DEPLOYMENT BUILD UP

Very nice thread. I like all the pics and updates. Sounds like you have a sweet crew helping you out on that one while you are gone. Keep up the good work! :icon_up:
 
Thanks Todd. I was very naïve or stupid to have started this build up before a deployment. I thought I could get this paint job done before summer and be on the beach, but here it is a year later!

Robert is great. His experience from the "olden days" and his work ethic are second to none. He treats my truck as if it were his own and has really gone above and beyond on some of the repairs. Now I just hope I don't run out of money, patients or motivation before it is finished.

I hope to have my son down this summer when I get back and spend some time on the beach with him. He turns 13 this spring, so he will be driving soon...
 
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One of my co-workers just finished looking at my thread and asked me the same question everyone here ask after looking at it, "what color are you going to paint it?"

I know marines are not known for their intelligence (muscles are required intelligence not essential) but I thought it was obvious, but as it turns out everyone thinks the green is some kind of funky primer!

So, to clear up any confusion, the engine compartment and undercarriage where painted in the finial body color while on the rotisserie (why the whole truck was not primed at this time remains a mystery I can not solve from here) before the tub was re-mated to the frame.

As an aside, the wagon wheels and tires are off of a friends first gen Bronco. You May have noticed the Ford center caps on the rear rim. The center holes needed to be opened up to fit the larger Scout hubs on the front, but a neighbor with a machine shop volunteered the labor for the process.

I like the look of the wagon wheels, but am not sure about the tires. They should offer good flotation in the sand although I don't know how much beach time she will see when I am done, but they are pretty tall for an 80. The rear 3500# d44 will handle them, but I am not sure about the front axle. I have read that the 3500# package came with a hybrid front axle with a d30 center chunk and d27 axle tubes. I don't rock crawl or mud bog. The only time I drive off road is to back into my spot at the beach. The size looks good to me, but do you think the front axle will hold up?
 
I ran a Dana 25 offroad in a rig I used to have. It had 700/15 tires on it and lockers. Your axle holding up will be dependent on how it gets used/abused. I've run 33/14.5/15 boggers on a Dana 30 and gotten along fine also. How much power you have and how much sense you use driving will play the biggest part. I wouldn't think you would have too much trouble in primarily sand environments.
 
The wife dropped of he radiator and heater core at the radiator shop for a flush and pressure test. With 50 years of gunk cleaned out she leaked like a screen door on a submarine! Waiting for a quote on a re-core. It would be nice to have a "brand new" radiator to go alone with all the other new stuff.

I still can't believe this all started because of a $3 leaky freeze plug!
 
Got the quote from the radiator shop, no surprises. The heater core is shot, no worries plenty available, and the price of the re core for the radiator is as expected. To rebuild as a two row as original will run about $560 and only $20 more to build as a three row. I want to keep the trucks stock as possible (except for the most excellent CPT suspsnsion) so I am leaning towards the two row.

I have never had an overheating issue, even when driving in the deep sand at the beach in 100 degree weather, and that was with the ancient crud filled radiator. For only 20 bones though it's tempting. Ihrunner and I have talked about this, and I have read all of the threads, if anyone has a different point of view, lets hear it!
 
You know my opinon buddy :icon_cool:

no fan shround. Flex fan. 110 degree days here last summer. Never once saw the gauge climb much over half.

Off roadin. Never got up there.

Pullin heavy loads, no biggie

v8sectomy. Half the balls but the fluid comes out the same tube :icon_wink:

seems like with v8 guts they just wanna run cool and I think they run better in the summer than the friggin -15 degree days of this winter
 
I love telling people that I have 1/2 a dump truck engine in my truck! With the big v8 cooling passages and all of that they do seem to run cool. On my first trip to the beach I got pretty bogged down in the sand. I didn't air my skinny tires down and had her in low range with the 4.88 gears. She creeps so slow, you can hardly shift her in the sand. As soon as I would put the clutch in she would stop.

I slugged all the way down the beach in first gear with the little banger screaming like a sewing machine on meth. When I go to the end of the beach where my friends were she was getting warm, but never boiled over.

