Well? I didn't manage any time. With all the honey-do's before my vacation week and throw in a little pre-prep for a corporate photographer visit Monday and a CEO visit the following Monday, it just ate up my day. They sure do get all excited about electric trucks and stuff. Me? Just another hunk-a-junk with four wheels and a corporate logo that I have to work on. Doesn't make a difference if its a small sedan or a 45 ton crane. So about all I got done was to fit the upper half over the bottom half. This while also making a Ford to Chevy thermostat adapter for a 90 degree swivel so I can route the upper radiator hose around a blower drive for a 302/'40 Ford I'm working on.
Got tired of the broken speedometer on the Burb. There is too much drag somewhere in the system so the drive gear keeps popping off the output shaft on the 700R4. I've tried new cables, different VSS drive, 90 degree drive to take the sharp bend out of the cable, etc. So I've updated to a GPS unit. No more firewall penetration with a drive cable, also. I'll need to make a dash adapter out of some aluminum. It'll be fun as I haven't used the lathe in a minute. I ordered the speedo with high beam and turn indicators. I'll need to wire those in but it will be a nice add. Maybe now I won't have people tell me "Your blinker is on." when I park the thing.
Also, while I'm in there, I can update my idiot lights. "Charging" and "Check Engine." I used the throttle and choke cable holes for those when I first built the thing. Just simple little lights I made fit with some washers. I found some lights that should fit the holes nicely and actually tell you what they are idiots for! I also got a "Parking brake applied" light. So maybe I'll work on a switch bracket somewhere in that system so I can have one of those indicators, too.
I've been using the Burb as a daily driver for the last month and a half. My wife's new Denali got tagged in the rear. I wanted to have fixed right so I sent it off to the body shop. Plus the shop was able to get a little more fixit money out of the offending driver's insurance company. So, while that is out of action, I loaned her my daily driver. Which means I got to drive the Burb. Spending more time in it than just the occasional drive or car show helps you put a finger on things that can be improved. Body and paint is on hold during these cold days, so it's nice to have a little list of to-do's. Plus, it keeps me busy while I wait for Ford parts to show up in the mail. I am almost done wiring up the Model A, so there s also that project, too.
Pretty side done. Now to attach them permanently. Gonna have to wait until Saturday or so. I should clamp both pieces to the rotary table and drill some equidistant holes. I'm thinking some #6 socket head machine screws sunk in to the ring from the top. Might be a little 90's-sh in style. I could spend a little more time and machine some holes to go through the back side. Maybe use some counter sink machine screws. Then really fool everyone and chuck the assembly in to the lathe to clean up the visible edge. At least from all angles it would look like it was one piece. We'll see what I'm inspired to do in the next few days.
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
The oddball/horrible stuff won't be visible. Looks good on the shiny side.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Just noticed this Mark. You have over 800,000 views in your Project Journal. That's amazing and you'd done an even more amazing job writing it all up.
The Stovebolt Collective (and guests ) thank you.
~ Peggy M 1949 Chevrolet 3804 "Charlie" - The Stovebolt Flagship In the Gallery || In the Gallery Forum "I didn't see this one coming. I don't see much of anything coming. :-O"
Okay. I only procrastinated forever. I thought installing it would be tough. Not so bad. I do have tons of stuff behind my dash with the AC and all. Nope. The toughest part was getting all the wires where they needed to go. Has to do my best contortionist act for that. I like it! Works cool too!!
I might have to make that other side prettier. It’s showing its age. Back to the cold air intake, I guess. There was something else I wanted to upgrade, but it slips my mind at the moment.
Daily driver until i get the AC replaced/fixed in the dually.
Mark, What is the lamp used in the speedo? Looks like a much higher light output range than in the gauges. Can you get matching bulbs to fit the gauges? The speedo light output color looks to be in the 6000K range.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I believe the speedo is L.E.D., the gauges are incandescent.
Actually, the picture is very deceiving. The back lighting is actually pretty equal, although different color between the two groups. The headlight switch is failing. It wasn't the greatest when I first installed it. It'll probably be replaced soon.