Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

That's no bueno about the short, glad you found it!

The mounts look great, I'm super jealous...I may have to start sending you my cardboard cutouts!

I've been happy with the Mevotech brand, I believe made in Canada. I've used their stuff on my Z28, a GMT400 pickup, and the '49.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

those cab mounts are really nice, thanks for the pics

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ . . . . . I agree . . . . . . I liked u'r mounts ' before ' - - - now even more . Thank you very much , now, I do like building things (like motor , cab mounts, ect) . . . . . and, you make it very Nice .

jim

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Wow, I have been missing a lot lately. You got one heck of a haul going on there Russ. Looking forward to the progress on Bickle.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

thanks guys!

bill I got the 30x50 to work in and have just been throwing parts in it. :lol: partly because it took so much time and money to get the house ready for mom. I would normally just let this stuff sit outside but having dry storage right now is nice.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583513172
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583512966

there is 4 cabs, 6 beds, and 7 front clips besides the 56 truck and not counting my brothers international.

so when the first of my 52s showed up, it had to go outside. :lol:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583513058

its really pretty nice too, I think I will use the cab. the front end though, there are a glut of them on craigslist. i will do the same as I did with bickle's 2 ton front end. I had some angle iron and its very sturdy.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583681903

speaking of, I got all my parts cut for the first paying job on the table, got a second smaller job too. the garage was kind of a wreck so I put some elbow grease in it, the nice thing about that cnc table is that it rolls into the corner (cant see it in this pic) out of the way, or into the center of the room for cutting. the water table keeps the smoke down too. pretty happy so far.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583681790

the cab was full of mud and sticks as per usual, so I sprayed it mostly out with the pressure washer and will vacuum whats left after it dries. the cool little dash fan did not survive the washing. :(

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583681790


NO RUST. its amazing how clean it is. I did pick up all my stuff from bowtie bits for the project, taillights and interior and yadda yadda. he also had the patch I needed.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583682135

debating on complete replacement? or cutting in the part I need? have time.

so I need now is the seat recovered, and some odds and ends like headlights and valve cover gaskets, and the gauges too. about those.

I PLANNED to use the RTX Dakota Digital set made for the 47-53 trucks, with the OBDII interface so it had PRNDL and other cool features. but what I DONT like is that they designed them as a 4.5" gauge and use an adapter ring. I was messing around on their site and found these.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1583682549

they fit from the FRONT of a 5" hole, which is nicer than trying to put them in from the backside for sure with all the crap I have behind the dash. I am thinking of trying them out, to see if I like them. I also am thinking of doing a pcm program to get rid of the original gauge cluster. It takes up room in the dash too.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ . . . I like those -" DD" gauges . Looks very sharp , but
I also liked those "CON2R" gauges that were used in "Wamego" , too.
The CON2R's were way too "thick for install" . . . . . and, just from the
'picture' ; the DD's look thinner . . . ?
I went back too re-look at the CON2R's & then the "DD" , and maybe like the "Dakota Digital" alittle better. Then, fitting from the front may be a snap.
I also like your idea on the S-10 dash (removing those dash / gauges) ,
should make all that "cluster-duster" go away. I did like how you used the S-10 dash & wiring , making your wiring in your AD much simpler . . . . . . (read that , as smarter), and, getting all the S-10 senders working.

still here . . . still reading , jim

(Well, those gauges that you have pictured, very nice).

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ, like the look of the gauges, will wait for your review...Jim

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

been busy. met a nice guy named greg, he needs some help with his truck that just got out of paint prison. I went over and checked it out

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6ee3bc9f_b.jpgIMG_6493.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

nice 52, cheaper MII setup, 4 link and coilovers on a camaro rear. 6.2 and 4l60e and that is it. needs EVERYTHING, he has almost nothing except really nice body parts (for the truck you perverts). I wandered around it nodding till he said he wants it running/driving by summer. I told him you could work on it every single day for hours and christmas would be a stretch. he was worried about wiring the motor I told him he needs to be worried about more important things like pedals and steering for starters. he wants it fast and cheap, so i suggested he hit up a salvage yard and get some s10 parts from an older s10, column, pedals, etc. two weeks go by and he calls, wants me over in a couple minutes to install this

