[repoman]

Clip installed got it to start, took her for a spin.

Had another full two day struggle getting the parking brake cables installed correctly. I broke two of the sway bar bolts. Which means the only way to get them out is with a torch, which means I have to drop the tank again. since once is literally 1" from the tank. I also had to do the drums x4 times till I got it right. I had the parking brake cable on the right side in backwards and that was one of the rebuilds. Then I ended up stealing the parking brake adjuster on my '99 Durango and restored that. Once I got that all sorted out I bled the brakes. I used a vacuum bleeder on the back ends Until i got fluid, the human assistance pushing the brake pedal to get the last of the air out. no lights and they brake like a charm. Took her out for a few miles. Going to have to swap to 2001 cluster so mileage is correct.

I have the 'privileged' of getting two inspections. Once from certified mechanic stating that the vehicle is safe ( $40) and one from the local sherriff for $100, then I can get it registered with the new vin it will receive and get plates. I hope to get this done this week. Time to haul some wood!

 

[DurangoRules]

Great news !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did your spin reveal anything you want check out ??

 

[repoman]

today I took it to the licensed repair shot for an inspection. When I pulled out of driveway, the rear shackle broke, as well as the band around the rr leaf springs. All parts I was going to replace later, which is now.

I didn't have the fender liners in, which I must have, and the two of 4 broken bolts on my sway bar were an issue too. I just told them to quote me tomorrow.

GAh. This truck is sucking the life out of me... I love it, but man. I gotta go work some OT>

 

[repoman]

Rear shackles, downlinks, shocks

parts for yesterday's repair flurry. Every little detail has to be fixed in order for the vehicle to be considered safe.

Including making sure screws are in the license plate light.
After backing out of driveway and the rear shackle broke, on the way to have an inspection. I ended up bringing the truck back home.I purchased Shocks, downlinks, and shackles. I have to tackle fixing two broken sway bar bolts. Last night I used a torch and melted the broken bolt and nut that was welded to the sway bar perch on top of the axle. I used a hydraulic jack between the frame and the leaf spring to pries the two apart to get the old one out, it was shattered on both sides. I had been soaking all the rear bolts/nuts with Kano kroil penetrant many times over the past two years in preparation for having to do this. It tool about 5 minutes to get 3 bolts out and another two hours to get one out. Murphy's law I guess.

I will still have to drop the tank, yet again, melt out the broken bolt and nut on the front side sway bar perch next to the tank, in order to fix the swaybar, and attach the RR parking brake cable to the sway bar bolts. It's almost going to be a new truck when I get finished. It's raining today so no cutting wood and no working on truck.

 

[cchampagne232000]

View attachment 79105 parts for yesterday's repair flurry. Every little detail has to be fixed in order for the vehicle to be considered safe.
View attachment 79097 Including making sure screws are in the license plate light.
After backing out of driveway and the rear shackle broke, on the way to have an inspection. I ended up bringing the truck back home.I purchased Shocks, downlinks, and shackles. I have to tackle fixing two broken sway bar bolts. Last night I used a torch and melted the broken bolt and nut that was welded to the sway bar perch on top of the axle. I used a hydraulic jack between the frame and the leaf spring to pries the two apart to get the old one out, it was shattered on both sides. I had been soaking all the rear bolts/nuts with Kano kroil penetrant many times over the past two years in preparation for having to do this. It tool about 5 minutes to get 3 bolts out and another two hours to get one out. Murphy's law I guess.

View attachment 79033 View attachment 79041 View attachment 79049
I will still have to drop the tank, yet again, melt out the broken bolt and nut on the front side sway bar perch next to the tank, in order to fix the swaybar, and attach the RR parking brake cable to the sway bar bolts. It's almost going to be a new truck when I get finished. It's raining today so no cutting wood and no working on truck.

This thread really makes me appreciate living in an area where rust isn't an issue.

 

[repoman]

rust is a harsh mistress

In other news, I don't need no stinkin air conditioning.

Deleted air this morning in the rain.

 

[DurangoRules]

Soooooooooo close!!!! After the hours upon hours of work I know it must be making you nuts to have been so close to inspection only to have to turn around and head back home for more work.

 

[repoman]

Getting closer, but still, a list.

