[crazycanadian]

Well I am still recovering from the flue and haven't been able to work on the truck so I figured I would start the build/fix up thread for the blue basterd... Unfortunatly I don't have pics of the first round of work.. Round 1 included installing a lock up th350 transmission I rebuilt... replaced all the fluids.. fixed the front rad fan mounting... built a new batter box for the passenger side battery... replaced all the main battery wires...

Took the truck out for some fun and ended up breaking the front suspension.. Round 2 began.. I managed to get my hands on a stock steering arm plus a drop drag link.. The original owner had only flipped the ball joint on the stock steering arm when they lifted the truck... I suspect when I was at full drop there was way to much angle on the drag link.. With the new steering arm I flipped the ball joint and installed the new drop drag link.. The angles look better now, all though in the future the truck really needs a high steer kit installed..
The carnage that left the truck stuck up at the entrance of sunrise lake..

Took the truck out on another shake down run.. The truck worked pretty good it made it home this time on its own power.. I did have one problem though the truck didn't seem to be charging up the batteries... I decided it was time for round 3.. Rewiring the truck from head lights to tail lights..
Day 1 started out looking like this.. I figured out part of the charging problem was a bad connection in the wiring to the alternator.. That didn't surprise me, the wiring is a mess in this truck..

quitting time as the rain started, so this is where I left it..

thankfully we had some nice weather and I was feeling good enough after work to put in some time on the truck...here is where I last left it

all the wiring I was stripped out of the truck so far... it was scary I found in some sections of wire 3 or 4 crimp connections used in order to make 1 wire long enough...

 

[Tmax]

you basterd

 

[HEAVY METAL]

holy wiring mess.. got any plans with the front " bumper"

 

[tsmith]

HOLY HEATERHOSE BATMAN

 

[mud-dog27]

did ya figure out what those random switches were for under the hood

 

[crazycanadian]

did ya figure out what those random switches were for under the hood

yeah and I figured out where the alternator problems were coming from for the most part... I still think the alternator is starting to go as well though..

Round 3 continued tonight with some more ripping and tearing.. heater hoses are getting redone as well..

New S-10 front bench seat for the truck.. this should be much more comfortable then the torn up stock front seat...Picked it up for $50..

 

[mud-dog27]

holy crap that seat actually has fabric on it :laugh

 

[crazycanadian]

holy crap that seat actually has fabric on it :laugh

yeah it'll be nice to go out wheeling and not have to sit on springs... lol....

Got some more work done tonight before the rains hit.. had a buddy over for beers so I enlisted him to help me get the front seat mounted...


Top mounting plates positioned


Had to do a little clearancing on the the bottom of the cab for the bottom mounting plates

 

[The11thNickel]

Face masks? Where we're going, we don't need face masks. . .

 

[crazycanadian]

Face masks? Where we're going, we don't need face masks. . .

lol.. facemasks would have been great.. to bad i don't own a them.. At least we were wearing saftey glasses..

 

[mattzord]

haha i almost boought this truck when he was selling it for like 500 bucks. Decided not to, didnt have the time, i could tell from all the pics he sent me it was a rat nest.

 

[crazycanadian]

I knew it was a rats nest when we bought it... but so far besides a lot of laubor it hasn't cost a lot out of pocket...

 

[crazycanadian]

Picked up some new sheet metal for the truck this weekend and managed to get a little work done hanging it... Also picked up a new gas tank to replace the 2nd one the truck has that I am pretty sure is rotten...

Old beat up junk.. compaired to the new fender... These fenders look like they are brand new factory replacements.. they have dealer tags on the inside of them with no real signs of every getting dirty...

ahh that hood looks better..

 

[crazycanadian]

Damn wiring can be such time consuming work.. I have been working on it little bits here and there and making some head way... also made up some new pieces for the dash so I have places to mount the gauges and switches...

I relized to late that my hole saw was to big for the gauges.. I managed to dig up some pipe and decided to try and mount the gauges facing the driver... well its in there and worked but it sure isn't pretty.. some day I'll get around to redoing it but for now I have to get the truck up and running asap... my gf and I will be moving in the next few months here..

New pannel for the switches.. it worked out ok.. I could have spaced out the switches more but oh well..

Motor wiring coming along.. I still have few more wires to run, but for the most part this is how the wiring is shaping up to look... much cleaner then before..

 

[crazycanadian]

Well the blue basterd lives once again... I still have lots to do but all the wiring works.... I have working head lights, signal lights, tail lights, dash lights, the motor fires and runs, fans work...

 

[HMFI]

If you want I`ll come and cut that bumper and light rack off for free.

 

[Fordthunder]

Builds coming along, I wish I had something sittin in my driveway to screw around with at night time!! Whats the plans for the truck, like the "big picture"?

 

[crazycanadian]

If you want I`ll come and cut that bumper and light rack off for free.

hahah better ask my old laidy about that... I am not apposed to it, but she might kick your ass... for some odd reason she's in love with how hidious the truck looks

Builds coming along, I wish I had something sittin in my driveway to screw around with at night time!! Whats the plans for the truck, like the "big picture"?

not much for the big picture.. we bought it as a cheap bush rig for camping/hiking/exploring.. some day maybe lockers and high steer other then that just fix and upgrade as money alow and as things break...

 

[hardcoreoffrd]

get rid of the bumper and the roll bar ASAP, way too much weight on your components, probally why you broke the steering

either way kudos to taking on the project!

 

[crazycanadian]

Getting ever closer to having the truck road worthy again... Here is the engine bay complete for the most part.. I still need to make up some brackets to support the cooler lines going to my second rad, also need to make up some new battery tie down bars, but this is pretty much how she'll be rolling untill after I buy a new house and move....As for the rest of the truck I still have to get the seat mounting finished, rebuild the cover for the old shifter, relocate the shifter in the truck now and also relocate the t-case shifter...