WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[85lebaront2]

Thanks for the comments on the decals, gentlemen. Frustrated because I could not source them, I just made them. I used to have an on line business replicating Muscle Cars for people in 1/24th and 1/18th scale diecast. Part of the process included making waterslide decals using a special high end printer and a good graphics program. Fortunately, I don't have to use that special printer for this, but I do have to draw these decals. The process is not scan and print, I have to physically sit down and draw the images. The 4x4 decal above took me three hours to draw. The images were then printed using my HP Envy inkjet printer onto 8.5"x 11" Avery silver sticker paper and then clear coated.

I'm going to send out a few of these to a couple members to evaluate. Frankly, I think they are quite good, but I want other opinions. If they okay them, I may offer them up for sale.

Looks good, I know about the hand drawing aspect. Thats what I ended up having to do for my custom emission decal sticker Im still in the process of making. I started off with a NOS '82 Mustang decal I picked up off ebay for $10 that I then scanned at the highest dpi resolution possible then I loaded it up into photoshop and started my editing.

Ive posted them before on here some where though but not sure if I ever posted the original of the NOS decal before I made changes.

This is where I am as of last year, really need to load the program up and get back on working on it to put the finishing touches, I think I am around 12 hours worth of work on this one here.

My goal is when I have my grill out to replace it, I want to replace the filler panel between the core support and the grill with a new unit and want to place this decal on the new panel preserving the OE decal since its not reproduced. But I do need to make some tweaks though cause I am now going sniper EFI and I really dont need the temperature switch for the vacuum advance. Only reason I was going to keep that was for the idle up feature when the sensor sensed a over heat condition and applied manifold vacuum instead of ported vacuum to idle the engine up. I can do this with the sniper using the IAC and the temp sensor. But for the finished decal I need something that can survive under the hood, I dont mind uploading it and paying a company to print it but it has to survive harsh chemicals, oil, gasoline, and cleaning solutions as I do wash under the hood.

That is what I need to do for mine. Since the truck is a 1986 over 8500GVW model it is a non-catalyst truck which is reflected on the original sticker. Since I replaced the front sheet metal with bricknose parts, the radiator filler panel no longer exists. The bricknose sticker is on the bottom of the hood which is where I put the replacement I was able to order from the dealer. The obvious problem is, no way does the EFI 460 look like the basket of worms that was on the 1986 460. If I use a 1996 sticker it calls for an air pump which would only go to the exhaust manifolds and catalyst. The manifold part is apparently for initial cold start and is quickly switched to mid cat. Since the truck never had a cat, it is really academic even having an air pump.

[Rusty_S85]

Yeah, you know what it's all about Rusty. Your images look good. I clear coated mine but not sure how that would hold up under the hood. Have you considered putting a clear tape over the top of them?

I thought of that, a clear chemical resistant tape. Could place it on before I do my final cutting and cut everything at one time.

[Rusty_S85]

That is what I need to do for mine. Since the truck is a 1986 over 8500GVW model it is a non-catalyst truck which is reflected on the original sticker. Since I replaced the front sheet metal with bricknose parts, the radiator filler panel no longer exists. The bricknose sticker is on the bottom of the hood which is where I put the replacement I was able to order from the dealer. The obvious problem is, no way does the EFI 460 look like the basket of worms that was on the 1986 460. If I use a 1996 sticker it calls for an air pump which would only go to the exhaust manifolds and catalyst. The manifold part is apparently for initial cold start and is quickly switched to mid cat. Since the truck never had a cat, it is really academic even having an air pump.

problem I have myself with the lack of components. Holley strongly stresses to not run their EFI with emission systems. Well if I just simply gutted the emission systems off the vacuum hose routing is showing a ton more vacuum hoses than will actually be there. Will also be showing an air pump that doesnt exist either as I will be removing it. That is unless I could modify a air compressor to mount there but I doubt the single V belt from the alternator to it would be capable of building any kind of air pressure.

I may or may not have a cat how ever, I am still looking at Y pipes, 5 months and no reply back about the Bassani Y pipe and if I need adapters that will create another leak point or not to connect to my headers. Im seriously looking at just getting a OE replacement style Y pipe with converter and then maybe keeping the converter or cutting the converter off if its far enough back and straight pipe it. If I do this I would have to get a 2 1/2" to 2 1/2" butt joint band clamp as all the clamps I have currently are for lap joints.

