The Camano Experience

Hey Gary!
On the switch -
I believe so. I read through the documentation about the rod lash and tried to center it. That kind of grey (not black and white) stuff drives me crazy but I did confirm that if I look in the slot in the switch when I take the key out I can see through it. Is that a good indicator?


For the hvac-

Here is the thread: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Vacuum-Controlled-Heater-Core-Valve-tp4276p4691.html

I didn't explain myself well at all.
I am going to keep the 1986 guts (so the yellow vacuum block) but just swap out the face plate with an earlier one.
Unfortunately, the vent-max-norm spots are different (compare this photo to the one above).


So while I might be able to remember the labels are just wrong for those and leave the lines as is, it won't be very user friendly.

I would rather not cut the lines if there is a way to avoid it. Wonder if there is a way to remove the hoses from the rubbery block and then swap them there? Would just avoid a splice.

I don't think they pull out that easy if at all and would not risk messing it up and then have to splice in a different plug.
I would just cut the lines and use short rubber hose to put it back together.

Before you get into that check the only cable the control uses as I think different years used different cables and the way they attached, or maybe that was on the non-AC trucks?
Dave ----

Dave - I think you are right about the cables.  I haven't found the reference, but somewhere we discussed cables and there were something like two changes in the Bullnose era.

I'm still looking ....  

Looks like there were four cables:




And here are Jonathan's pics of them.

Thanks guys. The cable won't be a problem because all that will be 86. I am just changing the faceplate - so no moving parts or anything.
I'll plan on splicing but I will trace the lines first just in case there is a way to swap the ends around instead.
Need to look at the electrical connection on the yellow block as well to ensure that part can actually be modified for this change.

That thread is actually the one I was thinking of earlier :) I'll change my link above.

Ok.  Keep us posted.  

For sure. Got out my electrical/vacuum book to check out this evening.

Just a side story that doesn't directly relate to Camano -
When I was looking for HVAC parts in the jy yesterday I stopped in front of truck that had always been inaccessible and barely visible due to thorns for the past few years I've been going. I wanted a not-as-badly faded HVAC control and I thought the thorns might have helped out. Since I was in my coveralls and thick jacket I literally threw myself backwards breaking through the thorns until I could access the rolled down window and climbed/fell through (winter clothing doesn't make for graceful gymnastics). Inside I was rewarded with a fairly red HVAC, a locking hood release, and a 2nd gen dash clock. I was most excited about the clock as I have only ever found the 3rd gen style.
Probably the best part though (might be a location joke but...) was when a couple guys walked by, did a triple take,  and tried to peer through the thorns after hearing some noise and eventually making eye contact with me as I was just sitting in the cab of a truck that looked like those jumanji vines had won out.




Going back to the locking hood latch from earlier - it looks like the locking glove box latches use the same wafers.

Comparing a 1 from each:

Got the truck back from the body shop today. Really wishing I had a heated shop now.

Thought the tailgate came out nice. The truck had the 86 trim so they had to weld the holes.

That is beautiful!  I'll bet the whole truck looks like that.  

Yes, a heated shop is great.  But years ago I bought a used house furnace and installed it in my garage.  It was a downdraft and I set it on a box that had it then blow across the floor, right under the vehicles.  And it drew from the ceiling.  Worked a treat, but you had to be careful with chemicals.

AWESOME build man!

Thanks! It's been a bit more time consuming than expected but getting there.

Gary- funny you should mention that. Been doing a lot of research and weighing options. Spray foaming and a vented propane tube heater would be ideal but just not practical right now.
So as an interim solution that will hopefully work well enough this winter I am going to hang some thick tarps and section off a roughly 20x30 area. My dad has a propane furnace/air handler that I will blow into the area like you did. It may not work extremely well but I figure for a couple hours at night after the kids are in bed it will make it manageable.  

One of the next things is installing the cab lights so I can finish insulating the roof.
While I am not ready for the stereo install, figured I'd add this while thinking about it.

The truck will have a double din Android unit that has external gps and WiFi antennas. The WiFi will be located inside under the headliner most likely but for the GPS I am placing it in the center cab light.

