks great, great to hear its down to working the lil things out!!

[CRGRS 66]

I have been following quietly for the most part, but yours is one of my favorite builds on the forum, feeling a bit of the Canadian pride, this is one fabulous truck, well done my Western Canadian Brother