Jump to content

512 cid C series on Dakota chassis- build thread


Recommended Posts

It’s always kind of amazing and a little sad when a bunch of brand new parts come together. It will never be this clean again.

 

Lotta work left but not too much clutter to add. The mechanical speedo and oil pressure gauges are hooked up and all the other gauge wires are already pinned into weatherpack connectors and diagrammed so I can finish my wiring runs without dash disassembly.

 

I picked out the holes I wanna use for the keyswitch and the light switch. I’m getting a little fancy with turn and high beam indicators and a dimmer for the dash bulbs, but mostly keeping it as simple as possible.

A81A312F-A6C9-44C5-B00F-2210112886E0.jpeg

Edited by Radarsonwheels
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I kinda like that idea- it would solve the problem of the extra holes where the stock choke and throttle etc knobs used to live and also allow me to weld up and smooth over the 1960s volkswagon radio holes. I love the 1954 paint that’s on there though- such a shame about all the holes.

 

I also gotta add the wideband O2 sensor and wiring into my plans. It would be nice to put the gauge down in the radio hole area or maybe even hidden inside the glovebox door so I can put away the lightshow when I’m not tuning. 

 

I’m trying to think of everything while doing this wiring before I get too far in the weeds. I feel like on a lot of projects my wiring starts out all loom solder and shrinkwrap then ends up getting a bunch of crappy electrical tape add ons later...

0ACE7C12-4C2A-4D7D-957A-DAF661822A49.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While making changes as being installed will happen,  planning ahead sure can help keep the changes to a minimum!

 

Suggest using some of the split loom. Not the cheap convoluted plastic crap but spend a few more $$ on the black something like this. Many sizes are available.

 

This was only the first hit when doing a web search for- split auto wire covering.

 

I'm sure i'm not the only one but i actually like car wiring jobs, or least I did when I could do the bending and stooping  work involved.

 

https://www.amazon.com/MGI-SpeedWare-Braided-Split-Sleeve-Expandable/dp/B07JQL48WJ

 

DJ

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/3/2018 at 6:20 PM, Radarsonwheels said:

Done working outside, just messin with my phone searching- looks like black and green is negative while orange and purple are positive. Whatever that means- distributors produce an alternating current trigger pulse. But it’s a good educated guess I’m goin with it.

F6650751-1139-4997-B16D-6982B92563EA.jpeg

Like this? I have been working on the harness here and there at night since before christmas. I have a bunch more to use finishing this all up- high temp plastic (pet?) braided loom that expands or shrinks like chinese handcuffs. It’s gonna be pro-fesh-uh-nall! At least as good as I can get it. 

 

I’m 40 this year- trying to learn and improve from years of doing it wrong, not knowing any better, and being too broke to buy the good tools and materials. Nothing worse to deal with or better to learn from than working on something after it was all screwed up by a hack. Usually I try to leave things better than I found them if possible and do stuff right -once-.

 

Right now I’m trying to get a final count on wires through the firewall so the bundle can be made, loomed, and measured before I drill for a grommet, then cut to length and pinned into weatherpack connectors on the engine compartment side after the whole snake is pulled through. I’m still not sure where the voltage regulator and ignition box are going to live. Gotta make those inner fenders. Had to work today though. 

 

It’s supposed to snow gangbusters here tomorrow- my kid’s school already called a snow day. In honor of the ground probably being horrible to lay on for the next week or so I went ahead and assembled, indexed, tightened, and cotter pinned the transmission side of the cable shift linkage from my B&M ratchet to my 727.

 

It’s one less thing to do that requires rolling around on the ground. The other fun one is tightening the adjuster on the parking brake. The splitter that goes from the front cable to the rears is attached to a threaded rod that needs a nut tightened to take out the slack. It goes easy with a ratcheting wrench but the lever doesn’t actually pull the cable very far so the adjustment needs to be just right if you don’t want the truck to still be able to roll with the parking brake on. It’s all matching stuff off a 90’s jeep ZJ grand cherokee. 

