I am in the same boat. Don't know if I should fab it or find a donor. It would be a shame if I just left it to keep rusting.
Builds Dirty Koala Build - Cummins 6BT + NV4500 + HF2AV Swap (1 Viewer)
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I am in the same boat. Don't know if I should fab it or find a donor. It would be a shame if I just left it to keep rusting.
Dirty Koala
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- #22
How much rust do you have? if its small like mine, then just fab it up, if its a large section or in an area that would be hard to fab, you may be better getting a panel cut and then graft it in.
Dirty Koala
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Dual Battery Setup
I already had my two DHP batteries in place (31M Primary and 34M Backup), but had not hooked up my back up battery yet. I fabbed up new tie down hooks for both batteries using a length of all thread, that I just bent into J hooks using my bumper as a vice. For the main 31M, I had to trim the case fins a little to make it fit in the tray. I also had to fab a longer tie down bar using a piece of aluminium angle...easy peesy.
My main battery cables are the super beefy 1Ga cables from @Fourrunner . I mounted my Hellroaring Technologies isolator/combiner (BIC-95300B) on top of the cruise control motor. I measured up all the cable runs and then ordered 7 cables from www.genuinedealz.com
I already had my two DHP batteries in place (31M Primary and 34M Backup), but had not hooked up my back up battery yet. I fabbed up new tie down hooks for both batteries using a length of all thread, that I just bent into J hooks using my bumper as a vice. For the main 31M, I had to trim the case fins a little to make it fit in the tray. I also had to fab a longer tie down bar using a piece of aluminium angle...easy peesy.
My main battery cables are the super beefy 1Ga cables from @Fourrunner . I mounted my Hellroaring Technologies isolator/combiner (BIC-95300B) on top of the cruise control motor. I measured up all the cable runs and then ordered 7 cables from www.genuinedealz.com
- Isolator to Backup Pos (4Ga)
- Backup Neg to Block Ground (2Ga)
- Backup Ned to Chassis Ground (2Ga)
- Isolator to 150A Bussmann Fuse (2Ga)
- 150A Bussmann Fuse to Main Pos (2Ga)
- Main Pos to Aux. Blue Sea Fuse Block Pos (4Ga)
- Main Neg to Aux. Blue Sea Fuse Block Neg (4Ga)
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Dirty Koala
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Sound Deadener
After getting my dual batteries situated, I started laying down my Megamat (One if the FatMat Products). I spent the afternoon getting the rear cargo area, both rear wheel wells, inside both rear quarter panels and the tailgate lined. This stuff lays down really nice, it is easier to work with than Dynamat Xtreme, which I used in my Ram a couple years ago. I also had an assistant most of the afternoon, this little guy love the
cruiser.
After getting my dual batteries situated, I started laying down my Megamat (One if the FatMat Products). I spent the afternoon getting the rear cargo area, both rear wheel wells, inside both rear quarter panels and the tailgate lined. This stuff lays down really nice, it is easier to work with than Dynamat Xtreme, which I used in my Ram a couple years ago. I also had an assistant most of the afternoon, this little guy love the
Dirty Koala
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Haven't given an update in a month, but progress is still being made. Trying to do a lot at once while things are pulled apart to minimize re-work.
Once I was done lining the floor, doors, wheel wells and rear quarter panels, I decided to take it up a notch. I dropped the headliner and sunroof assembly, removed the port installed roof rack. One corner had a decent size rust hole, all others the nutserts just spun. I drilled out all of the holes, cut out the rust on the one bad hole and then welded up all the holes and coated with POR15 inside and out.
Once the holes were welded up, I drilled a 3/4" hole in the roof for my HAM NMO antenna (Larsen 150) and ran the coax down teh passenger side A pillar.
I don't have pics of this, but I also lined the roof with megamat sound deadener, and then covered the roof with reflectix ducting insulation (best $20 spent to date). Re installed the sunroof and headliner...not a fun one man job!
