Newbie with a simple 64 Stepper Build...

[64LBSS]

Just got done reading your thread up to this point.. Great stuff and an awesome looking truck! Keep up the good wok

[TJ's Chevy]

Man this thing is looking good! I'm getting me a stash a ideas!!!!

[MadRatt]

Originally Posted by 64LBSS

Just got done reading your thread up to this point.. Great stuff and an awesome looking truck! Keep up the good wok

Thanx man. Just hope to be done soon..

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Man this thing is looking good! I'm getting me a stash a ideas!!!!

Thanx! I like the way yours is heading and Stash away brother stash away..

[MadRatt]

So its been a little while since I posted any updates. That don't mean I haven't done anything.

I ran into a little "Life" problem recently. I'm an owner operator and my truck just got a crack in the head which in turn blew a head gasket and scored 2 of the 6 cylinders in doing so. So I need to get a complete rebuild and i'm going to be out of some $$ and 2 weeks worth of work... Bummer.

On the bright side I have two weeks to work on the stepper.. I have almost everything I need to get it back together and running so that's what the plan for the next 2 weeks are. paint and recovering the seat is going to have to wait for now but that's fine as long as I get to drive it soon..

So here are updates from the past few weeks.

1. put in all new poly cab mount bushings
2. got my new bowtie overdrive 700r4
3. mated everything up and set motor and tranny in place.
4. found out heads are taller than the previous ones so my valve covers hit the firewall.
5.Found a set of shorty valve covers and painted to match the rest of motor and installed. (Look pretty kool if I say so myself..)
6. Buttoned up everything
7. Welded up some patch panels on the floor and Sprayed the lizard skin sound control and insulation

Need to get done this week:
1. engine harness and the new truck wiring harness installed
2. run new fuel lines
3. Put front clip on and install cooling system
4. Start this B***H

Here Are the pic's up til now:

[MadRatt]

Just thought you guys might like to see some pic's of my other project that actually makes me money..

I bought it 3yrs ago and started redoing Her as she made me money.

She's a 1997 Peterbilt. Her name is Heavy Metal.. Why?

1.Cause she's Heavy and all Metal
2.Cause that's what we haul, Steel and aluminum
3.Cause that's what is usually cranking out of the 1400 Watt Stereo!!

The first pic is the day I bought it.

And the last pic is pretty much what she looks like now..

Hope ya like it...

[CaliberNick]

Personally, I prefer your new valve covers. I think they look really good and match that intake nicely all at the same time. Any ideas on the paint yet? Looks like you will have a really nice truck when your done.

[Captainfab]

Too bad those valve covers hit but the new ones do look good too.

That's a good lookin Pete. What engine, Cat, Cummins, Detroit? Too bad about the engine, I have a good idea what the bill on that will be like
Good thing you have an older truck. I hear of way to many problems with the newer trucks and they don't seem to last like the older engines.

[Jeff La]

Alot of guys I know are wishing they had their old pete's back. Truck came out nice.

[1963c-10]

I like the new covers too....can't go wrong w/finned covers.

[TJ's Chevy]

Finned valve covers rock! And so does a good looking peter built!

[MadRatt]

Well I've had a couple days to hit it hard and ended up spending WAY to much time and energy driving around to parts stores for the tiniest of things..
Wiring connectors, wire, more connectors, starter, different crimpers, hose clamps, (oh that wasn't the right size!!!) go back for clamps.. SHEESH I've spent more money on gas than the total of the parts picked up!! but I did make some progress and here's where i'm at today

until I figure out how to put text between the pic's this will have to do.
the pics
1. wiring spider's nest to be hooked up
2. hid'n pretty good
3. making repair to pass radiator support mount( mounting hole completely fell out when I removed the bolts
4. pass side went well so i'm gonna fix the driver side (not as bad)
5. front clip ON!! whoo hoo!!!!

[MadRatt]

Here are some more Pic's

1.2. some pic's of the Rad Sup repair
3. 4.I sprayed Lizard skin sound and thermal control on the interior all the way up under the dash. Looks good and made it sound less tinny. Not as much quieter as I had hoped but definitely better
5. new aluminum Rad and elec. fans

Enjoy!1
I gotta get back at it.. I powered everything up last night (make sure fuel pump was going to work and check for leaks) sure enough I have a gas line leaking at one of the earl's fittings. so I gotta go and fix that then.....
I'm Gonna Fire up this Heap today!!

I'll post a vid of that if I can figure out how to!

