Build thread - Skyforger

[StormChase99XLT]

Update -

Did some more console work

Started putting the fine touches on the passenger side

Striped the liftgate and interior rear door sails and started putting on graphics

 

[funhousejoe]

sort of a off base question what do you think of the yuasa 10 meter radio's ? i have cb thinking about adding ham

 

[Mike's brother]

Man, you'll see that coming. Great work. Keep the updates coming.

:exp:

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Yeasu is a great manufacturer, as they are made by Vertex-Standard. I am highly encouraging of those who are looking to get into ham radio. If you are already into DX contacts on CB, then 10-Meter ham is a great option. SSB and even FM contacts can be made world-wide. I would highly recommend that you also get a dual-band rig, or a couple of commercial radios, and look into the VHF and UHF ham repeaters in your area.

I've been dealing with a lot of gremlins in the truck lately, not the least of which is the eaten-up rocker panels, a glitch causing the 4wd to deactivate, and chasing a hideous exhaust leak. I have, however, painted the entire truck with flat black paint and truck bed liner (the yellow paint turned), and installed my new red LED warning lighting and siren system, along with an in-dash P25 trunking scanner and a 33MHz low band Motorola CDM1250. I have also installed a remote head kit onto my VHF MCS2000. Pictures forthcoming soon.

 

[Adam 12]

Subscribing as well. Excited for this build. I use mine for emergency response as well, but I don't have all of the in-cab mounted radios. Just a CB, radio box for my portable and some emergency lights.

I'm not attempting to hijack this thread and I apologize if I'm out of line. In addition to my regular duties I also serve as the in house radio technician. I program and maintain radios. I was just going to send a PM however I thought others might bennifit from the information.

If your running a motorola portable you can install a "Convertacom" thees go by different names depending on the hand held. For example Sabers use a MVA, The Jedi series (ie HT1000, JT1000, MT2000, MTS2000) are just called a Convertacom, Astro Sabers use an AVA, XTS3000, XTS3500, and XTS5000 use a XTVA, and older radios use them as well. Some GE & Ma Com radios also ust them.

This tunns your hand held radio into a mobile radio. The cradle that holds your handheld radio has a palm mic like a mobile, an external speaker which is way louder than your radio alone makes it easy to hear over a siren. Every Convertacom has an external antenna jack so you can hard mount an antenna on the roof or if you don't want to drill the roof you can use a magnet mount up there. The external antenna greatly increases your radios effective range. Thees units also have the option of pluging in an external amp which takes your 4-5 watt radio upto 40 watts or higher.

It's very easy to use when you enter your vehicle you slide your radio in (oh and it charges your radio too) then when you exit your vehicle you eject the radio and take it with you.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Yep. Motorola has shyed away from these in recent years. They probably realized they were losing money due to drops in mobile radio sales. The last one offered on a wide scale was the XTVA for the XTS3000/3500 series. Did you know that they made a more limited-release version though, for the HT750/1250/MTX850/950/8250/9250 series? It exists in the wild, as I have seen one. They are incredibly rare though.

So, I've done some more work.

Took out the 800MHz MCS2000 and replaced it with a FS PA300 siren

Added one of my MagnumEVS Flatpax 100w siren speakers behind the grille

The yellow paint turned into chalk on the first cold day of winter. This is unacceptable, so I painted the entire truck flat murder black

Finished the graphics set on the liftgate

Installed front and rear red LED warning sticks

Ripped out the cargo area carpet and laid down Herculiner

And put a layer of Herculiner on the hood and fender tops

Finished for now

 

[funhousejoe]

i am guessing you sanded the yellow before herculinering the truck?

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Sanded it all off, then laid several coats of flat black, then the Herculiner.

I'm currently dealing with the last of the rust issues and trying to get it to pass inspection. I have ordered the rocker panel and dogleg replacements, and next week, the fleet mechanic at work and me are going to cut the old ones out and weld new ones in. Then comes time for exhaust.

If anyone has any advice on the exhaust for these things, I'm all ears. I'm considering bending up some custom duals.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

How have I not seen your rig around when we live so close and I'm in North Hills all the time? I live right by Riverview Park on the northisde.

The last time my truck was on the road late last summer it looked like this, not sure if you've seen it before. We gotta get together sometime man. A bunch of us are actually going to start up regular meets sometime soon.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

I'm game. I'm doing quite a bit with mine this summer. I have seen yours a while ago.

I'm right inside of Bellevue, a mile or maybe 2 from you.

 

[funhousejoe]

Sanded it all off, then laid several coats of flat black, then the Herculiner.

I'm currently dealing with the last of the rust issues and trying to get it to pass inspection. I have ordered the rocker panel and dogleg replacements, and next week, the fleet mechanic at work and me are going to cut the old ones out and weld new ones in. Then comes time for exhaust.

If anyone has any advice on the exhaust for these things, I'm all ears. I'm considering bending up some custom duals.

i have rust really only in 2 spots on the bottom of my rear door panels along the entire bottom edge where did you get your replacement parts?

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Ebay!

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Also, if you have that light surface rust along the bottom of your door panels, this stuff works wonders. Just scrub the rust with a steel bristle brush, and spray a few coats.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/s_...ons/Loctite-Extend-Rust-Neutralizer-Spray.htm

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Yesterday, I had Meineke on the ORB weld on a brand new exhaust system for around $600. The sound is a lot better now, and it runs better, considering that it had 7-8 large holes in the pipes, a hole in the muffler, and the pipe had completely separated from the resonator.

My radio stack has changed again, with pictures forthcoming:
- Motorola XTL1500 UHF 440-527MHz - For Allegheny County & 70cm ham radio
- Motorola Astro Spectra 800MHz - For City of Pittsburgh trunk & 8CALL/8TAC channels.
- Federal Signal PA300 siren.
- Motorola MCS2000 Model II VHF - For Ross, Bellevue, Avalon DPW & 2-Meter ham radio.
- SlipGrip cradle mount for Kyocera Torque.
- NOW FEATURING CUPHOLDERS!!!

Future upgrades - Imminent:

- Sound-Off Ghost super-LED red warning light mounted to the hood lip.
- Remove extra antenna mounts.
- Move antenna mounts for UHF, VHF, 800MHz, and scanner towards front and plug old holes.
- Rear quadrant safari rack.
- Surface-mount red LED warning lights on sides of safari rack and front fenders.
- Re-route and revamp of existing auxiliary wiring harness and switching systems.
- Cut out and replace rocker panels and doglegs.
- Side and rear LED flood lighting on safari rack.
- Puddle lights.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Pulled another trigger today. I'm adding some old-school flair with a Wolo Power Beam 3610R.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

Got the used Sound-Off Ghost in the mail this morning. It was advertised as "normal scuffs and scrapes from use, hood U bracket, tested and works". When it got here, the wires were burned, the lens was yellowed, only half of the LEDs worked, and there was no hood bracket.

Yay.

So, Paypal claim and back it goes.

Now, to find a used Ghost in red/red or red/clear that actually works.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

The safari rack and Power Beam are on the truck, the flood bar has been moved up onto the safari rack, and I've mounted red LED lighting to the sides of the safari rack, along with L brackets for antennas. I had to move the antennas, due to the safari basket taking up that space now.

Pictures forthcoming.

 

[StormChase99XLT]

 

[funhousejoe]

very nice redo , your choice to go retro old style on the light is kinda fun too having the antennas higher should help too . just gonna hit more stuff with them lol

 

[Badblueoval1]

I'm in the north hills as well. I'm game for a meet somewhere. Im the white loud 4door with the Hoonigan stickers going down the rear windows.