Gary Lewis

Make sure that you use something like anti-seize where the bolt goes through the alternator and the bracket. Frequently they seize inside since water can get in there and cause all sorts of corrosion.

That seriously never occurred to me. This truck was in a very mild fender bender, not enough to do visible body damage but enough to bend the front bumper a quarter inch. I wonder if it shifted a body panel. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll poke at it today. Meanwhile, the upholstery is... "almost done?" I made a lot of progress but also hit some snags. I didn't get a good photo of the old seats but they were in very rough shape. Imagine the entire seat looks like this photo (but more rips and oil stains): As I'm learning with LMC, they often have "stuff you need" but not always "great stuff" or perfect fits even if it's advertised as being for your model year. I ran into a few problems: 1. We got the seat heater kit and it seems "ok"... but not perfect. The controls are very short so they'll have to be installed in the seat itself, which I guess is OK in the end although I had had a spot on the dash already picked out for them. (I don't have the energy to extend the switch connectors, it's not that big of a deal). But they also come with this adhesive tape to attach them and it's absolute garbage, it barely holds at all. I may actually replace it with duct tape, at least on the back, because... 2. They were also EXTREMELY difficult to get onto the seats. They came with only minimal instructions and all they said was basically they're expected to be very tight. Well tightness wasn't the main issue. Once you slide any kind of fabric over foam the friction gets so high it's almost impossible to move it the last inch. By accident at the end I discovered that if you slide something slippery like carboard underneath it, you can get it to move. I got the seat bottom "more or less" in place, but the back is still short by an inch. I may remove it today, hang a lawn-and-leaf bag on the seat, then reinstall the cover and slide the bag out at the end. I think that'll work. 3. The instructions say to hog-ring the covers back where the original factory ones were... but my original factory covers only had like 5 hog rings across the bottom. The entire rest of the cover was held on with plastic clips to the frame. There's nowhere solid enough to attach some of this. I haven't decided what to do about it. For now it still looks good enough to keep so I'm just letting it hang. I guess I could always just get some stout thread (I have some for a leather-working project I never got around to) and lace it onto one of the bottom bars the hog rings won't reach. 4. The seat covers didn't have holes cut for the seat-back-hinge arms or latch. I cut some as neatly as I could with a utility knife but I made a hash of it. I may try to find a thin plastic disc / washer of some kind on McMaster to serve as "trim" for the holes. Despite the issues, it still looks SO much better than the old ones. We found a seller on Etsy with some much nicer custom covers but they aren't replying so we're actually thinking we'll keep these for a few years, not just as a temporary placeholder. We'll get some use out of them then maybe recover them in the future when they start to get ratty again. Then we don't need to worry about seat covers (I hate seat covers). Today's goals: 1. Make a final decision on the Coverlay dash pad cover and dash pad underneath, whether I need to stabilize anything. I want to dremel out the speaker area a bit so it's all 100% removed in that area (right now it's still full of crumblies...) and I need to understand how this whole thing attaches. Very little of what LMC supplies seems to come with instructions... 2. Try to find sources for the A and B pillar trims. I had REALLY good luck with that vinyl / plastic "restorer" paint on the dash, but these pillar trims seem to have had some kind of two-layer surface, part plastic and part a thin foam or vinyl cover. 3. Go to Discount Tire. I found some decent tire/wheel combo packages that I'm happy with thanks to all your suggestions, but their Web sites won't let me order them because they don't think they'll fit my vehicle! Need to badger a sales clerk into doing it in person. 4. Find an auto shop that does A/C service to drain my R-12 system. I've changed my mind. I want to convert it to R134a. There will never be a better time to do this, it's not that hard, and it'll be so much easier to service myself in the future (I have all the stuff, including a vacuum pump, manifold gauge set, fittings, etc.) Once the system is drained I'll replace the hoses and fittings. The current ones are "mostly" in good condition but there are a few sketchy sections starting to show signs of cracking. Again, there'll never be a better time. 5. Start cleaning and testing electrical components. I'll bet that fender was moved back a smidgen. The upholstery looks sad. Begging for help. Glad you are figuring out how to do it. Good idea on the trash bag. I've not seen A or B pillars with a foam or vinyl surface. But SEM has preps made for different materials, so maybe you have the wrong one? On the tires, good luck. Sometimes the "systems" won't allow the customer to get what s/he wants. And you are right on the A/C system. Now is the time. I had to replace two hoses on Big Blue after I'd already charged the system.

Cam's truck looks good. Nice stance. But you are right, those gears and tires wouldn't work well together. However, with 35's and presumably an overdrive in that 5-speed I'd be tempted to go to 4.10's instead of 3.89's. I have 3.55's in Big Blue and 33" tires, and 2nd gear is what I used to start around town. But it is almost too high. I had the choice to go with 4.10's in the rear to match the front I got, or go with 3.55's in the front to match the rear I already had. Now I'm kinda wishing I'd gone lower. As for the other pics, it looks like you have a Huck as well - Half Truck. What are the plans for that? And how fast do you have to get that Ram going to "get air"? The hot rod is taking shape. When are you going to update that thread?

I don't think you want to go doing that with your 300. They are a very reliable engine and are/have been used in all sorts of industrial things due to that. So unless you need the power I'd stay with the standard setup. Note that I'm not saying you have to keep all the emissions stuff. But that the YFA carb and DS-II or TFI ignition are quite capable of giving you both power and reliability. On the carb pics, they don't seem to be of such a large size that they'll cause a problem. But I wouldn't put that many pics that are each close to the 1Mb limit on as it could cause problems for people using cellular data or low-speed internet feeds.

Sounds like you both have done a good job of raising them.

