So lately I've been doing a bit of pondering, trying to come up with a game plan for what I need to do on my truck to make it a decent/comfortable driving truck.
These are some of the things I've come up with.
1) most important is to get the drivetrain upgraded with the 3.38:1 ring/pinion in it. This is probably THE single most important upgrade on any of these older trucks, including the AD series. Really wasn't until the 60s when things started to modernize, IMO.
2) Music. For me music is mandatory, I've always had it when driving and I need to have it in Keroppi. I don't want to destroy the classic look of the interior, so my plan is to build a mount that can allow a captive touch screen display to swing out on a hinge so it can be put back into the glove box when not in use.
3) Navigation. This pertains to Music as well, since I will be using a CarPlay device so I can play music from my iphone as well as use Maps for navigation. Suffice to say, I can use my phone, but having put a CarPlay in my daily driver, it's a game changer. These stereos will allow you to listen to either vmail or text messages, and it will let you dictate your response. These devices will
NOT send notifications while your phone is plugged into the car, and while that was annoying at first, I really think this is a good safety feature.
4) This is not needed, per se, but I would like a 2nd gas tank in Keroppi, just for extended mileage. I have a gas tank that was added to the bed, the original is still under the seat. My plan is to clean that up and use it also. I have a toggle switch that will allow me to divert power and sending device from tank to gauge on dash. This is the style of switch I will use:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2825010840525) Carburetor/fuel lines. This is not something really needed, but I will replace my hardlines and use 2 electric low pressure fuel pumps. I will be using these:
https://www.amazon.com/BOXI-Externally-Universal-Pressure-Electric/dp/B07H7BRJSX/ref=sr_1_2 In addition, I have a Carter 3211S that was NOS and rebuilt by Jon Goodman, who hangs out on Stovebolt, which I don't. This is the carb for the 235 that Carter made. I have a 964S on my 235 now, I think it may have been from the original 216, but it does work fine on the 235. I will sell that once I swap the 3211S on it.
6) Bed. redo and replace wood and cut custom length metal stripping to use between the wood. Will probably use hard maple as I have a bunch of that and I will use either varnish or West Marine epoxy so rain doesn't warp the wood.
7) Fabricate mount for Suburban seat. I haven't decided how to mount it, but there's a tube that runs along the floor (top of frame for gas tank in this case). I think I can somehow use some u-bolts but may need to fabricate or weld something usable. This also gets me seat belts as well.
8) Sound deadening. panic brought up a good point about sound deadening. There is pretty much bare metal in the entire cab, so these trucks are noisy. Need to work on this little by little, there's a lot of room for improvement.
This is a list of fixes that I think will make Keroppi all that much more comfortable to drive on the highway. Others may not need these features, and if so, no harm in me updating my thread.
If I can finish this list above, this will be a decent driving old truck.
