Builds 1970 FatherSonJ40 project
- Thread starter Kmehr
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- Thread starter
- #122
Finally back to work on the 40 this weekend. Funny how having two 50+ year old cars really splits your already limited project time…
Anyways, changed the oil in the ole girl and swapped my leaking power steering pump for one that appears to be holding fluid. (Man Cardone stuff is just junk).
Then got to work on installing my Pro Car bucket seats I bought two years ago. The drivers side looks like it going to work well and is nearly in. The passenger side is a different story. I just now opened the box for the passenger side adapter and found out they sent me one for a Bronco. To make it worse, my passenger side factory base really isn’t in great shape. Only two of the four bolt holes on the legs match up with the floor pan, it’s much wider and hence ugly with just a bucket seat on it, so looking like I’m going to fab up my own bracket. Maybe time to get a stuffy console in there too.
Anyways, changed the oil in the ole girl and swapped my leaking power steering pump for one that appears to be holding fluid. (Man Cardone stuff is just junk).
Then got to work on installing my Pro Car bucket seats I bought two years ago. The drivers side looks like it going to work well and is nearly in. The passenger side is a different story. I just now opened the box for the passenger side adapter and found out they sent me one for a Bronco. To make it worse, my passenger side factory base really isn’t in great shape. Only two of the four bolt holes on the legs match up with the floor pan, it’s much wider and hence ugly with just a bucket seat on it, so looking like I’m going to fab up my own bracket. Maybe time to get a stuffy console in there too.
- Thread starter
- #123
Got the drivers side in today, definitely a huge upgrade in comfort over the original spring seats. Haven’t driven it yet, but I can definitely scoot it back and give my long legs a lot more legroom.
I will say that the quality of the adapters and seat mechanism isn’t great. Had to bend some stuff and drill out a hole to get everything to fit. The passenger side is going to be more involved with a custom frame, but hey when have I ever said no to a project…
I will say that the quality of the adapters and seat mechanism isn’t great. Had to bend some stuff and drill out a hole to get everything to fit. The passenger side is going to be more involved with a custom frame, but hey when have I ever said no to a project…
- Thread starter
- #124
Question for the experts- as I truck along on this and potentially have it ready to roll around here in the winter, I want some heat. The PO gave me what appears to be the original under dash heater, but it’s not installed. I see a lot of people appear to have pulled them, is there a reason for this? Do they suck? Is it worth looking at an aftermarket?
I've found that the OEM heater work great when the heater control valve works properly and the coil is clean.
On another note, I've been admiring this 40 for a while when I've driven past it on 31st St. So glad to see this thread! I noticed that it had moved a few months ago. Anyway, great looking rig.
Factory under dash heater works good. They get taken out when the clutch or transmission get serviced; often people are anxious to test and start driving and probably delay putting heater back together. And some also remove to conver to AC. Do you have the under hood fan, and duct that connects them?
- Thread starter
- #127
Ha! Glad to know it’s had admirers! It’s hasn’t gone anywhere, just now in my shop out back.
Sounds like I need to pull the old heater out of the box and give it a good once over.
I like my factory under dash heater. However I really like the rear heater I installed in a custom wood box. It was from a 17 place chevy van - With both heaters on high I can drive around my neighborhood at 30 mph in -30 weather in short and a tee shirt with the windows down.
Green Bean
SILVER Star
Adding to what others have said: Front heater is period correct and I've found it adequate. Thankfully, aftermarket front heater cores are readily available. Search "HVAC Heater Core APDI 9010346." For example, Rock Auto has them. Mud vendors such as City Racer, Cruiser Corps and Cruiser TEQ also have them. I purchased one from Cruiser TEQ and it fit perfect.
It is a simple process to remove the front heater from the vehicle. 4 easily accessible M8 bolts with captured nuts. Since I had just refilled the cooling system with fresh coolant, I didn’t wan to drain the system. I closed the heater valve under the hood and used a small catch basin while carefully disconnecting the two hoses going to the front heater. There was minimal coolant spillage. Removal of the 4 firewall bolts and the heater comes out. Once on the workbench, the driver’s side of the heater box can be separated by removing 4 small sheet metal screws. Then the heater core can be slid out.
The old heater core had some glued on padding on the ends and sides. I replicated these with 1/4" thick high density neoprene foam that I had left over from another project.
Neoprene Foam Strip Roll by Dualplex, 4" Wide x10' Long 1/4" Thick, Weather Seal High Density Stripping with Adhesive Backing – Weather Strip Roll Insulation Foam Strips
The inside of the heater box would have benefitted greatly by media blasting but I don’t have access to a blast cabinet. So, I just sanded by hand and treated everything with de-greaser and metal prep before a re-spray with Steel-It. Reassembled everything and installed.
It is a simple process to remove the front heater from the vehicle. 4 easily accessible M8 bolts with captured nuts. Since I had just refilled the cooling system with fresh coolant, I didn’t wan to drain the system. I closed the heater valve under the hood and used a small catch basin while carefully disconnecting the two hoses going to the front heater. There was minimal coolant spillage. Removal of the 4 firewall bolts and the heater comes out. Once on the workbench, the driver’s side of the heater box can be separated by removing 4 small sheet metal screws. Then the heater core can be slid out.
The old heater core had some glued on padding on the ends and sides. I replicated these with 1/4" thick high density neoprene foam that I had left over from another project.
Neoprene Foam Strip Roll by Dualplex, 4" Wide x10' Long 1/4" Thick, Weather Seal High Density Stripping with Adhesive Backing – Weather Strip Roll Insulation Foam Strips
The inside of the heater box would have benefitted greatly by media blasting but I don’t have access to a blast cabinet. So, I just sanded by hand and treated everything with de-greaser and metal prep before a re-spray with Steel-It. Reassembled everything and installed.
pb4ugo
SILVER Star
I think the heaters work fine, I'd recommend running the rear heater too. As others have said, youll need the under dash heater, the blower unit in the engine compartment and duct and plumbing parts. A lot of 40's you're probably seeing without heaters could be from South America or warmer parts of the world.