I've not been around the RC car racing scene in reality, but have read some of the magazines. Looked like there was a whole lot of science used on them. Must have been fun.

I love my Classic Console. My brother said it was one of the best things I've added to the truck when we drove to/from Colorado. But they aren't cheap.

Welcome, Brett! Glad you joined. Glad the site is helping. Makes all the effort worth it. But, would it be ok if I created a new thread for you and moved your post there? It is best to have each person's introduction be in its own thread. Also, would you like to be on our map? It is at Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu.

Nice idea! I agree, nice idea. That polishing ball would be a good gift. Does it also do the plastic headlights? I have one for headlights and it does a great job. I'm amazed how much more light people get after using it.

Temps are DROPPING! It is 26F here this morn.

That video is really, REALLY well done. But I was thinking the same thing - salt water!!! However, I guess if you are the manufacturer, what's the problem in sacrificing one to sell a bunch?

It is also letting me rethink some things such as my fuel line routing. I had one bend I tossed cause it would require the fuel line to be removed to get the distributor cap off as it was too close to the clip that holds the large cap to the cap adapter. The current iteration I like but not sure how to get the bends just right in the stiff stainless steel line to clamp it with the fuel pump block off plate bolt to hold the line. Then there is the air cleaner and coil issue I have to check this week and see if the same layout is viable or if I want to bring it around behind the sniper and down the driver side which I really dont want to do as thats a lot of excessive line. And getting all of those things "right" is what makes for joy down the road. Sometimes there's goodness in having to slow down.

I might do that. I dont even know if I will stick with vacuum brakes. I wont know what kind of vacuum I will have till I get this engine running. I very well may be going with late model hydraboost brakes. Aside from that I assembled the front accessory brackets to mock up the fuel line. I blew through 20 feet of 3/8 stainless line due to wrong bends or collapsed lines or just not liking the routing I completed. Right now I am waiting on a new 25ft roll of 3/8 stainless line and trying to figure out how I can do it. I ended up flipping the Tee upside down but screwing the pressure gauge in another half turn is making it block off the tee passage more and I dont like it so I am going to have to get another tee as its ruined now being aluminum but its good enough for mocking the line up. What has me unsure about the routing I have now in these photos is I think its going to be in the way of the ignition coil. I also think the forward line will be as well but I hope not as the forward line I cant bend any shorter and if I tried I wouldnt have enough material to flare it with the AN sleeve and tube nut installed first. First photo is of the aluminum powersteering pump bracket that I cleaned up and sprayed with Krylon high temp engine primer and top coated with eastwood aluma blast. Second photo is of the mock up with the accessory drive brackets including water pump pulley, fan spacer and my OE dimension 7 bladed flex fan which is a quarter inch smaller diameter than the factory offered AC equipped flex fan that had 7 blades. This is the fuel line routing I currently have. I tried to put the 180 loop on the bottom but I cant get it bent tight enough so any 180 I do will not fit as the loop is smashed into the intake/head before I can even attempt to get the line in place on the tee. I believe the loop is close enough that it should clear the OE aircleaner. Before I go making another line up I will try mocking up my OE air cleaner to verify the clearance then I will remove my coil and coil mount to see if I can maybe slide the coil a little forward in the bracket to clear the fuel lines. Close up of the 7 blade flex fan, I bought it in Ford blue with polished stainless steel blades but Flex A Lite discontinued that color so I had to get the silver with polished stainless steel blades. Listed as being good to 8,000 rpm which is more than this engine will ever see and it has off set blades like the OE so it should operate quietly. I also decided to use ARP hardware for everything except for the pivot bolt for the power steering pump, alternator and the tension bolt for the power steering pump. Many of the bracket bolts were miss matched due to being a dealer installed A/C unit and the flex fan bolts had flattened lock washers that couldnt do their job and they werent able to be removed as they are captured behind the threads. Looks great, Rusty! And I think you'll like the later master. Far fewer, if any, leaks from the cap and no cast iron to rust. Love the attention to detail. I know you are anxious to get this done, but the extra time forced on you is paying off in getting things "right".

I like it! (And I have a '69 Dodge Super Bee.)

You are now on the map.

That is COOL! It is a '79, right? On the F-Series, IIRC, the high end 78's got rectangular headlights and all 79's did.

It might be easier to move the fender than the door. I did this recently on Big Blue. There's a bolt on the bottom of the fender just ahead of the door. And two bolts at the back/top of the fender that hold it to the cab. Then there are two bolts that hold the angle brace to the radiator support in front. Loosen all of those and, in my case, the fender moved forward on its own.

It would be lots better than trying to keep it running. I think it is a good idea.

I think all of the factory ones are backlit. Anyway, that looks amazing! But to my eye it doesn't quite look balanced with an icon for the fan and a word for fuel. Why not a fuel icon? Still, it looks wonderful!

Yes.

Let me say it another way - it takes a loooooong bolt.

Glad you got that first problem solved. As for the alternator, that bolt goes into the head. There shouldn't be threads in the bracket.

Welcome! Glad you found us. Where's home? We have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we could add you with a city/state or zip.

If it "resets immediately after that time to looking for the next trigger" then you will have to have the RC filter on the front end. Otherwise the timer will go again, and if the key was left on but the engine was off you'd have the pump running continuously. A resistor/capacitor circuit will cause the circuit to trigger on the rising edge of the key-on signal, but will then drop back down so the timer doesn't go again.

Yes, Kenwood is good. But I do not believe they have what I need. There website sure doesn't show it. And they've not responded. No, it shouldn't be that hard. However, nothing is plug & play any more. There are lots and LOTS of generic cameras with RCA connectors, but none of the new systems use them. So trying to piece something together is a nightmare.