66 4x4 my sons new project

[vectorit]

Sounds like it's time to ditch the clutch fan, and go with electric fans if you go with the serp belts.

[argonaut]

Yeah, I have a nice electric fan too. But electric fans sort of go against the design philosophy of this truck. Everything is supposed to be as simple and mechanical as possible.

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by argonaut

Yeah, I have a nice electric fan too. But electric fans sort of go against the design philosophy of this truck. Everything is supposed to be as simple and mechanical as possible.

That's what makes these trucks fun, original, interesting, and cool. Keep, keepin' it simple.

[duallyjams]

I know you call your truck Big Ugly but it's really not.
I like the idea of the roof mount.
The serp set up was a good deal.

[61K10]

Jason--it's getting taller lol! what do you need for the floors? I have 2 floor sections L&R and some other rocker parts. if not in a hurry i should be down your way in the months to come.

kimble

[argonaut]

Kimble,
It is getting taller indeed! I do need to do the usual on the floors. Need to replace the left and right strips where the floors meet the rockers, up to the firewall. Need to do the lower section of the kick panels. Inner and outer rockers look okay form the outside, but the flange seam where the floor pan and rockers come together is gone and tops of rockers have rust pitting. Anything you have left over i'll gladly take!

The bad part is that I have never done any body work before! I've saved a few scraps of sheet metal to start practicing on and have been getting my little Lincoln SP-135 set up to do the sheet metal butt and spot/plug welding. Want to give me a couple free lessons when you come down???

[61K10]

Jason--from the fab work you have done on the frame you shouldn't have any problems with floors and rockers. now the bodywork is another story lol! I have the lower kick panels for the inside and some lower pillar stuff. will let you know when i will be coming down or i will ship it to you.

take care-----Kimble

[argonaut]

Work in progress.

[chevy_man5]

Looks great Jason!

And that tire up there will add to the aerodynamics of an already streamlined truck!!

[argonaut]

I just tossed the tire up there to get an initial impression. Hopefully it'll look better once I actually have the basket up there.
I'm a little worried that the basket, wheel & tire, jack and other accessories may be overloading it. Its at least 150lbs for those three items alone.

[vectorit]

Looks a bit tall Jason..
What were your findings about putting the spare in the bed in one way or another?
I know these old rigs are not known for MPG, but I bet that arrangement on the roof will cut into your MPG numbers.

[argonaut]

All good points, Chris.
The original plan was to build a beefy spare tire holder in about the same location as a stock in-bed spare holder. I like that location the best bit the downside is that it takes up bed space in an already tiny bed and also complicates strapping down my motorcycle. Now that I reassess I think I could make some work aroud for the loss of the front left bed stake pocket. Hmmmm, more to think about. We'll see what happens.

[RANDY COX]

Jason mount that Monstrous Tire on the front and it will double as a Grill guard... or whole
front end guard..

[argonaut]

Oh boy, I'm in trouble.
Look what followed me home:





I also dropped the first of my NV4500s off at the local shop to have a new mainshaft, bearings, synchros and seals installed.

There went my bonus check!

[argonaut]

Ugly was sitting around looking photogenic at the scrap yard the other day, so I took a pic.

[vectorit]

Awesome! I bet that FI modern engine will be more manageable than the BBC.

Looking forward to seeing the new chapter in your project unfold!

[argonaut]

Thanks, Chris! I actually plan to rock the 402 for a while. Its a fresh rebuild and it runs great. I plan to take my time getting the 496 ready to go into the truck. It's going to need different accessory brackets, water pump, fuel tank/lines system, oil cooler, wiring modifications, etc. which I plan to take my time on. Plus most of my funds are going other places these days (like my pay-off-the-student-debt and save-for-a-house funds).

I'm also working on getting things ready for the NV4500 swap. Need to figure out shifter mounts, new crossmembers and skidplates, etc. So there's plenty on my plate to keep me busy.

[MTCK]

Very cool! Looking forward to the next phase.

[duallyjams]

Ol Big ugly is photogenic no matter where it's at.
Nice score on the 8.1

[birdistheword]

I'll be paying attention to both swaps.

[61K10]

Jason--as they say it never ends lol! I thank DirtyLarry is running a similar set-up. got a third-member coming, hopefully the r&p are good and will re-bearing it. Is that your mom's 64?

take care-----------kimble

[argonaut]

Yup, that darn Larry! I saw his truck when I picked up a hydraulic clutch bellhousing from him and the 8.1L seed was planted!

My mom's 64 is coming along. Got it all tuned up amd running well. With power steering, power disks all around and some old school half-leaf type overloads it should be a good little home depot garden hauler for her. The 350 runs very stong but its got a knock that sounds likee maybe a work wrist pin. It just keeps on running like these chevy small blocks do, but I'll probably swap the 402 back into it one day after the 496 goes into Big Ugly.

Can't wait to see your pickup hit the road!

[argonaut]

Picked up the NV4500 from the rebuilder. New mainshaft, 5th countergear, bearings, seals and synchros. All ready for some Amsoil and the NP205. I'm planning to use the stock 93 bellhousing for now and see how that goes. I picked up some fittings to adapt that weird slave cylinder fitting to -3an so I can run a custom hose down to the passenger side from the MC. I think that with my lift I'm not in danger of the front driveshaft hitting the passenger side slave cylinder. Anyway, I've got the bellhousing already so I'll see if it works first before forking over hundreds more for the advance adapters piece. Plus I just like factory parts.



Funny story, a guy met me at the transmission shop to pick up that wheel and tire that you see in the back of the truck. When I walked out of the shop he was checking out the tail adapter on the trans. Turns out he is trying to do the same adapter mods to put an NV4500/NP205 into his Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler behind an LS1. So we shot the breeze for a half hour or so. Its funny who you run into when you are just giving stuff away on craigslist At least now I've got a local buddy who is into the 4wds.

[duallyjams]

It's a small world.

[61K10]

Jason---trans looks good!! might just have to find one lol.