48 chevy truck

[wfo guy]

I have disassembled a chevy 6400 truck to use the cab and possibly the front clip. I have a 2015 mustang irs and just purchased a 1991 corvette front suspension for this. This may end up a fenderless hot rod with really good suspension. I believe I will build the chassis from scratch as I have done on the last 3 builds. Lots of unknowns at this point. :)

[charliebob]

I like your plan

[wfo guy]

I spent the morning doing hammer and dollie work on the front sheet metal. A little plastic will be all it needs. The upper grille bar was ugly when I started. It's a usable part now. :)202204202203202205

[wfo guy]

This was not the most productive day for O&S. I was going to repair the left side cowl panel and weld the vent door closed. I got the panel straightened all right but when I went to grind some areas to weld, I found lead. Lots of it. 1/4" thick. I did the repair and ground down the welds. I've had an hour to reflect and I'm going to cut the panel off and put a repro on it. I hope the repro is close. :) I don't have a long term plan but I want it to be as good as I can do it. When I found the lead, in retrospect, I should have quit. I kept working thinking I could make it better. I'm pretty sure the lead was done at the factory. :) The last pic is of the 48 chevy rear cab mount. I couldn't figure out how it was bolted on. After cutting the small panel at the rear of the cab open, I found out that the bolts that go through the frame were missing. :) The cab was sitting on the 2 rubber bumpers on the rear.

[ModernMuseum]

Cool looking project. I have a 49 Studebaker 2R truck that I hope to get to one day.

[wfo guy]

Don, a complete frame replacement is necessary in my world. Once you get used to modern driving and handling, it's tough to go backward. :) You have a nice collection of toys.

[wfo guy]

Another piece of the puzzle arrived.

[dhutton]

Nice! You’ve got my attention now…

Don

[Motown 454]

I'll be watching this too!

[wfo guy]

O&S was in low gear but my 1st obstacle is almost completed. I put the vette suspension on 2 stands and removed the hubs. I found a bolt pattern template on the internet and printed it off. I could see there wasn't enough space to offset drill new stud holes. This is going from 4.75 to 4.5 bolt circle. I started looking for studs with the largest knurl I could find. I found a 16.5mm that was .100" less than I wanted. Turned out to be as large as I would find. Then it got interesting. That was a 14mm stud. The 2015 Mustang irs is 14mm. :) I picked up all the store had and ordered enough to do both front hubs. I have a 4.5 hub that I chucked in the rotary index table and set centers in the mill. I removed it and put the vette hub in. The center that goes in the wheel is the same size on both wheels. That made my offset correct. I milled a hole small enough to allow a press fit on the knurls. I removed the hub and used the press to install the studs. Then I used a spacer and nut to tighten them and make sure they were square. I test fit into a wheel and they fit as they should. I did a tack weld on the back side of the flange to insure the studs didn't come loose. Then I changed jaws on the rotary index table and put the rotors in and machined them with the same offset as the hubs. Having one setup from center allowed me to have a simple setup. :) Tomorrow when the rest of the studs arrive, I should be able to bolt some wheels on and start laying out some stuff.202454202456202457

[wfo guy]

Do you know how to make a vette look better? Put Ford wheels on it. LOL. One pic shows the clearance from the spindle to the rim with deep back space wheel. The hub conversion is completed. The pics are of the front end upside down to reveal the fiberglass spring. The real black part is the spring. The other pics are a rough location to show the 96" wheelbase. The c4 has 96". The AC Cobra was 90". That should make this interesting to drive. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S did a little today. I removed the left cowl panel and installed the replacement. I had trouble finding some of the spot welds to drill out. The rest of it was normal. I have a tiny bit of welding to do but for the largest part, it's done. One less item on the to do list. :)202627202628

[wfo guy]

O&S put in a few hours today. I filled 35 holes on the firewall. I need to do some more planning before filling anymore.

[wfo guy]

O&S has spent more time thinking about this project instead of working on it. I'm going to spare everyone the diatribe of thinking and proceed to some progress. I have spent hours removing clutch head screws. I'm not done yet. :) I have the right floor removed and trimmed and a pattern made for the metal. I was concerned about the cowl repair rusting so I sanded, ground and bondoed the panel and area. I shot 2 coats of epoxy on it to hold it till later. I have removed most of the dents that I could get access to. My plan at this point is to get the rust repair completed and finish filling the holes in the firewall that a rod wouldn't use.202806202807

[LCA1971]

You might want to find a 3100 dog house. The 6400 is wider than you're going to want and the wheel wells opens are a lot larger the the 1/2 and 3/4 trucks. I'm currently build a 54 3100. As soon as I get picture privileges, I'll post some. Good luck with the build and I'll be following along. Chris

[wfo guy]

After an embarrassing amount of time, I have a tiny bit of progress to share. The right side floor repair is partially welded. The plug welds are done and the toe board is tacked. I rolled 2 ribs to kind of emulate the original and the area where the trans cover goes was offset rolled. I ran out of time to complete the welding today. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S finished welding the floor pan in. I have a kick panel repair to do along with the holes on the left side floor where the brake cylinder and a hole for the pto control was cut. I made the patterns for those 2 before I was surrounded by no desire to proceed. LOL.

[charliebob]

Looking good!

