Project Arrested Development

[DeanTX]

The rear coilovers? The springs are 250lbs. I went back and forth on the springs because my estimation came up with 250 and I thought it should be more. The rear of these trucks are pretty light. I would not go over 300 if you want the best ride comfort.

[SSABMUD]

I just read my question and it did not make a lot of sense. Damn auto correct. Anyways you got my drift. Thanks.

[DeanTX]

Got the engine rebuilt and installed. Used stock cast iron exhaust because it clears the steering column without relocating it. Also, for the lower steering column I replaced the factory S10 rag joint section with a new lower section from a Jeep. It fits if shortened and had a U joint instead of the rag joint. I got the cab and front end back on the frame for the last time. Hood is on just to be sure everything is lined up.

[DeanTX]

Here is a side view of the back. For the gas fill tube I used a Suburban oval gasket since the tube is angled up. For some reason my iPhone makes the truck look bent from this angle. I promise it is not.

I decided to go with fuel injection since I had the new gas tank and electric fuel pump already installed. It's the FiTech 400hp model, which should be plenty for this engine.

[joedoh]

haha holy crap, your truck is gorgeous in two pages!

[DeanTX]

Here is a better angle of the back from the side.

I located a 1951 Texas Truck license plate. I hope the DOT will let me use it when it comes time to register the truck. On a previous project I was able to use a 1966 plate. The bolts holding the plate have LEDs to light the plate at night.

On the bed box, I had the front panel and tailgate sand blasted to bare gray metal. What you see now is the tailgate after I did some painting and rusting etc. to make it match the rest of the truck. I used some of the ideas from Ol' Sarge (Chris Klapp) to "age" it.

[DeanTX]

Thanks Joedoe, I've been following your threads, lots of good info. The reason it is gorgeous in just two pages is I destroyed my phone about a month ago and lost a lot of project pics, like making the exhaust/muffler, some pics of the engine/tranny in the frame. If you looked at Hussey's exhaust mine is very close, and my engine and serpentine belt set up looks the same too so I really couldn't add much more info anyway.

I thought I was on the home stretch when I got past the dirty nasty work of cutting out and replacing the rusted areas. Now I'm doing the wiring which means integrating EFI and Vintage Air with the new harness. It might be the most time consuming phase, and I like it
the least. It turns out wiring does not go well with my ADHD! For all connections I am both crimping, soldering and heat shrinking each little piece, which is tedious.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by DeanTX

I thought I was on the home stretch when I got past the dirty nasty work of cutting out and replacing the rusted areas.

been there. I am buying the best metal I can from now on.

Originally Posted by DeanTX

Now I'm doing the wiring which means integrating EFI and Vintage Air with the new harness. It might be the most time consuming phase, and I like it the least. It turns out wiring does not go well with my ADHD!

I like knowing every little thing about a circuit, its purpose, its inputs, its outputs. actually hooking things up is drudgery to me and I will spend more time figuring out a way to make it easier rather than doing the hours of layout
and termination that is nirvana for some. good luck!

[oldman3]

Truck is looking good, I just installed a FiTech on my ride, will finish up today, and post the outcome on my build thread...Jim

[DeanTX]

Thanks Oldman. I would love to hear about the FiTech. Let us know the results.

[HUSSEY]

Truck is looking good. I really like the three link rear set up with panhard bar. I'll have to keep it in mind, I'd like to bag the back of my truck someday and keep going back and forth on what I want to do on the rear.

[DeanTX]

Thanks Hussey. In the past I had fabbed a 3 link set up on a Cobra replica I built and I really liked the simplicity and handling. Mustangs came from the factory with them from 2005-2012?

Today I installed the gauges for Oil pressure, fuel, Temp, and voltage.
The main two gauges will be a speedometer and tach, so the rest go under the dash. I made a 4 gauge mount out of aluminum, as well as the "Aviator" style bezels.

Now you can see why I had to cut the dash for the center vent. Hard to see but below the gauges is where the AC controls are mounted. I was thinking about fabricating a new base for the AC knobs so that I could fit them behind the ash tray door. I decided it wasn't a priority for now.

[mongocanfly]

Dean that trucks lookin killer..

