'78 3/4 ton 4x4 FRANKENTRUCK

[asphaltburner]

Yo! The tires are actually Peerless commercial 245/75/16s. I like 'em!
Here's the way I had them finish off the exhaust:



Todd.

[74 C-30]

Very sharp looking truck! I'm sure it will serve you well!

[LEEVON]

I love this build. Strong, reliable, classic...

I can't believe somebody put that gem out to pasture Congrats!

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Well,...what they put out in that pasture was a beat '78 Chev 3/4 ton 4x4 equipped with a 350 V8, NP203 (full time 4x4 t/case), and GM corporate axles. Nothing great. The only nice piece of machinery in the truck was the TH400 tranny. I combined the newer truck and tranny with the older 4x4 axles and a machined, twin stick NP205 t/case. The V8 build has been proven in my Camaro, so I just built another one!
This truck just needed the proper combination of components to be something other than a mediocre 4x4.
Thanks for your appreciation, all! Todd.

[flamingbig10]

nice project, great job

[84 400]

yeah and it defiantly has the right components now. that Twin stick is awesome

[asphaltburner]

Once again, I thank you all!
I've been four wheeling since I was 14, and it was easy to make the proper choices for this truck.
I DO wish I'd known that the NP205 and NP203 are NOT directly interchangable! Also wish I'd known about the various adapters that GM used for their trannys and t/cases! But what the hell,...if it was easy, my truck wouldn't be very special,...would it?! Todd.

[asphaltburner]

Yo! 84 400! The Case 210 sounds pretty cool too, but do you have any pics of your '61 Wheel Horse 552? Todd.

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Still finishing small stuff, checking torques, checking for leaks. Installing last items. Plan to start Thursday. Todd.

[Walts_restoration]

yeah man! i just got a stereo installed in my 77, still looking for a good 3/4 4by4 frame.

[84 400]

Naww no pics of ether. sorry.

[asphaltburner]

STILL not started! Having trouble getting oil circulated to the rocker tips by driving the oil pump with a drill. Just got power to the instrument cluster this evening, and troubleshooting the hazard/brake light circuit,...it WAS working! This weekend could be an opportunity for initial startup. Todd.

[2bits]

There is a 76-78 4x4 Grey Longbed with some good looking patima sitting across the street from me just a few houses down that I always admire. Nice truck!

[asphaltburner]

Troubleshot and repaired all faults. Circulating oil to the rocker tips is the only step necessary before initial startup. Todd.

[asphaltburner]

No Lightning predicted for tomorrow evening, so I hope that 75 month NAPA battery can produce the bolts of electricity that FRANKENTRUCK will need to come alive!
Ten cc of oil in each cylinder, plugs gapped and installed, oil pump drill-driven several times, checked and re-checked. Now to re-install the distributor, attach the spark plug wires,...and fire that mother up! Tomorrow eve, after work.
The flatbed donor (and all the leftovers of building one from two) will go to the junkyard on Thursday AM. $42/ton is going price now.
Wish me luck tomorrow! Todd.

[84 400]

wow 40 a ton that when down a whole hell of a lot. When I sent my first batch of scrap off my old 62 willys 4x4 pick up (tree fell on it and i bought it for the motor) I only made 6.50 off the scrap and that was the entire cab and bed. Then a few months later I made $60.00 off the bare frame at the scrap yard. Stinks when the price dips like that. Can't wait to see that truck running man good luck!

[68GMC454]

truck has turned out good.. i was making 200.00 plus for a close to complete truck, if loaded down with other junk up to 500.00 plus.. now a comeplete truck is less than 60 a ton... if i get more of them i will just hold on to it until the price goes back up.. but the truck looks good..

