Really starting to take shape...Nice...

 

Dennis is home from the hospital and doing great. He is chomping at the bit to get back to work. Will be awhile yet...but I have no doubt he will do it.
Wiper motor installed and checked. Heater motor installed and checked. Gauge plate fabricated. Wiring in progress.


Marty

 

How about "Major Overdraft"

 

Just saying, if your still looking for a name.

 

Hahaha.....yes. That is a good name. I retired last June. But I am back at work as they are short of people. Not working full time....but about 3/4. The extra is going right into the project.
Marty

 

Wiring 95% complete. Building battery box. Bed going back on shortly to cut trap door in floor for battery box and to properly set gas tank. Some modification will probably be needed to the inlet on the tank. Blowing through the dollars. That steering shaft cost $600. Another large order for parts going in later today or tomorrow. Stereo model and winch model chosen...just have to order them. Sigh...lol


Marty

 

Been a bit since last update. As usual, delays, delays, delays. Moving wiper motor to a different spot and as a result, have to order new line...which comes out of Georgia. Opening on top rad outlet and water neck housing are different sizes...so more custom work. Temporary fuel line installed so we can get her started up sometime over the next week hopefully to check out heater etc. Gauges in but not hooked up. After we get it started, box will go back on. We may or may not have to customize where fuel filler comes through box...still not sure until we replace the box. Box will remain on so running boards can be constructed. Winch has arrived so work can start on building a platform and front bumper. Lots of little and not so little things to finish before everything comes apart for prep work for painting. good thing I came out of retirement to work 3/4 time to pay for all this...lol


Marty

 

Thanks For the up date.... Looks like it coming along..

 

It's not done yet?

The delays can be tough, hang in there.

 

Powerwagon started up yesterday for first time in a year and a half. Brakes bled and working. Modified steering working. heater working. Windshield washer setup going in in next couple of days. Box on next week sometime to cut trap door for access to batteries and final alignment of gas tank filler tube. Will stay on so work on running boards can start. Steel for winch platform and front bumper being ordered on Monday.


Marty

 

Congratulations to the team.............

 

All systems checked and working. Some adjustment still to do on wiper motion. Also, rad getting pulled as a slight modification on neck area needed. Only wiring left to do is for the back up lights. Some metal work to do on box. Slowly...slowly...slowly getting there.


Marty

 

Starting to really take shape !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looking awesome....

 

I like the way it's getting done!

 

New rear bed pockets and crossmember installed. Not too much happened the last little while due to parts delay again...and of course the Christmas holidays. Not too much work left on box. Two new brackets for rear fenders have to be fabricated. Some custom work in the cab yet to do to cover heater box and design a small console. Waiting on steel for running boards and front bumper. Getting there...lol.


marty

 

Mockups for heater box cover and console.


Marty

 

Way Cool...

 

Looks great

 

Well, progress has been slow as we await some parts/material. Once stuff arrives, hopefully very soon, we should have this thing ready to go to final bodywork and paint by the end of February...possibly mid March. Won't say for sure cause I have made that mistake before...lol. Stuff happens. When it's all ready to pull apart I have to send the rad out again to have some work done on it. It was re-cored to handle the 360, but do you think we can find a rad cap that will meet the pressure requirements? Nooo....all they make for that size opening is one that handles 7 lbs. So, we will have the rad shop modify the filler tube by making it narrower so we can use the correct pressured cap. Lol...one more piece of custom work. March is the one year anniversary of it heading into the bodyshop. They have become my second family. I support them...lol. Couple of pics. Sorry the one of the console isn't the best quality.
Getting there.
Marty

 

It's nice to see the understanding of how things work on a project like this, did this work for most of forty years the customer that had to have in now for nothing seems to be common.
It must be your first build.

 

Hahaha...yeah. First build of something this magnitude. I have another project that's on the road. Needs body and paint, but that will have to wait while truck gets done. I knew I would go over budget just because there were so many unknowns as I started out. What couldn't be sourced had to be customized. 30% exchange rate is also a killer on parts. But this shop has been good. Every step of the way they have taken the time to explain things and asked how I wanted things done where there was a choice. Open door at the shop. I spend as much time as I want checking things out and just bsing with them. They are a small shop...3 man operation until Dennis had his accident, so now just the 2 of them. Once in awhile they bring in somebody for special work, like the guy who came in and sorted out all the wiring on the truck. They have a loyal clientele and work to keep everybody happy. Plus they have work from trucking outfits that has to be fit in to the schedule. So sometimes mine has to be put on hold for awhile. And that's ok. Gives me more time to earn extra money to pay for being over budget. I'm retired, but my former employer is so short of staff that I pick up 3 or 4 days a week to cover without all the meetings and paperwork. So best of both worlds. I hear ya about people wanting stuff done "now". See it all the time at the shop. And they are brutally honest with people like that. It takes this much time and it isn't going to be cheap. They don't want crap going out their door. It's their reputation at stake. And they know they have a special project with their name on it. Lol...I've already had offers on the unfinished truck. There won't be anything like it in town. So while I wished I were done, I know that quality isn't cheap and it takes time. But I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.


Marty

 

Looking great... Awesome job....

 

We took her out of the shop today for a little spin. Damn cold with no glass in...lol. WE might have solved the rad problem with a custom gasket made in the shop. Held temperature well without leaking out of the cap. More trials are needed to be certain I think.


Marty

 

Your going to need a step ladder in the box to get in the thing, that looks tall!

 

Haha...very true. Actually, the truck is going to be too tall to go through my garage doors. I have a narrow, sloping carport, but the truck will be too tall for that because of the slope. She will have to remain uncovered...but hey...it's a truck and it's going to be used as such. No trailer queen here...lol


Marty

 

Work was on hold for a couple of weeks while shop worked on a couple of logging trucks. Gotta keep the regular clientele serviced. New rails fabricated along the top of box. We have decided to remove the floor of the box and build new floor. Ordering new springs all around as truck sits a little low on right side. New steel arriving in shop Monday for the bumpers and running boards. Getting closer. March 1st was the 1 year anniversary date of the truck arriving in the shop.
On another note, Dennis, the employee who was in the bike accident showed up on his crutches yesterday. In good spirits and looking good. Should be a new leg happening in the not too distant future. We are going to make sure he fastens the final bolt on the project.


Marty

 

Congratulations on the progress and the man getting back to the shop even if its for a visit.

 

That is Awesome !!!

 

wow, don't know how I missed this before today. Nice build.

 

This the only guy man enough to put a build up, I don't know?

Mine is to sloooow to qualify as a build.