Ok, so this isn't the complete update I had in mind, but it's better than leaving you hanging for another full week while I'm away from my computer.
Will add pics of the process when I get home.
Ok, so this isn't the complete update I had in mind, but it's better than leaving you hanging for another full week while I'm away from my computer.
Will add pics of the process when I get home.
That is awesome!
And watch out. Last time I used a plywood toilet I got splinters.
Dude
JohnInKansas wrote:
Posting it for sale on CL?
J/K. Subscribed! This is awesome!
I'm not a truck guy, but this is awesome.
I just found this, and wow. I like it. If I ever do a truck project I'd want to do something like this. Way cool!
Well, long-ass week.
But it's Veterans Day, and the CO released us at noon, so got to work on Chuck some this afternoon.
Cut a couple of holes in the firewall to accommodate the steering column, brake booster and clutch master cylinder.
Dropped the (REALLY HEAVY) front bumper, pulled the front fenders and clip off for ease of access.
Cab mounts, gas pedal, wiring routing holes, and start thinking about heater/AC placement. Maybe by the end of next week.
Decided to start on cab mounts today.
Bought myself a shiny new cutter to liberate the old cab mounts. 
After much measuring left and right, marked the position for the hybrid mounts. Broke out the welder and stuck the new truck's cab mount to pieces of the old truck's cab mount.
Then I hauled off the new truck's trashed fenders, hood, and bed for scrap. Prices suck. Made $3.40 at a penny a pound. Better than nothing, and it's out of the yard.
On that note, I sold the gas pedal from the new truck to one of my coworkers for $10. Also, when I stripped the new truck, I found $3.68 worth of change. So the total investment so far is $732.92.
E36 M3, this has challenge written all over it!
mndsm wrote: E36 M3, this has challenge written all over it!
I had the same thought.
Picking up some steel tomorrow, should allow me to build the front cab mounts on Sunday.
Put the fenders and front clip back on today. Notched the clip to match the new truck's frame.
Removed the old truck's radiator support and lower radiator shroud. Going to have to cut slots in the inner fenders for the radiator, but I don't want to do that until there's a little more structural stability in the front end.
Started looking at wiring diagrams this afternoon. I need to find something simpler though, the 450 page version I have is a bit much.
Limited progress today, I'm on duty all day.
Threw together a set of front cab mounts, set the cab down on them. No more wood blocks to hold Chuck up.
Supposed to rain later today and tomorrow, so put the doors back on for the time being.
Picked up a set of rear brake calipers yesterday from my FIL's house. Just need rotors, shocks, and a leaf spring now.
There's a guy in Hamden Connecticut who specializes in F1s and Marmon Herringtons. He usually has a few parts trucks around if you're looking for anything. He's a nice guy too.
http://www.chuckstrucksllc.com/
This thing is begging for 44 inch swampers. And a winch in the massive front bumper.
Chuck is looking good.
Looking good!
How about a couple of shots of the Volksrod too
A winch I can and likely will do.
44s not so much. It has 32s now, 44s would be getting close enough to the fenders that I'd be worried about mud accumulation. I'm petitioning for 36s, so I can match the old truck's speedo ratio. Wife disapproves. She's short.
So, thinking about wiring.
I don't have a how-to guide on which wires to cut/splice together/get rid of without freaking the computer out. Thus far, I haven't found a wiring diagram that I really like.
I think my best course of action is to plug everything back in as it was in the new truck's cab, but uninstalled. Start engine, make sure everything is good to go. Begin unplugging components, one at a time, with engine running to determine if they impact operation. If no impact, shut engine off, attempt to restart with component unplugged. In no impact on operation, I'm good to delete the component. Continue until I've deleted as many unwanted components as I can without impacting engine operation. Trim down wiring to match, rewrap, install, profit.
Thoughts?
Some components might only impact during certain times.
i.e. temperature sensor that only impacts when teh motor overheats. you would not see the results with your testing. Also anything Transmission related might not show up until you try drive it.
Could you try to find a write up where they swapped that drivetrain into something else? Should give you a pretty good idea what to do.
Ir maybe ask over on pirate 4x4? Seems like those guys have swapped everything into everything else.
That was a long break. Blew the headgaskets in the Beetle this past weekend, spent most of my spare time getting it all put back together.
One of my team leaders is a 4x4 nut, and asked me to let him know if I decided to work on the truck ("sir, it ain't that cold, and we can work in the dark"). Got home and the wife had gone to have Thanksgiving with her parents, so I figured why not.
No pics tonight. Not much progress, really. We killed two six packs of really strong ale between us, and I think our work may reflect that.
Got the transmission cover/tunnel modified for the new shifter location, and fabbed up a simple set of mounts for the front clip.
Next steps: mount the radiator, finish the steering column, simplify the wiring.
This...this is so beautiful.
Thought I'd get some time to work on the truck over my Christmas leave, but one of my soldiers sustained a nasty head injury in a car accident, so I spent the first week of my "time off" at the hospital making sure his family had what they needed. And then it was Christmas, and New Years, and it was cold and snowy and so not much got done.
But here's what I did get done since the last update.
Made some changes to the transmission cover to fit the shifter position.
And made a shift lever to go with it.
Built an accelerator pedal.
Spent a long night wrestling the radiator in, from the bottom, and building a set of brackets to hold it.
No pictures, but did quite a bit of trimming on the wiring harness. No more airbags or power door-stuff.
Pulled a rear axle with leaf springs off a junkyard hulk, swapped the brakes and driver's side spring onto Charlie. Cost:$140
Hauled off the wrecked truck cab for scrap. Project refund:$14.01
Running total: $858.91
Thoughts on bumpers?
Bumper #1 is the original Ford bumper with add-on rebar grill guard.
Bumper #2 is HUGE. The grill guard section unbolts from the bumper itself. Can also be seen on the ground in photo of #1.
Bumper number 1 with added holes for big ass lights
I'd vote #1 too but put a winch on it or wrap it with 20' of big gnarly chain or an equally gnarly length of monster rope.
Looks sweet!
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