Projects Project Flat Hat (27x) part 4 - final fitting out!

I'm happy to announce the new build made it around the block today and the brakes are ok (for now). Pretty peppy, too. But the stock Vega box is WAY too slow. And the trimmer has GOT to take some of the padding out of the seats as I'm somehow too high to drive it comportably.

And so begins the final fitting out (as the Navy says when a newcon ship moves from the building ways to the pier where all the gear and little details are added). Here are some pix from this evening before the camera started acting up. Door locks and windows / regulators are due tomorrow. The rest of the interior will get trimmed out in January, hopefully along with a couple of hood sides. Hope you like it - I don't think it's too bad for 2 guys and about a year's work. Gary

FYI, the previous build threads are at:

Part 1
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ght=27x+pickup

Part 2
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=355854

Part 3
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387590
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Me likey, very much!!!!

 

Looks like you've got lots of room for a longer Pittman arm. That will speed up the steering.

Bob

 

I hadn't thought of that (my first trad style front end). I've heard about some Vega-style boxes with quicker ratios, but will have to look into all my options. Thanx, Gary

 

You're welcome very much. THanx, Gary

 

Yeah lengthen that arm and you'll be fine.

 

Gary, That is one cool hot rod pickip. I also likey velly much !

41 Dave

 

Nice looking street rod. For someone that engineered a vehicle so well, those blocks on your lift look mighty sketchy, lol!!

And, it just strikes me as interesting, how much of a double standard this forum has about "traditional". I'm not trying to start any fights, because this car is probably nicer than anything I will ever own, but it's not traditional, at all. Big wheels, fuel injection, ifs on an open fendered car and all that? Other threads get shut down because stuff isn't "traditional", but this one has 4? What is the deal with that.

 

Well have you resisted the temptation to try out the open exhaust option yet?

 

That truck's got a tube axle under the front end, not IFS.

I agree about the lift blocks though, sketchy as hell.

 

Well, glad some of you are liking it anyway. I tried to keep the hi-tech covered up as much as possible and the hot rod / racer-boy stuff on the outside. The blown V6 was chosen for it's compact size, power and fuel economy. Sure, it's hard on some eyes, but it's got plenty of poop and is as smooth as a cat's back. When the hood sides get done, the high tech gizmos will be pretty much contained. It can also be tuned at any GM dealer. The electric dump is a lot of fun - hope to use it often at stop lights against those cars with dumbass boom boxes, if not the track or on late night spurts. Yes, there's a tube axle, but it also has air bags all around. Yes, there are 4 bars, but that is the kind of race car inspired stuff I like. The frame has a double Z, a stretch to a 115" WB, a phantom glass body with a stretch and chop, a stock length Brookville bed, and the grille has a chop, too. It is all metal but the cab. Sorry about the 17" rims (chrome Cragars) and radials, too. Perhaps next week when I try out the 15" WWW and baby moons it will more easily pass the 10 foot traditional vanity test. Billet and button head bolts were kept to the bare minimum. Regardless, thanx to all who have helped me out here - I really enjoy the the HAMB and Iz be smiling big today. Gary

PS the lift blocks were a necessary evil. We kept a good eye on them.

 

I saw right away why they were necessary, but damn man, I think I'd have worked up something a little less "agricultural" ifin it was gonna be my melon under that thing.

Maybe it was fine, but just the sight of it over the internet made my butthole pucker.

 

You can relax now! Short of building a steel yoke to hold it somehow at the front of the frame, the blocks were required to use the lift ICW the z'd front rails and 4-bars. It didn't even think of moving. Same for the rear. But, hopefully, it won't have to be on the lift again any time soon!!! Gary

 

Well, it's your melon, you set the threshold for acceptable risk. If you're cool with doing it that way, that's all that matters.

I'm not that lucky.

In any given situation, if something can go wrong, and I'm involved, it will.

That being the case, I learned long ago not to tempt fate (or even just casually glance at fate, or have a passing thought of fate, or . . . . ).

EDIT: I forgot to say that I like the truck. Looks good to me, even if it is EFI.

 

Very Sweetttttt, Gary. Congratulations. I gave a shudder when I saw those lift blocks myself, be careful under there!!
I'm curious about your statement that any GM dealer can "tune" the car. I think at best they will plug in a code reader (you have one, right?) and be able to trouble shoot issues like bad sensors. I took mine to Blood Enterprises and they (me) had to buy an HP Tuners tool for the 3.8 SC ECU. They where then able to put the car on the dyno and really tune the motor. Reset cooling fan on temp to 195* and re calibrated the speedo. This HP stuff is what you need if your gonna change fuel maps and the like. ZZP claims to be able to do this if you send them your ECU, I decided to have it done on the car locally.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

 

Neat hot rod. Have fun wearing it out.

