65 4x4 Daily Driver Upgrade

[9Fingers]

Worked on relocating the transfer case shifter forward 7-1/2" to put it back close to where it was before the Ranger auxiliary box was added. Here's the finished product, used all scrap I had kept from other projects.



You can see where the shifter used to bolt on, where the rear most bolt is holding the piece of 1/4" flatbar, to which I welded a piece of a 3/4" fine threaded bolt for the new mount.

While its now moved forward, I know it's offset to the drivers side by almost 2", but I was expecting to modify the transmission cover anyway as the np435 shifter is rearward now 7-1/2".

Here are a couple pics of a passenger side timing indicator, thanks Blackwaterforge.





There must have been more than one style, as the notch for the timing Mark in the three groove damper is still off. Engine builder said he had #1 at TDC and marked the damper with a paint pen to match 0 on the drivers side timing indicator that's cast into the timing gear cover. May have to test the TDC to be sure.



I'm not 100% sure the 3 groove pully/damper is new, thinking if it were used, it may have slipped? I had the engine builder source it, and the way it's finished, appears to be new.

[9Fingers]

One step forward, two steps back. Small milestone reached today with the cab placed back on the chassis.



During cab placement we had to keep the rear of the cab raised and use spacers to keep it up. With the transfer case shifted rearward after installing the Ranger torque splitter transmission, the reinforcement area under the cab now hits the top of the transfer case.

And all the work to relocate the transfer case shifter lever was worthless, the shaft interfered with the bottom of the cab. Shifter works fine in original mounting place, will need to slightly clearance the rear opening in the cab floor with a grinder.

All in all, I'm satisfied with the progress. Will post more photos as I get more done.

[9Fingers]

Decided not to keep the additional spacers at the rear cab mounts.
Notched the reinforcement channel under the cab to clear the transfer case.
Welded in flat plate to close up the hole.
Only one pic of the notch.


Now to get the shifters worked out.

[9Fingers]

I needed to shorten the 4 speed shifter since it's closer to the seat now, so I removed a short section and welded I back together. Got the shifter fabbed up for the torque splitter transmission. Needed a shifter knob so I used a spare knob from another 4 speed transmission. Chucked it up in the drill press and used sand paper to sand away the faint remnants of the 1234-R shift pattern. Then used 400 grit with some kroil and polished it up nice. Here is a poor picture of the two shifters now. Both move as they should with good clearance so there are no pinched knuckles.

[9Fingers]

Had to add more metal to the factory alternator bracket and use part of the bracket that came with the alternator. Also cut a small wedge out of the top adjustment bracket and welded it back to keep the alternator fan blades from hitting the bolt, the arc wasn't quite right. Has clearance from the exhaust and intake.



Here's a pic of the power steering pump and steering box.

[9Fingers]

I've been slowly, methodically chipping away at my list of things to get done.

Here are a few pictures of the most recent things completed.

Transmission cover reworked with new holes cut and old ones filled for Ranger torque splitter, np435, and np205 shift levers.


Front view of engine with belts installed, fuel pump in place, distributor, plugs, and wires installed, brake lines replumbed from the master cylinder to the proportion valve.


Dual shocks installed.


Steering wheel with horn ring in place.


More work to be done, trying to get it back on the road by New Year's day.

[9Fingers]

Hopefully I have all the wiring sorted out for the dash and it doesn't need to come back out. I kept the incandescent lamp for the old alternator warning and inserted it in the lower port on the vacuum gauge. I supplied one side with key-on 12v power through a diode to prevent back flow, with the other side of the lamp going to the alternator(this is a 10SI alternator used for the mechanical tach drive). If I've read correctly, the lamp grounds out through the alternator with key on, but once he engine starts the alternator supplies + voltage and the light goes out. Then if the alternator fails, it grounds again and the light is back on.



I picked up a couple of led flashers to swap with the standard flashers for turn signals and the emergency switch.

I still need to run the vacuum line to the gauge, but it's easy to reach.

I've got to work out spacing, but the intent is to add the emergency flasher switch and light alongside the other switches below the instrument panel. I know there is some interference but I think I can relocate the throttle cable(got it fixed as a crude cruise control) to left side of steering wheel and snake the cable past the obstruction, leaving it's hole blank for the choke to move over, then the emergency switch and light with new hole beside the choke. I picked up a used emergency flasher switch, bezel and nut from a Bronco. The bezel matches the slick bezels and should look good once cleaned up.

[9Fingers]

Worked to get the Throttle cable swapped to the left of the steering wheel in the dash. Then moved the Choke cable over one space to the right, next to the heater controls. Installed the emergency flasher bezel and nut from the bronco, and the switch I already had and drilled a new hole just to the left of the switch for the emergency flash indicator.



