41DegreesSouth Build Thread

[spike38]

Just a thought for you.
Tack the rockers,
Then fit the door,
Before welding the rocker the rest of the way.
Then pull your inner rocker to the rocker and clamp it.
That way, You don't distort your rocker shape.
They are pretty flexible.

And if this is old news to you,
Just tell me to shut the he!! up. LOL

Spike

[Billhilly]

Just an illusion. It has sprung a bit, but only a few mm's.

[Billhilly]

Thanks Spike. I'm learning as I go, so any advise appreciated!

[spike38]

Someone else recommended this to me.
One side fit great the first time.
The other side, I had to break the spot welds,
And message the panel, To get it to fit right.
But it's better to find out early.

Spike

[Billhilly]

Just a quick update to let you's know I haven't been sitting on my hands all summer. Just most of it! Nah, I worked right through Christmas/New Year and then had a week off with the girls late last month.
I am making progress. On one side! Certainly interesting fitting the Tiawan parts to origonal parts. To say the least. Quite a bit of head scratching. Anyway only have the outer rocker to fit on the left side now. As said before, have done cab supports, kick panel, inner rocker/floor, bottom of A and B pillers, outer rocker, and rear cab corner. The A piller patch needed quite a bit of massaging, and when it came to the outer rocker it was to short. Had to lenghten it a quarter inch at the back end.
Anyway another morning and I should just about have the first side sown up. It'll be much quicker on the second side right!

[Billhilly]

Moving slowly along. As of yesterday got the left side pretty much stitched up. Had to stretch the rocker, and quite a bit of massaging all round. Pretty much standard stuff huh? Anyway looks ok ish. Need to get stuck in to the other side and get 'er done. Continue to pick away at sorting out a wiring loom. Been talking to AAW about modifying one of there Classic Update looms
to work with RHD. Making some progress now I think.
Anyway, pics. Getting closer to rust free (er)!

[1985-GMC]

Lookin good! Keep em coming.

[swamp rat]

Yea lookin good, cant wait untill i can be in a position to do that.. Hopefully this summer.

[67chevy1series]

i love this build......

[Billhilly]

Thanks guys. This site is great all round. Great information and very cool to be able to share with a like minded group. Great motavation to not be the slacker I am at heart!

[67chevy1series]

i like how you have one of the only pass. side driving trucks, its awsome!

[Billhilly]

Already another month later, but I have made some progress. Yes I should post more regular like, sorry.
Interesting what I am learning as I go. Anyway the right side wasn't as bad as the left. Only minor work on the A and B pillars. Sand blasted them and patched the bottoms. At least I could look across at the side I had already finished.
Then found the door didn't line up very well with the B pillar. Well the bottom half anyway. Picked the spot welds off and managed to get it looking alot better.

[Billhilly]

Once I had the inner rocker in I tipped it on it's nose and did the rear cab support. Finished up the left side underneath as well and cleaned up some underseal and muck from the underside. First photo shows all bits on except right outer rocker. Really been spoilt with the cab dolly and being able to sit it up on the hoist and get it at just the right working height.

[Billhilly]

Even though the A and B pillars were near origonal, when I put the outer rocker on it sat pretty nice at the back end but was nearly a quarter inch in at the front (compared to the door skin). It also had quite a large bow outwards over the length of the door. Don't know what the professionals do, but I put some quarter inch bar on the bottom of the inner rocker, sliced and diced the outer rocker, and stuck the outer rocker on. As of last night it is basically done. You can see it still has a bulge at the back, but the overall line is good, as is the gap between door/rocker.

[Billhilly]

Work is suffering, the kids are hungry, but I've got a nearly rust free cab! Another big chunk of the rebuild behind me, I need to keep the momentum going into the winter. Get the cab onto the chassis and keep at it. Time will tell!

[RCbowtie69]

looking good & nice work & keep on truckin''

[wholio]

Originally Posted by Billhilly

Slowly, slowly. Kids were away for a month, and I was going to get it on it's wheels. Yeah right! Major delays included wrong front leaf springs (a whole nuther story) and worn rear diff housing (not resolved yet). Anywhoo, transfer case rebuilt, new filter and front seal in the tranny, new sump gasket and intake on the motor, a lick of paint, a cross of the fingers (as to how long the motor will last!) and a least I got them in the chassis. Have been working on the exhaust, and really enjoying that. Had an inverter arc, had bought a tig torch a year ago, so finally got a bottle of gas and have been tig welding (badly) the exhaust up. Just tacked so far. And as you can see a couple of changes up front. Last pic shows mock up of new front shocks, sway bars, and RHD set up. Wasn't going to show this until it was all done..... your eyesight might be fading by then.
Currently working on hanging the muffler boxs, and sway bar brackets. The mufflers (Flowmaster 44's) are going outside the chassis, between rear tyre and back of cab (propane tanks inboard). Was going to dump staight out of them (towards the ground) but am now going to try and get a pipe at least behind the rear wheels. I don't mind it loud, but have to be able to drive past horse's and riders on the road. Also have enough stock (cows) on the road that I've got to be able to drive through without spooking. I was concerned if I just dumped it out, neighbours wouldn't be happy!
Making progress, slowly! Let us know what you think.

Bill.

Mods, if you want to move this to 'Projects and Builds' that would be cool. Thanks.

hey i was wondering what kinda steering pump is that?

[Billhilly]

Thanks RC!

Wholio, it's out of a late model Dodge.

Got the rocker sorted, and that finished up the main patch panel work! Pictures don't really show much, but it look's ok in real life. Don't know what I really thought it was going to be like, but wow, there was quite a bit of head scratching involved in that (removing the rust) process. Behind me now. Remember kids, pay more and save money, buy rust free!!
Moved straight onto finishing up the firewall including one of Nate Porter's mirror panel and blower delete deals. A real time saver. Thanks Nate!
Got that squared away. Made the low hump into a no hump then....

[Billhilly]

Tried to find a picture of someone really squinting in the sun.
I rolled the chassis outside. Over five years since me and my daughter drove it in there!! Anyway my Dad gave me a hand and we shifted it into the main workshop (with the gantry) and put the cab on the chassis! Another step forward right? I now have to work on auto tranny linkage, inner guards, LPG converter mounting, and general firewall finishing details. All much smaller jobs, so I am hopeing the momentum will continue.
Will get some better pictures next sunny day.

[RCbowtie69]

Looking good,keep on truckin''

[dammitmitchell]

nice to see the weather is being good to you!

looking great man.. freaking great.

[1985-GMC]

Lookin good!

[Billhilly]

Sun was shining again and I really need to take work a bit more seriously this week! So I rolled her out of the main shop for some vitamin D!

[1985-GMC]

Very nice! Is that a new bumper on the front?

[Billhilly]

But not before I got a few more jobs done. Sorted out the transmission linkage cable brackets. Creating a bit of a nightmare on the right inner guard inner edge but couldn't really see any cleaner way of doing things.
Mounted the fuel pump up and started to look at running cables for heater control taps, lpg carb etc. Basically trying to do all the openings on the firewall. Accelerator pedal mods and new cable are next. Ordered an AAW Classic Update loom (with a 'few' mods) so I can get that preinstalled as well. So many details.

I was going to put head rests in the original bench seat but wonder if that would just look too weird because it is a low back. Even at 5'10" my head (rest position) is well above half way up the rear window. I wanted them for crash protection, but now wonder if I can just leave it be. Worse case senerio is I end up smacking my head on the rear window right!?!

A little closer to that rumbling sound.