Kinda got carried away..... M1028 rebuild

[CARC686]

Decided to finish installing & plumbing the electric fuel pump. I used a Carter P4600HP which is a 12v, 50 gallon/hour 4.5-8 psi frame-mounted pump. I wanted to use a 24v but the P4603HD was nowhere to be found. The 12v model pulls 10 amps and will be ignition/relay-wired. Not knowing how much fuel the supercharged P400 will drink in WOT, I reached out to Bob Reynolds at Carter Technical Service for his opinion. Bob ran calculations for diesel fuel consumption in a 6.5 GM engine producing 300 HP and recommended the P4600HP. He indicated that the P4600HP might be slightly over-sized, but the fact that the fuel return line from the engine to the tank is a full 1/4" line, means that any excess fuel not needed by the engine will simply be returned to the tank. This is another reason why I incorporated a fuel pressure gauge in the custom gauge panel, so I can make sure the engine is not fuel-starved.

While I was under the truck and in the process of mounting the fuel pump to the frame, I decided to also incorporate a filter between the twin tank valve and the pump. After spending hours evaluating numerous diesel fuel filters online and at Summit, I chose a HENKYO R12T 10-micron, which is also a frame-mounted unit. The R12T also features a water separator with a clear bowl to catch any water incoming from station fuel. Both filter and water bowl are spin-on/off and the bowl has a handy threaded drain cock knob which can be operated with gloves on. In order to provide a straight-through route for the forthcoming 3" exhaust, I mounted the R12T on the cross-member under the front of the bed, between the exhaust route and the forthcoming new driveshaft route. New 3/8" rubber fuel line was used but I wanted to re-use the OEM hose clamps for nostalgic reasons. Mounting the P4600HP fuel pump on the frame caused a complication of hose routing, so I cut-off the 3/8" hard line from the engine just forward of the pump and installed a 3/8" compression x 3/8" hose barb adapter onto the hard line to connect the rubber hose. Everything worked perfectly. Before I crank the engine for the first time, I will disconnect the 4AN hose running to the fuel isolator on the firewall and energize the pump with a battery to pre-prime the system but also to run a quart or so through the filter & pump & lines to clear any small particles or debris left over from the manufacturing processes. More updates coming soon.

View attachment 951721

View attachment 951722

Missing altitude, attitude, roll, ambient temp, barometer, and timepiece.

 

[Sharecropper]

Made a little more progress. Got the Sherpa 24v 17,000 lb winch mounted and the bumper & grille guard back on. Had to fabricate a couple steel brackets for the grille guard to mount the control box. The winch came with the wireless remote so I mounted the transmitter immediately behind the control box on the core support so the cable can stay plugged in. The behind-the-bumper winch mount by Engineered Vintage worked great, but it was a bear getting the two bottom bumper bolts installed & torqued. I decided to convert the 24v slave port to a 12v port and plan to rig-up a custom set of jumper cables so I won't have to open my hood to jump-start these idiots that live around me. The slave wiring will tap off the rear Hawker battery. Will be reinstalling the doors & front fenders next, then batteries and a few things and then will be ready to add fluids and see if it will crank.

 

[1love]

Made a little more progress. Got the Sherpa 24v 17,000 lb winch mounted and the bumper & grille guard back on. Had to fabricate a couple steel brackets for the grille guard to mount the control box. The winch came with the wireless remote so I mounted the transmitter immediately behind the control box on the core support so the cable can stay plugged in. The behind-the-bumper winch mount by Engineered Vintage worked great, but it was a bear getting the two bottom bumper bolts installed & torqued. I decided to convert the 24v slave port to a 12v port and plan to rig-up a custom set of jumper cables so I won't have to open my hood to jump-start these idiots that live around me. The slave wiring will tap off the rear Hawker battery. Will be reinstalling the doors & front fenders next, then batteries and a few things and then will be ready to add fluids and see if it will crank.