[wfo guy]

O&S has been limiting his exposure to iron oxide by not working much. I'm sure the EPA approves. LOL. I filled 2 holes in the floor and 3 in the firewall.

[wfo guy]

O&S has entered into S.S.D.D. :) I removed the brackets for the rubber seals on the pedals and the starter rod. More holes to fill. :) I did fill a few today.

[wfo guy]

O&S branched out today. :) I repaired the kick panel as well as more holes in the firewall. I think I have 15 holes left. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S decided that the firewall had drug on too long. All the holes are filled and the next item is started.

[wfo guy]

O&S got started on a good day. Then it wasn't. :) I got the panel cut for the cowl and got it welded in. I ground the welds down and laid down some bondo. I was using the da when the motor on the air compressor gave up the ghost with some smells and a few sparks. I finished sanding by hand. I had intended to shoot primer over the bare areas but that went down the drain. I cut up some plastic and taped it over the bare areas. There's cheap motors and better motors. I ordered a better one at a substantial cost. It will be here next week so I will have air again. :) At least they are available. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S stripped the rest of the firewall and shot epoxy primer over all of the bare metal. Just in case it ever rains again, I'm ready. :)

[Wayneburns]

This is amazing, I’ll keep checking to see how it ends. Good job man [emoji106]

[Threepointtwo]

So much tedious work to clean up the firewall but it looks so good. I am going to have to do this.

[wfo guy]

I have spent way too many hours trying to decide what to do with this. I don't want another fat fendered truck. I need something to drive that is fun and somewhat useful. That is where this is headed. I'm running an estimate on parts to make a reliable driver with efi, V.A., and good components although in a fenderless highboy style. None of this will be acceptable in most areas of our automotive hobby. It's still too cold here to be doing much work so I have sometime to get this planned out and decide to go or whoa. :) As we all know, the cost of doing anything has risen so much that it makes you wonder if it's time to quit. Still more thinking ahead. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S has decided to proceed. Here's a few pics.208110208111208112208113208114208115208116

[charliebob]

Cool. Looks like fun!

[wfo guy]

One of the items to be addressed was changing gear ratios. The 3:15 carrier won't work for the lower ratios so I purchased another center section and swapped it out.208190208191208192

[Motown 454]

Looking Good! A lot of progress. I've been slipping on checking in.

[wfo guy]

Few items wacked off the list.208268208265208266208267

[wfo guy]

Little more work, lot more time. :)208321208322208320

[wfo guy]

O&S accomplished a little today. I took a break in the am for the fair parade. LOL. I started with 2 3/8" bolts that I machined the head from. I threaded the end for 3/8" fine thread to match the rod ends for the sway bar. I machined a spacer to go between the jamb nuts. I machined adapters for both ends of the rod ends. One is in the sway bar and the other is in the lower a arm. I need to make some spacers to allow the rod end some flexibility and a washer to go inside the lower a arm to hold the spacer in place. None of the bolts are the correct ones.

[wfo guy]

Little more progress.20870220871420871320871220871120871020870 9208708208707208706208705208704208703208715

[wfo guy]

A little more progress.

[dhutton]

Wow!

[wfo guy]

I no longer have to sit on a bucket. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S has a trans cover.208938

[wfo guy]

Hood side panels.

[wfo guy]

I have an unfinished hood.

[Motown 454]

Wow that is looking good!!

[wfo guy]

The bed is back together to work on the bed cover. I have the rear roll pan about completed.209160209161209162209163209164

[wfo guy]

I'm getting closer to disassembly and paint.209347209348209349209350209351

[Threepointtwo]

It is turning out beautifully. It sure is fun to see your vision coming together in metal.

[wfo guy]

Started disassembly for finishing.

[wfo guy]

Naked!

[Motown 454]

Nice!

[wfo guy]

I blasted today.

[wfo guy]

Tiny bit of paint.209522209521

[wfo guy]

After blasting, I found an area under the sill plate that needed replacing. The hood hinge bracket on the cowl was too high. I lowered it and got started on da-ing the cab with 80 grit.209559209558209560209561209562

[wfo guy]

O&S is back in the land of boring. At 4am, I was aware that my plan of attack had fatal flaws. A change of plans today has changed the focus on the rear of the cab and the firewall. I'm resigned to the weather shutting me down before I get the cab painted. I need to get the most done to leave the cab on the chassis next year to finish it. :) The pics should be self evident about what I'm doing. :)209583209582

[wfo guy]

O&S was at his usual speed. The chassis is back on wheels. It sure takes longer to assemble than disassemble. :)

[wfo guy]

O&S plodded along. The engine is back in, driveline, trans has oil, I was able to find the bolt in the accessory drive where the lift chain was in place. :) The battery cables are run and holders for brake and fuel lines. I ran the exhaust and I'm going to do some changes. The left side is too close to the e-brake connection. I can add 4.5" to the header pipe and move the mufflers reward and accomplish 2 items. The 1st is some clearance, the 2nd is I had planned on using the floor of the cab for muffler hangers. Moving them will allow a hanger from somewhere on the chassis that has no connection to the cab. I ordered some bubble flare parts when I realized I had depleted my stock. LOL.

[TitanFox]

Awesome build!

