Project "Sweet 16"

[JTRACEY]

Originally Posted by skymangs

I guess it really is a small world Ernie said he had 6 or 7 calls on the first day he posted those parts up! I was so thrilled that I found a red box and fenders, I was beginning to think it was never gonna happen. I wasted no time in getting there and giving him cash. Sorry to leave you with the spare tire divit, but I really needed red!

No hard feelings here, I needed some rears regardless if it had the spare tire divit... Did he tell you about the guy he knew that bought the 1500 Old Navy trucks?

[99 to Life]

great score and only 15 miles away, can't beat a local snag. anyway, from the looks of it if you lowered your bed a bit in the rear, it might make your wheels look better in there. Seems like the front end is some of the culprit from the one pic. Nice to have the bed, running boards and front fenders all on for moching up, but understand you didn't have them at the time. Moving leaf perches and cutting shaft for that little bit ahhhhh sux. But you'll figure it out. Great progress.

[skymangs]

Thanks Atommik. I'm through with he drawn out projects. I just want to crank em out and drive the wheels off em now!

Thanks 99, the pics are of the box "mocked up". I actually lowered the entire box 3/4" so the splash gaurds and running boards sat level and had the proper gap before I bolted it in.
the wheels are still about 1.5" too far back in the wells, no problem to fix that though, just more time and effort!

I'll have new pics hopefully tomorrow after I get the running board brackets made. Once that's done, and we move the rear end, we'll decide if, and how much to lower the rear end.

[skymangs]

He certainly did. What a score! I coulda retired and just built them for a living!

[sparkydog]

I like the way you go about grafting new and old technology! Subscribed.

[99 to Life]

seen a few old navy trucks out east here. actually when I bought my 51' it came with extra fenders off of an old navy truck. So one guy bought 1500 trucks? thats alot of shipping if you ask me. but I'd love to own 1500 of these trucks. I got six now!!

[skymangs]

Thanks Sparkydog... Is that old IH iron in your profile pic? LOVE the old IH trucks!

yeah 99, he said that one guy bought them all, they had no drivelines (since they were display only, and has been making a mint off them since.

[xpickup]

skymangs, good score on the parts. It looks great. That is great if you only have $3500 into it. Keep up the great work. When we would go into OLD Navy I would always look at the truck instead of the cloths. The one near us was a basket case. They just filled everything. The best part of it was the new chrome parts that they put on it.

Shannon

[skymangs]

Thanks xpickup, So I got the box finished up last night, bolted it down once we were happy with it's placement and height. Re-located the rear end (temporarily) and cut down/modified the stock running board brackets and installed them. I also put the 3" lowering block kit in the rear. Below are pics of the finalized ride height and box placement.

Tomorrow I'll pick up some new spring locating bolts, and take everything apart to drill the new ones in the springs. Has anyone heard about masonary bits drilling springs better than regular steel bits? I had heard that somewhere, but forgot the source. If it's true, you guys gotta know!

The front is 5.25" off the ground, the rear is 7" off the ground. I think it looks KILLER with the new stance!

[Atommik]

Stance looks great!! Makes me think I should get some drop spindles and lowering blocks!!

Great job!

[JRANGER]

looks great!

[skymangs]

Thanks all

[JTRACEY]

I have heard about masonry bits in the past as well being used on hardend steel... If I remember correctly the problem they had was keeping the bit cool enough... Im the stubborn bastard that goes through 3 bits and cuss myself after that, I just wasted $20+....

Quick question... Do your running boards hang below your frame? I finally got to the point tonight that it is time to put my cab on and figure out how high I need to make my mounts. I really like the way you made your mounts to accept factory s10 bushings. I think in the long run doing them this way will save me a lot of time and frustration...

[skymangs]

That was the idea when I decided to re-use the S10 bushings. I already had them, and they were in good shape. Why not re-use?

