My build. Project Karma. 71 stepside.

[lyrikz]

Kinda an update. I just ordered a guage cover and new glass and wanted to keep the factory guage look so i decided that i was going to take my new fancy autometer oil pressure guage and destroy it and swap it in my stock cluster...

Here is the carnage. It was fairly easy, functions fine, bolts in place, and now i dont have an oil line running into my truck.

Back of my cluster. That printed screen circuit got DESTROYED when i took it off, do they sell those sepereately?


This is my autometer guage. Really sexy looking guage but i dont have the money for a whole matching set and just one of em doesnt do it.




Stock guage with mechanical goodies behind it.




Basically unscrewed and cut off the stock autometer guage plate to get to the goodies i needed inside.





I just drilled out the little rivets to get the guage face off the stock unit.


Just a test fit. Fits great. All i had to do was open the area where the needle slides in a bit and then secured the face to the autometer guage.


The next step was covering the rear of the guage up. I didnt want to leave it exposed so i took the stock autometer guage and cut a section of it off.

[lyrikz]

The guage slid right in and tightened from the back.




First initial test fit. The metal cover that goes over the back of the guages in the cluster needed to be trimmed. The guage depth was perfect so the metal cover mounts right over the top on the back of the cluster. Just need to run a few wires and its ready to roll...

[hgs_notes]

Looks good, but did you try to just pull the needle off before doing the cutting?

[estig70]

nice upgrade

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Looks good, but did you try to just pull the needle off before doing the cutting?

Oh yes i did. That thing did NOT want to release and i wasnt about to break it... Thats why the fork is there. ahahha... that was my fancy removal tool.

[hgs_notes]

I figured you did, but didn't want to make the assumption.

[nuke1]

truck is really coming along, looks great, especially sitting out side some with the hood on it. I like you gauge idea, now that is something unique, great thinking on lyour part, and as for the blast cabinet, you have me thinking on one now, thank you. As for your glazing putty, yes you can use it, but use way less hardener, because if you put the normal amout in it will harden way too fast, so slow down on the hardener with it. You will be fine.

[lyrikz]

Thanks.

Heres an update.. Small, but kinda huge for me.

I have been wiring everything and doing some modifications. I decided to make my own wiring diagram to keep track since it wont be stock anymore.
I also redid my guage cluster. Its amazing how you can take an absolute destroyed guage cluster and spend 35 bucks and have something that looks BRAND NEW.....
Paid 8 dollars for the guage bezel and 25 for the new glass. Black cluster with silver dash and black glove box should look REALLY good...



Picture of my wiring, unwrapped of course.. Its coming along...



I should have the thing started with the key very soon, BUT I CANT FIND MY DAMN KEYS.
I knew i had them a few months ago because i put the ignition in. lol...




I wish i knew how to make wiring diagrams a little better so they werent so messy, but it works.

[hgs_notes]

Looks good to me.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Looks good to me.

Well, no pics yet, but had some major breakthroughs. I have been wiring this thing for the last week or so. Adding alot of stuff.. Relays for my headlights. 4 additional relays for my new fans, compressors, and a misc relay to control it all... Also added a secondary fuse block.

Last night was the first time in 2.5 years that i turned the ignition to the on position. I was nervous... I have modified the stock wiring system... Completely added a ton more wiring. All the wiring was wrapped and tucked away.... First thing i did was added the fuses for the compressors and went to turn the key on. The compressors came on like normal and i sat there, waiting for the tank to fill and have the pressure switch shut them off.

Now, to back track a bit, the most air i have ever put in my tank was 80psi. Now the new switch doesnt shut off until 150psi. So im sitting in the truck, in my work pajamas, staring at the gauge as it reaches 100, 120, 140. As the number gets higher so does my nervousness. ahah. Well, i hit 150, 151,152, and i finally chickened out and shut the compressors off. So as i sat and stared at all my wiring just hoping it wsa all right i couldnt figure out why the pressure switch wouldnt turn the compressors off..

I wired in a kill switch for the compressors so i can do it manually also, but i wanted the pressure switch wired in case i ever forgot. So, i finally manned up and turned the compressors back on and just sat there. 5 seconds later they turned off. ahah I was so stoked... All the wiring and work paid off.. Everything works.

moving on to the factory fuse panel, i added in all my fuses and installed my guage cluster. Turned the headlight switch on and HEADLIGHTS> WOOOO hooo... But, no cluster lights. Turns out the headlight switch was bad..

