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Thread: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

  1. Back To Top    #71
    Noob JayinMI's Avatar
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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    Started today by cutting out a whole for the shifter cable to fit through. It's very close to the factory drain plug in the floor, but my replacement floor pan didn't have it cut out.



    (Sorry some of the pics are washed out, it was sunny today)











    Then I put the seat back in, bolted in the shifter and parking brake.

    After that, I cut the firewall mount off the column, and bolted the proper one to the firewall.



    Then I took the pedal mount and duplicated the right side slot 4" further down.







    Slid the column through the firewall mount and bolted it up on the right side where I put the new slot and marked the left side. But there wasn't any metal to put a bolt through. So, I cut part of the mount and folded it down.







    (didn't get a pic of it folded, and yes, I'm going to fill the hole back in.)







    I kept the angles the same, the bottom of the column just sticks further into the engine bay.







    For some reason, I was worried the angle to the steering box was going to be stupid steep, but they almost point directly at each other. Hopefully it clears the headers.



    Now, by moving it further down it's in a comfortable position for me...but the high beam switch had to come off to clear the brake pedal arm. I think I'm going to extend the arm and put the switch in a slightly different spot to clear.

    I could also do a floor mount high beam switch, if it comes to it.



    Then I stuck some of the parts I am going to use in to get an idea of placement.



    2003 Silverado cluster, Trailblazer shifter, shift cable, and parking brake, custom mish-mash steering column with an '07ish Cobalt LT steering wheel.







    Saturn SC1 or 2 (I forget, @Harley picked it up for me) power window/mirror switch/change holder.







    I'm planning to use the Silverado parking light switch. I was thinking of using 07-10 Jeep Wrangler JK dash vents, because I like how they mount. But the passenger vents from the Silverado might work too. I ordered 2 more of those just in case.



    Then I went shopping for Jeep vents. all 4 were between $200-300!!! I got a set of similar chrome-ringed vents from a Jeep Commander for $42. Jeep tax, I guess.



    I currently have a Silverado heater control set, but I didn't grab the motors for the HVAC box before I scrapped it. I might try to get 2nd gen S-10 parts when the junkyards open back up, or maybe Colorado/Canyon stuff.



    I also picked up 6' of 1.25" square tubing to use as a dash support so I can mount things to it like the cluster, radio, heater controls, etc.



    I'm planning to shave the firewall except the brake booster, and build my own HVAC box. Something like they did on Project Binky.



    We'll see how it goes.

    Only thing is, now I want to move the gas pedal a little (maybe up an inch or so and back toward the firewall a couple inches.)


    Jay

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    Noob JayinMI's Avatar
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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    Spent the last couple of hours doing my best Nik Blackhurst impression. (If you don't get the reference, go here: )



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hCP...5MTQg1qjtxA_nq






















    I'll probably build this in metal when my sheet of steel gets here. I only have 22ga and 16ga. I'm probably going to make the whole thing out of 18 or 20ga and then make the plate that the motor mounts to out of 16ga. and weld it together. Looks like I shouldn't need to trim much (if any) metal in the cowl. The plan for the brackets if that I will bolt down into them (rivnuts or captive nuts welded on) and the bottom bracket will have a stud welded up from underneath, so I don't have any visible fasteners. Fingers crossed it works when it comes to it.



    Jay

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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    Wow. I ordered some right side rocker panels (because I couldn't ignore the rust) from Tabco on Thursday. My order shipped Thursday at 9pm and arrived today (Saturday). Gotta say I'm impressed. Last time their shipping was very slow.



    I also got the high beam switch moved on top of the steering column, and out of the way of the brake pedal arm.

    To do so, I cut up an old ignition switch (the lower part that the wires connect to) since the high beam switch mounts to it. Then I welded screws from the back side of the bracket, plug welded it to the column on top, and extended the arm with another high-beam arm I had. I need to adjust the switch (it's a little touchy when the wheel is tilted all the way down) but it works.



    Zipties were used to mock it up.



















    I just need a P-clip to keep the rod from flexing, but it works. Works without it, but it would be better if it had one.



    I also repositioned the gas pedal. If you had seen the way I did it before, I chopped the end off the Silverado pedal arm, drilled a hole in it and then welded the lower part of the S-10 arm to it. Well, it put the gas pedal way out in front of the brake pedal because I eye-balled it without the brake pedal in, I think. So, I cut the old S-10 pedal off, grabbed another one from my stash, and welded it in about 1.25" higher and rotated it so that the gas pedal sits behind the brake pedal like my other 2 cars are. Makes for a WAY more comfortable pedal position. I didn't take any pics, because it looks about the same.

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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    My rocker panels came last night. So, I decided to start that. Hoped it wasn't as bad as the driver's side. Nope. Other than the floor being intact (from what I can tell) the rest is at least as bad.



















    Yay, Michigan weight reduction. Sigh. Here we go again, after my steel gets here this week.



    Jay

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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    OK, so I got sick of waiting for my steel to arrive. I've got like 3 or 4 things I ordered stuck in Detroit. Some of it is like a week late already. I took some leftovers from my rocker panels and made a panel to patch the inner rocker. I pressed the drain slots in the same as the other side, but I spent more time getting it to fit better. Turned out pretty good. Ordered some Internal Frame Coating from Eastwood but forgot to order Rust Encapsulator. Ooops. Guess I'll stick to Rust Reformer since I have it. My weld through primer should be here today, I think.















