Green '71 Frame Off Mild Build

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srgould41 said:
I am having trouble finding the correct length rear hose without getting one custom made. The FAQ's and such list a part number for a 22" hose, but I think I need 26" to be safe.

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hey man - just turn that bracket around and you'll have the correct length soft line! looks good keep it up!:cheers:
 
I am saving my hard top for last. I have read other posts here where guys used bedliner. Some other posts talk about the right color of off-white to buy. Personally I plan on cleaning and sanding, laying down smooth bedliner, then spraying the correct off-white on top. Since it is above the viewing level of any, but the tallest persons, it doesn't need to be perfect. Mine does have some stress cracks I need to fix first, though. I bought some fiberglass repair material for that.

Good luck on yours.

ARC1 said:
That looks pretty amazing for a DIY roll-on paint job!!

Any tips on doing this kind of paint work on the fiberglass dome? I've heard that a different paint or prep needs to be done when painting fiberglass? Needs "flex" in the paint? Is that b.s.?

I have a fiberglass dome that has remained unfinished and exposed to the weather for almost 2 years now. Recently got quoted $850 for primer, paint, and clearcoat, white on top, Zolatone on the undersurface (instead of a headliner). But, I'm thinking of trying something like this myself. I want it nice and durable, but probably doesn't need to be glass perfect finish. Any tips?

Awesome build!! Keep the posts coming! :beer:
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srgould41 said:
I am saving my hard top for last. I have read other posts here where guys used bedliner. Some other posts talk about the right color of off-white to buy. Personally I plan on cleaning and sanding, laying down smooth bedliner, then spraying the correct off-white on top. Since it is above the viewing level of any, but the tallest persons, it doesn't need to be perfect. Mine does have some stress cracks I need to fix first, though. I bought some fiberglass repair material for that.

Good luck on yours.
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So, the wonders of Google.. i've learned more about fiberglass than I'd ever want to. I guess the best is to use Gelcoat, which is a pigmented fiberglass resin. Very expensive, but gives you that very durable glass finish, and is actually part of the fiberglass. I agree with you that I don't really need perfection way up there.. especially once I put on a rack!

Then, I found Rustoleum.. a much easier and cheaper option. It looks like they have a line of marine products called "Topline", which is made for wood and fiberglass (boats). Here's a link to Amazon. Looks very reasonably priced, and the primer and the paint itself have some flex, and can be sanded, and applied in multiple coats.

Amazon.com: rustoleum topside white


The Zolatone, turns out to be trickier than I thought. I was thinking I'd brush it on, since it's multicolored and textured, it probably would be fine to brush and also doesn't need perfection. But, it is actually a suspension of tiny beads or capsules that break upon spraying to give it that unique swirling multicolor pattern. I don't have the necessary airspray guns, etc.. but I may still consider this instead of a headliner. I just like the idea, and in my head it seems like it'd look cool with my rhinolined interior and carpeting.

Good luck with your build. I'll post a thread on this if/when I get my act together.
 
I got sick of looking at lime green so I repainted my tub to darn hunter green, AKA Rustoleum rattle cans. Looks way better. I also finished aligning the tub and bolted it down as well as installing my rock sliders. Gas tank is all cleaned up and erady to go back in.



I just need to figure out the feed line. The hose is old and I want to replace it, but it has an inverted flare fitting on the end of the hose. Anyone familiar with these? I found one online at SOR or somewhere, but you guys know how expensive those parts are. Any cheaper options to use a barbed hose fitting?



Bought some Trail Gear birfs ( just could not raise cash for Longfields) and installed the short side. I'll do the log side this weekend. I was surprised at how much material had to come off the knuckles to get the birfs in.



I installed a Longfield knuckle wiper. What a PITA! They don't sit flat, but angle up onto the ball. I don't think it is doing a good job so I'll have to keep an eye on them. I noticed grease on the ball, but that may have been from the install. I may need to go back to conventional felts if the grease comes back.



I bought a tranny cooler from Summit. It was recommended on Mud. The part was DINKY. No way that was going to cool a 700R4. So I sent it back and replaced it with a B&M cooler twice the size. It has the highest cooling rating of all the coolers. I should have the mounts fabbed up and it installed this weekend. I am getting closer to being able to run the engine! Just a few more weeks tops. I still need to get a new TV cable and mount bracket. I need to get it adjusted before I can add fluid to the tranny.
 
Steve looking good. Sounds like you are getting pretty close to firing her up. Will you take some pics of how you hook your tranny cooler temp sender up. I still can't get mine to read my tranny. I'm thinking now it might be the sender, but don't know for sure. Still trying to figure out my rough idle problems. I bought a redline family cage and have been working on that since I got back from Colorado. Did you get your power steering hoses figured out?

Nick
 
Hey there Nick. Before I forget, we are not going to Texas. My sister-in-law is moving to Arizona so we'll visit them there.

