You are not alone in this regard; daughter number four decided to have a baby, purely to interupt my work , and it will be another week before I get back home to actually check whether my project has dematerialised or not!?

Congratulations on the new apprentice Pom. You've gotta love the little ones.

Bit of an update,
Finally got the steering (power) set up, ended up using the Mazda T4000/ Ford Trader unit power steering box, mounting brackets and adjustable column.
lot of ginning around modifying the mounting brackets, chasing up the correct power steering hose ends to fit the Range Rover pump, lots of foul language and tearing of what little hair I have left.

Looks like stopped all the leaks, with engine at idle turns lock to lock very easy, going to try and refurbish the original steering wheel, needs a converter boss turned up in a lathe. Not really worried as also have a SAAS fine spline boss that fits the Mazda column, may even go down a size or two in overall steering wheel diameter, original is 18 inch with Armstrong steering, plenty of after market 15 0r 16, even 17 inch wheels around.

Dunno if you can make out the dash, has been heavily modified to take all the gauges and switches, will feed all wiring into a couple of 10 or 12 pin quick connector blocks, got plenty of room and make life a bit easier if and when the shed comes back off again (rust repair and painting).

Progress has been a bit slow, but you know what happens if you rush things!
Cheers, Dave_64

Looks like a busy little area there in the drivers compartment

Paul

Mrs,
Yeah, bit cramped in usual configuration, all the floorplates, bolt in, were rusted out but kept them for templates.

Prolly go to a bit heavier steel floor, they are all flat, passenger side kept standard, bit of ginning around drivers side to allow things like clutch and brake pedals to slide rearwards as cab tilts.

Can get the shed up to about 60-70 degrees and sliding spline stays in position.

Removable engine hatch can go back in place, bit of panel beating needed, so should give plenty of access to engine.

Lots of problems fitting it all together, but am a believer that just about anything can be sorted if you think about it hard enough, but also been getting heaps of advice and encouragement here on the forum!

Will it ever be finished?
I'd hope so, dont really have a 'bucket list' as such, but long term desire to do the New England run, may be a few years yet, though.
Dave.

Quite a challenge Dave.
Like your brackets and fittings.
Good to have a goal like taking your
Truck out on club runs.
Keep up the good work. Paul.

Got the old girl out of the shed this arvo, just sat the hoist mast cover on to see what it looks like, minor tweaking to get it away from the rope.!
Other photo is at full cab tilt, plenty of room to work.
Photo of dash installed, have to swap all gauges and switches, bit involved.
Was tempted to go for a lap around the block, but wimped it! (No brakes as yet!)
Cheers, Dave_64

Looking good


Paul

Impressive.

Gauges to be moved, but still a lot of holes to fill there?

Looks like you must have been some sort of pilot in a former life.

Had a bit of a gin around with the alloy tray, this arvo. It's one of Gould's and started life as a tow along 4 wheel trailer.Pretty rough, had to cut all the front hurdle area out of it, probably another 12-18 inches can still come out of the front section, when I make my mind up if I want to make a tipping tray, or simply bolt it ridgidly.Only sitting on timbers and roped to the chassis until I work out which way to jump, got the PTO and ram, all the gear for a tipping body, as well as the rear hinge, 30mm solid bar.

PDU, No, never had enough brains to ever be a pilot, but either drove trucks or earthmoving gear all my life, just about everything I've rebuilt I have put a full dash in, KW gold rimmed 4" speedo and Tacho, rest are VDO 50mm gauges, oil, water all the usual plus manifold boost pressure gauge and auxilliary transmission oil pump.Slowly getting there, had to make a bit of room, have the second Karrier rolling chassis just about ready to start stripping it down.I'm even thinking about putting a steel checker plate on top of the Alloy tray, just to try and get a little bit of weight over the drive, old bugger spins the wheels reversing into the shed, and it's only a slight grade.Either that or leave a cupla bags of concrete or something on the tray.Cheers. Dave_64