This is a “catch up” update. Sometimes these updates are harder than working on the truck especially when I let them pile up. lol Starting where I left off in my last post, some of this happened a month ago or better but I will bring the story to current status.
I've been having so much fun bolting on new parts lately!
I wet sanded and buffed out the dash, roof and kick panels, then got to put some of the dashboard back together. A new gauge bezel sure brightened things up as well as a new glove box emblem & ignition bezel. While I had the cluster apart, I polished the lens so that too looks like new. A new dash pad was also installed.
The maroon color is not reproduced so my only choice was to vinyl spray it. I bought a new red one and changed it to the correct shade of maroon. Looks fantastic! I sprayed the top of the dash with a matching satin finish maroon just as the factory did. (pic #1)
I will be vinyl spraying the new seat upholstery and to freshen up the original maroon door panels too. This truck had a "color keyed" floor mat so it too will probably get the vinyl spray treatment. A black repro mat is just waiting to be installed.
I was a little skeptical about using vinyl spray at first but I did a pair of sun visors a while back and am very impressed with the turn out. Unless you were told, you would think they were always maroon and certainly not painted!
Of course as soon as this restoration is over, the resto parts makers WILL come out with all the maroon parts! LOL
The steering column I did in gloss maroon and it's at this time I noticed the 4 way knob broken off. (VERY common with these) Some repro turn signal switches don't have this red knob and also require a small adaptor for the wiring harness. That didn't fly with me so a trip to a local junkyard scored a good used one. A nice original signal lever was the finishing touch. Well, actually a nice steering wheel is still needed to finish off the column so the hunt goes on for that. The original wheel is just too far gone to repair. (Pic #2)
While it doesn't really look like much progress at this point, this part of the build seems to be taking a lot longer than I thought it would. It's the details that take so much time. Those are the things that will catch the eye so I'm taking the extra time to do all I can to make things correct now.
Another hold up is all the little things I DIDN'T know I still needed! I was certain I had everything I needed to put this back together and by looking at the pile of new parts I collected, you would have thought so too however everyday I find something else I have to order. Just the little things like fabric wire loom for the temp wire, correct tower clamps for the hoses, etc, etc.
There are very few things I will add or change on this truck as the goal is strict original but you'll notice the really cool light/switch panel I mounted to the left side of the column.
This truck had a very crude piece of angled metal with a few switches "thrown" in and no indicator lights. None of them matched and they weren't even sitting straight! (and don't get me started on the electrical wiring mess to go along with those!)
I found this really cool switch panel in an I.H. wrecker in the same junkyard I got this truck from. It's not homemade either as it had an Ernest Holmes sticker on it. I did shorten it a bit as it originally had 2 holes to the left where a PTO & warning light would go and I removed that name tag. (I can't have a Holmes name on my Wreckmaster!) (pic #3)
I will be adding an old brake light switch under the PTO knob that comes through the floor hump that will activate the red light on the panel when the knob is raised up to indicate the PTO is engaged. Not like I wouldn’t hear that chain “whirring” away on the winch to let me know but just for the cool factor.
On the other side of the firewall, I've been busy hooking everything up that will be needed to fire the engine up. This too is taking alot of time but worth spending now so everything is done correct. I even put the "R" back on the firewall above the heater box with a black grease pencil! It's the only marking this truck had from the factory and one of those details that will catch the eye. (I almost wish there were more factory markings!) (pic #4 and pic #5)