datsunfreak Posted September 11 Author Report Share Posted September 11 (edited) Got a bit more work done... Got the new seats installed... Did not like the barrel head screws holding the dash face together and replaced them with button heads... Got all the switches wired up. Replaced the far switch with a (semi) matching horn button... Got the ignition switch wired, and all the gauges wired and installed... These gauges are LED backlit and can change colors, so I wired in a button to change the color and hid it on the bottom of the dash... Yes, I will cover that big hole... 😁 Also finally reinstalled the big plate and seal that closes off the column hole in the dash... On the outside, there's a plate that acts as some kind of column support, but I lost the horseshoe that wraps around the column. And yes, it is a bit crooked. I'll fix it when/if I find/make that horseshoe piece... 😋 Also, it looks like I need to install one or two more screws on the right side of that photo to actually fully seal off this hole... 🙃 Next move is to get back on the brake lines and finish those, hopefully this week... 👍 Edited September 11 by datsunfreak 5 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted Monday at 03:41 PM Author Report Share Posted Monday at 03:41 PM Finnally wired up the power steering pump. It's crucial to use fairly big wire for this... Ran that power wire back over to the bulkhead connector (it has to have a straight path to the battery)... And made a ground strap to connect motor to frame to body... Not perfect, but it'll do the job. I may go back and heat shrink those at some future point, though... 😋 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted Wednesday at 02:17 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 02:17 PM On 9/23/2024 at 9:41 AM, datsunfreak said: heat shrink those at some future point, though... On the grounds, an application of some dielectric grease should be sufficient to stave off corrosion 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted Wednesday at 04:03 PM Author Report Share Posted Wednesday at 04:03 PM (edited) 1 hour ago, EDM620 said: On the grounds, an application of some dielectric grease should be sufficient to stave off corrosion For sure, and I will do that. I was just thinking of aesthetic concerns. 😄 I am at a point with this project where I don't want to spend too much time making things pretty, and focus more on just making them work well. 👍 If you followed any of my previous builds (my 1200 for sure), I feel like I spent twice as much time on making things looks cool rather than making them work well. Mind you, it all worked flawlessly, but I can be a little obsessive sometimes on making it "cool". 🙃 Edited Wednesday at 04:05 PM by datsunfreak 1 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted Wednesday at 04:57 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 04:57 PM 52 minutes ago, datsunfreak said: I was just thinking of aesthetic concerns. I hear ya there, I've been doing that on my build as well... kinda anal retentive I suppose😆 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted Wednesday at 05:05 PM Author Report Share Posted Wednesday at 05:05 PM 3 minutes ago, EDM620 said: I hear ya there, I've been doing that on my build as well... kinda anal retentive I suppose😆 I am enjoying it, though. 👍 I have been wanting to do a frame swap (or even body swap) build for awhile now. My dream would be either a 620 onto a 90s Toyota truck frame, or a 68-72 Ford pickup on a Crown Vic frame. Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted Wednesday at 11:41 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 11:41 PM 6 hours ago, datsunfreak said: 68-72 Ford pickup on a Crown Vic frame 😁 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted Thursday at 10:06 PM Report Share Posted Thursday at 10:06 PM On 9/25/2024 at 10:05 AM, datsunfreak said: I am enjoying it, though. 👍 I have been wanting to do a frame swap (or even body swap) build for awhile now. My dream would be either a 620 onto a 90s Toyota truck frame, or a 68-72 Ford pickup on a Crown Vic frame. Can you fit into a regular can 620? I know you have a few inches on me, and I don't fit terribly well into a 620. On Hot Rod Garage, they did a Crown Vic frame with an earlier Ford pickup. It looked very straightforward and not too difficult. They nicknamed it the "Crown Hick" :) 1 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted yesterday at 12:09 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 12:09 AM 2 hours ago, Duncan said: Can you fit into a regular can 620? Very much a big factor in me choosing to build my KC. Once I put in comfortable seats, no way I'd fit and I'm only about 5'6". And I'll be using a smaller diameter steering wheel as well 1 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted yesterday at 12:24 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 12:24 AM 10 minutes ago, EDM620 said: Very much a big factor in me choosing to build my KC. Once I put in comfortable seats, no way I'd fit and I'm only about 5'6". And I'll be using a smaller diameter steering wheel as well I'm 6'0", and I think DatsunFreak is at least 2" taller than I am. I'd like to have a little 4cyl truck to haul some stuff around, but '75 is the cutoff in California for annual smog certifications. A King cab would be a no-go for me, unfortunately due to the smog regs. 1 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted yesterday at 01:21 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 01:21 AM Years back I had a first gen Ranger reg cab with manual, when I had a passenger there was nowhere to put the box of cassette tapes! 