68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

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TUDrewser
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by TUDrewser »

That's looking so great! Nice work!

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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Thanks! all the hard work and weekend trips are starting to pay off.

my new guess is by the beginning of December it will be reliable and water tight enough to start regularly driving it.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

My dad put the door glass in, and I mounted and figured the wiring out on my junkyard windshield wiper motor. I found a good deal on tires this weekend, and almost drove my truck up to pick them up, but they got sold somewhat out from under me...And I apparently have a bad alternator and have been running on battery power the last couple months of test runs.

the thru-bed stack is mounted in, but not plumbed up yet-for another weekend!
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Two years ago my daily driver got totaled by a sorority girl rear ending me at 50+mph, so my new rear bumper is 8+ feet of 2" x 6" x 3/16" wall tubing w/ 1/4" brackets and gussets. I feel better with this and a 10k pound trailer hitch behind me (more pics when its painted, im very happy with it though).
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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Not the best picture, but the bumper is done.
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I brought the truck up to Lakeland, ~120 miles and drove it around town probably another 30 so far. Cruising at 70mph the coolant temps never got above 185, EGT was around 750, and the boost was ~5psi, couldn't ask for much more. The only time I turn my fan on is if im at a stop for more than 5-10mins.

I have some pesky fuel and oil leaks that I need to track down and fix, but nothing alarming. Im hoping to pick up some tires this weekend so I can get them mounted and I can get off these bald tires...
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by rocklaurence »

Wow, looks great. I look at the add several years ago before you bought it and would have never thought it would be resurrected like this! I'm concerned that you'll get diesel slobber/soot from the stack.
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Thanks! I was thinking that the other week as well, its been a long time coming, kind of in disbelief that its here (for the most part) now. There will be a lot of diesel 'slobber', it happened in the Ram when I had the stack as well, a good scrubbing at the car wash and it comes rite off, the soot is pretty dry and doesn't stick too well...expect a call soon, if your free (or need any help) because im free and am up here the next couple weeks...
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Couldn't have asked for a better evening the other night- I went on a 120mi round trip to pick up my new tires. it was ~55deg outside and I was struggling to keep the engine temps above 160 (without a fan, and a rad 1/2 the size of stock). She drove like a dream...
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of course the next morning I wok up to it leaking fuel like crazy, I think the low temps free'd up the fuel line fitting tolerances to leak, it was o.k. this evening, ill investigate closer on Christmas break....

Im getting the tires mounted on my wheels tomorrow, heres a preview, should lift the truck up 3+" im pretty sure itll have enough clearance then.
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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Probably not so great at off roading as such- since I need either a lift kit or to move the bumpers forward and cut the fenders more (2" front fender clearance), but I love how the Kaiser looks now on these Humvee takeoff 37's!!
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I only drove it 5 miles, and under 45mph, but there is little to no tire roar on the road, the thicker sidewall seems to be helping my "1.5 ton" rear leaf spring's stiffness by absorbing some of the shock.

I ordered a rubber floor liner and 50sqft more of sound deadener for this and next weekends projects while tracking down (currently miniscule) fuel leaks.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by rocklaurence »

Very nice!
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ross80truck
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by ross80truck »

I love the way you did your rear bumper. That looks really nice! The whole truck looks great!
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Eugene 1
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Eugene 1 »

if I Owned a Jtruck that would be it !
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Thanks guys!

Just another quick update...im happy with the sound deadening, but not so with my choice of flooring.

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I put in a layer of 80mm fatmat, which went great. The problem came with my rubber floor mat-its a flat piece of plastic meant for garage floors. I had to cut the mat in several places to make it lay correctly, it looks good at some angles (like the pic I provided) and bad at other angles (like the pics I did not provide).
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it was $150 for 100sqft so I have another length if I wanted to retry it, but this is meant to be a (unique) work truck, form over function, so in that sense I guess I cant complain.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

surfwagoneer
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by surfwagoneer »

I'd be interested in some more feed back on the fat mat after you get some time in it. I've looked into it for my wagon.
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rocklaurence
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by rocklaurence »

surfwagoneer wrote:I'd be interested in some more feed back on the fat mat after you get some time in it. I've looked into it for my wagon.
Me also, the Fat Matt is expensive (how much did it cost ya line it)?
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Ill let you know, but itll have to be a bit later, Im going to put it on the door skins too-I think im getting a lot of noise from there still. I ordered 50sqft of 80mil Fatmat off Amazon for $110. I used a foam insulator from home depot for the firewall and behind the seats (my theory is that the foam will insulate from heat better). Ive used 1/2-1/3 of the 50sqft on the floor up to all 4 corners.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

rocklaurence
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by rocklaurence »

OK, sounds as though it covers a lot. I was thinking $500 + for a truck cab.
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TrenchFoot
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by TrenchFoot »

I haven't used it yet, but Eastwood's house brand of mat is billed as half the price of Dynamat. http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-thermo ... erial.html
'78 Waggy: 401/QT pulling the rust down the road. 6.2L +turbo waiting in the wings.
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Mudbull
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Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

My .02 is this: its all about mass, the eastwood mat is 60mils of butyl, 34sqft for $170. The fatmat is advertised as 80mils and was $110 for 50sqft. I will say though that the tiles of insulation would be easier to install than the roll that mine came in.

I looked at a few reviews for sound deadener, and basically went against them in favor of price, but here is a comparison I really like because it is very factual and based on numbers, not opinions:
http://www.caraudio.com/forums/audio-te ... rison.html

One of my friends used the 50mil Fatmat (I helped install it) on his chevelle. His Boss Installed RAAMat in his corvette, I heard theyre both happy w/ their choice. Another friend went with dynamat and thinks its great I don't think you can go wrong with a big name.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Topic author
Mudbull
Posts: 131
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:07 pm
Location: Lakeland, FL

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Not much new here, im getting my front driveshaft built this week hopefully. This weekend I took a tall, standard full size truck tool box and narrowed it by over a foot so it would fit in my bed. Hopefully putting the finishing touches on it next week.

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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Atla
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Location: North Carolina

Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Atla »

Man, what a great build.

I'm really digging that color, and the bed. You have any more pictures of your rear bumper build?
~Atla. (I'm just here for the pictures)
1983 J-10
2001 TJ

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