Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

But will you have any brakes?

I think I will, but I need to test that. I've stood on the brakes and they are FIRM. I've rolled it a bit and it stopped. But that was really minimal. So I need to make 100% sure it'll stop easily 'cause the trailer is in the driveway behind the truck. So as it rolls out of the shop I need to be able to stop it.

But, as Bill said, I have the e-brake, and it has always worked well. And, I can drop it in gear if I need to.

I now have the Royal Purple on order, but it won't be in until a week from now. So I ordered the sound deadening material to have plenty to do in the interim. Here's what I ordered:

• Noico 80 mil 72 sqft car sound deadening mat. This will be in on Friday.

• Noico RED 150 mil 72 sqft Сar Sound Insulation. This will be in tomorrow.

So I'll start on the floor of the cab, probably tomorrow. If I can get the floor wire-brushed and POR-15 down I can then put the sound deadening mat and the insulation on. Perhaps I can have the carpet in and then the seat in by the time the lube gets in, which will save time as I won't have to put the seat in and then take it back out just to start the engine and move the truck around.

[salans7]

But will you have any brakes?

I think I will, but I need to test that. I've stood on the brakes and they are FIRM. I've rolled it a bit and it stopped. But that was really minimal. So I need to make 100% sure it'll stop easily 'cause the trailer is in the driveway behind the truck. So as it rolls out of the shop I need to be able to stop it.

But, as Bill said, I have the e-brake, and it has always worked well. And, I can drop it in gear if I need to.

I now have the Royal Purple on order, but it won't be in until a week from now. So I ordered the sound deadening material to have plenty to do in the interim. Here's what I ordered:

• Noico 80 mil 72 sqft car sound deadening mat. This will be in on Friday.

• Noico RED 150 mil 72 sqft Сar Sound Insulation. This will be in tomorrow.

So I'll start on the floor of the cab, probably tomorrow. If I can get the floor wire-brushed and POR-15 down I can then put the sound deadening mat and the insulation on. Perhaps I can have the carpet in and then the seat in by the time the lube gets in, which will save time as I won't have to put the seat in and then take it back out just to start the engine and move the truck around.

Make sure you use the insulation sparingly. As tempting as it is to cover the entire floor, it's really not necessary. Just the little bit I put in my red Ranger made a huge difference compared to stock.

[Gary Lewis]

Make sure you use the insulation sparingly. As tempting as it is to cover the entire floor, it's really not necessary. Just the little bit I put in my red Ranger made a huge difference compared to stock.

Do you mean the sound deadening mat? That's the stuff that they say 25% coverage will suffice, although more is better. But shouldn't the insulation have complete coverage?

Having said that, I ordered two 36 sq ft packages of each, so I should have plenty of even the sound deadening mat to cover most of it. But I want to do inside of the doors, so that will both take more as well as take plenty of time.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Do you mean the sound deadening mat? That's the stuff that they say 25% coverage will suffice, although more is better. But shouldn't the insulation have complete coverage?

Having said that, I ordered two 36 sq ft packages of each, so I should have plenty of even the sound deadening mat to cover most of it. But I want to do inside of the doors, so that will both take more as well as take plenty of time.

Did you get a brayer? (Roller)

Doing my cowl today, pre-spraying with 3M high strength 90 made a huge difference in adhesion.

Pics to come..

[Gary Lewis]

Did you get a brayer? (Roller)

Doing my cowl today, pre-spraying with 3M high strength 90 made a huge difference in adhesion.

Pics to come..

Yep, I ordered this set as someone on here said it worked well for them:

[Nothing Special]

.... Also, I'm thinking I should pull the belt that spins the power steering pump when I start up the engine for cam break-in. I just don't want to chance that there's a leak in the power steering system. Thoughts?

I'd pull the power steering belt, but for a different reason. Once when I was getting my Bronco engine started for the first time after stuff had been off it (I think there was a water pump replacement involved) I was concentrating on getting the air burped out of the cooling system (no small feat on this engine!) and ended up running it for a while with what turned out to be an under-filled power steering pump. It foamed up the fluid BAD. That's something I wouldn't want to repeat.

 

[Gary Lewis]

.... Also, I'm thinking I should pull the belt that spins the power steering pump when I start up the engine for cam break-in. I just don't want to chance that there's a leak in the power steering system. Thoughts?