View attachment 952261View attachment 952262View attachment 952263View attachment 952264

ITS SO PERFECT!

 

[bl71236]

OK folks, here's my first question -

Would it be possible to completely abandon the current instrument cluster for a new custom unit comprised of all new M38A3 gauges?

I can design and build a replacement gauge mounting face fabricated from 1/8" aluminum, correctly shaped and bent to fit precisely as the existing black plastic does. I would need to engineer a top mount structure for this new face, however I have already got that figured out. The M38A3 gauges would simply mount into the holes milled into the new aluminum face. I would set this up in AutoCad and mill the shape and openings in the mounting face on a CNC router. The aluminum mounting face would then be bead blasted and painted 383. What do yall think? is it possible? What problems or obstacles are there to overcome?

I would want a large diameter Speedometer and Tach mounted side-by-side in the middle, and smaller diameter fuel, temp, oil pressure, volt meters (2), and the 24-volt meter mounted on either side. The heater control can be fastened to te back side of the new face, and the BO lights and headlight switch would simply stick through the way they do now. There would be some extra room where a radio would normally be located, however I would use this area for push-button glow plug switching and other switches.

All of the new gauges would have to be hooked up manually, which is part of the goal anyway.

Any comments?

Take a look at my solution. I made aluminium overlays.

M1009 frame off restore and modification

Some extra pictures of the repairs ongoing.

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[Sharecropper]

Take a look at my solution. I made aluminium overlays.

M1009 frame off restore and modification

Some extra pictures of the repairs ongoing.

www.steelsoldiers.com

Hmmmm...... It seems you have replied to my post from July 2010. A lot has happened in the 15 years since.

I designed, engineered, fabricated, installed, and hooked-up my custom gauge panel. Thanks for your reply, however I am miles ahead of you on my rebuild. I hope you will read through the entire thread and maybe learn from my mistakes.

 

[bl71236]

Hmmmm...... It seems you have replied to my post from July 2010. A lot has happened in the 15 years since.

I designed, engineered, fabricated, installed, and hooked-up my custom gauge panel. Thanks for your reply, however I am miles ahead of you on my rebuild. I hope you will read through the entire thread and maybe learn from my mistakes.

View attachment 953320View attachment 953321

Very Nice! Sorry,i forget to check dates sometimes.

 

[Sharecropper]

I've owned, worked on, and enjoyed square-body trucks for as long as there have been square-body trucks. But I have never cared for GM's design of the ground buss under the dash attached to the emergency brake frame.

Today I am finishing up the cab wiring in preparation of dash & seat reinstallation, and decided to do something about that darn ground buss.
The original GM design consisted of a thin bracket with six prongs, onto which 12v ground wires with female spade connectors can be attached. The problem has always been the eventual looseness developed in the spade connectors, resulting in the connectors coming loose and becoming unattached to the prong.

Thinking through how I could improve the original design and provide more secure ground connections, I came up with fabricating a new buss with 8-32 hex-head screws & star washers for each ground wire.

I had some 3/4" x 3/4" square steel tube stock in my inventory, so I cut a piece 3-1/2" long and then cut three sides off 1-1/4" from one end to form a flat bar with a hole drilled in it to attach back into the same location.

I drilled & tapped ten holes, five on the side and five on the bottom, to provide plenty of attachment for future accessories. Here's what the before & after product looks like -

 

[1love]

I've owned, worked on, and enjoyed square-body trucks for as long as there have been square-body trucks. But I have never cared for GM's design of the ground buss under the dash attached to the emergency brake frame. Today I am finishing up the cab wiring in preparation of dash & seat reinstallation, and decided to do something about that darn ground buss. The original GM design consisted of a thin bracket with six prongs, onto which 12v ground wires with female spade connectors can be attached. The problem has always been the eventual looseness developed in the spade connectors, resulting in the connectors coming loose and becoming unattached to the prong. Thinking through how I could improve the original design and provide more secure ground connections, I came up with fabricating a new buss with 8-32 hex-head screws & star washers for each ground wire. I had some 3/4" x 3/4" square steel tube stock in my inventory, so I cut a piece 3-1/2" long and then cut three sides off 1-1/4" from one end to form a flat bar with a hole drilled in it to attach back into the same location. I drilled & tapped ten holes, five on the side and five on the bottom, to provide plenty of attachment for future accessories. Here's what the before & after product looks like -

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Thanks! Looks like I'll be doing the same mod!

