So, I got the rear suspension back in.
I painted both front and rear shocks gold to break up all the black a bit.
I painted both front and rear shocks gold to break up all the black a bit.
Project "Gunsmoke"
- Thread starter licensed to kill
- Start date
I also installed the rear fenders. My first EURIKA!! moment followed shortly by a big WTF!!!!. So, the eureka moment was when placing the fenders and installing the mounting posts. The front posts utilize a suspension bolt and the rear ones need a bolt added. Well, I had fully prepared to have to locate the post and drill a new hole in my freshly painted frame but the i positioned the fender in place (sitting on a couple pieces of 1X4 on the tires to give me my 1" clearance with the suspension collapsed), the location for the rear post lined up EXACTLY with a cross member bolt. What are the odds???? I placed the cross member in that location just because I thought it looked right. 1/2" either way and i would have had a serious issue as the bolt would not line up but would be in the way. AWSOME. So I had loosened the bolt for the rear post so I could put the bracket on the post and position it on the fender, then promptly forgot that it was loose. Wasn't until i have drilled the fender and mounted the bracket and put it back on the truck that I realized that the post was loose and, as such, was "drooping" when I traced out the bracket on the fender and subsequently, the fracked is now CROOKED!!!. THAT is my WTF moment. First serious F-up (that I am aware of). A little bummed but will carry on.
And with the 5th wheel installed. Now, on to running air lines
And with the 5th wheel installed. Now, on to running air lines
That is one supersized project that will stand alone above the rest of us with mere cars and trucks. Great job.
Can you redrill for the fender mount without seeing the old holes?
No, the holes are right at the edge so they would show. Gonna have to get a new fender. P.S. sorry for the delayed response, the day after my last post my computer lost it's mind and I couldn't get on this site until just now.Just brought it home from getting a tune up.
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Been awhile as my 'puter was down. Since the last update I have made the necessary fixes to the front brakes. The shoes were in very good shape except the bushings which were wore out and a morphadite size so I reamed the holes out to 1-1/8" and used standard bronze bushings.
I also had to fix the lock washers for the bearing nuts as they both turned and sheared off the tab that goes in the keyway. Again, nothing commonly
available in this size. Something I'm sure we are ALL faced with at times.
Brakes done. I powder coated the brake shoes just because I can. Also because I bought some powder called "ultimate chrome" just too see how it would look but then found out that unless it is clear coated it will turn yellow from the sun and the clear coat makes it dull so I thought I would "put it where the sun don't shine" just to use it up.
I also had to fix the lock washers for the bearing nuts as they both turned and sheared off the tab that goes in the keyway. Again, nothing commonly
available in this size. Something I'm sure we are ALL faced with at times.
Brakes done. I powder coated the brake shoes just because I can. Also because I bought some powder called "ultimate chrome" just too see how it would look but then found out that unless it is clear coated it will turn yellow from the sun and the clear coat makes it dull so I thought I would "put it where the sun don't shine" just to use it up.
Put the hubs together and put the old scabby wheels/tires on for now to get it off the lift
And put the motor in.
Had to split the motor/trans to remove and modify the clutch fork shaft
And put the motor in.
Had to split the motor/trans to remove and modify the clutch fork shaft
The clutch shafts were different so I figured "no problem, I will just modify it to match the fork inside the bell housing and match the linkage outside the bell housing.
The shaft for the truck was a straight through and the shaft for the trans was split. The shaft for the trans was also the wrong spline and stuck out too far. Shaft from the trans top and shaft for the truck bottom.
I cut the shaft to the proper length for the linkage and machined it to match the end for the clutch fork.
Installed in the trans.
The shaft for the truck was a straight through and the shaft for the trans was split. The shaft for the trans was also the wrong spline and stuck out too far. Shaft from the trans top and shaft for the truck bottom.
I cut the shaft to the proper length for the linkage and machined it to match the end for the clutch fork.
Installed in the trans.
When installing the engine it turned out the the oil filters were too long and interfered with the steering box so I had to source some shorter filters. Also, the fuel filter, that was bolted to the engine and was SUPPOSED to fit between the block and the frame didn't fit between the frame so I had to fabricobble a new mount for it. Since I also had to make a mount for the power steering reservoir, I decided to incorporate them both on the same mount, largely to save space.
I mounted it using the engine front cover bolts.
Pretty happy with how it turned out. This truck does not have a flip front end so everything has to fit inside the frame rails making it pretty cramped. BTW, the straps holding the reservoir are also PC in "extreme chrome". Another place "where the sun don't shine".
I mounted it using the engine front cover bolts.
