Big Bird - 1972 Longhorn K30

[BlueBullet]

With my degree in farmer ingenuity sometimes it takes one or two times to get it right. And sometimes it takes 3,4,5,6 times. My geometry was a little off on the rear. I tilted the bed with the forklift and the bed hit on the back support after raising it only a couple feet. Easy fix just took out the bolts and flipped the bracket 180°. The bed then hit the bolts on top of the frame that hold in the farthest rear support. I removed them and added some flat bar inside the frame rails that I also added some pipe for more support at pivot point. Pictures is as the steepest angle I will be able to go for the time being. I will have to notch bed rails a little bit to go to a sharper angle. I will eventually pull everything back off and paint when I paint the bed. To finish up the night I mounted the rear mudflaps.

[BlueBullet]

Worked on the front mudflaps today. I am waiting on a local hydraulic shop to get back to me on a pump. Also need to wait for a spot to open back up in the big shop to finish front hoist mount. Got holes made and attached just have to weld in more support. Here is a before during and after picture of the badging that goes on the mudflaps. I had them on my Dodge but keep getting ripped off. They should work good on Big Bird since it sits higher ground. I took the wheels off to install the mudflaps and found this. Needless to say they are getting replaced.

[sweetk30]

dam those are NASTY ! and i live in the rust belt.

[BlueBullet]

Got back at work on Big Bird today. The pump came in on Wednesday and gather supplies to finish the hoist assembly. I got the top pivots attached and added some more support on the top of the frame of the bed. Since the pivot shaft is about 2" and the frame is about 3" so little more support seemed fitting. I scrounged around the farm and found a retired toolbox. It would end up being a great place for the pump. Made the platform for the toolbox, made hydraulic lines, wired, filled with fluid and tested the system out. Works good. Have to notch rear frame tomorrow so that I can tilt the bed at more of an angle. Also go the battery box holder made. Still need to tuck the wires up nicely and run a charge wire from the main battery. Hopefully get at the headache rack tomorrow also.

[BlueBullet]

Here's a picture of today's progress, testing the 4-wheel drive and a picture of where I had beefed up the frame on top of the upper pivot point. This is full tilt so far, I will do a few test runs with it to see if I need to trim some more to get a sharper angle. I also got the wiring finished and neatly tucked away. I wasn't able to start on the headache rack today. We got about 5-7" of snow so this morning was tied up with pushing it around.

[rustytruck50]

Good looking truck & even better fabrication skills!

[Dieselwrencher]

Man, that turned out awesome! I really have a bad hankering to build a similar one now. Nice work on Big Bird!

[DWilbur]

Very cool wish I set my truck up with dump bed

[BlueBullet]

Thanks guys!! It's been coming together we'll. I have some leaks that I will have to see to at some point. I have been working on the headache rack. I have just a couple more pieces to add for window protection then I will be sacrificing the original bed from this truck. I am going to cover the front side of the headache rack with sheet metal from the bed. Colored side facing forward. I will just spot weld in place. I think it will look pretty cool until I get around to blasting and painting the flatbed. A buddy came down this weekend and we made a wood splitter. For a tribute to these trucks the axle is a HO52 axle housing that didn't have a home. We made it out of things we had around the farm except for the hydro comtrol. Turned out pretty sweet. I can't wait to get the Bird road worthy and hook up the splitter and head to the woods.

[sweetk30]

did the special box show up yet ? ? ?

i cant wait to see them on this truck .

[BlueBullet]

Yea buddy!! Thank you for fixing me up. I was on a mission with the wood splitter so I just opened the box and took a quick look. It felt like Christmas when the mail man showed up. Oddly enough I pulled in the driveway when he pulled up. He handed me the box and said I suppose you are waiting for your parts. Hopefully get them installed shortly.

[BlueBullet]

Got the headache rack finished up. Pretty happy with how it turned out. Next on the list is bumper and lights so I can take it in to get exhaust and drive it home from there. Also picked up up a set of slots for a future project. Always liked the way they look just need to come up with some tires.

[MrBeast]

That truck is looking super sharp!

Really like how she has turned out.

[BlueBullet]

Thanks MrBeast!! We had an Ag Hitch up in our shed off an old retired farm truck. Thought it would be a perfect fit. After a nip here and a tuck there it fit like a glove. Really like how it turned out. I had to add some metal in a few spots that had gotten soft over the years in the rust belt.

[Dieselwrencher]

That turned out really nice! The bumper part is really nice. Those babies were no where near cheap back in the day. I wonder if they even offer those big drop bumpers for them anymore?

[sweetk30]

were is the pics of the stuff I sent you installed ?

[BlueBullet]

Been pretty busy!! Went and picked up Big Bird after getting the exhaust installed and then found out my wife was in labor. The next day we had a baby girl. On top of that we are full blown into spring planting. With the late spring it makes it even more hectic. Luckily we got a nice rain that will keep us out of the field for a bit. Hope to get them on tomorrow. You will have to wait in suspense.

[sweetk30]

oh I know planting time fun .

and congrats on kid

[Dieselwrencher]

Congrats on the baby girl! I'm sure you're in wide open mode too. Good luck getting it all in before the next rains.

[7dee2]

Congrats on your new daughter, great job on Big Bird, I dig it!

[BlueBullet]

Thanks guys it’s been a while since I have an update so here it is. I have been super busy around the farm and learning what it’s like to be a dad. Pretty cool!! I haven’t done much with Big Bird except a few test drives and testing out the dump box. Works sweet. I spread some gravel on my driveway to the house and hauled 5000ish pounds of washed rock from our farm to grain facility. Lifted the load no sweat. SweetK30 the goodies you sent are next on the list.

[Dieselwrencher]

It looks really good doing work! Enjoy that little one. They are so awesome when they're that small but can be a hand full too!

[jocko]

Always kinda fun to find a build thread I somehow missed that has been document from start to finish - and read it thru start to finish. Especially when it’s a truck I really really like. I bet that thing is lotsa fun, congrats on a great build, looks perfect.

[BlueBullet]

Haven’t been on the board much lately busy busy. Been using Big Bird here and there. A friend of mine who helps with the trucks barrowed it to haul some cans. And I hauled some wood and rock.

[rustytruck50]

Love the working/action shots!