Author Topic: SquareD Part 3: Body work, paint, roof rack, and farther off course ... (Read 166598 times)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #450 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:02:05 PM »

Welp, here is what the whole mess looks like tonight, the end of build day 108

Flyin6 · « **Reply #451 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:05:15 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasRedNeck View Post
Welcome to middle age Bobby! I hate it when I walk the 12 ft from my office to my admins desk only to forget what I wanted by the time I get there....

Don, Trying to follow along at the home version...

I guess passing the tranny lines through the protected cab area and up the B pillar and to the roof using AN bulkhead fittings and braided high pressure line was not an option? I know you are very methodical and thoughtful about each detail, so was just curious.

Interior space is at an absolute premium. So much so that I decided to pull out the bench seat, mount it in the bed (Under a topper) and install something like thinner racing seats. Summit has a great selection and it looks like I will have no problem doing all that for less than a grand.

Transmission fluid lines get hot. That heat radiates...good for the winter, but not so much during our rather warm summers. Lines stay out of doors thank you berry much. The back of the cab is a tree branch, Kia "B" pillar, and 2 X 4 free area, so that's why they go there.
The roof is easy to armor up so that's a good spot for the cooler...that's how I got to all that.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #452 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:06:26 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by FBJR View Post
Are you making your own Snorkel? (like you don't make everything else )

YESSIR I is.

Not my first by golly

Nossir, been down that road before.

It's easy and mine are always strong enough to serve as body protection as well for the occasional 99%er who is bouncing off precious body work

I built my last one on a supercharged gasser tundra. It turned out to be too small ID and cut boost by 3psi! EEK!

But it sure looked cool!

This one will be 5" 16 gage steel tubing with reinforcing, have a prefilter cap and be blended into the fender. I decided to just block off the inside of the fender to make that one big continuous air channel and install a suction activated (Spring loaded) flap valve in the system that would be pulled open by additional air demand. That way during normal operations and even under higher power demands all the air would come from high altitude. But if that Cummins started sucking the paint off the inside of the fender, then Mr. flapper does his thing and the rear tires continue to vulcanize state highways everywhere...perhaps long black stripes are coming to a street near you

Anyway, my last contraption:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #453 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:07:30 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dustoff 35 View Post
That's a great idea.

Routing the lines between the bed front and the cab leaves them vulnerable to pinching and the frames on these 1st gens flex quite a bit when taken off-road.

Nope...

Plenty of room between the cab and bed for 1/2" lines

Besides box and cab don't get closer together, they just act in a sawing fashion, maintaining clearance.

This is my third square fender dodge. The others were off-roaded hard. the frame twist is there, about like the early PS Fords, but nothing ever comes of it. Frames do not fail. Large gaping holes are not rubbed into bodywork anywhere, in fact the flex is beneficial.
Unlike unit body big things like suburban's and Excursions, whose bodies have to cope with all that torsional goings-on, the Square trucks provide a great way to alleviate all of that. a joint of sorts..

Flyin6 · « **Reply #454 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:08:17 PM »

Nate, with all your cookin' going on, I thought of you when I saw this...

Sorry bro..

There was no danger, and all that...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #455 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:09:42 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobolallawa View Post
Don, I am with you on not having any oil lines any where inside the cab. If they were damaged at all and leak under any pressure the hot oil could be all over you and the windows. We had to remove all the hydraulic lines from the cabs of our snow and ice removal equipment.
Build an outside raceway for the oil lines and any other wires you might need for the roof mounted stuff like lights, cameras, electric switches and controls for well most anything.

And for others, Bob PM'd me this morning to tell me same, and I asked him to post up for everyone to see.

I shared a story with him.
A long, long time ago in a galaxy called Korea, I was in a "C" model chinook. Those things had roughly twice the hydraulic lines that the modern D, E, F, and G Model Chinooks have.
I was going along minding my own business. I was IFR, in a cloud directly over the airfield being vectored in for an approach and landing. Below me the pattern was hosting returning F-16's who were returning from playing around up north.
All of a sudden, and with no warning one of the 3000 psi lines severed, as in two, dumping and spraying hot oil and crap all over my helmet, neck, windshield, panel and the crewchief who was hanging around up front. I watched as the pressure quickly spun down to 0 and the #1 flight boost system shut itself off.
So, I've been there and done that, and had to get a new flight suit as oil kills the fire resistance of Nomex.
Nossir, no pressure lines in my cab...

