'92 RC restoration/trail rig build (New pics & VIDEOS 7/12/14)

[SixGun]

Beautiful truck

[The War Wagon]

NOTHING new to report (driveshaft isn't done yet  ), but I finally did come across a set of photos from late '06 - when I inherited it - that I can show off.  You can see how far it's come!


















Not all THAT different now, eh? 

[The War Wagon]

Ya' know... the bumpers on that thing were actually in VERY good shape.  I shoulda kept and sold them...     


I loved that wheel design, too - looked into bead-blasting, cerakoting, and re-cycling them in some capacity, but my cerakote guy showed me the price tag and quickly dissuaded me of THAT.  If they were 15x10, I'd of DONE it though.


Were those "LE" badges stick-on, or were they metal?  We lost them during the paintjob, I believe.

[SixGun]

Your truck has come a long way.

[The War Wagon]

Well, I was trying to get my right running light/turn signal working the other day, and noticed a mess of goo inside the bulb socket.  Cleaned it all up, and the bulb, and it STILL won't light. 


In the process of trying to make sure the contacts were good, I managed to short my first fuse... and suddenly realized, I've misplaced all my large blade fuses from my Grand Marquis days. 


After dropping the fuse panel, I see what a mess that is, as the old alarm system was hot-wired in there.  I think I'll save the wire, and wire my four-fold power port gizmo with it, and superglue THAT where I removed the ashtray.  That, and since I'm bored, I wanna start playing around with the stereo install.  I really wanna get the interior thoroughly cleaned first, before I start mashing my face into the carpet, while trying to poke around under the dash, whilst standing on my head... maybe I can fiddle with the speaker install in the meantime.


I think I'm going to hafta cut up the door panels for my round three-ways... but again - it's not a rotisserie restoration, and if I do it right...  ... it should look pretty clean anyways...


I'll keep you posted...

[The War Wagon]

You KNOW you've been AWAY from the shade tree TOO long, when you spend 2 days trying to make a parking lamp bulb WORK... and it really WAS burned out all along!


  At any rate, I had a fusebox full of 22 year old fuses, and I HAD popped the 20amp fuse for the running lights.  I basically went through and replaced ALL the fuses, save for that 3 & 5 amp fuse (gotta go back and buy those separately, it appears).  Got my cabin lights working again (had to replace the rear bulb).


Bigger problem though - I've got some water getting into my doors when it's standing still!  Had a lotta rain the last couple of days, and I find water coming into the bottom of my doors and draining out onto the sill plate!  I'm guessing the dry-rotted window molding is allowing that in, so I reckon that'll hafta addressed long-term eventually... or find a garage/tent for it!


I did pull the door panels off, and start the process to install some speakers.  As we're all familiar with our dinky little panel hangers, most of mine have lost the black rubber spacer on the panel side, and the spacers that are there have dried out.  So I took some Liquid Nails, to affix the hangers back onto the panel, and hopefully help them stick a little better.





And speaking of electric brake controllers, I pulled the one Dino'd installed to pull his boat with many moons ago.  It HAD been affixed to the ashtray.


  Unless somebody needs one, I'll probably toss it.  I think he pulled a little johnboat with the RC back in the day.


Let's me reclaim the ashtray, so there's not a big ugly, empty spot in the lower dash.  I think I'll attach my 4 power port-dealy where the brake controller was.

[The War Wagon]

Got the inside bottom of the driver's side door bondo'd this afternoon.  Used the metallic grid/adhesive patch on both sides, and slathered it down (I sanded it down yesterday) on both sides.  I'll paint the bottom tomorrow, and use some spray-on undercoat on the inside of the door.  I wanna put some 3M soundproofing in the door while I'm at it.


Gotta go Dremel out the thick edge of this panel, so the speaker grill will sit flush.  Oh the fun we have (and smoke we make!  ) with power tools!

[The War Wagon]

Got the inside of the doors undercoated/rubberized, and the bottm side painted where I did the bondo patch.  Went by a local car audio place, and picked up some Dynamat sound proofing; really HEAVY duty aluminum and 1/4" thick self adhesive pad.  Stuffed the doors with it, and got a little done on the right rear quarter where the 6x9 3-ways will go (where the factory rear 5x8's used to be).  Gnarly stuff, although with a trail rig with true duals... & I don't even have the headers on it yet  , I don't think it'll do a LOT, but we'll see how it goes.


Didn't even take any pictures this time, but the 150 watt Alpine 2-ways are in the doors, and the doors are buttoned up better than factory new!  I need to get that weatherstripping replaced, but UNTIL then, it's about as good as it gets!


