Looking Good

Things are starting to look good!  There are a lot of parts strewn about, but the truck will start some major assembly this next week.

Progress since the last post:

• Rob and Jason cleaned up the mess.  Thank you thank you thank you.  This is small potatoes, but sure makes me feel better working in an organized workspace.
• Greg put holes in the battery boxes and frames for the high voltage cables to pass though.  This was more work than one would think due to the steel and the frame.
• The battery boxes are powder coated.  The front battery box is mounted.
• Jesse with Jason's help cleaned and rebuilt the differential.
• Ted and Mark sandblasted and painted the propeller (drive) shaft and installed it.
• Rob and Jason painted the engine compartment and cab interior.  it is now grey and much more attractive.
• I received and installed the Juice Box charging station
• Rob painted the part of the steering column that sticks into the engine compartment (orange).
• Jesse, and the team as a whole installed the battery boxes and batteries and truck bed so that we could figure out the stance of the truck.  We will raise the front end 1" (after being lower about 6") and lower the back end 3".  DaveB and Ben will figure out how to do that.
• Andrew and Greg figured out how to and did mount the radio.
• Peter ordered some tygon tubing for the cooling system.  It will look great filled with orange coolant.
• Mark has started building a clear contactor box.
• Just today, Jesse painted the new parts of the frame which support the battery boxes.

There are quite a few items left, but it is looking good to be road worthy in May.

The next big items are:

• Paint the differential orange
• Install steering column
• Install the front engine mount
• Lower the back end 3"
• Final installation of rear three battery boxes
• Install bed lift and lock system
• Bottom balance the batteries
• Finish the build and wire the contactor box
• Wire the batteries
• Wire everything else

And then of course

• Cab interior
• Graphics
• Grill
• Tail lights

Wow... it's a pretty big list.  Five weeks... I think we can get there!

Here are some pictures.

Rob and Jason with the painted engine compartment

Front battery box

A beautifully clean differential

Trying to assess the stance

Look at all those batteries

Ready for painting the frame (with the garage door open)