Alex's '42 WC53 Carryall Build Details - Cummins ISB170

[Alxj64]

Also, my Gauges showed up... No Tachometer, motor only turns 3300 rpm AFTER getting the ECM flashed, governed at 2600 as of current tune; I guess FedEx didn't want folks drag racing the box trucks? 3" exhaust with a very shallow muffler, I should be able to hear what the motor is doing, if not... I shouldn't be building or driving this machine.





Westach dual Boost/EGT gauge is in the center where the original Radio Voltmeter went. It slightly doesn't match the other gauges so I figured I could isolate it out.

[Alxj64]

I also started down the route of getting my parking brake stuff figured out. Just doing a mechanical drum brake on the back of the NP205.. .Yea yea, Jesse sells a disc brake kit... but... meh. This is more my style.

NWF 32 spline flange and an M37 drum and band assembly from an NP200.

Had to make a spacer ring to slide onto the flange to get it all to remain hubcentric. Snug fit but should all go together well. Will be bending up my own support frame to go on the back of the tail housing. I want the whole thing inverted and clocked properly.

[Alxj64]

Parking brake bracket is nearly done. Clocked it to where the pull rod has good clearance. I machined the spring pin hole in the square stock yesterday but didn't get a photo.

[Desoto61]

Not sure about yours, but supposedly some of the later setups had another spring on the bottom of the activation rod, thinking I may try and add this to mine as it should help with activating the brake, as it is now it can be really tough to get the lever to the next tooth on the ratchet mechanism since there is not much give to the mechanism as set up. Not that I use it a lot, it's flat around here so I just usually leave it in gear, but part of that is how tricky it can be to get the parking brake on and off.

I do need to figure out some sort of switch so I can wire up an e-brake light, probably easier on the lever than the brake itself.

Awesome work otherwise, amazing how much cool stuff you can do with the right toys!

[Alxj64]

Not sure about yours, but supposedly some of the later setups had another spring on the bottom of the activation rod, thinking I may try and add this to mine as it should help with activating the brake, as it is now it can be really tough to get the lever to the next tooth on the ratchet mechanism since there is not much give to the mechanism as set up. Not that I use it a lot, it's flat around here so I just usually leave it in gear, but part of that is how tricky it can be to get the parking brake on and off.

I do need to figure out some sort of switch so I can wire up an e-brake light, probably easier on the lever than the brake itself.

Awesome work otherwise, amazing how much cool stuff you can do with the right toys!

Yes, I was going to spec' out a stiffer short spring to add in there as that "sweet spot" finder for tightening the band correctly. I don't have it and VPW didn't have it listed in their catalog when I ordered these.

Thanks for the compliments! I am at the end of toys though, as I am out of space. The bridgeport really was the deal closer on the ability to come up with very specific items. My lathe needs a bump up in size. You can do small work on a big lathe but you can't do big work on a small lathe.

[Alxj64]

Twin "switched" air-shift ram setup for the divorced NP205. It is still getting a top spreader plate brace that will also hold the bulkhead end of the parking brake push/pull cable as you can see the drum lever is a nice straight shot back from this.... yes that was on purpose. I still need to order fittings and lines but figured I'd do all that once I know how many 90s etc, that I need.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

Impressive, I truly appreciate watching this build come together. I am looking forward to seeing it in person.
Thank you for sharing with us.

[Alxj64]

Impressive, I truly appreciate watching this build come together. I am looking forward to seeing it in person.
Thank you for sharing with us.

Thanks for the positive words. Its certainly a passion of mine now for sure. This truck is no doubt my mistress in life.

Got the dash brace built. The previous owner had removed it because of his handling pedal and master cylinder setup. I could shake the dash by hand sitting in the truck, so that had to be fixed. This should do the trick. 20 Ga sheet with 1/8" solid driven rivets.

[Alxj64]

Working on the E-brake handle and transmission shifter stuff.

New Bushing for E-brake push button on a stock handle I shortened.



Shortened handle and hard mount to operate a push pull cable.



What a mess.. but the mechanics of it work great and the handle is a nice spot.

[Alxj64]

Also, some transmission stuff happening. Working out the linkage positions for the shifter. I am having to leave just a touch of "slop" ever so fine amount, in the linkage joint to allow for the differential in shift positions. In certain gear positions, the shifter handle is either high or low in the detent but will still interlock. This slight bit of slop is something I want to bush out with a grommet or something servicable rather than at the moment the hole for the rod end is a touch oversize and the nut is left loose.

I had to make a bracket that put the lever, of a calculated radius, in the specific location, with the cable mount in a specific location, with the cable traveling through the tangent of the arc and stopping at the correct location. I gave myself some fine adjustment on the cable position.







I added the riveted in gusset after realizing that the shifter required a little more force than I originally anticipated as I was using a shorter lever than stock.

[Jeff Kluewer]

Great fab skills, hope to see it in person some day.

[Greg Coffin]

Beautiful work as always Alex! I'd love to stop by in Maryland sometime and see it.

[Alxj64]

Great fab skills, hope to see it in person some day.

Beautiful work as always Alex! I'd love to stop by in Maryland sometime and see it.

Thanks guys! I'm hoping lots of people can see it when its done as I am hoping its a good driver! I want to make a few of the Rallys with it, wife's '68 Airstream project in tow also.

I'm about 2 hours south of Eastern Shore Maryland, and about 5 hrs south from the rest of Maryland due to Northern Virginia area being the terrible mess to travel through. I am in the Virginia Beach / Outer Banks NC area of the country; right there on the state line. About 2 miles east off of the Chesapeake Expressway heading towards Nags Head.

[Greg Coffin]

Right Virginia, not Maryland, sorry. Whenever my old "Annapolis brain" sees Chesapeake, I think Maryland. I'm hoping to make a pilgrimage in the 6x6 to the Rally in either 2017 or 2018. That would be 2 days each way at 45-50mph, via US 34. Might be fun, we'll see what gasoline costs before I make that call!

[Alxj64]

Been a little ill lately. Some of you know, some of you don't but I have been back and forth with an M.S. diagnosis for the past few years. The disease is not following normal modes and doesn't carry the full clinical definitions but they are now finally treating me as that is what it is. Given that, I have had some relapse moments, including one recently... starting to overcome it and getting back to work on this truck has been my lighthouse on the shore that I have been aiming at.

At the onset of my recent setback, I had a friend come over and help me finagle the other side of the bulkhead connector in place. Looks a little funky without the hydroboost unit next to it, but in scale and with paint on things, I think it will look just fine. 37 pins of up to 13A each. Shouldn't need anything greater than that since a good number of my signals are ground switch anyways.



Since I am still kinda under the weather, I've used this time to layout and design stuff and also recently confirmed my other hiding place for my rear chassis harness power cell. Will need to make the cover a little bit deeper than a flat panel but I think this will be a quite useful spot to place this since it will also house 10 circuits worth of fuses and such. I kinda want to sneak a decent design into the cover. Somewhat aircraft interior-ish if I can, but not too overdone either.