Project '53 Truck

[Ben]

Here, fancy another one?

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[svensktoppen]

Get a Cummins in that Micra

 

[Ged]

Cheers @Ben 6 not sure im ready for another one yet but that looks class!

/ducks and hides

post some pics of the micra work?

lol here you go its getting a fair running through new wings sills shocks brakes bushings carb radiator... list goes on its a friend of mines but he doesnt like welding so I get that pleasure. Got ths sills sorted there the other evening just some linishing, sealering and fillering and a dab of paint and thats one job sorted. Hes planning on driving it, 4 speed GX model 1982 i think.

Anyways back onto more MURICA things well not really, RHD issues.

Its been grand for 67 years but it wont do me. Measure 6 times and hope for the best I started into the hardest metalworking job on the truck.

Its a curve but not a constant once which left for some intresting cutting lines

So much room for activitys now, Wasnt one bit scared nope lol, also made a steering wheel brace to the firewall but forgot to take pics.

My current plan is to move the glove box into the center and hide a double din and the airride controller behind it. Then make a new panel to house my gauges that bolts in to allow me to do wiring behind it and easy acess to the fuse and relay wiring im going to tuck under the dash.

Then started mocking out the wiring starting with the bulkhead pass through

I want to get the heater and wiper mechanisim all fitted and wired before I weld the dash back in just alot easier to work while not laying on your back.

Also recived my wiring spools to get started on the loom so, whipped up a rail with some left over handrail and some exhaust clamps

Cheers,
Ged

 

[EF Ian]

What wire did you go for and where did you get it from?

 

[Ged]

What wire did you go for and where did you get it from?

I got some 1mm2 and 2mm2 thin wall from auto marine cables, just got alot of different colours and traces. really good quality wiring easy to strip and work with.

Been having a good run recently with the truck. Working on the dash and cab

So I moved everything to the left and decided to make a removable panel for the gauges for easy wiring and access, that would also mean I could move relays etc behind the gauges and get to them if they ever give bother, so mocked it up and made some infills for the old radio slot.
I ended up using a joggler to try and give the place where the infill mounts a little step so the infill sits flush it worked out well but getting the infill to look right will take some more time.

Started tac tac tac tac tacing

Grinding em back

The finsihed metalwork side of it, few low spots but I always try and aim to be a little low so I can just put the tinest skim of filler on and paint. Didnt turn out to bad for my first real go at bending and reforming metalwork.

My first quick mockup of the infill peice, going to make some changes and remake it in steel and tryout my new beadroller to see if I can raise the gauges a little.
The gauges themselves wherent my first choice but needing 24v and CAN J1939 support my options where limited. I plan on hiding an android double din behind the old glovebox as well as an airlift controller display.

If anyone knows of the best double din android headunit let me know I want to be able to install a few apps from the play store for my diagnostics and live data from the engine. Spotify google maps reversing camera etc.

Bulkhead hole welding and reinforcing plate made for the clutch master, wasnt happy with the flexing of the std firewall.

Half a day wire wheeling later and a quick coat of rust converter/alien blood then etch primer and its looking a whole lot better in there.

Still alot of welding to do but having it in a weld through primer just makes it easier to see and a nicer place to work.

Im upto dash level next is the roof and working out somewhere for speakers and ICE systems.


Cheers,
Ged

 

[pablo]

considered a digital dash for bants? Or wanting to stay period?

 

[Ged]

considered a digital dash for bants? Or wanting to stay period?

Yup several, there isnt any that support the J1939 protocol without major coding and even then it would be a struggle when I get my android headunit hidden im thinking about going for one of these BlueFire LLC. the CAN gauges from vdo also allow you to query the CAN for alot of parameters to display on the LCD

 

[EF Ian]

I got some 1mm2 and 2mm2 thin wall from auto marine cables, just got alot of different colours and traces. really good quality wiring easy to strip and work with.

Thanks, I'll check them out.

Problem with building a harness is its hard to keep stock of enough different colours to make it worth while doing it and not just having them all white.

 

[Ged]

Thanks, I'll check them out.

Problem with building a harness is its hard to keep stock of enough different colours to make it worth while doing it and not just having them all white.

