- Thread starter
- #141
I'll tell him you said so. It will be worth a good smile.
Builds Rutherford Clappy III and Associated Ramblings... (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter ARJMN
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- Thread starter
- #142
How about a quick update on the progress. There has been none.
Summer heat and an over taxing travel schedule has resulted in Clappy sitting in the garage, hood up, for over 5 weeks now. No real dramas though. The only pressures are from my own internal timeline and the stress induced from not having my garage time outlet for energy in the summer months. Long term, as I have said before, I will move to a spot with an AC'd shop or room to build one. I used to love the mantra of "nothing to it but to do it" and I have operated on that many times whether I knew what I was getting into or not. This will be no different. back to the topic of the build, I had a chat with my supplier last week and got an update on the remaining bits. Testing of the updated designs went well and production runs will commence in the coming weeks. It may well be November before they arrive, but that hopefully gives me time to the rebuilt LS dropped into Lexi Jo, and have only 2 WIPs going at once. I'll keep you in the loop.
Summer heat and an over taxing travel schedule has resulted in Clappy sitting in the garage, hood up, for over 5 weeks now. No real dramas though. The only pressures are from my own internal timeline and the stress induced from not having my garage time outlet for energy in the summer months. Long term, as I have said before, I will move to a spot with an AC'd shop or room to build one. I used to love the mantra of "nothing to it but to do it" and I have operated on that many times whether I knew what I was getting into or not. This will be no different. back to the topic of the build, I had a chat with my supplier last week and got an update on the remaining bits. Testing of the updated designs went well and production runs will commence in the coming weeks. It may well be November before they arrive, but that hopefully gives me time to the rebuilt LS dropped into Lexi Jo, and have only 2 WIPs going at once. I'll keep you in the loop.
- Thread starter
- #143
Still on the back burner, but I did get notice that the parts passed the fit up test and should be ready in the October timeline. Gunna shift focus to getting the LS rig back on the road hoping the motor is ready this next week. For now, Clappy is gunna get buttoned up and sent to storage. I guess I did get some tasks completed recently. I go the steering system reinstalled, which will make moving him around much easier. Previously I just kicked the tires to change the steering angle, but with the driveline and body back on, there is no way I can overcome the weight on the steer tires now.
I used the longer bolts supplied and the 1/2 spacer to move the steering box out board by that measure. There was some fettling involved as the clearances were tight, and initially the u-joint contacted the engine bay side of the spring pocket. Lifting the steering box up to eliminate the interference and then torqueing the 4 bolts did the trick. This will be a high priority watch item on the shake down list. If it proves to be an issue, a little massaging will be in order.
In the needed location I have ~2mm clearance.
Red Loctite and final torque of 105lb/ft will call that done.
I used the longer bolts supplied and the 1/2 spacer to move the steering box out board by that measure. There was some fettling involved as the clearances were tight, and initially the u-joint contacted the engine bay side of the spring pocket. Lifting the steering box up to eliminate the interference and then torqueing the 4 bolts did the trick. This will be a high priority watch item on the shake down list. If it proves to be an issue, a little massaging will be in order.
In the needed location I have ~2mm clearance.
Red Loctite and final torque of 105lb/ft will call that done.
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- #144
As part of the grand plan of this being my primary long distance tourer, sound attenuation needed to be addressed. I previously ordered two 36sqft boxes of KillaMat off Amazon. While I still think that DynaMat is the premium offering on the market, it is almost 2x the cost and KillaMat is still a butyl rubber product, so performance should be comparable. The really cheap stuff uses a type of asphalt in place of the butyl, and it seems to emit a petrol-esque VOC that I am not a fan of. I also had concerns about it running in high AZ temps, but I can't say that is an actual problem. Two boxes was more than enough to do the floor, and the left over sheets will be used when the final nips and tucks are done in order to close the gaps left at present. For now, I just needed to get enough of it done so I can reinstall the bulk of the interior and get it out of my spare bedroom. That bedroom has been a warehouse for all my project overflows, and I really want to get it back in order.
One note for the general good. All of the sound deadening products I have used are very sticky and in the AZ summer will leave black marks on your shorts if you sit on the edges. Note the moving blanket in the pic. I used it to kneel on as sitting on the bare surface left my shorts sticking to the edges, and knee pads left their mark on the mats.
One note for the general good. All of the sound deadening products I have used are very sticky and in the AZ summer will leave black marks on your shorts if you sit on the edges. Note the moving blanket in the pic. I used it to kneel on as sitting on the bare surface left my shorts sticking to the edges, and knee pads left their mark on the mats.
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- Thread starter
- #145
Last note of progress on this update is that I have in tank portion of the fuel system addressed. Since the 12V Cummins uses a block mounted, cam actuated lift pump, there is no need for an in tank fuel pump. Eventually, I will add a powered external fuel filter system as an additional safeguard, but that is a $XXX expense for a later date. You can execute the removal in several ways, but I chose to snip the power wires at the riveted ring terminals, and remove it all together. I bench tested the pump for flow and current draw, and it appears to be a 100% good spare. It'll go in my pack out for Lexi Jo.
Fuel pump removed, and put the stainless steel pick up tube in its place.
Instructions were to crimp the foot closed with pliers, but I like the use of the factory damper instead. I centered the tube and tapped it through the rubber damper allowing the tube to cut its own path. I may have to revisit this to ensure my clearance between tube and fuel sump is good, but that is easy to do.
