1949 Chevy 3600 into a daily driver

[Coach529]

End of another weekend. Today was a shop cleaning day, but I did end up getting all the painted suspension parts back on Henry, as well as get the motor and tranny back into place.

I never did show a picture of the painted column support.



Bolted the headers on while air out......which brought up another obstacle.



Looks like I will need to get creative with the exhaust. I had plans if running right below the frame and exiting out wither the running board or the fender in front of the rear wheel.



Plan right now is to get a 2-1/2" dia ,mandrel bent 45 degree and cut the flange off the collector. If I can get it that welded in parallel to the ground and pointing towards the inside of the truck slightly I should be able to make it work.

[Advanced Design]

You are really making progress and no doubt will resolve the exhaust challenge.

[lower50's]

Well one thing with the dowel it will collapse in a crash. Nice welds by the way. As for the exhaust why not leave the headers and cut the pipe to mach the header? I try not to modify a bought part if I can help it.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Well one thing with the dowel it will collapse in a crash. Nice welds by the way. As for the exhaust why not leave the headers and cut the pipe to mach the header? I try not to modify a bought part if I can help it.

I hear you 100% of modifying a bought part.....but I really do not think I can make the transition without cutting the collectors.

I had planned on doing the exhaust myself, but I may have to reach out to a local guy to at least get some advice.

[reaper71]

A small piece of advice on the Exhaust...I do all my own, I usually pick up an entire kit from Speedway you get 4 pieces each of 45,90 and U bend plus straight tube for $140.00 Then I usually by the flanges like the ones on your header so it can be all removable fairly easily.

I just finished up 2 systems here recently check out (Reed 78 fj build)

Mark...

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by reaper71

A small piece of advice on the Exhaust...I do all my own, I usually pick up an entire kit from Speedway you get 4 pieces each of 45,90 and U bend plus straight tube for $140.00 Then I usually by the flanges like the ones on your header so it can be all removable fairly easily.

I just finished up 2 systems here recently check out (Reed 78 fj build)

Mark...

Thanks for the heads up.....

[BlueJeep]

I've done the last 2 myself too. Takes more time but then I can get it just like I want it. Usually when I take them somewhere I'm unhappy about something when it is done. When I do it myself I have nobody to blame but myself if it doesn't turn out right!

Looking great! Eyeballed the 97 T-bird that is waiting patiently as a parts donor for my next build this weekend. Also looked at a Mark VIII at a yard that had the aluminum center and control arms....

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

I've done the last 2 myself too. Takes more time but then I can get it just like I want it. Usually when I take them somewhere I'm unhappy about something when it is done. When I do it myself I have nobody to blame but myself if it doesn't turn out right!

Looking great! Eyeballed the 97 T-bird that is waiting patiently as a parts donor for my next build this weekend. Also looked at a Mark VIII at a yard that had the aluminum center and control arms....

If I can get the header modification figured out, the rest will be easy peazy. I am an electrician by trade, so bending pipe is pretty easy. The route I have planned is just a couple bends.

I am pretty happy with the outcome of the IRS. Seems like a bunch of work compared to a simple 4 link, but I think the final result will be better regarding ride quality and I am very pleased to have kept my stock bed height.

[Coach529]

Busy day....but no photo's to show for it.

• All air lines ran
• rear brakes lines ran
• CPP Brake Booster and MC mounted

[Coach529]

Kind of feels like the movie "Ground Hogs Day" with Bill Murray. Seems like I work on it every weekend....but the list never gets smaller......

[Advanced Design]

I know how you feel! Cool picture there and the truck looks good.

[Sim6]

It's looking good! Keep it up, getting close.
Jeff

[youngrodder]

Keep at it.....before you know it you will be back on the road and it will be soo much more enjoyable with your upgrades..

Marc

[Coach529]

Thanks for talking me off the edge guys.......some days even the shortest punch list seems never ending......

[Coach529]

Not a huge amount of progress this weekend, but I did have the camera out for some other stuff so I snapped some pictures.

