KRB

Yea, that cargo light may have been a big improvement in the '70s... I'd eventually like to retrofit mine with some kind of LED so it will have a purpose. A few on here have done a version in the past. Or maybe just as a power source to LEDs on the headache rack, IDK.

Zero and 40mph gusts. Man I feel like a whimp whinning about onetime overnight 4*F lows and the 5" one-time total of snow we got... But that's been traded for the liquid version and now I'm marooned behind 17' of river backwater over our road. To each their own I reckon.

oliver foster

Well I took a few days off working on this build to do a few other things. Part was just for a change of pace, the other might have been just a case of "finaphobia", which is the fear of actually finishing a project. I worked on another '93 12V that was having clutch problems. I changed the oil in the 4 wheeler, I even took an afternoon to go ice fishing with my daughter and her friend.

Yesterday was 64F degrees up here!!.. So it was time to try and start up the rig while it was nice enough to have the shop open. I bleed the old power steering fluid off into a qt jug, by pulling the return line off the res. and sticking it in a qt bottle. I then jacked up the front axle and cranked the wheel left and right. After a couple lock to lock turns I topped off the power steering res. and repeated until I flushed out the old fluid. I purged out a QT. and 1/2 until it looked clear and didn't smell like over heated fluid anymore. I then re-attached the return line and continued to crank the steering wheel left and right slowly to purge out any air.

Then it was time...I threw in a freshly charged battery and hooked it up. I hopped in the drivers seat and turned the key. It cranked a few times, but didn't light. I cracked 2 injector lines at the injectors and cranked it over for half a sec. and it tried to start. I closed the 2 lines and hopped in again. It instantly fired up. It ran great other than I noticed a small fuel leak from what appeared to be the fuel screw on the VE pump. Maybe I nicked the o-ring when I installed it after pulling the screw out to remove the safety collar. I will pull the screw and look at it on the next wrench session.

I still have some interior dash assembly, some wires to re-connect, the rear 1/2 of the exhaust as well as a final install on the bed with shims and a bunch of the bed bolts I left off so far. Then there is the hood and grille to install, bumpers, tail lights and of course I have to clearance the front fenders for the bigger tires and the re located front axle. There is still a list of things to do, but there is clear light at the end of the tunnel.

oliver foster

I finished installing a lightly used D.E. 4 inch exhaust with the muffler option yesterday. I had been on another club cab 4x4 1st gen. The PO had spot welded the connections on then used the guillotine style exhaust clamps. I had to work a bit to disconnect the down pipe and the around the T-case pipe. The back half of the system I left all connected. I added a couple of band clamps to the sections I got apart, the rest I hung and attached with the factory DE hanger / U-bolts that come in their exhaust kits.

The bed bolts where also all installed loosely. This way I can still move things around a little to shim them up to get the body lines just right, but still have all the bolts started so I don't end up not being able to get the last few bolts to line up.
I am trying to do all the stuff that is really handy to do on the lift done, as I will need the lift for another Dodge here in the next few days.

While looking for a decent 1st gen bumper for a local guy's work truck in the melting snow next to my pole barn, I found a solid '70s style front bumper I had saved years ago off a Power Wagon, or Ramcharger. I plan on using that on this project as I like the lines better than the more squared out '93 LE style front bumper, so that made me happy.

I mocked the front bumper in place last night to get a feel for what it would look like. I also installed 35 inch tires all the way around so I could eye out the front fender clearances again. This finally gave me a good look at what the truck will look like when done. The rear of the truck sits up just over an 1 inch higher than the front which is great as I don't really like it when the back end of the truck sit down lower when un loaded, as it makes it look like it has a full diaper.

My back was hurting me a bit the last week so I worked around the injection pump leak. Being draped over the fender trying to reach things on the pump, didn't sound like it would help with the back pain. It will also be a just as easy to work on when the truck is not on the lift.

nonrev

Sounds like you have been pretty busy on the project, is Charlotte still helping with the build or is school getting in the way? (if you need some pics posted let me know) As for the back pain I would recommend not lifting more than 12oz at one time for a few days

edwinsmith

My doctor told me that when I go to the bathroom I could be endangering my health. He told me not to lift anything over 20 pounds.

thrashingcows

Being a 300lb gorilla I have back pain a plenty, I do core strengthening and stretching almost everyday....makes a word of difference. My backs a bit sore today because I was hunched over working on my daughters Neon, that's a long way down for me.

