'55 Chevy 3800 Cummins

[xj_man_646]

Yeah, I wouldn't even know where to begin to learn a new CAD program. The last exposure I had was CAD class where I learned CATIA back in 2012 .

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by xj_man_646

Yeah, I wouldn't even know where to begin to learn a new CAD program. The last exposure I had was CAD class where I learned CATIA back in 2012 .

you know the basics more than enough to be dangerous ... you just need a refresher to where the specific buttons are, order of operations, etc. that's what YouTube is great for. you can find an operation you need.

i say pic something random to model that doesn't matter, and just get after it.

[6DoF]

ya ever spend an entire weekend doing something over ... get to the end of the weekend and realize you are only just back to where you thought you started?

i knew i installed the rear main seal on this 12v wrong after doing Hank's 3x cuz i did it first. i know i oiled it like every seal and they MUST be installed dry to not leak. well i was having bad leakage so apart it came. got the trans out, clutch off ... and rear main was dry. wtf. looked harder and it was dripping from the oil pan rail in like 3 place, but wet almost half the seam.

s475 and hot pipe, plus the intercooler mounts have to come out for the engine to tip back far enough to get the trans out ... then everything else to pull the damn 12v

turns out, the pan rail was deformed at the bolt holes and about 20% of the RTV i used never touched the block side. hammered the pan rail back into shape and used a greased paper gasket this time. also did a new rear main while it was out hanging there. so far, so good.

[xj_man_646]

You're telling me you might have a 12V that isn't leaking oil from somewhere?

I'm sure it was a bit of a pain, but you'll be glad you did it.

[6DoF]

ran it about as long as i dared without having it full of coolant. 2 different runs and a few starts that started to get things warm. as of this morning, nothing on the floor!

[6DoF]

got the engine up to operating temp and ran it for a bit yesterday, coolant is full! pretty sure that bled out nicely. only started leaking that from one connection as it cooled, tightened the clamp and looks to be good.

the drivers side of the oil pan where it was leaking is officially sealed! but now the entire passenger side appears to leak ... and the front main seal ... i tightened up the pan bolts, they were looser on the pass side, so we'll see what happens on the next run.

[xj_man_646]

That sucks about the leaks!

[nblehm]

Been a while since i have done oil pan reseal on a Cummins, I feel like they usually come with a fairly thick rubber gasket? Your pan got over torqued at some point, hard to get them to seal again when the bolt holes are pushed up like that.

[6DoF]

i've not been able to find a formed silicone gasket for the 12v unfortunately ... if i ever do another paper pan gasket like this, it'll be heavy glue to the pan and greased to the block.

if i have to mess with this one again, i'll slightly loosen the pan bolts on that side, brake clean down the pan/block rails and gasket edge, pack RTV in there like a wheel bearing, then re-torque after cure.

this morning there was still zero on the floor again. it either will only drip while running, or i got it sealed with the re-torque

[6DoF]

was toying with an idea while looking things over. pretty much "all the guys" were hating on it, but lets hear what you guys all think.

there's already an interesting dichotomy in this truck of new vs old, so why not with mechanical and electronic as well? i intend to push this engine, so for my own engineering entertainment and to really get it right, i really want/need full datalogging with a huge array of sensors. even just the basics are already too many gauge pods for this truck. the best way i think I've found is the Holley Pro dash. no way it'll fit behind the factory v-bezel, even if i wanted to be missing some screen. so what if i put the big screen for all the gauges and controls mid-dash? then i could do a phone mount in the factory cluster bezel for tunes/navigation.

thoughts?

[6DoF]

slowly picking away at things. i ended up sandblasting the headlight buckets to repaint, they are super solid, so that's nice. started a fuel crossover hose, getting a relay and fuse panel together, shifter boot doesn't fit and have to find something new ... moving along

had to remove the hood x-bar to clear the charge cooler ... any reason that would cause issues?

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by dsraven

yeah, I seen that set of pics but I was wondering what it looks like with fenders on from a little way back, so a full side shot, just to see the whole thing in perspective. if you don't have one thats ok, sooner or later there will be one as you move along in your build.

ok ... so i was not able to get the full height pic this weekend ... i couldn't bring myself to fake it i want it to be real and achieved, but my air system wasn't up to it. excuses: 1) air compressors aren't hooked up so i can only get 170psi from the shop air vs the 200psi i should get. 2) i had installed a psi regulator to set max height with, but it turned out to be 250psi capable and only a 125spi max output. only enough air to get me to 7". 3) the new air switches came and i was missing plumbing bits to ditch the reg and get it aired up. but they should be here today!

i finally broke down and bought myself the Aire Jax switches. the look and feel amazing, plus simplify the air lines in the truck 10x. they are mounted and ready, i just need the 3/8" npt to 3/8" tube straight fittings. no clue why i never thought about this orientation before either, but these are super easy to reach from outside the truck, or while driving.