I decided to replace the Proline front and rear bumpers and sliders that came on the truck with ones of my own choosing. I mounted up the ARB with the help of my BFH. My Slee rear bumper and OPOR sliders are next...but waiting until I paint the truck before installing (to minimize re-work)
Once I was done lining the floor, doors, wheel wells and rear quarter panels, I decided to take it up a notch. I dropped the headliner and sunroof assembly, removed the port installed roof rack. One corner had a decent size rust hole, all others the nutserts just spun. I drilled out all of the holes, cut out the rust on the one bad hole and then welded up all the holes and coated with POR15 inside and out.
Once the holes were welded up, I drilled a 3/4" hole in the roof for my HAM NMO antenna (Larsen 150) and ran the coax down teh passenger side A pillar.
I don't have pics of this, but I also lined the roof with megamat sound deadener, and then covered the roof with reflectix ducting insulation (best $20 spent to date). Re installed the sunroof and headliner...not a fun one man job!
I decided to replace the Proline front and rear bumpers and sliders that came on the truck with ones of my own choosing. I mounted up the ARB with the help of my BFH. My Slee rear bumper and OPOR sliders are next...but waiting until I paint the truck before installing (to minimize re-work)
Dirty Koala
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Dual Battery Control and Monitor
Continuing the theme of limiting re-work, I waited until I was ready to install my new head unit before setting up my battery monitoring an d control system.
For the control, I wired up a three way toggle and LED (to identify when the isolator has connected to two batteries) and mounted them in a switch blank next to my now useless rear heater switch.
For my monitoring, I installed a Gamaviti bezel that I wired up with a mini toggle from radio shack and a digital voltmeter. Toggle to the left to see main battery voltage, middle position turns the guage off, toggle to the right to see the backup batter voltage. To the right of the voltmeter is a radio mic holder...I blew out the little blue led thatlights up the mic holder being an idiot, I will wire in a new one once it arrives from superbrightled.
The headunit that I installed is a Kenwood DDX471HD, I will write up more about that once I install the amps speakers and reverse camera...for now I have run all the wiring as I had the carpet out.
Continuing the theme of limiting re-work, I waited until I was ready to install my new head unit before setting up my battery monitoring an d control system.
For the control, I wired up a three way toggle and LED (to identify when the isolator has connected to two batteries) and mounted them in a switch blank next to my now useless rear heater switch.
For my monitoring, I installed a Gamaviti bezel that I wired up with a mini toggle from radio shack and a digital voltmeter. Toggle to the left to see main battery voltage, middle position turns the guage off, toggle to the right to see the backup batter voltage. To the right of the voltmeter is a radio mic holder...I blew out the little blue led thatlights up the mic holder being an idiot, I will wire in a new one once it arrives from superbrightled.
The headunit that I installed is a Kenwood DDX471HD, I will write up more about that once I install the amps speakers and reverse camera...for now I have run all the wiring as I had the carpet out.
Looking good!
Nice work Morgan.
By the way, I've got a small gift coming your way. You will know it when you see it and you will know what to do with it when you see it.
By the way, I've got a small gift coming your way. You will know it when you see it and you will know what to do with it when you see it.
Dirty Koala
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This past weekend I also got around to installing my new carpet that I got from stockinteriors.com
http://www.stockinteriors.com/AutoCarpet.asp?Itemid=21802&ModelId=709&MakeId=37
This is the 8835-Medium Beige Plush Cut Pile with the optional Mass Back. The quality of the carpet is very nice, and the mass back is rather thick, should do a good job of keeping road noise down. The molded pieces fit very well, you just have to cut out the transmission tunnel area and then the outer edges as they intentionally leave excess. Cutting was easy with a hook style box cutter. The jupe underlay on the other had is a nightmare to cut, fortunately there are only a few places (seat mounts) they you need to make and cuts.
