47-55.1 55 years ago I was given this USAF 54 3100

[joedoh]

bet it has really nice steering feel now, I switch from rag joints and factory knuckles on the s10s and the u joints make the old stuff feel like you were steering soup.

[vintovka]

Pics of new steering box and shaft. Wheel is straight and drives very very well. Truck is an old survivor with heavy duty frame patches as you can see.

[vintovka]

Thanks. Just going for HFS (hell for stout) over "show pretty". Just like me the truck shows a lifetime of scars - each with a memory

Since you asked boring story/rant ahead:

As for rebuilt eyeballs i always had poor vision. As a kid i could not tell a friend from an enemy at 10'. Really bad deal growing up in East LA and makes you downright mean as well. About 3 years ago i was about legally blind even with thickest glasses made, When we escaped to OR saw a specialist up in Medford. Thought i had common age related cataracts but he took one look and said you have "Fuiks Disease". While i'm thinking i'm "Fuiked" he says "i can fix that" like "Bones" on Star Trek. Proceeds to yank and replace both corneas, both lens, clean out all the junk then zaps the floaters with a laser. The result is nothing less than a miracle. Crystal clear, brilliant. near 20-20 vision. All done out cold (and out patient too). California medical care, like the rest of that 3rd world state, sucks BTW. If anyone wants particulars PM me.

[VWNate1]

THANK YOU ! .

That was a good story and no ranting .

I'm still in So. Cal. and I hope to die here (not soon but I'm old & crippled) , I'm sadly aware of how rough E.L.A. can be, it's still easier than where I grew up Down East, no fun being a kid in the mean streets .

I hope my truck never gets the scars I carry .

My vision isn't great (far sighted) but it's good to know there are options .

I'm waiting for Kaiser to offer cochlear surgery, a lifetime of working on machines and riding motos etc, has left me deaf =8-( .

Keep on moving, you're a great example to young folks .

[vintovka]

Since truck is confined for to quarters next 3 months due to Oregons Monsoon season. (near 3" just now) will be doing just small stuff. The tilt column (87 GMC Van) still has some rattle/play and will be installing a rebuilt kit with 2 new upper bearings. Wound up with 2 complete rebuilt kits so if someone wants one at half price let me know.

Also will be doing lots of rewiring. Most will be repairing all the "pot head wire grafting" along with some of my own shoddy work.

Debating whether to rewire the auto controlled radiator fan so it shuts down when engine is off. Right now it runs until temp is down to 195F with engine off. Tired of folks hearing the fan and telling me i left the engine running. Pretty cool here next to the ocean so not really necessary to run after shut down.

As always theres something that needs attention -- which is just fine (if within my ability) Speaking of us old folks working on these i thought i'd pass one something i got from our wonderful small town Doctor. Its some stuff called Voltaren and is a dermal (skin) topical steroid cream. I use it after a day (2 hours now) of wrench bending. Not a miracle but takes edge off "post work pain" especially in hands (from thinking you have same strength at mid 70's as you did when 19). Like they say on TV - "doesn't stink either" . Effect is somewhat enhanced by responsible doses of beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dsraven]

double wall shrink tube
good set of crimpers that does more than flatten out the connector
heat gun to shrink the tube

for the fan why not wire it so you can do either option. then on hot days after a run the engine will have time to cool down after you walk into the coffee shop

next time you are at the doc office ask about diclofenac, same stuff as the voltaren except available in different strengths. works great. comes in a cream from pharmacy. apply a bit before you're gonna do some stuff or afterwards when the hurtin gets harder to handle. just don't get all superman when the pain is masked from the diclofenac. lol.

have fun, post pics.

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by dsraven

"double wall shrink tube
good set of crimpers that does more than flatten out the connector
heat gun to shrink the tube

for the fan why not wire it so you can do either option. then on hot days after a run the engine will have time to cool down after you walk into the coffee shop

next time you are at the doc office ask about diclofenac, same stuff as the voltaren except available in different strengths. works great. comes in a cream from pharmacy. apply a bit before you're gonna do some stuff or afterwards when the hurtin gets harder to handle. just don't get all superman when the pain is masked from the diclofenac. lol.

have fun, post pics.

