Recreating 10254. (with lots of questions)

Thanks. The truck came with enough cancer free sheet metal to make it right, and so long as the frame is still solid enough, I should be in good shape to make a nice truck, I think.


keith.

(sent from my rotary dial phone.)

quick update: I used a 60,000btu forced air heater to warm the interior of the cab and stretch the top so I could fasten all of the snaps - good thing, too, as it was in the 20s yesterday!

I'm in the process of sorting the spares and deciding the build plan for the truck:
12v/24v?
stock drivetrain/6bta swap?
with/without winch?

Answering these questions will allow me to liquidate most of the spares and hopefully fund the work.

I'm definite about axle re-gearing and brake hydro-boost, thanks to the research opportunities this forum presents.

I've also got seat kits coming from Mona at New Life, so I can get rid of the aftermarket buckets.

I personally thing diesel is the way to go. If for no other reason than the fact the truck can sit longer without the fuel going bad. However, a stock 230 is a very hard engine to kill and since it only needs something like 65 octane fuel, it will eat trashy gas better than just about anything out there.

Have you ever used a pto powered winch on anything before? They are snarling, growling mean critters that pull with amazing strength. I have seen a M715 tied to a tree pick itself almost all for wheels off the ground while pulling another M715 up a cliff like hill side and the engine never even lugged. Totally different animal if all you have ever used is an electric before.

Plus, the winch extensions are a great place to stand when working on the engine. However, the extra 500 pounds of a winch set up along with a 6BT might give your front springs, king pins and wheel bearings a hard time.

Thanks for the data, Barrman.

Perhaps a phase 1/phase 2 approach is in order:
230 and winch until something (230 failure or killer deal on 6bta) presents itself, then diesel w/o the winch to preserve the vintage axles.


keith.

(sent from my rotary dial phone.)

OK, so I have some evidence of progress:

Welded winch bumper cut off (there will be a late night grinding session to get down to the frame horns)

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1502%20(Small).jpg
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1503%20(Small).jpg



Steering wheel and shifter knob swap (back to original parts)

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1504%20(Small).jpg



Repairing the 12v Turn Signals (signa-stat 900 switch)

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1545%20(Small).jpg
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1544%20(Small).jpg
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1563%20(Small).jpg

and returning one of the original seats to service:

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1558%20(Small).jpg
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1562%20(Small).jpg
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1560%20(Small).jpg



- does everyone get one of these from NLC, or am I special?
http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/1552%20(Small).jpg

Also, I had my first break-down today - the starter switch sparked then failed.

I replaced it with one of my spares, and noticed that the failed switch was of MUCH lighter-duty construction, and was made in Mexico?!?

What!!!??? A forgein made switch failed? They are made from such high quality materials I thought they would last forever......Your spare was probably made in the US 40 yrs ago and works, perfect example of real quailty workmanship.

Yeah, shame we don't have that workmanship now - too expensive.


keith.

(sent from my rotary dial phone.)

More on the Horn Project: in addition to getting a NOS button, I ordered one of the 12v Jeep military horns to replace my universal civvy-looking one mounted under the front of my truck:



(12v on top, my 24v on bottom)

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/m-7...%20(Small).jpg



Back side (24v spare on top, 12v on bottom):

http://eurowerks.us/keith/Kaiser/m-7...%20(Small).jpg


THIS is how I want to approach the 12v conversion! I just need to figure out the turn signal switch and gauges in a similar fashion... ;)