88 Max 1-ton long bed build

[77amc]

Good morning. I've been compiling info and pics of this build but have lost some pics along the way.
Thank you to the persons that have taken the time out to explain things to me (hard-headed) over and over again.

Here goes:
I picked it up from a friend for 500 who said that it stuck wide open and couldn't pull over and it revved for a while til he got to pull over.. Once home he said that it had a knock. It didn't sound bad to me, more like a valve train noise.
Well I read up on the 2.6 from several sites like ProjectOg to try and learn as much as I could.
I thought it was just the timing chain and proceeded to pull that little cover off to adjust the chain. Well I didn't read that it was supposed to have a .040 clearance and it didn't take long to have a nice TIGHT chain dig through the guides and tear things up.
Chain replacement.. Got a ebay kit and manual and got busy. Put it all back together but didn't torque the upper b/s bolt enough and within a mile from my house (going to work) I heard a heart dropping noise and saw my oil light come on
Limped it back home and it siezed going up my drive.

REBUILD: I was getting into it right before this happened and really didn't have the extra funds to now have a broken truck with new tags/insurance on it..
Fast forward to some pics. Just a basic .5mm bore/hone/deck but decide to use a Quest head, ported myself, blocked the EGR passages, match ported the intake with cutting out the little divider under the carb also for any extra flow. Got some roller rockers off of Ebay, Had the cam reground by Schneider cams with a set of their springs and had the stock cam gear drilled 4deg+, installed the balance shaft kit and jet valve kit too. [img]http://imgcash3.imageshack.us/img191/5913/26enginebuildwrollerroc.th.jpg[img]http://imgcash5.imageshack.us/img30/176/26maxbuild008.th.jpg[/img][/img]






The trans is from a 91 2.4 max that only had 81K on it! that I just got a new t/o bearing, painted it (trans) and used the better parts like mounts, clutch assy and such to put it back together and in.
I did the Yota rear swap with a 3" drop also. And a Yota fr hub swap with taco rotors. So now I have the Quest rims all-round!

Moved the washer res to firewall and soon to use a Montero p/s pump with self contained res to free up even more space on that side.
Adapted a Dodge Daytona electric fan to help cool the Quest oil cooler and adapter on side of block.
Found a 99 Honda CRV and got the fr seats.. Even has an armrest and raised (haven't installed yet) center "fold down" console.
Installed some white faced gauges in the upper part of the (then non cracked) dash but didn't think that wires were behind the first hole . Angled them to the drivers seat for better viewing.
Will be getting new carpet at a later date. Found a ram50 at a yard that had the tach/clock and installed that too.

I'm sure I forgot some topics and welcome questions for help.
Errol

[77amc]

AAAHHH.. I hate computers!
Here's more..


Thanks. Errol

[pennyman1]

Mine's cut me many times, but it never bit off my fingers!!! Can't wait to see it done- might want to wear gloves once in a while

[prospect]

god that looks like it was painful

[MightyG54BTMax]

I had flashbacks when i saw that. Had a 4 1/2" grinder get stuck which yanked it outta my hands. It then proceeded to dance up my arm and get tangled in my shirt on my chest. Took a nice chunk outta my chest. I keep the shirt and cutting wheel as a reminder.

[77amc]

Actually, It didn't hurt that much at all! Just a split second.. I still had to finish with what I was doing at those times, Blood all over my tools and such, "trails" from garage/shop to the house.. (good thing I have a sink in the garage) Then, take the kids over to the neighbors so I could drive to sit and get stitches.
I just can't wear gloves. I don't get the same 'feel'. And by the way, gloves wouldn't have mattered in those instances anyway. I'd just have bloody gloves with slits in them.

When we had a sawmill, my brother was cutting a load of 4x4's with a 4' chainsaw and a knot or nail caught the tip and it flipped around and got him in the shoulder and the tip ended getting his l-cheek and nostril. He was ok, just shaken up a bit, well and some scares..

Hey, getting back to the truck.. My wife is a budding artist (doing quite well..) and instead of buying another vehicle, we're going to use the max. So to make it easier to use a trailer, ('cause it's lowered) I'm going to use a later GM 'flip down' license plate frame. Then cut a hole to utilize a receiver hitch hidden right behind it. OH, and flip it up instead..



And here's another little item.. A air pump that came from a late model impala wagon that had a load leveling system and utilized this air pump. I'll try and use it with air shocks so at a switch in-cab she can raise the rear to compensate for load.




If it works out nicely, I'll adapt another one the same for my Hornet to run to a tank and help spool the 'hot-side' of the turbos faster upon off-throttle, so i'll be able to already be at full boost at very low RPMs.
There was an ol racer guy that used CO-2 to do this since it expands over 70times upon entering the atmosphere, he told the 'Tech' inspectors that it was part of his fire-extinguisher system to sneak it in. And had it jetted toward the hot side of his turbo to have INSTANT throttle response.

Come to think of it, that should be in another thread for my Hornet build.. But all the same if used for the suspension end also.

Gotta jet.. Off to work Errol

[77amc]

Honda CRV front seats!! LOTS of support and even a fold down armrest.