I scouted some new doors and fenders at the local u-pull. $60 a pop, bu had a good driver's set (fender & door) that almost match the paint on the Beast. Less luck with passenger side.

I wound up snagging one part for the Nissan, as this is the first time I saw an Xterra there. It had been hit in the front quarter, but sway bar was good. Snagged that as I've been running without one due to the replacement that was installed rubbing on my lifted components.

 

Yesterday I installed my headlight relay kit I got off ebay for a few dollars, had to spend $40 for wiring to extend it so I could route it and hide the wiring and make everything look nice. I also installed my Hella ECE approved composite headlight housings in the truck.




Today, I removed the upper radiator hose and drained the radiator of the Peak flush and cleaning solution. Ran the engine for about twenty minutes or so with the water hose in the radiator flushing as much out of the cooling system as I could.

Topped it off with a gallon of Prestone antifreeze and was done. Not related to the truck but I replaced the water pump, upper and lower radiator hose, the thermostat, and bypass hose on my '56 today. Getting closer to that first attempt to start the engine up.

 

Yesterday was carb re-installation day. The truck runs but really doesn't want to idle. Sounds good under part-throttle, though. Smokes a lot - black out the back and some noxious white smoke out the top of the carb. Leaks a bit around the EGR spacer. Time to order more gaskets.

Today was gasket-ordering day. Really hoping I can get this truck moving under its own power soon.


Oh, and I also got the windshield washer jet working. My boss and former owner had said the washer didn't stand a chance of working. He also said that about the fuel pump. He's now 0 for 2 on that sort of thing. I should tell him to sentence more of my truck's parts to eternal damnation.

 

I completed my seat swap project today. If you've been following my bucket seat thread (or more correctly, 40/20/40 seat) you'll know I was able to locate seats from a 1995 Super Cab and the seat brackets and pan (along with some nasty seats) on Craigslist.

Yesterday I removed the Super Cab seat hardware, pulled the brackets and pan off the nasty seats and blasted / painted all the hardware.

This morning I mounted the nice seats onto the rails and pan, cleaned the seats up and got them installed in the truck.

Just waiting on my RealTree seat covers..

(I also think I'll put the original radio bezel in place with a better radio. And finally install the 2m radio since I have the center console now..)





Seats are a little darker than this shows but no matter, they are getting covered. The center console plastic is in great shape as is the rolling cover. Still need to paint the plastic to match my interior





Driver side view..

 

Nice retrofit!

 

Every time I do anything on the truck, I think of something else I need to do, or forgot to do.

The current list stands at:

Replace parking brake cables. The adjuster is maxed out and they just barely work. I got the parts awhile back and never got to it.

Install anti-dieseling (idle control) solenoid. I have the bracket and just ordered the solenoid. I'm hoping this helps with the periodic engine run-on issue.

Flush and fill coolant system, change oil. (Getting it ready for the winter season)

Then of course there is the 2m radio and stereo installation.

As much as I want to get back on the engine project, I think I really need to get the above projects done before winter. This is my 'get me to work in the snow' truck and I want it to be ready

Oh.. and replace the driver door card and paint the seat plastic...

 

Looks good, Tim/KSCop. Have thought about you and your projects several times of late as we went by Haysville to the hospital in Wichita to see Dad. But much too busy to stop. One of these days, although now there's little reason to be coming up that way.

 

Well, I happen to think that I am reason enough.

 

If Gary is leadfooting it through town, Tim has a reason to make him stop and say hello.

I put $100 worth of gas in my truck today.
Too much rain to try and figure out why my gas gauge has gone crazy (on both tanks)

 

I put $60 worth in mine yesterday, got a whopping 21 gallons!

 

I've been very busy over the last few weeks to finish my summer project up, and last weekend I finally got it running!!



It had a 300 in it, it's now powered by a fuel injected 302, also put in a different dash, courtesy lights, underhood toolbox, hydroboost brake system, 3g alternator, also moved my aftermarket gauges to the instrument bezel.
And the best mod besides hydroboost is the firewall re-inforcement plate from terripin, clutch works really smooth now!!

 

Making progress!!

 

Remember those nice new seats I put in my truck the other day?

I spent 45 minutes yesterday cleaning spilled Strawberry Milkshake from them, from behind them and from under them..

Turns out if you put a drink holder on the center console and then pull away from a stop light, it slides back and dumps it's contents..

Today, I'm going to try and fix my emergency brake..

Off to the shop..

 

A milkshake with your donut?

 

I wish!

I bought it for my wife as a reward for surviving her dentist visit. It was a sad, sad day.

I fixed my parking brake issue this afternoon. The tension / adjusting mechanism was so rusty, the adjusting nut wouldn't budge and the cable was loose. I pulled the whole contraption off, media blasted it and cleaned up all the threads. Put it back on, adjusted slicker than 10 slick things. Job done.

The truck has a weird cleaner / strawberry smell.. I hate to say it, but I kind of like it..

Next jobs:

Idle Stop (anti-dieseling solenoid) - it should be here on 10/27

Replace Driver Door Card - it is due on 10/28 (I attempted to repair the original but it's just too torn up)

Stereo install and 2m radio install

Then I can get back to the engine project and maybe even the '63 over the winter.

I did take the old girl (truck not wife) out for a drive yesterday; had to try out the new seats. With the new steering gear, steering shaft and dampener and of course the new seats, she's like a new girl. Fun to drive and doesn't fight with me. (kinda of like my wife before we were married..)

I'm sure I'll pay for that one..