[wfo guy]

O&S removed the header pipes and added 4" to the length. The exhaust is in need of rear hangers, the rest is finished. We all have heard about brake caliper corrosion on corvettes so I kitted the front calipers, installed new pads and hoses. One less item on the list.209623209622209624

[wfo guy]

O&S plodded along today. I mounted the front sway bar. It's powder coated so I decided to leave it black for easy of maintenance. I ran out of gold 12 points so I used black oxide bolts. Not impressive. I mounted the inlet air temp sensor in the air cleaner flange. The throttle body is in a different location from an explorer so I had to deloom some wires and lengthen the IAC wiring. It's loomed back up. The radiator supports are back on. SHort of muffler hangers, brake and fuel lines, I think the chassis is finished. I took and hour and put it in the shed outback. That requires a little manual labor. :) With all of the paint work to do, it needed to be out of the way. Now it's back to Mr. Bondo and seeing if I can get some paint in a few areas before I call it quits and start assembling the truck for the winter.209649209650209651209652209653209654

[wfo guy]

Mr. Bondo is stuck in bondo prison. No further updates unless I escape or are paroled. LOL.

[wfo guy]

The weathergod smiled on O&S today. It got up to 90 degrees. I painted some panels, complete with dirt , a few nats that I removed with tweezers and some color stripes due to incompetence. :)

[wfo guy]

Don't laugh, O&S worked all day to make it look this poor. LOL. The weather is not conducive to sanding outside so I removed the doors and raised the cab off the cart. I have brushed and sanded the underneath side some. I removed a bunch of rust from the inside. There were 2 panels crudely welded to the rear of the cab where gas fillers could have gone. I removed them and cleaned those areas out as good as I can. I stuck some sound deadener between the back of the cab and the uprights to replace the welting that used to be there. I will work on the inside and the firewall tomorrow. Monday or tuesday could be warm enough to paint those areas.209771209772

[wfo guy]

O&S put in about a half a day. This consisted of using an angle grinder and a wire brush cup to aide in removing rust. It sure does get heavy above the head when using. :) More sanding and then laying down some sound mat on some easy areas. I had 2 boxes and wanted to see how much more I will need. Sure seems like I need a lot more than I used to on a project. :) That was 30 sq. feet.

[wfo guy]

O&S has had enough fun for the day. Whether it turns out to be right or wrong, I welded a panel in where the factory speaker grill was. I filled the 2 holes on the right side of the gauge cluster. I put seam sealer in all of the places that I was aware were in need at this point. Most areas have been sanded with 220 and I started masking to paint the inside and firewall. That took almost a whole day!!!!! :) O&S at it still. LOL.209799209800209801209802

[wfo guy]

O&S took advantage of mild weather and painted the firewall and inside of the cab. I use that term loosely. Doing the inside of the cab is a challenge for me. There's times I almost dig my siphon gun out of the cabinet and see if it will still spray. The cup on top limits where you can be. I painted the floor to help with the adhesion of insulation. On one of the other projects I had some dry overspray. I couldn't get enough glue on that to hold the mat on. Lesson learned, one of many. :) There will be interior panels in many areas on the inside. I painted the console even though my plan is to glue fabric on it.209829209828209830

[wfo guy]

O&S has got them blues. :) Slowly making progress. Weatherman says I have 6 decent days ahead. I hope he's right. :)209889

[wfo guy]

O&S heard the Rollin Stones sing "when blue turns to gray" today. :) The last of the prepped parts are painted. Everything else needs work. And more work. :) We had 40 mph wind this morning and then it went down. The afternoon wasn't bad.209897209898209899

[wfo guy]

O&S tackled the hood sides on the top and the roll pan. There was 2 weld seams on the roll pan plus the end plates to deal with. When I did the center weld seam, it looked so good that I did the full length where I bent the radius. 1st app of primer. :)209915

[wfo guy]

O&S has had enough bondo. Tomorrow it gets masked and primed. :)209926209927

[wfo guy]

O&S used to get Popeye arms from blocking. Now he just gets tired. LOL. 2nd app on doors and 1st app on cab.209941209942209943

[wfo guy]

The weather god is still being kind to O&S. However, today was not fun. The pics show the hood and roll pan in the 2nd app of primer. The doors had some bad spots that weren't going to clean up so I blocked them and shot the spots for no. 3. Next was the not fun part. Hanging the parts wasn't too bad. Trying to make sure everything is blue was tedious for a blind old guy. :) The cab sat outside this afternoon in the sun. That's my high temp baking booth. :) I know that the paint is supposed to be done catalyzing after 8 hours. Exp. has shown that the primer still shrinks. If I had the privilege of time, it would sit for a week.209958209959

[wfo guy]

O&S started out the day by installing Notchhead parts to hold the hood and bed cover support rods in place. Not cheap but look pretty good. It will be interesting to see how long they last with repeated removal of the rods. :) I blocked the outside of the doors and hood panels. The hood will need one more app of primer. I shot what I believe is the last of the plain blue parts. In case anyone is curious, that was 5 qts. of mixed material on all of the blue parts.209961209962209963

[wfo guy]

O&S block sanded the cab today for the 1st app of primer. I think I can say that I sanded off around 80% of 5 coats of high build primer. The pics are before and after of 2nd app of primer. TB has taken over. :)209978209979

