I said it would be slow....
Well, it's been forever since I updated this and even though I haven't been able to get that much accomplished on the truck I'll throw this out there - maybe someone will benefit from the couple steps down this path I've taken.
Bumper is almost done. I bought the kit from 'fourrunner' here on 'mud' and echo what others have said: the design and fit are great. If you don't have the ability to visualize and fabricate your own this is a GREAT alternative to four+ or ARB, et al. What took me so long was trying to figure a latch system that made me happy. That and weld, grind, family/work/rest, weld another piece, grind, grind grind, work, weld...you get the idea. I never could just dedicate a day to zap it all up.
I had a 'pop pin' or 't-handle' (the little spring loaded jobbers that one end secures into a hole) as a first solution, but it just didn't seem secure especially considering the weight of the tire that would be (probably) pulling, rattling, etc against the pin.
The I tried the straight de-sta-co latch - just up and down across the gap between the swingarm and the bumper. This seems to be the most common way to go, and it appears to work very well but I just couldn't make myself happy that the vertical orientation would keep the swing arms from moving.
So, I finally settled on this:
I tried the 90* latch in many places and orientations but in most of those places there wasn't room for the bale to move enough to release from the hook. This way the swing arms will be pulled in toward the truck and (presumably, hopefully) be more secure. A little more work to do here obviously but I think it's a done deal.
I did also get the new fuel lines run. Can I just say how much of a PITA it is finding clips to secure the lines to the frame!? The original clips are for 5/16" line, the new line is 3/8" supply and return. All the clips I found (summit, jegs, local places) for 3/8" line, the bolt hole is too small to accommodate the LC bolts to the frame. Given the sponginess of the rubber in the original clips it looks like I'll be able to make them work to hold the lines in place; of course they're not available new either.
Also received the new fuel tank that is shown in CAD in earlier posts, and F'ed around with it a little - it's kinda hard figuring out how to mount to those rear mounting points if you're not using the original straps. Kinda makes me wish I'd gone the route of modding a 58 psi pump rather than building a tank around the pump. Live and learn. It is a pretty slick tank though...something that is hard to explain: "yeah honey, I did have a gas tank when I bought it but...but...but...
I put the toyota sender into the shallower part of this fuel tank. It won't be exactly accurate - the guage will show empty when there's still probably a couple gallons in the tank, but I figure that's better than the other way around, and also it's the solution that works for me. Again, more confident going this way than modding the new fuel pump to use both chev and Toyota senders on the same unit. I'll post pics of this next time I take the tank out. Of course this necessitated buying a new tool that I will almost surely never have another use for again - the nutsert (or rivnut) tool. Cool thing, but pretty damn specific.
So, I guess all that writing for not much visible progress makes me feel a little better. Now I'll just wait for the fam to wake up so I can start pounding and grinding on s*** again.
Next step is getting it ALL taken apart again to get the frame to the PC'ers (assuming I don't succumb to temptation and offer to by DJAWAHIRs already done frame

).
Happy new year. Be safe.

,
Travis.-