The Super Duper Haggis Hauler

[MacQuigley]

I'm hoping for Warp 2 at least.

[MacQuigley]

I guess the best way to start this post is

Ding Ding! Round 2!

So this is the driver side rocker as I start



Some lovely patchwork and welding there.

20 minutes later with a plasma cutter



For a moment I thought I may have got away replacing the B pillar bottom but in fact there is a hole in it and the metal is very thin, so it will get replaced (I have the patch panel anyway).



No thoughts of saving this though!

[ibrown50]

Great progress Bill, the bottom of my pillar was the same it looked perfect so I decided to clean with a wire brush .... it promptly disappeared brush in a cloud of red dust

[MacQuigley]

Got the rear axle casing sand blasted tonight. Just need to figure out how to get the right angle for the new mounting brackets so I can weld them on.

[Grizz1963]

You are doing some serious remedial work Billl.

You certainly get my award for hardcore build.

[MacQuigley]

Just need to make sure I dont run out of steam half way through!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Just need to make sure I dont run out of steam half way through!

I know what you mean.

Years ago when I did that '63 Beetle over three weeks working 7/7 for a minimum of 12 hrs a day I ran out of steam as I bolted the last parts on. Perfect timing.

Hang in there. We will cheer you from our keyboards.

[MacQuigley]

It was a definite factor in the 18 years it took to build the Morris Minor. 2 years solid every weekend and night cutting and welding and I was desperate to find something else to move onto. So when the wife asked me to sort out the kitchen I jumped at it, then and on-suite, then I split one bedroom into 2, then I bought 2 Land Rovers.

Anything but finish the Morris.

But when I started it I was 32. Im now 50. I dont have time to take 18 years to do the truck. Id love to have it done by next year but realistically i think it will take longer.

Anyway, I'll take a couple of nights off a week and go shooting. Ive competitions to complete so thats a good distraction for a couple of nights.

Just hope the wife doesn't want a new kitchen again............

[MacQuigley]

One wee bit of good news. The £ is a little up on yesterday against the $. Maybe I'll get my suspension ordered this week after all. Need to pick my time and get this as right as I can.

[CraigRK]

Brave man Bill!!! Keep it up!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by CraigRK

Brave man Bill!!! Keep it up!!

Says a man with this thread.........

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thre...auty-awakening

And this photo followed by some very interesting ones.

[MacQuigley]

Your not kidding Rian!

Craig, that makes mine look like its minted! I'll keep an eye on your progress.

[MacQuigley]

Gents,

Before I start welding the new Captainfab brackets onto the replacement 12 bolt does anyone see anything wrong in the way Ive set up the old axle to get the angle on the diff?

Old:-



Angle set on the top of two of the diff cover bolts:



Everything replicated and the diff central as per the old 12 bolt:



Nothing welded up yet so plenty time to alter things, but everything looks to be correct.

(And thanks again to John (Captainfab) for the link he sent me earlier which helped with this)

[MacQuigley]

So this weekends update.

Took most of the old floor/rocker/pillar bottoms away. Door pillars are really rotten as is the front cab mount (but I knew that). The rear cab mount is solid.







Also took the 78 front clip back off and started to shot blast the crossmember. Unfortunately rain stopped play, so I'll finish this later in the week.



And I got a couple of coats of sealer on the rear axle. Im not going to paint it any further as I need to weld on the panhard arm mount when it arrives.

[MacQuigley]

Talking of getting the chassis prepared. Anyone know if these slots shol dbe in the X member?

[ibrown50]

Bill I don't know about the slots in your chassis but I have to agree about the exchange rate, bl**dy h**l it hasn't half whacked up the price of stuff from the US, I blame that Brexit lot !!
What brakes and suspension have you ordered ?

[MacQuigley]

Well I finally got round to starting to build some cover over my drive so I can work on the chassis in the rain and stay dry. Why? Well I finally ordered my new suspension and brakes today. cost a bl**dy fortune and the sh*t exchange rate added another $400 to the cost but thats it ordered. Hopefully have it all next week but as long as I have it by the 1st of August as Im on holiday then for 2 weeks and I hope to get most of it fitted. Fitting it should be easy, its getting the chassis prepared and painted that will be the time consuming bit.

[MacQuigley]

Finally I catch a break!

I was flipping through some websites early this morning trying to find casting numbers for TH350's and during that I brought up some pictures of both TH350's and TH400's.

Id believed what the guy I bought the truck had told me about my transmission being a TH350. Turns out its not, its a TH400!

Finally some good news. The 400 should be better able to take the 454 Im dropping in.

Still never found the casting numbers though.........

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

Finally I catch a break!

I was flipping through some websites early this morning trying to find casting numbers for TH350's and during that I brought up some pictures of both TH350's and TH400's.

Id believed what the guy I bought the truck had told me about my transmission being a TH350. Turns out its not, its a TH400!

Finally some good news. The 400 should be better able to take the 454 Im dropping in.

Still never found the casting numbers though.........

Great news indeed.

You really deserve a break.

[MacQuigley]

It makes a change mate!

Bet it doesn't work though!

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

MacQuigley, pretty easy to ID TH350 & TH400 by the shape of the pan. have a look at the chart below to confirm.

[MacQuigley]

Thanks for the chart. That was something I found our earlier today plus the 400's case is very different.

Im happy I have a 400. I just didn't dispute the seller when he told me it was a 350. For a change its a pleasant surprise that something is better than expected.

[mjh1965]

Here's the details you requested.





Hope that helps Bill

[MacQuigley]

Cheers Martin. I know that pic is on your thread but I couldnt find it!

[MacQuigley]

Definitely a TH400





Really glad all Ive ordered for the TH350 (I thought I had) were mounts and they will fit the TH400.

So a little more progress last night.

The rear axle is now in base coat (the diff cover will end up black)



And the rest of the rotten floor cut out to match the patch panel. Hopefully I’ll start welding that in tonight.