New project! The "Red Herring"

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Sounds like an electric train horn

That's what I was going for ... every truck deserves a proper horn

[7dee2]

I love it! Ran a HF air horn on my 68 GMC and would scare the bajesus outta folks!

[Cautrell05]

Love the project. im seriously thinking about using the overhead console idea on mine. Are the Jeep headlights glass or plastic?

Nick

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by Cautrell05

Love the project. im seriously thinking about using the overhead console idea on mine. Are the Jeep headlights glass or plastic?

Nick

Thanks for the kind words!

The Jeep headlights are plastic lenses - that said, they're a VAST improvement over the early plastic lights. I've been running them on my '69 K10 for 5+ years now (which lives outside) and I haven't experienced any problems with discoloration, cracks or chips.

[Cautrell05]

Originally Posted by JJorgensen52

Thanks for the kind words!

The Jeep headlights are plastic lenses - that said, they're a VAST improvement over the early plastic lights. I've been running them on my '69 K10 for 5+ years now (which lives outside) and I haven't experienced any problems with discoloration, cracks or chips.

No problem. I've always tried to use the same theory as you. Try and make it look factory even if it isn't.

My 68 Impala that I redid a few years ago got direct wired relays and halogen bulbs and it was a huge improvement. Was going to do the same on my 47 but like the jeep headlight better. Still direct wired with relays though.

Nick

[JJorgensen52]

Hey folks! I'm back

Tonight I decided to change gears from wiring (mostly because I lent out a few wiring tools before I left on holiday travel, which aren't coming back until tomorrow) back to body work, and tackle one of the repairs that has been intimidating me since the beginning:


I'm convinced this truck got smacked pretty hard on the roof at one point, but the driver's rear inner panel was cut, bent, and pulled away from the center panel around the rear window - which tore the spot welds between the panels.

I was able to get the two sections of the panel to line up, and it didn't take *too* much pushing to get the edge to line back up with the center panel:


Since I didn't want to remove the entire inner panel, I surface welded the two sections together - this seam will be hidden under the edge of the headliner when all is said and done:


And here's the cut in the panel, cleaned up. I still have a little hammer&dolly to do, and this is largely going to be hidden by the seatbelt so I'm reasonably satisfied with the fit.


I need to straighten up the edge a bit, and drill new holes for spot welds so I can get it anchored to the door frame again, then I can install the new windlace gasket channel. Good to be back in the shop again!

[deejaaa1]

any progress is good progress. looking good.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by deejaaa1

any progress is good progress. looking good.

Thanks! You are right, for sure ... it's been killing me that I haven't been getting time in the shop, but I'm still plugging away.

Went to finish up my pillar repair tonight, I got through about four spot welds and then wouldn't you know it, ran out of mig wire

Ah well

So, failing that, I finished looming up the driver's front fender harness:


There's two horns, the lights, and also my outside temperature sensor for the digital mirror mounted on this side. I've decided to use this spot, it tucks in out of sight behind the grill but hopefully will still get enough air flow to give me a reasonably accurate reading:


Does the Chevrolet grille use those little tabs?? I can't figure out what the heck they're for on a GMC ... ??

[JJorgensen52]

Worked on a barn for a friend yesterday, and earlier today I pulled an axle from on of my parts trucks to sell ... so not too much on Red this weekend:

Finished repairs to the inner pillar and mounted the driver's seatbelt. All that's left to do here is reinstall the windlass gasket track. Also patched up various and sundry holes in the rear panel:


I also finally figured out welder settings to get a bead to stick to a mirror wedge, so I'm test fitting my rearview mirror:



I think that position may be a tad bit high, and I also think that the inner trim piece is not strong enough to keep the mirror from vibrating so I'm going to end up making a steel plate mount to sit on top of the trim and carry the mirror.

More tomorrow, I hope! Day off for us government employees

[lower50's]

Looks good!! Don't forget the glass and rubber will help hold the mirror steady.

[Advanced Design]

JJ, I am not sure what little tabs you are referring to.

Good progress too. All the little things take time...like the mirror mount. When done, most folks won't have a clue what went into it.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Looks good!! Don't forget the glass and rubber will help hold the mirror steady.

Thanks! I figured the glass would help, but I'm still not sure that the little sheetmetal piece on the inside will be strong enough, by itself. These electric mirrors are a bit heavier than the factory one.

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

JJ, I am not sure what little tabs you are referring to.

Good progress too. All the little things take time...like the mirror mount. When done, most folks won't have a clue what went into it.

Thanks! You said it, for sure. Lots of figuring and fiddling, and all on stuff that disappears in the end product

By the tabs, right on the inner front corner of the fenders there is a 3/8" hole, a bolt would drop down through - on the GMC, nothing mounts to it (I've used it for my temperature sensor) ... not sure what it's for??

Today I changed gears a bit and started working on the tailgate - part of the day was definitely spent in working up the courage to cut into a brand new part First I had to cut a hole in the end panel for the latch to sit in (these are from a late 90's Ranger, smallest latches I could find):



And after a lot of filing, trimming, and grinding:


I found on account of the shape of the tailgate end, it won't *quite* sit flush, so it's bolted in here with a single washer shim beneath it (don't worry, I'll use nicer hardware!!). Not sure if I will need to add a screw above the latch (right up in the top of the round portion) to stabilize it:


And here it is closed:


I'm going to make an 1/8" stainless wear plate to bolt to the bedside so it's not striking the sheet metal, directly. Not sure if I'm going to make a piece to cover the back of the latch (welded to the gate itself).