Its starting to look like a cruiser again!
http://www.stockinteriors.com/AutoCarpet.asp?Itemid=21802&ModelId=709&MakeId=37
This is the 8835-Medium Beige Plush Cut Pile with the optional Mass Back. The quality of the carpet is very nice, and the mass back is rather thick, should do a good job of keeping road noise down. The molded pieces fit very well, you just have to cut out the transmission tunnel area and then the outer edges as they intentionally leave excess. Cutting was easy with a hook style box cutter. The jupe underlay on the other had is a nightmare to cut, fortunately there are only a few places (seat mounts) they you need to make and cuts.
Its starting to look like a cruiser again!
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Dirty Koala
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- #30
Thanks Ben, I am glad those sliders worked out for you. Nice meeting you over the weekend.
Thanks Onur! She is coming along nicely, getting closer to how I want it setup...still a lot to do though.Nice work Morgan.
By the way, I've got a small gift coming your way. You will know it when you see it and you will know what to do with it when you see it.
This is a very intriguing message...I wonder what it might be.
Dirty Koala
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- #31
Forgot to mention, while I had the headliner and sunroof down, I made sure that all four sunroof drains worked...the rear passenger side didn't. It had a massive mud clot about 18 inches down from the top. I was able to get it dislodged by sticking a rubber tipped air chuck down the tube (sealed really well) and blowing 140psi of air through the tube...the clot shot out like a cannon.
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lckarl
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That little welding tool is pretty slick. I have a copper spoon but it doesn't hold itself in place and you certainly can't hold it on the other side of a body panel by yourself. Also, the Miller 211 is a very nice little welder. Switching the plugs out to change voltage is quick and easy.
That is a pretty impressive list of work completed at the beginning of the thread. Good job!
That is a pretty impressive list of work completed at the beginning of the thread. Good job!
Dirty Koala
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- #33
Yeah that magnetic welding tool was invaluable! So far i have welded up 66 holes between the flares, trim, roof rack and rear spoiler. If I had to do all of them without the backer, would have been a lot harder. I have no complaints with my millermatic 211, very easy to use. I have used if for everything from the sheet metal holes to fabbing up suspension shackles made of 3/8" plate.
Dirty Koala
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Since my truck didn't have any cats when I bought it, I had the expected 420 code. This weekend I installed the Magnaflow directfit Y-pipe/first cat and the direct fit second cat along with a pair of denso O2 sensors. The Y-pipe comes with an O2 bung already welded in upstream of the 1st cat, so I only needed to pick up a weld in bung from Slee for the downstream O2 sensor. No more 420 code!!! and the exhaust is a little quieter now.
The only issue with the directfit is that the overall length front to back is very similar to OEM, which makes going over the frame to the muffler challenging. If the overall length was 6" shorter, you could go over the frame easily.
The only issue with the directfit is that the overall length front to back is very similar to OEM, which makes going over the frame to the muffler challenging. If the overall length was 6" shorter, you could go over the frame easily.
1973Guppie
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that stockinteriors carpet looks awesome, have been thinking of getting some of that for awhile, my existing oem carpet seems like it has thinned out quite a bit since 1996, do you feel like the new carpet was a lot more dense (more fibers) than the existing oem carpet? I may have to do this when I go to redo the interior floorboards with dynamat.
Noah
Noah
Dirty Koala
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My new carpet feels much more plush than the old OEM carpet was. I am very happy with how it turned out.
On the new carpet how did you do the rear tailgate? Mine came with just the peice so I am guessing that I will have to peel the old carpet off of the backer board and then glue and staple the new one on... Curious if you have tackled that yet?
I also found a set of hole punches to be super valuable when making bolt holes in the carpet pieces.
I also found a set of hole punches to be super valuable when making bolt holes in the carpet pieces.
Dirty Koala
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- #38
Yeah that's what you need to do if you want carpet on your tailgate. I wanted something a little more durable and functional so I have a Labrak tailgate cutting board from Shane that will be going on soon.
Very nice , how many sq foot of fat m at did you need to do the whole truck?
Oh yeah that's right... That sounds pretty cool. I wish it came in black.
