Well, still lots of little stuff. Funny how all the big fabrication and building stuff seems so daunting, but it's all the little stuff that burns you out. I'm at the stage where, if I don't get at least one thing done a day in the right direction, I'll be sorely disappointed. Yesterday, I built a wiring harness for the charging system.........no good, alternator and or regulator is junk. So, I lopped the wire going to the regulator, cut the field wire at the other end by the alternator, and installed a G.M. internally regulated one I had laying around. I did the old by-pass, and hooked the field to the armature, and ran it through the loop on the back of the gauge, over to the circuit breaker connector that is tied into the wire to the battery side of the solenoid....just like factory. I fired it up, wacked the throttle enought to energize the field, and voila, I have a working charging system, and a gauge that points in the right direction. So, I moved on to the next step. Hooked up the headlight switch. I got dash lights, and jumpered the wiring to test my various other lighting circuits. Labeled my front park lights, and get to install them tomorrow. Baby steps....well, not for much longer. I stillmay actually get to drive it more than 500-1000 feet by this weekend. Will post more progress tomorrow, or whenever there is more to post.

 

They may be "baby steps" but every step counts!!!!!!!

 

Tis true. I was initially concerned about run on from the alternator, which I guess is a problem sometimes, but since the truck runs via fuel shut off solenoid, and is totally isolated from the charging system, I don't have to worry about that. In Oregon, we don't have to have a big truck registered or insured to get a temp from DMV, so I may go ahead and get one tomorrow, so that at least I have it if I get the opportunity to test drive it. I'm running a short fuse block for all my lighting circuits. I have two circuit breakers, one for the headlight switch, and the other for an add on accessory later. I think I will get another electronic reducer from Mid-Fifty, but the higher amp one to run my original 6 volt wipers, and heater motor. The parts I am scoring off Craigslist are the last of the exterior items I need to button it up, except for a chrome exhaust stack, but that can wait. i do have a length of four inch that I am going to run out and turn down for now. The closer it gets, the more exciting it is. A co-worker has a video camera he'll let me borrow for the maiden trip, so I am planning on a short video to upload. You know, the whole wiring thing, I ended up taking the different little tid bits of circuit isolation and protection info from you and a few others, and found the best way to incorporate them into a bone stock looking harness. The factory wiring schematic was actually perfect for this application, it just didn't have enough protection or adaptability. Well, it does now. I will eventually have to replace a section of dash, where all the fire truck switches and lights were attached to it, and re-cut it for my tach and air gauge, but other than that, It's almost done. Now, I can't decide on if I even want to paint it. The bumper and 1/4 fenders have a few little dings, so I may just clean it up real good, and leave it to look original, and slightly dinged up. Oh crap, I also still have to fab up a mount for the auxilliary shifter. I keep forgetting that it has two transmissions. Little details. I am considering adding a clutch safety switch also. This truck is just so huge, that I can only imagine the damage it could do if the starter was engaged while in gear.