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

Zig,
The indicators will be located in the circle at the center of the quad gauge cluster. The plan is to have 4 rectangular "windows" which will appear dark until the indicator is illuminated.

I'll post pics Nate!
 
Here are the gauges with their bezels removed
DSCN0590.jpg

This took all of 5 minutes to do on a disc sander.
 
I'm very keen to see the end result .

Also having fond memories of East Ringe , jaffery and so on....
 
Very interesting idea, I'm curious how this comes out. Cool way to put everything in a small vintage dash.
 
progress

Couple of things I have figured out along the way...
All 4 of the Sunpro's have:
the same FACE blank (just a different scale), mtg holes identical
common threaded studs in the same locations (voltmeter only has 2).

This will make locating them properly in the quad cluster less complicated.

I shoveled/snowblowed 2+ feet of snow yesterday, so no Penny time.
 
What are the odds of the studs matching the original holes! How's the height of the face plates off the back of the dish compared to the original gauges?
Still curious as to how you will mount the sensor light.
More snow headed your way? We've had about 1/2" all winter. (and no, I'm not complaining.)
 
like this...

Zig, here's a quick picture to show you where I'm planning to locate the "lights". I cut out a couple rectangles of paper to show you. They aren't exact, but you get the idea.
DSCN0591.jpg

And a clarification... the mount studs on the NEW gauges are all in the same place (relative to each other). Only 2 of our original gauges HAVE studs (gas and amps), so I can replicate the mounting pattern. Look at the link I provided for some good pics of the mods required to make the voltmeter fit (the other 3 should follow suit) as it relates to gauge face height.

And lastly, yes more snow on the way. Plenty last Tuesday, a couple yesterday, and ~8-10 Monday. Hey, it's winter.
 
I can see it now~ That should be something that needs to be produced in mass for others wanting to go this route. Can't wait to see the finished product!
 
Ya know, Mike, if you would just quit messing with that snow, you could give us daily updates on Penny.
I bet there will be a baby-boom in the Northeast in nine months.
 
like the "good old days"

Steve,
This winter (and the winter of 13/14) is what "old-school" winters were like. I cleared another 4 or 5 inches today, with 3"coming Saturday, 8" Sunday, and another 8" Monday. AND had the unpleasant task of emptying my GIANT chest freezer out, moving it outdoors, and refilling it (compressor took early retirement) tonight. >sigh<

Thankfully, it will be 4 or 5 below tonight, so all my Angus beef, pork, venison, wild turkey and fish will stay frozen 'til the new one arrives Tuesday. Damn, it's always SOMETHING.

But you'll be happy to know ALL the gauge parts are sitting RIGHT HERE on the kitchen island just waiting for me to have time to work on them.

The other day I thought to myself "it's WARM, maybe I'll wash my truck". It was 20 degrees out. You get used to it.
 
Ya know Mike, you have been stealing all of our snow days over here.
This year we have had a total of 1 1/2" of snow in two applications. I simply love that tomorrow and the next 5 days will be above 50. Plan on grilling some kind of meat tomorrow after school. Also, I will be listening to Bill's recording he sent me of him going through the gears while I shift along.
All that shoveling time is robbing you of other "quality" time doing... well, ... whatever. I'm sure there is an up side like the hunting, fishing, and other goodies. Don't let that meat get freezer burn however! ;)
 
more questions for Mike...

OK, I've been re-reading your thread here and I have some 5.3 LS engine questions. If I understand right, you have a 5.3 LM7 285HP/330lb.ft. torque engine, factory stock, iron block. You also scored a 5.3, L33?, 310HP/335lb.ft. torque engine, factory stock, alum block. If it is an L33, does it have the "243" LS6 heads? What if anything do you intend to do to hot rod it? Just wondering, as 310 HP is fairly impressive for a "327".
Are you going to have your factory PCM re-programmed, or pay the big-bucks for a stand alone system like F.A.S.T., or Holley Dominator? What about transmission control and hop-ups? Are you going to have to rebuild your 4L60E?
I'm just curious, hope you can soon put down the snow shovel.
 
Steve,
Yes, I presently have an LM7 in Penny. And Yes, I also scored an L33. The L33's had 799 heads (from what I understand, they are the "same" as the 243 head, to the point where an engine might have one of EACH on it from the factory). While they are the same casting as the LS6 head, truck motors got smaller intake valves.

