Rebuilding after 15 years of storage

[PHOENIX-GER]

The most is added on the truck now
Still waiting for the Duramax-Fan and the parking/turnlights... it is in backorder so we need to adapt our approach

We had some discussion of the foglightsposition
I had removed the old bracket as we said we will take them under the tube of the brushguard but than during prepare for painting we checked the options and descided to go with the old bracket
But on this it will cover most of the MLC Plate. It is ok for me.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

He got his face back



the new turnlights was worth the money


left the old one, right the new one



the chevy sign was build 25 years ago ourself from brass-sheet
It was former polished, but now we sandblasted and descide to paint it black as in natural appearance will it not fit to the Truck

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Maybe some have no good expierence by Rockauto but we must say they have a great international customer service.
In one sending we missed a part and they sent it additional without costs for us in a few days.
Now we got a wrong part
It was labeled correct but obviously the wrong radiator hose





today we got the correct hose again without any additional costs for us in less than 4 days

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

I love it when a plan comes together

First check the wiring with the old instrument cluster, if everything works well before being laid neat and tidy and installing Dacota digital







now we can go ahead and connect the Dacota digital instrument

And as it is not allow in Germany that turnlight from front, rear and side have a different interval does we use a module from Martin LED which allow that all lights run simultan



Also not allow that the front turnlight also be in use as parking light (yellow color not allow)
As we have to use already german road licenced Headlight, does this have highbeam and parking light include
We will use a switch which allow us to use the yellow parklight on privat ground.
That make it also impossible to use LED-Headlights as they have here no road licence.
For that it is absolutely necessary for us to have the lightbar at night, not just only for nice appearance. With this you can be sure we have enough sight at night.

I am sure we are all agree that the lights technic of 1980th not was the best.
Also by using better and high quality H4 bulbs it is still like you have a "Candle in a lantern"

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Last week we got the dustcover and the dipstick for the transmission.
Like expected was it not just fitting it need a lot of customizing.

We start wit the dipstick.
It need a lot of adjusting bending before it end up in front of the firewall in the engine compartment.
Unfortunately the electric of the diagnostic port enter just up the dipstick the firewall.

We will find a solution for that







also the dustcover had a surprise for us. It is not that closed design like the TH400 Cover





we decide to customize a aluminium sheet to cover this like the TH400 Dustcover
Fortunately we have some aluminium sheets in our shop

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

The shifter unit is installed



The stainless steel Cover will be paint black...
By installing we face the next challenge
The speedometer adapter from Dacota digital wil be not work with the shifter cables in the same space
So we need to purchase something we call here Tacho Winkelantrieb - Speedometer angle drive.
A friend told me it will also be named like speedometer gearbox



i thought i just take another bracket for the cables but this is not recommondated



During intallation we decided about the also necessary fusebox for the additional lights to go with a customid Box for the Switches and the Radio and not with the ammo box.
We want to have an the passenger side a door to open easy to access fuses and electric switches



This is the former used electrical wiring for the additional headlights and horns. We take spareparts on our shop which was laying around of our Volvos. Now we build a new relay and fuse box as the complete additional harness is build new.



we always take care not to destroy the original, so this was all build beside the original harness and will be so also with the new harness.

The box ended before the Heater outlet - so we think to use a ventilation tubes that we not heat the box
As far i remember done the heater always a great job



just a first test of some wood and cardboard, same angle of the Diagnostic port and set at a slight angle so that the driver can see it better
It is just big enough to carry all switches and the radio.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

12 hours and 2 prototype later is our radio and switch unit ready to connect



Radio-Micro is only allow to use in parking position. We will use a bluetooth speaker and micro as freehand unit



A door was not possible about the space we need. So it is just a cover with screws.



The bracket of the speaker will be paint and the speaker be used with a bluetooth speaker unit for the freehand unit of the radio. The phone unit is just for appearance and out of function. Gen 1 and 2 control bulb will be shown with the yellow batt symbols of hella. The both free position will be got customized controls for front, rear and 4wd use.

