My Unexpected '66 SWB-Fleet-Restomod Project!

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by chad64chevy

ya, I was thinking of that too! just wire up the dash and engine, just to heard it run!!

Yeah Chad,
I have been working very hard to figure out all of this engine management wiring! Holy crap! There is a lot of B.S. to think about...Relays for the cooling fans, electric water-pump, fuel-pump, and I also added a relay that will drop-out the fuel-pump in the event that the engine gets over 250 degrees, because I am unsure about the reliability of the electric water-pump on the street....Then we added a separate fuse block for all of the relays...Wires here, wires there, wires everywhere!
At the same time, I am trying to keep everything sanitary looking, and document how it is wired for the future. What a P.I.T.A.
Things are getting a lot closer to firing her up though!
I have almost all of the engine wiring completed, but need to run fuel lines, and block off a few vacuum ports, and finish connecting the steam tube line to the radiator...

I haven't taken many pics lately, because nothing looks much different.
I did however, fabricate a cool mount for the engine computer from aluminum, and mounted it to the side of the steering column support, so that it is tucked-up nicely under the dash, and easily removable in the event of more re-programming!

A view from under the dash.


Here is a view looking thru the gage cluster opening


Kinda hard to see, but a view from the passenger side floor.


I also messed around trying to figure out the air-cleaner/intake tube set-up that I will use. Far from done with this though, I don't really like the way it looks, so I ordered a bunch of stuff from Summit for this!




Gotta run for now!
I need to get back to work on this thing!

[chad64chevy]

wow, that is a lot of wires! now the ecu wont be in the way of the duct work of the defrosters or the heater knob cables??

[Modges'66]

I don't have much to post right now, but I would like to wish that everyone has a spectacular Thanksgiving holiday!
Good times spent together with family & friends is never forgotten!
Have a great day everybody!!!

[TJ's Chevy]

Same to you! And that is A TON of wiring!!!! Wonder ware it all goes! lol!

[Trsmotrhed]

Originally Posted by Modges'66

I don't have much to post right now, but I would like to wish that everyone has a spectacular Thanksgiving holiday!
Good times spent together with family & friends is never forgotten!
Have a great day everybody!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by chad64chevy

wow, that is a lot of wires! now the ecu wont be in the way of the duct work of the defrosters or the heater knob cables??

A lot of wires is an understatement!!!!
You got me Chad, it looks like the computer may interfere with the heater controls/cables...But I have a built-in solution!
Since I am determined to use the billet heater knobs that I built, and I am also gonna use a Vintage air unit, therefore, I will also be using Vintage air's cable converters....
This will allow me to flip over the lever bracket on the heater controls, so that the fan switch is on top, and also flip over all of the levers!
This means that my cables would be pointing up instead of down, but clear the ECU.
My A/C controls will then work in reverse, but who will know?
I will post more pics on how I WILL make this work when I actually do it!
I may need to tip the computer slightly, but my goal is to keep everything hidden from view.

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Same to you! And that is A TON of wiring!!!! Wonder ware it all goes! lol!

Ha-Ha!
I am finding out where it all goes as I pick away at it!

Originally Posted by Trsmotrhed

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Thanks man!
I had a great day, hope you did too!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Modges'66

I will post more pics on how I WILL make this work when I actually do it!!

Dude... That is so totally like a mentality quote I can identify with !!

Rock on man, you will get this, I am sure of it

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Dude... That is so totally like a mentality quote I can identify with !!

Rock on man, you will get this, I am sure of it

Ha-Ha!
I hate to say it, but Chad was right!
Dude, I am sooooooo close to starting this thing right now that this issue is the least of my worries!!!
I've Been bendin' stainless fuel lines & wirin' the fuel pump!!
So close.

[flips72]

waiting on the start up video, I know its coming soon.

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by Modges'66

I have been working on a bunch of different things this week, with no single goal in mind.
I figured out a kinda cool way to route my front brake lines (at least I think so) that works great no-matter which height the bags are at, bent & flared some stainless brake lines for the rear, mounted the radiator support with radiator & fan, and hung the headers & ran spark-plug wires.
So many things to work on, and sooo very far from boring!
Check out the pics!

I did the same front brake routing on mine a long time ago before the internet . So I think it is it cool too!

Do you remember the part number for the brake line that you used? I have to redo mine and can't find the PN for what I used back then....

BTW..Your truck is looking good and I know what you mean about the wiring. I did an LS swap on my son's truck and did the harness myself.

Looking Good!

[clemdaddy]

i hate wiring... sorry, i mean i strongly dislike wiring. probably some medical term or phobia about it. but dude you are a wire maniac. to me its gotta come in a plastic bag and plug into something else from a plastic bag or theres no way.

you've got it going on modges. closing in on startup.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by flips72

waiting on the start up video, I know its coming soon.

Dude! you are so right!
Tryin to sort out all of the datails, but I want to make a vid of the start-up!
I have already cranked it a bit without fuel to see if I had oil pressure!

Originally Posted by aggie91

I did the same front brake routing on mine a long time ago before the internet . So I think it is it cool too!

Do you remember the part number for the brake line that you used? I have to redo mine and can't find the PN for what I used back then....

BTW..Your truck is looking good and I know what you mean about the wiring. I did an LS swap on my son's truck and did the harness myself.

Looking Good!

Aggie,
I have no idea what the part numbers for these hoses are, they were in a box that came with all of the other stuff that I got with the truck when I purchased it.
I will try to decipher weather they have a usable part# on them, or not.
I had to modify the bend on the banjo fitting to get the angle that I wanted though!
Thank for lookin at my thread!

