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Man I really should've started a thread for this, but today I got my front clip on, and everything hooked up under there.
But first I tightened the bolts, from my personal stash, where there had been the missing ones. Two in the block for the bellhousing, and one at the exhaust manifold outlet.
Then I wheeled my cherry picker over to the front clip and got busy putting that on.
Then I reconnected all of the wires under there, and actually got it right the first time!
I then installed the gauge cluster without the bezel, just in case.
Getting nervous, I grabbed the battery out of my Stang and put it in the truck. I noticed that the dome light wasn't on so I twisted the door switch, but nothing. Tried the headlight switch and nothing. So I checked the bulb and it was toast, so I grabbed the one out of my old cab. Still didn't come on, so I leaned across and opened the passenger door, and the light came on! I closed that door and fiddled with the driver's door switch some more, and the light came on. I like my faulty door switch because If I'm going to leave the door open, I can twist the switch and get the light to turn off. I love that 'feature!'
Then I tried the horn, but a wire had come out of where my improvised relay plugs in. I fixed that, and had a horn. Then I tried the headlights, but it was sunny out and all I could see was the ammeter needle nudge to the left a bit, so I got out and looked, and they were all on. Hazards worked too. So I went ahead and fired it up - well, it started on the second crank... Everything seems to work!
When reconnecting my radiator hoses, I went ahead and removed the spring which was sticking out of the upper hose, and I inserted it into the lower hose. I'm pretty sure that that was the right thing to do.
I also got the two center seatbelt bolts and their belts out of the old cab, leaving only the driver and far passenger lap belt retractors in the floor - the shoulder retractors are out. But this means that I can bolt those center belts to the floor, after cleaning them, which means that I can then bolt my seat down.
So now all that's left is to get some coolant in the system, get those outer seatbelts (which are on the wrong sides...) out, cleaned, and into my truck, clean the mat and put it in, and I'll be done except for the heater stuff, and able to drive it again. I'm not so sure now that I'll try to save my old cab, so I might just cut the firewall out of it.
I'm also going to need to move the cab over to the passenger side about a half inch. I realized this yesterday after I'd already bolted up the tank... I'll save that and the rest of the panel alignment for another day.
Tonight I'll clean the center belts and the door scuff plates, so that they're ready to go in.
Great progress!
I know the lower radiator hose spring is supposed to keep the hose from collapsing, but they also rust away to nothing fairly quickly without ill effect. I've never bothered with one.
Got all of the seat belts in and the seat bolted down. Unlike whoever last put my truck together, I got the seat belt and shoulder harness retractors on the correct sides, so I was able to plug the wire into the driver side retractor, and what do you know, my seat belt warning module does have a buzzer! It comes on for like 5 seconds and goes off, so I'm going to leave it as is. It reminds me of my old 1982 Mustang GT! Plus which, cars haven't had buzzers since the '80s or early '90s. They all have chimes now. If I latch the driver's belt and then turn the key to Run, the buzzer doesn't sound, but the warning lamp still illuminates for the five seconds or whatever.
I also installed the gauge bezel and *****, and glued my "CUSTOM" nomenclature back on the glove box door. It had been in the ash tray since I bought the truck.
Mounted starter
Bolted up headers
New brake hoses
New shocks
Brake booster
Tightened bell housing bolts
Mounted carb
Throttle linkage
Adjusted clutch
Knocked tie rod out, new ends on the way
About 40,000 other nickel and dime things
I don't know what it is, but my "list" seems to keep growing. With all the money I am putting into this thing, my blue truck is going to turn green.
I finally got my truck back on the road again. It's been down since August 18 trying to work out issues caused by switching from 2 to 4 barrel. Happy camper again.
Started ol silver and ol blue yesterday. Hooked a small tilt trailer to ol silver and moved a engine block out to the parts lot. Then drove ol silver to work today.
Applied JB Weld around my reverse light switch - accidentally broke the plastic part off. I think it will be fine, and will install it tomorrow.
Also got the clip-nuts and bolts off the old cab, where the bottoms of the fenders bolt up, and transferred them to the new cab - I thought I'd lost them. I did actually lose two instrument cluster screws. I set them on the seat, and then leaned over and they literally vanished into the thin air.
Connected the heater hoses with a copper elbow, and filled the rad with new coolant and water.
Then I fired it up and moved it to a different spot - and when I used reverse, the clutch chatter was gone!
Then I got busy on the U-joint at the carrier bearing, which started making noise on the trip home with my new cab. I got it out, but had gotten the wrong one from O'Reilly's. So I exchanged it tonight and will put it in tomorrow. I also got some straight pipe to replace my muffler which is falling apart.
So now I just need to clean the floor mat and put it in, put my stereo back under the dash and speakers back behind the seat, and lastly address the heater box and firewall. Might take it out on the street tomorrow, and maybe even to work. I can't wait to drive it and see how different it is. It will be nice to not have rust particles falling down whenever I go over a bump. That old cab is like Pig Pen from Peanuts, enveloped in a cloud of rust particles...
Too k some time but I got my engine running. Now that I know there are no major issues I'll proceed with building it. There was no history on this engine when I bought it.
And then I drove it around the block. Speedo was bouncing, so I rerouted the cable. Steering wheel was crooked, so I fixed that. Right turn signal indicator was intermittent so I fixed that.
Then I drove it to work, and it didn't miss a beat.
But I did have to readjust the wheel again, and suspecting that would be the case, I brought my steering wheel puller to work with me so I wouldn't have to drive home with a crooked steering wheel!
BeauFord,
Your engine looks great, nice job. A question, the plastic piece on top of the cowl and firewall you have for running your wiring through, what vehicle and year is that off of? I'd like to get one and install in my 77 F-150, it will help tidying up that portion of the engine bay. Thanks for your time W/my question.
Don
09-22-2017, 08:43 AM
If you're feeling left out, I'll gladly trade you trucks lol 
That old cab is like Pig Pen from Peanuts, enveloped in a cloud of rust particles...