Soooooooooo close!!!! After the hours upon hours of work I know it must be making you nuts to have been so close to inspection only to have to turn around and head back home for more work.

Just under 1900 hours of work including this past week. I still have to:

• get antenna and hook up radio
• remove gas tank ( again)
• torch off busted sway bar bolt and nut on axle perch
• rebolt sway with parking brake cable back to axle
• re-bleed the whole system, again
• drill holes for aux water pump in right front fender. New one didn't have them. I have it velco'd in right now.
• add proper screws to license plate light
• install wheel liners
• swap drivers door switch bezel with nonbroken one
• finish installing other downlink and shock
• Get seats to work electrically and install rear bolts on both seats. Need them to work to move forward.
• set ride height again
• get alignment, possibly swap rims to chrome rims with current tires at same time.

Especially after doing the air conditioning delete, I can't wait to have time to even clean and detail the engine compartment, let alone drive it.
Maybe this week. I had good talk with the local sherrifs office about what receipts they want. They said they would make copies he needed, since I am paying $100 for the inspection.

Too bad it's still raining. We have received more than 2" in the past two days.

 

[DurangoRules]

What are your plans once you finally finish? Will it be a daily driver or just a "fun" vehicle?

 

[repoman]

What are your plans once you finally finish? Will it be a daily driver or just a "fun" vehicle?

Haul all the things.
wood, metal from rebuild, cab, doors, hatch.

 

[repoman]

Passed first inspection. Welcome to the Bureaucracy.

I passed my certified mechanic inspection.($40) My vehicle is now officially rebuilt in a "workman like" manner. I have called to have the Sheriff to inspect the paperwork and parts next. ( $100)

 

[DurangoRules]

How did the inspection go??

 

[repoman]

Second inspection from an officer. red tape. welcome to the borg

-Update. :

Pile of paperwork to feed the red tape bureaucracy!

Here's the rule book from State of Michigan that is "driving" all the things I am doing to get the vehicle on the road. SOS - Assembled Vehicles
After two weeks of chasing a local Sheriff's deputy over the phone, ( he was on vacation), I called the other MI police officer for Ingham county and was able to get an appointment for inspection this past Monday. Ironcially the officer was leaving and this was his last form he had for the inspection, and the last one he would be doing.

I brought "blue on black" to the police station in Mason, MI, I went inside and we we over all the paperwork showing
Motor Vehicle Engine, Transmission, Body Parts (doors, front and rear clips), Frame including axles. Where they came from with receipts or proof of ownership ( title, sign off notes from police, sales note from private seller). I had to have a TR13a form stating how the build was done, who did it, where, and where all parts listed above came from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/tr-13a_18951_7.pdf.
After showing all of these, we actually parked the vehicle in a one stall inspection garage inside the Mason police station. We went through the whole safety inspection on the TR54 http://www.michigan.gov/documents/TR-54_38480_7.pdf

When we got done the longest wait was because the way that my reassembly was done is the opposite that most rebuilds are done. Meaning that this officer typically sees the vehicle you want restore fixed from parts of a donor vehicle, but the VIN doesn't change. Because the body from the 2003 donor vehicle was placed on the 2001 chassis, even though I am techincally rebuilding the 2001, the VIN now is for the 2003. Further, stay with me here, ALL internal wiring is 2001 including the cluster and the ECU, both ( someone correct me here I'm assuming) tied to the VIN, and recording the mileage. ( I already proved that you can put the 2003 cluster in and get the old miles from the 2003 to show in the cluster, however the ECU was still incrementing the 2001 mileage later when I put the 2001 cluster back in). So anyways, he called the person at the state of Michigan in charge of the whole assembled vehicle program. In the end as long as I have all the paper work for the parts ( listed above), then when I go to the Sec of state later today, I will present all of the documents and apply for a new VIN#. Then the hardest bitter pill to swallow, the only thing in bold letters:

When all documents are in order and the title application is processed, allow 8 to 10 weeks for
processing the new title and the special vehicle identification number. During this time, a license
plate or temporary permit is not allowed.

So I get to wait another 8-10 WEEKS before I can use my vehicle AND I have to keep insurance on it.

