Once we get closer to the end we'll get some of the old globe-style strobe lights on top of the boom structure.
Ohhh, that's some serious coolness going on right there! edit. The whole project, not necessarily the strobe lights
Engine is in the frame, just heard it fire up a little while ago. Will get pictures when I find some good batteries for the camera.
Engine in frame pics! It does run, we're getting the radiator sealed up before we can run it long enough to get tuned in. Also started work on the floor of the cab, cutting out the pan so it can get channeled down and patched. Before: And after:
Building the lowered body mounts If you can compare with the picture below, the running boards should now be even with the bottom of the wheel so it'll be pretty low down there.
Radiator mounted, electric fan installed, coolant topped off, a little fuel to the pump........ This thing sounds WICKED. Idles well and revs out pretty nicely even before we've set the timing and synced/adjusted the carbs. I cannot get over the sound out of the open headers. If only I had a decent mic/recording tool.............
Also, funny to watch, the PTO is stuck engaged and the shaft keeps turning the big metal drum that used to reel the cable.
Oh my god that looks beautiful! YOU HAVE TO GET A VIDEO OF IT RUNNING. Shi, even a cell phone video hosted on youtube is better than nothing.
Got some painting done on the frame/transmission. Not bad for brushing it on Hard to tell from that last picture but the running board mounts (the arms sweeping out from the frame) are only about 7 inches from the ground. The plates they are welded to drop them about 6 inches from stock.
Yo dawg, I heard you like springs, so I put some springs on your springs so you can spring. No shocks on the rear. Not even mounts for shocks. I guess they figured there wasn't anything that could compress all the damn spring so no need to worry about damping.
I'm reminded of the quote by Colin Chapman "Any suspension will work if you don't let it" (founder of Lotus cars and one of the best race engineers ever)
Back on the wheels! Frame and suspension all painted up, brake drums turned, wheel cylinders rebuilt, already had great brake shoes on it. Still need to run lines and build/buy the master cylinder. Running boards now measure about 6.5" ground clearance. There's a standard size spraypaint can for reference. Also got the transmission freed up and shifter painted and reinstalled. Now shifts into all 4 gears as well as reverse. We're probably going to have to re-bend the shifter arm to make up for the lowered cab, and it's going to have some kind of beer tap for a shift knob. PTO is still stuck, haven't gotten to working on it yet. Steering box is going to be a problem, it won't fit with the headers we've got now so next week we'll order some center-dump headers and get the steering hooked up.
New center dump headers: Same great sound plus should clear the steering box now. Also starting boxing in the cab for the raised floor section and filling in the panels for the lower mounts. Ran out of box steel for now but hope to finish in the next couple of weeks. After the framework is welded in we'll simply tack on some sheet for the floor pan and fill in the sides where the door openings are.
Sucked down there right nicely didn't it? No room to chop the top down since we raised the floor but it'll still look good as is.
