LPG to Gasoline

[thirsty]

Iand why do people dislike the running boards?

Makes us look old 
They trap stuff and create rust.

[JohnnyCanuck]

looks nice so far.  Is that an imco propane system?

[ssapach]

I believe it's spelled "Impco", but yes that's who made this particular setup.

Well not as good of a day so far......just a note, taking an 8 foot dually box off a truck isn't exactly a 1 man job.  Broke one of the stake pockets away from the inside of the box and bent the top rail a bit.  No biggy, I can bend it back and weld it down.

But then as I was trying to back up the skid steer with the box in the air, one of the lovely brackets from those running boards was catching on everything.  I kind of had to drop the box at this point, which resulted in my driver's side dual fender breaking a bit.  Already had a broken one on the passenger side, might as well match them up

Then, the box finally comes away from the truck......swinging ever so slightly into the tire of the skid steer and breaking the rear passenger tail light.  Bent in that rear end a little, but that doesn't bother me so much because it was bent a bit before this.

So I finally got my damaged truck box off.  Then I washed the rear of the truck down.  About 50 lbs of dirt and gravel came off the darn thing.

I have a few brackets to remove, some genious decided to weld some brackets to the frame for the hitch that used to be in the box.  So I have to clean that up.

And on and on this thing goes......

[ssapach]

Not many pics today.  I got caught up in all the work and just wanted to keep moving.

This is the sketchy valve on one of the propane tanks.  It managed to close though, allowing me to unhook and remove all the propane stuff finally.



And here we are with the gas tanks installed.  I managed to get filler necks from a diesel pickup to have the larger hole in them.



I think I need to clean up some of the wiring while I have the box off.  Also, I'm missing the plugs for the sending units on the tanks.  They were cut off because the sending units on the propane tanks happened to have threads/nut to hold the terminal on.  So I need to find a couple or figure something out for a plug.

If all goes well, I should be able to hook up all the plug wires, give it some fuel and get it started.  Then adjust timing.

[ssapach]

Ahhhhh it runs.....

Took a couple tries to start, but a little gasoline encouragement into the carb got it fired up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-2ziJGPACU

I tried to embed the video but I couldn't get it to work....

[ssapach]

Been kind of busy with other things lately, started combining so now that's priority over working on the truck.

But today I tackled the rear brakes.  Gave the truck some new pads, slave cylinders and park brake cables.  As long as I have it all apart I'm putting new bearings and seals in the hubs.  Pinion seal needs replacing, diff will also get new oil at this time.

Painted my rear wheels flat white as well.  Nothing professional but it looks better than the rust speckled dirty white wheels they were before.



After this is all done, I have some wiring to clean up and I want to remove the hitch receiver and maybe get it painted.  It looks to be home made, but it also looks to be pretty darn solid so I just might have to keep it.

Then it will be onto the front hubs, we'll see what condition they are in after I open them up, but I at least want to paint the front rims too and perhaps put a new set of locking hubs on that I've had sitting in a box for 3 years now.

[bake74]

     Looking good, your video does not have any sound, and your gas gage looks like so many older chevy's I have seen.  LOL

[ssapach]

Huh, the video has sound when I watch it.  If anyone else has issues with the sound and maybe knows a correction let me know.

Also, the fuel gauge is like that because it's not quite hooked up yet.

So I removed my bug deflector and put in my new lights.  Well the low beam lights, had the high (lower) lights replaced a while back.  Should be nice lighting on the road now.



Also removed a bunch of wiring that was just strung out all over the truck in such a mess.  Most of it was for the trailer plug, but it didn't all work and it was such a mess and poorly done that I just ripped it all out.

Also removed 3 switches from the cab, 2 of which weren't hooked up to anything.

Next I have to remove the brake controller.  It's actually tied into the brake lines.......this is something I've personally never seen before.

Anyways, here is the pile of wires and junk I removed.

[big bear]

looking great man!!!

[ssapach]

Thank you!  And a thanks to everyone else for the positive feedback and encouragement.

This conversion just keeps getting extended to other things needing attention on the truck.

[ssapach]

Well I've been busy lately with farm work so not much progress on the truck.

But I got myself a hidden hitch/removable ball for a GMT400 style truck to use for my old beast.  Of course I had to do some fabricating of my own to make it work.  There isn't much room between the frame and bottom of the box on these trucks, 3/4" MAX.  So I used some 3/4" plate to make some brackets to attach my quick release mechanism to.

Should work like a charm.  Painted the stuff tonight and I need to pick up some proper bolts for putting it all in place. 





I also got a brake controller and trailer plugs to put on the truck......which will happen one day yet.

I also had a small scare, minor issue, but still scared me a little.  I put the box back in place to see how it would fit over the hitch and I noticed my fuel fillers wouldn't reach the box side.  So my first thought was that they were from a different truck, stepside maybe, but I didn't know at all really.

Then I realized I just had the hoses on wrong.  Short side and a long side on these hoses, and the short side should go to the tank

Ah well, problem solved.

[bake74]

    So I assume you are going to be pulling alot with this truck.

[ssapach]

Not planning on a lot of towing really.  Probably see more hauling than towing, but the hitch was cheaper than the steel used to make the brackets.  And I had the truck in such a state it was easy to install.

The truck is in such nice shape though (considering where it's from), if I ever had the time/ambition to put a good diesel engine in it then it would likely be used for towing more than my other truck.

Hitch is all painted up and bolted in for good now.  Had to modify the release handle slightly to work over the frame.

[ssapach]

Got the box back in place and bolted down.  Lights all hooked up and working, trailer wiring all hooked up and controller wired in.  Just have to plug a trailer in to test it good.



Hitch is a tight fit in this truck.  I think 1/2" plate would have worked for brackets and made for a little extra room.  But it fit and the box bolted down without issue.



Still have some little things, like getting the engine running nicely and getting new exhaust put on.  Also need to secure my fuel filler necks to the box yet.

[ssapach]

I'm practically done.  Well done enough to drive it again.  Although the motor needs some fine tuning.  I think someone else will be doing that for me.

Brakes need a little bit of fine tuning as well.  Think there is still air in the lines, but no matter how much I bleed it the pedal still feels soft.  Also, park brake needs tightening.