What did you do to your deuce this week?

[Another Ahab]

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/47279-Penetrating-Oil

I read the whole thread; it looks like there's no magic bullet.

You just wish stuff were easy.

 

[Valence]

Almost exactly 1 month ago I purchased a lightly used (with a little sun fading) HEMTT air-ride seat and had it shipped via Fastenal ($225) all the way from North Carolina to Utah (about 1900 miles).




For me, the main perk of the purchase was that it came with a seat base adapter so I wouldn't have to make one or drill holes in my truck. Counting the 1/4" thick base, the seat adapter base is just shy of 3-1/4" tall. Unfortunately it was designed for the M939 series 5 tons. However, with a little figuring, butt welding a 2" strip on one side and drilling new holes made it fit wonderfully. I also recently purchased a welder, but with so little experience yet I felt this was too important of a weld for me to do. So I traded some time helping my brother with his rock crawler project and he welded it for me.




And finally, to make a little more clearance between the back of the seat the back of the cab, I disassembled the rear-sliding glass, drilled some new holes, moved the glass weather channels, and flipped the window positions. So the more recessed window handle would be behind the driver's seat. Here's the window handle sticking out before the side-swap. Looks like I forgot to take an "after" comparison picture. Yes, the rear windows are tinted.




I removed the seat's stock double shoulder harness and put back on the original lap belt, but I'm wondering how well a HMMWV 3-point seat belt would fit instead.




The second picture below shows the seat with air in it, and it's limited by the rear-straps. It's a little close but the 18" steering wheel helps. This should make driving far more comfortable!




I routed the air for the seat from the "T" on the firewall. The same place that feeds the air-assist steering. I added a new in-line valve for the seat (the black handle) so it could be shut off independently from the steering. It's kind of a giant assembly now, and a bit in the way of my drive train vent manifold. There was some convenient existing holes right near the back of the driver's side of the cab to run the 1/4" air-brake tube to. So the line just traveled down the inside of the frame rail and back into the cab.




Now I get to decide if I'd like to keep my fold down passenger seat, or get a second air-ride HEMTT seat. The main driving factor for the fold down seat is that I DO have a gunner's cut out in the hard top and the M66 gun ring to go with it...

 

[Another Ahab]

You got a lot going on, Valence.

 

[TruckGuy]

Getting the bed ready to paint

Finally got started on the bed. Cleaned, scraped cleaned some more... primer - ready for paint.

She'll be up for sale soon.......



.

 

[Another Ahab]

That had to have been a whole lot of work (welcome to Labor Day!), but it sure looks good now.

 

[tobyS]

Nice work TruckGuy.

I did that to my M817 (dump) bed and sweetened the primer up with some extra red oxide. Worked great.

Have you considered A3 front wheels and tires? Those are 11.00 duels aren't they? Edit..or are they 12.00?

Have fun.

 

[Another Ahab]

Nice work TruckGuy.

I did that to my M817 (dump) bed and sweetened the primer up with some extra red oxide. Worked great.

I never heard of doing that. Where did you get the idea?

 

[TruckGuy]

Thanks.

Ahab - Was a bit of work, but not a bad project on a day with great weather.

tobyS- duals in the back, set of 10 Firestone T831s 1100 X 20. I have thought about the A3 rims for the front, just never came across any.

 

[tobyS]

I never heard of doing that. Where did you get the idea?

]
I bought a supply of old oil base paints and some cans of the pigment "iron oxide" came with it. I used new primer but added some pigment so when it scratches, it's shows primer and doesn't go to the steel. It made it thick and to have some filling ability.

I don't know if iron oxide is part of today's color palette but think most mixers of paint would give you a couple extra shots, if they have it. For rust prone areas, like a bed that holds water from time to time, it's great.

 

[Valence]

I went to the movies this morning and saw the most manly movie there. Finding Dory, of course.

Then I went grocery shopping.

#Hardcore



Update on on the seat: it rides like a dream but certainly does leave less room in the cab. I'm not uncomfortable by any means. Except, I'm sitting too high, and the air wiper is just starting to be in my way. I think I'll remove the 3/4" of rubber below the seat base adapter. I would prefer to not have to modify the seat base adapter...

 

[tobyS]

Thanks.

Ahab - Was a bit of work, but not a bad project on a day with great weather.

tobyS- duals in the back, set of 10 Firestone T831s 1100 X 20. I have thought about the A3 rims for the front, just never came across any.

The 365 has the same OD (the same rev/mile) as the 11.00. I like the duals and thought about going the other way...from singles to duals on my A3 (rear). Instead I'm bobbing it (4x4) and using 395's... so have less tires to buy. Sorry, no surplus rims but if you find some with the 14.5 tire, they are the right match to your 11.00's.

 

[Another Ahab]

I went to the movies this morning and saw the most manly movie there. Finding Dory, of course.

Then I went grocery shopping.

#Hardcore

View attachment 642257

Hey, Mr. Valence, what is the "KUP" on your tag all about; does it mean anything?

 

[gimpyrobb]

I went to the movies this morning and saw the most manly movie there. Finding Dory, of course.

Then I went grocery shopping.

#Hardcore

View attachment 642257

Update on on the seat: it rides like a dream but certainly does leave less room in the cab. I'm not uncomfortable by any means. Except, I'm sitting too high, and the air wiper is just starting to be in my way. I think I'll remove the 3/4" of rubber below the seat base adapter. I would prefer to not have to modify the seat base adapter...

Have you turned the air wiper motor up-side down yet? It'll get you a tad more for UN-obstructed view.

 

[Valence]

Have you turned the air wiper motor up-side down yet? It'll get you a tad more for UN-obstructed view.

I have not! Thanks for that reminder. I forgot that could be done.

 

[Valence]

Hey, Mr. Valence, what is the "KUP" on your tag all about; does it mean anything?

It's for "Sergeant Kup", the Transformer (also see my current profile picture).

The story is, once a good friend asked me how my "autobot" was doing. I grew up loving the transformers so I named my truck after my favorite one back in the day.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Kup_(G1)
A short excerpt: "Kup is a tough old coot. He's almost as old as rust, in fact, and he was plinking Decepticons and Ick-Yaks with acid bursts from his trusty musket laser long before most of you turbo-revvin' young punks were born. In his day, lasers didn't need to use light; they did whatever they were told to do. And liked it."

 

[gimpyrobb]

Shhh(you don't have a profile pic).

 

[TruckGuy]

New paint

So this was my first time using a paint sprayer and my first time doing camo.........


.

 

[Tracer]

So this was my first time using a paint sprayer and my first time doing camo.........


.

View attachment 642648View attachment 642647

Good job TruckGuy. I'm looking at doing my Deuce in 3 tone camo next spring.

 

[TruckGuy]

Thanks Tracer. It wasn't too bad. Sprayer for the base, rattle can for the brown and black. Not perfect, but it works.

 

[Another Ahab]

So this was my first time using a paint sprayer and my first time doing camo.........


.

View attachment 642648View attachment 642647

The rig is looking real fine, TruckGuy; nice job!