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512 cid C series on Dakota chassis- build thread


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Before DCM started offering them I bought a set from MAC's, a Ford parts supplier. They are so similar you couldn't 'tell the difference. However, the inner diameter is slightly smaller. I had to grind down the outer shaft of my crank handles to fit inside the escutcheons. But they work great and look correct.

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The escutcheons came in today! They look really nice, maybe a little less pronounced deco/beehive than I thought which is fine. I took the box to work and opened it here so I don’t know how they’ll fit yet but the spring loaded setup should outlast a rubber piece by a longshot and look good doing it.

 

I got some steel wool to clean up the cranks and handles and I have to figure out how to tighten up the roller handle on the driver’s window crank. I haven’t even looked at it yet hopefully it’ll be easy without a lathe. 

 

My clip nuts for the armrests came in too so I ordered some nice fine thread 1/4” stainless phillips head screws from McMaster Carr. Now I have to follow through with the plans I drew up for the armrests. I’d like to get that done before the vinyl arrives next thursday. 

 

I stayed up way too late Thursday night trying to set the endplay on my transmission shaft. I forgot how much easier it is to set the trans standing up on its tail- if the front clutch doesn’t fully engage all the fiber splines it seems good until you bolt on the pump (last piece which seals up the case and sits behind the torque converter) and the trans locks up like zero endplay or worse.

 

I gotta take it apart one more time and add select thrust washers- it’s at .110 now and I think I’m shooting for more like .020.

 

Other than that the trans is almost ready to go. I defeated the controlled load cushion in the front servo, added a billet rear servo along with the blocker shim in the inner spring from transgo, restricted the front clutch feed in the case with a drilled dorman plug, got a reconditioned front drum from A&A that fit five clutches with .082 clearance under an early style straight snap ring I stole out of another core, and put in a 4.2 ratio kickdown lever to replace my stock grandma car lever. I don’t like swapping out transmissions under a car in the driveway but it is super fun to change stuff and see how it changes the personality of the transmission. Kind of like trying out different cams- pulling the radiator and water pump and intake is not so fun but trying it out is awesome.

 

I discovered that the front clutch sealing ring which I replaced on the reaction shaft after snapping one and finding it in the pan on the first trans build was a little tight in its groove so that needs a little fine filing or sanding followed by meticulous cleanup. Not the end of the world though. I have another good pump that I could rebuild instead too. 

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On 6/6/2019 at 7:50 AM, Merle Coggins said:

Before DCM started offering them I bought a set from MAC's, a Ford parts supplier. They are so similar you couldn't 'tell the difference. However, the inner diameter is slightly smaller. I had to grind down the outer shaft of my crank handles to fit inside the escutcheons. But they work great and look correct.

When I got home from work last nite I checked them against my handles which are still on the bench. They fit fine over the outer diameter of the square drive boss/flange where the pin goes. They look like they could work without the thin metal retaining washers but I’ll probably keep those They fit nicely and probably reinforce the pot metal somewhat.

 

They are a smaller diameter than the original rubbers- the handle and crank used to butt up to a flat surface and now there will be a relief behind them before the escutcheon swells back out to meet the door. I’m still gonna use them! 

 

I’m also looking at the handles and the upper pin receiving area on the square drive is cracking from overzealous opening and probably just age.  The driver’s crank handle knob is also super loose and droopy so I am probably going to buy all 4 new ones if they’re not too dear. 

 

Also the transmission is all buttoned up on the bench. I just need to install the shift and throttle pressure linkages, stand it up again, and install the torque converter with a wrench on the edge to keep it from falling out. 

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I went ahead and ordered the replacement parts from DCM they look like the bases are slimmer and they don’t have the pin holes all beat out or the roller knobs hanging on by a thread. They’re expensive but not bad like $30 each. Feels wierd to order correct-ish parts from a catalog instead of scouring the earth. This must be what it feels like to own a ford or chevy.

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Edited by Radarsonwheels
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Got a start on the armrests today. I still have a bunch of sanding & finishing work and I have to measure the angle of the screws and make wedges in the brackets. 

 

I think they’ll work fine as door pulls and at 2” deep shouldn’t be intrusive. Maybe they’ll even be a comfy spot to set my elbow.

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Edit: I ended up drilling and tapping the ironwood so no fasteners would show. Also hit it with some penofin. I’m still waiting until my fine thread mounting screws show up to figure out what angle they will sit. I’m still not sure what to make wedges out of. The angle makes it tricky but the 1” thick ipe is easy enough to shave with aggressive flap discs. Just have to hand drill the holes I guess

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Edited by Radarsonwheels
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the first pics you have of handles are for B3 or B4 trucks, which have a different escutcheon.  Than handles you ordered will work with the escutcheons you also ordered (B1 or B2 style)

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Thanks Ggdad I figured it was something like that. Looking at the Bunn books I always thought mine was kind of a 53 1/2- solidly a C series with bubble tubs and one piece glass but with some B series interior cues (using up leftover parts?) 

 

Interesting that you said I have B3 or B4 style- is that like one ton stuff? Mine was originally a 54 3/4 ton longbed with heavy duty spindles, 3 on the tree, & 4.10 gear. I forget the designation C2C or something.

 

If the old handles are rare and anybody needs them PM me- not for sale for free once the new ones are installed and working. 

