mattb73lt

Thanks for all the great comments. Today was a great day. It was a lot of work and working in the sun with the heat we had was exhausting. It went on pretty easily and the lift I had was invaluable. The thing that strikes me is how tall the truck is. I don't recall it being as high as it is. Much taller than the B-42 by a big margin. But it looks so amazing at this point, all that frustrating, hard work really paid off. I keep scrolling through the photos we took and some videos my wife took from the second floor of the house, while she watched us. So much to hook up and complete, now, but it's really moving along.

No problems at all with it passing through.

JEEZUS, I can't believe it!!!! We did it, it took all four of us to gently lift the cab and set it in place. A gigantic leap forward on getting this done. It really looks amazing, I can't tell you how happy I am to see it like this. It's way beyond how I thought it would look all those years ago.

Great progress, it's really starting to move along!!

I feel like I'm waiting for Christmas! If I had the hands here now, I'd put this cab and radiator on today. The lift showed up yesterday and just getting everything organized for Sunday morning when everyone shows up. Had do a little mock up as I got things lined up in the shop, though. I think it's been about 23 years since this cab sat on the frame. Time flies while you're living life.

The cab is looking real good. It’ll be very unique when it’s in its original colors!

I believe the wheelbase measured 249", when I checked it. It'll get a 24' Jerr Dan roll back mounted to it.

Hammering away. Got the center section of the drive shaft back and was able to get all three sections aligned and installed. I have the parts I need to complete the hanger bearing supports and after having two sections cut down and one modified, it fits. Roughed in more of the exhaust and the rest will have to wait until the cab goes on and I can verify what I need for the stack. More connections completed and air brake parts installed. Sunday is looking better each day.

I had a Bostrom seat identical to Harry’s first, but it was worn out. Then a pair of ‘95 Mustang bucket seats some one gave me mounted to the same spring bases. Those really didn’t fit well and the high backs with headrests took up more room. I built frames for the bases to use the original bolt holes and another frame to mount the seat. The 20” wheel makes a big difference in room. I have a large Sheppard box out of a B61SX in it. Which makes it steer like a car. Here’s some comparisons of the two wheels and the bases in the cab.

Yeah, I agree. As they age they get brittle and break. Finding good ones can be tough. These are cheap ones that I use mostly for layout purposes.

No worries. They're just temporary to hold things in place until I can secure them with clamps. Helps keep things organized and makes re-routing easier as I find the best way to lay it all out. If you look at the last pic, there's one installed on the battery cables I laid along the lower lip of the frame rail.

From what I've seen and done, the seat backs need to be thin and low height for the bottoms. Low back seats are or seem to fit best. The standard B cab is pretty small and we're not getting thinner. Space is an issue. I've tried a couple of different arrangements . What I've settled on are spring ride bases and a pair of excavator seats, with arm rests, I sourced both from Northern Equipment. They fit the cab nicely and make me fit it more comfortably. I recently added a center console between the seats(not in the pics, though.). By the way, I do have power steering and have a 20" wheel versus the stock 22".

Plumbing away!! Most everything is roughed in and harnesses are strung. Securing and connecting will be next and making sure this area is ready for the cab. Seven days to go before the next work party arrives, a lot to do but it'll get done. Can't wait for the 22nd!!!

The cut down door might be hard to find, but a standard two hinge L door would be easier. Then just cut where necessary.

Do you have the original door? That one looks like a replacement. Barring finding another replacement, I would completely strip that door to see what you really have. Evaluate that and see what can be done with it. Patches and the door bottom can be made if you can locate a good fabricator. Certainly, a good replacement would be the best and easiest solution. Keep advertising your need, one may appear.

Still getting lots of little stuff done and collecting up the things I need to finish most of the tasks that need to be done under the cab area. Looks like the cab and radiator will go on the weekend of May 22nd. With the need for a lift and extra hands I needed to set a date to coordinate it. Got the front brake air lines routed and built a few sections of my exhaust for the back drop manifold. It looks like the pipe will clear everything that concerned me. The bigger news, and this is more of a HUGE sigh of relief, was that I was able to motor the engine on the starter to build oil pressure to fill all the new external oil lines and new filter. Saw 30 PSI just on the starter. That gave me enough confidence to give it a little whiff of ether to see if it would catch. It did and keeping the RPM's low, I let it run for a few minutes. Oil pressure built to 60 PSI at a low idle. It sounded really good with only about three feet of straight pipe. This little thing has had me worried, as I've had the engine over 20 years and haven't heard it run since before I bought it back then. I had it heavily lubed internally and kept rotating it every so often with a wrench. I couldn't get a video of it as I didn't have enough hands, but soon enough once the fuel is hooked up to it. So, a good day finding out the engine is good and not a pretty boat anchor!!

Catching up to you with my exhaust system build. A few sections of pre-made exhaust pipe from Fleetpride should do it and one piece of flex pipe to make up an angle I can't get. Started it off with a stub I cut from the pipe that came with the engine, then an extended 45* bend to clear the transmission mount. The rest is pretty easy. I'll wrap about 2' in header wrap where it runs under the floor boards. Shouldn't be any interference with the cab floor or mounts from what I can see. This, some air lines and battery cables, then I'll be able to drop the cab and radiator on in about two weeks!!

Well, it was worth it. Beautiful paint!

Nice work! Quite the bed you fabricated for it. That’s going to be fun to play with.

They look sharp. Nice paint work, BTW. Great gloss and reflection.

It's looking great!! Now for some enjoyment in driving the fruits of all your labors.

It’s the little things that make you 😃😃

So many things to get done, find and hook up. At times I feel like I’m going in circles at this phase. I haven’t had a vehicle this far apart since the late 80’s when I did a complete restoration to my ‘27 Model T. That was like a model car compared to this truck. Lots mounted and back together since the clutch issue and I’m still on track for the cab and radiator going on by the end of May. Air reservoir, hydraulic pump, steering box and some of the linkage, power steering pump, fan belts redone are just some of what got done. Starting to rough in the air lines for the brakes. Waiting on the driveshaft to return. My fabricator friend is making me some mounts for the hanger bearings and the list goes on.....

Well, it was a learning point for me. I’ve put many clutches in, but this was the first one that required them. Ft. Wayne said you can pull them when needed to get more life out the clutch as it wears.

As much as I wanted to put the cab on back when I put the engine in, I’m glad I didn’t because this would’ve been a much more difficult fix.