Good advice. Taking time to solder connections now with single wall heat shrink -- never heard of double wall

Will take your advice and wire Fan with option. Already have an override switch to turn it on when ever needed.

Yes diclofenac same as voltaren and 1% does the job and covered by Medicare for us old farts. About $30 tube on Amazon. One tube can last for years. The releif is fast but overdoing it after is not wise. I found applying immediately after an injury helps too. Like when concrete garage floor jumps up and smacks you. Funny enough, i have a tube in my tool box out in garage. FWIW nice fitting nitrile gloves can help us old. literally thin skinned, folks. Used to be bullet proof Now i am Bullet Bait. You young guys may laugh but, if fortunate enough, your time will come.

[vintovka]

Crappy harbor freight mechanics roll around seat lost a caster and dumped me on the back of my head couple weeks ago. Still hurts. if you have one toss it (or take it back) before its too late. Those ones with flush Allen head retainers have a real bad history and known to strip caster threads at critical moments.

[VWNate1]

Yes, I got a low boy creeper for $10 because of that .

The deal is : those crappy casters loosen up and unless you immediately stop working and tighten them they'll fail soon after .

There's a reason we call it "Harbor Fright" .

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Yes, I got a low boy creeper for $10 because of that .

The deal is : those crappy casters loosen up and unless you immediately stop working and tighten them they'll fail soon after .

There's a reason we call it "Harbor Fright" .

They have a very serious and dangerous design/materials defect. The insert and studs will strip regardless of tightening or loctite. Told them about it and they never responded (they know all about it). Sent pics and Professional Mechanical engineering opinion to a Product Safety Attorney. They very are interested. Put yours away and wait - might be worth it,

[VWNate1]

Naw ;

I knew it was crap when I bought it .

As a Journeyman Mechanic I understand the value of good tools, as a fat guy (200 + #) I've been beating the snot out of creepers for decades, I'll make up some sort of gusset where the frame failed and go forward....

Harbor Freight has allowed me to do many jobs for 1/4 the price, I know the tools are cheaply designed and made, as long as I get one or two jobs out of them I'm O.K. with that, whenever I notice a tool failing I take it apart and discard it so no one else gets hurt if they find it in my scrap metal bin .

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Naw ;

I knew it was crap when I bought it .

As a Journeyman Mechanic I understand the value of good tools, as a fat guy (200 + #) I've been beating the snot out of creepers for decades, I'll make up some sort of gusset where the frame failed and go forward....

Harbor Freight has allowed me to do many jobs for 1/4 the price, I know the tools are cheaply designed and made, as long as I get one or two jobs out of them I'm O.K. with that, whenever I notice a tool failing I take it apart and discard it so no one else gets hurt if they find it in my scrap metal bin .

Don't care if a one time use tool breaks its when one can really hurt/kill you that concerns me. Especially when the manufacturer doesn't want it known.

[Jesse Z]

Originally Posted by vintovka

They have a very serious and dangerous design/materials defect. The insert and studs will strip regardless of tightening or loctite. Told them about it and they never responded (they know all about it). Sent pics and Professional Mechanical engineering opinion to a Product Safety Attorney. They very are interested. Put yours away and wait - might be worth it,

Mine did the same thing. I put lock washers on the caster mounts. Its been solid now for several years. I hate it when guys get sue-happy and make products expensive or unavailable for the rest of us. Hey, if you can't even make a seat work right, how are you going to make your car drive safely on the road? ;-)

[VWNate1]

Oh, yes ~ I understand that completely .

I have some horror stories about failed coil spring compressors and so on....

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by Jesse Z

Mine did the same thing. I put lock washers on the caster mounts. Its been solid now for several years. I hate it when guys get sue-happy and make products expensive or unavailable for the rest of us. Hey, if you can't even make a seat work right, how are you going to make your car drive safely on the road? ;-)

I cannot see anyway to fix it except welding caster base to frame. As said earlier i bought one that longer thru studs are retained by cap nuts and has a thicker seat for under $30 shipped. Like night and day and stopped worrying every time i moved when on it. Back of my head still hurts and will have doc take a look and maybe get some better migrane stuff.

