Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I started a new thread for Sound Control and moved several of the comments from this thread on sound deadening material there.

And, I started another new thread on Instrument Lighting & Paint Testing, and showed the results of my testing of Big Blue's instrument cluster lighting there.  However, here's a shot of that cluster and the HiPo Cool White LED's.  I like it!




And I swapped the Rocketman voltmeter into that cluster today.  But as I was about to install the cluster I saw the ICVR and decided I'd better replace it with one of the adjustable kinds.  Fortunately I found a fairly good writeup on that here (Documentation/Electrical/ICVR).  So I pulled out my extra regulator and was just about to follow the overly-complex instructions and then realized that this regulator is the one I took apart and it doesn't have the heat sink on it.

Given that, I ordered one of the DE-SWADJ3 regulators and will install it when it comes in next week.

And, speaking of ordering things, as described in this thread I just ordered a pair of kick panels and vents in the correct blue.

So, while not a whole lot got ticked off on the list, lots of things are happening.

[1986F150Six]

And, as Jim has been known to say, "progress is good!"

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, David.  

As for what I did today towards Big Blue's Transformation, not much.  I've gotten hung up testing LED's and fluorescent paint, emailing with Bill @ HiPo Parts, and correcting posts.  

But, one thing I did yesterday was to stuff a DE-SWADJ voltage regulator in an ICVR can.  I'd started the work on it quite some time ago but it got put on the shelf for some reason.  However, when I realized that I didn't have another regulator and I wanted to finish the gauges, I revived the effort.

It is done and it works.  I've been running it for a couple of hours and the case is just barely warm.  In fact, the warmest spot I can find on the case is 82F, and most of the case is below 80F.  So the case and the ground/mounting tab are enough for heat dissipation.

Having said that, I don't recommend stuffing one of those in that case.  It wasn't easy and required separating the heat sink from the regulator, placing the heat sink in the case, and then hoping I got the regulator back on the sink correctly so the transistors touch it.

Anyway, here's what it looks like while I'm testing:

[1986F150Six]

It's all in the details!

[ArdWrknTrk]

It certainly is!

So, I'm assuming 5.2V @ operating temperature?

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it is all in the details.  There are just so MANY details!

On the voltage regulator/ICVR, when I did my testing some time ago I found that 5.4v brought most of the many gauges I tried to full scale with the 12 ohm resistor, so that's what I set this one to.

But I'm not going to install the cluster just yet.  As you may have seen in the other thread, I've ordered the HiPo blue LED's and will test them as well as other lighting options with both Big Blue's cluster as well as the other one I painted using the HiPo paint.

[Gary Lewis]

As for what I did today, I replaced the old battery tray, shown on the bottom, with the new one shown on the top.  However, it wasn't quite as easy as it sounds since the old bolts holding the old battery tray in refused to come out and had to be cut out.

Note that this is the later style bracket that uses clamps or wedges at the bottom to hold the battery in.  Maybe tomorrow I can add the battery and show you how it goes in, but this approach is far superior in my estimation than the Bullnose approach.




And I used these fasteners, with the the large washer placed on the back side of the fender to spread the load:



I put it in as level as I could:




And it has enough clearance to the relay to give me reasonable comfort - especially since I may change it out.  

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

I put it in as level as I could:

It is all in the details!

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, I got several things in today: the kick panels and vents; the voltage regulator for the ICVR; and the HiPo blue LED's.

But let's talk about the kick panels.  First, here's a pic of the original left kick panel from Big Blue, the "new" left kick panel, and the vent.  Note that the colors of the original kick panel and the vents are the same, but the "new" kick panels aren't.  I may paint the new ones or maybe cut the old ones.  See below.....




Here's the back side of the left kick panels.  They look the same save for the one is cut down, right?  They have the same #'s on them save for the old one having BWA after the # and it says CAV#2 while the "new" one says CAV#1.



Note the line that's in the original kick panel.  That's exactly where you'd cut it to make it the same as the new one.  So, in reality you wouldn't have to buy new kick panels.  Just the vents.

[Ford F834]

Interesting find Gary. It certainly does look like you could trim the originals. The new kick panel is badly faded, but it looks to me (from the back) like it is a different color and not original with the vent piece itself. I assume you will put SEM over either one? The back of the kick panel looks like the dark blue that they used in 1984?

[Gary Lewis]

I think it is the original kick panel that's badly faded.  But you are right, the new kick panel is not the right color - in spite of the seller telling me he was shipping me a matched set.

I think I'll wind up using SEM on the new panels as they aren't faded and crumbly like the old panels.  I think the rear corners and badly faded as well, so might as well spruce them up at the same time.

