Thread: "HillBilly Deluxe" F450 Wrecker. Need lighting ideas. help!

Well, Most of you may remember my wrecker from a few years back. About 2 years ago, I pulled it from service to bring it to a shop for its annual inspection and a coat of chameleon purple/copper gold paint and a park brake. well, the mechanic was a douche, said engine was shot, reason why it had no balls. He took the cab off to get the engine out, removed the towbody for sandblasting and prep it for paint. I didnt know there was a warrant for his arrest, he skipped town, left my truck for months in a feild 40 mins out of town. THe original chassis and cab was a 2007, I bought a 2001 parts truck (interior panels, tires, rims, engine parts for my f250 gasser) and the engine is from a 2003 bus I picked up, 444CuIn diesel.

So I took a few trips and brought it back and been rebuilding for a few years when I can, it was totally stripped. I got it all back together, had to build an engine (did it myself) installed it, set cab on and my friend helped me set the tow body on and fasten it down, she was the only one who really helped. I got it running, but it was slow and no balls still. Turns out my new turbo charger was the wrong one, didnt build boost. And to add insult to injury, the old engine was fine, the turbo was shot. I rebuilt my old one with the internals of the new one and shes fine.

For lighting right now, I got my custom built 58" MX7000. has 4 rotators, and a butt load of mirrors to the rear, i think 12 or so, so its one long rolling flash! no square in to the rear is un lit! you dont need lots of lights if you know how to place mirrors! It also has sweeps with amber to the front of them (primary for hauling) which also come on with the 2 rear amber flashers. It has 6 takedown lights and 2 running lights to the front, 4 rear work lights, alleys and STT lights.

I also have 2 fed sig PAR36 flashers, impaxx on the side of the push bumper and Ill add TIR3s to the grill later.

I have a SWS 6 button switch panel and a whelen control center mounted over head, the wires run through ther headliner and A pillar.

I also totally rewired the trucks factory wiring system. I removed the wiring harness totally for headlights, tail lights, signals park lights, brake lights and reverse lights. I ran all new 7 wire cable for everything. There is now separate brake lights from the signals. THe 7 wire powers left, right, brake, tail, reverse, and warning/aux light aswell as ground. it runs from the rear, to under teh cab under driver seat to a junction box, which splits to the front and up into the cab. Once it reaches the inside of the cab, it goes to a terminal block (out of a turbo beam bar) on the dashboard just next to the steering wheel, where it can easily be accessed for testing and adding additional lights. the wires then run into the steering column to the signal light arm (i removed the factory harness from the arm) and also to the brake lights and power output from the headlight switch. I also have a constant power and ground on the block for testing. both left and right side have their own in line flasher.

Im going to get mor detailed pictures from underneath, but my back is acting up, cant get under it right now. Ive been working at this steady for one week, my first time really touching it in almost 2 years. As of yesterday, Im at a stand still until I get cash, so the past 2 days are just accessories such as my window sticker, dixieland horn, interior trim etc, dont want to waste a day because of no cash. Things are tight, lots of personal problems im trying to work out, im off work for a bit. just trying to stay out of the liquor, keep busy and save what little cash I got coming in.

Link to the full album on facebook:
Facebook

heres a lighting demo video
Towtruck Install - YouTube

and for shits and giggles, the horn! Ive been a dukes fan since I can remember, Ive seen all 144 episodes, been to dukes fest etc.
Tow truck horn install - YouTube

Love the surgebar!

It would not be complete without the horns!

the surbar is just a multi plug lol. All my vehicles are equipped with a 120-12vtransformer so I can plug them in and run the radio, lights etc off 120v. there was an inverter inside to plug things in like shop vacs, laptops,, etc. and HD inverter from big rigs, can power a small fridge off the truck!

Heres pics of my terminal blocks under the truck and inside. The black 7 wire cable runs the rear and front of the truck, the grey cable goes up into the cab where I have a power distribution terminal. The top terminal is a constant power, for testing and accessories, the bottom is a ground.

R------ +
Y------ +left signal
G------ +Right signal
B------ +park lamps
R------ +brake lamps
B------ + from switchpanel -> rear flashers
W----- -


For some reason, after altering this system, My power windows no longer work. They worked right after it, but after a bit of time, they stopped, aswell as the OEM horn, and when I hit the brakes, the voltage guage drops, but the actual battery voltage does not. Im going to have to go through fuses. I never had any arcing or any issues with anything.

getting there

I usually don't get too jazzed up about wreckers, but I gotta say I love your passion and know-how. Great work building your vehicle back up and getting it cleaned up and looking how you like it. Tip of the hat for sure. Keep us posted!