[vintovka]

Well back to old truck.. I have an enormously cheap ($16) Pyle radio with a remote, Having it installed in glove box has been somewhat a problem. Keeping the glove box open to use the remote negates its purpose and poses a safety issue as does operating the radio manually. Leaving it open either with or without a passenger is not good idea either. I researched and found very little.. Asked a radio shop and they suggested an IR relay. Found one on net. And IT WORKS!!!. Heres the relay: Cable Matters Infrared Remote Extender Cable, IR Repeater Cable - 10 Feet


Per Pics (and lack of $) I put the receiver on the dash below windshield . Hung transmitter on small L in front of radios built in receiver and ran power to a aux cigarette lighter receptacle and a .99 store USB plug with an led power light. They have better stuff but I used what I had in keeping with rest of truck. I tried the remote in my cheapy cell phone holder and it WORKS! So a 16 buck radio, 10 buck relay and a .99 cent USB plug = a $27 solution. The usb led acts as a --wait for it -- a cheapy courtesy light!!

[VWNate1]

I'm curious : where did you buy the radio for $16 ? .

I ASS-U-ME a junkyard or yard / tag sale, something like that ? .

Long long ago I learned that most factory radios don't look fancy but when connected to good quality speakers and maybe a decent amplifier, they'll out sound most of the kiddies !! LOOK AT ME !! flashing crappy, distorted systems .

[vintovka]

Nope brand new $16 delivered. For those who been out of the automotive electronics (like me) its a shock. Google Pyle radios at Walmart.com and you may find ones from $13 to $39.95 that can only be described as astounding. AM, fm, sd, MP3, bluetooth.USB ports headphone jacks, remote controls. the works. Last device this old truck had was a 4 track and it was stolen in 1971!!. The guts of these current "radios" only take up the front inch or so of the case . The rest is mostly empty. I use the sd and down load all the 60s-80d music i like.

Heres a link to spendy sub $20 one thats only a couple inches deep. the short depth on some of these would really help with limited AD dash space.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dual-Elec...ll&athena=true

[VWNate1]

Wow .

I don't need all that crap but that's amazing .

I have old Becker's that work fine and have amazing sound quality, $14 each from my local junkyard .

I bought a portable CD player and $1 cassette adapter thing-a-ma-jig (technical term there) and used it a few times then decide it's too much hassle .

My '82 240D came to me with a new (then) Kenwood CD player in the dash, it works fine, I play CD's in it when I'm traveling long distance or when my Foster boys want to hear my pre war Blues or other old man music .

[vintovka]

Youre really dating yourself. Cassettes are long obsolete and CDs have about disappeared. The SD card will be the end tech for me and even it faces obsolescent from smart phones. In car wireless bluetooth is also available. Still have one 4 track tape -- Beatles. Its right next to my brick phone and telegraph key. Few have ever seen any of them.

[VWNate1]

I can dig it .

I have a candlestick telephone next to my bed and Princess 'phones in my kitchen cabinet, bought many decades ago to make the girlfriends happy, now they don't care and hate the dial....

As long as I can motorvate I'm happy, I don't need no stinkin' radio .

Candlestick telephone : https://www.google.com/search?source...31.KgT9ck9-t_w

[vintovka]

Going to the beach almost every non rainy day and doing the little stuff. You can see how crowded it is up here.

Today i Rewired the electric radiator fan. The clowns who installed wired it direct to that battery, so the fan kicked on when engine/key was off. They used several pieces of old wire as well. I Rewired with one hot wire to key on power and added a bypass switch to turn it on at any temp if needed. Still get honks and waves traveling from home to Post Office in "town". Its in the corner of the general store

[VWNate1]

Actually ;

Running it live is the best way as after a hard run in Summer you'll want to fan to keep running a while after shut down of engine, if you put the thermo switch in the radiator outlet or upper radiator tank it'll only run a short while then shut off, reducing HEAT SOAK ~ a very bad thing indeed .

That beach is -so- crowded, I don't know how you stand it .

[vintovka]

Thanks but truck rarely gets above 195 when running and takes a while for switch to go on at 198. Barely gets to 210 when stopped. Kinda tired of folks telling me i left engine on. I have an over ride now and can reconnect direct hook up easily so kinda covered.

Yes often only folks on beach or road. Very nice and no worries thanks to CCW.

[losdudes]

Just read your thread, great job on the truck. BTW USAF, Okinawa 72-73