Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. ~Kongzi

Iroh is getting brakes once again. Brake lines have now been run and all that's left is to fill the reservoir and bleed them out. The rear end was pulled completely out and painted, and pan hard welded in. I've modified the front inner fenders to fit the new front suspension, even got a new air filter that better accents the beauty that is that big orange rat between the frame rails. I don't want to chat too much so I'll post some pictures and let them do the talking.

Rear end painted (Keystones from my brother, fit better than the steel wheels)

6 inch tall air filter, still have hood clearance

Brake lines so to have stopping power

 Got to make some custom brackets to mount the brake lines on the rear axle

 

When your work speaks for its self, don't interrupt. -Henry J. Kaiser

It's so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to. ~Annie Gottlier

I always enjoy ordering new parts for my project. When ever they arrive it feels like Christmas. I'm still waiting for the coil overs for the rear suspension, but I ordered and received new Hooker headers and Comp Cams aluminum roller rockers. I love the look of the roller rockers compared to stock, and the extra horsepower is nice too.
I've recently contacted the former owner of my truck and he is planning to come see my progress. I have been working on it for over 2 years now. I have set the deadline of the 26th, which is when he will come see it, I plan to have the firewall in primer and the engine and transmission back in. I also plan to have all the fenders put on. I'm excited because I haven't seen the rear fenders with the Cadillac tail lights on. When I do get it together you can count on pictures being posted.
I don't know how much work I will be able to accomplish over the winter, simply because of funds. I have another year of school to pay for. I will still see how much I can accomplish up until the money runs out for the year.

Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. -Mario Andretti

I finally got to do what I have wanted to for a long time now. I heard the big block fire up. The engine hadn't been started in a couple years. We mocked it up on the engine stand, with some old headers. The headers were not the best. They left no room for spark plug wires, so we used an old set so we wouldn't melt the new ones. We are hoping the wires are to blame for the miss fire. Otherwise the engine seemed to run well with little timing adjustments.
We tore the engine back down and checked compression, which was alright, and loosened the rockers to close the valves. We pressurized the cylinders and had a little bit of valve leak. I'm hoping it is just carbon or oil gunk that can be easily loosened up and blown out. But if I have to I guess the heads will be coming off.

After timing it still had a miss fire but got it to idle

If I had all the money I'd spent on cars ... I'd spend it all on cars. - Scott Fisher

Just wanted to do a quick post and give you some pictures of Iroh backed into the driveway. It doesn't have the coil overs on the back or the pan hard, but the four link is welded in and there are some wood blocks holding the frame up where I expect it to sit. It is worthy to note these pictures were taken two years and 3 days after I bought the truck.

Don't say anything and we'll get along just fine.

I'm excited to say I have received the four link rear suspension I ordered through summitracing.com. It is the Heidts bolt on four link kit for the 55-59 Chevy pickup. I've been getting it mocked up but I am waiting for the coil overs before I do any welding. I don't want to have to notch the frame for suspension travel. For now or as shown in the pictures the axle is jacked up all the way to the frame just to simplify measuring.

I'm waiting to weld the brackets to the frame because they have a slight angle to them. I want to make sure the shock will still fit. All 4 bars have been set to the same length, but if the coil overs won't fit I will have to adjust the length of the bars to try and square them up. The upper shock mount with the kit needed slight modification to fit. As the truck is old enough I figured the frame wouldn't be the same for all trucks... after 57 years. So we drilled the holes out ever so slightly bigger but still extra motivation was needed to maneuver it into place.
I hope with my next post to include a picture of the truck in the driveway on all four wheels. I can't wait to see it.

"It's a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself." -Dale Earnhardt

It's been a while since my last post, mostly due to my computer dying on me... again. Enough with that though, I am still making progress with Iroh. I've been working on getting the brake pedal bracket mounted under under the dash. This required trimming of the stock dash bracket. We got measurements online for where to mount the booster. after measuring and drilling holes I was able to trim up the bracket and keep some to still help hold the dash. The bracket we picked up out of a newer Chevy pickup at Nordstroms auto recycling. I trimmed that also so it would fit under the dash. I will be trying hang the gas pedal this weekend.

I have cut out the floor board and the stock transmission cover for a new transmission tunnel. I will weld in the whole stock transmission cover, and finish the firewall and tunnel once the engine is back out. The engine will be back out after both pedals are hung.

Soon also I will be ordering the new four link rear suspension. I have begun removal of the stock rear end. The axle it self came out fairly easy. However the leaf spring brackets riveted to the frame are putting up much more of a fight. A bigger air compressor or a torch would benefit me greatly. One way or other it will come out.

Hopefully my next post will not be a long way off and hopefully have pics of the four link.

Brake pedal and Bracket

 Dash Bracket before modifications

Holes marked and predrilled for brake pedal and booster

Hole cut for bell housing and transmission

I mocked the tunnel up with cardboard then cut and bent it out of 20 gauge sheet metal

Stock rear end preparing for removal

 Stock rear end removed making room for the 8.8 and 4 link