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Y'all!
I'm just amased at how many of you out there have been silently following my build on this truck! I guess I never figured this would command so much attention, despite the fact that I researched the combination of the individual parts very carefully.
Thanks, 68GMC454, and all of you that have been watching what I'm doing with this truck!! Thank you for having an appreciation for my planning and work to make it a reality.
Got home too late to finish everything, and get the truck started tonight,...I'm just NOT going to rush anything.
All is ready now, although I'll still rotate the distributor one tooth tomorrow to accomidate advance.
The donor goes to the junkyard tomorrow, in any case. And I hope to start FRANKENTRUCK and complete cam breakin also. The new electric fuel system supplies a gush of fuel to the 600 Holley, lights and brakes are working, and guages seem functional. Only failures are fuel gauge and windshield squirters,...they'll be troubleshot later. I've turned the oil pump with a drill for a full minute twice in the past 24 hours to pre-lube as much as I can. Checked and re-checked, and checked again. So why am I so nervous about turning that key to the position that it hasn't been in yet?!!
It's been long enough since I fired up the Camaro first time that I only vaguely remember my nervousness,...seems amplified this time. Maybe 'cause this is the most custom-built and fabricated vehicle that I've attempted. 10/30/08 is going to be the day,...I'll post tomorrow, hopefully with good news. Thanks again! And here goes everything,...Todd.

[asphaltburner]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!

FRANKENTRUCK is a reality!!
(what a relief!!) Todd.

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Completed cam break in on Thursday! Then repeated fluid checks, tightened bolts, and went for a short drive (slow, and varying the rpm) about four miles total. I've had success shifting between rear high and low,...haven't tryed front high and low and 4x4 yet. FRANKENTRUCK now resides in my new, single stall garage. Lots to do, but the truck is under it's own power for the first time in four or five years. Pics this weekend.
Managed to bring FRANKENTRUCK to life, just in time for Halloween!
Todd.

[ChaseDale3and8]

Cool! I've been watching your build for quite a while now and can't wait to see the updated pics! Looking forward to it! ...Joe

[84 400]

Good work. Good to hear it went smoothly with no major issues. Just in time for halloween to hahhahahaha

[grinch4om]

Originally Posted by asphaltburner

Yo! Fabricating brackets and wiring HAS to be some of the most boring activities in mechanics! Power steering and accelerator now have brackets, and the electric fuel pump wiring is complete. Today I'll finish fuel switching valve wiring, and be sure this truck rolls and stops so that it can be flatbedded tonight and transported to Ken's Mufflers in Ft Collins for exhaust fabrication tomorrow.
Once I get the dash toggles wired, in goes the seat bottom, nearly completing the interior (except for the seat back). Down to the very small chores. I'll start and do cam breakin when the truck is back from Ken's.
Still finding the donor truck to be useful,...stole a length of yellow wire from it yesterday! It'll stay here until I'm satisfied that there's nothing more that I need, then off to the junkyard for $100/ton!
Once cam breakin is done we intend on a Halloween bonfire party to fire FRANKENTRUCK up at! Most folks don't build their own and everybody I know asks about it all the time. Should be fun. Todd.

wow, this build has been fun to read! I am one of those weirdos that loves fabrication and electrical work. That is challenging because I can always improve factory wiring. being a master mechanic i guess it's the challenge because everything else is , well, easy. I noticed your fuel lines, it would be wise to make all that steel and use rubber for connections only. on a moving mechanical device to a non moving one (fuel line to engine) rubber is required also. not picking but I have seen lots of accidents from this use of rubber fuel lines (NHRA mandates 6" of rubber in entire fuel system) Being a firefighter I have seen many a car fire from this practice....food for thought

[78 Chevyrado]

Originally Posted by asphaltburner

Managed to bring FRANKENTRUCK to life, just in time for Halloween!
Todd.

Awesome dude!

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Thanks, all!
And grinch4om, I used as much steel as I could for now, and in all the important spots. Steel from the valve to the pump, and nearly to the carb. Rubber from the tanks to the valve due to the short, torturous runs, but all up high, under the bed and protected between the bed frame rails and by the frame. I'm a NAVY trained firefighter, so I was especially careful to protect the lines, especially since I have extra, return lines for each tank. I also planned routing to stay away from the exhaust before the exhaust was actually installed.
The three port fuel senders require rubber, as does the valve, for connections, and the rubber runs between them are short. I thought about it at length, but could find no further runs that I could replace with steel. One run IS for vents, and does not carry fuel,...so the pic is deceptive. Pump and valve are steel shielded. Excellent advice though!!
I'll certainly keep studying my installation, and refining it as I finish things.
Had to tackle ALL the chores today that went by the wayside while FRANKENTRUCK was being built (in time for snow, and Halloween!), so I'll have to get pics tomorrow. Thanks to all of you that have been following my build!! Todd.