My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[boynton]

Seriously

[rgunlock]

Well, got a weekend of truck time in. Doesn't seem like a lot of progress, but everything I'm doing is time consuming piddly stuff.

For anyone using the American Autowire harness, just know that in the cluster area it is NOT plug-n-play! Apparently Chevy/GMC cluster wiring changes through the squarebody years and AAW chose not to wire up the connectors for each variation. You get to crimp on the terminals and do the cluster connection yourself. I did discover that the connector I was confused about in my last post actually matched the wire color sequence of the connector it plugged into, so I just went with it. AAW doesn't answer the phone on the weekend, so I hope I guessed correctly.

Anyway, cluster connector is wired, so is headlight switch. AAW doesn't provide the windshield wiper switch connector, so I had to cut off my old one, remove all the old wires/terminals, crimp on new ones and basically build a pigtail using my old connector. Time consuming, intense fun on that

Any case, decided that the driver side of the dash was done and tucked up all the wiring, leaving the fuse panel nice and clear.

[rgunlock]

I'd bought a new speedo as well as the cable. The clip to hold the speedo cable on wasn't doing squat. Looked at the old speedo and realized that the clip was actually screwed onto it. So, drilled a hole and viola, screwed down, the clip does a fine job holding the cable to the speedo.

Need some help here. Can anyone describe how the speedo cable is routed from the hole in the firewall to where it connects to my NP205?

[rgunlock]

Also replaced all the louvers in my AC/heat vents. These came from LMC. Seem pretty nice - certainly better than the old ones. Hate to admit, but I probably spent an hour trying to figure out how the vent on the very left side of the dash was supposed to fit. Tried every which-way to fit it from the front, but it just wouldn't fit flush. Even tried filing away some plastic, knowing that it had originally fit, still no go. Finally figured out that the vent screw holes were tapped and that it was supposed to fit up from behind the dash. MUCH BETTER!!!

Last pic is test fitting the new gauge bezel - I'm happy

[y5mgisi]

I can't wait to get back to that stuff in mine!

[Greenlee]

Looking good!

[7dee2]

Man the dash is looking beauty!

[rgunlock]

Guess its been long enough since my last update. Not a heck of a lot to report. Its been mid-90's every day the last couple weeks with heat index around 105 so I'm not putting in the time I'd like to.

Did order a dash pad. Its made by Cheyenne Pickup Parts here in the USA. Its close to $350 shipped but seems to be a very nice reproduction. I haven't mounted it yet so cannot vouch for the fit. Still have a little more dash wiring and AC ductwork to run.

Yesterday, I was caught up on other chores so decided to restore my bed rails. First pic is the before. Hard to tell, but there is a wood grain decal running the length of the rail. Stripped that off and painted it a gloss black. Polished up all the legs and mounted it up.

[rgunlock]

Here they are on the truck.

I need to be working on wiring, but doing bits and pieces of trim just feels like I'm getting more done. Started mounting a rain gutter a couple weeks ago. Kind of messed up and trying to figure out how to get it right. I thought it would be a good idea to spread RTV sealer on the back of the gutter to seal it. Got it into position on the truck and managed to get a couple of the screws in. Problem is you cannot get most of the screws in once the gutter is mounted because the space inside the rail is too narrow. Rather than pulling it back off before the sealer dried, I took a break to think about it and didn't get back to it. Now I can't even pry it back off I'm thinking I'll just fill all the bolt holes with more RTV and just call it good

[7dee2]

Good job on the rails Rick how's that wiring coming?

[rgunlock]

Thanks Brett. I actually did spend a good part of Sunday wiring the engine compartment, most of that time was finishing the harness for the wiper motor and washer pump. Similar to the guage cluster wiring, this kit provides wires, connectors and connector housings but expects you to build that part of the harness. Even though the harness was for my 78 GMC, they don't want to build separate kits for each variation in options so they give you the bits to build what your application needs.

So slow going for me and hardly anything picture-worthy!

[rgunlock]

So still going slow, but I've made some progress. Engine harness complete, unless I decide to redo it (see next post). Of course I still need to wrap it with conduit but want to wait until I've tested it all. Also got a bunch of new grounding straps. Installed a few so far. Bed to frame, cab to frame, engine to cab. I've got battery ground to frame and core support to battery ground. I think I'm in good shape for ground.

[rgunlock]

Since I started this wiring part of the project I've been having trouble crimping terminals onto wire. Nearly every part of this kit requires "route wire - cut to length - crimp on terminal 'x' - shove into plastic connector 'y' - plug it in". I bought a crimping tool with a set of dies that I thought would cover everything I might need (see 1st picture). Turns out I mangled many crimps, many didn't pass the "tug test" and had to be redone, etc. Fortunately the kit includes terminals and wires for a lot of options I don't have like electronic speedometer so I had spare terminals.

Eventually, I wised up and realized I did not have the right tool for the job.
So, I watched the videos on the AAW site, made note of the part numbers for the crimpers they used and bought those. Just showed up today. Next picture is about the best I can do with my original crimpers and then what my 1st try with the AAW crimpers produced (blue wire is AAW crimper, brown is my original). Night and day. Both pass my "tug test", but there is no question of which I'd trust over the long haul.

