I've been busy with work this winter, so progress on the truck has been slow. So...I finally broke down and bought new running boards. Here they are after a coat of epoxy primer, POR Chassis black, and a coating of Herculiner bed liner on the tops:



After installing those, I was finally able to install the rear fenders....they've been sitting around for months...painted and ready:



After fenders and running boards, I started tackling a little problem that I was having with oil pressure at idle. I pulled the engine & found that the machine shop who did work early on had drilled a little extra relief hole in the oil pump pressure relief valve....I replaced the oil pump with an OEM style pump....we'll know for sure tonight if that did the trick, but I'm 99.9% sure that will be OK now.

Dan

 

I have been thinking about bed liner on our running boards when we get that far . How do you like it ? Looks, durability scratch resistance .

 

I've been using the Herculiner in my 95 pickup for years...it is really durable & stuff doesn't slide around in the bed. After 5 years, I did go over it with a touch-up coating. My truck is white, & the white color was starting to show through in areas that had a lot of wear and tear. I'm sold on it....and I plan on actually using my running boards as a step, so I wanted paint that I know will hold up.

Dan

 

Hey Dan, Good to see the progress. That is some SHINY sheet metal you have - beautiful paint! Keep up the good work. Joe

 

Looks real nice, how about an overall shot? Are the rear fenders steel?

 

That looks great!
Is the body color Meadow Green?

I'm with Ross, please give us an overall shot of the truck

Bobby

 

I'll get an overall shot when I can get it out of the barn....maybe tonight. My sons are home on spring break...they've been helping me along a little. Also, our weather has been a little bad for the last few days. I think this series of storms should pass by this afternoon. If so...we'll move it out under its own power & snap that pic for you.

Albuq....those are fiberglass fenders (front and rear).

Bobby...that is "Rock Moss Green".

We did replace the oil pump last night, and put the engine back in....it's in and attached, & I added oil & ran the oil pump with the drill. So far, it appears that the oil pressure builds up instantly...so no more lag. That extra relief hole was causing the pump to lose prime, and the pressure would go to zero at idle. That seems to be fixed now...so tonight we'll hook up the rest of the accessories and start it up to verify that I really have the problem fixed.

 

Thanks for the paint info. I'm glad to hear that you got the oil pressure problem fixed. thats got to feel good

Bobby

 

Are you really asking about paint ? Could it be that the multi-color truck man is perhaps considering a single color ? Say it isn't so !!!

 

I'm curious to know how those repro running boards fit? Were you happy with how they bolted on, and the fit at the fenders, etc? Any issues or special 'massaging' necessary?

 

NICE, new running boards. They look great, and the contrast with your paint, real nice. I know what you meen about the weather, the same storm has been hammering us up here in the hills too.

 

I saw the truck yesterday evening while Dan and his sons were working on the engine. The running boards were attached to the truck and I checked them out. The fit looked perfect from what I saw. Dan will likely have additional details for any, if at all, issues that he encountered when installing them.

 

Hey Dan,
Your truck looks great! I hadn't thought about the oil pressure at idle - now you made me nervous - I'll have to go look.

Love those tires! Welcome to the fiberglass fender club - I just couldn't face grinding & bondoing on those old banged up fenders knowing I could never get them totally right. I also have bedliner on the running boards - it's nice not to have to worry about the paint as you climb in & out of the truck. Running boards take a pounding.

Ben in Austin

 

The running boards were a perfect fit...no issues at all. The only thing I had to do is move the rear mount brackets forward an inch...the aftermarket leaf springs that I'm using in the back mount just forward enough to interfere with the running board bracket. That wasn't much of an issue...welding up two holes on brand new steel was a piece of cake. The lucky thing was that there was enough room to scoot the bracket forward without running into the channel that is welded on the underside of the running boards.

I did get the engine fired up last night & the oil pressure is now stable at idle. I didn't get a chance to fully warm it up, but it's good to see that the oil pressure came up instantly...so no loss of prime to the pump, and it didn't sag to zero at idle.

Tomorrow is a day off, so I'll set timing, dial in the carb jetting and take it for a short illegal spin (no lights or license) on the country lane that I live on....pictures of the whole thing soon.

Next project is the hood!

 

I'm excited for you. Can't wait to see pics of the illegal spin.