68 D500

[Cooper_D]

Looks as if I’ll be renewing my TDR membership to follow this build. Should I plan on one year or 2...?

 

[RWherley]

Well I'm hoping for around 6 months, but I'm notoriously bad at staying on time with big projects like this, so realistically probably a year

 

[HPSimpson]

That sounds more reasonable at one year at least, thanks for the update.

 

[Mark31]

I've actually had this truck for about 2 years, during that time I've been making plans and gathering parts and looking at fixes for several of the 500's issue, first of which are it's tires, the truck is currently on 8.25-20's mounted on split rim wheels with the big 6 lug pattern, as far as I can find there's no current 20" tire worth buying for that application and I'm not wild about split rims. The only wheel option I could find in 6 lug are the 19.5 wheels from FedEx trucks which would have been ok but the tallest 19.5 tire is still several inches shorter then the 20s on it now, which would have geared it down even lower so no luck with that idea

RWherley, Sumitomo makes radial 8.25x20 tires. My 74 Chev C60 came with that size, but I went up to 9.00s. Split rims are fine if there is no obvious damage--my local shop studs don't blink when they have to change one. I've seen the 60ish round-bellied owner pounce on one if every one else was on a road call/busy! My rims are 10 hole and all are used on the rear. On the front, there are only 5 studs. I hear you on the gearing! Mine has 8.85/6.65 gears. Over the years I've wished for a 5 speed OD rather than the NP 542CL 5th direct! A buncha years ago (over 40!), I met some guys at the Dodge dealer buying some engine parts (cam and bushings?) for a 340 Duster engine that had been transplanted into a D500 that was used on some type of route with a part through the mountains. They just smiled that smile when they talked about it! It was a run-till-you-get-sleepy-then-nap route and the idle was set too low is what messed it up. Hope your project makes you smile when you "git her done"!

 

[RWherley]

Thanks for the heads up on the tires

 

[RWherley]

Ok, so the engine is finally back from the machine shop, and I'm freed up from the other project that side tracked me, and I'm making progress again. I figured since this is going in a old school truck I'd use the old Cummins beige color instead of the black the engine was from factory

 

[HPSimpson]

Looks great nice choice of color on the engine, thanks for update on your project.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Look at this monstrosity! And the old guy with the pipe is hilarious.

 

[fbuchynski]

Nice project I will be following this one.

 

[RWherley]

I can't seem to get people to let me alone to work on this so progress has been slow but here's a few pictures of what I've managed to get done

 

[HPSimpson]

Wow the black paint on the Cummins looks super! Stands out real good color combination.

 

[RWherley]

Ok so now that I'm 2 months behind, I'm heading the right way again, I finally got the last missing piece of the engine. A friend of mine took the timing case for the 24v VP44 pump, put it in his mill and cut the mounting face for the pump completely out. Then he made a new puck that is cut to correctly mount the 12v valve VE pump that I want to use and welded the new puck into the timing case. Giving me this

 

[HPSimpson]

Your come right along nice job cutting the case having the welding done, don't worry about how far you behind. Looks darn good!

 

[EDankievitch]

Nice project!

 

[RWherley]

Now that I have the timing case I'm finally making head way again, I installed the case along with my new Hamilton 178-208 towing cam, and fit checked the injection pump. The next step is for the guy that built the pump for me to come by and help me set the timing. Because of the combination of parts used and the way we made the case it's not as easy as line up the timing marks then fine tune.

 

[RWherley]

I even found time to start working on the truck it's self

 

[HPSimpson]

You are coming along great yes timing the new parts is way different then alignment with arrows, thanks for the update.

 

[RWherley]

View attachment 124925 I got the truck striped the whole way down now, and started in on doing body work to individual panels

 

[RWherley]

The left front corner of the hood didn't look to bad until I started pokeing at it then I found it had rotted from the inside out pretty bad. Since good hoods are hard to find and not cheap when you do I decided that the best thing was to make my own repaire panels. So far I have the leading edge done now I have to do the back side and the rear support

 

[HPSimpson]

Well I see your doing some welding to repair rotten out panels the hood and lower edges of front fenders, looks real good.