 

[1love]

12 hours and 2 prototype later is our radio and switch unit ready to connect

View attachment 901847

Radio-Micro is only allow to use in parking position. We will use a bluetooth speaker and micro as freehand unit

View attachment 901850

A door was not possible about the space we need. So it is just a cover with screws.

View attachment 901851

The bracket of the speaker will be paint and the speaker be used with an usb speaker unit for the freehand unit of the radio. The phone unit is just for appearance and out of function. Gen 1 and 2 control bulb will be shown with the yellow batt symbols of hella. The both free position will be got customized controls for front, rear and 4wd use.

That looks killer!! Nice work!

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Going on with the dashboard:
We will place radioloudspeaker in the dashboard like civilian Trucks instead using them in the door again. We have a lot of good equipment of our former cars. Never sold one all left after more than 20years and 300000/500000 km to scrapyard and metalrecycling. So we removed always all useful parts.

These from our former Volvo will reuse again with the last Pionier radio DAB and freehand phone function.



Rear loudspeaker will be hide in the space of the edges. These was before in the door and have a good sound but as the truck is very loud inside are high quality radio and sound not our priority in the truck. We are not sure to reuse this. It is to show the place where we will place them. Finally the sound check willl show if we take a new soundsystem.





The historcal correct radio would be the original US Radio from 1986 of our former Chevy G20



We like to stay authentic but the new technic have real advantages and let us choose the modern equipment...



The place inside the dashboard limited the arrangement of dacota digital equipment. I had not install the glovebox but the rest of famely dont want miss it. So we need to rearrange the switches several time until glove box and the bracket with the switches fit in.





The relays will be place at the back but the fusebox and the negative terminal board needed another place which have also an easy access. We choose the back of the bracket from the military speaker



Now we can prepare the brackets for painting and take new screws after all is now customized. We expected several trys to customize the board so that we dont use the new screws for it.

 

[1love]

Going on with the dashboard:
We will place radioloudspeaker in the dashboard like civilian Trucks instead using them in the door again. We have a lot of good equipment of our former cars. Never sold one all left after more than 20years and 300000/500000 km to scrapyard and metalrecycling. So we removed always all useful parts.

These from our former Volvo will reuse again with the last Pionier radio DAB and freehand phone function.

View attachment 902301

Rear loudspeaker will be hide in the space of the edges. These was before in the door and have a good sound but as the truck is very loud inside are high quality radio and sound not our priority in the truck. We are not sure to reuse this. It is to show the place where we will place them. Finally the sound check willl show if we take a new soundsystem.

View attachment 902308

View attachment 902302

The historcal correct radio would be the original US Radio from 1986 of our former Chevy G20

View attachment 902303

We like to stay authentic but the new technic have real advantages and let us choose the modern equipment...

View attachment 902304

The place inside the dashboard limited the arrangement of dacota digital equipment. I had not install the glovebox but the rest of famely dont want miss it. So we need to rearrange the switches several time until glove box and the bracket with the switches fit in.

View attachment 902305

View attachment 902306

The relays will be place at the back but the fusebox and the negative terminal board needed another place which have also an easy access. We choose the back of the bracket from the military speaker

View attachment 902307

Now we can prepare the brackets for painting and take new screws after all is now customized. We expected several trys to customize the board so that we dont use the new screws for it.

Very nice! I need to make that plate for my glove compartment for my TCM controller.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Very nice! I need to make that plate for my glove compartment for my TCM controller.

Thanks. We have used now all available space, but there is also nothing more to add. The former plan to install a whinch is canceled as the truck will not be anymore a worktruck or daily driver.
The whinch will be go with the Sierra Rebuild.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

I am really glad that Hella have still the more than 40 years old Switches in Production...
As we need for the Dakota instruments a pushbutton to change die displays. We dont want use the original one and find another place for it. So one of the Switches in the Center Box will be now exchange with the Pushbutton. With this we also ordered new relays. None of the former used was younger than 30 years....



