"52 3600/3100"

[Mains52]

So this past weekend my dad came by to help me finish up my cab corner and get the door lined up. Well after many trials and tribulations we decided to throw the towel in on the original cab. It was T-BONED in the driver side originally and I thought I could bring it back to life. I can't. So with that said I contacted the guy I bought my frame off of and he still had the OG cab that came on the frame and I am going to pick it up this coming saturday. So new cab is coming soon. Very soon. After admitting defeat on the cab, I said I didnt heat the garage for nothing so we decided to tackle my M2. Following Heidts installation instructions we got it tacked in and sort of mocked up. Just need to get my rotors (speedway on ebay) and get some wheels on it before I do the finish welding. The wife is being pretty cool about buying stuff for the truck even witha a baby on the way so thats a plus. Long winded update sorry.

[joedoh]

nice work! happy to hear you have another cab, keep the old one and build it later!

[Mains52]

Alright now we are cookin'. Picked up a (new to me ) 52' cab this weekend. This cab is the cab that was built on the frame I bought off of this guy last year so I shouldnt have any problems.Its in amazing shape very little rust and from what I can tell one of the past owners didnt know how to repair stuff so they just welded a patch over a scab here and there on the floor. Theres very little rust repair that needs done and whats scabby on the new cab is clean on the old cab so im good to go. I picked it up for 250 and a like new radiator support for another 30. Now I just have to spend some time with the wife so I can rebuild my truck time allowance up. The last picture is the current state of craziness in my garage.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by Mains52

So this past weekend my dad came by to help me finish up my cab corner and get the door lined up. Well after many trials and tribulations we decided to throw the towel in on the original cab. It was T-BONED in the driver side originally and I thought I could bring it back to life. I can't. So with that said I contacted the guy I bought my frame off of and he still had the OG cab that came on the frame and I am going to pick it up this coming saturday. So new cab is coming soon. Very soon. After admitting defeat on the cab, I said I didnt heat the garage for nothing so we decided to tackle my M2. Following Heidts installation instructions we got it tacked in and sort of mocked up. Just need to get my rotors (speedway on ebay) and get some wheels on it before I do the finish welding. The wife is being pretty cool about buying stuff for the truck even witha a baby on the way so thats a plus. Long winded update sorry.

You're in good company. I personally like long winded updates because I get as excited as you are to see some progress! The cab looks great and that front end looks like it'll be nice and smooth to drive. This is about the time in my project I stopped looking at the checkbook and just got what I needed as I needed it. Amazing how I'll not want to spend $100 on my daily driver, but a $350 speedway order for the truck is fine haha.

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

You're in good company. I personally like long winded updates because I get as excited as you are to see some progress! The cab looks great and that front end looks like it'll be nice and smooth to drive. This is about the time in my project I stopped looking at the checkbook and just got what I needed as I needed it. Amazing how I'll not want to spend $100 on my daily driver, but a $350 speedway order for the truck is fine haha.

Yeah it kills me to spend $80 on my 6.7 cummins oil change but didn't even bat an eye at driving 8 hrs round trip to get this cab. I can't wait to finish weld everything in the front get the 4 link in and have a rolling chassis.

[Brads49]

Looking great 👍

[Mains52]

Got some finish welding done on the MII and boxing plates this weekend. Also got the wheel bearings packed and put into my rotors also. Just need to run by Advanced to Napa to pick up some spindle nut kits so I can get some wheels and tires on the front of the stud.

[joedoh]

looking really good man!

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by joedoh

looking really good man!

Thanks im getting pretty excited for it to be on wheels.

[Mains52]

Got the front end sort of on wheels ha My 3yr old son and I spent some much needed time in the garage to clean this weekend. I finished greasing and putting the bearings in my rotors and threw them on the truck and put some temp wheels on. I also managed to sit the new cab onto the frame as well. Think it looks pretty good sitting on the frame it was manufactured on haha. Haven't really done much to the truck lately due to having a baby coming in 2 weeks, my motocross pre season prep, and my toy hauler interior updating. Now that I have the mx bike ready and the toy hauler ready I should be able to purchase some stuff for the truck like my coil overs. I still have to cut and weld in my c notch for the R&P and get my 4 link set up and welded in. All in due time right? Hope you guys are all killing it!! Happy Spring

[Mains52]

Well Just for S&G's I threw a couple bolts in a fender and I guess the axle center was pretty good. I used Heidts instructions on a non Heidts unit so I was worried but now that the fire is re-light under my ass I am getting this thing on the road within the next year..............I flippin hope.

[gigamanx]

Looks spot on to me

"getting on the road..." Is that minimum requirements for a running truck, or is that totally complete with paint and all?

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Looks spot on to me

"getting on the road..." Is that minimum requirements for a running truck, or is that totally complete with paint and all?

Minimum requirement for the next 12 months is to have a truck that starts and drives. I'm going to purchase a giant dry erase board for my garage and make a priority list and just start marking stuff off. Exterior paint will be the last thing I do. Just acquired a free running 350 that I am going to throw in to run while I build my LS.

[Mains52]

Did some stance setting this weekend. One picture is ideal stance and one is after I installed the gas shocks and let it squat down. Holy cow I hope once I put the coil springs in there it'll help keep it up. I cant even get my jack out from under it. I also was able to cut down one long bed running board and start getting it lined up. Oddly enough since I started with a 52 3600 and have purchased a 53 3100 cab and frame the truck is a little bit of a franken truck.

[oldman3]

Mains52, springs are what holds the truck up, shocks only dampen the up and down movement...Jim

[gigamanx]

Truck stance looks sweet. Sounds like you need a lower jack

[joedoh]

rallies look so right on these trucks, nice work!

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by joedoh

rallies look so right on these trucks, nice work!

Thanks all, I've been contemplating just keeping these rallies since I got them for free.

[Mains52]

LONG WINDED UPDATE ALERT!!! Ok truck folks , unfortunately there isn't a truck update due to racing 10 weekends of the summer motocross series locally, hunting season and buying a new house. We are still in the process of moving, so stuff will definitely be on pause for another little while. The best part of this update is that with buying the new house, I have acquired a new place to build the truck in the form of a 42x45 cleary building. Now before we get to excited, it has a gravel floor currently so until I get cement poured this coming spring I wont be able to really do anything in there. Another unfortunate is that the lady we bought the house off of had rented it for two years to a demo derby family whom left me with a ton of trash to clean up. The only thing in the pics that is mine is the truck parts. They left me everything they didn't want. But I have a new shop that will be awesome eventually .

[8man]

Congrats on the shop.

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by 8man

Congrats on the shop.

Thank You!!

[dsraven]

Hey, its heated! Maybe you can burn some of that junk, lol.
Nice big area. Will you pour a floor in the entire space?

[oldman3]

Congrats on the new shop...Jim

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Hey, its heated! Maybe you can burn some of that junk, lol.
Nice big area. Will you pour a floor in the entire space?

Yup the plan is to pour the entire floor. I could pour half this year and half next year but if I dont do it all at once the wife will be hesitant when it comes to spend the money again ha. Since I have the truck and my moto stuff the plan is to 50/50 the shop into individual hotrod/moto & misc. spots might epoxy the floor after its poured as well so it will be an easy clean up.

[Brads49]

nice building you have there! That will be really nice having that much room to move around working on the truck!