Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[oldman3]

Dan, looks great, closer each day...Jim

[ChuckDriver]

Its all looking good Dan!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks JJ,

1. Master cylinder needs to be reinstalled, the bracket has already been fabbed.
2. Brake lines &
3. exhaust still have to be fabricated.
4. Fuel lines are done, just need to be hooked up.
5. Some very minor welding on exhaust manifolds & some sanding.
6. Serpentine system installed but it's Holley so it's close to stock.

I THINK that's all until the cab is done and remounted on the chassis. I must be forgetting things though.

[ChuckDriver]

The list is getting much shorter!

Have you fit the Altman latches yet?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Have you fit the Altman latches yet?

Yes, a long time ago. I THOUGHT i posted photos but not sure now. It's been months.

BUT....I guess I ordered the wrong kit because there was some reason (I forget now why) that required we cut the right angle off the door panel. Maybe there was a kit specifically for Task Force trucks, and i didn't buy that one? I bought mine several years ago and it sat uninstalled for unite awhile. Anyway, its installed and worked great!

Has yours been reliable? Are you happy with it?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Just an update w/progress photos to keep my "Log" up to date.

Only the serpentine system had been installed as of yesterday. The shop is full of other short term work now and since my body isn't done yet I guess there's no reason to rush. Feels like Chinese water torture to me!

As an aside, I finally sold my 10 bolt rearend the other day for $50. Not much but saved me having to take it somewhere as scrap. That MAY happen to my straight axle and leaf springs though. Too bad as it's already upgraded to tapered roller bearings and 5x4.75" lug pattern by the original owner. Oh well.

Buyer of the 10 bolt had a buddy drive down from Bakersfield it pick it up so he must have really needed it. The gas cost more than the part.



Closeup of the AC compressor. I LIKE shiny, what can I say? The alternator, serpentine mounting brackets and intake manifold will get polished or chromed later. Too many unknown costs right now so saving some cash for awhile.

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Kim

[oldman3]

Looks great...Jim

[ChuckDriver]

More progress!

My Altman latches are giving me a hard time right now, the drivers door handle is binding for some reason, will look into it next week!

[Advanced Design]

Looks good Dan. Is that Holley accessory drive?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Looks good Dan. Is that Holley accessory drive?

Good eye, yes it is!

Mike suggested it because the Vintage Air came with an aluminum bracket but the other side, the alternator side would have been steel and he knows I'm kinda anal so I'd want it to match side to side.

At the beginning I was asking him about for serpentine drive suggestions and he said the nicest one was from VA but is like $3,000 - that was NEVER going to happen so I asked him to think of less expensive ways that would still be attractive. Using the factory aluminum stuff polished on the outside with the recessed parts painted flat black is what we came up with.

Does anyone know if chrome plating adheres to aluminum well or is a problem? I ask because polishing means hand RE-polishing. I don't mind doing some but I wonder how long I'll be willing to do that, ha ha.

[bowt1ed]

Dan, looking good. I wish my mine were progressing along as quickly as yours. After all, we're not getting any younger. Had to show my recent addition - just to make ME feel better!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ooh...that's beeootiful. I LIKE it! I keep telling myself I can live with out quite so much bling...but I also know after I have the truck done for awhile I'm going to want to do more of it.

Whose serpentine system are you using?

[G&R's57GMC]

Bling is so over rated .... lol

So Dan where are the coils and plug wires going to be located and routed ?

What F.I. System are you using ?

So far it "rooks marvolis " (in my best Recardo Montavon accent).

[Dan in Pasadena]

The coil packs will be located on the underside of the toeboard mostly not visible from above unless of course you're really looking for them!

After much discussion the fuel injection system is the Holly HP Dominator system. A little pricey but Mike gave me a screaming good price because he wanted to have experience installing & programming it.

Cost a little more upfront but should save me in the long run every time I need an idle adjustment or shift point changes, or any kind of minor adjustment it's not gonna cost money to go get it put on the software at the dynamometer. (It will also readily accept re-programming for turbocharging if I ever decide to do that later.)

[G&R's57GMC]

Thanks for the reply .

Turbo charging !? Your truck will only weigh around 3500# with little traction , more power will only cost you tires lol

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Thanks for the reply .

Turbo charging !? Your truck will only weigh around 3500# with little traction , more power will only cost you tires lol

Very true and I'll likely NOT do it. My truck as currently set up should make about 400hp and maybe 450 ft lbs. But I guess I like knowing I could. Ha ha.

Go back through my thread and Mike has a '57 TF in his shop that's an LQ4 6.0 like mine but it's twin turbo'd and the owner had him set it up to put out 1000 hp!! I can't wait to hear that started.

[G&R's57GMC]

I just went back through your thread looking for what your using for the rear suspension.

It looks like just leaf springs and a lowering block. If so you may have a nasty wheel hop problem as the springs wind up.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

I just went back through your thread looking for what your using for the rear suspension.

It looks like just leaf springs and a lowering block. If so you may have w wheel hop problem as the springs wind up.

The rearend is flipped on top of the springs and the frame is C notched. We will install traction bars BUT the truth is I won't ever race it. It'll never run the 1/4 mile. I'll stick my foot in it a few time to entertain myself but I'm no Ricky Racer.

[G&R's57GMC]

I'm no ricky racer either, BUT I don't want any wheel hop either so I used the NoLimit Fat Bar rear suspension with the Currie 9" .

[bowt1ed]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Ooh...that's beeootiful. I LIKE it! I keep telling myself I can live with out quite so much bling...but I also know after I have the truck done for awhile I'm going to want to do more of it.

Whose serpentine system are you using?

Billet Specialties Tru Trac

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Ooh...that's beeootiful. I LIKE it! I keep telling myself I can live with out quite so much bling...but I also know after I have the truck done for awhile I'm going to want to do more of it.

Whose serpentine system are you using?

Dan did you check out the MARCH Performance belts systems? they are pretty nice and somewhat reasonably priced. looking good tho!

[Dan in Pasadena]

No I didn't. By the time we're to that decision I wanted to save some. Money spent I went with the Holley system only a few hundred bucks- which was still more than I'd have preferred!

[Flysocal]

I would have gone with the Holley kit as well but with ADs you gotta notch the inner fenders so I decided against. Will the accessory drive require inner fender mods? BTW I like everything

[Dan in Pasadena]

Nope, no modifications required. I'd have used the truck brackets but the Vintage Air AC bracket is aluminum i wanted o polish to match the compressor. Wouldn't have looked acceptable (to me) wit hthe opposite side holdingthe alternator made of steel and painted or chromed. I'll get both polished and clear anodized later.