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

i hate wiring... sorry, i mean i strongly dislike wiring. probably some medical term or phobia about it. but dude you are a wire maniac. to me its gotta come in a plastic bag and plug into something else from a plastic bag or theres no way.

you've got it going on modges. closing in on startup.

Clem!
It would have been a lot harder for me if my dad wasn't sorting a bunch of this out for me!
He has been making some color-coded diagrams for me so I just have to hook-up wires!...Takes some of the thinkin out of it!

[Modges'66]

I have been making some slow but steady progress lately...Not nearly as fast as I would like to be moving, but moving forward nonetheless.
I finally got the wire conduits for all of the wires to my doors installed, which was no easy task, considering that the reinforcement at the front of the door blocked this area, and needed to have a portion removed to do so....Man, I love plasma cutters!
I also wired-up my gage cluster with plugs that disconnect, so that I can simply remove it at any time, in order to address any areas behind the gages.
I also installed a hidden headlamp switch under the dash, as I didn't want to add any exposed switches, and retain a really clean look to the dash.
I used a headlight switch from a '95 astro, and made a bracket to mount it under the dash...It all worked out pretty slick!
Here are some pics!





Check-out my plug-in gage cluster!
BTW! It is always good to have a cluttered workspace when performing delicate work!


My hidden Headlamp switch...


Some pics of the gages operating under their own lighting!

[TJ's Chevy]

Oooooooooooh! Looks sweet!

[Bomp]

I almost can't stand looking at your build. I swear it makes my brain hurt.
Cool stuff Man! Coooooool Stuff!

If for some reason you look at my build in a few years when I get to where your at and you say,"hey, he copied me." you will be most correct.

Looks Awesome!

[McMurphy]

I had the same issues with the door man.
Would have liked to see how you resolved it with your plasma cutter.
I used a step drill and a lot of curse words....

I wish I could find those multi wire connectors you used on your guages around here. I did my guage harness with a ton of flat spade connectors and though I achieved the removability, it isnt as clean as I would like.
Yours turned out awesome!
I may revisit mine now....

Love the look of the shaved guage bezel too, so much nicer without all the controls popping out of them!!
Nicely done Modges

So what is next?

[65Gregg]

Murph if you will PM me your address I'll send you the ones from my Painless harness that I didn't use, I spliced mine back into the factory plugs. It still unplugs and works fine.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Oooooooooooh! Looks sweet!

Thanks man, these gages weren't my first choice, but they will work!
There will always be room for improvements!

Originally Posted by Bomp

I almost can't stand looking at your build. I swear it makes my brain hurt.
Cool stuff Man! Coooooool Stuff!

If for some reason you look at my build in a few years when I get to where your at and you say,"hey, he copied me." you will be most correct.

Looks Awesome!

Thanks Bomp!
I am sure that you know what they say!!!
"Imitation is the largest form of flattery"

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I had the same issues with the door man.
Would have liked to see how you resolved it with your plasma cutter.
I used a step drill and a lot of curse words....

I wish I could find those multi wire connectors you used on your guages around here. I did my guage harness with a ton of flat spade connectors and though I achieved the removability, it isnt as clean as I would like.
Yours turned out awesome!
I may revisit mine now....

Love the look of the shaved guage bezel too, so much nicer without all the controls popping out of them!!
Nicely done Modges

So what is next?

Murph!
I just had my dad hold a wet sponge on the front wall of the door, and burnt a 2" dia. hole where the conduit came thru....and I cut it in small increments, so that nothing got too hot. Then I lined the opening with rubber trim channel, so that nothing would chaff. The entire process took about 5 minutes, with zero profanity!
I got the plug connectors at Radio Shack, they sell many versions, male & females separately. Or just google weatherpack connectors, that is what I was going to use!
Yeah, I'm trying to keep the dash as clean as possible, BTW, that is a stock gage bezel trim ring that I polished & epoxied an aluminum piece into to hide all of the holes...

Originally Posted by 65Gregg

Murph if you will PM me your address I'll send you the ones from my Painless harness that I didn't use, I spliced mine back into the factory plugs. It still unplugs and works fine.

Am I on the wrong thread?
Ha-Ha-Ha!...Jus-kiddin!

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S GUY'S!!!
Thanks for lookin'

[Ta2Don]

Recently got an offer from a bud, complete LT1 with computer and all accessories... Cheap

Gonna have to steal the ECM mount idea you are using...

Merry Christmas!!!

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Recently got an offer from a bud, complete LT1 with computer and all accessories... Cheap

Gonna have to steal the ECM mount idea you are using...

Merry Christmas!!!

Very cool, Don!
If I happen to take the mount out for any reason, I will take some pics of it for you.
BTW, I hope that you, and everyone else on this site had a...
Merry Christmas!

[flips72]

wow, dash looks great, and the door wiring as well. bet it was kinda scary taking a plasma cutter to a freshly painted door though, and to do it with 0 profanity great work my friend, great work. and hope you had a great Christmas.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by flips72

wow, dash looks great, and the door wiring as well. bet it was kinda scary taking a plasma cutter to a freshly painted door though, and to do it with 0 profanity great work my friend, great work. and hope you had a great Christmas.

Thanks for the compliments Flip!
Yeah, I did have to grow some balls to get the courage up to attempt the plasma cutting! I have been putting it off for a while, and I was pretty sure that I could do it....But, just not by myself.
I all worked out great, and was fairly easy... Just a little nerve-wracking, thats all.

[Strodder]

Looks great

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Looks great

Thanks Dennis!
Been working hard on it, but it doesn't always show.

[coulter]

killer work on the wiring man!! its a cool feeling when it starts to come to life