I removed it from its case, cut a slot in the light opposite the bulb hole and then sealed it back up with gasket maker(not the prettiest thing).







The purpose is twofold - hopefully get interference free signal but also make the antenna invisible unless really looking for it.

I didn't find another example of anyone doing this so if there is a fatal flaw in it that I am not thinking of, let me know.

Scott - That’s ingenious!  Should work very well. 👍

Slick!

Got the cab lights in. Was good to see some life back in it. Hopefully the GPS antenna thing works as I don't want to snake that wire again

Put a grommet in with some white grease around the lip just in case any water makes it past the gasket.

Looks great, Scott.  Interesting that you can get the antenna awa as the light in there.  Should work perfectly.  But I am concerned about the other antenna's ability to function if in the roof.  Hope it works as well.

I'm curious to see what head unit you are using and how it works as I may be in the market for an upgraded one for BB some day.  But, I really want a backup camera, so....

I am on the fence with that as well - the wifi antenna.
The wifi antenna is for it to connect to either my phone while driving (phone as a hotspot) or my house wifi when at home.

When connecting to the phone since it will be just a few feet away, anywhere in the cab should be able to pick up the signal.

I've started leaning towards placing it under my carpet dash cover towards the front of the windshield. I have a dime size chunk out of the speaker grill in the dash so I could route the cable through there. Open to ideas. I just won't want it visible.

A backup camera is a big reason I went with the double din unit also. I am going to use the Atoto A6Y Pro. I don't feel like Android units have really come as far as they should have by now but once the double din cage is in there, swapping in the future will be easy enough.

The camera I am using has the ability to snap into a hole. Since the bumper has a hole in the center behind the license plate I purchased a dark license plate (black and dark grey American flag) that I am going to drill a hole in matching the bumper hole and place the camera there.



I have some better pictures somewhere of when I was actually modifying the dash support but as many others before me have found out, these trucks aren't setup for the double din height. Especially when A/C is involved.
The route I decided to go since I wasn't going to cut the hvac duct was down instead of up.

This isn't all finalized so it may not work out as well as it does in my head.

The dash support has a hump in it above the hvac controls that the radio support clips into. I removed that, flattened it, and reinstalled. This makes the support in line (hard to tell in the photo) with the shelf in the plastic beneath the opening for the radio. By removing the two bottom holes for the factory radio and shaving a little off the lip, the double din cage will slide in and rest on/attach to the flattened support. I haven't gotten up the nerve to cut the plastic dash yet .

My concern at this point is if it will be too low in the factory bezel and look weird. I believe I will have to cut slightly below the inward curve on the bezel and then design a trim bezel to make it look seamless.

Not sure I am describing this very well but I'll add photos as I work on it. Just like the wifi antenna, I welcome any ideas/suggestions.

That'll sure make it easy to be 'on the ball', when hitching a light trailer.
But be careful you don't overshoot.

kramttocs wrote

Thanks! It's been a bit more time consuming than expected but getting there.

Gary- funny you should mention that. Been doing a lot of research and weighing options. Spray foaming and a vented propane tube heater would be ideal but just not practical right now.
So as an interim solution that will hopefully work well enough this winter I am going to hang some thick tarps and section off a roughly 20x30 area. My dad has a propane furnace/air handler that I will blow into the area like you did. It may not work extremely well but I figure for a couple hours at night after the kids are in bed it will make it manageable.

My inlaws had a shop, had a deep single bay, then a large 3 story bay (for boats) then next to that was a massive work area half covered with a loft. The uncovered half.... wood stove. used to get up early in the AM and get a fire cranking in that bad boy. Right now I have a dinky 1 car and am looking for ways to heat it up, need to pull the drywall down and put some R-13 in then blow in some insulation in the roof. I have a window ac unit for the summer, and a 4 inch vent through the wall I was thinking of using for a vent or maybe a vent-less wall mounted propane unit. If we ended up staying long term or I was at my "forever" home I would probably put in a mini split with heat and air.