My Crew Cab Deuce Build

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Cold and windy day here in NE Florida. Didn't get as much done as I wanted before the rain started, but progress nonetheless. Welded two inside lower cab braces which really helped reduce flexing and plan on adding one towards the top as well. Got the cab cross member fitted and re-installed and put a few beads of weld on the back cab floor to hold it down. Still have to source some metal to finish the rear cab floor, but still have lots of other stuff to do before I really need to start worrying about it.



Added a few more things to the list of items to repair: oil pressure gauge intermittantly doesn't show pressure, as well as the brakes having leaked down again (which I believe is from the driver's side center brake cylinder based on the fluid leaking down the tire).

 

[Reckless]

Looking good! I just bought a 4x8 sheet of 1/8 metal for all my floor patches (had some rusty sections I had to repair as well) and it ran about $123. The only thing I'm now trying to figure out is how Im going to do my rear cab mount. I left the vent in mine and it actually put the mount on the back on the cab right smack in the middle of that cross member!

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Another productive day. Removed the rusted out soft top mount from the window frame, removed some rust spots from the rear window section and top section of the hard top then primed and painted everything flat black. Installed the rear window section of the hardtop and cut up the old soft top frame in preparation for making the center gap section between windows.

Also found out Lowe's sells small sections of sheet metal, and the employee in that aisle recommended me a car body shop in downtown Jax that sells larger sheets of metal. Hopefully this pans out and I can get to finishing the cab floor as well.

 

[caliber1]

Scott, my truck came from Jax as well. Might want to check your air pack. I rebuilt mine, ended up having to replace it altogether. I did replace all my wheel cylinders too, as well as all the rubber lines, just to be safe. Good luck, and looking good.

Cold and windy day here in NE Florida. Didn't get as much done as I wanted before the rain started, but progress nonetheless. Welded two inside lower cab braces which really helped reduce flexing and plan on adding one towards the top as well. Got the cab cross member fitted and re-installed and put a few beads of weld on the back cab floor to hold it down. Still have to source some metal to finish the rear cab floor, but still have lots of other stuff to do before I really need to start worrying about it.

View attachment 410886View attachment 410887View attachment 410888

Added a few more things to the list of items to repair: oil pressure gauge intermittantly doesn't show pressure, as well as the brakes having leaked down again (which I believe is from the driver's side center brake cylinder based on the fluid leaking down the tire).

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Scott, my truck came from Jax as well. Might want to check your air pack. I rebuilt mine, ended up having to replace it altogether. I did replace all my wheel cylinders too, as well as all the rubber lines, just to be safe. Good luck, and looking good.

Yeah, I'll probably start with the wheel cylinders, but first I'll clean everything up just to be certain that's what is leaking. Hopefully it's not the airpack....

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

The only thing I'm now trying to figure out is how Im going to do my rear cab mount. I left the vent in mine and it actually put the mount on the back on the cab right smack in the middle of that cross member!

Take a look at this post here. Looks like they just made a new plate and mounted it right the crossmember.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...Deuce-crew-cab&p=392843&viewfull=1#post392843

 

[Reckless]

Yea I went through that thread post by post and a few others before deciding. I've actually talked to him on the phone and the other reason for doing that is so the bed would fit closer to the cab leaving a smaller gap, not being as long, and bringing the front axle a little closer to cut down on drive shaft length. I'm still up in the air if I want to go that route or just modify the existing frame mount hump thing and just weld it to the cross member or not

 

[caliber1]

Does it vent any fluid out the air pack vents? Mine didn't at first, I guess the rust pits cleaned out after some use? I was lucky, found all new brake shoes when I did the wheel cylinders. Hope they did yours too.

Yeah, I'll probably start with the wheel cylinders, but first I'll clean everything up just to be certain that's what is leaking. Hopefully it's not the airpack....

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

I'm still up in the air if I want to go that route or just modify the existing frame mount hump thing and just weld it to the cross member or not

I would think that modifying it then bolting it down would work as well so you could remove it in the future if needed.

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Does it vent any fluid out the air pack vents? Mine didn't at first, I guess the rust pits cleaned out after some use? I was lucky, found all new brake shoes when I did the wheel cylinders. Hope they did yours too.

Yeah, the air packs bled fluid when I first bled them.in October when I got her. Last month they were a little soft, now they hit the floor. Guess I'll find out when I dig into it.

 

[caliber1]

You have a dual system? Wow, if you don't mind post some pics of that too when you get a chance?

Yeah, the air packs bled fluid when I first bled them.in October when I got her. Last month they were a little soft, now they hit the floor. Guess I'll find out when I dig into it.

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

You have a dual system? Wow, if you don't mind post some pics of that too when you get a chance?

Whoops, perhaps I misspoke, as I only recall bleeding one airpack....

 

[o1951]

Another advantage of bolting it vs welding is you can easily install civy cab isolator mounts if you decide to soften the ride and reduce vibration bit in the future. Just need mounts washers and longer bolts.

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Well I finally got around to cutting the hard top today. Had to pound a few dents out of it, and it needs a bit of preservation, but it'll work. Got the front portion in place but wasn't able to bolt on the rear section as I forgot the gasket at the house. Hoping to accomplish this tomorrow so that I can install some cross hatching for the new sheet metal insert. Hoping to have my sheet metal by the weekend so I can finish the floor pans and stitch in the roof. Found a potential local supplier from a co-worker whose brother works at a steel mill locally. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one...but if it falls through I'll just order it online.

The only confusing part with the top...it has only two holes drilled in it, which line up with two holes in the windshield frame. Oddly, these have no inserted threaded portion nor does the frame have access to put a nut on the bolt. There are about 6 other smaller threaded inserts in the windshield frame, but again the top does not have holes cut for these. I'm considering drilling a hole in the windshield frame larger enough to fit a 1/4' socket so I can at least get two bolts holding it down nice and snug.

Things that make you go hmmmmm......

 

[59apache]

nice, a M35 Targa....

 

[Maverick1701]

very cool build! can't wait to see her come together

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Scott, my truck came from Jax as well. Might want to check your air pack. I rebuilt mine, ended up having to replace it altogether. I did replace all my wheel cylinders too, as well as all the rubber lines, just to be safe. Good luck, and looking good.

Ok, while the one wheel cylinder is questionable, I think it might be airpack related. Built a power bleeder and bled that first; had a bit of air expelled from there. Pumped the brakes and the pedal already felt firmer. Bled all four rear wheels with no air expelled that I could tell, though brake pedal was much firmer now. Also getting a bit of "oily water mix" from the passenger side air tank...

The major concern is that the fluid that came out of the bleed ports was amber in color, not purple. So my guess is that the majority of it is DOT3, not DOT5. Guess I'll need to buy a gallon and bleed the entire system; perhaps after I look more into the airpack though.

Picking up the sheet metal tomorrow and barring any rain should have the rear cab floors completed as well as the roof.

 

[caliber1]

Scott, the DOT5 will turn after a while, you should be okay. Is it exhausting fluid from the air pack vent under the hood? That's what mine started doing.

 

[Welder Sam]

Sub'd

 

[FatBuddhaBoo]

Scott, the DOT5 will turn after a while, you should be okay. Is it exhausting fluid from the air pack vent under the hood? That's what mine started doing.

No, I'm getting an oily substance entrained with the air and moisture that comes out of the air tanks. No leaks that I can see on the air pack.

Good to know on the color...thanks.