KRB

I'm only 2/3s of Thrashingcows (does that make me a chimpanzee?) but I also do daily stretches and core exercises to help compensate for 40 years of tobacco work, dry stone masonry and all the other extremes a young person puts their body through, not thinking about the future. Also some Qigong, and it all really helps. My back doesn't wear out as quick cutting, splitting & stacking wood anymore or even laying stone and leaning over a car fender for extended times isn't as bad either!

But back to truck stuff... I like those simpler 70's bumpers, what came on my stock '92 looked too chunky for me and the plastic & rubber stuff tacked on just seemed wrong on a truck. What I'd really like to score is a 70s era Warn winch bumper. Our state department had hundreds if not thousands on fleet vehicles but for the life of me I've never been able to find one, even sans winch. I guess the ones that were actually used ended up getting tweaked and bent beyond repair. My brother has a primo one on his '70s Ram Charger from South America parked in dad's barn (it could be years before he notices it missing...).

The only surprises I get here when the snow melts is discovering what part of the yard the dogs picked to do their business.

And Edwin, I always wondered why my office bathroom had urinals at two different heights. I always thought the low one was for kids and shorter folks - now I know the real reason!

oliver foster

She has been pretty busy being a senior in high school. She did help me thread the exhaust system into place, as the rear section was one big piece that was spot welded together by the P.O.. After helping me get it over the axle, around the shock and started into the piece that bends around the T-case, we strapped it into place temporarily and had dinner. I'll fine tuned the fitment and clamp it in place later by myself.

I will send you a few pictures of the progress when I get a few pictures worth showing you guys. Thanks Vern!
Today I plan on firing it up AND driving it around the shop a little bit under its own power. I need to use the shop lift for work this week. I am looking forward to moving the truck without the use of dollies and lots of pushing and pulling!

oliver foster

That is what did my back in too. Several hours hunched over and in the quad changing fluids, cleaning things up and wrapping the exhaust in header wrap to reduce heat. Sure makes me appreciate working on the old 1st gens.

nonrev

Does that header wrap help? mine gets hot after awhile as well

oliver foster

Yes the header wrap and a bunch of stick on aluminum heat shield on the rear fender that runs close to the muffler did help. I just used the 2 inch wide fiberglass roll stuff and some metal zip ties, just like you would on your old muscle cars headers in the 70's. Napa had it on the shelf.
The girls would comment on it being hot against their leg on rides, so fixing that was on the pre season list as was the spark plug [been a WHILE since I had one of those in my hands] and a change of all oils, grease the few spots you can, ETC.

oliver foster

I just DROVE the truck for the first time in just over a year!
I fired it up instantly the first turn of the key and I drove it around the shop, to free up my lift. The transmission shifted well, the clutch seemed to be working great and the steering was smooth. The brakes also worked nicely as I moved it around a tight space.
I would have taken in up and down the driveway for a short test drive but it is 50F degrees again today and my driveway is part melting corn snow, part mud bog and definitely a sloppy mess. I would prefer to not have to work under the bed on the last of the wiring and bed bolt shimming with it covered in dirt.

I am calling that a win.

KRB

Progress!

Just how big is your shop anyway? Sounds to be a nice size to do all that maneuvering. I assume you never got it into second gear though...

oliver foster

The shop is roughly 50x80FT, so yeah I never saw 2nd gear.
I drove it forward 50 FT, backed it parallel parking style 35 ft to the driver's side, then 15 forward and back to straighten it out. So I got to use the clutch a few times and make several transmission shifts, along with brake and steering tests.

oliver foster

My buddy stopped by late this afternoon, We had a beer, we discussed the wild, warm spring weather and our winter projects that need finishing.... While I had the extra set of hands I had him help me install the hood back on the hinges, as that is a crappy one person job.