Lurker OrrieG Progress Pics

[Red Foreman]

Good idea, it worked out neat.

[OrrieG]

Back at it, finished up the one piece glass mods on the driver side. Tried to get it to work without notching behinc the latch, but the glass kept getting hung up "turning" the corner at the front. Need to fill a couple of holes, clean up the welds and move on to the passenger side.

[Denee007]

Looking good! It's really not that bad of a job, a little frustrating for sure
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[mknittle]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Finished up the column cover/ aux. gauge pod. Installed the steering wheel and seat so I could set the arm rest. Installed the arm rest.

Question: I have to touch up the steering column between the wheel and the "leather" cover. Originally it was all the grey including the eldo wheel. Now I am thinking the rest of the column to the cover should be metallic black to match the wheel? I am going to paint part of the door panel in the same black to pick up the theme.

That reminds me of a machine shop I worked at. We built scientific testing machines. The guy that owned the shop would redesign parts as machines were being built. One day as a machine was apeoching the shipping dead line I heard this conversation.
Shop owner: When will this machine be ready to ship?

Shop foreman: Jim, it would go a hell of a lot faster if you would quit taking parts off of it. I think this applies to all of us

Any way I like the idea of the metallic black, But it shows dust and on a 4wd truck.........

[OrrieG]

mkittle, good point about the dust, etc. Last thing I want is more housecleaning....

Anyway got the passenger door one piece done. For some reason (not surprised) the gap the channel goes in on the front side is about 1/16" narrower than the driver side. Pinches the glass more but works, I hope the glass is has less resistance than the tempered board mockup I am using. Got all the holes welded up and ground down. A little plastic and the inside of the doors are ready for paint.

[1985-GMC]

Nice job on the one piece glass, that is going to be really nice!
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[OrrieG]

Finished welding in the gas door, no pics. Dispite taking my time, on the lower corner it really pulled the rest of the panel, about 3/8" depression. I had worked a lot on that area before deciding to put the door there because it had been banged up and bent over from sliding into a cut bank on a logging road hunting. The truck had the rear bed corners cut out for a lift gate and there was nothing to support the bottom of the side from the fender opening back.

I started shrinking it back and working the tension out, but have a ways to go. Tempting to just slap on some plastic and be done with it but the old timer body mans voice in my head is telling me to do it right. I'll post some pics next time.

[OrrieG]

About an hour of serious hammer and dolley work and it was pretty good. The gas door is double thickness metal space about 3/8" apart with metal in between so it did not want to move much. In the end it turned out ok with basically a skim coat of plastic. Here is a shot with the welds ground before I started bumping it and one primed. Earlier in this thread I have pics of it spot welded in. Now I can get the hose fitted and fire the engine. Whoppee.

[Denee007]

Gee Orrie, that looks great!!!!

[oldman3]

Looking good, ready to hear that baby run....Jim

[Kim57]

That came out nice.
Kim

[_Ogre]

looks good orrieg

[dubie]

thats some great metal and filler work right there.

[53farm]

When you did your '74 K10 swap, did you put the running gear on your frame or use the '74 K10 frame with parts already on it? I have a '53 3600 with no bed that I would ultimately love to make a 4x4. Just trying to get a better idea of what axles/transfer cases may be suitable candidates if I want to be hard headed and not just swap my cab to a later 4x4 chassis. Seems like you've got some experience to speak to such a thing. Read most of the thread, love it! Glad a truck you've had so long is still in business...or almost anyway. Keep up the good work, can't wait to see pics of it done!

[OrrieG]

When I did my swap in 85 there was no internet with these great sites. In 77 I saw truck in north AZ that had the later model axles mounted on the stock frame. When I got to Idaho I started looking out for TF 4WD trucks. I saw a few napco, some on Full size jeep frames, some on 70's frames and some with the axles swapped. I decided to use my frame and springs, at the time I did not have a shop, just a small Model T garage and yard. I also did not like the was most of the ones I saw had the body and radiator mounts fabbed. I used a 74 K10 truck running gear, I got it from a guy that was upgrading to 3/4 ton axles with a BB engine with manual trans and NP205 transfer (mine is a NP203 with shaft part time conversion). On the AD trucks the cab/hood/fender relationship and alignment is more critical than the TF. Take a look at the various build threads and decide which was to go based on your skill set.

