Winter - the cold stops the project.

So I have to move the truck today and clean out the garage.  I will store the truck outside over the winter and then move it into the shop again next spring.

I have kept a list of everything I bought this year for the truck.  This is the first project I have done that for and it has been a real eye opener.

This year I spent $1695.09 on tools.  But if you take out the welder and accessories then it was $590.83 for things like paint, drill bits, sandblasting media, etc. 

I also spent $1604.24 on parts to put the frame together.  I would say that 2/3 of that was to rebuild the front end.  Wow.  I was hoping it would be less.  $500 of that was to have shops remove and replace the bushings.  Again, not something that i had counted on.  That makes a new $1200 MII front end from Fatman or Heidts seem reasonable.

Next time I will know better.


Soooooo, when you add the $1604.24 to the $3862.11 from last year you get:

$5466.35

and when you add up the cost for tools and supplies you get:

$1240.83


Wow.  I have a budget of 10 grand. 
Nest year we are going to have to work smarter and try to keep the costs down.  This truck is going to get finished - whatever it costs.  But I still would like to keep the budget in mind.

Most people working on Dodge trucks say they are more expensive because there is less support for them in the aftermarket.  I would agree.  Nothing here is off the shelf.
That said, it has been a learning experience.  And the knowledge gained on this project means the next one should be easier and hopefully cheaper.

Nearing the year end with a rusty rear end.

So I am coming to the end of the truck building season.  It is all ready getting cold enough that I have to scrape the windows on the cars.  The deal was when that happens the cars go back into the garage, so I am in the process of making that possible.

Last week I took apart the rear leaf springs and painted them up.

I just used a wire cup brush on the grinder and then hit them with a can of evaporust.

Then I bolted them to the truck and set the rusty axle onto them.  i had no time to clean the axle.  I will get to it next year.  I had to move the spring perches in about an inch to fit.



Here are the springs and axle in place.  I put the old skinny bias ply tires on.

 Then I put the old Dodge tires onto the front.  Now i have a rolling chassis that has the original tires.