Hawk Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 I'm planning on building a flatbed on this. I have a buddy that wants my bed, but he'll probably want to sell his gate, I'll let you know first. Pics of the dash soon, with real oak. I'm going to get carpet tonight from a 98XJ, so that'll be in soon too. Have I mentioned that I'm a little excited about this project and it's progress? :brows: giggity giggity giggity goo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 Dash panel teaser! They all turned out the same shade, regardless of camera glare. From left to right will be as follows (but are not currently): Voltage with the switch for the Ected, fuel level, Tach, Speedo, Water temp, Oil pressure with switch for reverse lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted October 11, 2008 Author Share Posted October 11, 2008 I don't like the way the woodpanel dash looks, I'll be building something else now that I've had a nice few month break from the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 We don't get a shot of it in the truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 I'd settle for a shot of it in the dash. I don't think he has the dash in for some reason... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted October 11, 2008 Author Share Posted October 11, 2008 Dash is in, I can get a pic before I pull it. I just don't think the woodgrain cluster is going to go with the rest of the interior, which will all be black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDXJ Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 Just sand the panels and paint them any color you want! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 I've decided to get one of those wood grain dash bezel's, to match the door panels I have. I think that'll look good with the all black interior. I got the bed taken off today, so now I can see what I'm working with as far as the rear suspension, and the flatbed. Leaning towards a 4 link rear, so I can chop the back couple feet off the frame and have it nice and short. If anyone has links to a good 4 link setup that doesn't cost out the @$$, post it. I also may be doing some custom frame work back there, but not sure yet. Have I mentioned that this is a really fun project for me? :yes: Also, I accidentally dumped gas all over me, my coat, and my gloves.... :ack: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfpackjeeper Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I am not sure that there is a kit for that. I know rockrawler has a bolt in coil kit out for the rear of an XJ, but I don't think it would be cheap, or do quite what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 I've seen plenty of kits. Problem being; it's around $900 for a couple hours of fabwork and a couple hundred bucks in parts. If I could find a kit that actually has a reasonable price tag, I could install it myself, I'm just not sure I could build one myself with what I want to do with the rear frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 http://yhst-3381664086528.stores.yahoo.net/un4ki.html Tossing this here so I don't lose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Pics of my dash progress, as promised. I'll probably pull the gauges out and spraypaint the wood panel black, I don't care for it. Switches. One for the ected, and one for reverse lights. Looking for a dash bezel that matches this woodgrain. I tried to take a picture showing how much leg room is in this thing, but it's hard to show you. Guess it doesn't matter that much. Here's what mine looks like with no bed. edit*the green led lights blink with the blinkers, the red one is supposed to be for the e-brake, but I can't get it to work. Investigate later. Wiring up the gauges was very easy. The orange wire you see comes on with the headlights, and there were just enough for all the gauges that'll be in the truck when it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catatonic Comanche Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 You should replace the steering wheel with that wooden captain's wheel in your avatar...hehehe! Argh! V/R Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 You should replace the steering wheel with that wooden captain's wheel in your avatar...hehehe! Argh! V/R Paul But...it's drivin me nuts...ARRRGH! I've got a neat little aftermarket wheel that I'll install on the new tilt column before I install it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 Today I messed with the cross member and got the engine/tranny at the correct angle. When the truck sits flat, the transmission points down at approx 1.5 degrees. If I decide I want to hike up the rear, it'll be easy to drop the tail shaft a little more. I wish I needed to do some more fancy fab work to get it to work, but I had this piece of tubing that was exactly the right size.... Image Not Found That's the only picture I have of the ST10 transmission. That's the only part of the truck I'll swap out to keep if I sell it. It's getting too hard to find those transmissions. Here's where the shifter is now, much more comfortable. I'll at least paint the piece of tubing so it doesn't look all bubba-joe'd up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 good so far, but get a different transmission mount. the one you have is not going to work. go with poly, or make a spacer to use the factory mount. you've got a nice mockup... