Project Big Red

[laserjock]

Thanks for the input guys. I could certainly build a lower hoop. I knew it was bent but I didn't realize how bent it was untill the bumper and air dam came off. I think I can straighten it enough with a couple well placed cuts and welds and a little help from a BFH. If the support on my truck were in any better condition, I'd straighten the bottom hoop and graft the bottom of this onto it. As for switching the front end, to be honest, I like the brick nose better than the others. To each their own. That's why I bought these trucks instead of an OBS truck.

For now working by myself, the going is pretty slow. Like they say, you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time.

 

[laserjock]

Quick update. Parts truck is out of the garage. Engine trans core support all removed. Got all the suspension down to finger tight so it's going in the yard on blocks and front diff is coming out to be cleaned up and serviced to be reinstalled. Anybody know of a freshen up kit for a d60? The only one I've found is about. $425. I haven't tried to price it separately yet. Thought I would ask. When I get closer to ready for it ill post a specific thread.

 

[laserjock]

Alrighty, time for a little update. Parts truck is out and the twisted core support is straightened. This is where I started.

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It's really twisted. I cut the bottom section out by removing the spot welds and seam welds and straightened it.

Before

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After.

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Then after a lot of cutting and tacking and twisting....

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Not perfect but seems to be close enough. Measures to within an 1/8" of the rusty one on my truck.

Sample of my welding. It's getting better.

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Still more welding and grinding to go followed by some rattle can paint to hold it over till I'm ready to sand blast everything.

While I was at it, I've been working on a process for cleaning up hardware. Picked up a HF vibrating tumbler and some rust cutter media along with a bottle of Evapo-rust. About 12 hours and things were pretty clean.

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The dark spots rub right off. They will get zinc plated. Ill save that for another thread.

Anyway, I'm ready to start the metal replacement in the cab. Since I'm doing rockers, I thought it would be a good idea to fix the door pins so that I could line the gaps up easier. Passenger side was so so. Drivers side was horrific. I had help to do the pass side so I left wires etc attached. Ground pins off and drove them out. Marked outline with a sharpie to put the hinge half back on the door. New bushings and back together it went. Did the drivers side by myself so I hung the door from the hoist, marked the hinges, unplugged the two plugs under the dash.

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And off came the door with 4 bolts.

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Took about 10 minutes to grind both pins out. I changed the bushings in the bottom hinge but not the top because if you look close the door holder is broke off. So that hinge is getting replaced. I put the new pin in just so it would be easier to pull the door off and put it back on when I need to move it outside for space.

Next up is to gut the interior and take stock of what metal is needed then a really painful order probably to lmc for sheet metal. Another unfortunate but not surprising find is that the doors are starting to rust at the bottom. May be adding that to the list as well.

 

[War Wagon]

Quick update. Parts truck is out of the garage. Engine trans core support all removed. Got all the suspension down to finger tight so it's going in the yard on blocks and front diff is coming out to be cleaned up and serviced to be reinstalled. Anybody know of a freshen up kit for a d60? The only one I've found is about. $425. I haven't tried to price it separately yet. Thought I would ask. When I get closer to ready for it ill post a specific thread.

If the ball joints and u-joints are tight I would leave them if it were me. The seals can be had at your local parts store and I think you can still get a WARN hub repair kit if needed from NAPA or CarQuest. If you need to replace ball joints and u-joints I would strongly recomend contacting your local DANA Spicer dealer. In my area that's Inland truck parts. If you need everything they can get it all there for you in one stop.

 

[laserjock]

Thanks for the info. It should be a KP front end being out of a 90. That's what it looks like to my uneducated eye. So no worries about ball joints. As far as the warn hubs, I'm going to clean up the nice warn premiums that are on the 50 that is getting swapped out and repack everything just as a matter of service. Thanks for the advice. I'm struggling with what level this build is going to go to. I'm trying to not sucome to "while I'm in there itis". It's not easy.

 

[73IDI]

yeah let me tell you the "while I'm in there" scenario can get way out of hand my truck was supposed to be a nice not daily driver but could be if it needed too and a back up/tow vehicle and look what i ended up with a black top queen with not a trailer hitch one and I only get to drive it when its nice and in the winter it stays in the garage WITH a cover on oh well i still love it just didn't turn out like i planned haha nice build though it will be nice to have solid dependable usable older truck

 

[laserjock]

Well here's an update. Got the seats and carpet out. Can I first put out a PSA?

