55*6BT My 55 w/ Cummins power

[Dieselwrencher]

Great work!

[II_Slow]

Just about finished the step on the passenger side. Been fabbing mounting tabs for stuff under the hood (like the window washer). Bought a coolant recovery tank but don't like the way it fits. Got an Air Raid filter from my brother and bought a 90 to mount is up - looks good.



Did a little more work on the console - starting making provisions for the Sony stereo and A/C controls.



Had some spacers fabricated to hang the Old Air Hurricane unit under the dash. It is too tight right now so I have to cut out the kick panel and box it back in to make room for the air intake.

I work a little on it every other day - I tend to burn out f I work consecutive days. Tonight is a shop clean up and re-group night!

[Kim57]

You're making good progress.
Kim

[II_Slow]

Thanks, Kim. Yeah, profit sharing was good this year so I have the money needed to finish her up, so that in itself is good motivation. I have a pretty clear path to finishing in time for Power Tour, but the interior won't be in it's final form at that time. This all assumes everything goes as planned with my paint and body man! We was trying to get the bed in primer this week. Only real hurdles I see is the cab brow repair, and the driver's side door is still a mess - it's bowed across the bottom. May need a new lower section -I'll let ben make that call.

[_AJ_]

II Slow, you gonna long haul or just do a few days of the power tour?

[II_Slow]

Planning on the long haul. It starts east of here (Louisiana) then heads through Houston and Austin, then to Dallas. I live near Dallas so I think the wife is going to do the first half with me, then my daughter will hop in and do the second half. She has accepted a softball scholarship offer from University of St. Mary just outside of Kansas City which is the last stop so it's going to work out perfect for another campus visit, assuming I finish the truck. This is her idea of a graduation cruise! She already has a list of cars she wants to ride in.


101 days to go. I saw them restore a basket case car in only a week on TV so I should be good.

[_AJ_]

You'll make it..no worries. We've long hauled the last 4 years and plan on doing the same this year in the 54. I'll be keeping an eye out for you while on route for sure.

[Kim57]

Makes me appreciate how clean my cab was when I see what some of you guys have to deal with.
Kim

[lower50's]

Just read your build. Great job it's not easy to put a diesel into the old trucks but it's fun to do. I'm the same with the shop cleanup day, do it after every stage of the build then start fresh. I also used Lizard skin I'm happy with it so far. Good luck getting to the power tour, it's on my list for maybe 2017.

[II_Slow]

I took a couple of days off last week and finished up the floors and finished plating the cab corners flush with the floor. I had to make more room on the kick panel to clear the A/C unit, and box on part of the transmission tunnel to clear the turbo flange at the down pipe. That completely "sealed up" the cab except for a couple of spots that I needed the cab off to repair (easier from the bottom or with the cab away from the engine).

I also started on the exhaust and got it routed back behind the cab. Just tacked on a temproary turn-down becuase I need the bed in place to finish it up. It quietened things down a bunch with the cab work complete and some exhaust. It will just have a straight pipe initially, but I'll add a resonator if the drone its too bad



I also permanently mounted the seats. Got a wild hair and took it down the highway for no good reason other than to drive it. That was at 2:00. By 4:00 the front clip was off, the cab was back off, and the transmission was out and loaded up in my other truck. It is headed to the transmission shop for clutch upgrade, shift kit, and billet converter. Plans are to change out the fuel plate to max out the P-Pump to whatever the stock injectors and turbo can support - maybe 300hp/700ft-lb. Too much money to go beyond that.

[dug224]

Making great headway. dug

[II_Slow]

Best news was I received the Bonded Title in the mail last week. I was pretty sure that securing a title would not be a problem, but I've heard so many horror stories that I was a little concerned. Sure helped have a fellow car guy/gear head assisting at the DMV!

I also had the paint/body guy over to look over the door, fender, and hood gaps and we was good with everything . I was waiting on his blessing before blowing it back apart. Trying to make a final decision on color in the next week or so. Decisions, decisions......

When I lifted the cab this last time I did it with the doors on, seats installed, and steering column and A/C inside unit in place. I won't do that again. Way to heavy to try to get high enought to clear the back tires

[Dieselwrencher]

Great progress! That's great news on the title too. Good luck making your dead line for power tour as well.

[II_Slow]

Nrecent progress on the body work - haven't seen the painter since I gave him more money 3 weeks ago. Says he's coming this week.

In the mean time, I've been reworking the bed. I rounded the back bed corners using 1-3/4 header tubing mandrel bends (wish they were tighter bends, but this should look great with an old school snap-on tonneau cover.


