(80 K25) "Nigel" 3/4Ton of Fun

[TreeFarm]

I'm glad that works for you! My 78 truck has a 79 cluster and It doesn't have the separate harness which is odd. But mine is a Frankenstein so the harness in mine may not be from 78. Them gauges look awesome, mind me asking what they set you back?

They weren't cheap, roughly $700 from summit after some discounts. About $100 cheaper than from Dakota themselves. The nice thing about them is they include an electric speedo drive to hook up to the trans, you can program the speedo from the cluster so no need for finding speedo gears when changing ratio or tire size. It will output speed to my ECM. So that solves one LS swap issue. They include the oil pressure and temp senders with standard and metric adapter bushings, another LS thing covered. They have tons of modern features like a service interval, hour meter and so on.

 

[ZooMad75]

Sweet setup. For those interested, Squarebody Syndicate had Dakota make a version of that cluster that looks like the 73-80 OEM cluster. Don't know the price but it looks killer.

Good work on the $500 wonder. Nothing shows dedication than spending more on the parts than you did on the truck!

 

[Justin V]

Hey...

My truck was technically free...

 

[TreeFarm]

Sweet setup. For those interested, Squarebody Syndicate had Dakota make a version of that cluster that looks like the 73-80 OEM cluster. Don't know the price but it looks killer.

Good work on the $500 wonder. Nothing shows dedication than spending more on the parts than you did on the truck!

Seriously, I am way too far over the price of the truck. But it serves a purpose. I wanted to sell my cummins to buy something cheaper and use the extra to pay off my last few bills and put some in savings. Why buy some modern cheap crap when you can build something awesome for the same price. This is me downsizing, and building a dream square in the process. Don't judge me.

 

[ZooMad75]

Seriously, I am way too far over the price of the truck. But it serves a purpose. I wanted to sell my cummins to buy something cheaper and use the extra to pay off my last few bills and put some in savings. Why buy some modern cheap crap when you can build something awesome for the same price. This is me downsizing, and building a dream square in the process. Don't judge me.

No judging here dude! I've got way more into my tires and wheels than what I paid for mine. Add in all the stuff for my 5.3 swap, ORD goodies and other stuff I'm way over.

Getting out of a Dodge and into a square is a good thing any day. Keep up the good work!

 

[TreeFarm]

No judging here dude! I've got way more into my tires and wheels than what I paid for mine. Add in all the stuff for my 5.3 swap, ORD goodies and other stuff I'm way over.

Getting out of a Dodge and into a square is a good thing any day. Keep up the good work!

I should have sold it sooner but damn liked that truck. I "built" a 66 C10 over the winter but sold it because 2wd and no AC(plus it was a good offer) I should have kept it, sold the dodge, and dropped the body on a K frame. Then I could have done all of this cool shit to it and had an older truck. I don't think I could have fit 37"s in the fender openings though.

 

[TreeFarm]

Been a productive day struggling with vintage air. Honestly the kit is impressive, the only thing Im not happy about is the paint on the firewall cover plate. It's cheap and scratched up. On the other hand so is the firewall...

Got my aux battery tray. How the hell does this thing bolt up. The support makes sense and lines up with the holes. The actual tray has no way of mounting to the support. I am about to just weld it together but figured I should ask first.

 

[yellow8]

I really like the vintage air kit I did except for the no fresh air option, recirc only.

 

[Truckman4life]

My batteries sit 90 degrees to how your tray is now but I have factory dual batteries for diesel.

 

[TreeFarm]

I really like the vintage air kit I did except for the no fresh air option, recirc only.

That is one thing that concerned me. I almost always have my windows open for fresh air and I still have the kick panel vents. I think that will be good enough

My batteries sit 90 degrees to how your tray is now but I have factory dual batteries for diesel.

I'm pretty sure the 81-up batteries sit parallel to the fenders rather than the core support in the older trucks.

 

[TreeFarm]

finally finished up the bumper today, mounted the winch control box/wired the winch, and did some more interior stuff. I think im going to just sand and paint the whole bumper black. I'm tempted to strip the rest of the front end chrome and paint that black as well. the pitting and peeling is pretty bad.

 

[yellow8]

how do you like those headlights?

 

[TreeFarm]

how do you like those headlights?

Only driven with them a few times at night but they are good. low beam has a good cut off and decent light, high beam is stupid bright. I don't use the DRL/turn signal function. When it comes to led lights you get what you pay for. While the chips may be the same between china knock offs and name brands, the drivers and optics are very different. These are china knock offs for like $100 a pair. If they last, they will be worth it in my mind. I'm sure name brands are better though.

 

[yellow8]

who makes those?

 

[TreeFarm]

who makes those?

Topnew brand on amazon

 

[yellow8]

thanks

 

[TreeFarm]

Been busy doing some little things. Got the rust holes in the floor/rockers all patched up and painted. I need to do the cab corners still.
Found my build sheet under the seat.

I made some new legs for my fuel/water can mount in the bed. It will hold 5 fuel/water cans or my ice chest and 1 can. Comes in pretty handy on longer trips.

My spare tire fits where I want it. I just need to cut up my old spare tire mount and remake it for this bed.

My previous truck had them both on one side, I never liked how much weight it put on the driver side. Not a big deal when I had the bike and camping stuff in the back, but if the bed was empty the truck had a noticeable lean.

 

[TreeFarm]

pretty good junkyard haul. $50 bones got me a new rear window, two mint sunshades, two XJ steering shafts, and two bumpstops off a f250 rear. The bumps are 3/4" taller than the stock ones. I'm told I need a 2" lift to run the ORD engine crossmember. I have a 1" zero rate already. I found some leafs I pulled out of various packs over the years. Im going to try one more leaf up front, 1/4" of lift from the thickness plus whatever I get from the spring rate. If I can get to 1.5" lift Ill be happy there and just bump the rest of it. Also arriving today will be some JB twin sticks, 4 bilstein shocks, steering stabilizer, and the last of my dash stuff preventing me from putting it all together. I'm waiting on the lower bearing kit for the steering column as well. The invoice for my engine says it will be done on the 27th. I still haven't heard anything directly form BDturnkey so I hope they are still on schedule. I have the next three weeks off work to build and wheel, but I dont think I will be making it to Trailhero this year unless the stars align.

 

[TreeFarm]

Got the shocks and steering stabilizer installed. I added the bottom leaf form a 3" xj rear pack to the bottom of my front leafs. It ended up giving me exactly and inch. The leafs now sit just past flat. I now have 2" in the front and none in the back. It looks pretty level now. I need some longer brake lines. I think I'll try some 2WD ones and see if they are long enough.

 

[TreeFarm]

Handling the important things today... the sound system. Two 5 1/4" in the dash, two 6x9 in the cab corners, and an alpine KTP445U to power it all. I'm going to try to find a way to cut up a lightning connector and pull audio out of it for the am while charging the phone.

Cut up a cutting board to make the dash speaker mount

Can anyone tell me how far down from the edge the rear view mirror is supposed to be?