Flyin6 · « **Reply #456 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:11:25 PM »

Moving right along

While looking at an add from Midway shooting supplies, I noticed a single Beretta 92 left hand, Uncle Mikes, belt holster, closeout priced at $13...So I ordered it

Today it arrived. THe parts storage table is getting clogged up again, so to heck with it, I decided to bolt that sucker in and get some real world intent going for the square dodge

Here's the pieces parts:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #457 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:12:31 PM »

I plan to mount it here:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #458 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:13:12 PM »

Sort of like this:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #459 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:14:00 PM »

I was thinking that the well seasoned plastic could use a little help, so the plan to wrap the fuse cover panel with sheet aluminum was hatched.

Here's some .025 I had laying around (Amazing that the red dog hadn't eaten that as well as everything else!)

Flyin6 · « **Reply #460 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:14:44 PM »

I have a really good quality metal shear (Thanks Duane) which makes short work of anything that enters those jaws

Flyin6 · « **Reply #461 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:15:29 PM »

After some ninja like slices I had this:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #462 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:16:08 PM »

Next I got some help from my trusty harbor freight brake which I tuned up just for this operation

Flyin6 · « **Reply #463 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:17:25 PM »

Then the bendin' commenced

Flyin6 · « **Reply #464 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:18:30 PM »

Adjusted then voila' a aluminum clad old piece of plastic!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #465 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:19:39 PM »

Next the holster was positioned and the 8/32 screw holes were drilled

Flyin6 · « **Reply #466 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:20:35 PM »

decent angle me thinks

Flyin6 · « **Reply #467 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:21:45 PM »

Three pop rivets permanized the assembly

Flyin6 · « **Reply #468 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:22:27 PM »

Next step: Cleaning, sanding, painting

Flyin6 · « **Reply #469 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:23:10 PM »

Then after drying, reassembly

Flyin6 · « **Reply #470 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:24:25 PM »

And mounting in the cab

Flyin6 · « **Reply #471 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:26:04 PM »

OK, we can call that project in the bag...

On to body work

About 75% of the dents have been smoothed and repaired, Only a couple remain and I am just going slow to bring them back to being perfect before final sealer and paint

Flyin6 · « **Reply #472 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:27:11 PM »

That took nearly 30 minutes of sanding with a long board to get to that point.

A technique body men sometimes use is to apply a "Guide coat" to check flatness. I like to spray on primer, then lightly sand with a board. All high surfaces are hit first. The flat areas which most of this is now all sands at the same time. Any unsanded area is a low spot needing more filler. I had a case of door #3 today:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #473 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:28:02 PM »

It's nearing perfection at this point, but this final coat of body polyester should do it:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #474 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:28:48 PM »

The lower passenger door had one small low spot:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #475 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:29:40 PM »

The back end is done, but I decided to do a little more work on those roof rack mounts

Flyin6 · « **Reply #476 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:30:17 PM »

That slow leak is still there...Even after blessing it with choice drunken sailor language!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #477 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:30:59 PM »

Well, I do!

THe brown truck did two things.

1. It delivered a bunch of view blockin' boxes

and

2. Nearly carried off the red dog.

Unbelievable, but while the kindly UPS man chatted for a moment and looked over the progress, that Da)(!@#!! red dog got into his truck and scored a box!

She was working on it when he got back...luckily in time before whatever was on the inside became dog poop in my back yard!

Anyway here's some boxes:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #478 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:32:29 PM »

Here's some snorkel parts, clamps and a silicone hose, and those T-Clamps Mr. Texas suggested I purchase...Well, good call, I own them!

