1949-50 3100

[missinfishin10]

Very nice work!

[dwcsr]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. The color is going to be some shade of red yet to be determined.

[dwcsr]

I went digging for fenders today thinking I had one or two to get parts off of. I didn't know they multiplied if you left them in the dark up on top of the office. i think I should have enough to make two good pairs

[Russell Ashley]

Bump. Anything happening with this one?

[dwcsr]

We got busy and didn't have time to take pictures and post. We did get the 5.3 connect & cruise package delivered. It comes with the transmission, engine, PCM and harness, trans controller, converter along with plugs, wires clips and odds and ends. It does not have an AC pump or Alternator or PS pump.

The fenders and most all the metal is at the paint shop. The only thing left is the hood and the lower radiator panel. They go this week. Next week is frame and suspension, I will take time to get some pictures of installing the Danforth S10 crossmember.

[99 to Life]

subscribed, love the extra mile you have gone.

[dwcsr]

All the sheet metal is gone to the painters. I have the frame up on the table and we are starting to strip off the unnecessary parts. My camera is busted, I guess they don't bounce well on the concrete. As soon as my new one shows up I'll post some pictures.

[chev3600]

Looks like fine work. The extra time and attention to those door gaps are really going to set it apart.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by chev3600

Looks like fine work. The extra time and attention to those door gaps are really going to set it apart.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks,

[dwcsr]

We are on the table and started removing the brackets and hangers. This is the 2001 S10 4x4 rear. It had 46000 miles on it got it from LKQ for 385. Its a locker 8.5 ring w/ ZR2 option. We do need to move the spring pads if we use springs but thats up in the air. I'm leaning toward truck arm like in the 67-72 chevys. They ride fantastic for a truck. Just a side note new cameras don't bounce on concrete ant better than old ones.

[Clarance J]

Very nice work Dave and crew. Someday you'll have as many cameras as you do fenders.

Earl

[dwcsr]

Thanks Earl,

We have all the brackets and rivets removed and starting to lay out the cuts for the boxing plates. The first thing is to make sure the frame is squared up. Cross measure from index holes in the frame, Index hole are hole that are on both sides and used at the factory for lining up various operations it should be within 1/4. Once you happy with the square the next issue is making the top and bottom rail the same thickness so when the boxing plate gets welded in its parallel to the outer rail. I used a plumb bob to check the back and mark the front. The parallel cut starts 16-1/4 to 16- 3/8 inches from the front rail end and goes until there is no cut left, then at the 16- 1/4 mark is a 90 degree cut. If the rail end is buggered up fix it first then make all future measurements from the same spot on the rail end. Do this for both sides.

I laid a square on the rail and just ran the plasma cutter against it as a guide. I need to trim it up a bit but it is very close.

This is the basis for all the other welding and fit up going forward and it needs to be as good as it can be. Once you start adding on you also add on mis measurements so be as close as you can in each stage of the install.

[dwcsr]

We have the from all wire brushed and sprayed with Ospho. Next was welding in the inner support bracket. It was placed 16-3/8 from the front of the rail. next was fitting the cross member with the spring cups tacked in place. It didn't fit well at all so we took it out and remeasured and sure enough I was a 1/4 inch off on the cut near the original cross member. I had mis measure it at 16-5/8 so we trimmed a 1/4" off and it fit up nicely.

[dwcsr]

Next are the boxing plates. We pre fitted them and tweaked the frame a bit and welded them in.

If any of you were wondering about the HTP mig 2400. It works very nicely and is comparable to the miller 252. I got the welder and the spool gun for $2400 which was 1250 cheaper than millers setup. Iwas a little skeptical about the heat setting not being infinitely adjustable like my lincoln but it has 24 temp setting and I can't ever remember needing more adjustment than that. So far it a nice welder for the money and if I don't like it I can send it back within 90 days for a refund.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

We have the from all wire brushed and sprayed with Ospho. Next was welding in the inner support bracket. It was placed 16-3/8 from the front of the rail. next was fitting the cross member with the spring cups tacked in place. It didn't fit well at all so we took it out and remeasured and sure enough I was a 1/4 inch off on the cut near the original cross member. I had mis measure it at 16-5/8 so we trimmed a 1/4" off and it fit up nicely.

The measurement from the front rail to the support bracket was 24.58 which is about 24-9/16 not 16-3/8. 16-3/8 was the cut for making the rail parallel.

[dwcsr]

We have the crossmember fitted and and clamped in place. I was unsure of the location so I email Scott Danforth and he sent me over some measurements to locate the crossmember at the correct axle center line. Remember that 16 -3/8 cut with the 90 degree cut. Thats the measurement that locates the position of the crossmember. He also gave me a measurement of 17 inches to the spring cup bracket and from the front of the rail to that bracket it was dead on so clamped up and ready to weld.

[dwcsr]

Clamped and welded on the top side

[dwcsr]

More top side welding and then flipped over and welded on the bottom side.

Tomorrow we flip it back over add suspension and drop on some fenders so we can see where we are. fingers crossed.

I do have to say that the new HTP welder is one of the best units I have welded with. It is very fast and you have to move the gun quickly or you burn through but it leaves a nice bead with minimal spatter, its smooth.

[99 to Life]

moving right along, keep it up.

[dwcsr]

Here is something I can say I have never seen before. A rear that was driven regularly with only one carrier bearing. We removed the old rear and opened it up to see if anything was useable. The only good part was the pinion shaft screw. All the rollers for the right carrier bearing were in the bottom of the housing. It must have made a horrible noise. You can see where it was wearing on the axle

[chev3600]

Amazing that someone could just keep on driving like that. And I'm shocked that there aren't broken gear teeth laying there with the bearings. Crossmember looks good, keep it up.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by chev3600

Amazing that someone could just keep on driving like that. And I'm shocked that there aren't broken gear teeth laying there with the bearings. Crossmember looks good, keep it up.
Posted via Mobile Device

No broken teeth but the carrier had chew marks from the pinion. It slopped around in the housing before we even took off the caps. We could move it a lot. I think had it been the left bearing then it would have move away from the pinion and started busting teeth off.

[dwcsr]

We put on the upper A frame and it does interfere with the frame rail so a notch is in order, I laid out some marks and did a taper at the end so it still has the strength it should. My understanding is that if you use aftermarket tube arms you do not have to notch the rail. So here is the before and after.

[dwcsr]

This is the after. It only took about an hour to do this so it not a big deal or very hard to do.

[dwcsr]

A few more pictures of it done. As a side note I have a caster/camber tool that fits on a spindle to give a reasonably accurate caster/camber reading an it was on spec without shims, I was very surprised at that.

When I first looked at the picture on the left I thought the rail was warped from welding but it turns out it was the way I shot the picture. We ran a laser down the rail and it is straight.