41DegreesSouth Build Thread

[Billhilly]

Moving slowly along. As of yesterday got the left side pretty much stitched up. Had to stretch the rocker, and quite a bit of massaging all round. Pretty much standard stuff huh? Anyway looks ok ish. Need to get stuck in to the other side and get 'er done. Continue to pick away at sorting out a wiring loom. Been talking to AAW about modifying one of there Classic Update looms
to work with RHD. Making some progress now I think.
Anyway, pics. Getting closer to rust free (er)!

[1985-GMC]

Lookin good! Keep em coming.

[swamp rat]

Yea lookin good, cant wait untill i can be in a position to do that.. Hopefully this summer.

[Billhilly]

Thanks guys. This site is great all round. Great information and very cool to be able to share with a like minded group. Great motavation to not be the slacker I am at heart!

[67chevy1series]

i like how you have one of the only pass. side driving trucks, its awsome!

[Billhilly]

Already another month later, but I have made some progress. Yes I should post more regular like, sorry.
Interesting what I am learning as I go. Anyway the right side wasn't as bad as the left. Only minor work on the A and B pillars. Sand blasted them and patched the bottoms. At least I could look across at the side I had already finished.
Then found the door didn't line up very well with the B pillar. Well the bottom half anyway. Picked the spot welds off and managed to get it looking alot better.

[Billhilly]

Once I had the inner rocker in I tipped it on it's nose and did the rear cab support. Finished up the left side underneath as well and cleaned up some underseal and muck from the underside. First photo shows all bits on except right outer rocker. Really been spoilt with the cab dolly and being able to sit it up on the hoist and get it at just the right working height.

[Billhilly]

Even though the A and B pillars were near origonal, when I put the outer rocker on it sat pretty nice at the back end but was nearly a quarter inch in at the front (compared to the door skin). It also had quite a large bow outwards over the length of the door. Don't know what the professionals do, but I put some quarter inch bar on the bottom of the inner rocker, sliced and diced the outer rocker, and stuck the outer rocker on. As of last night it is basically done. You can see it still has a bulge at the back, but the overall line is good, as is the gap between door/rocker.

[Billhilly]

Work is suffering, the kids are hungry, but I've got a nearly rust free cab! Another big chunk of the rebuild behind me, I need to keep the momentum going into the winter. Get the cab onto the chassis and keep at it. Time will tell!

[RCbowtie69]

looking good & nice work & keep on truckin''

[RCbowtie69]

Looking good,keep on truckin''

[dammitmitchell]

nice to see the weather is being good to you!

looking great man.. freaking great.

[1985-GMC]

Lookin good!

[Billhilly]

Sun was shining again and I really need to take work a bit more seriously this week! So I rolled her out of the main shop for some vitamin D!

[1985-GMC]

Very nice! Is that a new bumper on the front?

[Billhilly]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Very nice! Is that a new bumper on the front?

Thanks for the positive comments!

Yes, new bumper for the front. And a matching chrome one for the back too. Original front was bent/damaged. Rear was a massive step bumper that just had to go. Musta weighed 200lbs!

[Billhilly]

But not before I got a few more jobs done. Sorted out the transmission linkage cable brackets. Creating a bit of a nightmare on the right inner guard inner edge but couldn't really see any cleaner way of doing things.
Mounted the fuel pump up and started to look at running cables for heater control taps, lpg carb etc. Basically trying to do all the openings on the firewall. Accelerator pedal mods and new cable are next. Ordered an AAW Classic Update loom (with a 'few' mods) so I can get that preinstalled as well. So many details.

I was going to put head rests in the original bench seat but wonder if that would just look too weird because it is a low back. Even at 5'10" my head (rest position) is well above half way up the rear window. I wanted them for crash protection, but now wonder if I can just leave it be. Worse case senerio is I end up smacking my head on the rear window right!?!

A little closer to that rumbling sound.

[Billhilly]

Nice Dually!

[1985-GMC]

Yeah it is, too bad its not mine!

I plan on painting my K30 the same as my gmc whenever I get around to it.

[Billhilly]

Doh. Saw your signiture and thought it was one of yours.

[Billhilly]

Another month ticks by.
My wiring loom turned up a couple of days ago and I got the bulkhead plug installed yesterday. So from right to left I have sorted accelerator pedal and cable, transmission linkage cable, e brake cable, coil pass thru, propane regulator mounting, and now the wiring bulkhead plug. I now have a two legged accelerator pedal. I'll run the hand throttle on the origonal (right) leg, and as you can see the new leg is for the cable. Just a couple of other minor cables, wires to do and the bulkhead work will be done.
Inner guards are next then I am going to install four lap and shoulder belts and we have plenty of rules down here to follow about mounting plates etc.

[RCbowtie69]

Looking good,keep on truckin

[Billhilly]

Thanks RC.
Got a little more done today. Made up the power steer hoses and worked on finishing up the pulleys.
Got stuck on the power steer pulley though. It's a later model pump and the pulley is a press (pull on) fit. I got it started but boy it's tight! Ran out of steam and I've still got a half inch to go. Any thoughts on what you are meant to do to get this pulley on? It appears to be about five thou smaller than the shaft. Does this sound right for a press fit?
Anyway a little more done.

[swamp rat]

I think .005 is too tight for a press fit, assuming a .500 shaft i would say .0015, .002 max would be sufficent.
Is the shaft and pully keyed? if so i'd lean toward the lower end of interferance.

http://www.aps.anl.gov/APS_Engineeri.../table4_5.html

[Billhilly]

Great. Now I've got it jammed on tight! Stupid me. Never thought to check the measurments before I put it on. Cleaned both surfaces with fine sandpaper and started winding it on. Probably damage it trying to pull it off. Hmmmmmm.
Bought the new pump from PSC and it turns out to be a '73 and up deal. So no keyway and bolt to hold it on, just a press fit deal. Then had to get a new pulley as well. You know the routine!