Pretty happy with how it turned out. This truck does not have a flip front end so everything has to fit inside the frame rails making it pretty cramped. BTW, the straps holding the reservoir are also PC in "extreme chrome". Another place "where the sun don't shine".
Glad you were able to get the computer gremlins sorted out.
What a great project, I do enjoy following along to see the progress and the challenges.
Thanks for sharing!
Greg
What a great project, I do enjoy following along to see the progress and the challenges.
Thanks for sharing!
Greg
Good to see your progress, thanks.
I have been working on "gun smoke" but not getting a lot done. Spent WAY too much time screwing around with the clutch linkage but I think I have that issue licked. Having a guy come over tomorrow to help adjust the clutch, then I can set up the linkage and see if it wis going to work correctly. Also decided that I am going to get budds on the steering axles come hell or high water. Picked up a hub the other day and have been taking measurements all over the place and, of course, nothing is the same BUT that hasn't stopped me before so "a modifying we will go". Have to wait as I will need pt do some precision machining and I am NO machinist so I have a DRO on order and will wait until that comes. A REAL machinist could do it "old school" but I will be lucky if I can with the aid of technology. In the mean time, I have turned my attention to the cab. Have it pretty much stripped. I will be replacing the entire panel on the passanger side with a good one I cut from the parts cab and the lower part of the drivers side. Pulled the glass today and discovered some rust jacking in the windshield lip. Ad far as stripping the paint, I think I am going to take it to the city and have it blasted with plastic pellets. Talked to a guy (vintage blasting) and he does a lot of collector cars and uses plastic pellets to remove paint and bond then aluminum oxide to remove rust. I will take it with the panels cut out so it can be blasted in behind where the panels go also.
On those panels, I drilled out all the spot welds on the good panel then on the "good" cab, I cut the panel out inside of the welded seem and will grind the spots down to remove the unwanted flanges. That will leave the cab with solid flanges and I can either plug weld the new panel on through the drill holes from removing it OR I can patch all the holes and spot weld it back on.
Rust jacking on the windshield lip.
Rust jacking on the windshield lip.
So, I got the cab and other sheet parts back from the blasters yesterday and so the "fun" begins. Yup, WAY in over my head but God hates a coward. I knew the back of the cab had issues but didn't know exactly what. Its pretty much pooched for the most part. However, MOST of the back cab panel on the other cab is pretty good so transplant surgery is scheduled. I have some structural parts behind the cab to fabricate and install while the panel is off first. There was/is LOTS of lead all over this cab including in the dash. I cut the dash out of the other cab as well but have yet to decide whether to replace the entire dash or just the parts that has been "repaired". Will probably replace the whole thing. This is what the back of the cab was/is like. The light grey is lead. Pray for me, I'm going to need it.
Started slicing and dicing on the cab. After remove ng the drivers side of the rear cab panel, I found that the rear door post had been damaged and "fixed". I am thinking that maybe someone jack knifed a trailer into the cab corner. The other cab has similar damage to the passenger side.
The damage was actually worse than it looks in the pic and you can see some rust through below the sill/above the rocker as well as a little along the sill below the floor. I decide to just replace all of that, door post, rocker and sill as a unit from the other cab.
The damage was actually worse than it looks in the pic and you can see some rust through below the sill/above the rocker as well as a little along the sill below the floor. I decide to just replace all of that, door post, rocker and sill as a unit from the other cab.
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To remove the parts I cut away the stuff I don't want leaving the flange with the spot welds. This is the rocker/sill cut off, the run over the flange with a wire wheel to highlight the spot welds.
Then I grind out the spots and clean up the inner flange so I can spot weld in the replacement piece.
I have to cypher what all is going on under/in front of the door post. There is structural rust but I'm struggling to figure out what exactly is supposed to be there. Going from the right side to the two corners on the other cab and back trying to piece together what all I need to make but so far have drawn conclusions. That little post with the rust on the bottom is only a SMALL portion of what SHOULD be there. We SHALL persevere.
Then I grind out the spots and clean up the inner flange so I can spot weld in the replacement piece.
I have to cypher what all is going on under/in front of the door post. There is structural rust but I'm struggling to figure out what exactly is supposed to be there. Going from the right side to the two corners on the other cab and back trying to piece together what all I need to make but so far have drawn conclusions. That little post with the rust on the bottom is only a SMALL portion of what SHOULD be there. We SHALL persevere.
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, brave fella. That is a lot of missing metal.
I dunno. I went in to edit and the pictures were there, came back and now they show. I'm not sure "brave" is the right description. It is like taking your dog to the vet. After the bill for surgery starts to add up you realize that maybe the dog should have just been put down in the first place but now you are so vested that you are compelled to keep trying to save it. This dog should have been put down but God hates a coward so I shall carry on. Its just more work, that's all.