This Old "Beep Beep" Truck

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While that was going on, I had to do something with the computer. Thanks to the voluminous glove box, seriously! it's like the Tardis in there, how can so much stuff be behind such a small door, that's pretty easy.


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Except when it's not.

Mouse house, many years, rotten.

Sweet yo.


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Cut that out


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Might as well make more room for the computer while I'm here.


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The old and the new


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fourlow&go said:
Wednesday it was time to dig the 45 out of the corner and start setting the motor in it. It's so nice to work with all brand new parts!


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It took a day to assemble and find the right spot in the frame for this jewel. There's a bit of head scratching to make sure it clears the fire wall, front drive shaft and steering shaft. We unfortunately had to tilt the motor a little to make sure we had enough room for the front drive shaft, but it's only a half inch lower on the passenger side, the aluminum oil pans on the LS are much larger than the old small blocks. We can live with this.
On a 40 the tcase is very close to the frame, but on the much wider 55 frame this is non issue and the rear drive shaft is in perfect alignment.


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Next was the trans mount. We looked at what AA had supplied for a cross member, and didn't really like it. 1" ×2" 1/8 wall with no inserts in the mounting holes, too easy to crush it by over tightening the mount bolts. It just looked too flimsy for 300+hp, plus it was too short to span the 55 frame.
Also, with the supplied center trans mount the cross member would be about 4 inches below the trans. This isn't a wheeling truck and clearance isn't an issue, but we didn't like it hanging that low.
So Wally fabbed up a new cross member that is much tighter and stronger. Complete with cut outs for the tcase front output bolts, capped ends and inserts for the mounting bolts.


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AA unit on the bottom, new and improved on top.


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We'll use the factory rubber pucks on the frame mounts, just like, well, factory.


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Click to expand...
I've told you a number of times you DO NOT need the front drive shaft on that truck......Ha
 
Waiting for parts, so I tackled the taigate for the last two days. Tailgates are really hard to come by for this truck, and since we raised the bed rail 2" a stock one wouldn't fit anyway. So I dug around and came up with a pair of swing outs from a 40. They were already welded together for a drop down. I cut them apart and found the rust was bad, so I took a different route.


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Take the two dished pieces and make a drop down



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Unfortunately I forgot how to use a tape measure! First one was practice


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Back in action! Pics are posting now, don't know why, moving forward.

After screwing up the first piece, I opted to cut out the panels first then trace them onto the gate. I wanted to use the surrounds to keep a stock look, so I drilled out the spot welds



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Aaannd can't host pics again...


:bang:


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Then cut out the panels and ground them down to as square and uniform as I could



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And traced them out, cut those out of the gate and dropped them in


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The surrounds were to far gone to bother repairing, so I made my own


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Having the steel table help here. One to keep the panels flush with the gate and two to clamp down to keep it from warping too much


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Then it was fill in the center and the four corners. Of course it's all out of 1/8"



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After some grinding and installing the piece below the gate, I think it came out pretty good


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Next will be hinges and latches. I'm hoping to use some factory ones to complete the look. Of course they'll need some modification.
But first, we need to finish a tub


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Mas luego.


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Not much happening on the 45 as we finally had a few days of no rain, so it's been sandblasting and painting. Lots of it!
Xtreeman's tub was seam sealed and the underside painted


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A new OME suspension was installed, and the tub remated to the frame


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It wasn't an entirely unpainful event, but it's done and the patient will survive


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I've been in wiring hell with a 5.3 swap in a 60. A Silverado harness had been butchered in by a PO, thankfully the truck didn't catch fire, but a new Howell wiring harness has cured that. The pile of unnecessary wiring


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Also had a local farmer drop off his 40 for a frame swap. Don't let your grandson go boondocking with his friends mkay? The maple tree will always win!


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Hard to believe it's been more than a year since the last post!
While I was off riding around the Amazon, Wally got the motor fired, did some plumbing, added disc brakes and painted the frame. He also mounted the factory 60/40 seats, fuel tank and belts. The body guy also made an appearance and got the bed in paint, a nice Toyota grey


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Next up is to disassemble the cab and start the body work on that. "One piece at a time"

More later,

Jr.
 
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