 

[Sharecropper]

Thanks! Looks like I'll be doing the same mod!

Make sure you clean the rust off the brake frame prior to installing the new ground buss, thereby allowing additional grounding capability through the back side of the new buss bracket. It's a bear to get to, so I recommend pulling out the instrument panel for easy access.

While you have it out you can clean the gauge bulb sockets and replace any that needs replacing. I actually sprayed the inside of my housing with silver reflective paint and replaced the three (3) dash light illumination bulbs with bright LED bulbs. What a difference! No need to replace any of the other bulbs, unless you just want to or not working.

I am attaching a great guide which explains the instrument cluster better than any I have ever seen. The three (3) dash light illumination bulbs are identified on page 5 & 6 of the document.

Hope this helps.

 

[1love]

Make sure you clean the rust off the brake frame prior to installing the new ground buss, thereby allowing additional grounding capability through the back side of the new buss bracket. It's a bear to get to, so I recommend pulling out the instrument panel for easy access. While you have it out you can clean the gauge bulb sockets and replace any that needs replacing. I actually sprayed the inside of my housing with silver reflective paint and replaced the three (3) dash light illumination bulbs with bright LED bulbs. What a difference! No need to replace any of the other bulbs, unless you just want to or not working. I am attaching a great guide which explains the instrument cluster better than any I have ever seen. The three (3) dash light illumination bulbs are identified on page 5 & 6 of the document.

Hope this helps.

Nice thank you for this!!! PDF is gold!

 

[Sharecropper]

Things are really starting to come together. This past week I sanded, painted & reinstalled the inner & outer fenders. The outer fenders are a pair I got from Hillbilly a few years back which were in almost new condition, and which I had modified to provide the additional clearance necessary for my 11.00-20 NDT's.

Everything bolted-up nicely and I then tightened the core support. Had to move the core support towards the cab approximately 1/4" to get all holes to line up. I wasn't aware beforehand, but the core support has a forward/backward adjustment range of approximately 3/4". It's held on the frame by two 1/2" bolts through the front mounting bushings. By loosening these two bolts, the core support can be moved to facilitate alignment of the fender bolts.

After getting the fenders installed, I mounted the intercooler pump to the driver's side inner fender and completed the intercooler fluid circuit. Had to modify slightly the driver's side inner fender to provide clearance for the intercooler line to attach to the intercooler radiator inlet fitting. The pump is 24v, so I had previously run a fused relay line from the 24v buss on the firewall across to the pump and got it wired.

The photo below shows the pump and lines attached to the inner fender, as well as the new SPID label, new windshield washer bottle, and new coolant recovery bottle. All nuts & bolts used through the inner fender are stainless.

 

[bl71236]

Things are really starting to come together. This past week I sanded, painted & reinstalled the inner & outer fenders. The outer fenders are a pair I got from Hillbilly a few years back which were in almost new condition, and which I had modified to provide the additional clearance necessary for my 11.00-20 NDT's. Everything bolted-up nicely and I then tightened the core support. Had to move the core support towards the cab approximately 1/4" to get all holes to line up. I wasn't aware beforehand, but the core support has a forward/backward adjustment range of approximately 3/4". It's held on the frame by two 1/2" bolts through the front mounting bushings. By loosening these two bolts, the core support can be moved to facilitate alignment of the fender bolts. After getting the fenders installed, I mounted the intercooler pump to the driver's side inner fender and completed the intercooler fluid circuit. Had to modify slightly the driver's side inner fender to provide clearance for the intercooler line to attach to the intercooler radiator inlet fitting. The pump is 24v, so I had previously run a fused relay line from the 24v buss on the firewall across to the pump and got it wired. The photo below shows the pump and lines attached to the inner fender, as well as the new SPID label, new windshield washer bottle, and new coolant recovery bottle. All nuts & bolts used through the inner fender are stainless.

