W350 Crew Cab - The ultimate first gen - Pics and history

[RVTRKN]

Think of it as a finger plugging the end of straw and lifting it out of the drink and it holds the liquid in place due to the vacuum. Well the oil is the finger that plugs the tube so it can't drain, from one side or the other, if both are under the level. Another way to prove the theory is a bottle of water sitting upside down in a water basin. As the water level drops from opening a spicket, allowing liquid to drain below the opening of the water bottle, it then releases the water until the vacuum holds it in place.
Anyway, your fabrication is very professional looking, maybe you can show it off at May Madness 2018.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Think of it as a finger plugging the end of straw and lifting it out of the drink and it holds the liquid in place due to the vacuum. Well the oil is the finger that plugs the tube so it can't drain, from one side or the other, if both are under the level. Another way to prove the theory is a bottle of water sitting upside down in a water basin. As the water level drops from opening a spicket, allowing liquid to drain below the opening of the water bottle, it then releases the water until the vacuum holds it in place.
Anyway, your fabrication is very professional looking, maybe you can show it off at May Madness 2018.

Yeah, OK. That is logical. I see where you are going!

As for MM, one never knows where that thing may show up when done.

 

[RWherley]

With all the weight from these add on's and extra toys are you going to have any pay load capacity left?

 

[RSchwarzli]

With all the weight from these add on's and extra toys are you going to have any pay load capacity left?

Payload? What is this word you speak of?

 

[RVTRKN]

Yeah, OK. That is logical. I see where you are going!

As for MM, one never knows where that thing may show up when done.

I wonder if it'll ever be done, it has been finished a couple of times. :-laf:-laf:-laf:-laf.

 

[RSchwarzli]

I wonder if it'll ever be done, it has been finished a couple of times. :-laf:-laf:-laf:-laf.

LOL There is truth to this.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Time for another update:

Overhead Console Part 1:


Next was the reassembly of the overhead console. Remember this?


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Well, that was sent for paint and came back in the black to match the SRT theme of the interior, but also the red of the gen 1 interior. I wanted to keep the matching theme going. This is what I got from the painter in my custom masked two tone:


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Oh yeah!




So, to assemble, I collected all my stuff together that goes into the console. That is what is in this shot: (there is more ot one of these consoles than you think! Assembly time was 2 hours!!)




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So I started assembly with remounting the side rails to give the long flimsy plastic some strength. As they are heat melted tabs that hold it on from the factory, I drilled the holes out, tapped, and added screws:




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Next was to start working on the end caps. The one end has a light that needs to be reinstalled, the other has two map lights, and they both have snare clips.


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These are the component of the light when disassembled:




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Reinstalled back in the cover:




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Slowly more and more components starting going back on:




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[RSchwarzli]

Overhead Console Part 2:

Next, I had to add the factory style foam padding back into the flip down doors. These can hold your sunglasses but wont do much for them if they slide all over the hard plastic. So foam adhesive was added back in after being cut to size:


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Then the spring winders were added. These prevent the doors from just dropping down at full speed. They allow the door to slowly open.



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For the rear compartment, I needed to add the rear seat heater switches into the lid first:



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Bezels:



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Switch:



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More foam for the next door. This one normally has a DVD player screen in it but I am not running any of that at this time.



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Now we are starting to look like a console again! Now was wiring harness time:



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Next was to connect all the factory wiring harness and run through. All must be nice and neat.



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Next is the rocker switch panel. This turned out really nice:



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Once the panel was installed, the wood supports were added in:


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Pilot holes were drilled, and then screws were put into place making all the wood frames connected into one solid frame.


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Then it was populated with switches installed by functional theme. Aka, all lighting together. All pneumatic/air components. Etc.



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Back side view of the switch panel once complete:




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The final result turned out actually better than I had visualized 8 years ago when I first came up with this idea.


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[AH64ID]

lol...passenger eject

 

[RSchwarzli]

Interior: Dash and Shifters


Next was to tackle some interior items. The shifters now are complete on the bottom side connecting to the 205, but we now need shifters up into the cab for easy drivers reach. It is also time for the dash cluster, A pillar trim, headliner trim, etc to go in.




Dash:


We have a lot of wiring on this insert due to the two fuel gauges, tach, speedo, turn signals, headlight beam, etc all mixed in. But the trick is to get it all connected and reinstalled with tight spaces and a heavy insert.


The dash:


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A close up of the custom wiring harnesses to ensure we don’t mix up the wires:



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Shifters:


First step was to shape the shifter to sit closer to the driver. Second step for the shifters was to made the rubber cushioned shifter more solid. This is the original 5 speed Getrag shifter off the G360 I got this truck with. For nostalgia purposes, and the fact it is almost perfect in length, I decided to add it into this truck again:


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So I drilled a few holes through both the shaft and the handle:


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And then added a couple split pins to help make it more solid and prevent it from falling apart again:


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Dash Insert:


First we started off with a spare insert to ensure all the wiring now in behind clears, and we have no obstructions.


