I am sure Ill have to get thinner spacers. It will help with the wheel arc issue and the fender clearance issue. Im already looking at the inner fender wells, to see if I can widen them or something to keep the tires from rubbing on them.

 

Its been a few weeks. I had a very busy work schedule. Then I hurt my back, and had to take a few days off to let it heal. Im still not 100%, but Im back at it.
We are close to painting the dash. I filled it, and blocked it. Then they painted it with a high build primer. We will block it again, add more primer, then paint. I got the paint in, and it is gorgeous. Im not sure if I posted about it, but the dodge paint was expensive, like $200 a pint or something. Plus its a 2 stage, and needs other stuff that I dont understand, to make it work. We talked about it, and decided to go with a similar color. It should look good.

So today, I changed the oil, and filled the radiator, and got the filler neck installed. We will bleed the brakes this week, and Ill keep working on the wiring. I got the windshield wipers working...sort of. They came on, but didnt park. Then they just went wide open and wouldnt turn off. Im thinking the rheostat inside the switch failed, and is letting it go wide open. I dont need wipers to make it run, but Ill have to work on them. I also still need to get the radiator fan working. The instructions called for a paste for thread sealing, but I used tape. Ill get the paste and try again. If it doesnt work, Ill buy one of the GM switches which have 2 terminals. Thatll fix it.

So, its ready to start, again, but Im going to wait until I get the dash painted and the brakes bled before I start it.

And Im going to have to figure something out with the tailgate. Ill post pictures, but Im sure its a common problem. I had to finally drill the screws out. But the P.O did a horrible job on the body work back here. What I need is new bed end caps, and I plan on getting those later. But for now, I need a quick fix to get the tailgate on. Plus he cut the tabs at the top where the tailgate closes. I might just have to run a net for a tailgate for awhile.

Filler neck. Its temporary, but itll work.

Easy out didnt touch them. They would not budge, so I had to get crazy.

And they are off. I have better tailgate retainers from the parts truck. You can see some of the lousy body work.

 

Ive avoiding posting the last few weeks because I was trying to get something big done. Well, its done now so I can post.

I spent the last 2 or 3 weeks working on the dash. I only spent 2 or 3 hours a day on it, just whenever someone was in the paint shop to watch me. But, I welded it, I filled it, I blocked it, and sanded it. Our paint shop supervisor sprayed the paint. And it is beautiful. The pictures dont do it justice. This was the dash with the radio hole in it.

I spent yesterday trying to bleed the brakes, and couldnt get them. I have fluid at all 4 corners now, and only had a few minor leaks ( like an idiot, I installed the flex lines upside down at the front calipers. They have a bevel on the bottom I failed to see...oops), but I think I know the issue. The brake booster is also new, and intended for this truck, but I used spacers at the firewall. The rod isnt long enough, I think, and so the piston isnt getting pushed in as far as it needs to be. Ill remove the spacers, and try again.

I also fixed most of the wiring. I got the cooling fan working, the windshield wipers (with the factory variable switch) working, and all the extra lights. Now I just need to work out the turn signals and 4-ways.

I took a long weekend in hopes of getting the truck moving under its own power. I want the brakes working first, then we can start it and let the clutch out. I also wanted the dash in because of all of the switches and stuff, so now I have it.

Wiring done, for the most part. Ive changed it a lot since it was installed, so if I get to do the 5.7 hemi later, Im redoing the wiring. It can look so much better than this.

Trans tunnel cover and all the switches installed and waiting. Just need the brakes sorted out before installing the dash.

The dash and all the parts. The pictures dont do it justice. It is nice.

The glovebox door. That isnt a smear in the bottom corner, it the reflection of a cloud overhead. She is sharp.

 

Love the color.

 

Me too. Isaac made a good call on that.

Worked my tail off today. On top of mowing the yard, I got the dash in, and put it all together, including a new glove box. I pushed it outside and started it up. Tried setting the idle and doing a few things, but the transmission is giving me a fit. I started a post on another forum about it, and hope to confirm my mistake. Basically there is no neutral, and I cant find 3rd or 4th. And when I put it in 1st or reverse, it just bogs the engine way down, and barely moves at all. Im thinking I got the shifter plate and fork in the wrong spot. Ill look into it.