View attachment 955613

Very Nice! Both of my fender well and fenders were corrosion pigs. Thanks for info on loosening the core bolts for alignment.

 

[Sharecropper]

More progress. Got the Vintage Air lines completed and routed properly. After installing the rear battery tray, I realized that there would be no way to attach the top refrigerant line and top heater hose without both lines contacting the edge of the tray, which would ultimately lead to problems later.

Vintage Air offers a 90-degree fitting, #366102, so I purchase it and turned the refrigerant line around the tray and to the pressure port on the Sanden compressor.

The photo is somewhat misleading, as the refrigerant line actually goes a couple inches under the right corner of the tray instead of appearing to contact it. I also routed the top heater hose around the tray with special 5/8" heater hose sweeps.

All lines have been zip-tied together and I am now ready to install the front civilian battery tray, after which I will install the two Hawker batteries.

 

[Sharecropper]

It's been a while since I posted. Been busy trying to finish the truck. A lot has happened! Everything is pretty-much finished.

After priming the lines with the electric fuel pump, I cranked the engine on New Year's Day and let it run for exactly one minute, then shut it down to check fluids.
I had initially filled the Derale pan on the 765R4 to the FULL line but because the new lines to the new radiator, the radiator cooler itself, and the new frame-mounted auxiliary cooler were empty,

I had to add another half-gallon of DEX-3 to get it back up on the stick. I had to add another quart of engine oil for the same reason, the lines & cooler in the radiator being empty and being filled when running. Had to add a little DEX-3 to the power steering tank. Filled the radiator and intercooler system with 50/50 Prestone, had to burp the intercooler several times to get the air out and to fill the heat exchanger mounted in the grille.

Last Saturday I cranked the truck and let it run again for a minute or two, then shut it down to check fluids again. Everything was very close to being on the lines.
So yesterday I cranked it and let it come up to 180 degrees when the thermostat opened. The next step will be to road-test the truck with the pressure gauge attached to the port on the side of the 765R4 to verify correct pressures at the shift points.

I had already set the TV cable per the Bowtie Overdrives instructions, so I am confident but cautious of correct adjustment. Yesterday I finished the installation of the two map lights in the cab ceiling. Fishing the wire up the A-pillar was a bear!

Today I finished tidying-up the wiring on the auxiliary 12v fuse panel. If the road-test doesn't reveal any problems, I will drive the truck over to my muffler-friend's shop for fabrication of the custom 3" exhaust system. Here's a photo of the auxiliary fuse panel -

 

[1love]

Nice work!

 

[Sharecropper]

Folks, after 16 years, I am almost finished. For the past few weeks, I have been making corrections and adjustments. I had failed to fully tighten the -6AN return line from the frame-mounted auxiliary cooler to the 765R4 transmission so I had to re-do that tight process. I also had to change the 12v source for the auxiliary fuse block from the rear battery to the front battery due to some back-feeding, so if anyone wants to add a similar auxiliary fuse block, just remember it needs to be powered from the front battery. The Derale Fan Controller is installed and works perfectly. The intercooler pump works as designed. The new GMRS radio & antennae are installed. The 6-circuit fuse block under the console is installed and powered with an IGN ON circuit. The heated seats work perfectly. I installed a couple of 12v map lights overhead. The P400 engine cranks on the first revolution after one glow plug cycle and running the aircraft pre-oiler for 5 seconds. The Supercharger is producing 3 pounds of boost at 650 RPM. All I have left to do is install the dash pad and hood, and then I will be ready to road-test the truck to see if I need to make any further adjustments. In order for the 765R4 warranty to be in effect I must attach a high-pressure gauge and line to the test port on the side of the transmission case and report the pressures at the three shift points to Chris Gardner at Bowtie Overdrives. I purchased the correct line & gauge and will tape the gauge to the driver's side mirror to record the pressures during the road test.