I decided to change to ImageBB for the photos, it works better for me.

I hope you all have a MERRY SLICK CHRISTMAS!

One last photo of my chief mechanic.....

[9Fingers]

Work on the truck came to an abrupt halt. Some Gremlins and discoveries slowed me down. I was able to get the front sheet metal back in place with my wife's help.


Then I found the elusive Walker y-pipe for the 300 Ford online. I bought it and installed it because the pipe diameter was larger than the one I fabricated. This one should let the engine breathe better.


Then I reused one of the red glasspack mufflers and some of the same exhaust pipe used with the V8 that was in the truck. I turned it down just before the rear axle.



The radiator posed it's own set of challenges. I wanted to reuse it, it has 3 rows of tubes and I want as much cooling capacity in summer, knowing air conditioning is a future plan. The lower outlet is on the driver's side and the 300 six water pump outlet is passenger's side. So I trimmed the neck off the lower outlet, and used some copper pipe and ell's to make a hardline across the lower portion of the radiator to keep the rubber hoses as short as possible.


Because the fan and fan clutch was such a tight fit, the radiator goes in after they are in place. To clear them I made the hard copper pipe with a straight coupling where I will use a straight rubber hose and two clamps to seal it.


Here is passenger's side.


On to fuel line. I can't say that I noticed any fuel leaking but... with the size and number of pin holes I found in the fuel line that attaches to the tank, but below the cab floor, it's a wonder the fuel pump pulled fuel and not so much air. I bought a new coil of fuel line and twisted a new tank line into shape.


Then installed a three port valve to control fuel flow. For now I've got one port blocked off and will use it as a cutoff. If the future brings an auxiliary fuel tank, I will have a place to tie in and the valve to switch tanks.


Here's a pic of the valve from the cab, tucked up and out of normal sight under the seat. Carpet will cover the floor one day.


I hope to finish the fuel line tomorrow and try and tidy up the wiring under the hood.

I've got some extra long welding leads on a stick welder. I may cut off two pieces to use for battery cables and solder on copper lug ends to use with the Marine battery terminals. I've had good luck with this setup on another truck.

[9Fingers]

For comparison, the ground cable that was on he truck is to the left, and the new one I made up with some stick welder cable on the right.


Here's where the ground cable goes from the battery to engine block, then another on to the frame.


Battery with Marine cable ends. This battery has been out of the truck since the rebuild started in the summer of 2016. It's been on a trickle charger the last day or so while I've been in the shop.


Dome light works and the instrument lights work. Turn signals light up the correct lights.


Hood back on, new shoes on 15x6 steel wheels.


If I measured right, these wheels should get the tires back within the rear fenders.

Still have a problem with the emergency flashers. When the switch is pulled out, both turn signal indicator lights come on and do not flash, as well as the instrument cluster lights, but only if the two wires going to the brake switch are tied together. Nothing happens if the brake switch wires are open. In both scenarios, the e flasher bulb does not come on. Both the turn signal and emergency circuit have new flashers that are supposed to work with both led and incandescent bulbs. The turn signals work. Next step is to pull the e-flasher switch and open it up to see if it's internals are scrapped.

I've got to say, I LOVE those Dual hi/low horns! I'm sure being in the garage amplifies the sound, but they are loud!

All that is left is to bleed the air from the brake lines, and put gas in the tank before I try cranking it up. Got some help lined up tomorrow after work to bleed the brakes.

[Blanger]

On the left of your instrument cluster is that a vacuum guage? can't say I've ever seen one that was that big....pretty cool!

Jon

[9Fingers]

Hey Jon.

It is a vacuum gauge from the larger trucks like the F600's of the same vintage.

They were made to fit the knock-outs in the dash just right.

There were also mechanical drive tachometers, like the one on the right side of the dash, and there were air pressure gauges as well.

My neighbor from when I was a kid still has their one owner 66 F250 Camper Special. I remember camping with them and the truck used to have a Stuart Warner Motor Minder vacuum gauge. I wanted one to monitor the engine and then found out there was a factory gauge, so I searched for one. Folks here on the slick site were helpful locating both the vacuum gauge and the mechanical tachometer.

[9Fingers]

Murphy came to help me bleed the brakes this evening. I hooked up a vacuum pump to the vacuum port on the brake booster to let the system work as if the engine were running. My wife worked the brake pedal. We hadtwo fittings that needed tightening, but I had a steady drip at the brass distribution/proportion valve. There is a plastic switch that was used with the brake system that was on the truck chassis to alert the driver there was trouble with the brakes with a dash light. This plastic switch had an o-ring to seal it. As luck would have it when it tried snugging it up, the plastic failed and sheared the threads off inside the brass block. I pulled the block and found an inverted flare plug to fit it since I have the brake switch that works with the slick brake lights plumbed in at the master cylinder. I went ahead and opened up another plug on one end and the plunger inside appears to be rust covered and corroded but it's also offset and partially blocking the output to the rear brakes. I found another valve online like this one and a diagram on another site showing how it works. There is also a metering valve on the front axle that works with this one to send the fluid to the correct place at the correct pressure. So I'm stuck till I can get the replacement distribution block. Here is a picture of the brass block I borrowed from an e-auction site.



