Slammed 1966 GMCummins 12v

[slimjim66]

Well it’s all done…. This picture in the snow was a few months ago. I have since taken it for its first drive and everything seemed to work as it should. I’m in the middle of fixing a small trans leak but other than that everything is how it should be. The AC will be getting charged soon. I’m still messing with the waste gate to juggle when it should open. I’ve see a max boost number at 60psi so far. It hauls ass for a c10, I’m aware I have way to much turbo on this VE pump but it doesn’t blow black smoke everywhere you drive the compounds clean that up good.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work! 60psi is pretty good for a VE. Just drive it and enjoy it now!!!

[Ronzo]

Still one of my favorite builds man, well done.
Please come one out to Alberta some time to show it off.
Ron.

[slimjim66]

Forgot to mention, I’m using a 47rh tranny (4 speed with lock up converter) because I couldn’t get the TV cable to function properly I bought a full manual valve body from Muldoons Diesel. It works absolutely amazing, the manual VB with my pro ratchet shifter is an amazing combo. They have some sort of tranny dyno they run the VB on before it’s shipped. My 4th (OD) and lock up are run off 2 toggle switches on the shifter itself. And if your having a problem with the trans leaking at the dip stick tube, buy a Lokar anchor tight locking dip stick. Expensive but real nice piece. You have to drop the pan in order to get a backing nut on but it’s worth a clean floor.

[SCOTI]

Cool build & liking the updates.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

Air ride switches are in, made a plate for the front of my console, nice and clean and not noticeable. Exhaust fully done, not sure I’m gonna like the stack but I was talked into it by friends. Cab is also on for hopefully the final time. Little bit left to do but it will hopefully be done this spring.

Where did you source the switches from? I'm curious if others have found alternative options vs. paying a source that's getting them from somewhere & doing some mark-up on them & re-selling. Electric valves or manual?

[slimjim66]

These are manual switches, i have the expensive electric system in my Lincoln and its given me a few problems, enough that i didn't feel the price was worth the pissing around again. i got 2 of these switches from airlift, and the other two from a Flying J truck stop. a good friend of mine who is a trucker said they are just air seat switches from the big rigs. there was a $20 per switch price difference. $30 from the truck stop and $50 from Summit.

i don't have much time on the manual air system so only time will tell, i will post updates all summer.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Where did you source the switches from? I'm curious if others have found alternative options vs. paying a source that's getting them from somewhere & doing some mark-up on them & re-selling. Electric valves or manual?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

These are manual switches, i have the expensive electric system in my Lincoln and its given me a few problems, enough that i didn't feel the price was worth the pissing around again. i got 2 of these switches from airlift, and the other two from a Flying J truck stop. a good friend of mine who is a trucker said they are just air seat switches from the big rigs. there was a $20 per switch price difference. $30 from the truck stop and $50 from Summit.

i don't have much time on the manual air system so only time will tell, i will post updates all summer.

Exactly. I've been looking for a source but everything goes back to one air-ride vendor or another. I knew they could be found cheaper through other avenues. What I didn't know is what else they would be used for in the trucking industry. I didn't even think about the seats

[slimjim66]

yea he claims the lines, push lock fittings, bags and switches can all be purchased through the trucking industry. if i ever do another budget bag build i will look into it further. it would be nice knowing you can source replacement parts everywhere in north America if you ever ran into a problem on the road.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Exactly. I've been looking for a source but everything goes back to one air-ride vendor or another. I knew they could be found cheaper through other avenues. What I didn't know is what else they would be used for in the trucking industry. I didn't even think about the seats

[Dieselwrencher]

I have a little larry touche on my orange truck and I doubt I'd buy another. I could have done the same thing with semi seat switches just like you said. Your friend is correct. Any big truck shop will have a wide assortment of DOT fittings and a lot of them are plastic body with brass threads and are push connect. They usually always stock line and misc bags too.

