The '68 Cummins 4bt Brick Build

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Thx Doug!

Too stinking hot down here in the summer to go without a/c, lol!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dbteak]

When we get hot it's 105 with around 10% humidity and Reno/sparks really dosn't have traffic problems so you are always moving. I spent 3 months in Dallas in the fall months and one day I woke up and the weatherman said it was 31 degrees. I though no big deal and threw on a flannel shirt like I would do around here and proceded to freeze my a%! off. Took me 5 minutes to scrape the front windshield. You guys can have the humidity.

Doug

 

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LOL!!! Man, it's way worse the farther south and east you go, and forget Houston!!! When I was in the Army, I was stationed in NY and we did cold weather training. Every year they'd send us to JRTC down at Fort Polk, LA at the end of July thru August. I don't for the life of me understand why anyone would choose to live there. It was like 90% humidity all the time and hot hot hot!!! That was forever ago as I finished my enlistment in '03. I've lived down here since '08 and I still haven't acclimated to summer!!!! I am a big 'ol baby here from June till September! I still love the cold, but the hot summers are making me soft Funny, cuz I even wait to mow my lawn until after I've gotten my stupid HOA letter in the mail!!! My wife just shakes her head

No way I'm driving one inch w/o a/c in the Bronco!!!!!;D

 

[big a]

I didn't get a whole lot done this wknd, but I did manage to box in the passenger cowl. I got tired of working and walking thru the mess in the garage. I had rusty metal piled under the Bronco with a thick layer of grinding dust and metal shavings all over the floor. I spent the better part of Saturday just cleaning up and reorganizing my tools and I'm still not done On a good note, I cut up 5 or 6 big boxes of cardboard. Those were what I received all the replacement metal panels in! I still have to get the rockers and the front end together, but its sure nice to see the tub nearly finished!!!

Weather is supposed to be great here the next few days, so hopefully I'll be able to take advantage!

 

[big a]

So, I've been trying to figure out how to accommodate my family in the Bronco. I have a wife and 3 kids. Well, 3 kids won't fit in a stock Bronco back seat. After searching around I found some 3rd row dealer take-out seats from a 2013 Tahoe. They are perfect as they have seat belts for 3 integrated into 2 seats. I also came across some universal mount brkts on ebay. The seats require an open width of 49". As we all know, the width between the wheel wells is only 40". I have a 2" body lift and will be putting a 3.5" suspension lift. I'll also be adding 4" bump stops. I am not building a rock crawler, therefore, I do not need all the wheel well room for articulation, which are oversized as they are. I've also been trying to figure out storage room in the Bronco. The space under seats is dead space anyway, so I used 4x2x1/8 rect tbg for a seat base. I'll eventually add piano hinges and a 1/4" thk aluminum plate as a lid for the storage box. I'll have room to add a jack, tire iron, jumper cables, tow rope, etc. I'm happy the way it all turned out!

 

[big a]

These pics show the seats laid down and then up, revealing the storage compartment.

 

[Dbteak]

Well how much did you get done this spring before the heat moved in?

 

[big a]

LOL!!! My wife laughed when I read her your post!! She asked, so everyone knows you can't stand the heat?!?!?!

Well to be honest, summer really didn't get here till the past cpl days. It has been a very very mild summer here and I haven't complained but one day so far!!! Progress

So, as pertaining to the build. I made some progress and then had to stop for a bit. In fact my bronco is over at a buddy's garage. We decided to sell our house. I'm so tired of living in a track home right on top of my neighbors and no space! Add the hoa and I don't even own my dirt! So, at the beginning of May we started prepping our house for sale. You know, fixing all the little things that I should've been fixing all along. Anyway, we listed, had a contract in a few hrs, then his financing fell through the day of closing. Nbd, I got his earnest money. We relisted and will be under contract today! All this so that we can move to where I can build a real shop!!!! I've way exceeded the space and capability of a std 2 car garage Hopefully in the next cpl months I'll be moving the 'ol brick into a brand new shop on a new slab!!!!!!! We found a home with a little land, mature trees, and a perfect spot for a 30x40 slab!!!! It will need some updating, but my dad will help me make quick work of the house!!! In the meantime, here are a few updates I should've post a while back.

 

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Back in March I went to ConExpo in Las Vegas for work. The first pic is a huge diesel! Then, Cummins was showing this sweet diesel Indy car that won the pole, in '52 iirc. The last is a pic of the new 5.0L Cummins that will be in the new Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra. I just thought I'd share these beautiful diesels!!!!

 

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I went to the steel yard and bought a sheet of 18ga and started fabbing up the rear fender wells to accommodate the 3 person rear seats.

 

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I finished up the floor pans as well. Both corners were rusted out.

 

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Then, I got the rockers installed.

 

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I bought some Corbeau Bronco specific seat rails and fabbed up some brackets to install the seats.

Ok, I'll admit it, I sat in the seat, adjusted it, and pretended to drive it. I may have even made a diesel sound ;D

 

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I got the p-pumped 4bt installed so that I can start mocking up the engine compartment.

 

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I got my a/c bracket, compressor and alternator installed as well as a remote oil filter puck.

 

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Then, I got started fabbing up the new core support and added the intercooler. I need to take some updated pics as these were at the beginning of fab and the support has changed a bit, but this will give the general idea.

 

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And finally, a teaser pic with the highlander hood on! It's just sitting there though.

 

[AaronWelch]

Man I wish I had your welding skills.... I would not dare take on that big of a project just yet.

 

[big a]

Man I wish I had your welding skills.... I would not dare take on that big of a project just yet.

LOL!!! Oh my friend, there are no skills! I just bought this rig, bought a mig welder, and started burning wire! I've made a few mistakes along the way, but that's nothing a grinder with a cut off wheel, a flap wheel and a new piece of metal couldn't fix!!!! You might be surprised at how easy it is to fab with a mig welder! I do appreciate the compliment though

 

[Eoth]

Back in March I went to ConExpo in Las Vegas for work. The first pic is a huge diesel! Then, Cummins was showing this sweet diesel Indy car that won the pole, in '52 iirc. The last is a pic of the new 5.0L Cummins that will be in the new Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra. I just thought I'd share these beautiful diesels!!!!

Not to hi-jack the thread... But if you want diesel-porn, then how about this... With a few exception, they don't get much bigger..