As far as "hot rodding" it, while I have had delusions of more cam (for more low-end torque), and even a single-turbo setup, I have convinced myself that I need to DRIVE the truck, maybe for a year or three, before I decide that 310 horses aren't enough to drag a 3,000 lb truck around.

While the plan is to reprogram the stock PCM to adjust/correct for tires, gears, rear O2 sensors and evap, there are tuners who can bring the 5.3 to 350hp/380tq without diving into the engine.

The stock wiring harness for the engine/trans will be "reworked" rather than replaced with a Painless or other aftermarket harness (less $$). Because the LM7/4L60E came from a VAN, I have throttle-by-cable (not -by-wire like a pickup of the same vintage), and the main harness trunk to the PCM is longer (than a similar pickup offering), meaning I have more flexibility in PCM placement. I do not plan to alter the transmission programming at this time. I do however, plan on having TOW/HAUL available to support future plans. The LM7/4L60E had less than 100K miles on it when removed from the donor vehicle, so I do not plan on rebuilding the transmission. The L33 has ~83K as I recall. No rebuild there either.

I hope I have answered your questions!

Spring IS coming.
 
Thanks, Mike, I think your right, the more I investigate this engine, the more I think it's in good shape. I've already been looking at the GM muscle car oil pan kit. About $150, and includes everything you need. The Holley one looks good too, but, about $380. There is a place called Spear-tech here in Indiana, they re-program PCM's. Might check them out.
 
Steve,
Speartech has been around for a number of years, and a coworker used them in the past with good results.

Things are just starting to melt around here...
 
can't get anymore un-done than this...

Hello all,

Here to post much-overdue progress pics: Here is a shot of Penny's frame, every nut, bolt and part has been removed, and after weight-reduction holes were burned in with the Plasma cutter, she got the sandblast treatment. The frame actually looks really good, I was expecting more pitting.
20150807_frame4.jpg

I have started fitting 1/8" stock to fully box the back half of the frame, per plan. There will be weight-reduction steps taken there as well.

Its nice to be able to make some progress on Penny, I have been way too busy with way too many irons in the fire of late.

A few other items of note:
After researching engine-harness rework, I have found a shop who will build me a new engine-harness from scratch for just a little more than reworking a 10-year old one. I have decided to go throttle-by-wire, not -by-cable as I had planned. Like Steve (50 Chevy LS3), I have selected a Cadillac CTS-V oil pan to replace the too-deep truck unit. It is available as a kit, with dip stick, tube etc. I have mocked-up the Colorado parking brake cable, pictures of that to follow when the frame starts to go back together. There were 4 different parking brake cables (different lengths) available, I bought all four, found the two I could make work, and returned the others.

Who would think it would take 9 years to turn the corner on this project? (well, maybe Zig- and I think he is probably out driving the KC Special right now!)

As soon as the chassis rolls, I'll have more pics. There are other suspension changes in the works, stay tuned.

Sorry the progress is so sporadic. Work gets in the way, well that and designing the new house (and bigger barn) with my fiancee, working out the forest-management plan for the property, and trying to get some fishing in as well.
 
Progress

Mike ;

Are you still having fun with it ? .

Boxing the frame is very wise indeed .

I see no reason to lighten it but it's nicely done there .
 
Nate,
Honestly? Yes. Although there was a time not too long ago that I was ready to accept that Penny might NEVER see asphalt.

Funny, it only takes a little bit of progress to bring "hope" where there hadn't been much for some time. I think having ALL the "other" stuff that's gone on in the last 8 years or so for me has overshadowed the lack of progress (and/or played a major part in it).

Above all else, the stick-to-it-iveness has been driven by my vision of what Penny will be when she is done (and she will be NO trailer queen, you have my word on that-bugs on the windshield-GUARANTEED). I just can't wait to DRIVE it!

I have turned the corner.

My fiancee, who supports the Penny-project 100%, can't WAIT to drive cross-country in her (although she did say, while sitting in a '50 AD truck my Dad and brother restored awhile back "we're going to be CLOSE in here!")

Can't ask for much more than that, now can I?

And as inspiration, I look at Zig, who, bed-be-damned, has DRIVEN the KC Special!
 
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