I'd pull the power steering belt, but for a different reason. Once when I was getting my Bronco engine started for the first time after stuff had been off it (I think there was a water pump replacement involved) I was concentrating on getting the air burped out of the cooling system (no small feat on this engine!) and ended up running it for a while with what turned out to be an under-filled power steering pump. It foamed up the fluid BAD. That's something I wouldn't want to repeat.

Good point, Bob. Another good reason to pull the belt. I'm definitely going to pull it.

I really only have these things to do before firing it up:

• Coolant: Finish filling the cooling system, and do so as Bill suggested by making the last bit of the fill via a heater hose.

• Install the new FDM in the front tank when it comes in and ensure it works properly.

• Fill the transmission & t-case when the lube comes in

• Clean the floor, paint it, and install the sound deadening and insulation

• Install the carpet

• Install the shift levers

• Install the seat

• Lube the new ball joints, u-joints, tie rod ends, etc

That will let me fire it up but not really drive it. Then I have to have it aligned & have a new exhaust system installed so I can truly drive it.

After that there's installing sound deadening and insulation in the doors and roof, painting the plastic and reinstalling it, installing the new u-joints in the front driveshaft and installing it, & reinstalling the grille and headlight doors. Oh, and installing the winch and wiring. Plus installing the new weatherstripping I have.

Y'all may not think so, but that doesn't sound like all that much to me!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Good point, Bob. Another good reason to pull the belt. I'm definitely going to pull it.

I really only have these things to do before firing it up:

• Coolant: Finish filling the cooling system, and do so as Bill suggested by making the last bit of the fill via a heater hose.

• Install the new FDM in the front tank when it comes in and ensure it works properly.

• Fill the transmission & t-case when the lube comes in

• Clean the floor, paint it, and install the sound deadening and insulation

• Install the carpet

• Install the shift levers

• Install the seat

• Lube the new ball joints, u-joints, tie rod ends, etc

That will let me fire it up but not really drive it. Then I have to have it aligned & have a new exhaust system installed so I can truly drive it.

After that there's installing sound deadening and insulation in the doors and roof, painting the plastic and reinstalling it, installing the new u-joints in the front driveshaft and installing it, & reinstalling the grille and headlight doors. Oh, and installing the winch and wiring. Plus installing the new weatherstripping I have.

Y'all may not think so, but that doesn't sound like all that much to me!

You're right, it doesn't seem like a small feat to me.

But given from where you're coming, it isn't a big list.

I'd probably do the U-joints and chassis lube while I was getting organized, waiting for the rest.

And I'd definitely do all the insulation at once.

(Dont entirely discount my suggestion of using a little spray glue on a freshly wiped down surface, before rolling the insulation down)

I'd be prepping and painting between sessions of other things.

Starting the day, or lunch or end of day with things that have to dry or set makes for a much more productive day.

Working with epoxies as much as I have has taught me how to avoid having to be patient.

Fluids would probably get done as I was installing the tank.

(It just makes sense to me)

The grille, carpet and shifters are not difficult, but you might enlist some help with the seat, it's awkward.

Loooking Gooood!

 

[Sac79]

There are three problems: it is hitting the tube coming off the A/C compressor; it is laying on the oil filler cap; and it is hitting the insulator for the spark plug wires. So, if I do make a dual-snorkel I will probably have to reduce the "droop", take the hot air inlet off, and possibly bring it off "a bit earlier on the clock". Or, change the angle. However, if I could bend that tube up just a bit it would make things easier. Think I can do that?

We've all seen evidence that you can do whatever you decide to do... And I vote for dual snorkels, once you have BB running though. Wouldn't want anything to delay the project now.

[85lebaront2]

There are three problems: it is hitting the tube coming off the A/C compressor; it is laying on the oil filler cap; and it is hitting the insulator for the spark plug wires. So, if I do make a dual-snorkel I will probably have to reduce the "droop", take the hot air inlet off, and possibly bring it off "a bit earlier on the clock". Or, change the angle. However, if I could bend that tube up just a bit it would make things easier. Think I can do that?

We've all seen evidence that you can do whatever you decide to do... And I vote for dual snorkels, once you have BB running though. Wouldn't want anything to delay the project now.

I'll give you another option, Chevy used a spacer under the air cleaner on a number of Quadrajet equipt trucks, it is about 2" tall, on some it has the crankcase closure hose going into it. For the length of time you are going to be running a carburetor vs the total time you will be using Big Blue, why not just find one of those and use it to get the snorkels up high enough to clear.