The plan right now is, I have a quote for:

dustless blasting hood: $100
Painting hood, fenders, front and back bumper covers: $650

If I bring the parts to them. So I will be quickly fixing up my 99 durango (yep, I own 5 vehicles) and selling it or parting it out to get it out of my garage, I will place "blue on black" in there, take the front clip off, and get it all painted, while I am waiting for the red tape to clear.

 

[NumberThree]

Good lord! BORG? HAAaha I love that!! But it sounds like they've 'assimilated' with the Ferrengi there.

Dude --- You need to move to Florida! JK.. They can get pretty weird here too when it comes to "recommissioning" autos, from what I heard. I haven't personally dealt with that chain of "Vogons" since the 80's, but it was tough even then.

She will be worth it in the end. I saw a Sweeeeet first-gen on the local roads yesterday. I wanted to snap a pic with my phone, but had to concentrate on my driving due to a couple jackholes in towing trucks (trying to drum up business, no doubt). I do have video of it and the jackholes from the dashcams though.

 

[DurangoRules]

It is horrible that it may take over 2 months to just do a "paperwork" function. I look forward to seeing pics of it when you finally get it painted and get street legal status.

 

[Dadditruck]

This reminds me of a Johnny Cash song " One Piece at a Time" LOL!!!! You've done a great job for only sleeping one night in a Holiday Inn Express!!! LOL!! Enjoy it when it's finally on the road! By the way what Holiday Inn Express was that? I may have to make a reservation. . .

 

[repoman]

Paint, glorious paint!

Ok well still have weeks more of waiting. I called numerous dustlessblasting companies all the way from Midland to Novi to Detroit. Non of them returned my call. Then the Facebook AI popped a message about a body work in Lansing. I sent them a message Los Shop LLC> Turned out they are LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM MY HOUSE> So close in fact that I contracted them to do the paint work for $800, hood, two fenders, two bumper covers, AND I was able to get them to come to my house and pick up the parts. SO good are they that they sent me pictures all alone the way. AND completed the paint in two days. I didn't make it back to the bank today ( was doing a steering column swap for another friend). However I was able to procure a chrome plated grill as mine fully disintegrated when I attempted to remove it from the supporting frame. Instead in the junky I took it off with the frame intact. Here are the picture updates.

 

[repoman]

Final list and then some...

1. rear wiper no power. Test FSM tree
2. Power seats no power. test FSM tree
3. Radio antenna installed, check all speakers during top half of interior.
4. remove and swap head liner.
5. remove rear air, swap out RR cover to 2001 without rear air. then all interior panels match
6. install b-quiet on ceiling.
7. swap trip computer with headliner
8. remove air conditioning RR heater stuff from old headliner/ceiling
9. swap interior panels on all four doors, install b-quiet ( while also checking speakers)
10. install front clip, front and back bumpers
11. install aux water pump to fender
12. remove aircon/aux heater piping front firewall to RR
13. reinstall splash guard
14. reinstall hitch
15. wire in brake controller

I'm sure a few more things I missed here. Getting so close!


next year:

Engine bling: covers, fuel line rail aluminum
clean, powdercoat and rebuild alternator.
reinstall aircon system from 2001 all new parts.
swap rims to chrome rims, new tires
Roof rack.
LED off road lights
CAR-puter instead of front cup holder on tunnel.
Re-do headliner custom print
Re-do rear panels add off road tool mounts
Re-do rear storage.
rear end rebuild, swap, rear disc brake conversion
front axle rebuild swap. I have a spare out. winter project.
Patch doors
Patch rear hatch ( swap with 2001 or cut up good side of 2001 for 2003)

 

[Dadditruck]

Cool list! But unsure of what you mean by- redo rear panels for off-road tool mounts? Interested in this. Thanks!

 

[repoman]

Cool list! But unsure of what you mean by- redo rear panels for off-road tool mounts? Interested in this. Thanks!

since i won't be needing the HUGE amount of crap in the RR Over the wheel well. I was going to make mounts for an axe, folding shovel, Sven Saw all on one side. Also redoing the storage box into a storage tray that pops out with more storage. while still being able to keep oem jack in there . On the left side, would be a swing arm mounted vise that I can clamp my chainsaw on for quick sharpening or lock to left side of truck.