 

Well, like I said, I wasn't trying to start anything. I reexamined the picture of the front suspension, and I was confused my the bars that the bags mount on. I didn't see the tube axle. I wasn't knocking your car, just the double standard. There was another thread that I posted in that had a vehicle built with similar goals and a in a similar manner as yours, and it was closed by admin.



But all that being said, having your car being able to be worked on at a GM dealership doesn't appeal to me, I would never park that thing in a GM bay, EVER.

 

Thanx, glad you like it. I'd like to learn more about your tune. We left the OBDII plug on it. So far I've got about 30 miles in it in 3 short trips this morning. Some unexpected rattles and squeaks but the biggest glich so far is that the shifter / tranny and prndl are not in sync. The drips are down to one, the pesky tranny dipstick syndrome. The regulators and windows didn't make it in this AM, having too much fun goofing off. Weather permitting going for a NYD trip for a car club party and bonfire in the afternoon.

Thanx to all for today's posts. Gary

 

Hey Gary, good deal. Most decent auto parts stores will loan you a code reader. It just plugs into the OBDII port and will give you a fault code, if there is one, you have to look this code up on an OBDII site to figure out what code it is. Newer readers will actually tell you the code and translate it for you. I'd suggest you plug one in ASAP.

Here's a link to HP Tuners, I looked around a little and remembered you are buying credits that allow you to get into the GM ECU. Or something like that, it's a little over my head. Any decent dyno tuner should be up to date on all this stuff.

http://www.hptuners.com/

I'm subscribing to part 4, the saga continues

 

Isn't this the greatest feeling? Bringing the rod home for the first time!?!?! Sure, the pix are boring, but man do I feel good. Still quite a few loose ends to tie-up, but at least I can drive it to the shop and bring it home each evening now. Side windows and locks are going in Monday now. Taking it easy this weekend. Gary

 

Not much to report this week, got about 100 miles on it now. Windows and locks have been a pain, hope to have them cured tomorrow. In the mean time, just for fun I changed out the 17" chrome Cragars for 15" black steelies and WWW. I also have some "big" baby moons for the black rims, but thought I'd see how I like them with just chrome lug nuts. Can you hear me now? Gary

 

Gary, Making any progress. Running OK?

 

Hey Bud... sorry to say not much going on with the truck... I've got some more pressing health issues - as in an impending bypass operation - so the truck is safely home in the garage, sitting idle for the most part. Sympathy posts not required, I'm in a good place about it and from what I can tell the whole deal is going to be fairly routine.

The truck runs ok, but I'm not sure the tranny is shifting correctly. We haven't tried the paddles yet, either. Or the stereo, or a bunch of the other subsystems. There is a brief, mid-range miss in the engine I hate and the doors and other interior trim items still not there. On the good side, it has been to a couple of local shows and the responses to it's overall looks have been great. The slliding bed and windshield washers are big hits, and the electric exhaust dump is an absolute HOOT! Hood sides to come later, to cover up all the high tech junk under the hood as best we can. Air ride is COMFY!

Thanx for asking, Gary

 

Well,
I'm back! The tripple by-pass operation went well and thanx to a loving sister the first week out of the hospital went great. She has been an angel. Car-wise, I doubt I'll get much done to finish the pickup anytime soon, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Getting out of the house today to watch my brother n law's team practice with the other pro-stockers at Bradenton - before they go to the Gator Nationals this weekend. Later, Gary

 

A triple by-pass? Is that like shifting from 1st to 4th?

Good to have you back!

 

Thanx Bud,
But... yesterday at the track just wore me out - like lugging it in 4th! The team is building their own motors now and they got the car into the high 6.50's yesterday. I hope they will pick up some more today before moving camp to Gainesville. Lots of big dog teams there. I doubt I'll be going to the Gator Nats this year, just not up to the drive and another day at the track just yet. Later, Gary

 

Sweet ride, and glad to hear you got through your by-pass fine. I took the easy route on my clogged arteries, I have 2 stents in my main artery. God, I love those cheeseburgers!!

 

In the less-than-$100 news department, I finally got some Moons that fit my wheels properly from Coker. Hip hip. Took this shot at the VA show in St. Pete yesterday. Some really nice cars there so more pix later. Not much else new, finish wise, but I hope to have it all done by the October '11 Nats here in Tampa. Heard that one before? Later, Gary

 

Gary,
Your last post was on 3/10/2010! and today is 5/2/2011! I'm glad your posting again, since that means your probably alive, but what's been going on for the past year + ? Hope you get to drive the Flat Hat this season.
Alan

 

Alan,
I've been posting a lot, my old obnoxious self as usual, but just not posting on the truck. It still needs a lot of finish work before I can think of it being completed. Later, Gary