[wfo guy]

O&S blocked and painted today. The roll pan and the doors are blue now. The weather wasn't as warm as expected but it was pretty calm. A nat got into the paint right next to the driver's door handle. It's nice that I will get reminded everytime I open the door. LOL.210005210006

[wfo guy]

O&S had a light day. 3rd app and 1st app of primer on the hood and grille shell. I believe the vendor of the grille shell was wrinkle city. :)210052210053

[wfo guy]

This wasn't the pics that O&S wanted to be posting. The cab was marginal after the 2nd blocking. Rather than gamble with results, this is the 2nd app on the grille shell and 3rd on the cab. The left hood is getting it's 4th.210231210230

[wfo guy]

O&S got a little accomplished. :)210264210265

[wfo guy]

Here's a few pics and a walk around video for all who are really bored. LOL. {https://youtu.be/6i3UHjSzvSM}21034921035021034821035121035221035321 0354

[wfo guy]

The weather god smiled again today. The insect man sent gnats my way, though. Unless there is something bad happen, the O&S paint shop is closed on this project. :)210376

[wfo guy]

O&S had some goals today. They were met, just a few hours longer than planned. It would be fair to say that everything fought me. LOL. My wonderful wife provided assistance in installing the rear window. If anybody knows how to put one in by their selves, I'd like to hear about it. :) The wipers are installed and tested. The windshield and garnish molding is in. The rear window is in. The chassis has been moved back in to the shop.210419210420210421

[dhutton]

You don’t waste any time. Amazing progress and results.

Don

[wfo guy]

O&S is back in low gear. The radiator, condenser and cooling fan are bolted back on, mostly to have less parts laying around. :) My plan was to get fuel and brake lines done today. The fuel lines are run. That is 5/16" nicop line and efi hose for flex purposes. Under the bed is a flare union on the pressure side and efi hose to make assembly easier when the cab is on and it's time to install the bed. The pressure line needs a clamp at the end of the fuel tank down stream from the filter. Lot of hours, not much accomplished.210438210439210440

[wfo guy]

O&S started off in a common method. I redid part of yesterday. :) I redid the fuel lines at the rear. Then I moved on to the brake lines. They are run to where the lines run up to the master cylinder. I started on the battery mount but wanted to think about what I was doing before making a part and having another better idea. :)210446210447210448

[wfo guy]

O&S is moving forward. :) I finished up the battery mount this morning. There is a clearance reason for the top plate being angled. :) I installed simple muffler hangers. The cab is on and bolted down for what should be the last time. The bed sides and front are bolted on and the assembly is bolted to the chassis. That was a pretty good day. :)210491210492210493210494

[wfo guy]

O&S installed more parts today. The perimeter of the bed is together. All lights on the rear are installed. I purchased another stick on 3rd brake light for the rear window. The headlights and turn signals are bolted on. The lower cab front filler panels are on. I discovered that the wipers are for a different size knurl. That's one of very few parts that have been incorrect on this project. :)210531210532210533210534210535210536210537

[wfo guy]

O&S completed the sound mat and then insulated the cab. I have sound mat cut for the inside of the doors. I'm planning on laying them down and sliding the mat in and then flipping them over and using a thin board to roll it out. The openings in the door don't allow much. I'm going in from the top through the window opening. That's a new way for me.210547210548210549210550

[KiwiStarChief]

Great job on the sound deadening. I'll bet that makes a real difference.

[wfo guy]

O&S started many items today. None crossed of the list. The evaporator is installed. All of the plumbing to it has been run. I pulled a vacuum on the ac. In the morning I'll see if I did my job well. The hydro boost is in place. Because of different thickness of the firewall, the push rod is short. The pedal hanger has 1/2" spacers attached to it. I think tomorrow I will figure out a way to remove .125"from them with out damaging the this plate that they are attached to. The pedal return spring is attached to that plate. I cut and shortened a steel radiator tube for the top hose. I had an unused hose that I cut an angle out of. The angle isn't quite right so until it gets clamped down, I won't be able to see if it will work.210552210551210553210554

[wfo guy]

O&S now has brakes and hydraulics. I removed the pedal hanger and cut .125" off from the 4 stands with a die grinder and cut off wheel. I ran the 2 brake lines from the front and rear to the master with the proportioning valve under the hydroboost. I installed a filter in the return line to the power steering pump and completed the lines. The brakes have been bled and the hydroboost pressured up. I had 3 leaks on the brakes that required a little tightening, no flares needed to be redone. No leaks on the power steering but using a drill to run the pump doesn't get it to full pressure. Cautiously optimistic. :)The firewall is shaped differently from the Mustang that the pedals came out of. I'm going to angle cut the brake pedal arm and move the pedal away from the firewall to where it is even with the clutch pedal. That will allow the full stroke of the master.210560210561210562

[wfo guy]

O&S plodded along today. I cut a radiator hose to fit the lower outlet. It has antifreeze in it and so far there's no green on the floor. I removed the pedal hanger and cut, bent and welded the brake pedal. The steering column is in but probably not for the last time. The shafts have been cut to length. It will need an additional brace where it passes through the firewall. The rubber bushing isn't tight enough to hold it from moving.210609210610210611210612