[Bomp]

Nice progress even with the many trips to the parts store.
Waiting on vid.
Gonna Roar

[MadRatt]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Nice progress even with the many trips to the parts store.
Waiting on vid.
Gonna Roar

Hey Thanx Bomp!
Gonna try and load a video here. Never done it before. If you have any pointers on how you do it please message me how. Thanx

[MadRatt]

Ok, so I got the fuel line leak fixed and got the motor fired up. She ran for a minute and died. NO SPARK!! after checking and rechecking I came to the conclusion that the Crane ignition box I was using flipping DIED!!
So I went to the junk yard yesterday and got a stock coil and some of the factory coil harnesses and connectors for $5 to do some testing with and low and behold she fired right back up. Since the junkyard coil came out of a car with 210k on it I figured it was probably ok to spend the money on a good MSD coil. So its running now, but searching for a decent idle. I forgot to put 12" long pipes on after the O2 sensor so that it can get an accurate reading.
Did that and remembered to video it. Seems to be running really good now, Just some small timing adjustments and it'll be ready to go for a ride.

Well after I get the steering column installed, and all the wiring finished and the interior painted and put back together and the glass in and the shifter and the.... Well you get the picture. At least this major part is done now onto the next...

So here's the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSPoQI5rhkM

Hope this works. First time doing video thingy.
Thanx to Bomps Instructions on loading this if it works.
If it don't I blame him...

[Captainfab]

Sounds good and revs nice

Looks like your alternator is moving a little when you rev it.

[Bomp]

Sounds pretty healthy.
Few little things to iron out and you'll be making vids of burnouts and driving down the Blvd.

[MadRatt]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Sounds good and revs nice

Looks like your alternator is moving a little when you rev it.

Thanx capt. Seems to run real good. and yeah I'll have to do something about that bracket. I think I need to double up the adjuster arm.

Originally Posted by Bomp

Sounds pretty healthy.
Few little things to iron out and you'll be making vids of burnouts and driving down the Blvd.

Thank you sir. Seems your cruzin along on steiner.

[MadRatt]

I got a little further along this week. Buttoned up a lot of odds and ends. This weekend I was able to get the interior painted. Used some paint left over from when I got my semi painted. Tungsten grey metallic. I decided that I didn't want a glossy dash reflecting the sun back in my face so I tried something alittle different. SEM has a Hot rod Matte 2k clear. Not a 100% happy with the results. A little thick the way they want it mixed and it came out alittle more textured than I would have liked. But it's WAAAYYY better than it was. and I also sprayed it outside since I didn't want that overspray all over my stuff in the shop. So I wasn't expecting perfection. But over all im pretty satisfied with it. Tomorrow I can start putting the interior back together and be one step closer to getting it on the road...

[Bomp]

Dash and doors came out sweet.

[Captainfab]

I'm really liking that tungsten gray metalic

On your alternator bracket. I like to use both uper and lower brackets for a '69-'72 truck small block. The lower bolts to the front of the head, is cast iron and is rock solid. The uper adjuster bracket bolts to the inboard bolt on the lower bracket. Here's a pic.

[wayno]

Making some great progress.... gotta get my act together and get moving on mine - don't have the weather excuse anymore to rely on. Looking good man.

[MadRatt]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Dash and doors came out sweet.

Thanx Bomp! after a couple of days of curing it seems that the texture laid down some more. I'm liking it a lot more.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm really liking that tungsten gray metalic

On your alternator bracket. I like to use both uper and lower brackets for a '69-'72 truck small block. The lower bolts to the front of the head, is cast iron and is rock solid. The uper adjuster bracket bolts to the inboard bolt on the lower bracket. Here's a pic.

Thanx Capt. Much appreciated. I'm really starting to like it a lot.


I have the bottom bracket that mounts to the headers and that seems good but not a fan of the adjusting arm. I'v seen a install where a guy used one on front and one on back with spacers running between and it looked real cool and he claims that it is solid as a rock now with no flex. So I think i'm gonna try that since it won't be a lot more money now.

Originally Posted by wayno

Making some great progress.... gotta get my act together and get moving on mine - don't have the weather excuse anymore to rely on. Looking good man.

Thanx wayno, I'm definitely getting more done because the weather is nice. much more enjoyable working on It outside in the warm weather..
Get to it man!!

[MadRatt]

The last few weekends have been fairly productive.. I was able to finish the wiring harness under the dash and get all the goodies like the vintage air and the gauges wired up and installed. Carpets in and the shifter mounted and hooked up as well as the seat in. The seat is going to get redone in black leather but for now that is on the back burner till I get the savings account built back up. The more I get it back together the more I really like how this interior is starting to look. With the seat bracket chopped 2" shorter and the new steering column pushed back 4". I have more room in this little truck than I ever thought possible. the fear that it was still going to be a little cramped for long haul trips is no longer an issue. Now I can't wait to finish it up and start driving the wheels of it. Can't happen soon enough!!!!

Here are the pic's

[Bomp]

Been thinkin of grabbing on of those seats like you have for the extra room issues.

Your interior is lookin real nice.