Build Fly By Night

[PabloCruise]

Early March update -

Still working on taking care of all the loose ends I’ve left for myself like Easter eggs all over the place.
Then my local tuner guy sends me a text wanting to know if I can get my rig down to Tempe for a dyno-tune session early this month.
I’m certain that it’s not ready, but then immediately begin a running list in my mind of what would need to get taken care of to make it ready.
One of the items on the list is the warmer temp issues I’ve been noticing lately when it runs for a short amount of time. 210° was what it got to one of the last times I ran it. My mind went to thermostat, but after replacing it and doing some YouTube research, the whole steam port venting and trapped air is a real thing, which requires more than just filling the radiator, running it, and having air escape into the radiator. I have a steam port crossover on the front with the rears plugged. For $200 I could plumb a four corner air bleed system. Imagine my excitement at that prospect. There are some other methods of dealing with trapped air that I am going to exhaust before plunking down more money on another plumbing system to wrap around the top end. One was to disconnect the top radiator hose (or pipe in my case) and pour coolant into that , which probably took about 1/2 - 3/4 gallon. Afterwards, it ran up to 180° and stayed there for the 10 minutes I ran it. I’m going to do another operation soon to double check that it’s full.
Painted the underside of the hood, and then welded in the brace that was removed for straightening. Another coat of primer and it will be ready for paint topside.
Still running wiring. Was hoping that the early style turn signal switch would work by just running a dedicated brake light wire to the rear, but now thinking about wiring a pigtail for a trailer and towing, the extra wire would have to be compensated for, so now I’d just rather track down a new turn signal switch that runs the brake light circuit through the rear turn signal wiring.

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Have you tried a burp funnel on the rad cap and forklift the front end?
What is the red and white smeg on the t-stat spring?

 

[PabloCruise]

That hood is bootiful, you must be getting jittery with excitement.


Are a couple options your gonna try lifting the front up or pulling a vacuum?

Yes, get that front end up in the air!!!

 

[PabloCruise]

Thanks Scraps!

Forgot to mention that I took it for a spin down the road to the next intersection. It was the quickest it had ever gotten out of its own way!

How hot did it get?

 

[PabloCruise]

https://www.buyersproducts.com/product/heavy-duty-tail-light-converter-14619

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Check out the eTrailer ones as well!

 

[RUSH55]

What is the red and white smeg on the t-stat spring?

That’s some trash that was in the cooling system that got hung up in the thermostat

Yes, get that front end up in the air!!!

Got that done yesterday. It didn’t take a whole lot - might have gotten a liter in, but nearly an equal amount came out the top of the little 90° hose on the top of the radiator.
Ran it for about 15 minutes and it stayed under 180°. Now the belt is squealing non-stop. Gonna try a new one and see what happens.

How hot did it get?

On that short drive it didn’t get much time to warm up.

 

[PabloCruise]

Did you use a burp funnel?
It lets you put more head pressure on any air in the system and catches the expansion.

 

[RUSH55]

Did you use a burp funnel?

No

 

[RUSH55]

The temps are warm enough for painting, but the wind is making it prohibitive.
Cleaned and sandblasted the hood hardware in preparation for Ceracoat.
Did some wet-sanding on the hood.
Took a drive down to a friend’s house about a 1/2 mile away. He fabricated up a J**p pickup for a rock crawler project - took it to KOH for christening. Will probably get some pics of the two projects together at some point.
Cruiser ran like a top down and back!
Like a top with a hell of a torque curve

 

[riderjgs]

"Cruiser ran like a top down and back!
Like a top with a hell of a torque curve."

I remember that same feeling heading up Soldiers Summit in UT on the way to the Idaho Pig Party and I only had a fresh TBI 350 and the overdrive. Only had 250 miles on the engine when we left and was still amazed at the torque and how smooth it pulled with the FI. It's been awhile since you ran the stock drive train to meet us at the North Rim but I imagine it's night and day and you're pretty happy. Nice to see you approaching the finish line...can't wait to see the project done. Great work!

 

[RUSH55]

First coat of paint on the hood.
Getting going on the tailgate now.
Cerakote on the hood hardware

 

[RUSH55]

Youngest son, Levi, just got his first vehicle -
2013 Tacoma 4x4

Lando is a little jelly

 

[scrapdaddy]

Hell, I'm jealous, too! That's a nice looking truck.

 

[RUSH55]

Hell, I'm jealous, too! That's a nice looking truck.

I asked if he wanted to go ahead and take the Ram and I’d take the Tacoma. He said no.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Lando rolling a Mustang?
Nicer than anything I had at that age!

 

[bobm]

Lando aint Jell . He be chillin an Hangin wit Bro and makin Niicee den he be Slippin in it some Friday nites ing fo kees

 

[samc2447]

What paint gun are you using? Looks like it might need to be dialed in just a bit on the hood.

 

[Ry24000]

Cerekote is some good stuff! I have been using the C series under the hood. Brackets, Headers, intake manifold, valve cover. It boasts an 1800* limit. Some cool vids, one of a long bearded guy driving his home made buggy getting the exhaust red hot. When it cools it returns to the original color!

 

[RUSH55]

What paint gun are you using? Looks like it might need to be dialed in just a bit on the hood.

The gun was actually spraying nicely when I laid it down on this, but ran out of paint halfway through a second pass. No worries.

 

[RUSH55]

Cerekote is some good stuff! I have been using the C series under the hood. Brackets, Headers, intake manifold, valve cover. It boasts an 1800* limit. Some cool vids, one of a long bearded guy driving his home made buggy getting the exhaust red hot. When it cools it returns to the original color!

Yeah man, I’m loving it! A phenomenal alternative to spray paint.

 

[PabloCruise]

Hell, I'm jealous, too! That's a nice looking truck.

I bet you could work out a trade!