While I do have a T fitting for the tranny temp sender, I have no idea it it will work since I don't have a gauge or sender yet. I can take a picture of the part if you want. If you have a picture of your setup or know the dimmensions of the sender I can figure out if mine will work or not.

I put the steering hoses on hold until I get the front sheel metal put in place. I don't know how I'll need to cut access or route the lines yet. I should get that figured out in the next day or two.

nicholastheczar said:
Steve looking good. Sounds like you are getting pretty close to firing her up. Will you take some pics of how you hook your tranny cooler temp sender up. I still can't get mine to read my tranny. I'm thinking now it might be the sender, but don't know for sure. Still trying to figure out my rough idle problems. I bought a redline family cage and have been working on that since I got back from Colorado. Did you get your power steering hoses figured out?

Nick
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Nick, here is the T fitting. It is 1/4 NPT male going into the trans, 1/4 NPT female for the other sides. Note that I plugged the sender port for now. I then put in the original 1/4 NPT to 5/16 inverted flare female for the tubing. I went to a local high performance parts shop and asked what they had to go from 5/16" inverted flare to 1/4 NPT and this is what the guy pulled out. I think it will work, but I can't know for sure until I get a trans temp sensor to plug in.

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Have you taken yours back out and put it in boiling water to check the sender?
 
Great job man. We'll have to get a wheeling trip set up in Ellensburg sometime after we get these things done. I Know what you talking about in the beginning of your thread about how many parts come off of these things.
 
More progress. I installed the steering column and drivers seat (it's just set in place to fit the column).

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I also installed my tranny cooler.

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Hooked up the kick down cable and throttle cable. Like my throttle cable? It's just until I can figure out a permenant solution. The gas pedal actually works the full range. From reading other posts I thought for sure I'd need a new one.

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I spent lots of time figuring out how to modify the throttle lever for the 700R4 kick down cable. This is critical or the tranny will blow. I took this one off and palced it against a drawing I made of the correct geometry and couldn't believe it. The existing stud was in the perfect spot, correct distance and angle from the center pivot, ran the full arc and stopped at the right place. Looks like it was made for the 700. And all the stuff I bought to fab up a new throttle lever is not worth sending back. Oh well.

Bought a new tranny pan that will go on this weekend. Then I need to install a small length of fuel hose to complete the plumbing. All that is left is an exhaust, then I can fire it up.

Starting on the wiring too. I decided to repair and re-use the original harness. It needs to be modded for my GM steering column and to fit my new fuse panel I am putting in the glove box. Should be lots of hours of mind numbing fun.
 
Spent the past couple weeks cleaning up the stock wiring harness. I needed to remove/move/add wiring. I decided to use a Painless power panel and installed it in the glove box. It's a tight squeeze.

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I still have some tightening up to do under the dash, but it is further ahead than the picture shows.

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I have one more set of wires to run for a speedo sender and the engine and front wires need to be finished. I will be installing head light relays and some beefy battery wiring once I have the fenders installed and a battery mount fabbed up.

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I have tested every circuit so far and everything works perfectly! Except for the headlights since they aren't done yet :)

I installed some relays for the wipers so I could use the controls on my Cherokee column. I installed a new headlight switch to gain the insturment dimmer and dome light switch all in one. I installed a relay for the dome light since the headlight switch grounds the circuit instead of providing the voltage.

Installed an Aussie Locker in the rear. No pics of it. I am almost ready to take it in for an exhaust installation. That happens in 2 weeks. Then I'll be ready to start and break-in my engine.

Lots to go yet. Need money for gauges. Need to get a steering shaft as well as tie rod, steering arm, etc. Need a brake master and booster. Need drive shafts. Need shocks.

It's getting closer!
 
Slowly but surely Steve ;)
It's comin' along.
 
Got my exhaust installed by Top Gun Muffler in Sumner, WA. $550 complete from the Ram Horn's back. Looks like the tail pipe might hit the shock when I get them installed so they will fix it if so.

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I don't have a good picture of the Y section. They hand made it.

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I need a turn down at the end too, because it is too hot at the brake lense.


So today I finished the start up prep on the engine, and after 12 months of waiting finally started it up!!! It took a little effort, but the cam breakin went fine and the engine is tuned up and purrrrs. The engine has a few little things left to do like routing the plug wires better. The tranny still needs more fluid, but I ran it through the gears and everything appears to work correctly.

Next I will start on the front fenders. They need to get stripped and prepped for paint. Need to fab a battery mount too. Then as soon as I have more money I will start on the steering.
 
Hi All:

Steve, you need to re-place that exhaust. As it sits now it could get mashed between the spring/shackle and the tire during suspension movement.

Regards,

Alan
 
Just flex it out and make sure that the distance between your axle and bumpstop is equal to or smaller than the distance between your spring and your exhaust.
 
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