[53farm]

Thanks for your help! Correct me if I'm wrong but there is a width difference between your 1/2 ton TF and my 3/4 ton AD. My rear axle is measuring right around 60" wide between the outer faces of the brake drums. A "full width" truck axle is around 67"-69" if I understand correctly. I'm guessing thats whats in yours? Definitely a difference. I have two late '90s 4WD Jeep Cherokees and the axles on those measure within the same ball park as the '53 AD. Maybe an inchish difference. I do have another Jeep front axle (Dana 30) but its got a busted tooth on the ring gear AND the differential is on the driver side...which is the opposite of course to a lot of the Chevy stuff. A big gear ratio difference as well. Also not as beefy as a full size 4WD truck axle...but there are certainly plenty of folks in the off road world running up to 35" tires on that axle with the right gearing. I have no intention of putting 35" tires on a '53 AD or taking it anywhere where I'd need that big a tire. Sand/beach, mild snow, and mild National Forest trails is about all I'd want out of the '53 4x4 wise. I read something where some folks were using the older full size Jeep Wagoneer axles in these AD's & TF's. Maybe I need to look into that. Wonder if anyone else is using any Jeep stuff in an AD. I'll check in again over on the 4x4 page. Thanks again for taking the time.

[OrrieG]

There were lots of AD and TF bodies but on 70's Wagonner frames in the 70's, they looked "right" because the axles were narrower. On my TF I run narrow tires on stock steel 16" wheels because I like the look and the tire is inside the wheel wells, less rocks chipping the paint. The AD are a little narrower (that is why they fit the S-10 frames better) so even narrow tires stick out beyond the fenders. Left hand drop would not be an issue, the front drive line is below all the clutch and brake stuff, lots of Fords have them. You are on the right track, find axles that will fit, take into consideration wheel offset and ratios. I run 3.73, seems to be the right combo of highway and off road. I always ran out of nerve before the truck would quit climbing.

[53farm]

Thanks for the encouragement. I also plan on narrow tires and the 16" steel wheels. Just not sure if I want to go bias ply for the old school look, or radials in a 235/85/16 range. Its got wagon wheels and some beat 31" mud tires right now. After some more researching, I'm pretty sure its got the 250 straight 6 cylinder motor in it out of a '70s vehicle. This may give me more options as far as trannys and t-cases. Yes, I was thinking 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio in the axles.

Still trying to confirm the tranny in it. It's 4 on the floor with the granny gear but from the carrier bearing back the driveshaft is exposed and has a U joint where the drive shaft meets the rear end just like a "modern" truck. However, the joint where the drive shaft meets the rear of the transmission is enclosed in a small bell-like housing. You can't actually see any type of exposed joint at that location. Just not sure if the tranny was swapped when that 250 motor was put in there. It's my understanding that a transfer case can't be mated to that transmission with the enclose shaft joint like that...unless it was a divorced transfer case. Just trying to get all my facts and requirements sorted out as there is a fairly big swap meet here on the right coast coming up and I want to try and pick up some or all of my needed drive train parts when I go.

If you haven't seen the thread or link and are interested, check out this NAPCO AD on Ebay. AWESOME!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1950-...ht_15244wt_883

[6BT 56]

These trucks are so cool when 4x4. I had a blast doing my 4X4 diesel swap . Your truck is looking real good Orrie . Cant wate to see it done !

[OrrieG]

Been mostly block sanding door interiors, bumpers, grille and misc parts for final paint, not pic worthy. Plan on getting up early one morning and shooting the final primer, block with fine, then shoot Saturday. Got tired of moving the inner fenders around so determined work I need to finish can be done with them in place, so in the went. Hooked up the heater lines and installed the washer bottle. It is the back window unit from a mid 90 Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler minivan. Only holds a quart or so, but has a readily available motor. Previously I showed how I rigged the old choke pull to act as the activator.

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Kim

[Russell Ashley]

Orrie, what are you going to use for the washer nozzles? I picked up a reservoir with attached pump off of an S10 and got the nozzles from a Dodge, but after looking at them I don't think the angle of the nozzle would work, and they are not adjustable.

You've done a lot of nice work on your truck, I'm looking forward to seeing it all together.

[OrrieG]

The stock wiper bezels on mine came with plugs and the brass tube fitting on the inside. I got the squirters from Classic Parts for $3 each. I think autos from the era may use the same bezel. I will run the hose from the bottom of the tank, inside the frame rail, thru the bottom of the firewall into the cab then to the nozzles inside the cab.

here is a link to the squirter, new bezels are on the same page if you go to wiper parts

http://www.classicparts.com/1955-59-...ctinfo/67-805/

[Russell Ashley]

Thanks for the link. My bezels are new and do have the tube and a plug in the threaded hole. The next time I order something I think I'll buy a set of those nozzles, as they won't add to the shipping cost. I never was totally comfortable running the water hose into the cab like you have to do with those and that's why I was looking for an alternative..

[OrrieG]

Scored some nice NIB speakers at a garage sale, so decided to finish the interior cab corner pieces. Two shots one with the wood frame, second with tee shirt and first coat of fiberglass cloth. Had the doors, bumpers, grill and some misc pieces ready to paint but forgot I used all the clear on my steering column, so thats postponed to next week.