Who is ready for an update?
I know it has been a while since I posted last but I have been busy to the extreme.
Here is the progress.
In this picture you can see why I sandblasted and repainted all of my springs. Two are done, and two are waiting. That stuff was a pain to get off.
Then I went to work on the front axle.
Sandblasted:
Primer:
Knuckles, and tie rod can be seen in the back ground.
Paint:
Then I went after the frame. Had to move it around with my gooseneck trailer.
Sandblasted:
Primer:
Paint:
Again, I had to move it around with my trailer.
After the frame was painted and the paint on the axle had time to sufficiently degas I put the punkin back in:
I put the springs on the frame an then I set the frame on the front axle:
Next up was putting the knuckles back on. But first the knuckle boot, and boot retainer go on.
Then the knuckle goes on with the king pin caps holding it in place:
Then you put the retainer on with the original screws that have holes in them for saftey wire:
Add the saftey wire:
The other knuckle, and tie rod:
Next came this:
Using the factory Rockwell axle vent I fashioned a new vent tube that uses air brake tubing for the vent:
Another view:
Then these:
Along the way we added shocks:
This is one of the brackets I welded on earlier so I didn't have to mess up the paint. Brake line:
Then I went to work on the steering:
This is a good pic of the steering cylinders. I had hoped they would look like the shocks so that they would give the appearance of being matching steering stabilizers.
Another view:
All bolts, and nuts will eventually be painted black. If I have to go back into something I don't want to have painted the bolts and then scrub off the paint with a wrench.
Then it was time to give the rear axle the works:
Primered it, then painted the housing:
Masked off the differential and gave it the fog:
How about that gloss. And this is the rear axle:
Then I put the rear axle under the frame and added all of the accessories:
And finally I was able to find time to put the front axle back together.
This pic shows how I painted the spindle since it will be visible after the truck is put together. Nuts, studs, and lock washers will be painted later as well:
Then I added the hubs. All four hubs will be coming back off so I can sandblast them and paint them. I need to add more lug studs. Just wanted to get the frame rolling so I can mount the body.
And there is the rolling chassis:
I haven't touched the body of the truck in eons, however, I decided to get this installed before I set the cab 10' in the air. It is the windshield lock strip. I'm going with black so it will more closely resemble a 1991 V3500. My '77 originally came with a chrome lock strip.
Lots more to talk about but I'm tired. More to come later.
G'nite,
Engineer