As much as I want to crank the truck and get it running, I'm trying to be patient and address the brakes first. I want to be able to roll it to the front of the garage, get it cranked then ease it outside, and if something goes wrong, at least the truck would be outside.

[9Fingers]

Got the leaking brake line fixed (I hope). Still need to get all air out of lines, need more fluid. Finished up wiring under the hood. Put gas in tank. Dribbled some in the carb, engine fired off, then died. After several attempts at this method, I doubled checked the fuel line to carb, no gas. The wife asks, are you sure that fuel cutoff valve is in the right position? Insert Donkey emoticon here. Turned valve the right way, a little more fuel in carb, choke on. Fired up and ran good. Oil pressure 70 psi. Cable drive tach turned the right way and after adjusting the idle screw down, it idled about 700 rpm. Need to finish the air filter setup and dial the timing in with the light. Need to get it up to temperature, make sure the thermostat works, top off the radiator, then get the bed back on it, get the grill and headlights on and work out the emergency flasher bugs.

[04sd]

For comparison, the ground cable that was on he truck is to the left, and the new one I made up with some stick welder cable on the right.


Here's where the ground cable goes from the battery to engine block, then another on to the frame.


Battery with Marine cable ends. This battery has been out of the truck since the rebuild started in the summer of 2016. It's been on a trickle charger the last day or so while I've been in the shop.


Dome light works and the instrument lights work. Turn signals light up the correct lights.


Hood back on, new shoes on 15x6 steel wheels.


If I measured right, these wheels should get the tires back within the rear fenders.

Still have a problem with the emergency flashers. When the switch is pulled out, both turn signal indicator lights come on and do not flash, as well as the instrument cluster lights, but only if the two wires going to the brake switch are tied together. Nothing happens if the brake switch wires are open. In both scenarios, the e flasher bulb does not come on. Both the turn signal and emergency circuit have new flashers that are supposed to work with both led and incandescent bulbs. The turn signals work. Next step is to pull the e-flasher switch and open it up to see if it's internals are scrapped.

I've got to say, I LOVE those Dual hi/low horns! I'm sure being in the garage amplifies the sound, but they are loud!

All that is left is to bleed the air from the brake lines, and put gas in the tank before I try cranking it up. Got some help lined up tomorrow after work to bleed the brakes.

Truck is looking good. Are those the stock wheels from late 70's truck? What size tires did you put on?

[shipwrecked]

What sort of fuel valve are you using? Is it just a standard 1/4 turn in line, or is it hidden?

[9Fingers]

Bill,. I am not sure about the year range for the wheels. I purchased them already powder coated, I looked for stamped numbers but could not read anything useful. They have four nubs facing outward from the center stamping to accept hub caps.

Tires are General Grabber X3's. I wanted 33x10.50 but the fellow at the tire shop ordered 31x10.50. I figure I will run these and see how the truck drives and pulls. With this height tire, I'm 5-11" and I still need to raise up on the ball of my foot to get the rear end on the truck seat when getting in. Too much taller of a tire will make getting in and out more of a chore.



April,

The brass valve I'm using looks like this, it has three ports 1/4" NPT, I used adapters to get to the inverted flare fittings needed for the fuel lines. It's mounted beneath the edge of the driver's seat but under the cab. I had to make a braket to hold the valve, then pop riveted the bracket to the floor of the truck. The selector lever is far enough under the seat, that you don't know it's there unless you are looking for it.

[shipwrecked]

That sucks pretty much what I want to do as well! Need to buy one.

[9Fingers]

Installed the front and rear driveshafts today. Adjusted rear brake shoes and bled brakes again. Brakes still don't perform correctly, may need more adjustment on rear wheels. Drove the truck 4 miles down the road and back. Got up to 60 mph. At home, adjusted brakes again. Put more fuel in tank. Started down the road again, engine sputters, I whip in to neighbors driveway and back out, engine dies. Won't crank. Get tractor, drag it home. Dribble some gas in carb, still won't fire. Pull number 1 plug, a little dark, but not coked up, or wet. Engine temp crept up over 210. Will check the points. Need to get timing light and check it.

[04sd]

Great to hear you got it out for a first shake shake down run even if all did not go well. Should be a cool truck when it's done.