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With a fair amount of time, and slight tweaks as the back side of the gauge mounts were hitting the dash, we got the insert in:



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We had to make a slight tweak to the factory accessory controls area to clear the new tach controller lettering:



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A better view of the insert:



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Next was to get the column assembled:



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Center Console:



The center console needed it last item installed: The CB mount. So the console was placed in the truck and measured to where the lowest point of install could be so the bottom of the CB would not be sitting on the carpet. You can see the blue masking tape used for sharpie marking still on it:



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Then to the bench for leather punching (if you screw through the leather it will snag on a screw and start winding around the screw so you have to create a screw hole so to speak with a leather punch).



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CB now mounted:



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And now all went into the truck at the same time giving a final shot of the CB, A pillar, Dash, column, etc:




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[RSchwarzli]

That brings us somewhat up to date again. Now to start uploading and writing the next batch as I find bits of time.

Robert

 

[RWherley]

I love it but, 2 questions
1st how many hours of FAA training are required to operate this thing?
2nd if you get pulled over is it for driving to fast or flying to low?

 

[RSchwarzli]

I love it but, 2 questions
1st how many hours of FAA training are required to operate this thing?
2nd if you get pulled over is it for driving to fast or flying to low?

1 - That depends on base knowledge level when starting out. If the first question is why do you have so many guages, then a lot!

2- I will go with I allowed them to pull me over vs stomping the throttle and going for WOT in 24th.

 

[Capt. Methane]

Looks to me like it would have been easier to get the Flight Engineer's panel out of a DC-8 than build that console!

Nice work, very nice work!

 

[RSchwarzli]

Looks to me like it would have been easier to get the Flight Engineer's panel out of a DC-8 than build that console!

Nice work, very nice work!

LOL Yes, you are likely right!

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Looks to me like it would have been easier to get the Flight Engineer's panel out of a DC-8 than build that console!

Nice work, very nice work!

That console and all the gauges are nice and all, but none of that impresses me... show me the finished product all wired and connected!

Seriously, I can't even fathom what that job will be like. You're a better man than I that's for sure!


Nice work indeed!

 

[RSchwarzli]

Well.....it is time.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Time for another update! This one is a doosey!


So I tried to do a push this past spring and into summer to get the truck on the road so I could take it to some shows. I hate to admit, I failed again. Work took just too much time from me this past winter so I didn’t get as many hours into it as I wanted and come summer, my schedule further got ugly. So the truck was left untouched from June till October. But with snow again coming and wrenching season almost upon us, we had to get one more move before winter: Project crew cab needed to get a windshield and rear window sealed in so the interior could be complete.


I can do many things but sealing windshields in is not something I have experience in. As I didn’t want to find wet carpet from a crappy install, I had professionals do this task so I don’t regret my “I can do it myself” theory later. lol
Now, with the driveline and brakes being done already, this became an easier task and is why it was left so late. The truck was driven out of the garage for the first time under its own power, in 12 years! After a very intense wash cleaning off 12 years of crud, it was loaded onto the float, and taken to a specialty glass shop for window install.




So, I guess I will share a few pics as these will likely make the thread.




But before I do, let me say, this was an epic day, and these are the moments a restoration makes it worth it. Hearing that engine rev, and slowly letting that clutch out for the first time and feeling what it was once like to drive this big old landyacht……. Mmmmm hmmm.




OK I am done tormenting you. Lol Here are the pics taken in the first daylight this truck has seen since 2006 when this all began!




Loaded after her bath: (Take note, no front or rear window so you can bet bathing her was fun considering all the exposed electronics inside! Lol)




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A few glam shots on the way to the shop. Couldn’t resist stopping at this field with that lighting! Take note its getting cold again in Canada….frost is on the ground in October!




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While I waited for the shop to open, I couldn’t help but notice how sexy that *** is in the morning sunlight! DAMN!!!




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Then install! YAAAAY!



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And the back…



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Then on the way home, another photo shoot.
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The last shot was as I was driving home and was taken by my father as he followed me home to assist in unloading. You can see how the weather was changing rapidly! Makes a great photo!!




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So the truck is on the final stretch now. Wrenching season has again begun, and all going well, should be done by spring. Yeah I know….we have all heard that before. Lol




Robert

 

[DVolk]

Robert she is darn beautiful it needs to be a centerfold in a magazine some place , I'd love to have a poster of it to hang in my shop to get mine done !!

 

[Wayne M.]

Finally! What an amazing journey. Following on Insta, and what a great reception there too!