On your constant pressure valve body, does it shift hard all the time? On my Corvette I have a constant pressure valve body as well with the TV wide open all the time. It's a pretty harsh shift at part throttle. I also used a lokar dipstick on both the vette and my orange truck. The locking dipstick sure makes it nice. They are sort of a pain to fill though since the opening is smaller than a standard tube.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

yea he claims the lines, push lock fittings, bags and switches can all be purchased through the trucking industry. if i ever do another budget bag build i will look into it further. it would be nice knowing you can source replacement parts everywhere in north America if you ever ran into a problem on the road.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I have a little larry touche on my orange truck and I doubt I'd buy another. I could have done the same thing with semi seat switches just like you said. Your friend is correct. Any big truck shop will have a wide assortment of DOT fittings and a lot of them are plastic body with brass threads and are push connect. They usually always stock line and misc bags too.

So I got online last night looking again. Most of the truck paddle switches had barbed fittings for the In/Out vs PTC. The barbed style I have found easily online for around $25ea (Amazon had some for ~$20). The PTC style are harder to find online & typically @ $40 & up (Ridetech; Firestone).

I had a barbed style paddle valve in my possession & tried removing the barb fittings hoping that a PTC fitting could simply replace it. It was a no-go on the one I tried as it basically destroyed the switch trying to remove the barb fittings.

I have just been on the hunt for some to help a guy out where I work that wants to put some air-ride on his truck but he has a super low budget. It seems the PTC style are only available @ the name-brand sources when I've searched. Knowing how other things are 'slightly' marked-up, I was trying to find them from different sources w/o the 'brand' tax. I like the DOT rated PTC as they make service work easy & I just don't feel the barb style fittings are as strong when it comes to holding on to the airline.

[slimjim66]

no the valve body shifts good, its harsher than a stock shift obviously but its not crazy. I've been in some gas stuff that just hammers gears and it gets fairly annoying just cruising around town. with that being said if i shift with the converter locked up it will snap your head back lol, I've only done it a couple time by mistake but its a different feeling for sure. I'm really happy with the build so far, it cruises down the road so nice and the suspension seems to be able to handle the heavy ass cummins over top of it. you were right tho the back of my truck is covered in soot already, im already looking into putting a taller stack on.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I have a little larry touche on my orange truck and I doubt I'd buy another. I could have done the same thing with semi seat switches just like you said. Your friend is correct. Any big truck shop will have a wide assortment of DOT fittings and a lot of them are plastic body with brass threads and are push connect. They usually always stock line and misc bags too.

On your constant pressure valve body, does it shift hard all the time? On my Corvette I have a constant pressure valve body as well with the TV wide open all the time. It's a pretty harsh shift at part throttle. I also used a lokar dipstick on both the vette and my orange truck. The locking dipstick sure makes it nice. They are sort of a pain to fill though since the opening is smaller than a standard tube.

[slimjim66]

i hear yea man, the 2 i was given from the flying J were PTC style. ill do some digging to see who's name is attached to them. if i remember correctly there was 3 different styles to choose from. all used the plastic line with either a barb, PTC or a compression ferrule type with drive up nut.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

So I got online last night looking again. Most of the truck paddle switches had barbed fittings for the In/Out vs PTC. The barbed style I have found easily online for around $25ea (Amazon had some for ~$20). The PTC style are harder to find online & typically @ $40 & up (Ridetech; Firestone).

I had a barbed style paddle valve in my possession & tried removing the barb fittings hoping that a PTC fitting could simply replace it. It was a no-go on the one I tried as it basically destroyed the switch trying to remove the barb fittings.

I have just been on the hunt for some to help a guy out where I work that wants to put some air-ride on his truck but he has a super low budget. It seems the PTC style are only available @ the name-brand sources when I've searched. Knowing how other things are 'slightly' marked-up, I was trying to find them from different sources w/o the 'brand' tax. I like the DOT rated PTC as they make service work easy & I just don't feel the barb style fittings are as strong when it comes to holding on to the airline.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

i hear yea man, the 2 i was given from the flying J were PTC style. ill do some digging to see who's name is attached to them. if i remember correctly there was 3 different styles to choose from. all used the plastic line with either a barb, PTC or a compression ferrule type with drive up nut.

Flying J was the first source I googled but there was no 'click on' option for individual parts that I could find. More of a 'what we offer' for our customers type info.

Thanks for your efforts though.