    Need to make the front piece that attaches to the body mount, but it's about 4" tall and I don't have a piece tall enough to make it. It's also supposed to rain today, so probably not getting anything done today.



    Jay

  6. Back To Top    #76

    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    It seems like no one can stop you from doing this project. I am excited to see how it will turn out.

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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    I have 3 packages that disappeared on 4/26 at the Detroit Distribution Center. Usually I would get them the next day, and it's holding me up on the project. One shows it left Queens, NY arrived in Detroit, then arrived back in Queens (but doesn't show leaving Detroit) and is now "In transit to the next destination." I've got some other stuff I want to buy and I'm using eBay and looking for people who ship UPS or FedEx. I understand needing to be patient, but one of my packages has been in Indiana for like 4 or 5 days now.



    One of them is my weld-through primer so I can put my a-pillar/rockers on.



    I got all the pieces I needed to fabricate ready to weld, pretty much.



















    The rust you see on the bottom of the a-pillar just hasn't been cut out yet.



    I got my teflon coated, fuel safe 12ga wire for my fuel pump, I'm waiting on a sealed relay socket and 40A relay and terminals for the Walbro connector (for the right sized wire.) They're in Limbo right now. Somewhere around the house I have a ATL CFD-504 bulkhead connector to run the wire in. I need to look for that.



    Still waiting on my Jeep Commander Vents, too. Looking around I found a G8 GXP cupholder that has a chrome ring that looks like it would match the vents...which also (I think) would look good with an Escalade cluster. But I'm not that far yet.



    Jay

  8. Back To Top    #78
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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    I may stop posting as much over here (and on a couple of other forums) until the rust repair is done, and I make some more interesting progress.

    If you want to follow along, I will be posting it on S10forum.

    https://www.s10forum.com/threads/let...86-s10.721241/

  9. Back To Top    #79
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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    Well, I finally got the lower passenger side done. I welded up a hole I had punched for plug welding (thinking it was in the wrong spot) and then when I realized I was wrong, I tried to punch it again and popped a tendon in my wrist. Yay.

    So, progress may slow down, which sucks because the weather is great and the junkyards I go to opened back up.



    First off, I had to remove the hinge again. I really didn't want to do it. But this time I drilled 2 1/8" holes and used them as locators instead of making a new jig like when I did the other side.







    I made a new a-pillar lower piece again, but this time I cut it and re welded it slightly narrower so it fit in the new rocker panel.







    Welded up the inner rocker panel (which I made just like the other side (including pressing it for 4 slots and having to bang one of them back flat. Sigh) I tried UPol copper weld through primer this time. Less spatter than the zinc 3M I used last time. Every place I won't be able to get to go covered. And when it's all done, I'm coating the insides with Eastwood Internal Frame Coating.







    Inner kick panel welded to the floor and kick panel.







    Close up --- anyone else see a Lego guy in this? lol







    Welded the new lower inner a-pillar support to the outer rocker, then added a backer to make it easier to weld.







    Outer rocker welded back on







    I hung the door back on (after injuring myself, which was dumb)







    The back of the rocker doesn't fit amazingly, so I'm going to cut a couple of slits and weld it into the right shape. It's rounder and slightly fatter than the factory piece. This side went way better than the other side.



    I also started making a template to smooth the firewall,







    I'd like to get it bead rolled or pressed (I may try making a jig with my router and pressing a shape with my 20 ton press. It's only like 18-20ga, so it should press pretty easy. But I was waiting until my ICT Billet coil relocation brackets came (which they did today) so I can work around the shape of the coils. PCM will be going inside the truck (and I got the GM bracket from a later S-10 to use for that.



    Might drag the GF's nephew with me to the junkyard this week. lol. He can help me get heavier stuff. lol

    There's an Extreme 2002 or 2003 Blazer there currently. The RPO codes don't say it has the ZQ8 suspension, but I thought all the Extreme's did.



    Jay

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    Re: "The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

    Oops. I missed a post.

    Basically, I built a bench programming harness from my ECU and I made a tubing straightener. Unlike most of them, which can be clamped into a vice, I made new jaws out of 3/4x1" aluminum stock, and some Amazon wheels. I got the idea from YouTube User "asquaregarden". He didn't include any measurements in his initial post but did answer some questions I had.


    I don't have a drill press, so I used my drill guide to get the holes straight.
    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    This is 3/8" NiCopp line, before:

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    After:

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    Did about the same on 5/16" too.


    Here's my bench harness (for use with my 30A power supply)

    Untitled by Jay McGraw, on Flickr

    I put an XT60 connector on the power wires, and plan to make a pig tail with alligator clips, so I can run it off a battery if I don't have my power supply with me.

    I added an OBLinkLX to work with LSDroid. This way I can turn off VATS, turn on ECU fan controls, etc. for free. I wouldn't actually tune the fuel tables and stuff with it,
    but for setting things up, I think it should work well.

    Jay

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