POTATO LAUNCHER
TLCA #6928
Glad all the hard work has paid off.
A journey with my boys- The Elf Barn as I call it. (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter ceylonfj40nut
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #882
Got home. 520 miles. 40 miles of trails. 107deg F. Zero issues.
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- Thread starter
- #883
Nice to see the boys take care of the tool they got to use and got them home in. Underside was pressure washed. Some detailing. Not the prissy kind. Then put away.
- Thread starter
- #884
@SipLife is moving along with AC install. Got new AC lines in, condenser mounted, compressor mounted.
@Cowboy45 doing last bits before SAS. Replacing two lugs on the DS rear. Pulled the drums. Brake shoes looked good. Found a leaking brake cylinder. Getting new ones and new shoes and hardware. Third member looks solid. He is also going to do all new tie-rods, knuckle job, and center arm rebuild. He also JB welded stress cracks on the steering wheel.
@Cowboy45 doing last bits before SAS. Replacing two lugs on the DS rear. Pulled the drums. Brake shoes looked good. Found a leaking brake cylinder. Getting new ones and new shoes and hardware. Third member looks solid. He is also going to do all new tie-rods, knuckle job, and center arm rebuild. He also JB welded stress cracks on the steering wheel.
Michael B
SILVER Star
I recommend a roll bar and bikini top for SAS.
- Thread starter
- #886
Bikini top was ordered $OR. Waiting for dirt off-road canvas top. This should work for the time being. Will test fit the roll bar we have. Also got a 4Plus rear tire carrier en route.
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- Thread starter
- #887
Testing an option. Look sucks. Trying to integrate seats back in. Safety first. Function second to form. Waiting for $OR bikini top before final placement. Does not interfere with FST bows. Called Dirt off-road to get ETA on FST canvas cover I ordered. 6 months out. 
- Thread starter
- #888
Worked roll bar. Made 1/2” thick plates to sandwich the roll bar to the rear fender well metal. Welded bar stock to leverage flat span between panel ribs. Each piece is 2.5” wide and 4” long. Three on each side. Drilled 1/2”holes through roll bar and welded bar stock on roll bar. I will place the roll bar as needed and drill three holes through fender and will run three 1/2” grade eight bolts on each side. The underside of the the fender well will also have three barstock pieces bolted on. All grade 8 hardware. It will get primered and painted. Might seam seal top mountings to provent moisture/rust. This is stronger than factory. Will need to add roll base to chassis reinforcement at a later time. Need to see what others have done.
- Thread starter
- #889
@POTATO LAUNCHER led me on to these drill bits from HF. What an awesome set. It’s monster for the price. Bought a couple of sets to keep. Highly recommend them. 1/2” bit ripped through twelve 1/2” barstock pieces in a hurry. Best buy yet!!! Makes crazy chips!!! Tap Magic keeps it nice and cool.
- Thread starter
- #890
@SipLife muscled he is way on AC install. The Vintage AC instructions suck!!!!
@Cowboy45 got at a knuckle job in on Hades. Left side looked wet, he tore into it. Front axles are 6 spline birfs and warn hubs. We will convert to fine spline at next knuckle rebuild. Going to roll with this. Next will be tie-rods and center arm rebuild. Waiting for oil pan gasket to finish out baseline.
Bikini top gets in early next week. 4Plus rear tire carrier comes in as well.
Then ready for SAS.
@Cowboy45 got at a knuckle job in on Hades. Left side looked wet, he tore into it. Front axles are 6 spline birfs and warn hubs. We will convert to fine spline at next knuckle rebuild. Going to roll with this. Next will be tie-rods and center arm rebuild. Waiting for oil pan gasket to finish out baseline.
Bikini top gets in early next week. 4Plus rear tire carrier comes in as well.
Then ready for SAS.
Zjohnsonua
SILVER Star
Nice.
Taught those boys how to dress a bit by hand on a grinder yet?
Taught those boys how to dress a bit by hand on a grinder yet?
- Thread starter
- #892
Nope. Need to learn that myself! Heard it’s better than a bit sharpener once you get “the feel”
Zjohnsonua
SILVER Star
Faster, better, sharper. Go for it.
I’d agree that the instructions leave a lot to be desired. One thing that I wish i’d have done differently on our install was to use a bulkhead for the hoses at the firewall.
