Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Just an update. Outside a carb and compressor rebuild, and a few other accessories. I'm nearly done pending paint prison. I'm currently installing brackets and such on the long block. Some of the "new" stuff don't fit like the old, powder coat will do that. I gave into selected NOS Wittek clamps. I just need to solve the radiator hose clamps, though I likely won't install tower clamps. Things are looking nice, I'll take some pics in a few weeks of "phase 1 of 3".

Other than that, I like trivial stuff. I took notes on how to assemble this truck, right down to the bolts, but just realized this connection (triangles) as I'm rebuilding it. Almost like it was a kit?

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Still a few components I can add yet, but for the most part "phase 1 of 3" is done.

Failed on the first valve cover gaskets. They were too thin, and I perhaps blew it expecting the body/paint guy to flatten out the valve covers. Where there's a will there's a way, I ended up flattening the surfaces yesterday. Pillows, hammers and straight edges got her done cleanly. I ordered Moroso gaskets, which are basically 4-5 X the cost. I don't mind spending $45 if it means no leaks. Hopefully they do the trick.

It's all on phase 2 now, which is body and paint, and I'm not doing much of either.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Wow that’s coming together nicely.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Some venting. Waiting for my painter to get motivated, we need to dry run the body. That said, I haven't pulled the trigger on the last bolt package yet:lol: I won't be using the same bolt twice:chevy: Haven't spent a dime on my truck in months, but today I made up for it buying an NOS RH skirt fender. Shipping cost was more than a replacement fender, but I figure WTH, I've come this far.

It's a trying time man. My mother is dying of cancer, and going quickly. She beat it to **** for 20 years, breast and lung cancer. Now lung again and pancreas, she's done. You should see my mom, she's a remarkable woman.

My stepdad has dementia badly, and fadeing fast. He's 4 years older (88) than she, and he's waiting for her to die. They're polar opposites. My mom's brain is as sharp as can be. He's a marine and physically fantastic, even after smoking cigs since he was seven. Now he's having anger issues, a transition. I saw him blow four times this week. I spend a lot of time for them. The yard was a disaster, I've pulled five c20 truck loads, and there's three more to go. Fixed/installed this and that. Steep hill and neglected, I'm kind of worn out, it's hot out there:waah:

Mother is fighting against adopting hospice. Some of that is because she's intelligent, she knows the med. insurance business as well as anyone. She doesn't want to give up either, but she knows. My brother suggests putting my stepdad in a home right now, because he went off on him at super. He actually had it coming, that's what you get when you condescend the proud with moments of confidence and cognizance. Tough conversation, but doing my diligence pending.

And looks like I get not one but two German Shepard's. Can't wait for that, my ex-wife already drops our four dogs off every work day.......Ha!. Good thing I'm retired.

Edit, after all that looks like I get one German Shepard starting tomorrow. My step-dad has been abusing him.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Wow that’s a lot! The truck will wait patiently for family needs.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Yep, thank you 68

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Sorry to hear Tony, very trying times.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Difficult times for sure man. When I was in that situation in 2014, I'd say it was the hardest time I can remember for me. Everything you do for them now you will never regret, but you probably knew that. Remarkable moms make remarkable men... You're doing the right thing, and this is a great place to "vent".

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Thank you for kind words.

We all go through it for sure. 2011 was a real challenge, you wouldn't believe. We took a dozen or so on the chin. My son even more so, because someone swiped his very clean 80s 4-runner, and he spent 8 days in the hospital with cellulitis. No insurance and he missed the fishing boat.

To top it all off, New Years struck (2012), and soon after a guy in the road above my place was yelling into the valley. It was peculiar by itself, because the only animals yelling around here are coyotes and dogs........ I didn't know if to calm him down, offer a shoulder or have him arrested. That said it was fitting somehow, so I just stayed in the house while he continued for 10-15 minutes. His business, but it was clear 2011 was too much.

My mom's dog lives here now. Really, she says he adopted me. She's probably not wrong. He does well here, but my lab isn't happy about it. It will workout.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Hang in there Tony. I'm sorry to hear about you mom. I hope she is comfortable. Pete

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Thanks Pete.

Three guys showed up Saturday and we slapped the cab on. Then the primary body/paint guy (Josh) and I spent the next 13 hours building the truck body. Turns out my truck was broadsided on the passenger side, it bent up the pillar, lots of door bondo, and they replaced the rocker too. They did a nice job on the rocker, but we spent 4-5 hours on the RH side cab and door. It finished better than the drivers side. I suspect the original owner got rid of the truck following the accident. I say that because of the $300 paint job it had when I found it, back in 1989. It was parked on a car lot. The original owner was an old man.

The body lines are fantastic, we're ecstatic. There's just one area that might use more attention, he's bringing some contraption to do it.

IMO we improved on the original doors. He took a 2x4 and hammer to the lower front doors to blend in with the fenders and rockers. We bent the ears of the cowl panel to blend as well, it's going to be slick. Josh is real good. I could spend a month on it and still not close, but what do I know.

Next run we drop the bed, fit moldings and inner fenders. Then we get to blast it apart for paint. Three guys are going to do the paint/body. Josh's brother and a friend, they all work at the same shop. The bed is mostly done, including body color. I may actually finish this by spring 2021:lol:

Other than that the old cab mounts had what folks call shims. An 1/8" on each corner of this cab to be exact. IMO "shims" is misleading, I believe the plates are required, at least for the original mounts. They may be optional for the cushions I'm using, which are good quality, but we used plates. The replacement core support cushions are good quality too, but I needed to add a wide washer under the bottom cushion, because the cushion spilled over the supplied washer long before I hit minimum 35 ft. lbs. torque. This may be a case you just don't tighten down much, but I torqued the mounts to the common minimum settings of 35/35/70 ft. lbs. The cushions look great and we're level and square.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Oooooh. Nice progress. Looks like a fun day. Getting more great all the time.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Well my mom passed. That's a good thing, she's no longer in pain.