Yea I know that, I tend to try and stick with one colour for constant live switched live and then just assign what I can to other colours. its handy to know whats what when your trying to add something, the rear lights I just use a std tow socket wiring colours, got a nice 13 core cablefor this project.

Been working away for the past week around alot of different bits on the chassis and cab.

Removed the cab again lol

This time to make prepping the roof and firewall easier and start sorting out everything on the chassis

Wire wheeled, sanded, rust converter, etch prime, zinc prime same story as the rest.

Then the firewall needed the excess from the infill peice removed, seam welded, holes filled, wire wheeled sanded filled etch primered,

I havent zinc primed it yet as if I brush it on and go for a gloss topcoat it may not come out as good so im looking for some decent zinc rich primer in an aerosol or something I can spray.

Same story on the other side

So after some more primering thats the cab ready to paint been a long journy but really happy with it. Still havent decided on an interior colour yet.

I was too tired at the weekend to start sanding it all for topcoat as im now on strong antibiotics and painkillers for a bad tooth abcess which I cant get fixed. So started doing things I knew wouldnt be too tough and would cheer me up. Apply the shiney.

Ive had good results in defender using sound mat then a layer of closed cell foil backed foam to cover it over, so ill be doing the same on this. May even double up on the sound mat as ive ordered too much.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[FM155]

Coming along well and looking great!

 

[lennyd]

What do you use as your rust converter

 

[Dave..]

Looks great Ged, all the hard work is paying off.

 

[Ged]

What do you use as your rust converter

Cheers its starting to get there now, I use the wurth stuff, just called rust converter, it isnt cheap but it works.

Was looking for the correct champage colour for the interior but its avalibility isnt great here so I decided last night to continue with the gunmetal theme on the inside of the truck this is a semi matt finish and I think it looks great. Ordered 4L of satin clear there and my friend whos an actual painter is coming next week to teach me how to put it on. Laquering isnt something im great at but hopefully with some help ill get a decent finish.

Also got the exhaust heatwrapped in some titanuim coloured wrap bit of a fiddle but will help keep things from melting even though on a diesel is doesent get that hot.

Some updates on the tanks Ive now seen the barrels are rolled at the supplier and the ends are getting polished up so now just need to work out all the fittings and positions and ill get them fabricated.

Cheers,
Ged

 

[stevieturbo]

Thanks, I'll check them out.

Problem with building a harness is its hard to keep stock of enough different colours to make it worth while doing it and not just having them all white.

ALM on ebay have a good range of thinwall cable.

Security measure

www.ebaystores.co.uk

Whilst it'd be nice to have all different colours, in reality once installed ( and assuming no fault tracing later ) there isnt so much need to have every single wire a different colour. Just keep some main things certain colours, then group others the same if need be.
Although the use of PDM's, maybe one out front and one out back could greatly reduce the amount of cable actually needed and reduce and simplify overall wiring quite a bit.

 

[EF Ian]

Although the use of PDM's, maybe one out front and one out back could greatly reduce the amount of cable actually needed and reduce and simplify overall wiring quite a bit.

Hard enough paying for one PDM, never mind two. I am considering one though, haven't decided if its worth the cost over a standard fuse box though.

 

[Ged]

ALM on ebay have a good range of thinwall cable.

Security measure

www.ebaystores.co.uk

Whilst it'd be nice to have all different colours, in reality once installed ( and assuming no fault tracing later ) there isnt so much need to have every single wire a different colour. Just keep some main things certain colours, then group others the same if need be.
Although the use of PDM's, maybe one out front and one out back could greatly reduce the amount of cable actually needed and reduce and simplify overall wiring quite a bit.

Generally the way I work, powers and grounds seperate colours then control all one colour and lights to standard tow plug colours.

Actually looked at PDMs for this in detail and found out most aftermarket PDMs are not rated for road use. So ive decided to go back to the old fuese and relays. that and even simple things like latching outputs and intermittant wipers are beyond them without external relays. kinda defeats the point in my eyes.

Worked late last night getting the tank design finalised and a good friend of mine is going to help keep the project ontrack and smash the tanks out for next week while im working. these are 600mm in dia x 1100mm long each, so my total derv capacity will be 600l

The first pics of starting to polising the dishs up

Cheers,
Ged

 

[Dave..]

