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Charlie69's 66 520 Build


Charlie69

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Gene came over this afternoon and we stripped the 520 frame and gene purchased all the new front end parts for Grimace and a green 521.  Grimace will be getting the mike Klotz disc brake kit and the spindles and dog bones.  Gene is also getting the new king pin kit, bushings, tie rods, center link and the modded steering gear box with the rag joint.

 

This got the chassis out of my 2 car garage and now I have room to finish the 80 720 chassis under my 520 cab and bed.

 

We missed on the drivers side bed mounts they are about 1/4" to high so need to reposition them and make sure the valance and front bumper fit.  Need to make and weld on the bumper mounts.

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Well I bit the bullet again and ordered all the brake parts for the 1980 chassis with one difference, I ordered parts to install vented rotor brakes on the front.  Next week I will order the 2" Belltech drop spindles.  With the drop spindle and an additional 1" torsion bar drop this should put the truck at the level I want.

 

When front end is set where I want it then the truck will go to the spring shop to set the rear where I want.

 

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This is where it sets with 85 4x4 springs and torsion bar re-index sits.

 

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I have 83 to 86 rotors and calipers, 80 hubs, and will be ordering the Belltech #2005 2" drop spindles which are supposed to bolt on except for the outer tie rods have to be shortened a 1/4" each.  If they do not fit I will been authoring some feedback to Belltech and ordering the parts I need!  I want to run the stock 620 wheels pictured below.

 

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Adventure you say!!! ROFLMAO  This has been challenged fun!

 

I need to get this finished so I can start another after a few surgeries.  My buddy Allen in Northern Nevada keeps telling me the Six Million Dollar Man was nothing compared to the upgrades my body is getting.  Thank God for insurance!

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The rotors I bought were only $10.46 each plus shipping.  I will end up using the with another build with the Mike Klotz brake kit.  The calipers loaded were $46 a pair (left and right).

 

Thank you Mike for the heads up.

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I bought 1 from the first batch and have helped to sell several for you.  You just can not beat the Mike Klotz R&D department!  Top notch on all you build Mike. 

 

I will possibly be needing a custom brake master cylinder extension rod for Gene's Grimace truck.  I will let you know when we get that far.

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I bought 1 from the first batch and have helped to sell several for you.  You just can not beat the Mike Klotz R&D department!  Top notch on all you build Mike. 

 

I will possibly be needing a custom brake master cylinder extension rod for Gene's Grimace truck.  I will let you know when we get that far.

Doing brake booster?

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Worked on indexing my torsion bars this morning.  I am not happy with the results.  I will take both torsion bars apart clean, primer and paint them before assembly.

 

This chassis spent most of its life in Bagdad Arizona as a daily driver in and out of the mine.  The original owner lived in Prescott Arizona and was a Bagdad mine employee.  It was sold to an eighteen year old when he started working in the mine and then it stayed in Bagdad.  The kid destroyed the truck by not maintaining it.  I bought it for $50.

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Doing another mod and upgrade to my 520 instrument cluster.

 

NOS OEM speedometer.

 

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411 plastic face plate (bezel).

 

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This is the cluster I modded to plug into my 1980 720 harness that I am customizing for my 520.

 

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Still need to clean the 411 plastic and get the little shield for the bright headlights indicator.

 

Next will be the LED mod.  I will be leaving the stock bulbs in for the ignition and oil indicator lights.

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Gene purchased the 411 cluster from a person I met through Greg AZhitman at the 2014 Williams AZ run.  He had 2 of the clusters for sale but when we received pictures only one cluster had the chrome chrome and black face so Gene bought it and decided to not yo use it, so I bought it off of him.

 

This is a stock 520 cluster.

 

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This is the cluster with the 411 plastic bezel.  It is black and has the chrome the fuel & temp gauges and also around the turn indicator lights.

 

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Ray, a SWDP brother did the 411 instrument cluster to his King Cab 521.

 

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Gene came over tonight and we spent 4 hours working on my 520.  First we bolted up the front fenders and then we adjusted the torsion bars to sit where I want it.  Took a while to level it out but we finally got it.  Tomorrow will be getting the rear of the frame sitting level, then check and level cab and then the bed.  I hope to have this completed by Friday.  Saturday will be leveling, squaring, & welding up the rest of the bed mounts.

 

Sometime this week I hope to put the wiring harness in and finish the wiring of the fuel pump, tank sending unit, head lights, tail lights and the AC.  I need a couple more parts to wire the cooling fans. 

 

The push is on to have as much done as I can for the SWDP Barbeque on August 23rd.  What I do not get done by Wednesday August 5th will have to wait until after the barbecue because I have nose surgery on August 6th and will be down for about 2 weeks.

 

Pictures later this week.

 

I forgot to mention when we set the truck down of the jack stands after lowering the front it pinned my 3 ton floor jack under it.  Gene had to use the jack from my king cab to lift the front end off the floor jack.  It might be too low to load onto a Uhaul car trailer.

 

We will cross that bridge when we get there.  LOL

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