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Progress, however slow... but isn't it about the JOURNEY?

progress 7/3

Got to spend some quality time with Penny on July the third.

First we mocked up a front wheel with wooden spacers. Cycled the suspension full up/down, left/right (without the coil spring) using a floor jack. I now have a spacer/adapter dimension.

Then we spent some time on the front frame horns to see if the stock bumper brackets would work... ended up fabricating new bumper brackets, and cut the frame back to behind the lower valance.

My goal for the day was to get these two things done. SUCCESS!

A few pics of Penny, with the cab in primer.
20140703_171816.jpg
20140703_171830.jpg
20140703_171934.jpg
 
Looking REAL good!

Glad your finding time to move forward. Thanks for all the details on the firewall holes, etc. I too have finally moved in a forward direction, my cab is nearly complete and rust free. Doors fit real good and I need to decide what to do about the frame real soon.
 
Thanks Charles!

Its a strange journey, where (in my case) there will be months where all I have done is PLAN... and then bursts of progress where so much gets done I can't help but think Penny will roll under her own power any day now.

It will still be quite a LONG time before she is roadworthy.

Going the "custom" route means for everything that changes, 3 other things change. And for each of those three... well, you get the idea.

Thankfully, I have a goal of WHAT she'll be, and WHEN (but that part is subject to change). Having a fairly well-equipped restoration shop "at my disposal" when I am working with my brother makes the task achievable. My hat is off to all of you who restore one of these in your home garage!
 
Well you are lucky indeed!

But I guess by comparison, I have run a small construction company out of my barn (several VERY nice kitchen re-do's and more roofs than I can count, additions, decks, porches, bathrooms- you get the idea), as well as a timber-framing business some years back. But with a wooden floor in the workshop, I'm not going to be doing any grinding or welding.

Having a REAL welder (100% duty cycle, all day, everyday), 2 lifts, hydraulic press, lathe, PLASMA cutter, big compressor (you get the idea) at the ready lets you concentrate on DOING the task, instead of trying to figure out HOW to do the task.

I get every other Friday off, and I look forward to working on Penny on those Fridays in a real shop!
 
The pictures look great, Mike! (Nice space to work on her too!)

We all know, however, that you are just trying to out wait me, right? Mine has sat idle all summer so far. I did open the hood, however. Nice to see the engine again...

Thanks for the update, Mike. Now get to work, okay?
 
another Friday's progress

Spent last Friday getting the bed and running boards where we wanted them. The bare metal/black primer throws the look off a bit, but you get the idea.20140717_180715.jpg. The rear tire centered up nicely, and it will be nice when I don't have a dozen clamps holding her together!
 
Rear Axle Mounting

Mike ;

Looking *very* good there ! so few take the time to do it 100 % and as can be seen , it makes a world of difference when the rear wheels are properly centered .
 
another "Off Friday", more check marks on the list

Hello all,
So I spent this past Friday with the singular goal of accurately locating (this is the part that takes the time) and drilling the mounting holes to locate the running board mounting brackets on the S10 frame. DONE! The bed mounting holes are done as well; there's just bumper mounting left, and then she'll come completely apart (again).

Baby steps.

I love it.
 
(more) progress,however slow

Hello all,
A quick update...
The goal for Penny is to be able to TOW, be it my 14' V-hull fishing boat, or more optimistically, a camper. That having been said, a 2" receiver will need to be present out back. My brother and I worked diligently to tie a class IV receiver into the rear frame. Boxing was in order. Given that the truck will be lower than "stock", I made the decision to locate the receiver BEHIND the bumper, and there will be a 2-1/4" square hole in the bumper to install the draft bar for towing. The bumpers will be satin black, and I don't think the hole will really be noticeable. There is ample room to hook safety chains, and I am quite pleased with the progress. Pics soon.
 
funny how time gets away from you

WOW, here we are, all stuffed full of Turkey, having survived Black Friday (heck, all I bought was gasoline on Friday).

The past 2 months have seen Penny take a back burner to seemingly everything else. My brother relocated his business 35 minutes from the old shop, where he is finally the ONLY business in the shop, with the days of endless interruptions from customers of the other business in the building just a memory. I have spent every moment available helping him get set up, and it looks like Dec 1 he will be up and running.

If all goes as planned, without minor interruptions like 3 or 4 days without electricity due to a heavy-wet snowfall and the requisite post-storm cleanup, or a "last minute" roofing job done in 20-degree temps, I might get to spend some time on the old girl.

At least there has been some fun! First deer in the freezer late September, a pair of wild turkeys early October (cooked one Thursday-TASTY), a buck in late October, and there is still time left for one more!

Once Penny is back to being worked on, I'll have pics from the new shop.

Enjoy!
 
The New Shop

We're going to need pictures of this <magical> new shop Mike.....
 
Ya know, Mike~ If you stopped hunting long enough, you could probably get some work done on that truck of yours... ;)
 
well, there's THAT

Zig,
I suppose I could go along with you on that... BUT there are far greater forces in action here!

My girlfriend (to be my lovely wife in time) accompanies me on all the fishing outings (she filets like a pro now), took time off from her job to go deer hunting with me opening day, scored wild Turkey number 4 (five?) on her day off this October (I followed up 10 seconds later),
ABSOLUTELY cannot WAIT for the cross-country trip in Penny when she is complete (I have started to refer to it as the "victory tour")...

need I say more?

We WILL stop by your house on the tour, don't worry!

So, some minor detours to the progress are to be expected, and for a greater cause.

Life is GOOD Zig, I dare say I am happier NOW than I have EVER been in my life.

If Penny has to take a bit longer, its OK.

good things take time.
 
Beer and BBQue will be waiting!

Glad to hear from you Mike, and I look forward to seeing you roll in here! (Especially during the summer when I have *time*!)

I have been covered over with school work but now I finally have some time to get on here and see what's cooking.

Just keep them there pictures coming, right? :D
 
Winter project

Hello all,
Since Penny has yet to bask in the light of the new body shop, I decided I would try to make some progress on Penny at home. One thing on the list is GAUGES.

I like the look of the gauges the AD trucks were equipped with.

With that established, it would be necessary to make some changes to make them compatible with the vehicle modifications planned.

There is an excellent write up on replacing the AMMETER with a VOLTMETER here: http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/electrical/voltmeter/

I decided I would go a step (3 steps, actually) further, and replace all FOUR gauges in the same manner. Why you ask?

Gas Gauge: impedance range not same as s10 sending unit.
Oil Pressure: range inadequate, and the gauge is mechanical.
Temp Gauge: same issue as Oil Pressure.

The plan is to take these DSCN0585.jpg

replace their faces with these DSCN0586.jpg

and add the DSCN0588.jpg (SERVICE ENGINE, CRUISE, TOW/HAUL, HIGH BEAM) icons from

this DSCN0587.jpg early 2000's Silverado gauge face in the center circle.

More pictures as I dig in.
 
Wow! Now THAT'S original! If you are keeping the gauge clusters looking somewhat original, where are you going to put the idiot lights?
 
Gauges

Sounds interesting Mike ;

I hope you'll share photos with us as you go along .
 
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