Nice work man.
Builds Buster Brown-Slow maintenance, slow owner, slowing my roll way down.
- Thread starter Comet
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Nice work man.
NeverGiveUpYota
Dare me.
A sickness for sure.... swear to god some days I'm delirious!
- Thread starter
- #123
Finished up the EGR delete by sealing the exhaust manifold hole. Is 9 am on a Saturday too early for #6?
When I put the exhaust manifold back on, the bolt in the back was being stubborn. I was holding the bolt in my hand as I persuaded the cast iron into place. Dropped the bolt into the exhaust manifold. I could hear it jingling down the exhaust pipe. Magnet on a hose to the rescue.
Got everything buttoned back up and took the kids shoe shopping. Stopped at Sonic afterwards. My son has been reading on MUD and decided the "Salute" was most appropriate.
When I put the exhaust manifold back on, the bolt in the back was being stubborn. I was holding the bolt in my hand as I persuaded the cast iron into place. Dropped the bolt into the exhaust manifold. I could hear it jingling down the exhaust pipe. Magnet on a hose to the rescue.
Got everything buttoned back up and took the kids shoe shopping. Stopped at Sonic afterwards. My son has been reading on MUD and decided the "Salute" was most appropriate.
Love it.
- Thread starter
- #125
Rant on:
So the work that is needed on a 35 year old truck to bring it up to the level I want it will basically never end. That's not a question but more of a statement. I have tackled the emissions delete properly (based on my limited knowledge) but I am sure there's more I am missing. Next up was the dismal headlight output. @allan man had some H4 Hella conversions that I purchased and just put in last night. Now that I am reading up on headlight output, this truck needs the wiring updated immediately or it will burst into flames like a Ford Pinto that was gently rear ended. No worries, as I purchased an upgraded relay driven solution with H4 ceramic plugs before I even knew I was going to buy this truck. Hey, it was a deal too good to pass up and I would need it eventually! The headlight stalk is very well used and the detent that holds it between high and low is so weak that the weight of the stalk keeps all four filaments on unless you hold it just right. Dude, I am already doing six things while I am driving just to keep it on the road so flash me if you must. So there's the required reading about the stalk so it can work properly. After that I will want a decent radio to drown out the radiator fan. This too involves a wiring upgrade, or in my case some actual wires to be present. I looked at my fuse box last night and already noticed that the box was melted in several places, radio being the worst. OK, time for a Blue Sea blade fuse solution. Now i have to stop and figure out how many circuits Buster Brown needs (both now and into the future). In reading further, there's a way to increase the alternator output by stringing a #8 or larger (go big or go home) wire from the alternator directly to the battery (fused of course) so the lights don't drag down my gauge in the cab.
Basically, I am thanking the good Lord above that the MUD Forum is here and that there are other people who have come before me to do all this stuff and explain their experience in great detail.
Rant off.
So the work that is needed on a 35 year old truck to bring it up to the level I want it will basically never end. That's not a question but more of a statement. I have tackled the emissions delete properly (based on my limited knowledge) but I am sure there's more I am missing. Next up was the dismal headlight output. @allan man had some H4 Hella conversions that I purchased and just put in last night. Now that I am reading up on headlight output, this truck needs the wiring updated immediately or it will burst into flames like a Ford Pinto that was gently rear ended. No worries, as I purchased an upgraded relay driven solution with H4 ceramic plugs before I even knew I was going to buy this truck. Hey, it was a deal too good to pass up and I would need it eventually! The headlight stalk is very well used and the detent that holds it between high and low is so weak that the weight of the stalk keeps all four filaments on unless you hold it just right. Dude, I am already doing six things while I am driving just to keep it on the road so flash me if you must. So there's the required reading about the stalk so it can work properly. After that I will want a decent radio to drown out the radiator fan. This too involves a wiring upgrade, or in my case some actual wires to be present. I looked at my fuse box last night and already noticed that the box was melted in several places, radio being the worst. OK, time for a Blue Sea blade fuse solution. Now i have to stop and figure out how many circuits Buster Brown needs (both now and into the future). In reading further, there's a way to increase the alternator output by stringing a #8 or larger (go big or go home) wire from the alternator directly to the battery (fused of course) so the lights don't drag down my gauge in the cab.