Ooooh - also RTV'd the right side window trim.  I was missing a couple of connectors, so rather than let water get in, I just siliconed it all in!

[The War Wagon]

Got a buddy of mine from Steeltown Offroaders to come over yesterday - we unhitched the driveshaft, and probably not a moment too soon. Endcaps literally fell off both U-joints, and the needle bearings poured out. The shaft was bound up so tight, even with the E-brake on, the truck settled and shifted as the driveshaft came out. Both U-joints weren't long for this world.

The yoke came off the t-case easily enough. The new flange also fits perfectly (right number of splines!). I did test fit it with the new output oil seal and... no dice. The outside diameter of the flange shaft is bigger than the inside diameter of the seal, sooooo... we measured everything, & ordered a new seal. I'll pick that up later today. We did NOT remove the old seal first, so there's NOT a puddle under the truck at least.

We do have ANOTHER large problem, however. The CAD has failed. Already.  Everything spins (driveshaft, differential yoke), but the front axle will NOT engage. I'm guessing we're going to need to do the poor man's fix for starters (lock the axle, and let the lockout hubs do their job), and replace THOSE this winter with some good, new SOLID chromemoly shafts. But I'm RWD ONLY for the time being. 

I gotta pick up some grade 8 fasteners, washers, and nuts yet for the flange - we MIGHT install everything Sunday afternoon, but as always - it's ALWAYS something...

[crazzywolfie]

what wrong with RWD? Richard could probably pass your War Wagon which his RWD truck

[The War Wagon]

what wrong with RWD? Richard could probably pass your War Wagon which his RWD truck

NOTHING at all... assuming you're not pushing several hundred pounds of useless scrap iron on the FRONT of the truck WITH your RWD! 


Got the right seal today - after 3 fruitless hours at Autozone, Advance Auto, and Lowes, NOBODY has the right size Grade 8 fasteners, so I bit the bullet and ordered 'em from Denny's Driveshaft in NY.  ASSUMING we get the new seal & flange installed tomorrow, get the measurements, and get 'em to Hank first think Monday morning, he won't have the driveshaft ready 'til Tuesday afternoon, and the fasteners get here Wednesday morning. So there we have it.

[crazzywolfie]

NOTHING at all... assuming you're not pushing several hundred pounds of useless scrap iron on the FRONT of the truck WITH your RWD! 


Got the right seal today - after 3 fruitless hours at Autozone, Advance Auto, and Lowes, NOBODY has the right size Grade 8 fasteners, so I bit the bullet and ordered 'em from Denny's Driveshaft in NY.  ASSUMING we get the new seal & flange installed tomorrow, get the measurements, and get 'em to Hank first think Monday morning, he won't have the driveshaft ready 'til Tuesday afternoon, and the fasteners get here Wednesday morning. So there we have it.
[/quote
shouldn't talk about your font bumper like that. it might save your life one day . the 2wd trucks are also pretty heavy up front. have you seen how big the engine cross member is on them compared to the 4x4's

[The War Wagon]

shouldn't talk about your font bumper like that. it might save your life one day . the 2wd trucks are also pretty heavy up front. have you seen how big the engine cross member is on them compared to the 4x4's

I BUILT a 1/25th scale model of a Little Red Express many decades ago (one of my best friends in hi skrool had a '79 model, and it was a SCREAMER!!!  ) - it seemed to have a big crossmember, as I recall... 


I was shopping G2 one-piece axles in a 4wp mag while on the throne this morning - DEFINITELY an upcoming project...


In happier news, we got the new oil seal & cardon flange installed yesterday evening, so I'm off to Pittsburgh Driveshaft (FINALY!) to get my new driveshaft ordered!!!  Stand by for OLD driveshaft parts for sale, shortly. 

[The War Wagon]

Woot - woot!  New electrical goodies!  Oh - and we're going with a 7290 rear yoke for the new driveshaft.  Shaftmasters is $25 cheaper than Denny's, so I gotta order that after the weekend.

[The War Wagon]

So I'm installing the LAST speaker... and EVERYTHING else is hooked up (I've already tested the radio & it works - got no signals though, until the I realized the antenna mast had not been installed!  ) and READY to go... when the wife calls with the pathetic voice - "I GOTTA lay down... can you watch the kids?" 


So I'm ONE speaker installation away from having QUADRAPHONIC sound    - when she gets up later on, I'll take the JVC and take some footage of the final product (Kenwood looks SCHWEET in the dash!!!).  I already have a CD labeled "RAMCHARGER Music, Vol, 1,' so we'll pop that in, and see if we blow up the speakers, amp, stereo, or truck first!