Just another 80 series diesel swap....

[c2dfj45]

Some of our super fine Raptor sprays.....we really really like it in the low texture form. We tend to do a lot of color match stuff as well. Color is always pretty close...not exact but very close.

This color was custom matched to the exterior....was a little off but I think the lights in the shop really make things off. outside it’s dead on.

Works great for this kind of stuff.....we don/t like the shiny stuff on bumpers so we spray it all.

I was apprehensive to use it in the engine bay of my 60 series we did a diesel swap on but I wanted to test it to see how it would hold up(clean up). This particular motor and engine compartment were sprayed with a ceramic coating as well to help clean up. It wipes right up or hoses off. Super nice with the grey on white. I’m a sucker for light grey motors and/or engine compartments.

 

[c2dfj45]

For our patina builds, we just use an off the shelf color additive from TCP Global. We’ve never tried any of the pre colored Raptor...I think they have 15 different colors or something. 40s get their engine bays done, under body, usually interiors.

Again....very very light texture

I’m pretty sure we sprayed this interior red which was really red.....I think this was before we went back and did it with a slightly darker shade of red to better match the old paint.

Off the shelf blue additive....

We do them all a little differently....didn’t do the fender aprons on this one because they looked cool stock.

 

[Brav]

Super easy. Aside from the motor and it’s connections....it’s body mount bolts, steering column, brake lines, fuel filler, shifter stuff....probably a couple other things. Super easy.

Might need to do this one day for its quarter century (spring) cleaning.

 

[c2dfj45]

Might need to do this one day for its quarter century (spring) cleaning.

It’s really a satisfying job to see them come apart for some reason......every time we have one apart it makes me smile. Kind of cool to see.

 

[LDowney]

Eager to see how this project has progressed. Willing to share? Thanks

 

[c2dfj45]

Eager to see how this project has progressed. Willing to share? Thanks

We’re busy with so many other projects that we took a little break from this one.....also....waiting for some parts.

The 1HZ that’s being used for it had a really slight oil leak at the back of the motor between the block and the head. So while it’s out, we wanted to do the head gasket. Ordered up all the parts and we’re in a holding pattern.

Hopefully this week for those parts so the motor can go back together and the project can get going again.

 

[c2dfj45]

The head on this motor had been pulled a while ago when I had this motor in my 79 series. We had it rebuilt and there were no issues found at the back of the head. 2 things that we may have gotten wrong....we sprayed the head gasket with copper spray and we think the head bolts may have been stretched....I don’t recall measuring them. Wish I knew the history of this motor but I didn’t. Lesson learned....now when we go thru these motors, everything gets replaced.

Block checked out to spec, head bolts were at the top of the out of spec range, head checks out OK. Going to put it together with a new gasket and bolts and see what happens. We’ll do the rod bearings while we’re in it.

 

[LDowney]

Chris,
Thanks for the updates. Also from the pictures, it is clear that your shop must be amazing. Clean / well equipped / well organized ... more of an operating theater. Considering the quality of the product that I have seen in your work, I should not be surprised. It is impressive to see. Kudos to you and your team.

 

[c2dfj45]

I’ve been doing a horrible job updating this thread....been busy with my own projects and the truck is at a different place so it can be worked on after we close up shop in the evening. I haven’t seen it in a month or so but I hear it’s coming back for some exhaust and wiring work

Engine got put back together...we did the bearings while we were here and added an 80 series oil pan to it.

 

[c2dfj45]

All back together

 

[c2dfj45]

Really nice to be able to work on a clean chassis....very easy to get spoiled when they’re clean and nice.

Dog approved.

Found a volunteer to help get the motor in...

In

Transmission next....dog lost interest

 

[c2dfj45]

Pushed outside one last time to meet its body

Last time

Annnnnnddddd.....the best part. Looks right at home in there. Now we just have to do everything else. Ha.

 

[c2dfj45]

Loaded and off to shop #2 for the night shift work...my new project blocking some of the view....this one is going to be quite the build.....

The truck came with 3” OME springs....they went in but they won’t stay. This truck will run stock height OME springs.

So most of the next work is busy work stuff....easy to do but time consuming. Going to do a mid grade sound dampening package on this one...not quite what we do on customer trucks but the prep is all the same. Clean, treat rust/bare metal, install deadener.

 

[c2dfj45]

This is a really solid truck so not much to do....better to do it now though.

 

[c2dfj45]

Tedious stuff right here but it makes such a big difference. Typically for our builds we’ll use Second Skin Audio’s Damplifier Pro sound deadening mat followed by their Spectrum liquid sound deadener. We try to get 3mm of thickness with both. Really makes a big difference. Their Spectrum sound deadener is great stuff to work with....we like using it as undercoating. Very forgiving stuff. This build isn’t quite at the customer level so different brand of mat and no Spectrum.

Doors aren’t being done yet as we usually do full restorations on them once we get into them...new regulators, seals, window runs, etc. Lots of sound deadening in them....makes a BIG difference.

 

[c2dfj45]

This area will need some custom work as the factory reinforcement is no longer available. We have one that we’ll take a pattern off of and fab up.

Engine harness out and being cleaned....we’ll be using some of this along with some of our own.

Getting stuff back in the engine compartment to see what kind of room we’ll have for all the stuff that will go in. OEM 3FE throttle cable fits which is a bonus. We have the clutch master on the firewall....working on that issue as there are very few LHD manual pedals out there. We think we have a solution with OEM parts......parts on the way from across the world

 

[c2dfj45]

Airbox in....looks like we used a factory 79 series 1HZ unit we had from another build.

Battery tray in and AC compressor mounted up. I’m not 100% sure this is the compressor we are using.

Fuel filter is a take off from another build that got a new pump. We had put a factory HDJ100 fuel pump pickup in the factory tank and run all the lines before the tank went back in. Pretty simple setup on the diesel.

 

[c2dfj45]

We use this power steering cooler on my 79 builds....really nice setup for the diesel swaps. We use PSC 16mm and 17mm to 6AN fittings on the power steering box, special adapter fitting on the stock diesel PS pump, PSC high pressure line that we make and then AN fittings to the cooler. Easy and clean setup that has been really reliable on our other builds. Need to get pics of all that stuff.