300+ rebuild

[Freightrain]

More retirement money spent.....

 118" of all new steel.

 Getting an eyeball on making carrier bearing mounting plate.  It needs to be a 12" drop from the existing cross member.

 Time for so more 1/2" plate.

 More progress up front also

 Lots of little stuff.  I have the cruise control box apart and bought some new throttle cable to extend the reach as the new backwards throttle arm has a Z bar and I need to get to the block side to make a bracket to attach casing so I can hook cable up.  

 

 Figuring exhaust out.  I have new flange and a 45* SS elbow to cut down to make it go down and hook up to my existing flex pipe that attaches to exhaust.

 

 I laid out my clutch linkage on CAD this morning at work.  I need to get some plate steel and start that project also.  I left it at work, I will post a picture of the layout.

 

 I need a few new pieces to correct my AC suction line that is in the way of intake tube to turbo.  I bought a new piece of 4" exhaust to make new intake tube to air cleaner.  Just a straight shot now, old motor needed a zig zag.

 

 I also received my new dry element air cleaner today.  That will one of the last additions as it is in the way when working on the truck of it is mounted on the cab.

 

 The struggle continues......

 

[mowerman]

My god bud…. You da man!!!!!!!!

[Freightrain]

Tired, broke man....

[Geoff Weeks]

1 hour ago, Freightrain said:

Tired, broke man....

I guess you could say you got the shaft!

[Freightrain]

Rube Goldbergs finest hour....

Just some basic math...... 😆 

[mowerman]

14 hours ago, Freightrain said:

Tired, broke man....

lol the thought had crossed my mind. You’ve been spending money like a drunken sailor doesn’t matter. It’s all for a good cause and I get it. You’re  all jacked up. To gidergoing. I’m sure you’ve got tons of followers as myself ready to give you a big applause even bigger than you’re already getting. Thanks for keeping everybody in the loop.

[davehummell]

Larry you have a very good excuse for spending the money on your truck it is a needed transporter for your race car a man must have a hobby that costs money or it's a dull life 

[Freightrain]

I got 10 yrs out of that $300 237.  It was time to upgrade.  It's just insane the cubic money I have spent to upgrade things.  But I know the old adage "spend some today, or spend a lot more tomorrow".

[davehummell]

Larry I know your pain $2,000 for the engine $1,400 for the air ride axle and aluminum rims and tires $1,400 for the front steering tires the list can be endless. The last time I ran it over to pickup a round bale a bunch off wires shorted out for the headlights so that's next on the list when it dries out enough to drive it out from where its parked for the winter.

[Freightrain]

I put my headlights on relays, so it eases the load on that old headlight switch.  With the old halogen bulbs, the brights would kick the lights off.  Now I can run them forever.  The lights get power right off the back of the alt. with a couple circuit breakers, one for low, one for high beams.

Oh, I put new drives on last years, just under $3000.  The first set lasted 23 yrs!  They still looked new but were way out of date!

[mrsmackpaul]

15 hours ago, Freightrain said:

I got 10 yrs out of that $300 237.  It was time to upgrade.  It's just insane the cubic money I have spent to upgrade things.  But I know the old adage "spend some today, or spend a lot more tomorrow".

All I know is, yah can't take it with you

I'll share my latest dumb ass purchase when and if it arrives from the US

Don't see any trailers hooked on the back of a hearse 

A very dear friend of mine is slowly dying of brain cancer, he has no regrets and has lived a full life 

Anyway, enough dribble from me 

Your having "Crack" and that's all that really matters 

Top work and your making us all look like bludgers, or bums or what ever you call no hopers in the States

 

Paul 

 

[mowerman]

Paul that last comment was priceless lol .. bob

[Geoff Weeks]

5 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

Don't see any trailers hooked on the back of a hearse 

 

 

Paul 

 

May be not:

[Freightrain]

I stopped at my friends motor shop after picking up the driveshaft since I haven't made it down to lunch for a few Saturdays.  A buddy was there and told me I'm working way too hard and he could never pull all this off.  I told him I can't believe I'm even getting it done.  It is an endless chore of assembly, fabricating, etc.  Nothing like when I bolted the 237 in.  Hook up a fuel line and go.  Nothing that easy with this.

Last night was fabbing up cruise control cable.  Bracket is painted and ready to assemble on engine and then hook up cable.  Should be good.  Much easier with no fender in the way.  No way I would get it done if I had to climb over that fender a 100 times.

I also got the rear air tank hung back on.  It used to feed air steering but I am leaving it for volume.  I dropped it off to ease removed of old aux box.  I use it to air my tires in race car at track.  It has a check valve so it doesn't affect the rest of the system.  I hooked the 13 spd air line to it, since it had an open port now with no steering line.  The trans does shift ranges, as I confirmed it last night.  I just need to fab up a handle.

I just did a refresh on my clutch linkage drawing this morning.  I think I found a better way and will confirm it tomorrow night.

[Vladislav]

On 4/28/2026 at 2:20 AM, Freightrain said:

Tired, broke man....

That's exactly that state that may be described as happiness. I'm sure you know it. Just can't confess until the truck is ready to go.

[mowerman]

man it woulda taken me the rest of my life to do what you have in just a short time wow again hats off bud...bob

[Geoff Weeks]

When I had the interest, body and ability, I didn't have the time. Now I have the time, but the 1st 3 are rapidly slipping away.

[mowerman]

that sucks...happens to most of us...im still full of piss and vinegar but most of the time i gotta get on something else around the house,,,and try to fit that thing in

[mowerman]

8 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

May be not:

those things give me the creeps.....even when im nowhere near them,,,,just watching someone using one

[Geoff Weeks]

8 minutes ago, mowerman said:

those things give me the creeps.....even when im nowhere near them,,,,just watching someone using one

Yeah, and the chipper is scary also.

[Freightrain]

1 hour ago, Geoff Weeks said:

When I had the interest, body and ability, I didn't have the time. Now I have the time, but the 1st 3 are rapidly slipping away.

This project is showing me that I am running out of piss and vinegar.  Hitting the 6 decade mark is a milestone for me that is hitting harder then any other before.

[cruiseliner64]

1 hour ago, Geoff Weeks said:

When I had the interest, body and ability, I didn't have the time. Now I have the time, but the 1st 3 are rapidly slipping away.

Dont think your anywhere near finnished yet Geoff.Dont know about body and ability but your interest clearly hasnt gone...Your a mine of helpful information.....

Paul

[Joey Mack]

Freihgtrain...I hear ya.. I hit 57 Monday... and I have 2 rare trucks to put on the road and 3 other daily drivers that need tires and 2 need paint, and.....  and..... and.... oh yeah, Im married, so..... theres her list...  oh yeah,, I also have a full time job...   

Not B!tc#!ng..  just.... 🙃

[cruiseliner64]

4 minutes ago, Freightrain said:

This project is showing me that I am running out of piss and vinegar.  Hitting the 6 decade mark is a milestone for me that is hitting harder then any other before.

 I hear you but we dont stop doing things because we grow old.....we grow old because we stop doing things......

Paul

[mowerman]

I know  a guy that just died at 94 and his daughter was telling me when he was 91. He just keeps starting one project after the next that’s how he keeps going. Hope it works for me.