[wfo guy]

Some days, O&S is in low gear. Today must have been compound. :) I started off by feeding the efi wiring through the firewall. Then I made a decision about the relays to run the system. My original plan was to put them on the fire wall but then I thought it would be cleaner to have them under the seat with the rest of the components. After taking inventory of everything thats going there, I changed my mind and made a simple bracket to mount them on the firewall. These relays have the fuse on them so there's a few less wires to run. About 4am when I woke up for no good reason, I realized that by reversing the throttle cable attachment, I could solve my throttle problem. The cable was going to be 180 degrees from the original. Remember that word, reverse. I did some careful measuring and used the existing cable ball for one of the locators. I drilled a mounting hole and a hole for the new ball for the cable. I connect everything and it won't go full open. I have the cable pulled off to one side and I'm thinking that the original didn't look like that. ??? Then the light comes on. I put the ball on the wrong side of the centerline. I flipped it but it needed reversing. LOL. Then the throttle pedal didn't have enough travel so some cutting, bending, welding in patches and I believe I'm in business. I have allowed clearance for Dynadeck and some carpet under the bottom of the pedal. Maybe I got it right. :)210619210620210621

[wfo guy]

O&S got started today with gluing some insulation on the roof of the cab. My glue order arrived yesterday. :) I moved on to wiring. I used my hydraulic hole puncher for the 1st time. I purchased this more than 10 years ago but never had clearance on both sides or the right size of dies to use it. I installed a bulkhead on the former seat riser to connect a power cable from the battery to be a distribution point for the bulk of the harness. It feeds power to the fuse panel, the ac system, the 70 amp relay that is controlled by the ignition switch that feeds the panel and possibly something else. :) The stereo amp and subwoofer have the power circuits completed. The cooling fan controller has power to it.210630

[wfo guy]

Quite a bit of time thinking caused O&S to not make much progress. All of the rear lights are connected and tested. I put 5 gallons in the tank and tested the fuel pump. No leaks. The fuel gauge wiring is run to the firewall. all of the wiring except for the pump is loomed and run on the left side. I started on the headlights and front turn signals before I quit.210640210641

[wfo guy]

O&S plodded along again. All of the exterior wiring is installed and tested. The leads to the fuse panel are not cut to length yet. I need to connect the back up light switch and the speed sensor before I put the trans cover in. I'm planning on running all of the wires down the right side of the tunnel on the inside of the cab. I have to make 2 cover plates for the frame horns to seal off the access holes and make wire restraints for the front lights. I mounted the headlight relays on the left side kick panel up high. I have been purchasing relays on ebay for years. They all have the same color of wires. I don't use the normally closed so I remove that wire. I connect everything and there's no headlights. The last bunch I purchased had the blue and yellow wires swapped in position. I didn't bother to look. LOL.210649210650210651

[wfo guy]

O&S is still plodding. The back up lights and speed sensor wiring was run under the trans tunnel. I changed out the shifter for a new Ford t5 unit. The cheap unit I purchased didn't come with a boot and there wasn't anything close in size that I found. The Ford unit came with a boot. I installed the trans tunnel and went to put the console in and found that the corner of the AC bracket on the dash was in the way. Little bit of work and that was resolved. I cut all of the circuits to length and connected to the fuse panel. I found a plug for the ac compressor in my left over crown vic wiring. That's one less item to search for. The alternator wiring has been run. I moved on to the ignition switch. The hole in the dash was too small. I have an 1.25" drill bit so in a few minutes that was taken care off. I need to make a spacer to make up the distance on the switch from the dash to the switch body. The wiring from the switch is run to the fuse area. The starter wire is ready to be run the firewall and connected. And one more day has passed. :)210664210665

[wfo guy]

O&S got started by spending an hour on a fifteen minute job on the spacer for the ignition switch. :) I spent some time refreshing my memory on what I did on the ecu wiring about 5 or 6 months ago. The 4 relays on the firewall are for the ecu, o2 sensors, ignition coils and the fuel pump. The fuel pump is controlled by the ecu. I installed a diode in the power to the ecu relay. That is the black shrink wrapped object under the relay bank. The control circuit on 3 of the relays is controlled by the ignition switch. The power feed for the relays in 12 gauge running back to the battery. I didn't want to find out if the cables next to the muffler could stand the heat so I moved them outside of the frame. That took care of the neat installation. :) I installed the inertia switch and completed that circuit. The hole in the bed appears to be pretty snug so tomorrow I'll remove the battery and see if I need to enlarge the hole. Quite a few hours, not much accomplished. Must be normal. :)210670210671210672210673

[wfo guy]

O&S got in a few hours this afternoon. I mounted the obd2 port under the driver's seat. The 12v connector on it is also the keep alive for the ecu. I spliced into that wire and ran it to the bat side of the fuse panel. I connected all 6 of the computer grounds and ran a dedicated line to the ground terminal on the fuse panel. That ground goes directly to the battery. I removed the battery and fabbed some 90 degree brackets to attach the cables to. I didn't like the angles they would be if they were directly on the post. I pulled the cables back out of the bed and used my hole punch and enlarged the hole to 1.375". I had a piece of 1.25" 058 wall 4130 that I ran all of the cables through. That is in place where it passes through the bed floor. The wires are snug but I'm going to put some kind of restraint on it so it can't fall down out of the floor.210675210676210677210678210679