 

 

 

89D7E281-894F-40B6-A541-1C02DD8F6A67.jpeg

Edited by Radarsonwheels
Typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I looked up that link to the loom- I got some that looks similar but isn’t split. You have to thread it and unless you cut it with a hot knife the ends fray. quickly. It’s nice though because when you bunch it up its diameter increases dramatically and when stretched it tightens up around the wires- the chinese handcuff thing.  I think I will be able to stick wires out the side too through the weave like when a long run has a couple wires that stop early or make a detour from the group. I don’t give it a chance to fray I have been taping the ends tight then shrink wrapping over the tape for clean permanant installation. Or sometimes a couple baby zip ties if I don’t have that size shrinkwrap like in the pic.

 

edit: just took the slack out of the  parking brake adjustment. Feels good.

Edited by Radarsonwheels
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The instrument clusters, keyswitch, light switch, and high-low beam stomper switch are mounted and wired up. The tail and brake lights are already wired up to the engine bay from the bumper. The horn button and turn signal harness is made but needs a connector under the dash. 

 

I’m trying to finish the cabin wiring as a break from all the sheetmetal work. The ‘plan’ is to just leave a loop that will go through the firewall once the front inner fenders are done. 

 

I was able to sneak under the car cover and sit in the truck to do a bunch of work which was nice and peaceful and a lot was  done on the bench inside too but working in the snow sucks. 

78D1ADF9-FFEB-4FF0-9A12-E2320A3B309E.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cab wiring is almost done. I have a few unused circuits to tuck away in case I ever get a cabin light or line lock or whatever. I still have to make a ground lug to the firewall and put ring terminals on the ground wires.

 

The wideband gauge needs a mounting plate made that will cover the old radio holes and I have to weld a bung into the exhaust for it.

 

For the heater box I have a circuit running to the hole in the dash but I need to get a high amp three position switch to run the heater fan at two different speeds. Then I’ll run one output through a resistor and one straight 12v.

 

All the wires are run through a fresh grommet in the firewall. Once it’s all done and loomed I want to make a taper/cone of electrical tape covered in heat shrink so the whole harness can seal more air/water tight through the grommet. 

1E9ED84A-5F8D-4899-AB02-622126F20895.jpeg

Edited by Radarsonwheels
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I think I found at least one possible source of rainwater in my cab- these holes in the cowl look like hold down pins used to live there holding a seal for the rear of the hood wings? I’m thinking I’ll just weld em up.

834B9DE0-5A28-4E31-BD8F-D3FBE2ED4051.jpeg

Edited by Radarsonwheels
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, CO54 said:

No room to mount floor stomper under?

I just sat in the cab like I was driving and put it a little above the comfy places to put my left foot. I usually end up with my heel at the bottom of the ‘wheel well’ curved floor section and I wear size 14 shoes so it’s out of the way but not hard to hit.

 

The part of the floor that got a rubber mat got extended forward to a 90° corner on the drivers side instead of having the stock angled toe board. This was mostly to give more room for brake pedal travel without having it too high at rest. But there isn’t much room there for two feet!

Edited by Radarsonwheels
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Radarsonwheels said:

I just sat in the cab like I was driving and put it a little above the comfy places to put my left foot. I usually end up with my heel at the bottom of the ‘wheel well’ curved floor section and I wear size 14 shoes so it’s out of the way but not hard to hit. 

 

The part of the floor that got a rubber mat got extended forward to a 90° corner on the drivers side instead of having the stock angled toe board. This was mostly to give more room for brake pedal travel without having it too high at rest. But there isn’t much room there for two feet!

I noticed with the current location of my stomper, my size 12 boots found the stomper to be in a comfy spot, so I planned to move it closer to the firewall, but keeping it under the floor pan like it currently is.  Cleaner wiring IMHO.

Edited by CO54
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Radarsonwheels said:

And I think I found at least one possible source of rainwater in my cab- these holes in the cowl look like hold down pins used to live there holding a seal for the rear of the hood wings? I’m thinking I’ll just weld em up.

