Drivabeater 4.0: the truck i should have built last time

The red truck's billet grille is good because it keeps the normal front end.  I had more fears of something like this...too much:

I googled up heartbeat of America mud flaps and found: 

EDIT: google tells me that Heartbeat was used from '85-'93 and yours is a '95.  Google also says Like a Rock was used from '91-'04

That grille is bad. I had thought about a phantom grill, but its not a phantom grill kind of truck. The other thought i had is a pair of mesh inserts in black, like tbe old street scene parts. Dunno yet. At some point the right answer will jump out at me.

The mudflaps im going to run are the exact same rally armor set as the red truck. Probably tucked up just as close, too. Already bought them, just haven't gotten around to bolting them on. And they are less cosmetic than they are functional. These trucks absolutely cover themselves with mud and dirt from the tires. Worse than any other vehicle ive ever owned. Dont know why, but they do. 

I may still have that fairing over the wipers that JW is talking about.......and yur ugly babies are perfect.

In reply to 759NRNG (Forum Partidario) :

It's in my storage, i do believe!

And thanks for begrudgingly approving the ugly babies!

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to 759NRNG (Forum Partidario) :

It's in my storage, i do believe!

 

And thanks for begrudgingly approving the ugly babies!

Yes there was that, but I have another piece that kinda covers them up to where you can't see them at all kinda like a wiper spoiler......yur babies are growing on me

I'm looking at that and thinking gold pinstripes with gold wheels (as per Smoky and the Bandit) would also look pretty good.

In reply to John Welsh :

you asked

340 miles today up to Asheville for a weekend getaway for our anniversary. 

Dud the cel/shift hard/neutral drop thing twice on the way up. Both times dissapeared after shutting off and restarting. Just one long cel flash with the paperclip. Seems to come after engine braking, at least these two times. I replaced the tps plug with new, thinking that my be the answer. No idea what is happening. 

13.1 mpg last two tanks, coopers are awesome. Comfortable. Quiet. Easy to drive. Cupholders dad made rock 

Screw it. Time to have a weekend away. Shes already asleep,  and im looking at the stars above the mountains. Good way to spend an evening. 

I may take a picture or two. May not.

Have a good weekend yall

Back home. 14 years of marriage to my dumbass. and she still enjoyed the trip!

Truck does exactly what I want it to do, better than expected.  

Cel came back off and on. No rhyme or reason to it that i can tell. Hopefully ill be able to get the laptop on it when its lit, as the paperclip trick ain't showing E36 M3. 

Last two tanks were 14.7 and 16.8. 

I love this truck. Need to fix ac asap though.....

Y'all are a truly beautiful couple.....and I now know where peanut gets her good looks from and it ain't you....wink all good bro .....late g'night from BHam....yes that Alabama

In reply to 759NRNG (Forum Partidario) :

When she was born she looked just like me. Now that she's looking like her mother,  im worried I'm going to have to beat teenage boys back with a stick. Her momma is gorgeous. Moreso now than the day i married her!

Truck stuff: fixing the ac, changing original date coded coolant hoses, adding the power steering cooler, and an alternator upgrade. Maybe the electric fans too.

But thats all i got for tonight. Running out of syeam, and the girlscout meeting is heading into hour three upstairs.....

759NRNG (Forum Partidario) said:

Y'all are a truly beautiful couple.....and I now know where peanut gets her good looks from and it ain't you....wink all good bro .....late g'night from BHam....yes that Alabama

I'm in Montgomery for a few more days.  I live here but go out of town for work sometimes 

Truck looks great, but the GMT virus got me and I'm furiously trying to find a rcsb similar to Munchkin's red truck, or a Ford to lower.  I'd really like to have a stepside v8 with a manual and an aggressive locker.  Is there a Torsen, big sway bars and coilovers that work for a bit over Challenge budget?

Great trucks man, I dig it, and you've almost single handedly brought me around to lowering full size trucks.  I want a v8 Miata with a bed and a lot of torque

In reply to Justjim75 :

Im honestly not sure. I know that tjose parts exist, but ive not looked into them enough to know. I think ridetech, qa1,viking,  and someone else makes coilovers. Sorry i cant really help.

But, welcome to the slammed fullsize world!

Lowered trucks are the E36 M3. Especially full-size trucks. 

Ac system held 30 inches of vacuum overnight. So i put freon in it. Unhook the gauges, and it all comes out of a leaking high pressure side Schrader valve. 

Really?????

Oh well. At least the 200 amp alternator works! 

And the electric fans were crossed off. Broke one of my thermostatic probes, the other stripped, and i took that as a sign that i should leave the mechanical fan alone. 

$9 Schrader valve later, im pulling vacuum again. Heres to hoping i have enough freon left to finish.....

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :

Did you say a bad word when that happened?  I know I would have.

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

A few.

And im oug of freon.

Tine to modify the air cleaner and not work on it for another minute. Go work in the woods and go to the range. Something else.

Understood, i had the Schrader valve stick on the low side of mine after I topped it off a couple of weeks ago.  And i'm out of freon too.  Looks like a good time for me to spend some stimmy cash and upgrade to the Sanden compressor the 95 and up trucks got.  The R4 on mine rattles so bad at idle i have to cut the AC off at the drive thru so they can hear what i'm trying to order.  Still blows cold though, or well it did anyway..

My r4 let all the metal chunks loose, so i upgraded to the entire later system. Everything but the underdash. 

Tje vortec accessories are not exactly a bolt in. Have to space them out .25 inch. Heater hose changes. Ac wiring needs extended  and alternator side chanhes, necessitating wiring changes. And the factory air cleaner hits the high pressure switch,  so you have to cut a hole in it for clearance. 

Can't tell you if its worth it. Im out of freon. 

Classic Industries Sells this kit for $400.  Seems legit but I am worried about clearance behind the compressor. 

In reply to 06HHR (Forum Supporter) :

Ive seen that kit used before. It clears reasonably well. Dunno about getting the valve cover off with the compressor in place, but how often do we realistically have to do that?

My truck: was great. Now not. No codes, stuck in second gear when going forward, idles at 2000 rpm, no cel no nothing. Did the odd behavior of shift hard to second and poor throttle response (like converter not locking up) just before. Shut down to clear like had worked previously. No restart. Finally restarted with no clue why,  limped home in second only. Hooked up computer, and tps was reading almost eide open. Disconnected it, behavior didn't change. 

And the power steering pump chose that time to begin howling. 

berkeley it. Im done for a while. It can sit in the corner and think about what iys done.

If any of yall ahve diagnosing suggestions, give them on!

Hey. More wheels. 

They're far away, though.