So what did you do with your truck today?

[david85]

What’s the plan for the motors??

We're planning to build a welded aluminum cruiser. The first model was featured in my "Tin Bashing" thread but another one is nearly ready for testing.

My first choice would have been twin 6BTs, but as you an imagine those are not cheap. After seeing the ad for these engines and running some numbers, Dad and I figured that twin 135 Hp engines would still be enough for 18-25kn top speed. I realize that is a wide range, but our boat would be more slender than most mass produced boats. We're aiming for a 4:1 aspect ratio and under 10k lbs (light enough to still trailer it ourselves).

Short of that, we could always find a 32xx gasser for cheap, swap the engines and flip the boat when we get tired of it. I know bayliner is not exactly an ivy league brand, but the 32xx seems to be well thought out. There is a lot of wood but it's easy to inspect, and the fiberglass layup is still old-school heavy.

Neither one of us really have much time for a project like this, but if we don't make it happen, it will never happen.

 

[ttman4]

Today.....well still getting over that nasty back surgery I had a few weeks ago, but I went by my shop I have rented & hobbled round Bessie. Managed to get in her, crank her up & bring her up to temp.
Was hoping to have her repainted by now but looks like it'll be this spring.
Was hoping to have my 40'x64' shop built at home by now too. Looks like will be late spring or summer tho.
I've learned one thing, don't plan lots of stuff, then turn round & have a nasty back surgery. Tooth Fairy or Buggs Bunny don't come by to help out!!!

 

[Jason1377]

Got in the ole girl went to turn her over n nope some skdfeief stole both batteries n left me with dead damaged ones so next weekend she will be towed to my new place n get new stuff

 

[square1]

Think I found the coolant leak

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[DrCharles]

I think you did too!
What are you going to replace it with? Plastic/aluminum, Champion, Mi$himoto?

 

[square1]

Tomorrow after work I'm going to run it up to a local repair shop and see what they say.
Any thoughts on at what price a replacement is a better route than a repair?

 

[laserjock]

Champion 3 rows run ~$250. 4 rows seem to be about ~$300 just to give you a ballpark.

 

[square1]

Is my interpretation of the 12 page thread on replacement radiators correct? The Champions are the best value in all aluminum. Price is key because more $$ doesn't mean less problems. The 3 row has a lower fail rate than the 4 row Copper & brass, like the OEM, is the way to go if lowest faiure rate is the goal. Avoid aluminum with plastic tanks. I'm going to do that regardless as a split plastic tank on an OEM Gm rad cost me a motor. It split right across from the return hose while daughter was driving it. She tried to save me the hassle of having to pick it up or do a roadside repair and limped it until it died, bless her heart

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Sounds pretty accurate to me. That's why I'm going to run OEM style radiators as long as I can.

 

[rewbrooks50]

I had planned for couple of weeks to take my 94 F250 IDIT to Wes for tuning. The truck had been running great until last week. And the engine started losing oil but no leaks. Sunday I drove From Dallas to San Antonio and again lost oil.
Wes discovered something was sucked into the turbo and now I need a turbo rebuild.
Wasn’t expecting that; but, what a great excuse for more upgrades. I am not sad at all.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I had planned for couple of weeks to take my 94 F250 IDIT to Wes for tuning. The truck had been running great until last week. And the engine started losing oil but no leaks. Sunday I drove From Dallas to San Antonio and again lost oil.
Wes discovered something was sucked into the turbo and now I need a turbo rebuild.
Wasn’t expecting that; but, what a great excuse for more upgrades. I am not sad at all.

Sorry to hear that, but at least you have the right frame of mind about it.

 

[catbird7]

Sounds pretty accurate to me. That's why I'm going to run OEM style radiators as long as I can.

Amen!

 

[chillman88]

Picked up a parts rig for my Jeep from a buddy yesterday. Today she got a bath. Looks so much better not covered in salt!

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[The_Josh_Bear]

TODAY I made the mistake of tackling a complete brake job on the 10.25 axle I installed over the weekend. Inside the axle is beautiful! Outside, it's a heap of rusty crap and both sides are the nastiest drum brakes I've ever seen.
I swapped to get the 3.55 gears since I live on a freeway and have the power to fly. Mmmm, turbo.

Out with the old axle:

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Inside the new!!! Lookie!

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I paid $100 for this axle, didnt say anything special about it internally. It has a Detroit Locker! And brand new 3.55 gears, there is zero wear on them.

Course I had to drop $300 on brake hardware today just to get it worth a damn...

In with the new, er, new-to-me. Hey by the way axles are friggin heavy! If I couldnt lift one side onto jack stands alone I would not be able to do this. Whew!

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So that was procured Saturday and installed Sunday. Today I did the brakes. It snowed 9" last night and we had a high of 23* today. But *I* said "I wanna do drum brakes!"

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Because of the snow and I drive class B trucks we didn't have to work today. So it was awesome to spend half the day with my family and play in the snow, etc! I could have timed the brakes a little better.

 

[square1]

Sounds pretty accurate to me. That's why I'm going to run OEM style radiators as long as I can.

That's where I'm heading too. To get new copper & brass online would be a little north of $800 by the time it reached my driveway. The shop quoted $570 to recore my OEM rad, and claims unless it's externally damaged it'll never need to be touched again in my lifetime (no that's not a written warranty). I'm going that route with crossed fingers.