What did you do to your truck today?

[willyp]

replaced battery and starter today, lesson learned.

[markeb01]

Pulled the steering wheel and instrument panel again, pending arrival of the new Autometer speedometer tomorrow.

[HEI451]

Today, I am installing a longer belly tank filler tube, so I can fill the tank under the flat bed without having to get under the bed. I will also pull the cover off the tank and figure out just which fuel level gauge I will need to get it to work with the stock in dash fuel gauge. I have taken the feeds form the belly and side tanks to the gauge with a toggle switch that works one tank for both the tanks, up works the in cab tank, fuel level gauge and supply line, and the other works the same through the electric fuel tank switching valve for the belly tank.

I am also in the works for what we built for the dump truck, a GM solenoid mounted on the carb, electrically activated with a switch on the dash and a remote, to kick the idle speed up to 1,600 rpms when I need to heavily use both batteries. Keeps the charge rate up. We did this to the dump truck because the hoist we built needs the amperage to lift the really heavy loads, like a front end of a car, etc.

Later on this evening, I'll redo the radio antenna.

[61_FL_Apache]

The guages dont have internal lights?

[kieth]

all exterior lights working except front headlights, installed grill and letters, no headlights. backed it out of the shop for a few pictures......will get the body panels touched up next week, wire the headlights tomorrow, start on the dash panel wiring....

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...459364_KBxw3JJ

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by 61_FL_Apache

The guages dont have internal lights?

The late design gauges in the panel do have internal lighting, but back when these external lighted panels were produced (around 1961-62), many aftermarket gauges had no lights at all. The gauge housing was a simple solid metal can with two electrical posts sticking out the back, and nothing else. For a very brief period Moon, Dixco, and Eelco made panels for these gauges with the same dome shaped lights on the front which were suppose to illuminate the face of the gauge. They aren't needed in my setup, I just always loved the way the looked and spent 10 years looking for this type panel at a price I could afford. The external lights are functional but not connected. I'm not sure if there's any advantage to hooking them up.



These panels went obsolete very quickly because the next generation of gauges came with plastic lined "translucent” windows around the perimeter of the gauge housing, just behind the rim. A sheet metal piece was attached to the back of the panel allowing a bulb to be plugged in, which sprayed light everywhere. Some of the light spilled into the gauge providing marginally improve illumination.

Soon after, the next generation of gauges had a conventional tube attached to the back allowing a conventional bulb and socket to plug in, providing good lighting for the first time.

[markeb01]

The new Autometer speedometer showed up today, along with the new retractable lap belts. The belts arrived early and got installed first. Light was pouring in through the garage door and the back window so the 2nd shot is pretty bleached out, but it shows how they mounted. I went for the 70’s style with the starburst metal buckles. It sure is nice not having the big heavy buckles and belts laying all over the floor.





Tomorrow I’ll calibrate the speedo after I confirm the accuracy of the highway mile markers with our Honda. Although both gauges are the same size, the face and numbers on the Autometer is so much larger it’s much easier to see.

Here’s the last remaining VDO gauge, the old speedo. The only nice feature it offered was thru dial lighting, but it looked washed out and the numbers were too small:



And here’s the new Autometer. One other advantage - my truck now has a 40 mile per hour higher top speed. The speedometer says so!

[Vernski]

Looks very nice now mark with the new matching gauges makes a great truck all that much better...Vernski

[willyp]

markeb, your truck is just plain cool. how did the install on the passenger side retractable male end go? i had to bend the 90 degree bracket to get it to work.

[neto]

Yesterday I put the dome light and cover on. Put the passenger side mirror. Pulled the tank down to check for the leak and turned out to be my sending unit and rubber line, yeah. Ordered new sending unit will be here next week.

[weaintscared]

Little more work done.. Do you have any ideals or comments,Let me here them

[SIZE="5"]CHECK OUT MY BUILD THREAD [/SIZE

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=468622

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by willyp

markeb, your truck is just plain cool. how did the install on the passenger side retractable male end go? i had to bend the 90 degree bracket to get it to work.

