Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Now for the other end of the spectrum, I went to the You-Pick-It for the first time, it's fairly new in Prescott Valley.
I finally replaced the windshield, really needed to.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c5f19a5d_c.jpg

Grabbed this because the windshield was already busted.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3bb7bbd7_c.jpg

Glad to get a real mirror in place. Not sexy like above, but sort of important.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...33b37030_c.jpg

BTW: Every Square Body pickup had the mirror missing, what is with that? I looked at every Chevy in the yard.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I got my new lights up in the garage, I can see my truck again! WHOOO HOOOOO!

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I know this isn't my "Truck" but it's what I worked on today. :D
It's what I call "Memory Art." This is the head stock off the first guitar my mom bought me with blue chip stamps. It was a cheepie thing that didn't hold up well and the body collapsed on it. Wasn't worth fixing but I stored it for 50 years! When I moved I decided I would do this and I cut the head stock off and threw the rest away. This is why I am big on the "Memory Art" instead of storing stuff like this up in a box in the attic get it out, display it! See it every day and smile instead of it being a burden make it a good thing! Check out the 1970 license plate registration sticker, is that hilarious or what! My dad was a car salesman and we changed cars often that my mom drove, we ended up with a sticker that wasn't used and I stuck it on my guitar. The Logo had fallen off years ago so Dorothy the house artist painted the little "M P" in the same font the "Melody Plus" guitar had on the sticker in the body that I also had saved. Anyway, I love it, and it's on display in my living room where it belongs.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

when I went to do the final install on my passenger fender I couldn't get the outer fender to cab bolts in the rear to line up. they were off by over an inch. I messed with everything until I got them right and put some bolts in there. now ii just need to shimmy it right where I want it and then tighten the bolts and she's done.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I took the '56 out for a drive, came across this and chased it down...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I found a loose tach wire going to the Dakota digital control that appears to have been causing my engine dying problem. But while I was chasing electrical problems I found the wires on my new aftermarket replacement LED Tail lights are backwards so I just switched them in their connecter location and now they work like they are supposed to. then I worked on the front turn signals again new aftermarket replacements, the dual pigtail in the sockets were both backwards, so I fixed those now all my lights are working correctly!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I like the flag paint on the grill on the blue panel

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Very nostalgic and cool...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Thanks Bob.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

There's a lot goin' on there. I like the chains welded to the bumpers and the dots on the hubcaps. If the chains were a little longer I'd say they were lightning rods!

I wonder if those little yellow domes on top of the front fenders are for intergalactic communication? They couldn't just be lights.

I have a feeling the driver was an interesting sort as well...

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I received my SFI damper for my 292. The V pulley will be turned down for an adapter and to clamp the crank trigger. A spacer needs to be made between the damper and the crank trigger. They sent me a mock up hub with a slightly larger hole in the center at no charge.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Awesome! I want to see a picture of your machine shop!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Lots of shinny parts there mick53, I like it.
I may have found my problem with my torque converter gap to flexplate. I pulled the flexplate and it looks bowed bad to me. I'm taking it with me tomorrow to get opinions.
I did run new AN line for transmission cooling line. Wasn't a fan of the steel to rubber hose with clamps, I will travel with more confidence.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Very nice. I'm a huge fan of braided lines and A/N fittings.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I didn't make any of this stuff. I just dream it up. My machining skills and machines are very basic.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

OK. I know that you've been modifying stuff as needed, like the timing chain cover.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

That is such a whole different world! When I had my body shop in the '80's there was a machine shop in another space in the building I was in. This place had been there for years and had a crank lathe for 6' long cranks! The guys daughter spoke to me one day about protecting my body at work wearing respirator, ear and eye and knee protection. She was very sweet and told me in a way that made me start protecting myself as I should. I am so thankful for her words, I am SO THANKFUL as I have seen what no protection has done to old dudes like me. I have tried to pass it on and it's just not that easy. A lot of guys don't do it and it breaks my heard when I see them at work beating their bodies up.

Brian

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

99% of us have short-cutted the safety aspects from time to time, and some of us are paying for it. In my 20s I thought I was invincible, so I wrecked my hearing on the flight deck in the navy.

Talking about old machine shops, I worked in one of the largest in the world in the late '60s - Cincinnati Milling Machine, that became Cincinnati Milacron. They are all but gone now, reduced to a "me too" injection molding machine manufacturer. We even had a plating shop, and some guys would sneak their cars into the paint shop on the weekends.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

hey mick53, do you worry at all about the stresses on the front main bearing and crank snout? how much is that set up going to protrude out the front? it looks awesome. too bad it is sooo shiny, lol.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I think it's a little less than 8". I haven't measured it exact yet. When it was being engineered that was a big concern. That was a big factor with getting a $7000 billet crank. They also went with big block oil seal and specs. I have really good people in the industry working on this and my engineers looking over the results. I'm 2.5 years into this project and hope to start working on the truck soon.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Did the LMC truck show come off last weekend? Or did it get rained out? Or send some pictures please if they pulled it off.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

The good news is, it will be properly balanced I am sure, and it's just a rotational load with only the belt and timing link to the cam (chain, I presume) providing a side load, countering gravity. I'm guessing it's also about the mass of a torque converter that would be hanging on the other end of the crank if it's an automatic. (...and the converter would not be balanced as well, what with the fluid sloshing around in it.)

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Got a picture of my 56 that someone took to promote a car show!