- Thread starter
- #131
I pulled mine out of the box today and it looks like it’s all there. Heater core looks pretty crusty though, so maybe a new one is the right step.
Continued to knock out some small projects today. Got my CCOT retractable 3 point belt installed on the drivers side, and my new 80 series steering wheels installed. It’ll be a project for another day to get the horn working as it looks like I’m pretty far apart, will have to do some investigation. I really really like the size and ergonomics of the new seat and steering wheel together, huge comfort improvement! Plus my old one was so cracked it didn’t give much confidence.
Continued to knock out some small projects today. Got my CCOT retractable 3 point belt installed on the drivers side, and my new 80 series steering wheels installed. It’ll be a project for another day to get the horn working as it looks like I’m pretty far apart, will have to do some investigation. I really really like the size and ergonomics of the new seat and steering wheel together, huge comfort improvement! Plus my old one was so cracked it didn’t give much confidence.
- Thread starter
- #132
Another small update- figured if I am going to build my own frame for the passenger seat frame, now is the time to also do a console. Tuffy 8in was on sale so picked one of those up. Have only set it in the cab for now, but wow, the comfort just keeps getting better! Can’t wait to get some free time to get the seat in and get this puppy on the road!
- Thread starter
- #133
As I make progress on this rig, I am having second thoughts about the 12ht. I definitely want more gears and diesel, but the longer I cruise the internet, the more scared I get about parts availability. There just aren’t any popping up for sale as spares and the parts you can find are a fortune. What I am considering is selling the 12ht and looking for a 1hz. The 1hz everything parts are a dime a dozen out there…curious everyone’s thoughts.
Parts availability is going to get worse. 1HZ is a dog for power compared to a 12HT. If you are a purist and want diesel, options are there like 1HDT and 1HDTFE. They get you more power. I did the mental gymnastics on this and I went the no purist route with LS 6.0. Parts everywhere. Very well designed engine. Reliable as all get out.
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- #135
Definitely respect the LS motors, I’d just much prefer a diesel than gas. Been a big diesel guy since my dad bought a Mercedes diesel back in high school.
I already have the 12HT and complete accompanying drivetrain, so I guess I could always dump the 12HT in the future if I blow it up. Really though it’s the little stuff on the motor that concerns me. Would suck to be down for months finding a tiny part nobody wants to part with. Seems like the 1hz has any and every part available, with options. Who knows, I’ve got plenty of things to do before I even think about starting the drivetrain swap.
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- #136
Think I’m set on keeping the 12HT. It’s in good shape so might as well run it as I’ve got a complete setup for it. Plus I’ll probably never put more than 50k miles on this thing…
Made some progress today on the new passenger side seat frame. Hope to have it all welding up and painted this weekend. Taking the whole day off tomorrow to work on it. Ended up just cutting the legs off the base they was sent mistakenly for a bronco and I think it’ll actually work perfectly welded to my frame.
Made some progress today on the new passenger side seat frame. Hope to have it all welding up and painted this weekend. Taking the whole day off tomorrow to work on it. Ended up just cutting the legs off the base they was sent mistakenly for a bronco and I think it’ll actually work perfectly welded to my frame.
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- #137
Didn’t quite get as far as I wanted today, but close. Have the seat frame all tacked up and feet plus bolts fab’d. ended up using rivnuts in the front to mimic the captured nuts in the back. Since the seat belt will be held on in different bolt holes, I figured I didn’t need to go bomber on the whole seat. I’m almost ready to final weld everything, but I keep trying to tack weld some thicker stock as an anti warp frame and in doing so, warping the frame ha. Would be really nice to not be right over the fuel tank, or I’d just weld it in place!
When told smoking his cigar near the B-52 might cause it to explode by the security airman, Curtis Lemay replied "It wouldn't dare"
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- #139
Good news and bad news-
First the good- the frame works and the seat is great. The thin metal I used definitely warped a lot and it was a bear to get it un mangled. Slow down on the welding Kevin! Got it in for a solid test fit and took the kiddo for a drive.
Bad news- we made it about 1/8mile. Maybe coincidence or maybe not, but apparently an almost 4 year old engaging and disengaging and then moving the 4x4 lever a ton has jammed something in my transfer case. I slowly started losing power, but then we started right back up but engaging the clutch made the engine die like it was reeeally struggling. Tried every combo I could and finally limped home, but there’s something very wrong. When I push the clutch in, it slams to a stop… and even with the transfer case and transmission supposedly in neutral, the truck won’t move, but the drivetrain is totally locked up and you can’t even push it to get it to roll. Didn’t investigate much as it just happened, but damn!
First the good- the frame works and the seat is great. The thin metal I used definitely warped a lot and it was a bear to get it un mangled. Slow down on the welding Kevin! Got it in for a solid test fit and took the kiddo for a drive.
Bad news- we made it about 1/8mile. Maybe coincidence or maybe not, but apparently an almost 4 year old engaging and disengaging and then moving the 4x4 lever a ton has jammed something in my transfer case. I slowly started losing power, but then we started right back up but engaging the clutch made the engine die like it was reeeally struggling. Tried every combo I could and finally limped home, but there’s something very wrong. When I push the clutch in, it slams to a stop… and even with the transfer case and transmission supposedly in neutral, the truck won’t move, but the drivetrain is totally locked up and you can’t even push it to get it to roll. Didn’t investigate much as it just happened, but damn!
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