I assume you are going to change the lenses to amber on the lightbar before the truck goes into service?

THeres red and amber filters under the red lenses, I just borrowed the red lenses since my clears are MIA. The bar is totally red to the rear with the exception of the 2 amber rear flashers. the outter rotators have an amber half filter to the front.

Are you still going to paint it as you originally planned?

Not Too sure, Might give it another black coat and do some red stripes.

And what is this thing supposed to be used for?

Originally Posted by GTRider245

And what is this thing supposed to be used for?

Hauling Potatoes...



It's a Tow Truck... One would assume that it will be used to tow vehicles...

I was impressed until I saw that you've got red lights on a tow truck.

Originally Posted by nerdly_dood

I was impressed until I saw that you've got red lights on a tow truck.

you obviously havent read that the clear outter domes are smashed, and the other on another bar, reds are to prevent water from destroying the light. it is although red to the rear. Emergency ( police contracted per officer) wreckers (not flatbeds) can run red 360*, i run only to the rear. You have to remember, we often sit in the middle of 100 km/h highways cleaning up wrecks, we dont need to be confused with a construction pick up laying out cones! plus im VFF, so often at wrecks not hauling vehicles

Originally Posted by Richard P

you obviously havent read that the clear outter domes are smashed, and the other on another bar, reds are to prevent water from destroying the light. it is although red to the rear. Emergency ( police contracted per officer) wreckers (not flatbeds) can run red 360*, i run only to the rear. You have to remember, we often sit in the middle of 100 km/h highways cleaning up wrecks, we dont need to be confused with a construction pick up laying out cones! plus im VFF, so often at wrecks not hauling vehicles

I'm very familiar with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, and I don't recall seeing anywhere that police contracted tow trucks could run red at all, much less 360*. I moved out of Ontario a few years ago, so things may have changed. Do you have a link to the act/regulation that authorizes it?

I have no idea where to find that, An officer at the police HQ looked it up on a computer and printed me a sheet a year or 2 ago of the HTA. This was for police contracted tows, up north aint like the GTA, its not all freelance chasers first come first get. We all bid for police tows, I was the lowest, but only one wrecker, never put my tilt in service. Im number 2 on the list though of 3.

When I saw your name, and a wrecker thread, I was hoping to see a wrecker with some form of Turbobeam on it!

Originally Posted by 7d9_z28

When I saw your name, and a wrecker thread, I was hoping to see a wrecker with some form of Turbobeam on it!

It used to have a 69" turboflash. 16 strobes, TDs, work lights and STT lights. but it didnt leave room for alleys or any other special lights, so I rebuilt my 58" MX7000

Ok, I got the lighting system (signals, brake, park) is all buttoned up. I installed my signal light flasher inline to the power feeding the signal light arm/switch. THe turn signals and park lights in the MX are hooked up, Cant get brake lights though, I added diodes to prevent the signals from back feeding the brake lights, but nothing to prevent the signals from backfeeding brake lights, Im stumpped so Im leaving brake lights out of there. I got a relay in the under cab junction box off the reverse light wire and my constant power to trigger the upper 4 work lights. Also, the back up beeper is grounded in the cab to a dash switch so it can be killed (late night runs, pulling in my driveway or leaving someone elses, dont want to wake people). When the truck is in reverse, it also triggers the rear PAR36 flashers.

Since I most likely wont be adding TIR3s or lights to the grill, I added HAWs to the front signals. Im unhappy with my placement, sould have put them in front of the bulb on the bottom. I mounted the PS on the floor in the front.
Also finished the painting, popped out some dents, please excuse my hoard in the background, I got junk everywhere!

The turbos in 7.3's are SO HARD TO GET TO.

Ok folks, Its down to the fun stuff! all the major things pertaining to the trucks performance, safety and mechanical have been taken care of. now onto what we are all on this board for!

So far the truck has the 4 rotator mx7000, white and amber to the front, all red to the rear with 2 amber flashers. I got 2 amber fed sig par36 flashers under the rear bumper, impaxx o the side of the push bumper and a pair of HAWs in the front signals.

lights i have laying around:
2 amber LIN3s, 1 TIR3, 2 amber dual talons, so far theyre mounted to the bottom of a slickstik, red sweeps and 5 lamp TA. I got an AA viper S2 and i think thats about it.

