Summer Update

Have some updates on the truck. It's been a busy summer with the family, but Chris has been working on it a little while we been off playing.

Chris finished up the new firewall and added some nice bead rolling detail.

Needed to move the steering column bracket on the dash to center it for the new column and new seat set up.

Ready to install and test fit the new column.

Column matched up great. Time to work on some brackets to support the column and dash to the firewall.

Had to pull off the steering part of the project due to some of the u-joints did not work out as planed. While waiting for parts we moved on to some other areas of the project.

We did away with the manual operation of the door vents. Had a good friend machine up some parts to make the setup work. Replaced the stock rivets that held the hinges together with brass bushings and a rod that goes to the motor. Welded one set of bushing to the door hinge with a set screw that is connected to the rod. The other hinge has a free bushing that allows the door to open and close.

The motor was a little off set from the rod so we used a heavy duty spring to get them to lined up. When we test out the door it had a little delay and didn't have a smooth opening motion. The spring did not work out as we thought it would and now plan on trying to use a u-joint instead. It still looked pretty cool just need a little more fine tuning.

We had some rust issues in the front cab seam that need some attention. Decide to go with the one piece smooth look.

Chris was glad to see this part done. Said it would have been easier to have chop it.

Started to work on the front suspension to accept the new air bag setup. These are the parts that we used to make it happen.

First we leveled out the stock shock cup with table with the height that we needed the new cup to be. It worked out that we needed it to be 1.5" deeper then the stock cup.

Made a jig to transfer the circumference that we needed to cut out of the a-arm. Looks a little archaic but worked out great.

Chris cutting out the a-arm. Have to have a action shot once in a while .

Not much left. It's okay it all works out in the end. The air bags max out is 9.1" went with a 10" circumference for the clearance.

The new cups made and ready to get welded in.

Here is part two of the front air bag upgrade. Used 1/2" rod on the sides of the 10" tubing to join it to the a-arm.

The finished product after welding, grinding, and some sanding. Had to add on a new bracket for the shock mount. Will also need to add a new bump stop and bracket for the sway bar.

Time to start on the upper cup that will hold the top part of the bag.

Needed to raise the bag out of the upper pocket for clearance issues. Used 6" tubing for this. Trim it down to sit flat over the stock rivets.

Top plate that will hold the bag. 

The pieces put together and ready for a test fit. Inside is 1/2" sleeves that bolts through the top of the main carriage. 

This is about the ride height that we think the truck will ride at. And yes the unit is pictured upside down.

This will be the truck at its lowest point. Looks like the new setup is going to work out as planned.