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...27221ee9_b.jpgIMG_6498.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...35f4421d_b.jpgIMG_6502.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

if you dont recognize it, its an upside down quarter section of an s10 cab. well I did tell him to get as much as he could haha. I took it home to take it apart. he was totally fine with me splicing in the s10 firewall section but his nice smooth firewall would look terrible after, so I made a compromise and built him some parts on my new cnc. first a 16ga angled booster plate to use the s10 booster and firewall, as well as stiffen the firewall a lot.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...77e7ea2b_b.jpgIMG_6536.JPG-1 by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...91b90c44_b.jpgIMG_6538.JPG-1 by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

then I popped out an easy gas pedal mount. the s10 gas pedal bolts on this generation are coarse thread self piercing, so I just gave it a starter hole.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ce9ac476_b.jpg60652053688__A940F6D8-6ED5-4B97-AF91-98922B8214FA.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ef381352_b.jpg60652055444__F3E40D52-8C60-4EE8-9AE1-BB8CAFE1F7F2.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

I think I will go over tomorrow with my welder and see what I can get done.

I did a small job that needed some 5/16 weld nuts, so I bought in bulk!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...652d243b_b.jpgIMG_6479 by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...53609e26_b.jpg60593656703__98E79D5D-90A6-4079-8BDD-E23106C8728A by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

last weekend was the swap meet. I got the parking brake bracket my 2 ton cab was missing to install 1/2 ton inners. I saw a red 56 bed and asked how much, it was a lot. but across the aisle was a blue bed, he had it a while and offered it for a price I had a hard time believing. it wasnt a lot but it was more than I brought, luckily my friend was there and popped out the extra, nice guy.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d3eb275d_b.jpgIMG_6452.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

then I ran into 4 more guys I knew who all pitched in and helped get it to the freight elevator, the swap meet wouldnt let me take it out the side doors.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ba880472_b.jpgIMG_6454 by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

I tell ya, for friday the 13th I sure got shown what is important in life. first a friend who loaned me $$ without even a question, and 4 more that loaded a bed without want for payment.

then for my second surprise, the guy with the red bed said "well I woulda sold mine for that". so I bought it too!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...46f4216d_b.jpgIMG_6462.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

oh yes, this thread is about bickle haha. well I got the front end out of the back of storage, by myself of course. then I started designing the core mounts.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1ab180c6_b.jpgIMG_6546.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...70bf02e6_b.jpg60653573114__209988C9-1D56-4006-96D7-CE49EDAAFC0D.JPG by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

I also cleaned up the yard from the leftover cab, after cutting out the chunks I needed.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8bef6d7b_b.jpgIMG_6510 by Rooty Tooty, on Flickr

so that brings us up to today! I used flickr for these pictures so I wouldnt have to post it all 3 times.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ, been busy is right. Nice update...Jim

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Really like the stuff you are making.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Looks like you've been at it again!

Was that the swap meet at Hutch?

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

:agree:

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

I really like your core supports, I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of the cradle mounted. Great work as usual!

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

joedoh, holy cow. it looks like you are starting your own wrecking yard. well, except it is clean and organized. lol.
I dunno how you do it but you seem to come across the good stuff. good on you.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

thanks robert and jim and bill and tin.

outlaw it was the wichita swap meet, they were only open on friday they closed it that evening for covid.

raven yeah its tough to resist the parts I need at the prices I am willing to pay. :haha:

i have what is called a "magic number", when I am looking for something the magic number is the point at which I buy. so many things lately have been under that number, so I have to buy! my blue 1 ton 52 will be delivered next week, I have a blue bed for it already and just need blue rear fenders.

I put gregs pedals in, first pic it was 1 inch low and 1 inch too far inboard, but easy to move.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585157570
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585157439
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585157439

I have a little finishing to do to it, so I will be out there one more time. the gas pedal mount worked PERFECTLY. honestly I will design a pedal holder and use this from now on, I am thinking of cutting a whole firewall section to use the 98+ s10 stuff so that I can just carve the firewall open and weld the section in, bam, done.


OH and I forgot, my battery grinder died (overuse) and so I went to find a milwaukee brushless to replace it, they have a new model, toolless disc change and brushless with brake. its a bad mudderwalker. a little heavy but takes 6" cutoff discs and so far its just the tool I didnt know I needed.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

This last pic is at a body shop near where I work. They are fixing them up one at a time. Pretty cool. They have an old Hudson in there.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

"New Flickr" account . . . . . . that's smart . :bann:
(I'm still using my free account ; and working good)(I don't want to
pony-up . . $ $ ).