Michael B
SILVER Star
I second the bulkhead fittings at the firewall!
There’s only 1 #10 o-ring line that goes directly into the cab from the evap to compressor. Probably should have used a bulkhead for it but my lines are already made. All the other connections meet at the firewall though.
- Thread starter
- #897
Spare carrier done.
POTATO LAUNCHER
TLCA #6928
I'm going to study that when you get here.
- Thread starter
- #899
Closing in on last bits before SAS.
@SipLife got all the AC stuff in. Leak check passed. Charged it. Fired it up. Cools when when compressor is jumped. Not getting power from compressor relay/ECU. Working through it. Otherwise his rig is ready to roll. Worse case we will rig up a toggle switch to get him by before we get to resolve it.
@Cowboy45 is at a tennis tournament. I am trying to get his loose ends done. Brakes are in, tie rods done, knuckle job, steering tightened. Replacing leaking oil pan gasket. Latter is kicking my butt. Got a silicone steel reinforced single piece to put in. Sucker is thick. When placed, oil pan bolts are too short. Had to hit ACE for some new ones. Obviously too long and had to be cut to workable length. 18 bolts. Also gasket in pan arch areas would not seat without some pressure which prevents pan from snugging up to bolt in. Took the TEQ approach. RTV’d the gasket to the pan where it’s sits well all round. All bolts line up. Made us some dowel locating screws to help position it better during bolting. Gonna stab it in this morning. Left to do is install roll bar and bikini top.
On a side bar, perfect timing, 80 decides to throw a PO304 code for misfire. Changed sparkplug and it seems to be holding without codes.
@SipLife got all the AC stuff in. Leak check passed. Charged it. Fired it up. Cools when when compressor is jumped. Not getting power from compressor relay/ECU. Working through it. Otherwise his rig is ready to roll. Worse case we will rig up a toggle switch to get him by before we get to resolve it.
@Cowboy45 is at a tennis tournament. I am trying to get his loose ends done. Brakes are in, tie rods done, knuckle job, steering tightened. Replacing leaking oil pan gasket. Latter is kicking my butt. Got a silicone steel reinforced single piece to put in. Sucker is thick. When placed, oil pan bolts are too short. Had to hit ACE for some new ones. Obviously too long and had to be cut to workable length. 18 bolts. Also gasket in pan arch areas would not seat without some pressure which prevents pan from snugging up to bolt in. Took the TEQ approach. RTV’d the gasket to the pan where it’s sits well all round. All bolts line up. Made us some dowel locating screws to help position it better during bolting. Gonna stab it in this morning. Left to do is install roll bar and bikini top.
On a side bar, perfect timing, 80 decides to throw a PO304 code for misfire. Changed sparkplug and it seems to be holding without codes.
- Thread starter
- #900
@SipLife got his first test of AC. Seems to be running well despite half the refrigerant amount. Pressure on low side seemed good so we did not push it. We will see how it does and add if it seems low. A missing wire connector was not providing 100% systems ready signal to the ECU before it calls for the compressor relay. Figured that out and it runs.
@Cowboy45 chimes in at the end of the day to do a victory lap after a marathon of events to get the oil pan in. Turned out the Hades’ 350 is a rare bird with a DS oil dipstick. Bought a gasket at Vatozone that did not work because it was PS. Learning SBC. Finally what did work was a FelPro thin seal. Had to dart to Summit Racing to get it!!! She is sealed up nice. Brakes are dialed in. Took her for a spin. Tomorrow @Cowboy45 will put the skid plate back, install roll bar and bikini top. Then done. Ready for SAS. Also need to get a spare tire for the Patina rim.
@Cowboy45 chimes in at the end of the day to do a victory lap after a marathon of events to get the oil pan in. Turned out the Hades’ 350 is a rare bird with a DS oil dipstick. Bought a gasket at Vatozone that did not work because it was PS. Learning SBC. Finally what did work was a FelPro thin seal. Had to dart to Summit Racing to get it!!! She is sealed up nice. Brakes are dialed in. Took her for a spin. Tomorrow @Cowboy45 will put the skid plate back, install roll bar and bikini top. Then done. Ready for SAS. Also need to get a spare tire for the Patina rim.
