Lurker OrrieG Progress Pics

[OrrieG]

These show the clearance to the cab, view from the back and relationship to the transfer shifters and speaker enclosure. Now I need to mock up how I am going to hide the column and the configuration of stuff under the seat. I'm glad I did this, I found that I need to rethink my center ac vents and tach/trans temp gauge location.

[Fat Mike]

Looks like you have the stock gauge in there. Do you plan on keeping it stock or switching it out. I am concerned because both my trucks are 6 volt I believe and wondered if I would have to upgrade my gauges?

[OYMC]

Cool idea with the seats but how do you adjust forward and backward for leg length differences?

[Kim57]

Looking good Orrie.
Kim

[OrrieG]

I am keeping the stock gauges for now, they are 12v and/or mechanical. I have all of the original sending units and the new gas sending unit is compatible with the old gauge.

Leg room is not an issue, my wife and and I do not have to adjust any of our other car seats between us, we are almost the same height. I set it up using the stock location. I did make it so I can adjust the tilt. This was my final check to make sure the pedal locations and heights will work, steering wheel is where I want it and I can see the gauges ok. I am going to have to move the tach and trans temp from the left side of the wheel to the center of the dash, it is blocked by the turn signal stalk and wheel spoke.

[hh454]

Your project looks Great. I'm doing something similar with my 55. I'm using '77Chevy 1/2 ton axles (dana 44 and 12 bolt). I narrowed the front of the frame and mounted the springs similar to the original 77 frame. I was able to keep the steering box location close to the factory geometry. I had to go with 4" lift springs for the front since the 77 springs didn't have much of an arc to them. I've made mounts for the factory sway bar also. The original 77 truck and motor mount crossmember was narroweed slightly to fit in the 55 frame.
My 55 started as a one ton with a 9' bed. I'm shortening the back of the frame and installing a 6' bed.
I Still have a long way to go..

[OrrieG]

That looks nice. If I would have had the facilities and confidence in 85 when I did the first conversion I might have thought of narrowing the frame. But all I had was a 1905 horse stable the size of a model T with a dirt floor to work in, no room at all but it was dry. FWIW I would think about keeping the 9' bed, there are not that many around and I think on the 4wd they look really cool because of the extra height. It would be different and standout.

[OrrieG]

Started on the under dash panel again (I think this is the third try). Decided to lower the steering column, looking at other TF interior shots mine is much higher and is a full tilt down. Lowering it will get it into the middle of the tilt range and look better. I think it will help with the vision to the gauges too. I decided on Sunpro Mini Tach (2-3/8" dia) and Trans Temp gauge (2").

[Law_Man]

It is looking awesome

[sgtusmc]

Ya know Patrick, The more time I spend on your build page. The more I wish my 59 was 4x4. Keep up the great work.

[OrrieG]

When you finish the wife's truck, you can do another project! I have toyed with the idea of doing a slammed 59 in the same color scheme, think it would be cool to drive the two extremes and show them side by side. Here is some inspiration I came across last night. At first I thought it was photoshopped but the web page shows details and it is not:

http://www.off-roadweb.com/features/.../photo_15.html

[sgtusmc]

Yeah, that would be cool to have a pair at both extremes. My cousin showed me some crappy cell phone pics of this truck while they were riding their quads out at the dunes. It was parked in a parking lot. I didn't think to much of it, as the cell pics weren't very good. That is a VERY nice truck. I don't think it's a trailer queen

[OrrieG]

Lowered the column 5/8" and started the cover mock up. Here are some photos. The top section will be separate from the bottom. Used 4" pvc thin wall pipe, cut and heated it with my paint remover gun to straighten the sides. Borrowed the wifes hot glue gun to hold the pieces temporarily in place, odd I never thought of that before. After I lowered the column I could see the left side below the dash, so gauges are going to go back on that side aligned with the column cover.

[OrrieG]

Wife was sewing tonight with her monster all metal 1950's sewing machine so I slipped in to make sure it would sew a double layer of my upholstry fake leather. It did just fine.

[nuke1]

looking good!!!!

[OrrieG]

To cold to work in the shop so I figured out the boot for the shifter and sewed it up. Took some head scratching to figure out the sequence but like most things once the prep was done, the actual sewing went fast. I will make some draw strings to tighten it up around the shift levers. Will also fill it with some insulation to keep the heat and fumes out. In the photo in the truck you can see the seat leather, it a pretty close match to the stuff I got at the fabric store.

[GRIMSS]

Looks good.

Now can you take in some pants I have?

[Kim57]

That looks pretty slick.
Kim

[daverod]

Can't wait to see you get it all muddy.

[Indian113]

I cut a old inner tube and attached it to the floor under my model a's shifter boot. I sliced a hole just big enough for the shifter,it helps keeping dirt and fumes out.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Looks good.

Now can you take in some pants I have?

I can but the labor cost will kill you! I learned to sew, iron and cook as a kid, Mom had health issues that kept her away from home a lot. After I got up here I made a couple of quilts, halloween costumes, camping and hiking stuff, dog packs, etc. After we wore out the second Singer we got an old machined stainless commercial machine that works well on the heavy stuff.

[OrrieG]

Got the shift cable linkage installed. Removed the emergency brake cable between the foot pedal and connection to the back part. Turned out it was seized up so with liberal application or WD40 and combination of bench vice, c clamp and vice gripes I got it freed up. Going to route it a little different so the bends are not so extreme. I'll also take some pics of the stuff under the frame to post.

Also been working on the column cover. Found that fiberglass will not stick to PVC so had to change some things. Gauge bracket is made of wood to give it some thickness and so I can screw it to the column cover. Column cover is two piece, bottom and top that closes the column to bottom of dash and give me something to attach the bottom to. Also need to fab a little cover for the turn signal switch connector that sticks out on the side. Use the paint remover for heat, made a wood buck, and heat formed the pvc. Will cut it with wings to glue to the column cover. Whole thing will be smoothed and covered with vinyl leather to match the seats.

[OrrieG]

More photos

[Kim57]

That looks pretty slick Orrie.
Kim

[OrrieG]

slow weekend, went to the Boise Roadster Show on Saturday, got a couple of good ideas. Sunday got the brake switch (factory) cleaned and installed. Did some measurements for the seat frame enclosure. Hope it keeps warming up so I can do some fiberglass work.