If you are considering attaching your interior parts with drywall screws... Just say no. What a pain.

Anyway. Here are some pics.

Pass side

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It's not horrible. Drivers side...

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This side is not so good. I didn't want to do this but I think the only way to get at all of it is going to be to pull the cab. I think it's going to be the only way to get rid of all the rust. The underside looks terrible. Definitely need a good sandblasting underneath. Time to order some metal.


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[smokin150]

Now, are you selling,scrapping or swaping the plow? I ask because im looking for something i can put on my ol' beater farm rig cause the state dosnt clear the road im on and its a 'you know what' when we get it to get out.

 

[laserjock]

My Dad has first dibs on it but if he doesn't want it it will go up for sale.

 

[smokin150]

Cool, if it ends up going for sale please pm me.

 

[Greg5OH]

i repaired the whole driver side, as in i out out the entire rocker and floor, made a new B pil;ler base, new floors etc. thanks fully the rust wasnt past the bodymount lcoation, so I was able to weld in a thick plate. I would have pulled the cab if i had the space, but I was working in my parents driveway of a suburban neighborhood. Man I need some land.

 

[laserjock]

Cool, if it ends up going for sale please pm me.

Ill try to remember.


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[laserjock]

Okay. Small update. Did a little more tear down and evaluation or TD&E as they say. Lots of ugly. If you've seen my threads asking about metal repair etc. you are pretty much caught up there. Little more tear down before I order stuff. I'd like to make one big order and save a bunch of shipping.

As I was poking around and looking at the rear of the cab apparently I disturbed something and sprung a leak.

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Yep. That's brake fluid. Had a failure in that spot on my 88 years ago in a parking lot luckily. I had considered putting it on the road briefly. Really glad I didn't. So she is officially grounded. Not that I wasn't going change all the brake lines anyway. Anybody make a prevent kit for a super cab? Can't seem to find one. Preferably stainless.

Don't know if its a good idea or not but if anyone wants to have a bad core support contest, I have an entry. Probably not the worst but its pretty much beyond help I think.

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It's all bad. I'm ready to drain the radiator and pull it then cut the bolts off the bottom and the old support comes out. I may be stripping the frame mounts off my parts truck and reusing them depending on what the sandblaster reveals.


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[laserjock]

Little update. Got the radiator drained the other night. Couldn't get to the bottom hose because of the damn snowplow bracket I haven't been able to get to. The stop **** ears came off in my hand. So I drilled a hole in the bottom hose. I don't recommend that method by the way. Cut the bottom hose off and wrestled it out.

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Next the core support. I had been dreading cutting off the support bolts. No chance of then actually coming out. So I just hooked the lift to it and ripped it off the bolts. A little pry bar love and loosening up the battery trays and out she came.

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After re-reading Al's great description of the front clip removal (thank you!!), I unplugged the electrical connectors and pulled vacuum hoses. That was daunting. Engine harness was really corroded. Got the bolts out and off the fenders came with only one surprise... The cruise control module stayed with the cab and not the fender.

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If I ever find the guy who cut up the wiring harness, I will soil my large crescent wrench with there brain matter.

Couple questions. Come up.

1, will the harness out of my parts truck work? It's a 90 automatic truck without cruise. It seems like the cruise wires are all separate. I think that harness is cleaner than mine.

2. What is this?

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It was on the pass inner fender. Looks like a vacuum switch.

3. Looks like I need a new vacuum can. It seems to just be a ballast can so it wouldn't seem like it matters what I use so long as its approximately 2lb coffee can sized. Is that reasonable?

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Trying to decide what my next move is. I'm debating trying to recover the r12 from the AC system. I probably have the stuff to do it here otger than the connector. I am a scientist after all.

More later.



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[NO_SPRK]

Got the engine stand 2000lb (HF) and transmission jack this week. It's also a HF and good for 450 lbs. I would think that would handle a c6 or a zf just fine

mine works :-D

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