Project '53 Truck

[EF Ian]

Such an awesome project. And great skill on all the work. Love it

 

[Ged]

Try this but there is a lot of BS for the cameras.

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Ill get started on that one this week lol

Anyway Ive just been building away getting everything blasted painted and reassembled, things I can do without needing parts or trips to suppliers.

Calipers and hubs rebuilt and painted and fitted

Also wet sanded the wheels and gave them a very quick cut of polish, think ill leave the final job upto the professionals as im defiantly fed up with it and not the best with a polisher.

Steering bar split painted greased and refited

Then I moved onto repiping and refitting the air tanks and started on the rear brake piping.

Still lots to do but Its starting to come together. Hopefully have the chassis finished this week and back onto the cab and then get the 2 permenently together.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[Big Pimp]

Oh my god.

this thread just gets better each post.

you are insanely skilled. On my best ever day I couldn’t even attempt a small portion of what you can do

 

[svensktoppen]

Starting to see what this beast might be in the end - awesome

 

[FM155]

Stunning level of work and fantastic looking now getting built up.

 

[Dave..]

Awesome Ged. The chassis looks amazing and a pity to cover all pipes etc with the bed and cab. Maybe you need a see thru cab floor

 

[Ged]

Cheers for the support everyone,

Oh my god.

this thread just gets better each post.

you are insanely skilled. On my best ever day I couldn’t even attempt a small portion of what you can do

Ask anyone that knows me skilled wouldnt be the word they would use, more like "needs his head tested" and "stubourn" Honestly I just get out in the shed and try things. I was looking at the anachem website last week I may be giving you a call ref some chemicals for the shed and house. I dont think i could do what you guys do thats for sure lol. There would be an explosion with green smoke and an emergency.

Ive been tinkering away with what I can in these mad times without parts

The front brake pipes where going to be tricky this I knew, ive alot of lock and alot of travel and im close to the chassis so the bend will be tight, due to Covid-19 I endedup having to order several hoses blind and just hope one worked.

This was my initial idea but the hose was just too tight and I didnt really want to have to bore a 22mm hole right through the chassis in one of the most highly stressed areas.

So I got some fittings and started playing and this is what I came up with. Lock to lock at roughly ride height. its not perfect but with some twisting I can get it to sit nice and no holes in the chassis bar 2x6mm which I can live with lol

While I was out for the hoses and fittings I stopped and got some 19mm hyd pipe to start on my air cooling pipe from the compressor, bent into a U and some fittings and a 3/4 hyd hose and I have that in place now too. This is the pipe from the engine compressor to the air dryer and protection valve that then splits it off to the relevant systems. This is the way all modern trucks are piped which is way safer than the single line braking that was on the GMC

Im a bit behind with the posts on here ill have to get caught up this week. Already neck deep in wiring.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[j44nty]

Those shock towers are just incredible. Will they be at all visible when all is done?

 

[Ged]

Those shock towers are just incredible. Will they be at all visible when all is done?

Unfortunatly I doubt it just possbily the top of them through the inner wing when you lift the bonnet.. I mean hood MURICA!

So ive been working on wiring because I have the tools and cable, first job battery cables its 24v like most big trucks so +-+- Both these are 1000CCA

But what good is that when everything else I might want to jump or start is 12V well ive added 2 anderson adapters and an isolator on the ground side.

Looks a little compilcated but it gives me a 12v plug and a 24V plug to jump and or be jumped without having to crawl under her.

Ill make a nice lasered stainless plate to make sure I remember which is which in my old age, then just use another anderson to then make a set of jump leads or whatever else id want to plug in.

Then a bundle of skin cutting spiral wrap later and im upto the starter.

Ive jumped the solinoid and it really has some zip to spinning over so weally happy with that, the 24v makes some difference when dealing with longer cable runs, then made a small wire to the 70A alternator.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[Creaney]

amazing Ged.
the crazy oily genius that you are!

 

[Ged]

amazing Ged.
the crazy oily genius that you are!

Hehe im not crazy... not yet anyways. But wiring would turn ya crazy.

Ive made a start at the loom for the truck now. First job was to aquire a wiring diagram for the Cummins and start and work out what was wired up on the doner truck and what colours wire does what. OEM plug is laid out with low and high current all on the one which is handy.

Not as bad as it looks everything absolutly needed I highlighted in pink then wire colour in a green box.

Luckily enough ive enough wire to reach the cab firewall where ill put some sort of a bulkhead plug in.

Ill be making a temporary loom up to test run the engine in the chassis before I go blocking access to it with the body.

I also started and got my winch into the bumper. I opted for a budget winch as even on the defender I never really felt I got the use out of a £1K+ winch and this will be used even less, but when you need one they are wild handy, Picked this up on ebay for £210 shipped with the plasma rope, bit of a bargin I thought.

Then with some light massaging and some choppy choppy weldy weldy it was in place.

Just need to make some decoritive coverings for it to hide the plastic and that will be another job sorted. Also got some old style tow hooks that I need to get some holes drilled for.