The Running boards are almost even with the bottom of the frame. Maybe 1/4" lower. One could use some C channel or 1.25" 11 ga. square tube to make brackets. I am modifying the original ones to use them. I needed to shorten the height, and shorten the length of the long ones. I only have 4 brackets (2 long/2 short), so I'm going to have to make the rear ones.

[99 to Life]

looking good, as for masonry bits, I don't see them drilling through steel, could be wrong but I would just get a titanium bit. Hobo freights suck by the way.

[skymangs]

Yeah, masonary bits didn't work out at all...

I used titanium Dewalts, and it took over an hour per side. Chewed up a few bits. Thank God for drill doctor!

[99 to Life]

dewalts are usually good. too bad you couldnt just have a machine shop blast right through it. Them bits are pricey too. I'd suggest going in 3 stages small, middle and to final size. Blasting a 3/8 or whatever hole at once is a pain on some stuff.

[skymangs]

Yup, that's what I did. started with 1/4, then 5/16, then 3/8. took FOREVER!

[skymangs]

Here's the completed fold down speaker grill, with the stereo and wiper switch behind it. Sorry, everythings dusty on the dash right now. progressing nicely, We're hoping to start driving it in the next several weeks!

[99 to Life]

looking great. hopefully your wipers work good cause it would be a pain reaching over there to turn them off and on. My wipers have two speeds and I constantly have to turn them off then on, but my switch is right by my ignition.

I'm working on a dash as we speak, I think I'm gonna hinge the delete plate for my air ride switches or whatever else. Might go the speaker hinge too, very convenient looking. So you just have a magnet to hold it up? I thought it would be cool to incorporate a push style magnet.

Also remember the name of a company called blair tools, they'd prolly have a bit you'd need. Heard they were good by expensive. They make bits that drill out rivets and all that.

[skymangs]

Yeah 99, I think they are gonna work out ok. My wipers have the 2002 wiper switch which is 2 speed. the high speed is pretty constant though, should be enough. the slow speed is like intermittent on a normal car. I used an ACE magnet, cost like 4 bucks for three of them. The push magnet is a cool idea though!

The suspension work is all finished now, drilling those springs SUCKED! Wound up going to a 2" drop in the rear, just didn't like the ground clearance of the U bolts and shock mounts. Just a little too low for daily driving.

[JTRACEY]

Tailgate looks awesome! And those new tail lights look way better too!

[skymangs]

Thanks JT. Truck is coming along, haven't taken any pics the last few days. doors are on it, exhaust is complete, Heater is installed and seems to work well. AC evaporator arrived, waiting on condensor/dryer/and fittings.

I've been struggling to get the hood aligned. I have an almost finger width gap at the rear, tapering to touching the fenders in the front. Fenders are all the way up, hood hinges are as low as they can be set. I believe that my core support was mounted a little too low (maybe 3/8" or so). By the weekend we'll have that back apart to figure out where the mis-alignment is happening. Hopefully sometime next week get it to the alignment shop.

Total to date is $4100 and some change. We're pretty much done buying stuff at this point, save for the alignment. We ran into a few suprises right at the end (interior door handle levers were screwed, cracked the pass side windshield installing, etc.) that have cost us a little extra. Hopefully we're about done spending at this point!

[Atommik]

Skyman,

Yeah it sounds like your rad support is too low. There is really not much adjustment in the fenders themselves, since everything bolts to the rad support. Mine was so low I had to remake my support brace that I had already welded to the frame! Also, make sure you have installed the large braces that go from the front of the inner fender at the radiator support to the outer edge in the front of the fender. Those change the angle of how the fender sat along the hood at the front. I've got a little more adjusting to do on mine because I never put these in until the cab and fenders were painted.

Everything looks good!! On the road soon!?

[99 to Life]

I made my own rad support. I'm not running any braces on my inner fenders to firewall, some do some don't. Guess I lucked out cause its a good fit. Fun part is shutting the hood. I'v finally learned to just hold the latch open with your hand then shut hood, then release, as opposed to slamming it. You'll get there. Budget is good. Something cool and under 5k that you built is way worth doing over buying something IMO.