Builds Let's build a 79 Series from parts... (6 Viewers)

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Do you think the texture/porosity of Spectrum is "cleanable" enough to not topcoat if it's used as an undercoating? I'm worried about caking mud on the underside/wheel wells and it being a whore to clean.

Yeah....I think it's going to be tough to clean without a topcoat. It'd spray it with Raptor bedliner I think. I feel like it would protect it more and allow it to be cleaned a little easier. I probably need to think about doing the underside of my cab.
 
I question my management style on a daily basis.

And that is what makes you good. The bad ones are the ones who never give what they're doing a second thought.
 
Started on this today.....main tank install
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Nice new takeout tank....

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Figured this was going to be an all day install.....but in 2 hours it was in. It did require a rather large dead blow hammer to.....well.....'contour' a couple areas of the tank. If the cab was off, I think it may have cleared but it was too tight in a couple of spots. We massaged it a bit and it went right in. WAY better than the rear sub tank. Ha. Couldn't fine the pins and clips for the strap(where they pivot) so I'll have to order them.

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We had time to start on the part I have been dreading the most.....the trans tunnel. Truck isn't set up for a H151 trans....or the transfer case behind the H151....so this will require a fair bit of work to get it right. The floor covering is for a R151 truck so we'll have to come up with a console of some sorts to cover up where the changes are going to happen.

We'll install the trans tomorrow once the tunnel cover is off so we can see where things are going to line up. I have a sneaking suspicion that the shifter is going to be really close to the dash....which may be a big problem. If that's the case, we'll switch over to an R151 trans most likely. Not a huge deal...just not what I was planning on.
 
We had time to start on the part I have been dreading the most.....the trans tunnel. Truck isn't set up for a H151 trans....or the transfer case behind the H151....so this will require a fair bit of work to get it right. The floor covering is for a R151 truck so we'll have to come up with a console of some sorts to cover up where the changes are going to happen.

We'll install the trans tomorrow once the tunnel cover is off so we can see where things are going to line up. I have a sneaking suspicion that the shifter is going to be really close to the dash....which may be a big problem. If that's the case, we'll switch over to an R151 trans most likely. Not a huge deal...just not what I was planning on.
Have you looked into if this part is still available from the HD-78/79?
 
I *believe* that is a 58013-60010 for a HDJ79/78...99-07. I would think that is for a H151? The R151(for a 99-07 HZJ79) is a 58013-60020. Makes my head spin. The HDJ79 is a mystery to me....I have never researched them. I should have put the 1HDT that I have in this truck. I'm on a huge second guessing rampage today.

I think I'll just make mine fit....I'm not 100% sure my trans is going to line up where it should because.......
 
Today I wanted to double check where the motor sits in relation to the radiator, firewall, etc. Something has always bugged me about the motor placement and when I started doing some rough measurements on where the shifter tower was going to line up...it was off which perplexed me but also what I had kind of feared.....the engine was sitting too far forward. Bought this as a roller...saw pics of it with a 1HZ on it....took it for granted that it was located where it should have been. Could have been a big issue.

The 1HZ motor was sitting on the stock FZJ80 motor mount brackets....about 1.5" too far forward when I compare the placement of the motor in my HZJ73. Makes sense as I feel the shifter is about 1.5" too far forward from where it should be in relation to the R151 opening on the tunnel.

So.....this was how we spent part of the day:

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Unfortunately, the new slotted hole hit the edge of the driver side bracket. So we removed part of it and will weld on an extension...I want to weld to the existing mount which will raise the pad/surface up .180 or so in thickness...so we'll have a .180 plate on the other motor mount to balance it out.

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We made a new slotted hole in the passenger side mount....almost right in the middle of the 2 that were already there.

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Got our modified mount buttoned up and the motor back in(I think it was in and out 3 times today).....I feel much much better with where it's sitting now. It looks right and when we lined things up with the fan in the shroud, it was right where we wanted it. Shifter tower will poke thru right about where I expected it. Confident we're spot on. It's a shame that we've had to grind on this frame and touch things up(was powdercoated) but when you finish someone else's project, sometimes that's the way it goes.

The takeaway from the is.....if you're putting a 70 series body on an 80 frame with a 1Hx motor, push that sucker back 1.5".

Guess we'll have to do a 3rd one to put all of this knowledge to good use...

Bracket extension we came up with

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Quite a bit of welding went into it....added some plug welds.