🤣 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted 15 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 15 hours ago 14 hours ago, Duncan said: Can you fit into a regular can 620? I know you have a few inches on me, and I don't fit terribly well into a 620. Not stock, no. 😁 I fit okay in my buddy's 620KC with stock seats, but putting a quick release steering wheel on it made it a lot better. For a normal cab 620, it's all in the seat choice. I would need something thinner than the stock seat. For this "dream project", I was thinking of a Kirkey Drag seat with shortened thigh bolsters and a custom cover to suit. Driving a stock 620 regular cab, I need maybe 2-3" more leg room, and preferably a lower seat bottom (but not crucial). 11 hours ago, Duncan said: I'm 6'0", and I think DatsunFreak is at least 2" taller than I am. I'd like to have a little 4cyl truck to haul some stuff around, but '75 is the cutoff in California for annual smog certifications. A King cab would be a no-go for me, unfortunately due to the smog regs. I am between 6'2" and 6'3", depending on how my back feels that day. But I think our legs are similar length? My issue is I am all torso. I have the legs of a 5'10" person and the torso of a 6'7" person. 😄 Funny side story: Matt didn't believe me when I told him that, because he and I are the exact same height. Then we went to a Padres game. I sat next to him, but sitting down it looks like I am 3" taller than he is. 😋 1 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted 15 hours ago Report Share Posted 15 hours ago (edited) 55 minutes ago, datsunfreak said: Funny side story: Matt didn't believe me when I told him that, because he and I are the exact same height. Then we went to a Padres game. I sat next to him, but sitting down it looks like I am 3" taller than he is. 😋 I had the same situation with Matt. We're the same height when we sat down together. He noticed it first. ;] I'm using 1" high density foam on the truck seats I have been doing for that very reason you mentioned. Cab space is valuable in the import trucks... Edited 14 hours ago by Duncan 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted 14 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 14 hours ago 14 hours ago, Duncan said: On Hot Rod Garage, they did a Crown Vic frame with an earlier Ford pickup. It looked very straightforward and not too difficult. They nicknamed it the "Crown Hick" 🙂 Noit surprised, it's a popular swap. There a even kits out there to put the Crown Vic front suspension onto the 68-72 truck frame, and it's fairly easy. Adapting the Crown Vic rear axle would also be pretty straightforward. The main question is engine choice. If I had a running Crown Vic for a donor, I'd use the Crown Vic frame so that I could use the Crown Vic engine as well. 12 hours ago, Duncan said: '75 is the cutoff in California for annual smog certifications. A King cab would be a no-go for me, unfortunately due to the smog regs. If you had the money to buy a 75, then cab swapped it... Just saying... 🙂 Not the most "legal" option, but it's an option. Honestly, you could even shorten the bed a bit to make it easier so you didn't need to stretch the frame. the 620 bed always looks a few inches too long anyway. Hell, in theory, if you had the cash to buy both and swapped VINs on them... In theory... Not that I would recommend it... 😁 1 Quote Link to comment
Duncan Posted 14 hours ago Report Share Posted 14 hours ago Just now, datsunfreak said: Hell, in theory, if you had the cash to buy both and swapped VINs on them... In theory... Not that I would recommend it... 😁 If a group of people do something wrong, I'm usually the guy who gets caught and punished for it. 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted 6 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 6 hours ago If you've followed this thread long enough, you know the stock dash pad was trashed, so I had stripped it down to the bare metal frame to try and wrap it way back when. That failed many times over, so I put it on the back burner for a long time. Finally got to a point where it really needs to be done to finish the dash, so I did that today. Cleaned up the metal frame and painted it black, then set about wrapping it in some thin, stretchy black "suede" material... And how it looks done... Close up... After install, and being brushed clean to smooth out the surface... This was a huge pain in the butt to install. Whatever idiot decided to build a custom dash in this way needs a smack... 😋 1 Quote Link to comment
EDM620 Posted 2 hours ago Report Share Posted 2 hours ago 3 hours ago, datsunfreak said: This was a huge pain in the butt to install. The results however looks worth the challenge How well does it cover blemishes? Just asking for a friend... Quote Link to comment
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