Fuel pump removed, and put the stainless steel pick up tube in its place.
Instructions were to crimp the foot closed with pliers, but I like the use of the factory damper instead. I centered the tube and tapped it through the rubber damper allowing the tube to cut its own path. I may have to revisit this to ensure my clearance between tube and fuel sump is good, but that is easy to do.
Saddletramp
GOLD Star
Looking good Jason, do you think LexiJo will be ready for a November run to Rug Road?
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- #147
Steve, I really hope so. If I get the engine this week, I have time off next week that would allow me to get it reinstalled. From there, I have a couple weekends of buttoning up work like making all the connections and reworking the exhaust a bit. With luck, I will be leading my annual run. Fingers crossed.
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- Thread starter
- #148
Quick update. I had a chat with the supplier and the remaining parts needed to complete the swap will be run in January, which means I should have them in February assuming no issues emerge. So, for now, this is still on hold while I complete the fine tuning on Lexi Jo and make some progress on Betty White. See my signature for the other builds.
PS - Just had a call with my guy, and sounds pretty good that all the remaining parts will run in the next few weeks and be shipping out to me thereafter. I have sent my FZJ80 engine harness to them to be reworked into a plug-n-play config for the 6BT. Additionally, I got pics of the exhaust system and committed to one of those. Will be made of 304 SS and follows the same routing as stock.
PS - Just had a call with my guy, and sounds pretty good that all the remaining parts will run in the next few weeks and be shipping out to me thereafter. I have sent my FZJ80 engine harness to them to be reworked into a plug-n-play config for the 6BT. Additionally, I got pics of the exhaust system and committed to one of those. Will be made of 304 SS and follows the same routing as stock.
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- Thread starter
- #149
Parts are due this month, and Betty White should be back on tires next weekend, so cross your fingers I can go without sleep and make progress on all these WIPs.
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- #150
Finally!!! I got some parts to move forward on this again. Been a long wait for parts, but Dustin does great work. Looking forward to getting these installed and hoping to have Clappy on the road in January. Gotta have stated goals, or you will just be quietly wishing to yourself. Shown here is a bolt in 304 Stainless exhaust, sans muffler which is coming, and the T-Case shifter mount.
- Thread starter
- #151
So close... I am down to 4 items left outstanding on the parts list and am coming to an end with my patience waiting on them. I am not much on airing grievances publicly without real justifications, and I won't be changing that. You just have to accept that a bespoke project such as this one must come with a commensurate supply of patience and understanding. If I did have the stated parts in hand, I could be driving it in just a few weekends... Stay tuned. I am still focused on the prize.
Update: As warmer weather begins to roll in, heralding the impending arrival of baking summer heat, I have to concede that I may well loose another summer on this project. I have used two main suppliers on this project for the swap specific parts. Adventure Vehicles NW, and Dustin Almaras/Amalgamated Machine. I started with AVNW, but eventually gave up on them after repeated requests for dates on when the full compliment of parts would be released. I placed orders for all the parts they had and got started anyway. After seeing a youtuber complete a build and start driving theirs, I reached out and asked where they sourced their parts. They referred me to Dustin Almaras, and to save the long story, it has been two years and many calls, texts, and emails to try to get all the parts we both committed to into my hands. I am, at this point, down to the front accessory drive and the rework to be completed on my stock 80 Series harness that was sent January of 2024. I have gone ahead and procured a replacement harness off eBay in case I have to do the rework myself. That does not solve my need for the front accessory drive. I have the one from AVNW, but was told that it was not compatible with the parts I have from Amalgamated Machine. I guess I will figure that out at some point if need be. In order to kinda put it out of sight, out of mind for the moment, I trailered Clappy back up to my buddy's acreage north of me. I will continue to try to reach Dustin and focus instead on Betty, the 80 I am building for my buddy. I will close by saying that I do recognize life throws curves at us all and that I genuinely hope Dustin is OK and nothing bad has happened, but three months of zero replies has me bummed and frustrated to say the least.
Update: As warmer weather begins to roll in, heralding the impending arrival of baking summer heat, I have to concede that I may well loose another summer on this project. I have used two main suppliers on this project for the swap specific parts. Adventure Vehicles NW, and Dustin Almaras/Amalgamated Machine. I started with AVNW, but eventually gave up on them after repeated requests for dates on when the full compliment of parts would be released. I placed orders for all the parts they had and got started anyway. After seeing a youtuber complete a build and start driving theirs, I reached out and asked where they sourced their parts. They referred me to Dustin Almaras, and to save the long story, it has been two years and many calls, texts, and emails to try to get all the parts we both committed to into my hands. I am, at this point, down to the front accessory drive and the rework to be completed on my stock 80 Series harness that was sent January of 2024. I have gone ahead and procured a replacement harness off eBay in case I have to do the rework myself. That does not solve my need for the front accessory drive. I have the one from AVNW, but was told that it was not compatible with the parts I have from Amalgamated Machine. I guess I will figure that out at some point if need be. In order to kinda put it out of sight, out of mind for the moment, I trailered Clappy back up to my buddy's acreage north of me. I will continue to try to reach Dustin and focus instead on Betty, the 80 I am building for my buddy. I will close by saying that I do recognize life throws curves at us all and that I genuinely hope Dustin is OK and nothing bad has happened, but three months of zero replies has me bummed and frustrated to say the least.
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