Basically, I am thanking the good Lord above that the MUD Forum is here and that there are other people who have come before me to do all this stuff and explain their experience in great detail.
Rant off.
- Thread starter
- #126
New plugs, wires, cap, rotor this weekend. Just drove it around the last couple weekends. Next up is a proper tune up by a mechanic I befriended a decade ago. Dropping it off next Friday and I will pick it up when he calls. I am saving all the crap I took out of the engine bay just in case some of it is needed. 
is therapeutic.
is therapeutic.
- Thread starter
- #127
McAfee's Knob off the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. Rufus and I left the world behind for a few hours.
TOTALLY AWESOME!!
- Thread starter
- #129
Fixed the door handle issues months ago but there was a request for ideas so here's mine. An eyelet bolt between the offending pivot points. A couple dollars worth of bits from the hardware store and the door opens easier than the three others. A new door handle is in my future as evidence by the crack in the handle on the bottom left part of the picture. For now, simple is working. The simple fix, not the simple owner!
- Thread starter
- #130
Tore out the dash, realized that I need the Electrical Manual as most of the wires have cracked insulation, black copper wires, and a lot of green bloom on the exposed wires. The fuse box is a joke, there were a couple of jumpers utilizing both a combination of crimp connectors and those little blue things that cut the insulation and snap together (both garbage as far as I am concerned), and a few of the fuse holders are melted. Got a little frustrated and walked away. I have decided that the limited time I have at home should be relaxing and enjoyable. So instead of tackling all those wires behind the dash, I completed the larger gauge wiring with relays for the headlights. All is well there. It is really cool to pull the headlight stalk and have it behave like it is supposed to.
The neat thing about this truck is that I could go out there right now, jump in, and fire it up without the dash in place.
The neat thing about this truck is that I could go out there right now, jump in, and fire it up without the dash in place.
I feel your pain man. With the persistence you've shown in the other projects, you'll get it straightened out.
- Thread starter
- #132
I feel like a rookie compared to your detailed approach to problem solving. The Zombie is coming along nicely. And it is white!
- Thread starter
- #133
Cleaned up the wires for the after market A/C on the fuse box, just did an inline fuse for now. I am hoping the blade fuse box I got off an old Jeep Cherokee a few years ago is a good match for this rig this summer. Lots of green and black copper wire replaced with tinned marine grade stuff. Also ran the driver side front and rear speaker wires and radio power today. 32 degrees ain't nothin' when you are focused on decreasing the amount of blue smoke and electrical fires this beast might have had in the future. Oh, and found the circuit breaker for the heater. Looks like it was pressed A LOT in the past!.
- Thread starter
- #134
Solder and shrink wrap for all radio connections. Raido will be in the Tuffy center console.
Wires run for the amplifier that I will put below the seat. Sound Ordinance make an enclosed powered 8" sub woofer that will fit under the passenger seat. Just gotta save up for that in between upgrades and repairs.
Wires run for the amplifier that I will put below the seat. Sound Ordinance make an enclosed powered 8" sub woofer that will fit under the passenger seat. Just gotta save up for that in between upgrades and repairs.
- Thread starter
- #135
A couple pictures of the naked dash.
Rufus showing his butt!
Rufus showing his butt!
- Thread starter
- #136
Speakers were too thick to fit in the door and have the window roll down. Made some custom spacers with plywood.
- Thread starter
- #137
Got the exact size plastic doo-dads for the door cards.
Drilled and cut the holes. Test fit was good for each attachment point but the card would not stay on the door. What gives? Do I need a different material for the door cards or longer fasteners?
Drilled and cut the holes. Test fit was good for each attachment point but the card would not stay on the door. What gives? Do I need a different material for the door cards or longer fasteners?
Is the Door card hitting something that's putting pressure on it somewhere? The length of the clip looks the same, did they come with new inserts that match? Just for a reference, I ordered these on amazon and they hold very well.
- Thread starter
- #139
The only thing I can think of is the speaker outer ring is putting just enough pressure on the door card. I put the test fasteners in diagonal spots (top outer and bottom lower) to see if all the holes lined up. The bottom had the older female and would not hold at all. The top held but just barely.