When I cut the converter off years ago after a tire blow out in the rear broke the welds on the tail pipe and at the converter for some reason I decided to chop off the aftermarket replacement converter and straight pipe it without a tail pipe. With the air pump still hooked up if you let up off the throttle after you hold the throttle floored to around 3,500 rpm the air in the exhaust will combust in a loud backfire like a rifle shot. I wont even be able to use it if I wanted to as my AFR Renegade heads have no air injection ports nor do I have exhaust cross overs in the heads so I cant run a functional EGR valve nor can I inject air into the exhaust unless I do the air injection at the converter which I wouldnt do.

[FuzzFace2]

That is what I need to do for mine. Since the truck is a 1986 over 8500GVW model it is a non-catalyst truck which is reflected on the original sticker. Since I replaced the front sheet metal with bricknose parts, the radiator filler panel no longer exists. The bricknose sticker is on the bottom of the hood which is where I put the replacement I was able to order from the dealer. The obvious problem is, no way does the EFI 460 look like the basket of worms that was on the 1986 460. If I use a 1996 sticker it calls for an air pump which would only go to the exhaust manifolds and catalyst. The manifold part is apparently for initial cold start and is quickly switched to mid cat. Since the truck never had a cat, it is really academic even having an air pump.

problem I have myself with the lack of components. Holley strongly stresses to not run their EFI with emission systems. Well if I just simply gutted the emission systems off the vacuum hose routing is showing a ton more vacuum hoses than will actually be there. Will also be showing an air pump that doesnt exist either as I will be removing it. That is unless I could modify a air compressor to mount there but I doubt the single V belt from the alternator to it would be capable of building any kind of air pressure.

I may or may not have a cat how ever, I am still looking at Y pipes, 5 months and no reply back about the Bassani Y pipe and if I need adapters that will create another leak point or not to connect to my headers. Im seriously looking at just getting a OE replacement style Y pipe with converter and then maybe keeping the converter or cutting the converter off if its far enough back and straight pipe it. If I do this I would have to get a 2 1/2" to 2 1/2" butt joint band clamp as all the clamps I have currently are for lap joints.

When I cut the converter off years ago after a tire blow out in the rear broke the welds on the tail pipe and at the converter for some reason I decided to chop off the aftermarket replacement converter and straight pipe it without a tail pipe. With the air pump still hooked up if you let up off the throttle after you hold the throttle floored to around 3,500 rpm the air in the exhaust will combust in a loud backfire like a rifle shot. I wont even be able to use it if I wanted to as my AFR Renegade heads have no air injection ports nor do I have exhaust cross overs in the heads so I cant run a functional EGR valve nor can I inject air into the exhaust unless I do the air injection at the converter which I wouldnt do.

Did my first Karate lesson on the truck - WAX ON WAX OFF

I can say the next lesson will not happen any time soon!

It's the first wax since it was painted back in Oct of 2019.

Between washing and waxing it was a 7 hour day and I am beat!

It does look pretty good, sorry did not get a picture, when done I moved from my garage to the house garage where I keep it when I dont use it.

The other reason not waxed anytime soon is you go over every inch of the truck and can see where I did not do the best job I could have and chips all over, even on the rear of the tail gate!

Well I did build it to drive & use not as a show truck.

I did the trash with it before the wash & wax this morning and a Chevy guy came over to check out the truck. He had a 86 PU that looked to be in pretty good shape for its age. Little rust hole in 1 fender and a dent he fixed but did not paint, inside was clean.

Last thing I did to the truck was the shift knob was not on to good. When my son drove it he would pull up and the knob would come off.

It is one of them splined pressed on jobs (NP435). I look into buying one with the right shift pattern but they fit a 1/2" thread size and I had no good way to turn the shaft down to be able to thread it for 1/2" with out removing the shaft and that was not going to happen. I would have needed to pull the seat and then the carpet so see why it was not coming out.

I was able to thread it for 9/16", no knobs of that size

So I figured I would fill the knob I have now with JB Weld and when it sets up drill & tap for the 9/16" thread I did on the shaft. Cant be any worst than what I started with.

Dave ----

[scbill]

Did my first Karate lesson on the truck - WAX ON WAX OFF

I can say the next lesson will not happen any time soon!