As far as the fluids, no leaks in the fuel, or clutch. I have a tiny seepage at one of my intake manifold sensors, but I was expecting that. And then the brakes have a few leaks and the rod issue. I still havent dealt with them. I think I will next weekend when my wife can help.

Im posting a few more pictures. I havent mounted the doors, because I need better access for the brake booster. And the steering wheel looks like garbage. I hate it. It HAS to go. Looks cheap and its way too small.


She needs a bath, but itll have to wait.

Here you can see the F100 patiently awaiting it turn. I hope to install the 5 speed over the winter.

All nice and shiny. Has a new glove box also.

Look past the steering wheel. Its going to go. I hate it. It looks cheap, and blocks the gauges.

 

No pictures, but Im still working. I had to temporarily weld the tailgate on with some angle brackets. I hated doing that, but the bed end caps are toast, and there is easily a 1/2" of bondo back there, so I cant hurt it any more. And I didnt want to cut up the tailgate parts I do have to make a temporary fix. Ill replace the end caps when I have the bed rebuilt. Thats going to be expensive. But I also finished the wiring, I think. Everything is in and working, except the horn and I cant test the brake lights until my wife is here to help. I dont care about the horn for now, Im going to replace the steering wheel, and I can deal with it then. I still have to work on the brakes and the transmission issue, and bolt the bed and cab down. Its getting close though. Short of a setback, it might be ready in a week or two.

 

A bit of a silly question, and you may have already said it, but has the truck got a name yet? I name my vehicles for several reasons. I have a quirky sense of humor (really!), but I've also found if you give it a NAME, you take better care of it. My truck might get neglected, but "Fiona" gets taken care of.

 

I never could understand names, Also when people say "she" won't run right. I am aware of the saying...

 

Ive never named a car. I know many people who do, but I just never have. I do think of all vehicles as female though. Maybe thats sexist or inappropriate, but thats just the way it has always been. I guess itll just always be known as Isaacs truck to me.

 

Well it moved under its own power today!

I still have a ton of work to do. Ill start with what I have done; bled the brakes again, fixed the shifter, had to rework the rear drum brakes, worked on the wiring at the column again, I set the timing at about 8 degrees BTDC, which seems to be where it likes to be, and we hung the doors and washed it after we got it outside.

Problems;
1) The cheap ebay tilt column probably has to go. The switches are iffy, and I cant seem to make everything work at the same time. I can get brake lights and blinkers, but no 4-way, or the 4-way works but there are no blinkers. And sometimes the 4-way switch doesnt stop the flashers.
2) No Brakes still. I have fluid at all 4 corners, I removed the spacers, I even tried after it was cranked, but they got worse with the vacuum booster somehow. Ill have to really dig now.
3) My throttle cable is too short. This should be an easy fix. I have adjustments at both ends. Its idling high still, but the choke is also interfering, so Ill adjust that as well.
4) The fenders are interfering with the doors opening. There is a captive nut that holds the fenders at the front of the door, and both fenders are rusted through there. The passenger door hangs up on the fender.
5) Exhaust leaks. I think its at the header. I might also have a bad miss, Ill have to look into it further.
6) Water gets in when it gets wet. Im sure its coming in at the cowl at the base of the windshield.
7) The clutch releases way at the top. Im sure I can adjust it. It might need to be bled again.
8) The thermostat didnt appear to open at all. I waited until about 200 degrees and shut it off. The fan works though.
9) The park brake doesnt seem to work either. I mean, it appears to make the truck harder to push when its on, but it wont stop the truck from rolling downhill.
10) The gauges I bought have adjustable high and low warning lights, and I got them a little wrong. Its an easy fix, they are programmable, or I can turn them off.

The good news is I only have a tiny leak in the heater line, at the AN bulkhead fitting, so a good tightening should fix it. No oil, or fuel leaks. The brakes have a few leaks too, but I have much bigger problems to worry about with the brakes. And there is a ticking from the right side of the engine, and some white smoke on that side. Im thinking it might have a bad lifter, or the valves (lash) need adjustment.

Overall, Im happy. I still have things to fix, but it is working and running, and I can attack these problems one at a time and get through them. I love how it looks, so I just need to make it work better.

I couldnt have done it without all the good information on This and other forums. Thank you all.