Generally the way I work, powers and grounds seperate colours then control all one colour and lights to standard tow plug colours.

Actually looked at PDMs for this in detail and found out most aftermarket PDMs are not rated for road use. So ive decided to go back to the old fuese and relays. that and even simple things like latching outputs and intermittant wipers are beyond them without external relays. kinda defeats the point in my eyes.

Worked late last night getting the tank design finalised and a good friend of mine is going to help keep the project ontrack and smash the tanks out for next week while im working. these are 600mm in dia x 1100mm long each, so my total derv capacity will be 600l


View attachment 281964View attachment 281961View attachment 281962View attachment 281963

The first pics of starting to polising the dishs up

View attachment 281965

Cheers,
Ged

Great work Ged.

 

[svensktoppen]

Flip, half a tonne of diesel on board, should last a while

On second thought, given the engine, maybe it's needed

 

[FM155]

Those tanks look enormous! Probably because the suspension it at it's lowest point in those renderings though.
As said, they will probably be needed though lol

 

[stevieturbo]

ALM on ebay have a good range of thinwall cable.

Security measure

www.ebaystores.co.uk

Whilst it'd be nice to have all different colours, in reality once installed ( and assuming no fault tracing later ) there isnt so much need to have every single wire a different colour. Just keep some main things certain colours, then group others the same if need be.
Although the use of PDM's, maybe one out front and one out back could greatly reduce the amount of cable actually needed and reduce and simplify overall wiring quite a bit.

PDM's definitely have benefits...however, whilst yes they may be more reliable, compact, "fuses" automatically reset etc.....the problem lies in diagnosing any problem for the end user who may not be tech savvy, may not have a laptop etc etc etc.
Simple old fuses and relays, anyone can check them, anyone can trace a fault, And there are plenty of neat modular fuse/relay boxes around now.

And pretty sure wipers etc arent a problem to them ? Would be a bit pointless if they could not cope with such things, as many race cars need wipers. I've worked on one car with one and it had the wipers wired direct from PDM to motor, although I didnt do the install myself.

 

[Ged]

PDM's definitely have benefits...however, whilst yes they may be more reliable, compact, "fuses" automatically reset etc.....the problem lies in diagnosing any problem for the end user who may not be tech savvy, may not have a laptop etc etc etc.
Simple old fuses and relays, anyone can check them, anyone can trace a fault, And there are plenty of neat modular fuse/relay boxes around now.

And pretty sure wipers etc arent a problem to them ? Would be a bit pointless if they could not cope with such things, as many race cars need wipers. I've worked on one car with one and it had the wipers wired direct from PDM to motor, although I didnt do the install myself.

Cheers guys, yes i was really intruiged and wanted to learn but there just not there yet for the aftermarket market i dont think.

Just going on what the manufactures told me having intermittant wipers requires braking a motor and since pdms cant do a pull down output by thier nature 2 relays are required.

 

[stevieturbo]

Syvecs, Motec and ECUMaster can do wipers ok.

The whole road use thing is a bit of a moot point....most modified or race type parts will always specify this to try and absolve them of any liabilities if someone does anything daft.

But good old fuses and relays are simple and hard to beat.

 

[svensktoppen]

I guess the main point of them isn't really simplicity. It's the configurability. If you need to change things around, move functions between different switches and instruments, add functions to existing switches, etc.

Like configuring the layout of buttons on a race wheel for each driver, or customising telemetry, etc.

If all you want to do is turn the lights on and operate the wipers then they're probably a bit overkill.

 

[Ged]

Yea I came to that conclusion, plus theres also the cost side which can get a little crazy too.

Speaking of cost I paid a visit to blackline preformace on friday and picked up an airlift kit for the project and got it fitted on sat. Great bit of kit. Another step closer to getting the cab on.

Chassis is starting to look complete.

Also drilled and installed wiring saddles down both sides of the truck and installed my rear breakout box for the bed lights. and started tieing up everything.

Cheers,
Geddis

 

[Ged]

Work continued late last night

Firewall painted in 2 pack black started refitting the bits i can, Starter heat wrapped in reflective tape.

Few more days of loose ends and ill have it together ready to start wiring.

Cheers,
Ged