[av8tr33337]

Awesome Build. Im doing a serpentine set up on mine also. Have to take the main brackets in to work on friday so I can bead blast them. Just painted the engine last night. Hope to fire it ups soon. Was a Re-man long block 305 with about 10, 000 miles on it when it was wrecked about 15 years ago. Been sitting in the garage since then. I just pray there are no leaks. Mine is carbed but that FI system looks interesting.

[DeanTX]

Bartman, thanks for the compliment. I got some good ideas from your "how-to" video. I was tempted to go the LS1 route, and I will on the next project. With this one I got too good of a deal on the motor. Plus these trucks are old school, and it's strange that the SBC has already become old school as well.

The stock serpentine set up is a great fit for AD trucks. Easy to get parts for it if anything fails too.

[DeanTX]

Latest update: Today fired the engine for the first time. Newly rebuilt 1996 Vortec 350 from a C1500. FiTech EFI. Comp cams XR264HR cam.

Click here for Youtube video of engine running:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ai11k7Bes


One issue for me is getting the brakes to work. It has a new MC which I bench bled, then Ive bled each wheel twice. Pedal still goes to the floor. Any ideas to try? Brakes are the only thing preventing me driving it a block or two to check things out.

[Advanced Design]

Congrat's on the engine start. Always nice when they come to life.

Brakes..air in system, mc sized wrong, brakes (rear drums?) need adjusting, rotor and caliper with pad fit issue...old brake hose expanding...just thinking aloud.

Will the brakes pump up firm?

[HUSSEY]

What kind of muffler are you running? Sounds mean a hell.

Check out how I bled the brakes in my build thread, see signature link, page 8 post 177. I picked up an inexpensive vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight. My system was completely dry and I didn't bother bench bleeding my new master cylinder. Mine bled out with the firm pedal, easy as pie.

[DeanTX]

The muffler is Jones. Bought it on Amazon for like $40. Very well made.

Bleeding the brakes I used a high end bleeder I borrowed from a friends shop. It works off of a compressor, holds about a gallon of fluid. Brakes are disk all around. I bench bled the MC for about 20 minutes to get all the bubbles out. Then bled all 4 wheels starting with the farthest away. Twice. My lunch has been eaten!

[HUSSEY]

hmm...never know, could have gotten a bad master cylinder. Other than that I'd double check the bleeder manufacturers recommended procedures just to make sure something wasn't missed.

[reaper71]

If you have a Proportioning valve in the system it MUST be in the neutral position for the brakes to bleed properly!
The black tool is for this purpose, it centers the "prop" valve allowing fluid to pass through and bleed out the brakes, once they have been bled remove the tool and your good to go.
The tool is from Performance online #19842
CPP has them classic ind. as well as others. Hope this helps.


Mark...

[LS2 67GTO]

Nice looking project.

I like what you did for your bed floor. What is your "recipe" for weathering the wood?
Thanks

[joedoh]

sounds great! I used the 30 dollar cardboard freight bleeder hussey recoemmends and it worked the first time. it was tough as hell to get all the air out of the system, took a long time. once I got good fluid at the bleeder though it was cake. my system was completely empty, and had been for a while, new calipers, bone dry.

[DeanTX]

For my brake bleeding problem I'm taking the first step on the wild goose chase and swapping out the MC. I got fluid with no bubbles at all four corners, we'll see.

Ok here is the "Aging Stain" recipe - 1 cup vinegar, two tblsp salt. Put some raw bits of iron or steel in (or a handful of steel wool, make sure it's not stainless). Let this set at least 24 hours. After it sets shake it up, then remove the metal. It will look like tea. Next pour in a half cup of peroxide. It will immediately turn almost black. Use a paint brush and paint your wood. It goes on clear but will fully darken the wood in 10 minutes. For harder wood it may take 20 minutes. It won't get any darker after that. It only takes one coat. You can call it done or after it dries you can put a coat of clear spar varnish or any outdoor varnish. The acidity does not appear to have any further impact on the wood over time.

[DeanTX]

Reaper, on my last build I had everything new, along with the proportioning valve. It was a challenge until I figured out what you said about setting the valve in the neutral position.

On this one I have a more simple Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve for the rear brakes. Right now it is all the way open while I try to bleed the brakes.