Once again, it has been awhile since I have posted any updates.  As always, things are crazy in the Bleeker household, but I have managed to get some of the many small things I have been neglecting out of the way.  I think I have enough of them done to warrant a new entry to Rusty's log...

New Gauge Cluster - I went ahead and purchased all new gauges from ChevyDuty since the price seemed more reasonable than me trying to troubleshoot them down the line - and basically I believed they originals were all goners anyway.  So, basically I reused the gauge casing and after cleaning it up and adding some fresh paint, I would have to say it looks great.  It is now plugged into the wiring harness and I even put all the light-bulbs in.  Does it work?  I don't know since I haven't the nerve to hook up a battery yet.

New Fuel Tank - After some thought, I removed the Mustang gas tank from under the bed while I was putting the bed wood in.  It interfered with the assembly and I just wasn't that excited about plumbing the fuel line and "making" a fuel sender.  When I win the lottery, I would like to purchase a new chassis and then I will for sure put the tank in at that time.  I may still do it, but I'm really anxious to get Rusty back on the road.   I did some reading on the old tanks and they worked for years and they were safe, so I bought a new one, painted it and put it in the cab.  The only problem I had was the rear mounting holes were clogged with broken bolts.  I had to drill them out and run a smaller bolt through the hole and then use a nut on the underneath of the cab.  FYI - you  use the same size bolts that you use for the seat bench to mount the gas tank - I had duplicates since I purchased some way back and more came with the "body mount kit".  American Classic carries the mounting straps.  It is a simple process to mount the tank and hook up the filler-neck, sender, and sender wire.

Carburetor - is now mounted.  I hooked up the choke and throttle cables while I was at it.  I finally removed the throttle linkage and cleaned it up and painted it.

Fuel Pump - is installed.  The "pump-to-carb" fuel line that I purchased from American Classic was not the right part, but I had had it for so long that returning it was not going to be possible, but I called American Classic and told them about it and they were willing to work out a trade after contacting their supplier. 

Hood - I purchased new hinges and springs from American Classic.  I had to consult the Factory Assembly Guide to remember the orientation of the hinges, but got it installed  fairly easily.  It would have been easier with an assistant, but I used some wood to prop open the hood while I maneuvered it into place.  The bolts were included with the "body mount kit" I purchased earlier.  Oh, and I put on the hood to cowl seal first.  I think I did it correctly.  There are mounting holes on the cab/cowl, but the seal strip does not contain any holes, so I basically just centered it along the cab/cowl and used an awl to poke holes in it.  Once that is done it is just a matter of using the mounting clips to set it in place.

Doors - I am reusing the upper door hinges, but had to purchase new lower door hinges.  Using the bolts from the "body mount kit" I secured the upper and lower hinges on the driver's side of the cab.  Then it is just a matter of placing the door on the hinges and securing them.  Note that you will have to adjust the door to get it to close an open smoothly.  I got it pretty close and then installed the "door-to-cab" weather-stripping and made final adjustments.  It is not perfect, but I really need to get the latches installed to be for sure.  Also, I noticed very quickly that there are only enough bolts to install the hinges to the cab, not the hinges to the door.  Okay, that pisses me off because the only place I could find the correct hardware was in that really expensive "body mount kit".  I tossed all the old hardware so I had no idea of the correct size.  Regardless of my mistake, I think they should have included all the bolts.  Anyways, for those of you that need it, the bolt size is 5/8-22 x 1".  As a matter of fact, Lowes carries the same brand bolts that came in my kit - but they are in the special hardware drawers.   At this time, only the driver's side door is installed.

Glove compartment door - I added a couple more coats of paint and then the clear-coat.  It is now ready for install.

Ashtray - I just can't get the ashtray to look right.  I have even sanded it all the way down and started over twice.  So, at this time, I say it is as good as it is going to get.

Steering Column - I have finally removed the parts that I need from the ebay items I purchased last Spring.  I cleaned them up and got them painted.  I need to make a trip back to Lowes to get some mounting hardware, but other than that, I am ready to mount the shifter and steering wheel.

I think that is everything.  Right now, I've got the rear glass and door latches on order.  My birthday is this month and Sarah and her mom always get me truck stuff, so I can't wait to see what they get me - I'm kind enough to provide them with a list.

On to the next chapter