That done, it was time to fit up the release handle. Marked up:


Cut:


Mockup of the piece I need to make, version one:


Debating if I want to square the bottom off as shown, or make it angled to match the rest of the gate. Thoughts?

[iowaboynca]

maybe mock up a template with what you want with angled. Be easier to visualize.

[FarmerSid]

Nice latches. I think curved would look better. like iowaboynca said, maybe a template to visualize it better.

[lower50's]

I think it's hard to make anything on these trucks square because they are so rounded and angled. I agree with iowaboynca, make template of both see what one looks better. It's all up to what you want.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by iowaboynca

maybe mock up a template with what you want with angled. Be easier to visualize.

Originally Posted by FarmerSid

Nice latches. I think curved would look better. like iowaboynca said, maybe a template to visualize it better.

Originally Posted by lower50's

I think it's hard to make anything on these trucks square because they are so rounded and angled. I agree with iowaboynca, make template of both see what one looks better. It's all up to what you want.

Thanks fellas! I am hoping to have a few minutes to make up a template this evening.

I didn't think going into this that the squared edge would bother me, but you're right lowers, it really does just look totally out of place!

[JJorgensen52]

Well, since we're having a bit of a cold snap and my garage is uninsulated ... decided to switch it up to working on the fuse block, since I can do that indoors

The first part of this, of course, was triple checking my schematic and finding a half dozen errors I need to correct. The whole thing uses sealed terminals, so there are a few supply wires (you can see fuel pump and e-fan here) which have to have splices in them between the fuse and the relays in the center of the block. It's coming along, though!

Can't upload to my usual photo host tonight for some reason, so attachment it is

[JJorgensen52]

This thing is turning into an octopus! Right about now, I *almost* think I should have bought a Painless harness



On the plus side, I'm at the point now where the engine harness and the chassis harness are tying together, so provided it's not too cold tomorrow I will hopefully have the entire underhood and chassis wired up, leaving just the cab harness to call it finished!

[Advanced Design]

Lots of detail work! I see a wide color coded Excel spreadsheet there I think. Kudo's for you. That is where I begin to glaze over.

A friend was wiring one up the other night and he was using a Cooper Bussman mini to tie in the body and engine harness. Next planned build in the works for him will be BMP engine harness, Cooper Bussman big block to tie the ez wire 21 circuit together. And we were talking maybe on my Burb just go Painless for the engine and body. I think they are the only one with both tied together neatly in one system.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Lots of detail work! I see a wide color coded Excel spreadsheet there I think. Kudo's for you. That is where I begin to glaze over.

A friend was wiring one up the other night and he was using a Cooper Bussman mini to tie in the body and engine harness. Next planned build in the works for him will be BMP engine harness, Cooper Bussman big block to tie the ez wire 21 circuit together. And we were talking maybe on my Burb just go Painless for the engine and body. I think they are the only one with both tied together neatly in one system.

That Excel sheet prints out on SEVEN pages ... it's got the pin assignments for every connector in the entire truck. Otherwise I'd be totally LOST!

I'm really liking this Bussman panel I'm using (this is the biggest one they offer aftermarket), it's a well put together product. Considering using the smaller ones on the engine swap in my Sonoma GT. Painless does make a nice product, but they sure are proud of them! I can see why though

I'm not as far through the main trunk of the underhood harness as I'd like to be, but I've found a few terminals and a couple wire colors I'm short on, and it's been in and out of the truck about ten times to check for fitment and location of the connectors ... but it's still progress!

[lower50's]

Organized octopus tho. "leaving just the cab harness to call it finished!" HAHA you make it sound so easy.

[JJorgensen52]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Organized octopus tho. "leaving just the cab harness to call it finished!" HAHA you make it sound so easy.

I have to make it sound easy, if I hadn't convinced myself of that I'd be overwhelmed

Seriously, though, I keep finding little things I need to change, but I'm almost done with this side of the harness. I ran the pre-wire for my trailer brakes, 10GA wire does NOT like routing neatly

[JJorgensen52]

Well, another weekend not according to plan

Friend of mine has an S10 here we've been working on, and Saturday we were supposed to be swapping an A/C condenser and changing the oil - except when we drained the oil it looked like this:

So I spent Saturday doing top end R&R on a 4.3V6 instead of working on Red.

Got some time at the boneyard to go parts shopping, grabbed these:


Power and ground buss terminals - the ground buss will be mounted near my fuse block, I'm not 100% sure I will use the power buss stud (though it would be nice to have a battery lug in the engine bay if I ever need to jump start this thing! )

Also, I finished pinning out the first of the two firewall connectors (and have just a few wires left in the other) - it looks like this with all 30 wires fed in:


But thankfully, GM makes these nice backshells so that it looks like I know what I'm doing


Once I finish the pinning on the other connector, they'll get installed in the truck so I can get the harness arranged neatly, then it'll all get loomed and taped up. Progress!

[flashed]

Looks good from here .

[lower50's]

Very nice, it will look better than factory when you are done.