Flyin6 · « **Reply #479 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:33:29 PM »

Here's the 5" sewer pipe, err, strike that, I meant snorkel tube

Flyin6 · « **Reply #480 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:34:28 PM »

That pipe will obviously be fitted on top of the hard points I built for it, and be trimmed down to size, so folks don't get crazy, "Yo, Don, did you notice it isn't centered and it's waaay too long", and "I'd suggest you reinstall the fender at some point and get a much better fit." You know stuff like that

If you do, I'll purposely leave it on there too long!

Here's a 45 I purchased to help with the transition up to the precleaner which will find refuge inside the roof rack

Flyin6 · « **Reply #481 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:35:25 PM »

This is Dynamat, an aluminum and rubber sound deadening self adhesive mat.

I purchased it now, because it is going onto parts of the firewall now right after painting and before the new brake stuff gets going.

The big box is for a custom piece made for the underside of the hood.

Part of the stealth technology will be the control of the volume/ amplitude, and intensity of the noise the truck will generate.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #482 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:36:15 PM »

Anyway, that concludes another build day, number 109

Flyin6 · « **Reply #483 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:37:08 PM »

Just scored the top precleaner for the snorkel:

Flyin6 · « **Reply #484 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:38:01 PM »

Quote:
Originally Posted by EL TATE View Post
I'm assuming that 800cfm is not sufficient? it looks like it pulls air from the sides, vortexing and allowing water to fall out the bottom while the air is pulled through the venturie, am I correct?

Incorrect!

Air enters from the bottom via some canted vanes which starts the swirl. as it continues upward toward the open Venturi and aided by spinning blades, heavy particles are centrifuged against the sides of the canister, eventually finding their way to the slits in the back

This is the way air is filtered in a great number of turbine powered helicopters...very effective

Flyin6 · « **Reply #485 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:53:24 PM »

Getting back into the project, I continued smoothing the body work, concentrating on the dented area of the bed

Flyin6 · « **Reply #486 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:54:46 PM »

I finished the area on the top of the bed.

Flyin6 · « **Reply #487 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:55:33 PM »

This camera is just not working for me very well. I think the projects is about to claim its next victim!

Anyway, the big dent in the rear was still just a tad low, so I pulled a very thin coat of filler over it again. This should be the last time I have to do that.

While that was setting up, I turned my attention to the roof stations...and the sanding continued

Flyin6 · « **Reply #488 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:56:26 PM »

I worked that with 50 grit, 80 grit, and 120 with the orbital. The idea was to get it smooth and nothing more since the bed liner will be pretty irregular in appearance and cover any deformities easily

Flyin6 · « **Reply #489 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:57:13 PM »

This primer coat finishes it

Flyin6 · « **Reply #490 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:58:23 PM »

like to keep a couple projects in queue on any given day. The other being a mechanical or fabrication project.
Today was no exception. I wanted to build the mount for that new Hydro-boost brake device.
To start, I pried the old gasket off the vacuum brake booster to use as a template

Flyin6 · « **Reply #491 on:** October 10, 2014, 03:59:29 PM »

Using that and a nearby can of paint, I sprayed the outline on some .125" plate steel and cut that out

Flyin6 · « **Reply #492 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:00:34 PM »

Next up, removal of the second gen factory standoff mount from the brake booster unit.

First the snap ring is removed

Flyin6 · « **Reply #493 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:01:23 PM »

Then in the interest of saving time, I chop sawed off the mount to gain access to the unique square nut

Flyin6 · « **Reply #494 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:02:31 PM »

Then fussed with the nut until it yielded

Flyin6 · « **Reply #495 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:03:33 PM »

I bored a hole into the new mount and checked the fit...everything is a go so far

Flyin6 · « **Reply #496 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:04:15 PM »

Tracing around the existing hole in the firewall, I came up with this template which I used to locate the bolt holes in the plate

Flyin6 · « **Reply #497 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:04:58 PM »

I drilled holes small enough to be tapped to the 3/8-16 bolts I wanted to use

Flyin6 · « **Reply #498 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:06:00 PM »

After cleaning it up with a flap wheel, the 3/8" socket head stainless bolts screwed right in

Flyin6 · « **Reply #499 on:** October 10, 2014, 04:07:40 PM »

And the moment of truth...Does it fit?