[Gary Lewis]

As I think about it, I'll have to get SEM paint anyway since I'm going to put the cover on the dash that Vernon supplied.  And the back corner trim needs painted, so that's that.

As for an update, L&L called yesterday and were shipping the headers to Jet-Hot.  And Brandon/Bruno2 was up here today and brought the 750 CFM Eddy that had been on Big Blue, so I need to get the carb adapter on order.  And, I need to send the old dizzy in to have Scotty go through it.

[Gary Lewis]

My friend on FB, Trent Alexander, asked if I could put a low transmission cover over the ZF5 on Big Blue to see how much clearance he would need to get if he can't find a tall cover.  So here are a some shots since placing them here will preserve them much better than on FB.

In this pic the gap at the back is ~ 1 1/2", and if I level the cover out the gap all around is ~3/4", meaning that the hit is pretty much in the center.  But denting the cover 3/4" would just make it hit and not clear, so I'm thinking 1" where it is hitting is what is the minimum.  And, where it is hitting is at the red arrow.





But, the difference in cover heights at the point where the low cover hits is actually 2", as shown here:




And here's a profile shot of the two covers:

[Angelo Voltura]

What about fabricating a spacer plate out of aluminum for it? Keeps the plate intact without having to damage it, and becomes easily removable.

[Gary Lewis]

Angelo - A spacer would work, but that will raise the front and back of the cover, and I think you'd be hard pressed to get carpet to fit.

As for what else I did today, I cleaned the kick panel vents.  They had "stuff" caked on them, but they came clean.  However, the gaskets are suspect, and I think I'll use foam tape to create new ones.

Then I turned to the instrument panel where I added the cool white LED's and then installed the gauges and the bezel:




After that I did some exploratory work on the plans for a power distribution box next to the battery.  Brandon/Bruno2 was here yesterday and we talked about this.  We plan to make a run to a salvage and see what we can find.  I'd like to find one that uses the HD relay that Bill says is for electric fans, but I'd use it to pull in the starter's relay.  (I know it isn't needed as Jim and Bill are using a standard Bosch relay, but that's what I'd like to do.)  And, it needs to have a spot for a megafuse.

I think I need a PDB with at least 5 relays (headlights, starter, key-on, and choke) and would like to have another one for the blower.  The two that I have do have slots for 6, but 3 are the full-sized Bosch styles and 3 are the mini ones.  I don't remember the amp ratings for the smaller relays, but I doubt they'd be good for the blower, although they'd do the key-on and choke duties I'm sure.

Anyway, here's what the two look like in the spot I'm planning to use:




And here's the inside of those two:




Thoughts?  Suggestions?

[85lebaront2]

Gary, the small (micro) relays are rated 20 amps on the NC contacts and 30 amps on the NO contacts, The Bosch cube relays are rated 30 amps on both sets of contacts. If you are only using them to turn things on, then the micro relays will work fine. I have done a ton of research on these for my Chrysler.

[kramttocs]

Yeah, I don't know if these are interchangeable with that box but the ones I am using are:

(8 of them) ISO 280 Micro Relay with Resistor
NO Amp: 35A
NC Amp: 20A
Volt Rating: 12V

I decided I didn't feel comfortable running the starter through one so I am keeping the fender mount. Plus, I didn't want to have to add complication in the wiring of the fuel pump 'on start' circuit.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, guys.

I realized during the night (didn't sleep well) that the choke runs off of the fuel pump relay wiring, meaning that it comes on with oil pressure.  So I only need 5 relays, not six.

And, the headlights are 65 watts on high and 35 watts on low, which means that two of them on high will pull right at 10 amps (2 x 65 = 130 watts, and 130/13 volts = 10 amps).  So the micro relays will work fine for them.

That means I can use one Bosch for the starter and another for the blower, and still have a Bosch left over in either of the PDBs I have.  And on the micro relays I'll use two for the headlights and one for the key-on function to control the volt meter.

And, also during the night, I realized that there are plenty of the large fuses and I might as well replace the fuse links.  That will clean things up a lot by not having them running to the Megafuse lug.

[kramttocs]

Right, the starter is the only factory function I have come across yet that the micros won't work for.

You likely mentioned it but will the PDB itself handle the amps of the larger Bosch relay? I don't know anything about the PDB's but just know with the unit I am using it has per terminal and per connector maxes.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, the PDBs can easily handle the current. They have large busses to each relay, and the larger relays have large gauge wire coming from the relays.

I’ll take some pics of that later. Out and about now