I know your pain seems like every garage has a black-hole for random parts & tools.
Been following your thread, strong work!

 

It's because DIY guys have a disease known as pack rat syndrome or PRS. Stuff gets misplaced because of all the stuff! I don't have this problem. I can quit any time I want to. I just don't want to.
Nice work, blacked! A bit above my level of expertise.

 

Soo funny, I found the bolts under a box on one of my workbenchs of all places. probably about 20 minutes after reading Theodore's post. So I decided to put them where I won't loose them again, on the motor!

 

I have the Alternator, fan and PS pump back on the motor. Saturday was pretty productive. Did some cutting, but my buddy and I got the front back on!!! Looks like a truck again. The weather made it a little tougher, and after about 6 trial fits I had finally cleared out enough inner fender metal to make room ofr the CV gear.







It sits pretty good I think, not entirely sold on stock Crown Vic wheels, I think it needs taller tires in the front. but they should get me rolling atleast.

 

Tinkering here and there. Driveshaft installed and correct dipstick in place., radiator custom mount fabricated. Radiator in place with Trans cooler lines hooked up. The new radiator was just barley too big so I moved it up 1" and fabbed a right side support to make room.



accelerator pedal fb. Took one out o 90s bronco fullsize because the throw of the old pedal wasn't enough to open the new 4 barrel. Also swapping to cable. Here is how I mounted the pedal to the floor. Cut off old tabs and welded a stand off. Then I worked a piece of plate to match the trans tunnel and welded together.



Next I drilled holes in the tunnel and welded nuts to the inside of the floor because taking the trans out to weld to the underside seemed ridiculous. The extra height gives the pedal more room to move.



More to come!!!!

 

Radiator buttoned up, starting to look like a runner. Finished up installing the lokar kickdown and accelerator cables and pedal.






So now I am fabbing a new shift linkage so I can still use the column shifter. Turingins some 3/8 rod and heim joints into a functioning part. I was interrupted by dinner so I didn't get it finished.

 

I didn't like how my gas pedal was situated so I chopped it and now it's mucho bettero



Shift linkage....done


So i wanted to do a custom gauge panel.....heres thee stock piece. I am new to real metal working and this didn't come out well. Made a template, made a buck, beat the metal, looks like ****.







I didn't take a picture of the end result before it got balledup and trashed. Time to think of a new idea.

 

I think it would be difficult to make the whole dash panel with limited tooling. What I plan on doing is to cut the gauge part off and make a plate to screw to the surround. I have some 5052 .090 aluminum that I'll use.

 

I made a custom gauge bezel for mine using the original. Cut out the center and welded in a flat piece of 16 gauge. Have to weld slowly so as not to warp. I then made a wood template to keep the hole saw from wandering. I am happy with the result.

 

Walston, that's exactly what I was going for. I'm glad I have 2 stock panels in case I funk up the first one. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

More Progress this weekend. I cleaned up the cuts to the rear of the bed. I jacked up on the hole saw cut to drop my marine filler neck in the bed flush so I had to improvise and cut a swath out. I cut a chunk of bed floor from the junkyard out of a 90s Dodge Dakota (matches perfectly) and swiped the fuel door and hinge also. More on that in the next update.



I also gathered the rest of my steering components and got to work getting rid of the stock CV wacko U joint. Purty



Custom notched 3/4" DoubleD steering shaft


Pillowblock bearing and mount. I welded nuts to the other side so the mounting of the bearing would be easier.





Sleeved and welded U joint from Junkyard.



And all together now! No binding and after I set the truck on the ground smooth action. It also comes apart in case I need to service any pieces. Plate for pillow bloc welded straight to the frame. So happy to have this part done it's been a real struggle for me.




Now it's on to finishing up the fuel door and gauges.

 

Looks to be a solid clean setup! Strong work!

 

Thanks again Teddy. I finished up the fuel door. I didn't get to remount the tank, but probably will tonight. I used the hinge and door from a 90s Dakota and here is how it turned out.

 

Great idea. You'll never see it when you're done. I'm building a driver that will prolly be in areas where thieves steal gas. I may adopt this idea for that very purpose

 

Thanks, but I stole the idea from here I finished mounting the tank for the last time ( I hope) and put the filler neck on.