The CPP mounted up great. Pretty happy with the quality after I got it in. I tried to put it in without removing the gauges, but it was a big struggle. Took the gauges out and 15 minutes later it was in place with 5 minutes worth of help from my oldest son.



I thought the unit would come with a brake switch. It did not......so I am debating on making a bracket for a stock brake light switch (Which is brand new) or spending the cash on a pressure switch.

I am not sure why.....but I really hate bending, cutting, reaming......flaring brake lines..........I guess I just really hate doing brakes......



Motor is slowly going together. Maybe a start up in the next week.



Having a heck of a time with one of the rear knuckles/ hubs on the IRS set up. Once torqued the bearing has a ton of drag. After pulling it and reinstalling it a couple times and having the same result, I swapped it with the other side today to make sure the problem was the bearing. Same result on the other side. New bearing is junk. I need to pick one up and reinstall.





That is it for today.



Hopefully this week I can get the bed on since the brake lines and air line are ran.

[youngrodder]

Looking good. Nice pics

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Bad new bearing...frustrating. Nice job root causing the issue.

I agree with Marc, nice pics!

[99 to Life]

Nice brake setup, those are similar to what I use. I actually don't mind a firewall mount set up, looks good and is much easier to get to. Get some copper nickel brake line (internet is cheapest bet) stuff won't rust and is soft so flaring is easy. You can run any indicator light into your cab for that "pressure switch". As for brake switch, those are a booger sometimes to make brackets for. I mean its easy but getting up under there and making it work with pedal assembly sometimes is tricky. Then setting it up just right so it doesn't stay on all the time.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Looking good. Nice pics

Marc

Thanks Marc!!

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Bad new bearing...frustrating. Nice job root causing the issue.

I agree with Marc, nice pics!

It is definitely frustrating. I had sent these knuckles and hubs, along with new brake rotors out to the west coast. They changed the bolt pattern from 5 x 4.25 to 5 x 4.5 and installed new bearings.

They offered to replace this bearing for free if I sent the part out there. I have a busy 2-3 weeks in the shop and need the ability to roll Henry outside. They agreed to send me a bearing at no charge and I will have a local machine shop install it.

[reaper71]

Coach529 for what it's worth, I picked up one of these tools from Eastwood last year for flaring lines for around $200.00 and it was worth Every penny!!!
You can flare lines in about 40 seconds and they come out like factory lines and No leaks.

Mark...

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by reaper71

Coach529 for what it's worth, I picked up one of these tools from Eastwood last year for flaring lines for around $200.00 and it was worth Every penny!!!
You can flare lines in about 40 seconds and they come out like factory lines and No leaks.

Mark...

I will definitely have to look into that. Thanks!!

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

Nice brake setup, those are similar to what I use. I actually don't mind a firewall mount set up, looks good and is much easier to get to. Get some copper nickel brake line (internet is cheapest bet) stuff won't rust and is soft so flaring is easy. You can run any indicator light into your cab for that "pressure switch". As for brake switch, those are a booger sometimes to make brackets for. I mean its easy but getting up under there and making it work with pedal assembly sometimes is tricky. Then setting it up just right so it doesn't stay on all the time.

I can understand why some guys want a cleaner firewall. I am not to concerned about that.

[lower50's]

When you buy new parts you expect them to work not give you more trouble. Brake setup looks great. Just remember that (as I just experienced) eventually your list is almost non existent and your driving down the road!!

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by lower50's

When you buy new parts you expect them to work not give you more trouble. Brake setup looks great. Just remember that (as I just experienced) eventually your list is almost non existent and your driving down the road!!

The list is getting smaller....but as you know, it seems the small nut and bolt stuff at the end seems to take the longest!!

I have some guys from work coming over tonight to give me a hand getting the box back on and bang out some misc stuff.

After that I am going to take a couple weeks off from the truck and spend some time building some furniture to clear my mind a bit.