Project "Sweet 16"

[skymangs]

Yeah 99, I think they are gonna work out ok. My wipers have the 2002 wiper switch which is 2 speed. the high speed is pretty constant though, should be enough. the slow speed is like intermittent on a normal car. I used an ACE magnet, cost like 4 bucks for three of them. The push magnet is a cool idea though!

The suspension work is all finished now, drilling those springs SUCKED! Wound up going to a 2" drop in the rear, just didn't like the ground clearance of the U bolts and shock mounts. Just a little too low for daily driving.

[JTRACEY]

Originally Posted by skymangs

JTRACY, here is the exact height of my body mount brackets (from a previous post). If you look back you can also find the exact measurement from the back of the cab to the center of the second stock S10 bed mount from the front (we had to remove the front bed/cab mounts for cab clearance) using a short cab/long box S10 frame.

Hope that helps.

I noticed that after I had asked the question... Thanks!

I did a lot of test fitting last night, and I think I am going to have to make my brackets 4" plus the 3/4" for the s10 mounts

[skymangs]

[QUOTE=JI did a lot of test fitting last night, and I think I am going to have to make my brackets 4" plus the 3/4" for the s10 mounts[/QUOTE]

Yeah, there are so many variables that I think each build is a little bit different. Good luck, lemme know if you have any other questions.

[skymangs]

Here's our "formally blue" tailgate, after considerable hours of doctoring. It doesn't look blue anymore! Amazing what some patience, a few cans of spray paint, and 220/500 grit sandpaper can do!

[skymangs]

And here's the finished fold out speaker grill. We spent the day cussing at the windshield. I am having a lot of difficulty getting the top center to seat. It's almost all the way in, but I have about a 1/2" gap between the rubber and the center bar. I've tried everything I can think of. Any suggestions, or tricks of the trade?

thanks,

P.S. I must be forgetfull, I have already posted these pics.

[JTRACEY]

Tailgate looks awesome! And those new tail lights look way better too!

[skymangs]

Thanks JT. Truck is coming along, haven't taken any pics the last few days. doors are on it, exhaust is complete, Heater is installed and seems to work well. AC evaporator arrived, waiting on condensor/dryer/and fittings.

I've been struggling to get the hood aligned. I have an almost finger width gap at the rear, tapering to touching the fenders in the front. Fenders are all the way up, hood hinges are as low as they can be set. I believe that my core support was mounted a little too low (maybe 3/8" or so). By the weekend we'll have that back apart to figure out where the mis-alignment is happening. Hopefully sometime next week get it to the alignment shop.

Total to date is $4100 and some change. We're pretty much done buying stuff at this point, save for the alignment. We ran into a few suprises right at the end (interior door handle levers were screwed, cracked the pass side windshield installing, etc.) that have cost us a little extra. Hopefully we're about done spending at this point!

[Atommik]

Skyman,

Yeah it sounds like your rad support is too low. There is really not much adjustment in the fenders themselves, since everything bolts to the rad support. Mine was so low I had to remake my support brace that I had already welded to the frame! Also, make sure you have installed the large braces that go from the front of the inner fender at the radiator support to the outer edge in the front of the fender. Those change the angle of how the fender sat along the hood at the front. I've got a little more adjusting to do on mine because I never put these in until the cab and fenders were painted.

Everything looks good!! On the road soon!?

[99 to Life]

I made my own rad support. I'm not running any braces on my inner fenders to firewall, some do some don't. Guess I lucked out cause its a good fit. Fun part is shutting the hood. I'v finally learned to just hold the latch open with your hand then shut hood, then release, as opposed to slamming it. You'll get there. Budget is good. Something cool and under 5k that you built is way worth doing over buying something IMO.

[JTRACEY]

How about that snow SkyMang!? We got hammered here in belton...

[skymangs]

Originally Posted by JTRACEY

How about that snow SkyMang!? We got hammered here in belton...

Yup, we got a bit here as well. Glad I have heat in the garage!

[skymangs]

Finally some updates...