[wfo guy]

O&S put in some hours yesterday and most of today. I've had enough close detail work for a bit. :) The only thing left on the front of the truck is the ground wire on the ac clutch. The binary switch is connected, the cooling fan is completed, the starter is completed, all of the gauges are connected. The gauge controller is completed except for the dimmer wire. I didn't connect that on the last one but I ran a pig tail from the controller for it. The lights on the ac controller aren't connected yet, the 3rd brake light is left, dome light and the power windows are left. I'm going to put a brace from the pedal hanger to the dash brace before I install the gauges. The nuts holding the gauges in will be interesting. Might require a mirror. :) I have 4 speakers to install as soon as I arrive at a good solution for mounting. :) Speedway Motors had black fabric wire loom on sale so I purchased some. I sure like the look of that better than the plastic conduit. Not cheap but pretty nice. :)210680210681210682

[wfo guy]

O&S would like to tell you it started instantly but that wouldn't be correct. I crank it over and nothing happens. I bring it up on tdc and leak it to verify that it's on firing. Still nothing. I change to my spare computer. It blubbers a couple of times and that's it. I check the schrader valve on the fuel rail and there's fuel but not what I expect. I hot wire the pump and I have pressure. I unhook the battery connection on my hot wire and it fires up and dies. Then I 'm checking wiring to the fuel pump relay and the little light goes off. I check the inertia switch and it needed reset. I know that I reset it before I connected the battery. Anyway, it fired right up. Having fuel does make engines run better. LOL. More of the no memory syndrome. :) The pic is of the shiny stainless headers that instantly turned gold. https://youtu.be/zJgLd1y51Pk 210686

[wfo guy]

O&S worked on an assortment of items today. The bed floor is back in. I had to cut 2 4" squares out where the top tail lights are. I think I'll make some alum covers for that. The bed cover is back on. The pic shows where I weighted areas for the silicone to dry. The parking brake cables are mounted to the floor. All of the stereo equipment is connected. I'm waiting for the idea god to help me with speaker mounts. I did clean up a bit. I feel good about having less boxes around. :)210690

[wfo guy]

O&S had a reasonable day. (for an old guy) :) The pics show the wiring to the fuse box completed. I still lack the dome light but I believe all of the circuits are run to the panel. The wiring to the power windows won't get finished until the doors are back on. I think I will fab a metal cover for the looms next to the trans tunnel. The parking brake is operational. I used some 3/4" plywood for the speaker mounts. I glued black vinyl to it. The ac system is charged. I had 36 degree temp at the outlet so it should be ok. With the bed covers glued down, I had to trim the support rods a little over an inch so as to not force the cover from the frame when open.210700210701210702210703210704

[wfo guy]

O&S got in a few hours this afternoon. I used a piece of radiator hose to make a boot for the wiring where it passes through the firewall. Because of the amount of wires, I was able to stack them and make a rectangle shape with the hose to almost fill the opening. The hose is .250" thick so I don't think I need to worry about the sheet metal cutting into it. The wiring is stable and doesn't have tension on it so I believe it will stay in place well. I started putting the front sheet metal on. For some reason, the lower side support is off a little on both sides. Tomorrow I will see if I can find a simple solution. When you look at the panels straight on, the color match is pretty good. From an angle, you can tell it was panel painted. :)210716210717210718

[wfo guy]

O&S got in several hours today. Slow progress. I stripped the side panels and started looking to see what the solution was. I ended up with the width of a 5/16" nut for a spacer on the cab end and installed the front end before the radiator shroud. That would be .125" on the radiator end. Now it fits like before I disassembled for paint. :) I got started on interior panels. That's black .125" abs plastic. It may become white on down the road. Mixed emotions because it is behind the seat. The pic of the hood open is just plain goofyness. That brings out the kid in me. LOL.210726210727210728

[wfo guy]

O&S plodded again today. I made a decision about a dome light and proceeded to cut a plate and get it mounted. I used a single 12v led. I don't have a door switch yet. More research. :) I have the headliner in. When you see the pic, you will see gray sun visors. That was all that was available months ago when I ordered parts. No one could tell me if they would have black in the future. Now they have black. LOL. I installed 2 small panels to cover the original fuel filler openings in the back of the cab. The inertia switch is mounted on the right side. I went to a junk yard and got a horn from a late model blazer. I'm thinking about where to mount it. I ran a wire for dash lights for the ac controls. I think the horn wiring is all that's left besides the dome light switch. That's a lot of "I think" for someone with no memory. :) I purchased some of the waffled alum heat shield to put above the mufflers. I have it in place but haven't decided how to fasten it yet.210739210740210741

[wfo guy]

O&S wired the 3rd brake light, installed an wired the horns and partially fastened the alum heat shield above the mufflers. I'm going to have to remove the driveshaft to have enough clearance to complete that task. The seat is back in and the dash is closer to being assembled. Of importance is that the Highway Patrol has ok'ed me for highway use so now I have a tag. :) I also found out that the seat belts I had left over from a prior purchase are too short for any body above a skinny teen ager. :)210756210755

[wfo guy]