834B9DE0-5A28-4E31-BD8F-D3FBE2ED4051.jpeg

There should be a felt like sea/gasket there with little metal push pins...... 

Can't see how welding 'em up would hurt other than allowing for future metal on metal contact from cowl and hood not having a spacer.

Maybe something like this to fill the holes and create a gap, if a good size can be found?

https://www.amazon.com/Glove-Door-Bumper-Stoppers-Rubber/dp/B01N7OE5ZB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1550785723&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=glove+box+bumper&psc=1

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, CO54 said:

I noticed with the current location of my stomper, my size 12 boots found the stomper to be in a comfy spot, so I planned to move it closer to the firewall, but keeping it under the floor pan like it currently is.  Cleaner wiring IMHO.

Got a pic?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seatbelts!

 

I swapped out the evil kenieval blue seatbelts for some nice simple black ones with airplane buckles. I haven’t wasted too much $ buying stuff I didn’t use but I’m really really good with the decision to not put garish five point harnesses in there. The footprint gas pedal could have stayed though if it fit better

11B4DB41-1288-4495-AA0B-689086CFB73C.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, CO54 said:

No pic yet. Still working on getting garage ready for starting on the project. Need to build shed in backyard for large tool storage rarely used.

 

I drove my ramcharger to work today and noticed the headlight stomper switch is way lower than I put it in my C-series. On the other hand the footwell of the rancharger is like the grand canyon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/21/2019 at 3:51 PM, CO54 said:

There should be a felt like sea/gasket there with little metal push pins...... 

Can't see how welding 'em up would hurt other than allowing for future metal on metal contact from cowl and hood not having a spacer.

Maybe something like this to fill the holes and create a gap, if a good size can be found?

https://www.amazon.com/Glove-Door-Bumper-Stoppers-Rubber/dp/B01N7OE5ZB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1550785723&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=glove+box+bumper&psc=1

 

Twist nails are what belongs there...abour 1/4" long nails with a square profile that twists.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/21/2019 at 8:25 PM, Radarsonwheels said:

the decision to not put garish five point harnesses in there.

I run 5 point harnesses in both of my sand cars. I cant imagine wanting them in a street driven vehicle. They have to be very snug to be effective which really restricts movement (like rolling down the passenger window, cowl vent or adjusting the radio) versus self retracting car belts or lap belts. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JBNeal said:

additional information

 

when I get to that part of the detail work, I plan on on putting a dab of weatherstrip adhesive on the twist nails (that I will attempt to salvage) to seal the cowl holes :cool:

The price isn’t bad at all and rtv or weatherstrip adhesive sounds like the way to go. I am just so far from that kind of detail work.

 

The major areas that will need metal work are the door skins, passenger door to fender gap, driver’s running board, front bottom bedside corners below the stake pockets, and my driver’s turn signal/headlight area has a lot of bondo sculpture going on. 

 

Right now I am trying to get cleaned up and wired under the hood so I can start my fresh motor and test my driveline work (first auto transmission build!).

 

Finding and eliminating the water leaks into the cab is a pretty big priority though- it comes before making it pretty. I think I’m going in the right order though to make it safe and solid to have fun and get back out on the road quickly. It will be less fun if I need to get it all perfect before I can rip around in it.

 

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. I do appreciate the info on the stock way to do it though. I wish my truck was in good enough shape to make me want to put it back stock! It being so far gone made me feel good about butchering it up. I am trying to be respectful to the original design but I’m going for more ‘fun hotrod’ than the ‘factory should have done it like this’ kustom.  Really my vision for the truck kind of went off the rails a little with the streetrod/EFI tuner intake... 

 

I’m rambling now but I did just get a tig welder and I am not amazing but I managed to weld up a 4” 16g cube that holds water. I bet I could make some kind of cool air cleaner that would at least look space age....

Edited by Radarsonwheels
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Terms of Use