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Rebuilding after 15 years of storage

PHOENIX-GER

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Today we installed the 4L80e transmission without any problems. Supported with a temporary foot and aligned crossmember, we adjusted the NP205.
Now we just need to paint the TC, machine the foot, bolt on the crossmember, add a torque support and the drivetrain is ready except for the driveshafts.
Even the original skidplate from the NP208 fits.
But we still need a dustcover and a dipstick with tube because neither the dipstick nor the cover of the TH 400 fit.

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PHOENIX-GER

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It was a hard job to got this heavy TC under the Truck.

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Speedsensor

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We measured the front drive shaft complete close 78 cm and complete open 88 cm
By testing we need just to pull out 1,5 cm to fit in as the distance is 79,5 cm between both mounts.
It is a little bit confusing. The transmission is longer, the NP205 shorter? than the NP208 ?
We moved the crossmember about 16 cm backwards.
Now we are not sure if we should reuse the original driveshaft.
It must have enough movement in both directions.
Our son will do some measurements and maths to control the space we need

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Another Gimmick we was inspired by Bluetooth Loudspeaker

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we ordered in Germany 🥳 in an US Military Shop

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We will use it with our trucker-radio which is here already not more allow in the old style
Now we need here a handsfree equipement otherwise you can got hard punishment until lost your driving licence, dependent how much you bring other in danger with your behaviour.
Warning if you stay with a call on a parking area with running engine until lost your driving licence by notice you talking in front of a red traffic light by police.
The handset is just for appearance, also if it is new ;)
 

PHOENIX-GER

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Yes i agree. We found both here for less than 50 Euro if we take an used handset. We prefer a NOS handset and take both for 70 Euro. Additional we need to buy the bluetooth equipment which price is dependent of quality. For sure it will be less than 300. For someone without skills for build them maybe the only option.
 

PHOENIX-GER

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Going on this weekend and figured out we need also a new Driveshaft in front.
It must be shorter, never expected this as all information i found was always front is to short and rear to long 😅 we already have in our budget both new.
The NP208 has the mount of frontdriveshaft several cm backwards than the NP205, so that now the old Driveshaft is to long, maybe just some centimeter but this can crash the complete drivetrain. No need to have this disaster just to spare some money.

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not an ideal picture to compare but it is easy to notice the difference about the length from the Driveshaftmounts
To be honestly i didn't notice it during work on it, it just appear to us during installation

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also the cableshifter unit must be customid to fit if you want use the original hole
Other option is to slide the hole more in front and use the long shiftsticks like manual transmission have.
We prefer the original hole

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That mean about the less space between Cabfloor and transmission we need to use a spacer
Just check with a dummy from wood

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it need to be in front 1 cm higher than to the end to have enough space at the end of the rails to the adapter/transmission.
We need also to perfom a plate from the underbody like the original shiftunit have before
It is lokated in the picture below on the left side sandblasted

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All is gone in the storage box to the NP208/TH400 Drivetrain
Original Driftshafts will store with them, nevertheless the original need new universal joints.
We will do that later as the TH400 is overhauled 20000 Miles ago and the NP208 just in the beginning of our restoration
So all will have than plug and play condition without any maintenance unless checking fluids and maybe change if there are many years between reuse.

We will mill the Spacer of Polyamid with fiberglass which is used also in machine engineering. This will have the strength to hold on the shearforces with additional a fitting plate from the underbody. The Cabfloor is very thin....

And it need to cut of around 5mm from the left edge (driverside) as the space is just around 5 mm, i want have a bit more.
Space to the cabfloor is 2 cm

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A small cut out of touching the welding at this edge will not involve the strength of the rails

Also missing is a cover from the underbody
The old shifting unit have one
To let it open is no option as we have here often Rain

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We will see how we create a cover maybe from aluminium, stainless steel or Polycarbonat

The torquesupport on the frame will customid with a leafspring bushing which we stored but not used

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This shown the bracket on the frame side

the bushing will press in the steeltube and a bracket between the tube and the bracket on the NP205 will welded together
 
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PHOENIX-GER

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Germany
Going on with the steering column
Never had one disambled before and i must confess it is nothing what i want do twice

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Preparing the cab-wiring for Dacota Digital
During our son done this he ask casually if the chevy have possibility for Car safety child seat :love:

Well he carried in the past his Car safety child seat
Also he will not be our daily drive
But the Sierra have this feature (y)

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We are so happy. 🥳🥳🥳Young enough to still keep up with the kids and watch them grow up.
My grandmother had seen her Great-grandson. She died as he was 6 years old.
Anymore not common here.
Perhaps the same exception is granted to us
 

adf5565

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Location
Tioga, PA
Going on with the steering column
Never had one disambled before and i must confess it is nothing what i want do twice

View attachment 897513

View attachment 897514

View attachment 897515

Preparing the cab-wiring for Dacota Digital
During our son done this he ask casually if the chevy have possibility for Car safety child seat :love:

Well he carried in the past his Car safety child seat
Also he will not be our daily drive
But the Sierra have this feature (y)

View attachment 897516

We are so happy. 🥳🥳🥳Young enough to still keep up with the kids and watch them grow up.
My grandmother had seen her Great-grandson. She died as he was 6 years old.
Anymore not common here.
Perhaps the same exception is granted to us
What steering shaft did you end up going with? Looks nice
 

PHOENIX-GER

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
462
966
93
Location
Germany
Finished the torque support to the frame

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it is out again for sandblasting and painting

Start with the spacer for shifting
First milling the polypropylene block in the right measurements
Next weekend we will milling the hole in the center position

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PHOENIX-GER

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
462
966
93
Location
Germany
After a lot of discussion how to fix additional switches and the CB Radio and going with the AmmoBox was the next challenge to fix it on the floor in a way you can view and reach the panel. We go with a Polypropylen foot which we milled like the Spacer from the shiftunit

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Edges cutted

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the floorsheet was performed from the shape of the original one

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still not fixed as we are waiting for the mounting hardware we had ordered ....

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first tests how we will set the AmmoBox

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using the milled polypropylen foot
Not exactly what we want, but the best in terms of degradable addition without leaving traces
Note that we had missed to paint the asher 😂. Must be as we never need him except as little trashcan.
How ever he will sandblasted and painted soon.

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PHOENIX-GER

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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966
93
Location
Germany
Damn, that looks badass!! Good job, gent! American History is alive here and elsewhere! God bless America and those who made great sacrifices!
Thank you for the Encouragement and Appreciation of all who follow this thread. My last post will be a summary of costs and labor hours at the end with the Value appraisal. Already I'm getting a new truck just for the cost but it's not the same! If you want to preserve classic cars and history you don't ask about the cost. You be happy if youcan still buy or rebuild most of it.
The value of the Truck will increase as there remain only less in this condition. The most had several preowners, several changes on the condition and almost not more valuable in the fact of classic car appraisal. That was finally the reason for us not to customize more on the truck as already done.
I have still not take a decision for the origianl markings. I must go on in this soon. There was some good answers on my request here

By the way, without the USA we would not be where we are today in Germany.... and without NATO there would be again a scenario like 1939.
Humans never learn from their mistakes or history.
 
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