Hello, I don't think the drive train has been damaged. It's very robust. Regards, Bernd 61 HD

 

Well dang it Pat! I'm sorry to hear about that, he made it all the way from CA only to get hurt while you're enjoying him!

I don't think the drive train would have any damage, good thing it was on wet grass so it slid easier, I'll keep my eyes out for a bumper, course shipping is probably ugly... hopefully they take that into account with the settlement $$

Also, check the pass door and make sure it opens freely and also the inner fender area under the hood and hood hinge.

Sorry about *hit happening, but it does sometimes lol.

 

Good morning,

you name it! That's what I thought..

Drove it to a shop this morning where an offiical expert for car damages will look at it and verify the damage. Parts, labour costs, loss in value,.. Shipping costs, tax, customs, etc is included.
Drivetrain and shifting etc felt normal, so maybe no damage there.

I'll get a call when that guy shows up there so that I can be there for the inspection. Will definitely take a look at all the parts you mention.

Thanks for your offer Joe! Maybe the bumper can be straighten and get a new chrome finishing here in a shop. My main concern is the grille though.

Well, let's see what the guy and the shop say.

Thanks so far.

PS: Don't know if it works for you guys over there, but on the site of our regional tv station is a video of that charity event.
https://www.otv.de/lichterfest-bring...tszeit-762823/

Pat

 

Hi guys,

good news here: last week I got the information that the other guys insurance takes all the costs.
Parts were ordered afterwards.

Meanwhile I took the chance to do some other work on the truck since the front end is dismantled.












At the moment I am doing the frame front ends as they are reachable to work on. Working on the rust.

But also need a screw there. Tried rockauto but no success finding it and measured it to maybe find it an german online shop for inch screws but no happy end either.
Are those special ones and where can I get 'em?



Have a good one
Pat

 

those look great!

 

Glad to hear that insurance is doing you right.


One spot on your front suspension to keep an eye on is that front spring hanger. They have a tendency to crack across the front in the area of the red line.


Doesn't really affect anything if it does, but since Germany seems to be overly concerned about what we consider to be little things. Figured I'd point it out incase you were unaware of the issue. Someone makes a much better engineered replacement, but the name escapes me right now.

 

Took a while, but I remembered who makes the replacement front spring hanger.

https://www.vintagetruckand4x4.com/p...-spring-mount/

 

Wow, those headlight buckets look great Pat! Are you needing the bolt for the spring hanger? To bad you're so far away, I have so many bolts n nuts and would be able to find one to fit! Over here I would hit a local ACE hardware or Home depot and source a grade 8 bolt and lock nut if I didn't have one in my drawers of extras...

 

Thanks. I was not aware of that issue

Fortunately mine look to be ok:





Well. we are more strict over here for sure. But the worst thing is back in the days the official experts used their brain though for decision making if something is good to go or a real safety issue or a problem. Today most of the younger officials seem to do different .. you know what I mean. But I guess that's not only a german thing.

Pat

 

Thanks Joe

Yes, thats the bolt I meant.
Sure, that would be awesome! Pretty much no truck-aholics around here. So no chance to swap and help each other with parts, dumb talking and enjoying a cold one.
Can you get the exact OEM style bolt for that spring hanger in hadware shops? Or just a similar one that fits? Cause I can get grade 8 bolts and the nuts here but they look different than the originals.

Pat

 

It would probably be a bit of a search to match exactly. Most of our grade 8 bolts in hardware shops have a yellowish zinc coating, and finding that exact shape of nut might take a minute. To get an exact match I would expect to need to source from a junkyard or maybe spend way too much buying bulk online from someplace like Tacoma Screw https://www.tacomascrew.com But getting the right size of grade 8 bolt with a equally functional nut/washer combo would take about 10 minutes at the local hardware store.

 

Ok yeah, that yellowish ones is what I can get here. So I will get one of those 'til I come along an original one Form follows function.

Pat

 

Still waiting for the parts. XXL Shipping maybe is the thing that costs some more time.

Meanwhile I mostly prepared the front end for reassembling and did some other stuff.






I ordered a HiPo LED set. The original visibility isn't the best as you all know but especially the km/h scale is kinda hard to read with original ilumination. So, let's see..




And currently I am working on the mech oil pressure gauge that is in the truck. I want to install another hose as the nylon one is prone to crack someday.
Biggest issue is to find the right adapter for the Sunpro gauge. I guess it's NPT, but what size? Tried 1/8 but it must be smaller. Tried 1/16 and that was too small. So before I go get another wrong adapter.. any ideas?




Thanks and have a nice weekend
Pat

 

You’ve been doing some fine work. Sucks that your front end got clipped! Looks like you’re getting it sorted out well though despite the circumstances. Great work.

 

Thanks!

Finally I got the news on monday that the parts are finally on their way to my place. After being in the Customs process for 4 or 5 weeks now.. Su..s!

Also got the thread figured out for my sunpro oil gauge. 5/16 fine thread. Also got the right adapter. But overall the job was no success. I used 2 hydraulic hoses combined to an L form into the cab, thinking they are strong, steady and reliable and looking like they belong in the engine bay.

After I started the truck the oil pressure gauge was a lame duck and barely didn't go up as it used to before. I checked the new hoses for leaks, but nothing. I then googled and used ChatGPT (although I am not a fan) and seems that hydraulic hoses are a bad choice in this particular case as they don't give you the fast feedback you want. Second thing was, after shutting the motor down the needle hardly moved back to zero. Took reeeally long. ChatGPT said, that's the fault of my adapter and the hoses being to many bottle necks so it builds up back pressure and the oil pressure does not go down as it should after quitting the engine.

Wouldn't have expected that behaviour with hydraulic hoses.. Thoughts? The hoses are the only thing I changed so I don't think the engine troubles this issue exactly at the moment I changed that line.


Pat