First, AC. We went with a new underdash unit off of ebay for $125. The seller had a 99.4% feedback rating, so I took a chance. The first pic is what it arrived as, very basic, no vents, just 4 tubes to put your own vents where you want them. I ordered Vintage Air round vents from Summit, and modified the face to accept them.

Third pic is the unit installed, last two are the custom panel I made to hold the switches for the AC unit. That little bugger was some work!

[skymangs]

I also finished up the exhaust today. The pics didn't turn out very well, (too much snow out there to open the garage door for pics). Tips exit just under the rear bed rail, and are not visible unless you lean down to look for them. Need to tighten some stuff up and tweak it a little still. Sounds much more mellow now with full pipes!

[skymangs]

We also have functional heat and horns now. We re-used the factory heater. The 75 Chevy blower motor didn't work out, it turned the wrong way. After some discussion on this board, I went and pulled a 2002 Blazer 2 wire motor and reversed the wires. What I didn't take into consideration was that this blower was mounted to a fiberglass cowl (hence the need for a ground wire). When I mounted it to my steel shrouding and turned it on, it immediately blew a fuse. I solved this by isolating the blower motor. I used rubber toolbox drawer liner to make a gasket for the blower, and some nylon 8/32 bolts/nuts to hold it in place. Once it was isolated, it worked great! We are cable operated on everything, the heater valve is an Oreilly's universal.

The horns are from a 65 Olds 98, and sound SWEET!

The fuel filler is a bastard. It's about 7" of the S10 filler neck (the part with the overflow line) and 3" of 1952 chevy cab mounted fuel filler (the cap portion). I am waiting on my new grommet to arrive from classicparts so I can enlarge the hole, and get the correct angle/depth on the filler neck.

[skymangs]

I leave you with one final pic. Doors are installed! Nearly there!

This snow is killing me! I should have had my classicparts order and the rest of my Air conditioning parts arriving today, with everybody closed, there was no UPS truck! 2 extra days off and no new parts to install! ARGHHHHHH!

[nuke1]

You have one awesome truck!!! Great job on the truck
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[skymangs]

Thanks James. It's been a learning experience!

[Baldeagle SR]

Skyman you have a nice build going. A lot of good info. It is commimg along nice. Did you mention what your gas tank came out of ? Thanks Rich

[skymangs]

Thanks Rich, Gas tank is the stock S10 tank, mounted in the stock brackets. It fit perfectly under the bed, and perfectly under the cab on the front edge.

[Baldeagle SR]

Thanks I am working on a 56 GMC and that should fit mine too. I had a friend that got burned real bad when his 54 pu layed over on it's side and cought fire. He was in the hospital for almost two years. Rich

[skymangs]

Wow, that's horrible! I'm sorry.

If you are intending to keep the S10 tank, be sure you fit your cab with the tank in place in the frame (mine has about 3/4" above it to the back of the cab wall) This will dictate how low you can mount your cab on the frame.

[skymangs]

Updates... STILL WAITING ON AC Condensor/dryer/fittings to arrive! I really don't want to put the grill back on the truck till I get that buttoned up, but we have a BBQ to go to 3hrs away in mid March, and I gotta get some miles on this thing prior.

Finished up with the sound deadener today. We are going mostly for Firewall and floor heat reduction here. Depending on rattles, etc. we may look at putting some in the doors, but I don't know how I can get in there to press the stuff firmly? any suggestions?

We also installed the door weatherstip and finished the steering wheel today, well almost (we still need to age it some). Horn button is already aged. I think it will look right at home in the truck!

Seat and belts get put in tomorrow, along with the steering wheel.

[skymangs]

Budget update... we're over our 3-4k now. Total to date is $4200. Still need alignment and some carpeting. Oh well, we did splurge on a few items. Still cool for less than 5k!

[skymangs]

Condensor and AC stuff arrived today! We'll be working on that tonight. Steering wheel is finished and installed. The pic doesn't show the "aging" too well, but it has been sanded through very lightly at the "high wear" areas, and we both agree that it looks "Beast" (as my 14 year old put it)

[99 to Life]

budget tahhhh nothing wrong with that. looking really good. as for doors, I put some foam pads in them, not sure if it made a difference or not.