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

Good point, Steve. Let's just say I need to make it to Joplin and back before I go thinking crazy thoughts about across country...

I was thinking a wood floor was kind of unique too~ I love the joint ends stacked up against the wall.
My floor is still dirt. Ask the cat I caught taking a crap there yesterday.

 

Steve,
I concur, some color would be a beautiful thing! My brother is looking into adding a stand-alone paint booth at his shop. One with its own heating system, so he can paint anytime. Hopefully Penny can christen it!

Progress creeps forward, with wheel spacers/adapters up next. The rear spacers will be steel, the fronts aluminum (the Wilwood hubs are aluminum, so there won't be a thermal mismatch). I have been in contact with a company that fabs them, and they are on board with what I am looking for.

As far as the wood floor in the shop, it is 2-3/4" thick tongue & groove decking out of a mill building, (over 6x8 joists 4' o.c.), the blocks of wood are cut-offs (and/or test-mortises or tenons) from my timber framing projects. No grinding or welding in the shop with a wood floor, but it's a pleasure to stand on all day.

Zig, hopefully concrete is cheaper down your way than it is here... it's around $120/yd, and they have the nerve to charge EXTRA if you don't order a full truck.

 

Mike
That is a beautiful floor.

Papy

 

What kind of space is beneath the floor? That sounds substantial, even with 4' spacing. Do you have any photos of the projects you framed? (I'm an old hack who loves wood projects. Especially if someone else is doing them.

 

Zig,
There is only around 2 feet of space under the floor, and yes, it IS substantial (the 6x8's tie into 8x12's 10' O.C.). Here is a shot of a timber frame I joined around a dozen years ago (I have more photos, but this IS a truck site). This particular frame is a 24'x24' Principal Rafter, purlin roof-style in Red and White Oak. I am on the left, holding a framing square.

 

This is a truck site, but...
We've been known to post anything cool, and, ^that^is COOL! I thought the know how to build barns like that was lost. Very, very, COOL!

Steve.

 

Thank you Steve,
It's funny, as I look at that picture, I am reminded that like ALL projects, be it a vehicle or a timber frame- they hide the vast majority of their details. Only the dovetail mortises in the roof structure and a scarf joint (the hardest one to cut, and my very-favorite) show HERE, and once sheathed, even less shows. Just like all the hard work under paint... once the job is finished, its all hidden.

The know-how is alive and well, and New England has to be the "nucleus" for Timber Framing. I am self-taught, and join using traditional joinery- no steel plates and bolts for me. Just wooden pegs. My barn (where the workshops pix were taken) is a 1.5 story, 28x40 building. The NEW barn (to be built on the land we now own) will be 36x48, but just a single story. It HAS TO BE bigger than what I have now, I need the room!

 

Respect, Mike!
Like I say, I'm a hack, and what is in that picture is cool stuff!
Working with wood is something that taps into deep history. What you did in the photo is spot on with why new construction doesn't stand up to old.
Craftsmanship.
I love the photo and would love to see more. You know, like trains...

 

Lists, Inventory, and Math

Task #1: So there I was, ready to install the rest of the new front brakes. Right up until I realized I had every color Loctite EXCEPT Red.
Task #2: I have been putting off a silly little task for 2 years. Tapping the holes for U-joint saddle bolts deeper. 20 minutes, done.
Task #3: Figure out how long the actuator rod needs to be for the Hydroboost to work the Wilwood master. 20 minutes, done.

Had I just bought the Loctite for task 1 when I bought the tap and die set for task 2, I'd have ALL 3 DONE.

Having an extra battery for the Digital Calipers allowed me to calculate this for Task 3:
I use my email as a list tool (compose an email with no email address, save in drafts), that way it is available and editable wherever I am (home/work).

I'm catching up Zig!

 

I bet you'll pass me Mike! But I will enjoy all the photos as you go!
BTW, I like the email idea.

 

December Update:
New pushrod for Hydroboost/Wilwood master done, and installed.

Since Penny is being built with towing in mind, as well as the possibility of "additional" horsepower in the future, I decided to replace my 8.0" ring-geared rear end with an 8.6" for "margin". I have one en-route, expected to arrive next week.

Wheel adapter/spacers should also arrive next week.

Getting everything ready for winter has been time-consuming, but I hope to have picture-worthy progress to show soon.

Penny's current 2WD Colorado 8.0", 3.73/1, G80 positraction-equipped rear, with S10 perches, spaced for S10 frame, will be for sale soon.

 

Mike, I wonder if your Wilwood front brake kit will change the front track width? I think it does on the M2s.
I'm assuming your new rearend is positrac equipped. Or possibly elec. locker?

Steve.

 

Steve,
On the S10 chassis, the Wilwood brakes do not change the track width. The new 8.6" rear will get a Tru-Trac differential. It uses gears instead of clutches. No clutches to wear out, no limited-slip additive, no chatter, it is "invisible" until slippage occurs. It does not however, offer "full lockup", but I don't plan on off-roading. It just has to perform on the cross-country trek, the dragstrip, and the autocross- you understand!

 

Valentine's Day... makes me think of
GAUGES!

with the bezel removed

a shot of the inner workings

and the back


Some of you may recall I started this effort.... a YEAR ago. Time just gets past you, I guess. Anyway, all 4 electric gauges are in the quad cluster now, although I still have some tweaking to do to get the faces to sit just right. I will order the gauge face decals from our host for a baseline to create new gauge face art. I drew up the windows I'll need in the center circle for my indicators (cruise, check engine, tow/haul, brake), and it is going to be a TIGHT squeeze.
This is what I have:

Maybe the speedo will offer a little more space (which might just leave room in the center of the quad gauge for a TACH).

Enjoy!

 

Nice Mike ! .

I await to see what you finish with .

IIRC , that electric coolant temperature gauge is from a Dubble - Duti van , was available in both 6 and 12 volt versions and is very hard to find these days , I hope you didn't kill it as some old fool who drives a vintage rig will surely need it .

The Ammeter is dead , more's the pity .

I wish I could figure out how to take close up photos like that , mine are always blurry dammit .

Keep up the good works ! .

 

Nate,
All the gauges that were present in the beginning were standard 3100 pieces. The temp and oil pressure were mechanical (you can see the vestiges of the rectangular cutouts in the back-of-gauge cluster view). Now they are all SunPro electric gauges, I'll have to add the oil pressure and temp sending units to the new V8, the fuel gauge is for a late-model GM (works with S10 tank/pump/sending unit), and volts is just volts.

As for the close-up pictures, I merely selected "close up" from the menu on the digital camera.

I have found an AutoMeter 5" electronic speedometer which I believe I will be able to utilize in place of the 90mph mechanical guts. They also offer a speedo with a mini tach... we'll see. It will get a new face regardless, I don't know if the tach will "look" wrong.

 

O.K. cool ~ I was looking at the back side of the gauge cluster photo , I guess that's the new connections .

I'm keen to see how it all turns out .

 

Seriously! Great minds think alike.
I had my wife's blessings to work on my speedometer so I could get the truck back together so we could go for a drive!
Ain't that just the sweetest thing...
She really loves riding in the old truck!

So are you done yet with those gauges????

 

Zig, I'll have the gauges done the day before you finish the bed on your truck. Maybe sooner! And if you need some speedo guts, I have some from a 90mph, ('course, I don't know if they work). They are yours for the asking.

 

HA!!! I love it!
You sure seem to be putting in your share of "think time"!
You're in for a tussle if you think you can out-slow me!