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I got my diamond pleated vinyl and 1/4”-24 screws in the mail yesterday. I installed the clip nuts and mocked up the armrests to determine the screws angle- looks like 30°.  Now I have to finish making the matching angle into the armrests, paint the metal part, final assemble them, and I can install those. Then whenever my cranks and handles show up I can stick those on with the new escutcheons. It’s gonna be pretty fancy looking and might even soak up a little noise. 

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 I had to work today so no transmission install. Tomorrow is supposed to rain but we’ll see.

 

I did get time to finish the door card installation with armrests cranks and handles. I had to drill new holes in the square drives to account for the thicker cards. It feels solid and looks right to me.

 

Now I’m thinking matching kick panels soon and headliner later.

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Edited by Radarsonwheels
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Got a little help today which was really nice. The trans just fits under the truck lifted as high as my jackstands go, then it has to get slid on the jack while it’s under there. It fits up through the exhaust farther back then can get slid up into position. Then it sat on the exhaust for a second to get some boards between it and the jack for a couple more inches max lift.

 

It mated up pretty easily to the bell then spinning it around was a pain in the butt while I started the flexplate to torque converter bolts, then again to torque them. Speedo cable, kickdown, properly indexed shift cable, and starter with a new blanket on it all went on without a fight. 

 

The old small pinion yoke needed some love from a propane torch before the impact started unscrewing it, then I forgot to put a pan under it when I knocked the old pinion yoke free. Only lost a pint or so of gear oil. Torqued the new one on with a dab of red loctite- made much easier with the crush sleeve eliminator kit in there instead of a crush sleeve. 

 

I still have to fill the trans with ATF before I set her down but I have high hopes it will all work! 

 

Happy father’s day fellas

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On 6/12/2019 at 3:58 PM, Radarsonwheels said:

Now I’m thinking matching kick panels soon and headliner later.

If it was mine, I may think about filling the bed with fresh cow manure.

Just to keep people away from it, and me

Just drive the crap out of it.

 

Thats just me though

 

Love your work and results

 

 

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Thanks Los

 

After looking more carefully I think the kick panels are good as-is. They just need paint to match the rest. I’ll see how I like them after I get the two kinds of lizardskin sprayed there along with the tunnel, firewall, & top. 

 

I’m going to try and make the headliner kind of snap up in place. I got some DAP weldwood landau contact adhesive along with a cheap 1.8 tip siphon gun to spray it. Just waiting on more fabric in the mail.

 

I’m looking hard at the fiberglass reinforced plastic they have at lowes for shower stalls or whatever. 

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It appears in your third picture of the rear u-joint that the clip is not fully installed down into the groove. May need to take a hammer and punch to get it fully set.??

 

DJ

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Filled her up and went round the block- got all 3 gears & reverse!  Heard one scary clunk- the tailgate only had one hook in and from the wrong side and fell down ? 

 

The latch holes are not so tight on the old girl- it’s why I swapped to carabiners years ago.

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32 minutes ago, Radarsonwheels said:

Filled her up and went round the block- got all 3 gears & reverse!  Heard one scary clunk- the tailgate only had one hook in and from the wrong side and fell down ? 

 

The latch holes are not so tight on the old girl- it’s why I swapped to carabiners years ago.

Awesome news, nothing like seeing your hard work paying off. 

                    John 

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I jacked up the truck and double checked the universal joint snap rings- all good. 

 

I ordered two sheets of 4’x8’x1/8” abs plastic from the local supply house. No time to pick it up before they closed today so I’ll have to get it tomorrow.

 

I hope the learning curve isn’t too steep working with it. 

 

I’m trying to plan ahead so I’m going to wire the headliner for a dome light. Mine is sort of still there but in really rough sad condition. I want to find a cool old one and stick LEDs in it or run an 1156 if I can find one with a socket and switch already installed. I’m thinking the driver’s A pillar would be the spot to send wires down to a dash switch and maybe someday door switches and courtesy lights above the footwells. Don’t wanna get too fancy though.

 

I’ve been procrastinating for a couple months on the lizardskin install. Now it’s gotta happen so the roof will be insulated before I bury it under the headliner.

 

I also got a B&M megashifter to replace their ‘star shifter’ that’s in the truck now. It seems like a lot of trouble for not much gain but I spent a lot of time building a snappy shifting transmission and I want to be able to ‘slap’ down from 3 to 1 and back up again. The star shifter is a detent style on downshifts and its easy to miss 2nd and go down to 1. It can go to ratchet mode and slap up from 1 for strip (stoplight) racing but can’t ratchet from 3(drive) to 2 which is what I want to come out of a corner hard or whatever. 

 

The cable linkage is the same, the shifter console and T handle are the same, but the mounting points are different. I figure I’ll get it done after removing the interior when I spray the insulation. Should be able to just drill and tap the 3/16” shifter console plate 1/4-20. Not too bad of a job. 

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Got my plastic this morning. Two sheets of 1/8” ABS. Hopefully I won’t need two tries to get the big panel made. I’m excited to work with this stuff it is really tough and durable. 

 

Anybody else drive their rig in the rain? It’s probably past time to find a circlip to hook up the passenger wiper linkage. 

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Haha Merle that’s awesome. You’re almost as bad as me with all the computer junk I have in my rig I don’t have a gps or a radio. The radio might be pointless unless I get a competition level setup or swap to less silly mufflers. The GPS is somewhere between an aberration that doesn’t belong and a badge of honor that your old truck gets driven farther than you can push it home. 

 

What’s that edgar winter or deep purple or something? You’re jammin in there!

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