I had already filled the other stake pocket holes. I bought hidden latches for the tail gate but I'm not going to use them - I want the chains (with covers) for the more factory look.

I had to buy a new front panel for the bed. the other had too much rust. I clearanced the new one to clear the frame a batteries. Also installed the new tailgate, then reworked my custom bed frame and floor to clear the wheel tubs. I really don't need the clearance now, but had already cut the bed sides - and this will allow for much wider wheel and tire package if I want them later.



Also working on the wiring that stays inside the cab. Still havent figured out how I want to run the wires through the firewall - bulkhead or other feedthrough.

I finally got the fuse box, Dakota dask interface, both Guard Dawg Keyless Ignition boxes, and Terminal strips fitting under the dash. It's packed under there and I still need to route the A/C ducts.

[Coldshot]

Love the truck! Just did a quick look threw on the thread. Much nicer looking then I plan to have mine tho lol.
12v is something I'd love to play with down the road. Have you thought about wrapping the truck? You can experiment with colours at a much lower cost, the 3m stuff is really nice and easy to use now. Be about $500 if you try it on your own.

Otherwise is say factory yellow

[II_Slow]

Transmission is out and at the shop for upgrade. Very easy with the cab off!
With the cab off, I had the access I needed to fill some of the unused holes on the firewall and begin smoothing it all out. I need the beef up the firewall a little where the brake booster mounts since it was flexing some when I was bleeding the brakes. Finished welding up the toe boards except for one patch. Then I'll roll it over on it's back and finish welding up the bottom, particularly the ends and back of the rocker panels and the back brace. The bottom of the hinge pockets need a lot of love too.

[II_Slow]

Finshed all of the rust repair and filling unused holes on the firewall and toe boards. I need to box in the steering wheel penetration and add the seal (which has to mount perpendicular to the column). Putting a little filler over the seams and patches. I also cut a panel to follow the contours of the engine at the top of the transmission tunnel to clean things up.



Seems like I can spend 2-3 hours at the shop in the evening and accomplish almost nothing. Not sure where all the time goes!

[brimc]

Looking good! I agree with the shop time.
I sure wish the time at work went as fast as the shop time too

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Those little things seem to take forever.
Kim

[II_Slow]

The firewall and toeboards fininshed now except for some final sanding. The steering column was coming through right in the corner but needed a flat surface for the mount/seal so I fabbed a box to fint the firewall. Also the brake booster and hydro boost mount was landing right on one of the raised features on the firewall so I had to modify that. Also beefed it up on the backside to get rid of the flex. The tunnel is ready for the ceramic heat barrier, just need to finish the hinge pockets and weld up the rockers on the bottom.


Also put a stiff wire brush on the grinder and went over most of the cab interior - at least the front half. Applied Epoxie primer in preparation for the sound deadener. I'm trying to get the defroster ducts, wiper arms, fuse box, Dakota dash interface, etc and layed out and mocked up before applying the Lizardskin. I don't want to weld any brackets or tabs after the Lizard skin on on

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work! Yeah, the time seems to fly by and I can rarely check things off my project list either.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Kim

[HeloCrewChief]

Awesome build. I'm on my third Cummins and have been day dreaming about swapping one into my 68 Suburban lately. Just a sweet engine to have. Its the only engine that feels like it would run forever and reliably.

[II_Slow]

Finished patching the floors and welding up the seams from the bottom side. Decided to replace the hinge pockets, replacements delived late last week but not yet installed. Sprayed the LizardSkin sound deadener on the floor and firewall inside the cab. I need to order more to spray the bottom side then I'll put the ceramic heat barrier on the bottom as well. Hopefully it will really knock the noise down on that 12-V Cummins.


(Sorry, can't get Photobucket to rotate the photo right - it looks right until posted)

I was hoping to get the dash installed over the weekend but ran out of time.
I ordered a turbo and manifold blanket, and I'll wrap the down pipe as well. I ordered the Painless Wiring "Power Braid" split wire loom.

Also picked up the rebuilt 47RH ransmission and billet backing plate converter but didn't get it installed yet. Overhaul kit, plus improved clutches, new valve body to increase line pressure and pump fluid in park, and a couple of other weak points like the O/D sprag addressed. Should handle a lot more power than I will be throwing at it.

Lots of work to do but still optimistic for HRPT.

[_AJ_]

Lookin good man. You got like 50 days or so......no problems. We'll see you in Gonzales, La.