72 k20 project

[jbclassix]

Let me know if you need any of the tools for the NV. I have most of them.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

Let me know if you need any of the tools for the NV. I have most of them.

What tools do you need for them? I rebuilt one with a basic set of wrenches, a hammer and punch, and a wood block.

[ryanroo]

there are a few specific tools that make it easier to assemble/disassemble. i did mine with a carrier bearing tool. you can manage fine without the special tools, but they are nice to have.

jeremy, thanks for the offer. i will get that measurement for you. i havent forgot, i am just slow.

[ryanroo]

a good day at the mailbox.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice! Your bed sides look better than mine.

[jbclassix]

I'm picturing a 20 foot sea container with a red flag on the side and mounted atop a pole for your mailbox... no?

[shopteacher]

Twin Turbo Rebuild time!

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice! Your bed sides look better than mine.

i am certainly glad they were not mashed. it was in the back of my mind the whole time. these look great.

Originally Posted by jbclassix

I'm picturing a 20 foot sea container with a red flag on the side and mounted atop a pole for your mailbox... no?

HA. i have one of those cheezy lets hold hands and get the mail as a neighborhood mail boxes. luckily i can get stuff shipped to work. forklifts are mans best friend!

Originally Posted by shopteacher

Twin Turbo Rebuild time!

yes sir. i am trying to keep a sort of timeline with getting stuff done. i need the bed and the trans to be in before i can do the exhaust. the rebuilds will be fill in when i am waiting for stuff. i did order my bed wood and strips/hardware yesterday so i can keep that going. mostly couldnt handle those bed sides taking up floor space for very long. haha


the color shop called and told me to come get the silver bits. its media blasted and clear coated raw.



had to mock it up on the housing...

[Dieselwrencher]

That looks nice.

[ryanroo]

thanks!

put the top back together.



the rail detents were really gooey and one wouldnt come out at all. i made a little modification to allow a punch through.

i threaded it and stuck a 10-32 set screw in it with a generous dose of blue loctite. i cant imagine that the truck shifted well before. i cleaned the snot out of the bores and detent body and slimed them with some assembly grease. very smooth now.

[ryanroo]

i ordered the bed wood kit last week and should see it on monday. i was thinking about the cross sills and dug the old ones out of the old parts stash. i ordered a new rear cross sill with the wood. i remembered it was gone from tear down.

the rest of them were not well off either. the one on the table is the best of the lot, so i used it as a measurement reference.



i used an offset punch to break these so i could make the channel without back breaking



105 holes later and my forearms look like popeye



these are the shorter support channels. the taller ones all have a couple pieces i still need to spot weld on so they didnt get painted.

[Dieselwrencher]

Great work!

[Vintage Windmills]

Looking great Ryan! I'm curious what the portable parts cleaner was? Was it something automatic or just the old basin with circulator pump?

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

Looking great Ryan! I'm curious what the portable parts cleaner was? Was it something automatic or just the old basin with circulator pump?

Thanks guys.

the portable part was that cardboard box. haha. i loaded all the loose pieces into the yellow beast and hauled them to town and stuck them in the wash cabinet at the generosity of a buddy who has one in his diesel shop. its a hot wash cabinet that you load parts on a turntable type of thing. Its nice.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

Thanks guys.

the portable part was that cardboard box. haha. i loaded all the loose pieces into the yellow beast and hauled them to town and stuck them in the wash cabinet at the generosity of a buddy who has one in his diesel shop. its a hot wash cabinet that you load parts on a turntable type of thing. Its nice.

After fighting with the stupid basin type for years I'm tempted to look for a wash cabinet. Almost every project would be mitigated with one, I don't think a guy would regret buying one.

[ryanroo]

if i had space and the cash for one when it popped up, i wouldn't look back. they arent cheap new, but man are they nice.

more stuff!





i picked up some supplies for what i hope is the look i'm after. for a sealer, i looked around, asked those better informed than i and came to this conclusion. Its West Systems 105 epoxy. the hardener is the special clear 207 for a clear coat effect. supposedly the billyBA stuff. time will tell i suppose.

[Keeferishere]

Sweeeeet project. Looking frigin awesome.

[brimc]

Nice !

[ryanroo]

Thanks fellas

i finished these things. not a perfect re-creation, but very few will ever see the differences on these sills vs. an OEM. always fun to make your own and i am not stickler for OEM.... haha



needed a 1" spacer to match the body lift. i like this better than a lift puck



the boards clear the hitch due to that 1" body lift. i will still have some funk to get the hitch accessible with the wood, but i dont think it will be difficult.



one day i will get to start mocking up the bed.




some more supplies showed today so i can finish the wiring up a little better before the bed goes together to much farther. it will come off again for paint, but who knows on that timeline...

[Dieselwrencher]

Those cross sills look awesome! I like the body lift pieces too. Way better than a puck and longer funky bolts.

[ryanroo]

thanks man!

i had a little spare time today. spare time seems to be the bane of this build... haha



i wanted a little tool box. i dont like the ones that are so big you can loose everything in the inevitable clutter. i want to have trailering necessities and some must have tools in the truck at all times. having some extra fuel is a good thing too. i didnt want to advertise that there was a box full of liquid gold in the truck, so a hidden combo was the idea. i dont like most of what is offered for sale, and thats no fun anywhoo.

mine is baffled. tanks with no baffles speak of hackery.



nice little cubby for tools and whatnot, should look like a toolbox from the outside. i didnt get it welded out today, still have struts and latches as well as fittings to do and the lid is ready to cut and form, just not done yet. i had this cooking in my head for a while, but figured to get it done now so i can drill the mounting holes in the bed before the finish goes on the wood.



i did this out of 304ss. i learned on the fuel tank that the cost of coating a steel tank makes the cost of materials difference get really small. this should hold 60 gallons. combined with the fuel tank i will be able to start a trip with 100 gallons on board.

[brimc]

Awesome fab skills. The tool box is great. Let me know when you start taking orders

[Dieselwrencher]

That is one superb cell/tool box combo!

[Keeferishere]

Awesome tool box indeed. I'll take an order for 1 to haha.
It'll be nice for the fuel to be hidden under the tools.

[72MARIO]

Are you going to weld studs into the cross sills and hide the bed fasteners ? Awesome build I have been creeping for a while now. Planning my own Cummins build for next winter.