I had to do the same thing, on both sides. The 1960 has a cover plate on the driver side over the area where the taillight wiring enters the cab. This required moving the retractor forward to the angled area.



So that I wouldn’t bend a curve into the angle bracket like happens when using a large Crescent wrench, I clamped it in the bench vise and pried it open slightly with a crowbar, just enough to clear the bolt head I used next. Then I attached a heavy steel plate along with a stack of washers and a bushing that just fit inside my cheater pipe. I just kept nudging it until the bracket measured straight up measured with a torpedo level. Here’s the arrangement shown on one of the spare brackets that didn’t need bending:





Rather than use the angle brackets on the inboard belts, I used the eye bolts that were in place for the Simpson belts. I just happened to have some serrated flange washers the same outside diameter as the eye bolts, making a simple and secure connection that didn’t require crawling under the truck.

[glos55]

Looking good Mark!!!! Whats your steering column out of ? Is the cruise hooked up?

[samuellg1977]

Originally Posted by glos55

Looking good Mark!!!! Whats your steering column out of ? Is the cruise hooked up?

I was curious about that cruise switch too. I have the cruise setup but never installed it. Mainly, becasue i don't know how. Is there a how-to here somewhere?

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by glos55

Looking good Mark!!!! Whats your steering column out of ? Is the cruise hooked up?

The column is a generic aftermarket unit for a 68-89 GMC I bought from Butch's Rod Shop back in 1992. I think they've been out of business for many years. It's been a dependable column, but the lower bell that bumps into the dash was too long, pushing the steering wheel too close to the driver. Several years ago I pulled the column and cut away the upper portion of the lower bell to match the profile of the dash, so I could push the column forward about an inch and a half. That made it much more comfortable.

And yes the cruise control is hooked up. It's a Rostra model 250-1223 I bought from Summit Racing back in 2000. This is an electronic unit that has no vacuum connections, making hook up much simpler. They are so convenient I’ve added one to every car I’ve owned since the late 70’s. And believe me the new ones are much easier to install than the early models.

This photo shows where I originally had the control module. It worked fine but looked crappy so I moved it into the cab next to the heater.



And here’s where it now resides. This is looking through the glove box opening:

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by samuellg1977

I was curious about that cruise switch too. I have the cruise setup but never installed it. Mainly, becasue i don't know how. Is there a how-to here somewhere?

Do you know what type or brand you have? I still have the installation instructions for mine. It's called an UltraCruise II by Rostra Precision Controls, which may or may not do you any good depending on what you've got.

[sigshooter]

Got a donor BBW cab piece. now just gotta decide which cab I am gonna use to replace my rust one.

[blackedoutharley]

I took off the front sheet metal and stared at it for about an hour afterwards...

[SRVBLUES64]

I finally had the whole day to work on it. I started at 6am. (The wife is in California on vacation). I got the rear brakes done, I por 15 the frame, I replaced springs in the back with some lowering springs it now measures at the very end of the frame 22 inches at the bottom of the frame. I installed my new rims and tires on the rear. I installed the rear shocks, and needless to say Im tired goodnight

[BMERDOC]

Started the body work for a driveway paint job.

[jayman68]

Scored a pair of outer cab floor extentions as part of selling my 96 Suzuki Sidekick.

[pdxhall]

I finally finished all the rear frame cleaning I could get to and sprayed a few unreachable areas with rust converter. Ready for paint when that dries. I removed the axles and backing plates from the rear end to prep the rear end and plates for painting and to change to 5 lug axles and drums. By the way, in the for sale section I have the 6 lug axles and drums posted. I also ordered trailing arm bushings, new u-bolts and a new fuel tank for the rear.

[Blue Blood]

Changed the oil, contemplating pulling the original (see:beat) wood bed out, & am today starting some minor surface rust removal/sealing in the usual areas, bottom of f. fenders, inner rockers, drivers floor pan.

[shrunken66stroker]

It was actually yesterday, but I made some seams to finish off my roll pan.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

It was actually yesterday, but I made some seams to finish off my roll pan.

Excellent. Nice work.