I was thinking the LIN3s mounted on the rear sides of the towbody to cover as side warning just like the Impaxx on the pushbar.

I was maybe thinking the slickstick in the rear window, either with or without the talons. maybe talons in the side windows or get another TIR3 and pu them in the side window? or leave them lightless.

Put my viper S2 back in the windsheild? or a talon? or both talon mouted each side of the the roof mounted switches.

I feel i got plenty of front warning with the lightbar and HAWs, definately covered if i use a windsheild light. I think the LIN3s on the rear side would work well. I had a suggestion of the LIN 3s on the rear upper of the headache rack, but I got the 2 amber LED flashers in the MX and under the bumper, Im covered high and low.

Paint the wheels.

Originally Posted by WS224

Paint the wheels.

Put LINZ6 on the wheels.

1st, What on Gods green earth do you need 3 head units/cd players for? 1 Just wasnt good enough?

2nd, Is this really a recovery/accident vehicle? Do you actually preform recoveries with this single line boom/wrecker body? Is a single line recovery acceptable practice in Canada?

3rd, Is that a ratchet strap I see holding the wheel lift up??

Originally Posted by JMcManus

1st, What on Gods green earth do you need 3 head units/cd players for? 1 Just wasnt good enough?

2nd, Is this really a recovery/accident vehicle? Do you actually preform recoveries with this single line boom/wrecker body? Is a single line recovery acceptable practice in Canada?

3rd, Is that a ratchet strap I see holding the wheel lift up??

He doesn't call it the "hillbilly deluxe" for nothing..

Originally Posted by JMcManus

1st, What on Gods green earth do you need 3 head units/cd players for? 1 Just wasnt good enough?

2nd, Is this really a recovery/accident vehicle? Do you actually preform recoveries with this single line boom/wrecker body? Is a single line recovery acceptable practice in Canada?

3rd, Is that a ratchet strap I see holding the wheel lift up??

The 2 head unit is a DVD player and above is the screen. The stereo is located below. that was explained in the very first post or two when someone else asked that.
Secondly, only 3 or 5 ton wreckers have dual lines around here. And Ive only seen one dual line wrecker in this city, theres not much more advantages. Never in my career with this have I said " i really could uses a twin line" nor Have I ever said " I wish I had a flatbed", figure I get that one out of the way too before you asked anything like " does anyone practice with wreckers anymore in canada?" lol I had a tilt, never used it, wasnt worth my purchase. Id rather use my 15,000 lbs tandem float trailer with my wrecker.

Lastly, as Ive been saying, and as you probably should have read earlier in the thread, I did not have sufficient hydraulic oil in my truck, and I didnt have time to get more, so it had air in the lines and would creep down. this truck is a scratch build, it isnt perfect yet.

And WS224, The wheels have been soda blasted and painted with a duplicolor "chrome" paint, its brightened them up a bit.

Not in the picture is 2 100w par36 spot beams. These shine to the end of the road! they practically burn a hole in the neighbors garage door! they are brighter than any scientifically designed driving/off road light and with the rubber housing, theyre $20 each

And the blacklight/ LED instroment cluster is done! so aside from the 4 pushbar lights and STT lights in the MX7000, all OEM running and truck lights are LED/HID. only thing halo/incan is the MX7000, nothing else!

And I think ive decided for sure on the LIN3s on the rear sides of the truck. unsure of interior, if any.

I know you mentioned the red domes on your MX were just so your lightbar won't get damaged, but it seems that you've squared away almost all the other issues your truck was having, so I'm curious why you haven't replaced the domes yet. Do you drive your truck around with the red domes on the lightbar?

I'm sure there are several members on here who would be able to get you a reasonably priced pair of amber or clear domes for your lightbar.

Also, and forgive my criticism; I am not saying this to be rude...

If you're using your truck in any official capacity, I would rethink the use of the large "Hillbilly Deluxe" decal on your windshield. It doesn't look very professional.

Originally Posted by dg0223

If you're using your truck in any official capacity, I would rethink the use of the large "Hillbilly Deluxe" decal on your windshield. It doesn't look terribly professional.

Don't get me wrong, I get you... I totally get how you could say putting "Hillbilly Deluxe" is unprofessional...
But you know, I think it could be a positive promotional gimmick... I mean, it does stick with you, doesn't it?