Got the seat belts installed, drilled the holes thru the bracket that runs underneath the gas tank for extra strength, went very well. Really feels better with seat belts, I guess I've gotten so used to them that I feel funny without them. I just got lap belts which I think is OK for the time being. Later, when I figure out how to hook up the shoulder harness to the cab, I'll get a three point system.

Got all the "Runtz's" installed, rewired up the fuel level gauge, it's energized but not telling the truth, so will have to investigate why. I didn't hook up the temp or oil pressure because I realized their just "idiot" lights and the gauges the PO installed are "real". Have to sort that out later. Had a little excitement when I got thru the headlights didn't work. Started checking everything out and found a blown fuse. I'm sure its from the other day when I was fooling around having forgotten to unhook the battery, and shorted out a wrench. OK now.

Took the speedo head out of the transmission, took it to local NAPA store, and we found a speedometer cable assembly that we think will go between the C4, and the original speedometer. Will look at it tomorrow when it comes in to confirm, only 28 bucks.

While under the truck found a couple of places near the rear cab mounts that will need some rust repair.

Had a real fun day, drove the truck about 10 miles on the expressway at about 60mph, looking good.

 

Woohooo!!

Sounds like a very productive day! I'm envious. I spent the day in cubicle world staring out the window at a beautiful spring day.

I'll drive the truck to work tomorrow, that will be good

Glad to hear you made some progress
Bobby

 

Great job Jim. I drove mine to muffler shop today. 120.00 from manifold back. My runtz came in today as well. I did not have a chance to put them in. I will tomorrow in the am. I drove my truck around today. I still think the brakes are sticking a little. I will work that out Saturday. The truck ran great. Shifting is a little touchy, but I think it is just getting used to it. Maybe I will be ok for Wed. Depends on the sandblaster. I will have to check the tires and get a speedometer cable as well.

 

I spent the day sitting in a dialysis chair. I did have a window seat today though. Gottta look for the little things in life.

 

[QUOTE=jimhackney]Got the seat belts installed, drilled the holes thru the bracket that runs underneath the gas tank for extra strength, went very well. Really feels better with seat belts, I guess I've gotten so used to them that I feel funny without them. I just got lap belts which I think is OK for the time being. Later, when I figure out how to hook up the shoulder harness to the cab, I'll get a three point system.

Jim, I am with you, I feel naked without seat belts. When you are ready to install a third point in your truck, contact me and I will try to take a pix of the brackets that I fabricated and welded into the truck cab. The way that I did it should not give you problems with paint on the cab other than behind the stock interior lining whick you will need to remove to install the bracket. The brackets that I made are along the same concept as the ones sold for the F-100's.
Incidently I also enjoyed the pix of your house. My previous house in Ma was built in 1752. I maintain that there is a good old house in each of us and I have had my one! Actually, it turns out that my house like yours had seen significant reatoration by 2 po's and was pretty reasonable to care for during the 15 years that we lived there. I left it for a place on the water on the coast of Maine however and have not looked back.

 

Thanks 49Willard, I'll do just that. When I get back from the SuperNat's in Knoxville, I plan to start practicing with my new welder(used) so I can do that. Go ahead and send them when you get a chance. My email is jimhackney@windstream.net.

Thanks, Jim

 

49willard,

I'd love to see the pics of the seat belt brackets as well. I'm going to start interior work this summer and I think I better install some three point belts while I'm at it (I had to closse calls this morning on the way to work)

Bobby

 

Jim and Bobby, I put 2 pix of the 3rd point mount in my gallery under project start. Somehow I managed in the process to lose the pix that were there. As indicated in the pix, to me the key is to get the seat belt load into the door jam. The tack welds to the original upolstory support channel are not intended to take any significant load since the load in an accident case would be to stop the mount from moving forward (into the door jam) or to the side (again into the door jam). The door jam is the stongest structure available in the truck in this area. The only other alternative would be to fabricate some sort of a partial cage.

 

Jim, Sorry for hijacking your thread

Bill,
Thanks for the pics, I hope you can recover the ones you lost. I like your ideas. I think I'll do the same, as you said, there's not much other choice for these trucks. I think I might even have some 1/8" plate laying around that I removed from the bed of my truck (don't you just love previous owners)
It will sure make my wife happier, she's a seatbelt junkie and always gives me the look when we get in the truck. Now that I'm driving it more and more I figure its a good idea to have them

Did you make your own anchor or did you use a premade one that you installed in your plate?

thanks again
Bobby

 

Bobby, I tack welded a fine 7/16" nut to the backside of the 1/8 plate as the anchor point.

 

Got the new speedo cable installed today. Tried it out, seems to be pretty accurate, haven't been out on the expressway yet to check it's accuracy.

Also, the "Lock Doc" made a key for the passenger door lock cyc, so now I can "lock up"

Oh, also, I took the differential apart today to check some things, and learned I have a 2.73 ratio(old GM 12 bolt, must've come out of an Impala). Good.

Thanks, 49Willard, for the shoulder harness info. Did you place the anchor above the belt line reinforcement or below it. I really couldn't tell from the pic's.

Bobby, you can jump in anytime. We're all here to help each other.

 

Wow sounds like you made lots of progress congrats

 

Quote: "Thanks, 49Willard, for the shoulder harness info. Did you place the anchor above the belt line reinforcement or below it. I really couldn't tell from the pic's".


Jim, The 1/8" curved reinforcement plate runs behind both of thoe channels in the upper cab corner and butts into the door jam. Approximate finished size is
14" tall by 8" thru the curve. It is not exactly a rectangle so I made a cardboard template first, actually cut it oversize by a bit and shaped it to fit well against the two channels. I drilled the mounting hole for the 3rd point and tack welded a 7/16 fine nut to the back side of the hole and a spacer to the front to match where the upolstory would contact otherwise when you mount the belt it would pull in the upolstory. The belt mounting point you can see from the photo is located in the plate between the two original factory channels. I just tack welded everywhere since the goal to to install it so that the plate firmly buts to the inside of the door jam over its 14" length. The most challenging part of the job was getting the curvature right. As I remember I clamped a heavy wall piece of pipe with the 1/8" stock in the vice and gradually worked the curve with a hand sledge.
Good luck!

 

Bill, that's the same idea I had, except I hadn't considered the spacer for the headliner. Glad you thought of it! I'll do mine the same way. I agree, that's the strongest mount you could make for these trucks, other than a roll cage, and a roll cage in a driver is a pita.

 

Got started on the carpet install today, cut and fit the insulation, ready for the carpet tomorrow. I just used cheap stuff for now, figuring when I get it all sorted out, and a lot of metal work done on the inside, I'd put in good stuff.Thanks, Bill for the shoulder harness info. Makes sense, and should be just fine. After all, we're not building race cars.

Really getting excited about the trip to Knoxville. Hope we all get together Thursday Nite. I'm staying at the motel at the Strawberry exit also.