We're three busy boys right now. I call it therapeutic to extent. My brothers get too excited about things, you wouldn't believe. I watched one brother spin in circles complaining for many hours while "we" cleaned the garage today, which was heavy on mouse turds and hoarding. My brother is going through a lot, because my mother finally accomplished what she's desired for three plus decades. That's my brother tell his kids he has another daughter, and they finally meet. My brother has never met his daughter. She's included in the obituary, so he had no choice, and this was long past due. He has two beautiful daughters, and they look so much alike. On top of that our half sister died the day after my mom.

Word to the wise, Hospice and in-home care aren't worth a chit. In home didn't show for the interview. We thought we had things figured out, though they couldn't start for another two days. My mother passed a day earlier. Hospice showed with a hospital bed, morphine and a port-potty. During the week the RN checked on her once, a CNA gave her a bath, and they showed up to pronounce her gone. Then the RN showed up the next day and asks how my mom's doing. We recognized days before her passing it was all on us, so that's what we did.

We all go through these times, it's part of life. I figure if you can't recognize the bad it's not possible to recognize the good. Mom hasn't left any signals yet, but she will in time. I say that with great confidence.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

My condolences Tony.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Sorry for your loss Tony.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

I just read your entire build thread, excellent job. Very sorry for your loss

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Sorry for your loss.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Thanks all, appreciate it. Some great people on this site, I feel like I know some and never met one. Come to think of it one, but he's not on the site too much.

Looking forward to that next chapter. That won't come too soon, but it will. Gonna get this truck done too. My mom really wanted to see it through, she'll catch an eye of it from above. Nobody expected THIS project. Oh sure, I'll have it done in a few years:lol:

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Sorry to hear about your mom Tony. I understand what it's like, and I agree with you about it being a blessing, no more pain. My mom passed in October 2013 after battling lung cancer for just about a year. I watched her become a shell of her former self in that time and my wife and I took care of her for most of that time. I would love it if she were still around but I felt like it was a blessing, ending the suffering. This build is incredible, and the amount of research and documentation is as well.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Sorry for your loss sir, you know now she's in a better place.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

She is, thank you.

Boy my life right now............Ha. It happens. By brothers are battling, and the "vultures" are at bay. I've seen it before, wasn't unexpected. I get another Shepard come Tuesday, makes six dogs (WTH?) See, I probably didn't clean my floors often enough beforehand, but I can't go more than two weeks with the first Shepard, and the next sheds twice as much:lol: She's not long for this world, primarily because her hind-legs are shot. Doesn't have any teeth either, beautiful smile. She's quite a story BTW.

Course I'm working on their place, I didn't realize they were hoarders, won't bore you with the details. The Lt. Col. goes into a memory care center on Tuesday. I even spent a few hours back to center this week;) Looking forward to a lot more.

As for my build, good timing, I can't do anything without body/paint anyway. Think I'll call the guy, set up another day.

Speak of the build, I was well clueless coming into this project. Some suggest I built myself off the road. Heck I don't know, they might be right. Perhaps I may trailer the thing on occasion, but I didn't build this to show. I'll still drive it, but seems the money pit needs a truck to pull it. My 4.7 Tundra won't cut it, and forget about the dog C20.

So my mother left me a real nice Highlander, basically new. Too nice for me, I can't use it. That and all the bells and whistles these days are a bother, I stopped at A/C, though power locks are cool. Anyway, mother really left me a 5.7 Tundra I don't have yet. That will be the second (*^()^ truck I've bought for my truck:lol: What a disaster;)

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

I haven't been here in a while and wasn't sub'ed so missed a lot. Sorry to hear about your mother.

I lost my mother in February. She ran strong until last Thanksgiving and her blockage got to the point her heart gave out. She was only bedridden about 4 weeks. My sis didn't want her to go to the nursing home so she took care of her the first week, but found out that was virtually impossible for one person. Her doctor, a family friend, got her into hospice, but a patient can only stay in a hospice house 7 days.

Your right, Medicare rules for hospice suck. They sent her home, and the professional in home care is terrible. We lucked out and found a group of independent caregivers to sit with her 24/7 and they were a godsend. It was expensive but Fortunately she could afford it.

I have two sisters and a brother, and we go through the estate close out with out a cross word. I am very fortunate to have siblings that get along with no vultures.

The only hiccup we had was her house. She moved in the nicest house she had ever had 7 years ago and she wouldn't let me set it up to transfer on death. I don't know why, but she was getting older and just had a thing about it. I had all her other affairs taken car of but we are just now getting that house through probate.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Didn't hijack at all, I appreciate the post. Sorry for your loss. My mother was real particular. A lot has come easy, but a lot to go yet. I spent 25 hours in her office this week, YIKES. Must be 1K pens and 4K greeting cards.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Someone asked about cab cart plans. I looked at my old plans and noticed they could use some clarifications, so here's an improved version, I deleted the other. Sorry it's a small image. I can copy/paste from original if needed. EDIT: Forgot to mention the plans don't account for the six 4x4s I used instead of four. Taylor to your heart's content. I'd never lifted a cab before, this cart can handle a lot more, it's very heavy. That said, before working inside, better to secure the sides somehow than discover you should have.

I also built a platform to lay the cab on its back. It bolts onto the cab cart. The picture is of the frame only. With foam rubber padding the platform is level with the cab cart.

Re: Build that 71 402 already
 

Cool deal.
That will help a lot of people.
This is a good platform design.:metal:








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