So, thats about it. tonight i will finish wrapping everything up, install the cluster completely and wire 2 more guages. Then i will reinstall the exhaust, and start the truck... I have started it before, but this is the first time WITH A KEY....

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

So im sitting in the truck, in my work pajamas

That's awesome! I do that too some times.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by nickp51chevy

That's awesome! I do that too some times.

It was kind of funny.. I had a guy from the board helping me through it all. He helped me with the wiring diagram and what goes where. I did what he said to the letter, and it all worked.

We were messaging back and forth and i had to give him a feel for what was going on...
I was in my work jacket, grinch that stole christmas red and green pajama bottoms, headlight on my head, sitting in my cab hitting ctrl R to refresh the page waiting for his response. IT was a desperate time for me. ahahha.. Wiring worked out perfect. Testin the fan tonight. Then once i redo the exhaust, i will be driving this thing... Im gettin a seat and window with my tax return, so i can finish this thing by september.

[my67chevytruck]

sweet, glad your getting the wiring worked out.

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

finish this thing by september.

So you're not going to have it out at the swap meat? You look like your real close to being done.

[butternut1972]

Lookin good! Hurry up and get that siding done so you can get back to the important stuff! Nice work

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by nickp51chevy

So you're not going to have it out at the swap meat? You look like your real close to being done.

well, i live like 2 mins away from the swap meet. So i might roll it over, NO windows. ahaha.. No door latches. LOL Doesnt really sound legal or safe. ahaha

Originally Posted by butternut1972

Lookin good! Hurry up and get that siding done so you can get back to the important stuff! Nice work

Siding will be worked on when it dries out and warms up a bit. Tonight im working on the bed wood some more. Doing it myself. I have pics coming. The bed is now on the truck to.. WOOT.

[lyrikz]

Well, update.

Bye. You will be missed.

[my67chevytruck]

huh... WTF......... you sold it?

[lyrikz]

RIIIGGHHTTT... JUST KIDDING.. ahaha... I towed it to my other shop to get the exhaust done. Pics on that coming of course.

So, LOTS of stuff has been done. I started installing the wood bed and ran into an issue.. The differential comes up through the floor.






Being the bed is mostly done, just needs polishing, my only option was to make a cover.. Here is the stainless cover design. Designed by bruce88.


here is it partially welded. Stainless so i had to find someone to tig. Thanks for the time Rocrln and frizzle. ahah I bugged these guys to see if they could tig it and both said they would do it, but i could find someone closer. Which i did. Thanks guys.


As soon as its done i will post some pics of it mounted. My bedstrips should be here soon. More pics of the wood on its way.

[lyrikz]

I bought some pine, and routed and cut the wood myself.. I have two pieces that are cut, sanded, and have stain on it. I will be applying the urethane here in the next few days.


I will have a bunch of updates in the next few days... I got the truck running with the key, and i should be taking it around the block in teh next few days.....

More pics to come in the following days... updates updates..

[my67chevytruck]

i was thinking no.......... you got me ... progress is looking good......

[hgs_notes]

Pretty color stain.

[lyrikz]

Well, well, well. HUGE update.

I got it all running. I DROVE IT. First time in 3 years. OMG. I also, did the following. Timing, rewired fans, test fit rims, complete exhaust, AND DROVE IT. ahaha..

I tried to bring it home but it was raining and windy so putting a tarp on wasnt happening. When i got home i stained and then urethaned some wood.. Here are some pics.

THis is the first time i test fit the front rims.. SOOOO glad they fit nice.. I have to pop off the front rotors and have them machined so i can have the caps fit on em, but besides that its good.. The truck sounds unbelievable.. ahah... Here is the front rims, completely aired out.




Here are some pics of the wood tonight.







Here is the exhaust i did. Very proud of this. Fits like a glove. First time and its awesome.

[hgs_notes]

Congrats. Well Done!

[nickp51chevy]

Nice! I'll bet it was great to finely drive your project of the last 3 years. Almost surreal I'd imagine.