I did make one last design modification - from LMC I had ordered a set of reproduction "spray shields" (my description) which are attached to the front inner fenders to prevent road water and slush from entering the engine compartment. These things arrived and, in my opinion, they are junk. They are not as thick or rigid as the OEM parts and can be wadded-up with one hand. In addition, the cut-outs for the shocks and brake lines are way overcut which really defeats the purpose of the things. I hated the LMC parts as soon as they came out of the box. So, I purchased some 1/8" thick pure Neoprene rubber and made my own. I used the LMC parts for templates and saved them as such. Instead of duplicating the huge cut-outs for the shocks and brake lines, I simply extended the bottoms of my parts straight across at the bottom and then cut a slot for the shock and a hole for the brake line. I also added extra push-retainers where I felt they were needed. Here are a couple photos. The top part in the first photo is the flimsy LMC part and the part on the bottom is my part. The second photo sows my part installed. I'll post again after I have road-tested the truck.

 

[marchplumber]

Folks, after 16 years, I am almost finished. For the past few weeks, I have been making corrections and adjustments. I had failed to fully tighten the -6AN return line from the frame-mounted auxiliary cooler to the 765R4 transmission so I had to re-do that tight process. I also had to change the 12v source for the auxiliary fuse block from the rear battery to the front battery due to some back-feeding, so if anyone wants to add a similar auxiliary fuse block, just remember it needs to be powered from the front battery. The Derale Fan Controller is installed and works perfectly. The intercooler pump works as designed. The new GMRS radio & antennae are installed. The 6-circuit fuse block under the console is installed and powered with an IGN ON circuit. The heated seats work perfectly. I installed a couple of 12v map lights overhead. The P400 engine cranks on the first revolution after one glow plug cycle and running the aircraft pre-oiler for 5 seconds. The Supercharger is producing 3 pounds of boost at 650 RPM. All I have left to do is install the dash pad and hood, and then I will be ready to road-test the truck to see if I need to make any further adjustments. In order for the 765R4 warranty to be in effect I must attach a high-pressure gauge and line to the test port on the side of the transmission case and report the pressures at the three shift points to Chris Gardner at Bowtie Overdrives. I purchased the correct line & gauge and will tape the gauge to the driver's side mirror to record the pressures during the road test.

I did make one last design modification - from LMC I had ordered a set of reproduction "spray shields" (my description) which are attached to the front inner fenders to prevent road water and slush from entering the engine compartment. These things arrived and, in my opinion, they are junk. They are not as thick or rigid as the OEM parts and can be wadded-up with one hand. In addition, the cut-outs for the shocks and brake lines are way overcut which really defeats the purpose of the things. I hated the LMC parts as soon as they came out of the box. So, I purchased some 1/8" thick pure Neoprene rubber and made my own. I used the LMC parts for templates and saved them as such. Instead of duplicating the huge cut-outs for the shocks and brake lines, I simply extended the bottoms of my parts straight across at the bottom and then cut a slot for the shock and a hole for the brake line. I also added extra push-retainers where I felt they were needed. Here are a couple photos. The top part in the first photo is the flimsy LMC part and the part on the bottom is my part. The second photo sows my part installed. I'll post again after I have road-tested the truck.

View attachment 961721 View attachment 961722

Congrats.....

 

[deank]

I look forward to seeing a link to a video of a walk around and a test drive!

 

[1love]

Very nice brother!!!

 

[82ABNMP]

Truly incredible work Mike. Makes me tired just looking at the build and thinking of the amount of work it takes to build something like this. Congratulations. Job well done.