Moral of story, if you are doing an American Autowire Kit, purchase their crimping tool. You won't be sorry. Now I've got to decide whether to redo all the terminals I'd already completed. It's a pain to pull the terminals back out of the connectors, and I'm sure I'd have to purchase more of the terminals, but for peace of mind I think I'm going to do it!

[MTCK]

Good looking tool. I finally bought a Klein Katapult last year and love it for stripping wire insulation. After wiring you should be about on the road right?

[y5mgisi]

So the tool pictured with all the die sets is the one you didn't like?

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by MTCK

After wiring you should be about on the road right?

Well... I should be about ready to try to start the engine for the first time in about 5 years, but I still have the majority of the interior to do and still have to sand and repaint my hood and 1 fender. And a million little things like bleeding the brakes, finish up the AC, trim and emblems, ...

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

So the tool pictured with all the die sets is the one you didn't like?

That's correct. Out of all those dies, none of them worked as well as the crimper I got from AAW. Sorry, forgot to post that picture last night. Like a lot of tools, most times the dedicated tool does a much better job than the multi-purpose tool.

[cmabolt]

Looking great Rick. Home stretch. Interested to hear if you think the wiring has been tough or not as touch as you thought? For me I think the hardest part of the build. Especially if you want to do it right...

Chris

[7dee2]

What a difference, that crimp is night and day.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by cmabolt

Looking great Rick. Home stretch. Interested to hear if you think the wiring has been tough or not as touch as you thought? For me I think the hardest part of the build. Especially if you want to do it right...

Chris

Thanks Chris! I'd say at least as tough as I thought, but should get better now that I won't have to try a couple times for every connection. I did not take notes or good enough pictures of how the original wiring was routed, so figuring that out is consuming at least as much time as doing the actual work. Plus, I had been under the mis-impression that most of the kit was just route the wires and plug them in. In fact, nearly everything has to be cut to length and terminals crimped on. Having to be sure I'm happy with the routing so I don't cut the wires off too short slows me waaayyyy down. There are also some options like dual tanks that are not accounted for in the kit, but I don't imagine those will be too tough to figure out. Definitely not a 2 on a scale of 1-10 type of job :LOL:

Originally Posted by 7dee2

What a difference, that crimp is night and day.

No kidding. That's why I'm thinking I'd better start over. That would be guage cluster, steering column, a few odd switches under the dash, washer/wiper, engine harness and a little I've gotten done on the front lights. Wish I'd been a little less stubborn about admitting I had a problem, but hey, live and learn!

[swamp rat]

Nice set of crimps man! don't forget the shrink wrap unless there is a plastic fitting going around it (don't know your kit personally) My luck i always end up crimping a terminal then realize i forgot the shrink or plastic cover, much like doing a double flair and forgetting the flair nut! Ya cant go wrong with the ground straps ether.

[rgunlock]

Thanks Mike! That is one nice thing about this kit - nearly every terminal ends up going into a plastic connector so there really isn't anything exposed that needs shrink wrap (at least so far). I did redo all the terminals I'd done in the front light harness and nearly finished that up this weekend but had all the kids home, Olympics on TV and heat indexes north of 105 so didn't make as much progress as I'd have liked.

It is amazing how much faster this is moving along when I get good crimps on the 1st attempt - every time!

[swamp rat]

Thanks for the PM's today, much appreciated! I posted a pic of today's results.

[rgunlock]

Some progress over the last couple weeks. Glass guy came back out and installed another new windshield using original rubber he'd picked up from a salvage yard. Seemed to go in easier and he said it fit much better than using the repro rubber gasket. The previous glass had been tough to get in, and cracked in the corner from stress after a few weeks.

Finished the front light wiring, also the back light harness other than the fuel guage senders and dual tank switch. Kit doesn't account for dual tanks so I have to figure out how to modify that. Also, the kit has no accommodation for trailer lights, and in fact doesn't have the disconnect for the driver side rear frame that the original harness has. Cut the connectors off my original harness and added them to the new taillight harness since the "no splice" trailer light harness 'T's into that disconnect.

Spent most of a day last weekend re-doing gussets on the homemade trailer hitch receiver that came on the truck. Got it all welded up, painted and mounted up. Looked pretty good. Then tried to stick in a drop hitch I had and it didn't fit - too big. I think that the square tube must have been for class I or II. Ordered a new class IV that should be here next week.

Also finished the redo of most of my engine harness. Those connectors are made to take and hold the terminals - removing the terminals... not so much! Got it all done but down by the starter.

Thought I'd hook up my new battery and test the lights I've gotten hooked up. Doesn't pay to get ahead of myself I guess. Soon as I connected it the horn went off. Guess I know where my troubleshooting will need to start. Took that as a sign and just went back to re-doing terminal crimps. Any case, I am knocking out the wiring and the end of that phase is in sight!

[y5mgisi]

Good work!

[cmabolt]

Looking Great Rick! Nice to see things coming together.

Chris