Finished stripping and painting the radiator support.

Coated with Metal Ready, now for paint.




Installed radiator support and radiator.



The idea I had for the radiator hoses is not going to work for the bottom hose so I'm going to try with a standard one for this engine with the wide radiator from a 1993 truck. Have to wait till it arrives to see how it goes.

Removed everything from the doors (hinges, locks, window), started stripping and cleaning the doors.

 

Keep them coming Ross
Now she's starting looking like a F Truck
My last F Truck was a 82 Model
Prefered Pre 80's
Cheers,
Patchy

 

Finally got some time to write up these two weeks.

Finished and installed the drivers door, final colour (Silver Fox and Candy Red flake) will be painted when the guard is on. Still need to install the window, inner trim, etc but that will be when painting is complete.



Installed the radiator hoses, connected the electric fans, now have a complete cooling system. However still need to install the heaterbox and hoses for it. It can't be seen in this photo but the e-fan thermo switch is in the joiner in the top radiator hose. It turns on at 105C (221F) and off at 100C (212F) so should work nicely with the diesel, it's actually from a Ford Laser. I also have a manual switch installed, so can turn them on at anytime.



The radiator hoses are from a 1993 7.3 idi with couplers to 45 deg silicon hose bends at the radiator end. The radiator is an Aussie Desert Cooler 4 row, triple flow with twin e-fans. The cooling system holds 23 litres without the heater so will be near 25 litres once that's connected. Looking at the service manual for the 1993 it shows 27 litres for the cooling system with the original radiator so I confident that this radiator will do the job. It kept the cleveland at 87-92 (off on temps for the efans) on a 38C day sitting at idle without any problems.

 

Started working on the right guard.

Needs some panel beating, one dent has about 6mm of bog (from previous owners bodgy repairs) filling it so needed to clean that off, then beat the dent out some and then put a thin coat (<1mm) of finishing filler over it.

Finished installing the new switches, in the dash facia and connected up the wiring.

 

Hi Ross,

I see cushioned P clamps and bolt up hose clamps - a man after my own heart very nice

Even better - the "bunny burner" spotlight switch LOVE IT! Where did you get it?

Cheers Brad.

 

Only way to go. Never had a t-bolt clamp fail.

With 100W HID driving lights, I thought it was appropriate.

They are a standard carling switch.

Search on ebay.

They can be had for $10.99 each plus postage at the moment.

Carling Switches

Cheers
Ross

 

Man there are some crazy labelled switches out there!

100 w HID, didn't know you could get them that big, I've seen 70w. I ended up going with the FYRLYT 150w halogens on my fourby, very powerful and don't fatigue the eyes. I'll put them on the f100 as well one day, need to make a front bar and upgrade the electrics first.

 

These are IPF 900 lights with H3 HID inserts from evil bay.

There are 100w 9inch lights available but most are plastic cases and I had some of these in 55w but a flock of galahs destroyed them.

The IPF's are steel cased and have survived several hits with no damage.

 

Hi Ross,
just caught up on what you've been up to, amazing, not far to go now. I've done nothing, still in WA working- have to find a job at home I think. Was up in Bowen last week on my R+R (the kids live there) sounds like you are just down the road.
Keep up that great work!

 

Finished and fitted the right guard. I'm going to wait til both doors and guards are on before putting the rest of the colour on. That way I only have to mask everything once.



Started on the left door and guard. Door is in primer ready for the white. Left guard is from a Bronco originally so has all the trim mounting holes in it. I'm going to braze weld all of these up once I've removed all the paint. Plus it needs a rust repair on the bottom rear.

Working on the aircon evaporator, cleaning all the gunge out of the housing, making sure the controls work etc. I'm probably going to have to replace the evaporator coil as the connecting tube nuts are badly rusted. These are steel nuts on copper pipe to -an flare, should be o-ring fitting as all the TX valves I can find are o-ring and this will need replacing. I'll need to find an evaporator of similar size to fit in the dash.

Won't be much for the next week or so, as I've put my back out, again , moving the left guard. So need to have a week off then do just light things for the next week, I'll look at putting bits and pieces in the interior, headlights, finish of some wiring, clean of brackets and hinges, etc. Plenty of things to do with out lifting heavy items.

 

Sorry to hear about the back mate, hope it gets better.

The truck is coming together nicely.

 

Thanks. Just take's time, usually about 2 weeks. Doctor says relax and do nothing but after 3 days sitting around doing nothing it get's a little frustrating.

Yep. Looks real good in the flesh, although the latest photo shows up the white/silver pearl nicely.

 

Done my back in just from sneezing on the couch
Hope evertything is fine

Cheers,
Patchy

 

Ouch.

Much better after doing virtually nothing for the last two weeks.

Although this last week has seen a lot of small jobs completed.

Cheers
Ross

 

Had last week of so back into it this week with light things.

Plugged in the instrument cluster so make sure all the instruments work.

Charge indicator did not work. Alternator is definitely charging, had checked it previously. So check out the instrument cluster and found this:



I'll look for a new cluster or circuit but in the mean time I've soldered the burnt up traces on the circuit together.

Installed the new aircon controls.

Installed the headlights and aircon condensor.



Cleaned the bonnett hinges and radiator support braces to be painted.



Painted and installed the left door hinges, with new hinge pins.



Did some more prep work on the left door, knocked out the big dent, tidied up the rest and painted with primer. Should have the white on next week.