55*6BT My 55 w/ Cummins power

[Kim57]

Nice wheel.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Yeah, Kim. Two things I sorted of wanted to splurge on - a Mohogany steering wheel, and ostrich inserts on some low back buckets. We'll just have to see what's left in the budget for interior after I get done with paint.

[brimc]

That's great progress !

[II_Slow]

Received the Dakota Digital HVX gauge cluster, shift decoder, diesel tach interface, and new Bezel. Popped it in for a quick look. Yeah, I know it just has to come right back out....



Since the eninge has taken away the whole center of the dash, I was looking at some head units with remote screens. Now I'm thinking of using a iPad or iPad Mini to provide the infotainment - audio (interfaces to many aftermarket units), navigation, phone, web, back-up camera, etc. Looks like the way to go.

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by II_Slow

Received the Dakota Digital HVX gauge cluster, shift decoder, diesel tach interface, and new Bezel. Popped it in for a quick look. Yeah, I know it just has to come right back out....



Since the eninge has taken away the whole center of the dash, I was looking at some head units with remote screens. Now I'm thinking of using a iPad or iPad Mini to provide the infotainment - audio (interfaces to many aftermarket units), navigation, phone, web, back-up camera, etc. Looks like the way to go.

I love the look of that cluster!

-Joe

[Kim57]

Nice instrument cluster.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Here's the latest on mine....
Too damn hot to work in the shop! Going to my daughter's softball games on the weekends, and too hot in the evenings. Been like this for weeks - August won't be any better.

[II_Slow]

Well I've been fighting the heat and working on the truck a little in the late evenings or Sat/Sun mornings. It's been 106* here lately.

I finished up all of the new bearings, seals, and races on all four corners, including new calipers on front and wheel cylinders on the rear. Installed the rebuilt control arms with new bushings and ball joints.



I had temporarily butt welded the inner tie rod ends after removing 3 inches from each side (since I narrowed the frame 6 inches). The factoy tie rods had raised threads (larger than the diameter of the shaft) so I found some aftermarket arms that had the shaft larger than the threads so I was able to have them turned down and threaded. The look and fit great. Only need a -6AN TEE to finish up the power steering/hydroboost loop.



So now with the steering column installed and the steering shaft modified, I can now steer the front wheels. The shifter cable is also in now so I can shift gears too.

The master cylinder I was planning on using would not fit the hydroboost so I had to track down a mastercylinder from a disk front / drum rear truck. Of course the master cylinder, combination valve, ABS valve assembly, and hardlines on the truck were all different so it's been a major pain in the ass to get from metric "bubble" fittings to standard 3/16-inch double flare but I think I have all of that ironed out and should have it stopping soon. I found decent documentation on the Kelsey-Hayes ABS and pretty confident the rear ABS will work as designed.

Finally back on the ground on all fours. I did drag out the old driveshaft and convince myself I can section the old two pice driveshaft and butt weld it back together to get the truck moving soon. I can then just have it professinally "retubed", using the old yokes and new u-joints so they can get it true and balanced.

Between the power steering, transmission, and brakes I'll bet I've spent $200 on fittings and adapters. Half SAE, half metric, different flare specs, sizes, thread pitches, etc. What a mess but I think the worst of it is over. Fuel system should be very easy - all 3/8 supply, 5/16 return and 1/4 NPT threads.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work and I love those VHX gauges! One thing I'd recommend doing right now while you're building it, just make a list of all the fittings you use on the truck. Stick it in the glove box so if you ever have any issues, you can give a parts place info easily. I've wished I did that on some of my builds a few years later.

[II_Slow]

Brake lines plumbed and brakes bled, temporary drive shaft fabbbed by sectioning old two-piece unit and ditching the carrier bearing. All of the 5/8" cooling lines were plumbed up and the square-cut o-rings added to the cooling block, radiator hose adapter, and thermostat housing. The driveshaft is only 35-1/8 inches long - I didn't realize how small these trucks really were until I was pretty far into the build and started trying to use parts from a later model truck.




So now she starts up, shifts gears, steers, and stops. One fitting away from power steering, and still need to hang the fuel cell and run supply and return hard lines. Almost ready to drive up on the trailer and head to the parts store for radiator hoses.

Boost tubes, A/C condenser, and shocks are next purchase items.

Then she comes back apart for more more sheet metal work on the cab and a little on the bed.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - once I get the cab done this thing is whipped.

[II_Slow]

Fuel cell finished up with Eastwood Extreme Chassis Black, filler neck and sending unit installed and bungs for supply, return, and vent. Temporarily hung with angle iron, just purchased some chassis tabs for permanent install this weekend. I think I'll just run rubber supply and return lines then do the hardlines (and tidy up the brake lines) after I get the cab and chassis back off.



I have the parts to complete mounting the accelerator pedal - just need to get some aluminum welding help, then drill a hole for the throttle cable and file it to a square. Almost ready to move under power - I am READY for this milestone.

[Kim57]

You're making nice progress.
Fuel cell looks real good.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Thanks for the encouragement, Kim. Hoping to spend a lot of time on it Saturday. That fuel tank was just going to be temporary but I really can't see any reason not to run it, unless there are some DOT rules or regualtions I don't know about.



I assumed I would have a pin hole here and there, so it's welded inside and out. It gave me a lot of "trigger time" with the MIG welder, too.

I still may put a tank in the bed as well. If I do, it will be polished aluminum and will feed the tank between the frame rails. There's a shop in Greenville that will custom make one to my specs and they look crazy good.