O&S is in low gear again. I cut the radio delete plate for the power window switch. I'm going to get some stainless washers to put on the 2 mounting bolts. The left kick panel had no access hole to run wires through so I used a hole saw to cut access. The wiring on the windows is complete short of plugging in the motors. I reset the toe in on the front end. I may have to make a new fixture to do it properly. I noticed that the shifter is a little lower on the original Ford unit I had installed. That allowed the lever to bottom out on the seat. I put the lever in the press and removed some bend. I checked the 12v power outlet and found out that my volt meter was the only thing that would register voltage. A replacement is installed now. I have the abs cut for the kick panels. I'm going to glue white vinyl to them. I ordered door jamb switches for the dome light. It will be several days before they arrive. That's my fault for not making a decision sooner and resolving that. :)210771210772

[wfo guy]

O&S has had enough fun. :) I'm trying to use up materials so some of my ideas aren't able to be as nice as could be. I cut 2 panels that partially cover the area behind the drop down console. I have material cut for the door panels but not used yet. I removed the kick panels and glued white vinyl to them and the console panels. I have the dynadeck cut and laid in place. Both kick panels have to come out to run wiring in the doors. Then I'll install the dimmer switch. Nobody is going to be asking me for interior work. :) I'm thinking about options to cover the wiring next to the trans tunnel. All out of brain power for the day.210782210783210784

[wfo guy]

O&S started off with making door sills from alum. I decided to make a cover for the wiring next to the trans tunnel from the same alum and covered it with black vinyl. After the mail man arrived, I replaced the new seal on the trans with another new one. Different brand. :) While the shaft was out, I put some more screws in the heat shield above the mufflers. I ordered another set of spark plug wires for the engine. By using 2 sets, I have enough short wires to make it look kind of like it should. :) After that, I started it up and backed it out under it's own power. I had the stereo on so there's some un-needed talk. I backed it out in the street and drove a short way. Nothing fell off. :) https://youtu.be/3IyOn-ggFeU210803

[TitanFox]

Awesome work so far.

[wfo guy]

O&S is sitting reflecting on everything that happened today. Today was mount the doors day. I had carpet laid on a long step stool to lay the doors on. I blew the inside out as best I could before installing the sound mat. I got that done without cutting myself. There is very limited space to do that. I put the right side door on and marked it carefully where I thought the window wiring should go. I removed the door and drilled the hole. I put the door back on and instantly knew that was a bad plan. The F1 doors open differently and I had used similar locations for the Chevy. Abject failure. :) I drilled the left side door in different locations but I'm doubtful that will work, either. I had purchased weatherstripping for 48 doors. In 49 they changed the style. I think you can guess why. I didn't end up using it. :) I installed the door handles and realized that the linkage inside needs to be shortened. I locked the handle and it will move just a tiny bit. That was enough to open the door. Small problem, just more time. With the doors on, I went for about a half mile drive. When I accelerated, it had a stumble and some kind of a miss. When I got back, I plugged in the code reader and it came up lean on both banks. Numerous places to look for that problem. I took some pics late in the day so the light isn't the best so you could see more of what it looks like. Head on is unlike anything I can remember seeing. :)210827210828210829

[dhutton]

Showing lean is often due to an exhaust leak before or shortly after the O2 sensors FWIW…

[wfo guy]

O&S found the new pcv grommet wasn't tight. I tossed it in the solvent for it to swell up. No dice. I put 2 wraps of gray tape around it and shoved it in the hole. I drove the truck later in the day to do the speedo calibration and it put up the lean code again. It just took longer to do it so maybe I'm looking in the right area. :) I removed both door handles and modified the link from the handle to the latch to shorten it. Now, when they're locked, they're locked. :) The window channel next to the latch is back in and the window motors are installed. I was getting tired and had lots to do so that's when I went for a drive. By then it was 70 degrees out. :) That will soon pass.

[wfo guy]

O&S tightened the exhaust flanges on the collectors and it runs better. It's not there yet but I have a small leak to deal with. I ran the wiring to the window motors along the bottom hinge. I ordered some colored seat belts that were a proper length and have them installed. I weighted the truck without the side glass or a shifter boot. The rest is there. 3010 lbs. I went out and played a little. The steering is very quick and the spring setup is close to what I wanted. I had the shocks at almost full hard and that was too much I backed it off on rebound and now I have a starting point. I started adjusting brake bias. I thought I could leave the proportioning valve open but that didn't work as expected. I have it half way now and may close it some more. I think they call that tinkering. :) I put up a short video, no side windows or shifter boot. Plenty of noise. :) https://youtu.be/NaWuk_inWQM

[wfo guy]

O&S is closer. :) Both windows are in and operational. I ordered peel and stick weatherstripping for the doors. That is installed. Door panels, e brake and shifter boot remain for the inside. I want some useful ext. mirrors. I saw a pic of 67-72 chevy pickup mirrors on on of these. I'd like to see if the mounting flange matches the radius on the beltline or it's just there. :)210897210898

[wfo guy]

