49 3600, s10 swap, project boogie

[joedoh]

so what I figured out today is I get the dummy of the week award. I got the taillights installed and the brake lights didnt work. ok. I had the flasher relay out (water damaged one on the 47) so maybe that was it. new flasher relay (two trips, got the wrong one, their fault) didnt fix it. hazard switch didnt work. maybe the mutifunction switch is bad? good thing I have a spare. I took off the steering wheel, unscrewed it, separated the harnesses and went to unscrew the connector.

it was loose. I only put it together loosely, never tightened it. no idea how the truck started and ran (its the ignition switch connector too) but that explains why it wouldnt start the other day. sigh. dummy of the week, the trophy is total enlightenment on my deathbed, so I got that going for me.

anyway, I got the passenger taillight installed. I didnt have a passenger bracket though, and making one would have looked new, and buying one same thing and bowtie bits was ALL THE WAY ACROSS town and it was a bank holiday anyway. couldnt I figure this out myself?

sure. that bed in the driveway had an original bracket on it.



"but its two lefts russ" I hear you say (my name is russ, not joe by the way) "how will that help?"

well, you drill out the rivets and flip the bracket over 180 degrees.




bam



everything works now! except the damn DRL. I can never seem to figure out how to make the DRLs work, I love that dull glow. maybe tomorrow I will work on that.

I did other stuff, got that small brace on the rear of the running boards, worked perfect, very solid now. jump up and down solid. tightened the ET nuts on the front spacers (only 3 were finger tight! lesson from the dash connector learned, no dummy award next week), installed the rear spacers. need an overflow tank installed (I have it) and an air filter installed for some cruisin.

[Palf70Step]

Back to looking like a truck again. She is coming together real well!

[joedoh]

I didnt put up pictures of my rear running board braces but here they are.

I intended to bolt them to the frame but on the drivers side the inside of the frame had the gas tank crossmember so I button welded them through the bolt hole instead. still bolt to the fender/running board. have the joggle in them to clear the fender lip



SUPER strong. I even took the running board back off today to fix the filler neck (tried to put gas in and it poured on the floor) so I welded up the drivers running boards super duper


then I tightened up all the bolts, installed the wheels, and caught the last of the sun




still no door haha.




oh, and as I was pulling out I saw what I thought was the sunset on the front wall of the garage. which was weird because the sun was already under the treeline.



THE DRL'S! I forgot that on a 2003 they dont come on till the truck is in gear. look at that perfect old timey glow.



looks super low in the grass but has lots of ground clearance. you can build your truck however you like but I like setting the frame up in the body a bit, free drop


got another 41 grille today, when I saw the ad the upper grille looked chrome so I drove the 40 miles and it was white paint. I bought it because it was a long drive to go home empty handed.


he had some internationals he was working on.

[Advanced Design]

Truck looks really good sitting out! Revising the tail light bracket was a good idea that came out well.

[DeanTX]

Nice looking truck. I like the stance.

[joedoh]

thanks, it may seem completely arbitrary but I work hard, almost obsessively, on small details like ride height and wheel tire sizes and chrome/shiny parts.

10% chance of rain so I left the truck outside. still without a door.



thunder woke me up, almost nothing I could do except throw a couple big towels over the opening. opening the garage door and pulling in would have woken everyone, the garage is under the bedrooms.

[Zoomin]

That's my kinda luck right there....

You should have fertilized the yard to negate any chance of rain.

[iowaboynca]

Man...
Seems a little late in the year to get thunderrollers (NE Iowa term) that big to get established...

Heck I remember my senior year @ ISU we go 17" of SNOW on halloween...hope the towels worked.

[99 to Life]

looking goood. you keepin this one or selling it? the grille looks nice, I woulda bought it too. is the 41 up next?

[joedoh]

it will be for sale. I ordered artilleries and wide whites today, and picking up the last of the gauge pieces and interior today also, so hopefully by next week be ready for test drivers.

the 41 is next, it will be a lot easier because the donor is a 91, the wiring harness is not nearly as intensive to get in and the brake pedal bracket should work as is. I have another 49 GMC to do after the 41, and then finally should be able to make myself a 41 to drive.

[lower50's]

I like the way it looks even without the door LOL

[joedoh]

its supposed to rain tonight and I am still putting the gauges together and enjoying the extra room in the garage, so I think I will pop the door on temporarily (just bottom hinge in the hole, latch the door) rather than trusting towels again haha


EDIT



better roll up... the...

....


window


a little hard to roll up the window still on the shelf. haha




working on the gauges I needed some gap filling super glue, and the hobby store I usually go to is closed on thursdays. only on thursdays? isnt that a strage day to be closed? so I went to the other hobby store and of course they had a thomas the train display and my oldest employee insisted


but the glue is good!

[99 to Life]

it is very hard telling your kids no on some things. Its not that I spoil or condone that but man they usually reel me in at a store.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

it is very hard telling your kids no on some things. Its not that I spoil or condone that but man they usually reel me in at a store.

I hear ya. shes pretty genuine, definitely not spoiled. if I would have said no she would have been fine, and I say no all the time. shes not a "glued to tv or tablet" kid, she watches sesame street and thomas and then we play honestly with markers and paints and outside every day, it wasnt hard to get her something she loves.

drove the truck down the street and the drivers door came open. Here is a weird one, its not the latch! the latch works perfect, as I was banging on the door to try and get it to fall open again, I noticed the handle drooped and eventually opened the door. the spring is shot. so I have penetrant soaking to get the handle off, one screw came out but the other is stuck.

gratuitous outdoor shots



rear wheels showed up today. I have to say the wheel vintiques chevy centers are gorgeous, very high quality. I also regretted buying the artillery over the smoothie until this very moment. worth every penny.


front wheels and tires are due monday, so I should have the gauges and bed wood done by then, ready for some shakedowns.

[MIKESAD50]

Truck looks very nice and those wheels will look sharp on there. What color on the wheels?
Staying with the Gray?

[joedoh]

I will match the ivory of the dash and seat I think. unless I go off the reservation and do burgundy again, love that burgundy

EDIT

ivory.



while I was painting I decided to get the rollers for the 41 going as well.



painted up my 15x7s and need to dig a couple 15x6 from behind the garage to paint. already priced out toyo thin whitewalls for them. My reasoning is twofold, I know how slick people are when buying and want to give them a cheaper alternative on the 49, if they dont want to pay for the artilleries.

[99 to Life]

siiiiick, cant wait to see these on it.

[lower50's]

Them there are some sexy wheels.

[DeanTX]

Those wheels are killer.

[rusty76]

What bolt patterns do those artilleries come in?

[joedoh]

all of them, I think. I got them from summit racing, whitewalls too. its a good way to keep it all on the same bill and get free shipping too. I have seen them in 6 lugs, 5 on 5s, 5 on 5.5s, anything you want is available I think.

fronts came, got them painted.


tires too.


I noticed there is no blue on the whitewall like last time I ordered. hope the scuffs come out!

[rusty76]

Cool thanks

[Bushwickbill]

I really like those wheels, what size did you go with?

im guessing 15x7 and 15x8 again?

[joedoh]

yes, 7s and 8s

I got a lot done today, coolant overflow, some firewall cleanup, some dash work on the gauges. but this is what probably everyone wants to see.



I got the bed wood marked and ready to cut and saw a huge flash in the backyard, and then a split second later a BOOOOOOOM!! all the power went out, I thought the transformer exploded but nope. it was just a fuse. poor guy


so we went to dinner and just got back. I may do some more, maybe not.

[SSABMUD]

Joedoh, your truck is awesome. Love the wheels and the color of them.