I thought that 20 years of driving rear wheel drive cars with bald tires in the snow would have prepared me for wheeling in anything, but driving in sand is like nothing else. Even beach sand is different than the moon dust in iraq. I have learned a few tricks since then, but maybe some of you old desert rats could post some tips about tire choice and driving in the sand. Hint hint...
 
Doc,

thanks for the kind words and keep up the good work on your build here. Looks like it's going to be one hell of a rig. Stay safe.
 
I ordered the two roe core for my radiator yesterday. The shop hopes to have it done by Friday. I imposed a small favor of them and requested that they take pictures during the process and email them to me here in afghanistan. If all goes well I will be able to put up some cool pictures of the re-core and May also put them up in the tech section.
 
Good man.

When you get out of that desert sand we'll see how well that rad works in some serious mud.

And you can tow me home when my junk breaks down just to give it a good test
 
ihrunner said:
good man.

When you get out of that desert sand we'll see how well that rad works in some serious mud.

And you can tow me home when my junk breaks down just to give it a good test
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Good god man! Mud! Are you daft? Are you not reading the thread? I can't afford to get that thing dirty. My wife would kill me!!! The poor Scout will never be off of pavement again! :shocked:

just kidding, but with 4.88 gears, I think it would take too long to drive across country to get you. Your poor truck will have dissolved by then. Mine too for that matter!
 
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Put 35's on it. You'll get here fast enough. Hell ill grab the loadstar and we can both hit the road. Man. Makin a pretty Scout. Im heart broken. Good news if you get stuck somewhere your goverment can pull that thing up on satilite. Hell I think google earth could see that puppy

:ciappa:
 
I think they can see it from the space station with their naked eyes. The local air port has diverted air traffic, but I can't post right now, I'm busy goggling images of salma hayek for pinneneddles Scout stories thread! Very busy...

Thanks for the props!
 
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I got an email today with the photos of Robert inspecting the brakes on the passenger side rear. I thought about going back and editing the post about the brakes and putting the pictures in there, but y'all are just going to have to try and keep up.

Robert made a puller because he couldn't find the one he had back in the day to work on his willy's. From the pictures I have seen of the pullers, this is the real deal. Since these drums probably haven't been off of here since October 1964, the smoke wrench was judiciously applied.
photo (3).jpg

I would say 50 years is just about right. Wheel cylinders seized, hardware rusty, pads shot, drums shot, what to do? Hello, IHPA? :yesnod:
photo.jpg
 
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The ups man brought lots of cool new brake parts to the house today. The wife is off for a few days, so we will go through the box together on skype today. Big fun! She should get them over to Robert in the next day or two so he can start the brake job.

I'm hoping to get a care package from home in the next few days with the pictures of the frame build up from before I left. I will get them posted up soon, as well as an update and pictures of the radiator re-core.
 
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Still no pics, but an update. I got the brake parts from IHPA, but Robert is finishing up a 48 Ford and wont be able to start on the rear axle for a few days. Ann picked up the radiator the other day. Ms peggy form the shop was so nice. She was very excited to do a radiator for someone in afghanistan. I think I beat the old shop record for furthest customer! She made my wife pose for pictures with the radiator. If they turn out I May get it blown up as a poster for the garage! I'm checking the post office in the morning to see if my care package with the pictures from phone is here (and jerky from trader Joe's). If they are here, I will be posting way too many pictures. Stand by.
 
Im gonna have to send you no mans land one of these days. Stuff will make you cry its so good.

Hopefully you'll get us some pictures up soon. This is gonna be a very beautiful rig when its done
 
ihrunner said:
im gonna have to send you no mans land one of these days. Stuff will make you cry its so good.

Hopefully you'll get us some pictures up soon. This is gonna be a very beautiful rig when its done
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Thanks, I need the encouragement. I have to admit I'm getting a little antsy about paint. Maybe starting a frame off before traveling half way around the world for 7 months wasn't such a good idea! At least it keeps me from getting bored and playing with metal pineapple shaped things I find half buried in the ground. People never clean up after themselves when they are done with their wars. Shame.

Well, I'm off to the post office...
 
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