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 good so far, but get a different transmission mount. the one you have is not going to work. go with poly, or make a spacer to use the factory mount. you've got a nice mockup... I was thinking about that as I was doing it. There are little rubber bushings between the tubing and the tail shaft, but I don't know if that'll be enough. The engine mounts have rubber in them, but they're really hard and they don't move at all when I rev it. I don't know if the tranny will flex enough with those thick rubber washers, or if I need an entire rubber mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 good so far, but get a different transmission mount. the one you have is not going to work. go with poly, or make a spacer to use the factory mount. you've got a nice mockup... I was thinking about that as I was doing it. There are little rubber bushings between the tubing and the tail shaft, but I don't know if that'll be enough. The engine mounts have rubber in them, but they're really hard and they don't move at all when I rev it. I don't know if the tranny will flex enough with those thick rubber washers, or if I need an entire rubber mount. it will, and it's not enough. there should be zero hard mount between the crossmember and the transmission. there needs to be a rubber isolator between the two...even if it's just a poly mount. there should be many different ones available out there. remember not to bolt all the way through from the crossmember...bolt to one side of the mount, then the rubber (or poly) in between, then to the other side of the mount. anyways, the last thing you want is to break the botton of your transmission off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 So a few months back, I bought the correct trans-am mount for this tranny. Hooked it up tonight, and my mind is much more at ease. While I was under there, I drilled out the weak old aluminum threads on the tail cone and put helicoils in, so that makes me feel better too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Well, almost a year since I started on this thing, and I'm still basically where I was when I started. I've been focusing all our extra money towards paying off debt (paid off our only vehicle loan, our $4500 credit card, and some money that my parents had helped us with), but now I'm laid off. Paying the bills with what the wife makes + my unemployment, but I can't bring myself to spend money on this thing, so I've just been cleaning. This weekend I got the engine pulled back out of it, all the brake lines, fuel lines, and wiring pulled out, and the dash and steering column. I went to a buddy's junk yard and got the rest of the interior parts I needed from a 95 XJ country, so when I finish it, the interior will be all black, except for the dash, door panels, and console, which will be that off-white color, with the woodgrain dash bezel and the little trim pieces on the doors. I don't think two-tone will look to bad in it, all the pieces I have now are in perfect shape. Next move will be to borrow my dad's power washer and start degreasing/washing the grease off the whole thing so I can paint the underside and engine compartment up nice and clean. I'm also planning on using a complete aftermarket wiring kit, because I'm tired of scratching my head and trying to make the factory wiring look clean and be functional at the same time. If any of you have tips on where I should start looking for one of those (and exactly what to look for) I'd appreciate it. I'll post pics later this week if it warms up outside. It was nice this weekend, but turned crappy pretty quick. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sounds like a great build, wish I could do as much as youre doing on yours. Painless Wiring has kits for street rods and custom builds. I'm not sure of their pricing anymore though as I havent looked anything up from them in maybe 10-15 years. There are other comanies doing the same thing though, I'm sure you could find some competeing kits that would at least give you the groundwork to run everything else off of. Good luck with the build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 mines gota 327 in it :???: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 mines gota 327 in it :???: Still plenty you can do with a 327, and still plenty of power for a little truck like that :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Why don't you stain that gauge piece dark to match door panels and clear the hell out of it for the shine. I think that'd look pretty sweet with the wood grain door panels and bezel (btw those pieces came off a Country XJ) at least thats what mine came off.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Why don't you stain that gauge piece dark to match door panels and clear the hell out of it for the shine. I think that'd look pretty sweet with the wood grain door panels and bezel (btw those pieces came off a Country XJ) at least thats what mine came off.. I have a buddy that does fiberglass work, and he's itching to get to work on my dash, so I'm going that route. The panel I made went vertical, and the bezel and door trim both go horizontal. I just think it'd be too much wood. I'm pulling parts from a 95 XJ country right now, I just wish the black console insert was wood like the other stuff. Either way, I'm a looooong way off from putting the interior in it. I just now stripped it to a rolling chassis, saving up for a wiring harness. On the bright side, I have all the time in the world to work on the little stuff. Will a can of satin rustoleum work for the engine compartment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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