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

My Dolphin quad gauges have all read low since installation: Temp 140, oil pressure 25 psi. I assumed it was because I'd used sealant on the threads which inhibited the grounds. Today I installed a new oil pressure sensor without sealant and my pressure jumped up to 55 pounds. Since I used the shotgun approach I'm not sure if the problem was the sensor or the ground, but I'm just happy it's fixed.

Next stop, the temp sender.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, SM420 seal
 

The rear transmission seal on my 4 speed SM420 has bee weeping the past few weeks so I decided to get busy and eliminate it. I hit up O'reilly's for their Fel-Pro TS 5100 gasket set. I wasn't sure of the rear seal number so I ordered my seal from Jim Carter Truck parts. The CR Seals number is CR 22340.

My yoke had some slight wear from the old seal so I had it polished and my favorite driveline shop. Now that you know the gasket set # and seal hopefully this helps someone out.
Cheers, Chuck

Re: What did you do with your truck today, SM420 seal
 

Cool, thanks! Did O'Reilly's have that in stock or did they have to order it?

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I wondered about it. Like how much it's going to cost for a decent paint job, converting it to an LS 5.3L engine/trans, putting a good bag system on it (while not lowering it but gaining ride comfort), and completely refurbishing the interior. Oh and a decent sound system as well.

I wondered about the total cost of doing all that.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I'm running a TKO 600 5 speed. My blower and 5 stage dry sump oil pump are on opposite sides of the engine so that may help a little. Also a duel disk SFI clutch that is well balanced.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, SM420 seal
 

On-line order said 2 days but I called them and they had it the next AM.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Actually did this yesterday. I disassembled my steering column to make a few changes. My ignition lock cylinder was sticking, when you cranked to start, and I had to pull back each time. So I replaced with a new one. While it was apart my turn signal arm was hard to push down for left turn. Found out the little arm that attaches it to the signal switch was dirty and not moving freely. So I cleaned it up and add grease to the end that fits to outer arm. Should note that my dimmer switch for lights is on the column and this is part of all that. Here's a pic of arm I had to clean. https://www.millsupply.com/actuator-...5.php?p=322761 ...Jim

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I removed my steering column yesterday and took the gauge cluster out today. I got a new Ididit chrome column to install but want to fix my speedometer while the column is out of the way. I was hoping to repair it but the tenths indicator wheel is broken so it's not easily repairable. I need one so if anyone has a good one that they want to sell let me know. Felt good to do something as this is about the first time I've done anything to it myself since cancer hit me about six years ago. I use the term "Hit" as it knocked me on my rear and I'm just now getting to where I feel like doing something. BTW, I got the column from Scotts. Probably not the cheapest but it was one-stop shopping for the column and the other items I'll need to install it.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I worked another 3 hours on the thermostat housing. I finished the heavy grinding and started the smoothin process. This piece is no fun. Also dropped the damper off at the racecar machinist to have spacers made and checked on the machinist doing the water pump. It should be done tomorrow.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

thought my fender install was a wrap tonight but before I did the final tightening I looked over all my work to make sure I hadn't overlooked anything and I had. I found two things I didn't like. when I installed the fender I wasn't paying enough attention to the lines that run over the frame rail. they should be under the inner fender but the way I installed it the inner fender pushed them in almost touching the header. those have to be fished under the fender. the wiring harness goes between the core support and the inner fender in stamped in grooves. when I installed It I didn't get the harness in the groove I meant to. it works but doesn't tuck as nice. tomorrow I will correct both of these issues.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I picked up my water pump from the machine shop today. They turned the heater hose mount down to 3/4" to accept the A/N compression fitting. This is done by turning the cutter on a boring head backwards and running the mill in reverse. The problem is holding the pump solid enough to do this. I didn't want to disassemble it. They made a special jig for the job. One outlet is for the heater and the other for the drag radiator. I had to shorten the neck on the fitting to get enough for the collar to compress. This fitting is rated at 250 PSI but I'm running waterless coolant so there will be no pressure in the system. I spent some time working on the thermostat housing also.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

I drove my truck friday!... however the threaded rod bent in a u shape (that way when I bought it) apparently bound up. It broke leaving me with no way to release clutch. After dropping some home brew bottles off at my friends I got him to push start me in 4th gear. Made it home. Then I replaced threadedrod with this.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

by the pic it looks like the threaded rod was waaay outta alignment and set up for failure.
improvise, it's what we do. lol.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

It was probably ok. Before we raised engine 2" for MII crossmember. I am kind of proud of the "hook" I made, adjustable and alignment correcting.
Next project lower rear bumper an incn to show more licensing plate better.
Then brew beer.
Then make mustang shifter fit s10 trans. To gain shifter stops and less ugly shift arm.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

On a recent drive it was obvious that my truck didn't have its usual power. Checking the throttle blades I could see that they weren't opening fully. I had added layers of jute, rubber mat and carpeted floor mats beneath the pedal, thus preventing full throttle actuation. A simple cable adjustment got things back to spec.

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

Installed halogen headlight in the 59'
Was driving it a lot this winter and the front lights kept moving around and not holding in place so I opted to just change them all while I was replacing the adjuster parts.
Some day I'll restore this thing.:crazy:

Attachment 1994006
As per usual I documented it
https://youtu.be/zeAQB3K6sPM

Re: What did you do with your truck today, Part 3
 

so since im off work because of the corona virus, I started changing my brakes over to a power / dual circuit setup. so far the lines, m/c & booster are in. all the shoes, springs & wheel cylinders have been replaced. now on to bleeding the system. hope it works out. we shall see.