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Looks pretty OEM after some grinding/finishing...

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Things fit really nice....

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4000sq feet of floor space to lay down......clearly this dog is looking for attention

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Tomorrow we address this mess. Need to check shift lever placements. I think we're going to be OK.....

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Your right about the 70 definitely has more room at the back and less at the front than an 80. The Cummins using the same motor mounts and placement as in then 80 has way more room in the back and less in the front. I thought about moving mine back the same 1.5” that you just did but I figure I’m too far in and already modified around the engine.
Is your transfer case shifter going to be to the right of trans shifter?
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I’m diving into a 79 on 80 build soon, and this was one of my big unknowns. Guess we know the answer now!

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I’m diving into a 79 on 80 build soon, and this was one of my big unknowns. Guess we know the answer now!

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COOL!!!! Build thread on this? Great to see another one.

If you need any measurements of the body to points on the frame to compare to where my cab is, let me know....would be happy to help out. Might save you some time of putting the motor in and out and checking things a bunch of times...
 
Your right about the 70 definitely has more room at the back and less at the front than an 80. The Cummins using the same motor mounts and placement as in then 80 has way more room in the back and less in the front. I thought about moving mine back the same 1.5” that you just did but I figure I’m too far in and already modified around the engine.
Is your transfer case shifter going to be to the right of trans shifter?
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Transfer case will be on the right side...just like yours.

What transmission are you running?
 
COOL!!!! Build thread on this? Great to see another one.

If you need any measurements of the body to points on the frame to compare to where my cab is, let me know....would be happy to help out. Might save you some time of putting the motor in and out and checking things a bunch of times...
[/QUOTE]

I haven’t started a thread yet...soon.

I will most definitely hit you up for measurements when the time comes.

I have been memorizing your two build threads for the past couple of months...79 pickup required reading for sure.

I haven’t figured out what to do for fuel tanks yet. Mine is set up for dual tank… I’d love to pick your brain on this when the time comes as well.

Your builds are incredible. Keep it coming!

Thanks, Galen
 
COOL!!!! Build thread on this? Great to see another one.

If you need any measurements of the body to points on the frame to compare to where my cab is, let me know....would be happy to help out. Might save you some time of putting the motor in and out and checking things a bunch of times...

I haven’t started a thread yet...soon.

I will most definitely hit you up for measurements when the time comes.

I have been memorizing your two build threads for the past couple of months...79 pickup required reading for sure.

I haven’t figured out what to do for fuel tanks yet. Mine is set up for dual tank… I’d love to pick your brain on this when the time comes as well.

Your builds are incredible. Keep it coming!

Thanks, Galen
[/QUOTE]
I’m certain yours will be a lot easier. Lots on info out there now. Looking forward to seeing it first hand.
 
COOL!!!! Build thread on this? Great to see another one.

If you need any measurements of the body to points on the frame to compare to where my cab is, let me know....would be happy to help out. Might save you some time of putting the motor in and out and checking things a bunch of times...

I haven’t started a thread yet...soon.

I will most definitely hit you up for measurements when the time comes.

I have been memorizing your two build threads for the past couple of months...79 pickup required reading for sure.

I haven’t figured out what to do for fuel tanks yet. Mine is set up for dual tank… I’d love to pick your brain on this when the time comes as well.

Your builds are incredible. Keep it coming!

Thanks, Galen
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the kind words..I hope these builds help someone out there....and maybe provide some good reading material.

After having done a custom tank and OEM tanks...I'd do OEM. The sub tank took some work as you could tell but it wasn't that big of a deal...busy work. Front tank was simple. I like having the OEM sending units, tank venting, fills, switching valves, etc.

My custom tank on the #1 truck is nice but it's not optimal....it needs more baffles....it will starve at certain angles when down to the last 3 gallons. I keep it filled so it's not an issue but it could be. Really excited about having nearly 50 gallons of fuel on this truck.

The only benefit of not having the OEM front tank was that I had space for my muffler and resonator.....I was dead set on having a quiet truck so it runs a big muffler.

I love the whole 1HZ setup on this truck...it just makes sense. It's simple. That first truck had so much work put in to it to make things fit and work.
 
NV4500 mated to HF2A

I figured NV4500 from the shifter. I'll have an HF2A in mine. Does your's have vacuum or electric actuator for engaging 4wd?
 

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