More work on this dumb old thing.
The soft top channel wasn't big enough to fit the new thicker top through it so I machined a little soft steel bullet and use the air chisel to drive it through to open it up from .375 to .415 and that was just enough clearance for the new top to slip in and it stays just fine it appears.
Pulled the kick panels and am going to clean those up and install some sound deadening on the back of them.
Started to sound deaden the transmission cover. The stuff is rated to 450 deg F steady heat and there are other locations where it is on the truck already, and has been for 10 years, exposed to exhaust heat and it is perfectly fine. I ran out as I did the access door. I will remove that and it gets a gasket as well just to keep air from pushing through.
Then the foil..
And I think I am going to attach this piece of Jute to it also. The amount of noise and heat that comes through the transmission cover as it was, was just really impressive. Also didn't help I had a million open holes from other "ideas" along the way.
Theres no kill quite like overkill.
Im waiting on some "corner" type nut plates that are stuck in USPS, with a number of other things. I can then finish installing the floors.
I have a small trip coming up with the thing and before that I want to:
Paint the seat frames
Build relocation adapters for the rear seats to move them around some
Clean up and thermal wrap / loom some wiring under the truck.
^wire up the cruise control and air tank gauge in the center console during this task.
Adjust the caster and reset my toe
Build some sort of roof rack thing
Get the driver's window winder working right.