So, now you can "shelter-in-place" , even more .
nice score for 'swap meet parts' , I like , a lot .
Also good call on the new 'Milwaukee tool'
Getting more miles on the cnc , too.

spell that as a Win , Win .. . . . . . jim

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

thanks twin!

b-mac they have a lot of everything.


one of the things that takes the longest on my versions of the s10 swaps, is the steering column/pedal mount assemblies. depending on the donor truck there are a couple different variants, the 82-94 style and the 95-04 style. its true you can modify the pedal mounts of the 82-94 style pretty easily to work on the AD but you cant use them with a 95+ pedal (most of my donors are 98+) and really my goal here is less time trimming and modifying and more of a "bolt in" assembly.

the first step towards that is the angled firewall plate I made a couple posts ago, I designed it to work with what I had in mind for the pedal/column mounts.

the next step was the pedal mounts. since I had both firewalls and both pedal/column mounts handy, I just did some measuring. the booster pushrod is shorter on the early trucks, and the peg is on the left, vs the longer pushrod and right peg on the late trucks. there is also a difference in width of the pedal mount, so the only common part will be the 1/8th firewall plate which for efficiency will have slots for either pedal mount cut in.

my friend said it looked like I was designing spaceships.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585429512

T1 part, some foibles, the through-bolt hole was too big and too high. I had hastily measured, and forgot GMs penchant for 7/16th bolts when I specified 1/2. cest la vie. the second part was perfect.


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585429512

next the 95+ pedal. this one a challenge because the pedal is centered on the booster instead of offset, so need room for the booster nuts. I decided on a "joggle" to give room.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585429646
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585429512

here are the differences, the first early truck part and the original pedal mount laying there too.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585429512


I have the firewall plate designed just need to cut it, and the column mounts are already designed in my mind haha. I am upstairs for lunch, I will see where I get to tonight.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ, you sir, are quite a craftsman!

Constantly evolving and taking it to the next level! Great work.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

I enjoy your work. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Russ, nice parts buddy...Jim

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Very nicely done.

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Keep those pics coming. That's some seriously nice fabrication work!

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

Will you be selling the pedal mounts?

Re: Project "Bickle" 1948 1/2 ton 4.3 4l60e
 

thanks guys, I have a lot of fun designing stuff, especially foldable stuff. my solidworks doesnt have the "sheetmetal" tool installed but autocad does, its fun planning folds in my head.

desert, I would like to make myself an easily repeatable kit and proof it by installing a few before I offer any of it for sale. currently I have fun building, not selling (parts, I sell trucks!).

this corona stuff is a perfect situation currently, my daughter and wife are home and help when they can, but my urgency is less because 1. I dont know when I would be able to sell this truck even after the panic is over and 2. I already have the parts for the next one except the engine and the details.

but progress! progress is what is needed.

first we (the whole family!) went and organized the shop again. it was full to the door and after organizing 8 beds, 3 front clips, 5 cabs, 7 hoods, 11 fenders, 21 doors, 5 sets of wheels, and a whole 56 (now with the matching bed!) there is still more room left over than my current 19x19 attached. might be time to add lights and wiring and move over even without insulation.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585756159
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585756159

the yellow bed looking out of place is for bickle, previously it was in the way back in the "47-53 beds" section :lol::lol:

I put some bends in the fuel lines and the rear brake line to make up the 14" extra distance (6.5 frame shorten, 7.5" engine move)

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585756159

it looks like they will rub together (thats bad) but I put the plastic isolators back on and the frame clips and there is no problem.

I pulled the drivers door (for the cowl repair) and the upper hinge is bad, wonder where I can find one... :lol: in fact the door itself has some weak points from being slammed open, I have a door that roughly matches the patina, so we will see how I tackle this. my plan is to build a coe after this one and it will need door mods, so maybe I will work a little on this door to repair it as some practice instead of just throwing a new door on.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585756159

the trans tunnel ALMOST lines out. right now the cab is up about 1/4" resting on the trans, but I have to move things around a little and it may fit yet.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1585756159


more today! maybe pedals and column because turning the wheels by hand sucks haha