I would like to have 75 gallon capacity for 1500+ cruising range, assuming I get > 20 MPG out of the truck. Complete the Power Tour without a fuel stop!

[brimc]

That fuel cell looks awesome! Never thought about building one myself. That's a great idea. Interested to see how you run your fuel lines as I'm just about ready to do mine too. Keep up the good work !

[II_Slow]

Well I didn't get to spend as much time in the shop over the weekend as intended but did get the acelerator pedal welded up and installed. Ran hardlines for the fuel supply and return and added fuel - had a small leak at the bung for the supply line so I have to drain, remove, dry, and tack weld a pin hole. I hung the radiator from the frame since the brackets I had attaching it to the firewall were in the way of the (future) boost tubes. I fabbed a bracked to install the key switch under the dash and wired up a temporary inginition switch, and also wired up the fan controller. I installed the last of the power steering fittings topped off the reservoir so. So I can now start it up from inside the cab, rev the engine (no exhaust yet), brakes are functional but still not competely bled, and power steering/power brakes working. I still have not centered the differential, set the pinion angle, and welded up the spring perches so I was not able to move the truck very far but I did move it a few feet each way in the shop. No radiator hoses yet so I can't run it more than a few seconds at a time.
Time to order intercooler boost tubes, a/c condenser, and shocks then the fenders, cab, and bed need to come back off for patches and prep for paint.
Still on schedule for paint prep from Sep-Dec, paint shop from Jan-Mar, and final assembly, glass, wiring, a/c etc in Apr-May for Power Tour in June.

[II_Slow]

Was able to drive out of and back into the shop under power. Power steering does not appear to be functional - but brake assist works fine (both serviced by the power steering pump). Maybe the supply and return are swapped or something. It's plumbed through the master cylinder, then to the steering box - with returns Tee'd together. The brake lines and or cylinders still have too much air in them (goes to the floor with hydroboost assist)- need to round up some help to bleed them better. I gave up on finding radiator hoses that fit, and the difference between the inlet/outlet on the radiator and the ones on the engine are pretty lop-sided so I have ordered a 1-3/4 90, and 2-inch 90, and 1 2-inch 45 to fab up aluminum colling lines and I'll just use some short pirces of hose on each end and do hardlines for both upper and lower hoses after some radiator mods (2-inch lower, 1-3/4 upper, now 1-3/4 and 1-1/2). Received the 3-inch boost tube kit for the intercooler but I'm not liking it at all. Looking for a better solution there as well. If it ain't one thing, it's a dozen others. This project is a pertetual ass-whipping but I will persevere.

[II_Slow]

Still waiting on time to get the radiator to a shop for converting the inlet and outlet to my specs. I remounted the radiator to the fram but I'm not liking that solution so I think I'll re-do it attach the tanks from the sides instead of the front.
I did get shocks ordered and delivered. Fronts went right on, I need to fab a shock cross member for uppers, and weld the lower mounts back on the axle tubes.
Working on the metal workas well. Welded up bed rails where it had holes for rails and who knows what else. Also filled the stake pocket holes. Starting disassembly of the bed, but it has a lot of rust and undercoating on the bolts so they all refuse to come out.
Too many do-overs and bolts that don't want to play nice - very slow progress but at least the evenings are cooling off so it's not so bad working in the shop lately.

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Nice find on the stereo.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Cut out the old patch panels - worse than I thought underneath. Still plenty of good metal around the perimeter.


It's just metal - right. Laid out a full-sized patch panel on poster board. Cut to fit, marked my bend lines, trasferred it to heavy sheetmetal. A little massaging and tweaking and it fits pretty good.



Just need to decide how much of the old floor to remove, rust treat the brace, and burn it in. Not sure how much to weld, and how much to rely on seam sealer. I'll plow through a few build treads and any other referenced I can find. If you have a recommendation on reference material/links - feel free to jump in.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
When I did mine I replaced the whole floor and fire wall.
I stitched it solid all the way around.
Lots of work but I think it's worth it.
Kim

[Chance48]

Love it man! Nice work. I learn a lot from watching others builds and also get nervous applying it to my future build. Gotta hang tough is the only attitude.

Great job, can't wait to see it finished.

Chance

[II_Slow]

Still have the bed off so I can get to the back of the cab to do the cab corners and some other rot along the bottom. I made a lot of progress on the passenger side while I was off this week. Replaced both ends of the rockers since there was some pinholes and the lower lip had a lot of missing material. Fugured I would do my learning on the passenger side since I wouldn't see it every day!




The cab corner pulls back some so the shut line on the door looks better now than in this picture, and the rocker is not "nested" in this picture.

No patches for the back of the cab so I bent up my own. Not bad for first attempt.



Put her in a cruising configuration so I could drive it around a little better - the front sheet metal has never been secured since the doors were not on and I could not align the fenders.

[Kim57]

Coming along nicely.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Still trying to trudge on through the inglorious metal work on the cab. I did finish the cab corner on the PS, and the rocker is ready to weld in when I can get another pair of hands helping seat it properly while I weld it in. The passenger side floor is done except one spot that I want to do from the bottom. I plated over the corner, just need to weld it in.



The firewall is mostly complete. I have to re-do the cooling lines on the transmission and set up the gear indicator before I seal up the rest of the transmission tunnel. And that last piece will be tricky to pattern and cut!



Still a lot of work to do on the DS but with what I learned onthe PS I think it will go faster. I have some work to do on the DS door before I hang it, and can't do the corner and rocker until the door is hung.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Kim