O&S is very pleased to report that the new mass air sensor is defective or not the proper calibration.:) Why would I be happy that a new part is defective? Because it means the blind old guy didn't make a mistake. LOL. I pulled the invoice and double checked the part number. It was as listed in the catalog. Most Ford units are calibrated for the size of injectors. There are a few exceptions such as a Fox body cobra that has 24 lb. units instead of 19's but the ecu is programmed to compensate for that. In the shed is a box of old sensors. The mass air from the white 51 with the 4.6 was in there. The injector size is real close on those 2 applications. Yesterday when I was looking for exhaust leaks I was aware that most of what I had been dealing with I could hear but in putting my hand in the area, I felt nothing larger than a pin hole. After thinking about this yesterday evening, I decided it was time to look elsewhere. The mass air is on top and easy. I removed the new one and it looked spotless. I sprayed it with contact cleaner and put it aside. The 4.6 unit is listed with a different part number. The configuration is the same as well as the plug in. I sprayed it off and installed. I fired it up and could tell from the cold start idle that it made a difference. I shut the engine off and installed the new one. No good. I reinstalled the 4.6 unit and later in the day went for a run. All smiles. No codes. Now I need to decide if I buy another and see if I can get good one or not. :) I purchased a universal 1" spacer for my steering column. That allowed the steering wheel to be raised so I can have a horn button. I had to do some machining on the spacer but I was still ahead in time in using it. I made an abs bracket to hole the 3rd ac outlet. It may get moved after I try it out. I used some of the polyurethane bushing material to make handles for the inside door handles. End of day with a smile.210915210916210917

[wfo guy]

O&S got in half a day today. The dome light switches finally arrived so now I have a dome light. That allowed the dimmer switch to be bolted down. I made the 2 corner fillers for the bed floor. The arm rests will also be the door pulls. I'm thinking about that. I have material laid out for the shifter and parking brake boots. I need door handle springs to return the handle to the closed position. The 1st set of springs was too light so there's another trip to the hardware store ahead.210920210921210922210923

[wfo guy]

O&S made a trip to the hardware store with the fish scale. When I found the 4 lb. springs, I said "that's the one". It took some mistakes to get the springs in place to clear everything and work properly. :) I made a pattern and made the door panels. I still suck at gluing vinyl and wrapping it around edges. :) The bolts sticking out are where the arm rests will be. Jaybee had mentioned the marine vinyl for the bed cover hinge. I went to the website and checked it out. They sell that by the inch with a 60 inch minimum. It was $120 without shipping!!!! I like the idea so I will by some marine vinyl and make my own. :)210930210931210932

[wfo guy]

O&S put in a few hours doing small stuff. I installed the filler panels at the front of the hood side panels. Rain X is on the windshield, stuff like that. I'm thinking about door pulls and the shifter boot????? The shop is cleaner than it was.210943

[wfo guy]

O&S has a shifter boot, now. :) The material is not a match for the rest of the white but I may buy more material and redo the white. (thinking) The factory armrest position is too low for me to be useful. I made some simple handles for door pulls until I have a better idea. When i downloaded the pic, I noticed that they look like tp holders. LOL.210951210952

[wfo guy]

O&S fabbed a couple of plates for the headlight wiring to fit through. I'm not real happy with grommet choices so I think I will wrap the wiring in rubber where it passes through the plate. I haven't been out after dark yet to see if my headlight adjustment is anywhere close to correct. After that is completed, I will need a dab of silicone to fill the top corners on the plates. I have driven it a few miles. I'm going to change the throttle pedal position. I can tell that it won't work for all day trips. Somebody requested a walk around video so I'm posting a link. https://youtu.be/59ln3ydC738210972210973

[wfo guy]

O&S did a little work today. The mass air meter was mounted next to the throttle body. I had read that the turbulence caused from that location could cause problems so I ordered elbows and tubing to move it. I wanted alum. but bought 4 times the length in 18 gauge stainless for the same price as the alum. ???? While I was doing this, I checked resistance on the new sensor and the 4.6 unit I have been using. That brought up a question so I checked 2 others I have. A stock mustang gt from 1989, a 1999 explorer 5.0 and the afore mentioned 2. You will get resistance from the ground, sensor ground and the sensor return. Nothing when connecting the positive with any of the 3 other connections. The 1989 read 3.7. The 99 explorer was 3.95. The 4.6 read 4.03. The new sensor reads zero. The positive and sensor return have been reversed. No wonder it didn't work. :) All of the factory sensors are marked a,b,c,d from left to right. The new replacement isn't marked. With the research that I did, Ford hasn't changed the location of the wires in the sensors. I think I'll purchase a different brand. :)211027

[wfo guy]

The new mass air sensor arrived today. O&S installed it in the cold and went for a test drive. It's better. I didn't kill the ecu memory because of working in the cold so it will be a few heat cycles before I know if everything is correct. :)

[wfo guy]

It snowed one day last week. I'd going to coffee 1st thing in the morning with the wipers on. They made 3 swipes and quit moving. I later figured out that the arm wasn't tightened enough at the factory and the arm was just floating. After trying several approaches, I ended up removing both gauge clusters to get access. The pic might give you and idea of the space. I changed out the front shocks and lowered the spring rate from 700lbs. to 550lbs. I like the ride much more. :)211459211458

[wfo guy]

I put up a project video. It's just a compilation of pics. If you're suffering from insomnia, it could be useful.
https://youtu.be/VxOe8n5bmI4