On 10/28/2018 at 11:08 AM, Home Built by Jeff said:

 does anyone really need a truck that big? ? 

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"need" is arbitrary and subjective.

I have a Dodge 2500 4x4 cummins turbo diesel, ordered it new almost 20 years ago.  to ME its the perfect vehicle, it does all I can ask for it to do .

Towing a 8000lb trailer up hill as if its not there? no sweat. impersonating a muscle car burning rubber? easy as pie. driving it coast to coast comfortably getting 20 miles per gallon(unloaded)- BEEN THERE DONE THAT..

I towed with much less....on level ground they are fine, but once you get into hill country its a pain full experience, up or down hill.

 

 

I have an old Mercedes ML500 and it can tow 3500kg. I have driven across the country with my heavy lunk of a car trailer with car on it, and it will sit on 120kph up any hill without trying AND I can park it anywhere ? 

I used to have a Holden ute, and the tray on that was fantastic. Long and low so you could reach into it. I had a Hilux after that and I hated it as the tray is so high, it is a pain to get things in and out of. That is why I decided a comfortable SUV and a trailer is the better option for me.

That said, if I was travelling around the country to race events or similar all the time, it would be nice to have a big enclosed trailer, but I don't have the need for it at this stage.

@tzagi1 knows. Glad to see other truck enthusiasts in here.

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Yea, my wife's got a truck too. It was her Dads, she drove it in high school. Didn't look quite like this then.

 

Jeff. Let me put into perspective for you.

Imagine (as a fireman) one tells you the following: what do you need a fancy shmancy fire truck for with that high pressure pump? I can put away that fire using my garden hose!!!!!!!!!

Is it possible? perhaps, however is it practical?  not so much.

same can be said for your towing experience, I can tell you for a fact that towing with a full size truck (3/4 ton and up) is a completely different experience then towing with a ordinary suv....even a 1/2 ton full size truck is highly inferior.

PS, speaking as a former MB heavy line tech.....the ML platform is the worst thing I ever seen since Russian Ladas, horrible cars. I wouldn't tow a jet ski with it. 3500kg? man you are brave! the tongue wight is more then the carrying capacity.

Its a matter of what you are used to I guess, you need to try it to understand.

  On 10/29/2018 at 3:57 AM, tzagi1 said:

Jeff. Let me put into perspective for you.

Imagine (as a fireman) one tells you the following: what do you need a fancy shmancy fire truck for with that high pressure pump? I can put away that fire using my garden hose!!!!!!!!!

Is it possible? perhaps, however is it practical?  not so much.

same can be said for your towing experience, I can tell you for a fact that towing with a full size truck (3/4 ton and up) is a completely different experience then towing with a ordinary suv....even a 1/2 ton full size truck is highly inferior.

PS, speaking as a former MB heavy line tech.....the ML platform is the worst thing I ever seen since Russian Ladas, horrible cars. I wouldn't tow a jet ski with it. 3500kg? man you are brave! the tongue wight is more then the carrying capacity.

Its a matter of what you are used to I guess, you need to try it to understand.

Absolutely. The full size trucks definitely have their place, I am just stirring things up ? 

I know a guy here who has an F650 triple cab, and basically it is just taken to small fairs, etc, to give charity drives and as an attraction. I am sure that is still a big vehicle there, but here it is a spectacle.

  On 10/29/2018 at 3:01 AM, w3wilkes said:

Yea, my wife's got a truck too. It was her Dads, she drove it in high school. Didn't look quite like this then.

 

Now that is my type of truck. I am definitely interested in doing an early Ford or Chevy truck build one of these days.

Maybe in Fire Engine red?

Love that Chevy! I had one like it but with out the 5 window cab. Sold it in pieces to an older guy when my kids were young. More tuition...

Today I started to replace the wiring in the car and getting it ready for the engine.

 

 

That 260 dash may not have the same wiring connectors etc. Your console won’t match up either. I would source another 240 dash if possible.

There are full dash covers available for the 240Z like this one   https://zcardepot.com/catalog/product/view/id/825/s/dash-cover-cap-full-overlay-interior-black-70-72-early-73.html/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwguDeBRDCARIsAGxuU8YfUynjMimWLobvU8IIPj9Ag2iznsa4ZZPGatC3DKft3aEHo0_xpHEaAqigEALw_wcB , but you would need to source a Glove Box and Glove Box door. I believe the box is still availabel but the door probably from eBay.

Couple of pointers

1. You can use the newer dash however...

A. you will also need the later center consul as the early consul will not mate with the newer dash

B. you will need to modify the climate controls. might also get the later hood cable assy, the early one will or might not fit the early mounting point

2 gauges. they are NOT the same, for example if you are to use the early gauges in the later dash you will need to swap the early clock work into a later case, it will not mount otherwise. also, all the connectors are different and the later tach runs off the negative side of the coil vs the positive on the early tach

All in all it will be easier to use the early dash, get a dash cover (get the 1/2 cover) and find the missing bits.

PS, if you or anyone else get a dash cover and live in a hot climate DO NOT leave it uncovered in the sun!, it will warp badly.