It's the first wax since it was painted back in Oct of 2019.

Between washing and waxing it was a 7 hour day and I am beat!

It does look pretty good, sorry did not get a picture, when done I moved from my garage to the house garage where I keep it when I dont use it.

The other reason not waxed anytime soon is you go over every inch of the truck and can see where I did not do the best job I could have and chips all over, even on the rear of the tail gate!

Well I did build it to drive & use not as a show truck.

I did the trash with it before the wash & wax this morning and a Chevy guy came over to check out the truck. He had a 86 PU that looked to be in pretty good shape for its age. Little rust hole in 1 fender and a dent he fixed but did not paint, inside was clean.

Last thing I did to the truck was the shift knob was not on to good. When my son drove it he would pull up and the knob would come off.

It is one of them splined pressed on jobs (NP435). I look into buying one with the right shift pattern but they fit a 1/2" thread size and I had no good way to turn the shaft down to be able to thread it for 1/2" with out removing the shaft and that was not going to happen. I would have needed to pull the seat and then the carpet so see why it was not coming out.

I was able to thread it for 9/16", no knobs of that size

So I figured I would fill the knob I have now with JB Weld and when it sets up drill & tap for the 9/16" thread I did on the shaft. Cant be any worst than what I started with.

Dave ----

Fuzz....Check on the possibility of a release agent for the J&B, maybe use a 9/16 bolt instead of drill & tap.

Maybe use a rod of the right dia. instead of drilling it, just a lazy mans thoughts.

Bill

[FuzzFace2]

Fuzz....Check on the possibility of a release agent for the J&B, maybe use a 9/16 bolt instead of drill & tap.

Maybe use a rod of the right dia. instead of drilling it, just a lazy mans thoughts.

Bill

I did give that a thought and would have made the job a lot easier but after all that time wash & wax, not having a bolt of that size that I know of and then the need to find what I could use to release was just too much LOL

Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

Fuzz....Check on the possibility of a release agent for the J&B, maybe use a 9/16 bolt instead of drill & tap.

Maybe use a rod of the right dia. instead of drilling it, just a lazy mans thoughts.

Bill

I did give that a thought and would have made the job a lot easier but after all that time wash & wax, not having a bolt of that size that I know of and then the need to find what I could use to release was just too much LOL

Dave ----

Silicone spray or PB TDL (teflon dry lube) work fine for epoxy release agents when you don't have to worry about subsequent contamination.

Even PAM cooking spray is fine.

I have some silane mold release. But that stuff has been found pretty toxic so I don't use it as much as I used to.

[Machspeed]

Silicone spray or PB TDL (teflon dry lube) work fine for epoxy release agents when you don't have to worry about subsequent contamination.

Even PAM cooking spray is fine.

I have some silane mold release. But that stuff has been found pretty toxic so I don't use it as much as I used to.

Made a couple of water shields for my doors today and completed out the interior. I'm very pleased at how the water shields came out, not to mention it was all less than $15. From Ace Hardware, a $9 11 mil poly paint tarp and a roll of quality 3M tape. I think it's worth sharing, so basically made a rough template from paper and then a cardboard template for which the pattern could be drawn on the tarp. Cut out the water shield and taped the edges and then taped it to the door panel.

[Gary Lewis]

Made a couple of water shields for my doors today and completed out the interior. I'm very pleased at how the water shields came out, not to mention it was all less than $15. From Ace Hardware, a $9 11 mil poly paint tarp and a roll of quality 3M tape. I think it's worth sharing, so basically made a rough template from paper and then a cardboard template for which the pattern could be drawn on the tarp. Cut out the water shield and taped the edges and then taped it to the door panel.

 

Well done, John!

That is going to be a whole lot stronger than the heavy trash bag I used.

[Machspeed]

Well done, John!

That is going to be a whole lot stronger than the heavy trash bag I used.

Thanks Gary, thought it worth sharing, as I noted a comment on the forum the other day about some expensive mylar water shields someone was looking at. BTW, after finishing up the interior, I fired the old fella up and took him for a little ride. He's not seen sunlight in six months. A lot has been done to it during that time and I was pleased to find no issues resulting from the changes I made. Thanks again to you and Jim for the help on the 3G mod!