Cheers Ged

 

[svensktoppen]

I'm so glad I don't have to do auto electrics

 

[Ben]

Flip it’s like you’re building something out of SnowRunner. Class.

 

[Ged]

@svensktoppen youre telling me I hate it. @Ben 6 have you played it? seen it onlne looks good but I dont think id enjoy it solo whats it like? and doubt anyone would want to spend £40 on it in my group.

On the GMC at the weekend I Got the cab turned on its nose ready for prepping.

Then dragged it outside armed with my selection of ebay wire wheels to stab me and sprain my wrists.

After a good days work im left with this under the 67 year old seam sealer. I was expecting alot worse lol

Rust treated and then etch primed ready for welding work to start.

Then last night I took into getting the engine fired, started at 4pm after work and was thinking id be sorted in an hour with some piping and wiring, well after a sucessful fire I had 0 oil pressure so after several attempts at back feeding etc I bit the bullet and started stripping.

Pickup removal and borescoping the oilways for blockages

Pressure testing the pickup for leaks

By 12am I had her sussed out I think id a gasket installed incorectly on the pickup pipe which was letting the pump suck air.

Had her going well happy, just hope the bearings didnt get too much of a hammering from lack of oil so ive ordered a set just incase and ill do a bearing roll on it.



Cheers,
Ged

 

[FM155]

Even with the oil issues, it must be great to be able to fire it up. Cab is looking great too.

 

[Ben]

Ged it's the first game I've played in years that I can barely put down, I accidently played it until 4am this morning fs, on a school day! It's class, I've been playing solo just but my brother is getting it so will try MP soon.

 

[Ged]

Even with the oil issues, it must be great to be able to fire it up. Cab is looking great too.

Yes always a bit of a heat in mouth moment starting a new engine up. but I got there in the end.

Ged it's the first game I've played in years that I can barely put down, I accidently played it until 4am this morning fs, on a school day! It's class, I've been playing solo just but my brother is getting it so will try MP soon.

Bit the bullet and got it there, bit of a issue with my G27 wheel but getting it all worked out now seems to be a good game!

Well been flat out last week and weekend, had a long weekend which really helped keep things moving.

Got the cab seam sealed and the last few bits of rust cut out and welded in before 2 coats of red oxide and 2 of bed liner

Then got the cab mounted back on to start and sort out the controls, it will have to come back off again a few times id imagine.

Not to worried about the bits and peices on the doors ect at the minute, as ill be having to do alot of fab work for mirrors and bits and peices so ill tackle those then.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[FM155]

Class! looking like a truck again for a while at least.

 

[svensktoppen]

That cab actually looks in remarkably good condition considering, didn't look like it needed too much work

Would be great if you could find a way to retain or recreate the original colour and lettering, just to keep that link somehow.

 

[Ged]

Class! looking like a truck again for a while at least.

Probably not for very long lol

That cab actually looks in remarkably good condition considering, didn't look like it needed too much work

Would be great if you could find a way to retain or recreate the original colour and lettering, just to keep that link somehow.

Its 67 years old i keep having to tell myself, im still amazed by the lack of any real rust bits and peices from damage etc but thats it.

So i got to working on the controls during the week first up the steering, fairly straightfoward as id mocked it up previously, just need to drill the shaft now for the connecting bolt and trim it a little.

Then the brakes took a little longer to get it where i wanted them which involved modifying the pedal a little and sticking a 4" holesaw through the floor. but thats the dual circuit brake valve installed

Then onto piping it all up properly

Im now out a small fortune in brass fittings but its all together and working, just the reinforcing plates to make for the bulkhead now.

With that sorted i moved onto the clutch.

 

[FM155]

Don't think I've ever been as excited at seeing a truck come together but the level of design and workmanship is fantastic, something you don't normally see on any type of build even in a 'professional' outfit.

 

[svensktoppen]

im still amazed by the lack of any real rust bits and peices from damage etc but thats it.

That's life in sunny California for you! Had it lived its life in Blighty it would have been all filler by now

Great to see old cars still holding up after decades of use. I've spent lockdown looking at old Volvo cars (something to do ) and it's amazing when you see 50-60 year old cars still going having done several laps of the odometer already!

 

[Ged]

Don't think I've ever been as excited at seeing a truck come together but the level of design and workmanship is fantastic, something you don't normally see on any type of build even in a 'professional' outfit.

Cheers, well ive seen a few right mess' online, but mines no mona lisa either but i know how to do something right, it might not be pretty but it will work and keep working for a long time.

Been really busy last week and over the weekend. Clutch and accellerator in steering connected and working

Everything works as it should the clutch master is a little small so i can just grab a gear when its running but ive a bigger one on the way to finish that off.

Moved onto some bodywork for a change and got aluminium filler into all the major repairs getting organised for some paint.

Also got the stacks on and did a system test...



Next is the dash and firewall and getting the wiring in.

We aquired a new resident for some sills in the meantime so ill have to get this "smaller" project knocked out. lol

Cheers,
Ged

 

[EF Ian]

Progressing nicely.

 

[pablo]

/ducks and hides

post some pics of the micra work?