Project: 1100 AWD Travelall - OBDR 2009

Re: Project: 1100 AWD Travelall - New engine prep

Buttoned 'er up last night, topped off the fluids and drove it around the neighborhood It's at least as complete as when I was daily driving it about 7 years ago

The good: runs well, no radical gunk in the gas tank, didn't have to touch the carb which has been sitting 2 years and saw intermittent use for 5 years before that. The Borg Warner transmission is a joy, shifts hard and generally feels very competent. Whoever rebuilt this one when the PO had it knew what they were doing. 727's really do feel like 'slushboxes' in comparison

The bad: The engine *does* have a cam, and not a particularly mild one. Sounds like the Isky 262 that was in my hot rod SII. Not the best choice for this truck, I expect we'll be changing it. I found a 1/8" spacer that probably was between the crank and flexplate, and I think I know why. Flexplates do, and I heard a leetle tiny 'zing' revving the engine. Probably ring gear to starter nose, if the engine comes back out I'll reinstall the spacer. Otherwise a starter spacer from a 727 app should do the trick.



Truck looks good on 32x11.50 rubber at the stock height. I need to load some parts in the back, then it's ready for transport.

Future plans:

8 lug conversion - FF D60 rear, it has a Trac-Loc which will have to do for the time being. GM 44 front with the 1/2" axle tubes and what we think is a TrueTrac, narrowed about 2" on each side(I have the WT Waggy long side inner shaft, looking for a 14.5" OEM app short side inner). The Donnelly will need to convince me about a rear disk conversion.

Brakes - The single diaphragm booster on the truck was never really adequate, so something needs to be done. The truck is safe to drive, but requires more pedal pressure than you'd expect and would catch another driver off guard. Hydroboost is a logical next step.

Ride Height - The biggest rubber I want to run(285/75-16) will fit under it now, but I'm concerned about breakover. I think it wants to be 2" taller. I have a set of custom rear spring packs that should let me ditch the OEM blocks and the air shocks that are band-aiding the tired original springs. The front wants the longer 2WD springs, which are a perfect setup with the GM front housing.

Trail gear - I filched an original accessory gas tank skidplate off the orange victim in the C Series Rust Thread. I may have that duplicated for the other sponson tank. I've toyed with the idea of fitting a 33gal SII tank behind the rear axle as well, forget hauling Jerry cans! I have an OEM style front winch bumper I may use, and a Barden type rear bumper I want to adapt to Travelall service. I have a sweet roof rack concept sketched up, super secret for now

 

Done. I hope you like the new title WE are all going on OBDR in 09'.

I like hauling cans. It makes getting gas where you need it easier, but I am still going to install a larger fuel tank in Terror-All. As far as the disc conversion goes, I need to get motivated to get that done, but of late with other vehicle break-downs, Terror-All has been that ever-reliable vehicle to get the job done when all others fail. I am about to the point where I can put him back in the shop, though, and get back to work.

I am re-thinking how I am doing the rear disc setup. I don't like what I have at present, it is not instilling a lot of confidence in my brain about how I did it.

You narrowed a GM housing to waggy width? sweet.

Don't forget my bumper!

-John

 

Yes, agreed. Thanks

Well, not yet. That's still in the 'future plans' section The Waggy axle is drivers drop, which makes it perfect for the Project Who Must Not Be Named, but it's a wide track and too big for the application. I want to narrow *that* to SII width, which makes the WT Waggy shafts surplus. The long inner is perfect for the Travelall, I just need to figure out the short inner. I thought that was the same direction The Pucci and Yourself were headed

Gonna load it in the truck right now

 

I did a little Power Shopping at the U-Pull-It this past weekend:



That's a complete Hydroboost from a C3500 Diesel(the 6.5 is still in it if you want it), including the P/S pump, cooler and all hoses. The M/C still had cleanish brake fluid covering the ports, and I got the proper cap for it off the ground. The single diaphragm booster on the truck now has never really impressed, so when I saw this truck hit the yard a couple weeks ago I started thinking about upping the ante.

That's 3 TBI EFI harnesses in the background I don't think I'll pull another '87/'88 harness unless I'm desperate, they're a total PITA compared to the '89 - '91. I can get one of those out in about 20 minutes now...

Also got an ECM, probably because somebody didn't recognize the part # on it as being a service replacement for a 1227747. I didn't either at first, so I wrote down the # to research and stuffed the ECM *way* up inside the dash so it would be waiting for me later

I do *NOT* want to pull another Hydroboost out of a pickup anytime soon, the 4 Stover locking nuts inside are no fun at all one click at a time!

 

Click here for a good thread on conversions, including Jim's article.

-John

 

Yes, absolutely.

UPI is now my home away from home, while the weather's nice and I don't have a day job yet

 

Gotcha. Sounds like fun, and one of the reasons I moved here Fortunately at this point I don't need much that's either old or 4x4 specific. Actually at the moment there are a whole bunch of front Dana 44 parts going begging in Tigard. There's also a rear 5 on 5.5 Ford 9 inch that's just about sitting on the ground.

That's a feature, not a bug! :0