My From Start to Finish 6.0L Build

[Sam Harris]

It's been a very difficult 10 days. Yesterday as i was getting ready for work at 0600 I started getting very dizzy and almost fell into our big garden tub. I ended up sitting down and could not stand without losing my balance. Called my wife up and she immediately said we are going to the emergency room. She got dressed, loaded me up in her car and off we went. When we arrived and I described the symptoms they immediately went into stroke protocol. Scared the hell out of me, who would have thought dizziness would be one of the main symptoms. I had over 5 people in that room poking me, hooking me up to monitors and then wheeling me out for a CT scan and then MRI. I was lucking no stroke. Spent the night in the hospital for observation and diagnosed with Positional Vertigo. Home now, still a bit dizzy but functional. I learned a lot. I know I'm not the only older member on this site but age really doesn't matter. Please, all of you look up BEFAST - my wife knew, I did not. Take care of yourselves and let your loves one know. My public service announcement..

As far as my build, I'm still ordering parts as I save for my engine heads. Bought all my new sensors, valley cover, valve covers. Researching rocker arms and torque converter. Thanks to @Rocket Man I ordered a new master cylinder brake reservoir. I'm also putting together another order for my braided transmission lines.

Thank you all for your support.

Holy crap! We’re all glad you’re ok brother! Take care of yourself!

 

[RAMurphy]

Oh man glad you’re ok Bob. I know stroke protocol, learned that in CPR class. The build can wait, health is number one. Take it easy my man.

Thanks Mark.

 

[RAMurphy]

I'm glad everything turned out ok. Anyone can have a stroke at any age, you don't have to be old.

Thank you. You are so right about about the age thing - can happen to anyone.

 

[RAMurphy]

Holy crap! We’re all glad you’re ok brother! Take care of yourself!

Thank you.

 

[RAMurphy]

Holy crap! We’re all glad you’re ok brother! Take care of yourself!

We're glad it wasn't a stroke. I've had vertigo before and it's not fun. Take care of yourself!

Thank you. And your right, not fun. But, I'm at a point where I can stand, move around and not fall down - but still feel the dizziness. Each day a little better. Crazy how fast it came on.

 

[RAMurphy]

Still here. Still saving. However, my wife decided that refinishing our basement is THE priority. So that is where I have been lately, night and day. It's something I have promised but never got around to it. I will post some pictures, over half way there. It's been fun, but wow - money going out the door and not towards my Tahoe which is now 250 miles short of 300K.

 

[Rocket Man]

Nothing like remodeling to drain the bank accounts. Looking forward to pics.

 

[RAMurphy]

Some pictures of the remodeling. This is what I started with. I first needed to remove the installed insulation. Then start plotting where the basement finishing portion will start and end. The basement was already partially plumbed (waste tub, toilet and bath/shower piping) so I did have a partial start on where the bathroom would be. Set up a music/Old TV station for background entertainment as I worked.

 

[RAMurphy]

That is the sump pump in the background.

 

[RAMurphy]

I then made the decision to complete the plumbing for the waste tank. Bought a very high quality sewage injector pump and plumbed it into the current plumbing. Interesting factoid and kinda funny. One of the measurements on these pumps includes the diameter of the sh$# it can handle.

 

[RAMurphy]

Then started marking off and working on the bathroom:

Bought a shower tub enclosure, decided to go simple and easy vice tile. The floor will be tile.

 

[RAMurphy]

Then with the tub in position and knowing how I wanted the bathroom laid out I started framing the bathroom.

 

[Rocket Man]

Nice work Bob. Plumbing is my least favorite. There seems to be 2 gazillion fittings and I never get every one I need until at least the third trip to the store. It’s nice to do new construction though instead of remodeling. The project I’m working on has me trying to correct bad construction that’s been reworked by at least one prior person who obviously had no clue what he/ she was doing. It’s been like that since I bought this house. It’s part 1950’s and added onto in the 70-80’s.

 

[RAMurphy]

Nice work Bob. Plumbing is my least favorite. There seems to be 2 gazillion fittings and I never get every one I need until at least the third trip to the store. It’s nice to do new construction though instead of remodeling. The project I’m working on has me trying to correct bad construction that’s been reworked by at least one prior person who obviously had no clue what he/ she was doing. It’s been like that since I bought this house. It’s part 1950’s and added onto in the 70-80’s.

HaHa and thank you. You are so right. I’ve yet posted the plumbing pictures, but I have a whole bag of fittings I need to return. I also hate plumbing. Yep, remodeling an older house a bit more difficult. Like I said, I’m over half way there. I decided to do the mudding myself. I should have paid someone. Taking way longer than it should. I’ll post more pictures later.

 

[RAMurphy]

And next the framing of other portions of the basement:

 

[RAMurphy]

Decided to build an audio visual wall in front of the back wall.

 

[Hobert]

Great start. Back in the 80's when i came back from college Dad said move in save some money, don't rent an apartment save for your own place. Blessing in disguise, your basement reminds me of what we did, THE BASEMENT. Turned out great but we did not put in a bathroom. Father son project I will cherish forever. Your priorities are right on!

 

[RAMurphy]

It's been fun and keeping me very busy and my mind off of our recent loss, which is good. I think my wife was pretty smart pushing this project. I ended up taking several weeks off (I had almost two weeks of "use or lose" vacation days and put that time to good use. Still more pics to post, but now I'm in a slow-down - mudding drywall not my thing. Seems easy, but not something I want to do again. Should have paid someone - it would have been done in a couple of days.

 

[RAMurphy]

From an engine build perspective. Just ordered my ARP head bolts and hardware to mount my already purchased sensors. Looking at vent tube options and have settled on the rocker arm option (Yella Terra).

 

[Rocket Man]

It's been fun and keeping me very busy and my mind off of our recent loss, which is good. I think my wife was pretty smart pushing this project. I ended up taking several weeks off (I had almost two weeks of "use or lose" vacation days and put that time to good use. Still more pics to post, but now I'm in a slow-down - mudding drywall not my thing. Seems easy, but not something I want to do again. Should have paid someone - it would have been done in a couple of days.

Yeah, every time I do mudding and taping it takes me forever and at least 3 coats. I always end up making it perfect which it really doesn’t have to be if I’m spraying texture over it but oh well. Plus it takes experience to lay it on good in the first place. That first coat seems to take forever to dry too. The inside corners are the hardest. I have an inside corner trowel but I sometimes end up just using my widest knife. Keep at it, you’ll get it.