Pilothouse/RAM3500 build

[Mopar1973Man]

I remember my 1976 Dodge Jamboree was a hot son of a ****** that would burn my foot on a long haul. Exhaust manifold with in inches of my throttle foot and the steel would cook my carpet. Yeah 360 CID V8 and running 3500 RPMs would create some heat. Ugh.

[PilotHouse2500]

been a while...but punching holes in the firewall for cable controls, wire harness and acc cable.  Building running board mounts and frankensteining an acc pedal

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

running board progress

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

Pic of a full size mock up of the running board below.  Meanwhile I've plugged unused holes, made ones needed, made a mount for the gauges computer, welded in place the wing handle mounts, welded on mounts for wiring and cable controls.  At this point I'm pretty much ready for paint.   Hard to believe.

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Impatiently waiting...

[PilotHouse2500]

On 9/14/2024 at 11:54 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

Impatiently waiting...

 

I've been helping the painter build his new 5000sqft building to knock some of the cost off the project.  He THINKS he'll be all buttoned up here in early Oct.   So we'll trailer him over in early Oct and he'll "start".  No idea how long he'll be working on it....but needless to say I HAD orginally hoped to be reeassembling by Oct....so a few months behind.   Money will be the big driver on my side now.  Meanwhile I'll start working on the bed frame.

[PilotHouse2500]

and on to the bed 

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

Spent more time with the parts yesterday, a few cut off wheels and a few scary moments with large pieces by myself....I've secioned it into 4 pieces now, but have decided to just build a new one,  these parts are just too beat up to match up to a nice clean cab and frame.   So off to CoreMark I go to spend unplanned $$.

[PilotHouse2500]

broke the bed down to these 4 parts, with these and $1200 at CoreMark, I'll make a new bed with out all the "historical issues"

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

Cab marker lights set

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

Bed progress

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Flat bed with stake pockets. Going to be sweet truck.

[Doubletrouble]

Looking great so far!

[PilotHouse2500]

Bed "on" the truck.  Not at final height yet.  Amazing what you can do by yourself with no ready hands to help.

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

Front sitting on a cross member, rear set correct with cart.

 

 

[PilotHouse2500]

I have a bed...

 

Things left:

1.  Fuel fill bracket

2.  Tie down backers

3.  Drill holes for bed strips

4.  Drill holes for marker lights

5.  Make bed tail plate for turn, brake, back up, plates,back up camera and trailer power

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Wow back up camera on a 1950's truck this is going to be feature rich truck. 

[Doubletrouble]

Looking good!

[PilotHouse2500]

Spent the day yesterday SLOWLY drilling the bed strip holes...60 in total thru structural U channel....all while under the influence of my shingles booster shot....but I got it done.  Here is my "favorite" version of the back plate (for all intents and purposes legally read that as "bumper").  orange dot is camera, yellow is trailer connections.  I just don't know if the marker lights are "out" far enough or not.  I might need to trim my stake pocket bits a bit to push them out further.

 

Edited October 11 by PilotHouse2500

[Royal Squire]

Are you putting lights in the bed corners?