Cummins Built Not Bought/The Life of Frankie.

[GWH]

Starting to get things laid out. Needed to get core support in to check the intercooler lines.
Now that’s a radiator!
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The colors lite,can. Bottle.is making me thirty

 

[CumminsPusher]

Couple setbacks. First the radiator was close to fitting but just close. Spent a over a day fitting and cutting on radiator support then adding new steel. Probably 3 hrs in welding alone. Didn’t care it was going in but that proved difficult to hold 60% more fluid in front of the inline-6. Tractor engine in a pickup that wasn’t designed originally for it is tight lol. But she’s in with no more clearance issues and it’s back to factory looking, not all hacked up looking.

Fenders going on trying to button up the front. The new fenders are proving to be a b**** as well. Probably take rest of today and a few nights after work to get them in looking good. Gaps bother me and I want the body to be as good as the running gear so it’s taking a bit. Something as simple as the back edge of the fender not lining up will take a couple hours, gotta cut and splice from another fender.
Built not bought is proving to be a b**** on this one. But the build continues

And yet another supply of new gr8 bolts, nuts, washers and u bolts. Very few used bolts going into this truck.

 

[Plumber32]

I thought you would be done with this by now!

 

[Tigermark]

Get R Done. We got places to go and people to see!

 

[CumminsPusher]

I thought you would be done with this by now!

Me too! Give me a cement floor a hoist and about 100sq ft more it’d be done. A less constrictive budget would help too. I feel like it’s been molasses and get super frustrated. Was going through about 30gal of diesel heat a week, just got new propane heater so should be more efficient and healthier.
Can’t be more excited for our new rig. Working conditions suck but I’ll get er done!!

 

[CumminsPusher]

Get R Done. We got places to go and people to see!

It’ll be up to the task!

 

[Tigermark]

Me too! Give me a cement floor a hoist and about 100sq ft more it’d be done. A less constrictive budget would help too. I feel like it’s been molasses and get super frustrated. Was going through about 30gal of diesel heat a week, just got new propane heater so should be more efficient and healthier.
Can’t be more excited for our new rig. Working conditions suck but I’ll get er done!!

Heck if it was easy anyone could do it. That’s why your the PNW legend! You can Get R Done!

 

[CumminsPusher]

Did a bunch of paint work to dress up under hood. I originally said I wasn’t going to but f*** it right? This is going to be a high dollar 1st gen so might as well look the part.
I stole and painted my ‘98 12 Valve valve cover plate, painted up the valve covers as well as the intercooler pipes. Went PR4 Dodge red for kicks. Also being a 12v I wanting show off the individual covers. Went charcoal matching the charcoal that’ll be on the exterior of the truck on valve cover plate, as well as a few other components under hood.
This engine started as non-intercooled but that was yesterday, today it’ll breath cooler especially with the larger piping. Big change in the look of the engine.

Just piddled around for something to do but personally like the results, starting to get real excited to have a good looking truck finally

 

[NTCPrezJB]

Well I couldn’t sleep last night there’s some things going on in my life that have me troubled so I just buried myself in the truck till we hours this morning. Nice thing about a project I guess.
Did a bunch of paint work to dress up under hood. I originally said I wasn’t going to but f*** it right? This is going to be a high dollar 1st gen so might as well look the part.
I stole and painted my ‘98 12 Valve valve cover plate, painted up the valve covers as well as the intercooler pipes. Went PR4 Dodge color for kicks. Also being a 12v I wanting show off the individual covers. Went charcoal matching the charcoal that’ll be on the exterior of the truck on valve cover plate, as well as a few other components under hood.
This engine started as non-intercooled but that was yesterday, today it’ll breath cooler especially with the larger piping. Big change in the look of the engine.

View attachment 240678View attachment 240679View attachment 240680

Just piddled around for something to do but personally like the results, starting to get real excited to have a good looking truck finally

Wrench therapy....only second to throttle therapy my man. Hang in there.

Project is looking awesome.

 

[Tigermark]

Friday update?

 

[BWAF]

Did a bunch of paint work to dress up under hood. I originally said I wasn’t going to but f*** it right? This is going to be a high dollar 1st gen so might as well look the part.
I stole and painted my ‘98 12 Valve valve cover plate, painted up the valve covers as well as the intercooler pipes. Went PR4 Dodge color for kicks. Also being a 12v I wanting show off the individual covers. Went charcoal matching the charcoal that’ll be on the exterior of the truck on valve cover plate, as well as a few other components under hood.
This engine started as non-intercooled but that was yesterday, today it’ll breath cooler especially with the larger piping. Big change in the look of the engine.

View attachment 240678View attachment 240679View attachment 240680

Just piddled around for something to do but personally like the results, starting to get real excited to have a good looking truck finally

Looks awesome

 

[Mopower58]

Did a bunch of paint work to dress up under hood. I originally said I wasn’t going to but f*** it right? This is going to be a high dollar 1st gen so might as well look the part.
I stole and painted my ‘98 12 Valve valve cover plate, painted up the valve covers as well as the intercooler pipes. Went PR4 Dodge color for kicks. Also being a 12v I wanting show off the individual covers. Went charcoal matching the charcoal that’ll be on the exterior of the truck on valve cover plate, as well as a few other components under hood.
This engine started as non-intercooled but that was yesterday, today it’ll breath cooler especially with the larger piping. Big change in the look of the engine.

View attachment 240678View attachment 240679View attachment 240680

Just piddled around for something to do but personally like the results, starting to get real excited to have a good looking truck finally

Looks great, coming along nicely. You are in the short rows now, that's Southern for getting close to the end!

 

[tdhanses]

WOW! What a cool build, can’t wait to see it when it’s done!

 

[CumminsPusher]

This morning Santa dropped off some more goods. Even though I have some pretty ok extra parts I want all the chrome to be fresh. So two power mirrors and new door handles. Not too often does someone order 4 door handles for a first gen is imagine. Last of the new s*** till after Xmas. Kinda cool seeing some new exterior stuff show up. Gives me enough energy to get out here and at least do something. Pretty rough today but I’ll get going a little.

 

[CumminsPusher]

Decided to reinforce the front door hinge plates. Going backwards but we are hard on things and it’s a known problem so might as well fix it ahead of time.
Probably be all weekend on that

 

[DDDonkey]

Decided to reinforce the front door hinge plates. Going backwards but we are hard on things and it’s a known problem so might as well fix it ahead of time.
Probably be all weekend on that
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Ok I’ll ask, how are you doing this, are you just adding plate steel or something else? Pictures please too of the process if you can.

 

[CumminsPusher]

Ok I’ll ask, how are you doing this, are you just adding plate steel or something else? Pictures please too of the process if you can.

This is the plan. Basically add the same sections from old doors and weld in place. Big ass washer lol. Should help distribute the hinge stress I think. Then I’ll use structural urethane on the gaps on inside so I don’t need to cut skin off the new doors.
I’ll also add spray foam to the window frame for a little added rigidly.

 

[DDDonkey]

Ok thanks I get it, looks good.

 

[Bad_bowtie]

Progress looks f***ing awesome Dave. Cant wait to see the finished product.

 

[CumminsPusher]

Not exactly my best body work but didn’t want to add filler in these areas so it was just grind seal and paint. Followed contours so it’s not obvious. Once dried the doors are ready for assembly
Done enough for the weekend.