Yes i know made in China but still in Hella Quality.

Also another essential part arrived



unbelieveable but no shop had it here in stock... and only less will be able to order, so Amazon had the best price and fast deliver.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

The switches are prepared to connect on the harness and relays







just ordered some missing symbols for the switches or exchanging wrong symbols
it is possible to design you own symbols by using stickers but we prefer to take ready to use

Lightbar

Working lights

A symbol for Tempomat but we will use it for Dakota switch

4WD

Using Gear reduction (slow)

 

[87cr250r]

I always despised the international symbols. I can Google a word from a foreign language that I don't understand but I can't Google a symbol.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Well i guess international symbols should be self explaining, but i agree it is difficult to google them... i searched for "Hella Schaltersymbole" on their website Hella

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

arrived - 14,93 Euro a lot of money for such small plastic pieces

 

[Mullaney]

View attachment 903274

arrived - 14,93 Euro a lot of money for such small plastic pieces

.
Yessir, it is a lot of dough.
But it looks to be pretty good quality material.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

.
Yessir, it is a lot of dough.
But it looks to be pretty good quality material.

well it is plastic and you have to install carefully otherwise it will be broken immediatly
I have expierence - breakes one last week...
But they fit like made for it like expected - better spent some Euro more as have trouble to fit with aftermarket products.
Remember the switches and the existing parts are more than 30 years old, still working well and look like new - ok this switches was not in daily use of course but installed in the truck since 1996, was before bought for a Bus-Camper-Project in 1990









was sold before finishing the Camper as we lost the storage barn and shop and couldnt find another location

 

[Mullaney]

well it is plastic and you have to install carefully otherwise it will be broken immediatly
I have expierence - brakes one last week...
But they fit like made for it like expected - better spent some Euro more as have trouble to fit with aftermarket products.
Remember the switches and the existing parts are more than 30 years old, still working well and look like new - ok this switches was not in daily use of course but installed in the truck since 1996, was before bought for a Bus-Camper-Project in 1990

View attachment 903288

View attachment 903289

View attachment 903290

View attachment 903291

was sold before finishing the Camper as we lost the storage barn and shop and couldnt find another location

.
Looks to me like that might have been a fun project.

Too bad about the storage barn... I have been trying to negotiate one of those for myself, but it seems that a patch of dirt in this neighborhood big enough for a few hundred apartments gets to be "high dollar". Knock down whatever is there and start building half a million dollar Town Homes. Or apartments.

Maybe a nice big work space will happen one day for me...

---

We print plastic. Mostly white, so it wouldn't be very useful for trucks. That stuff gets brittle in the sunshine in just a few months. Of course in a vehicle, it is shaded somewhat. I think it is pretty amazing that a 30 year old piece of plastic has lasted that long!
.

 

[PHOENIX-GER]

Yes it was just a fun-project. Got the bus for cheap but it took a lot of money to rebuild.
And selling without finishing was a negative deal for us... however it is long ago.
Our shop now is complete full with new projects, sometimes it is necessary to say no to a great deal
Alone on the both trucks, i think we stay in work the next 2 years, than the trailer...

It is time for our retirement that we have more time for our own projects if we dont want have restrictions than we need to go on 4,5 years.

The next will be the sandblasting of the Sierra Frame - it will be a bit more difficult as the Frame is heavier und bigger than the Chevy Frame. He will not fit on our own trailer. So we need to rent a trailer for transport.

It is here the same - for any building which gone comes big appartmenthouses on it.
There is not enough appartments for all people around they said

Next to us gone a house with a shop beside - an old family business.
Now there is a new house with 8 appartments in the same space
Nevertheless our city is a small country city not more than 25000 people lives here, a typical small country city in a nice green area of westgermany. I love the country live.

Hella is known for their great quality, also if it is now build in China. But of course the switches was always inside the vehicles and not in directly sun, that give also a longer live. The Truck was also the last 15 years stored dry in the back of our shop with a cover on him.