[MBood82]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

was toying with an idea while looking things over. pretty much "all the guys" were hating on it, but lets hear what you guys all think.

there's already an interesting dichotomy in this truck of new vs old, so why not with mechanical and electronic as well? i intend to push this engine, so for my own engineering entertainment and to really get it right, i really want/need full datalogging with a huge array of sensors. even just the basics are already too many gauge pods for this truck. the best way i think I've found is the Holley Pro dash. no way it'll fit behind the factory v-bezel, even if i wanted to be missing some screen. so what if i put the big screen for all the gauges and controls mid-dash? then i could do a phone mount in the factory cluster bezel for tunes/navigation.

thoughts?

What is the situation with the glovebox? Could you mount the display such that it could swing down and with the glovebox open give you the whole suite of data but when it's closed you just have some select, important gauges by the steering column? That would leave you room for a radio in the traditional area, they likely make "old look" radios that between them and carefully selected gauges would keep the traditional look in the cabin while giving you the functionality behind the scenes.

Alternatively, could you do a drop down slide from behind the dash? I have to imagine it's fairly empty back there and you might have room to engineer an angled slide solution of some sort. I'm picturing something that slides down and then pivots some.

If hiding the screen is too difficult, you do have the "benefit" in that you have this wolf in sheeps clothing appearance going on. The external body is original patina, but once past the exterior sheetmetal everywhere else it's new, (relatively) modern and tuned towards performance or comfort, why couldn't the interior be the same way? It would be nice to put some effort into keeping it a little more original inside to keep with the overall "rustic" theme but I wouldn't put too much effort into it.

[nblehm]

I think if you are going to do it you chop up the dash in front of the steering wheel and put it there. Seems weird in the middle. Or you have it hideable

[xj_man_646]

You wouldn't want to be looking in the middle of your dash to see engine vitals if something starts sounding weird on the road (as an example). I would not put it there.

[6DoF]

so it begins ...

i only have a few things to hook up, but there are so many damn wires!!

[6DoF]

i have always HATED the "Christmas tree press-in clip" style zip ties on factory harnesses. just a pain, never reusable, etc. well while working on the wife's vette i finally bought a bag of 100 of em and i'm starting to really like them. now that i can just cut em off n replace they are super handy. 1/4" hole, super secure, done.

also, this cheap split seam loom from amazon is way better than that old plastic corrugation stuff i've used in the past.

[6DoF]

found these split loom tools online and printing a few different sizes of them now. made things 1000x easier.

https://www.printables.com/model/662...esser-werkzeug

[6DoF]

ok, the painless harness for the win. as i started i was hesitant to reorganize or cut things, but after getting into it, that just works. as soon as i have a wiring issue with my 93 it's just getting all-new from scratch too.



i really keep feeling like i want to make a funnel scoop cut into the front/side of the hood to bath the air filter. not sticking up or out at all, just thru the bulge right above/around the filter.

then here's how i ran the wiring. with no inner fenders at the moment, it's just attached to the under side of the fender at that lip. i made 2 nice big pass-thru grommets to then get behind the grill to hide the crossover and the fan relay. horn ordered, that's the green wire. i really like how all that hid really nicely behind the header latch panel. big blue wire is a ground strap. made a few different harness sections under the hood, i was worried that would look a mess but i think worked. the coil around the breather bottle are gauge sensor wires. i even put little 10-32 nutcerts in the cowl for that main harness fuse.

inside had such a massive pile of wires, but they are pre-bundled. by that time i was on a roll and just started hacking. left enough for easy servicing, wound up stuff for future use n BAM. lights work, switch is fully functional. key works, starts the damn thing, and splitting the ACC and IGN sets so the fans are on with the IGN but only the air compressors are on for the ACC.

i did end up hooking up the blinkers in the mid-bar in the headlights. hoping once i get the rear plugged in she'll actually flash.

[xj_man_646]

Looking good! I've never had a good time with wiring