Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:four::metal: Mac found his leak.:metal::four:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

He found his leak too. That's recycling at it's best.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

This is why I am glad I have the ability (time and knowlege wise) of doing these projects myself.

I get so dissappointed when you pay someone good money to do a job. Then when you get it back you find problems. It got to the point that I just started doing everything myself.

So far I have tackled everything but rebuilding an automatic transmission and setting up a rear axle.

I was going to add radiator repair, but not even the radiator shops repair much anymore, just R and R.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thanks David – I’m just glad I didn’t have to change the smog plumbing.

Me too, Jason. Because of the leak’s position and me being such a gigantic mechanical whoosie, ready to throw myself down on the garage floor and cry, I was sure I had a D.O.A. rear seal. Guess I lucked out this time.

OMG. You didn’t actually post that?! :lol:

It has been a while since we’ve had one that funny! Unbelievable. :lol:

Well, there it is. :smoke:

And because I’ve got a back-up vehicle to get me to work, you’d think I’d just block out the time and learn to do everything myself.

The guy I dropped the truck off with is $98 an hour – with an hour minimum. In today’s economy – there are zero excuses not to at least try to do this stuff yourself and I’ll be looking at about four grand I didn’t really have to spend by the time this truck's finally done.

Impatience and listening to others (that clearly know little if anything about these vehicles) tell you how you should spend your dough is sometimes very silly.

$4,000 buys a Hell of a paint job.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Between Autozones online program, which costs nothing to register, and sevice and shop manuals you can pretty much diagnose and repair anything.
You can buy a ton of shop manuals one ebay for a couple hundred dollars.

These older trucks are pretty easy, wiring schematics are pretty simple and diagnosing stuff is simple since it is so easy to see everything.

The newer fuel injection stuff is what is causing me some heartburn now.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:smoke: Had no idea.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Called the electrical repair guy a while ago - looks like I'm getting The Tan back tonight. Everything is supposedly corrected and a "tumbleweed of wires" and connectors pulled from under the dash. It's funny - out of the half-a-dozen old trucks I've ever owned, seems that "extra wire" has always been part of the purchase price.

Now obviously - I'm no electrician, but why do people do that?

(Now I can borrow my buddy's car trailer and haul my truck back to Alan's shop.)

Mac. :mm:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Congrats Mac.....


Hey swing by and grab my truck on your way to Alan's:lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

;) Will do, David.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thats great Mac. So is it charging now?
Ok is on the way. :barn:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yeah. :lol: He said I did a beautiful job on the voltage regulator - right up to the moment I forgot to sand the paint off the wheel well so the ground wire could actually do its job.

Mac. :uhmk:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:waah: Took the truck back to the electrical repair shop this morning.

Dash lights don't work.

Right turn signal (dash) indicator doesn't work.

Dome light flickers - despite brand new headlight switch.

Dash battery load gauge doesn't work.

Steering wheel cocked about 45 degrees after horn repair.

Mac's money on this repair: 100% good.

Vendor's success on this repair: 75% good.

I'm beginning to think that I should really research our SoCal Members for these kind of repairs on my vehicle, as the supposedly high-caliber repair facilities in my area are just turning out to be the same old "tell-em what they want to hear" shops.

Mac. :smoke:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Mac; you might just get irrittated enough to do it yourself and with enough love be cherry again
ron

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:mm: You're right, ron. Time (lack thereof) is my enemy and if the kid didn't need to use the truck Fri/Sat/Sun for business - I'd tear into it and make it electrically dependable. I just get tired of the same old B.S. stories.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:smoke: Stopped by the repair shop this morning.

They'd requested some wiring diagrams late yesterday, to try to get the ammeter to function, which was a bit disconcerting. That's the last thing that's not working and I'm picking the truck up after work today - done or not.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I get pissed when I work on stuff and it doesnt work. I can't imagine paying somebody to have it not work and then make more problems. Way to take it Mac.:lol:;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:haha:
sorry Mac, that's just wrong daverod

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I know;) I could'nt help it.:lol::lol: Hay I just spent 800 on a trans for a 400 dollar truck.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

You didn't!!! Oh Man - that is too funny. (But also too true).

Mac. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:lol::lol::lol:
Love the new bird

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yeah - kind of fit my mood yesterday. :lol:

------

Got the truck back. Vendor put a second head-light switch in: dome light works correctly now and dash lights are nice and bright. Dash display was pulled and vendor wasn't able to get ammeter to function and says it's "roached." It was operating prior to the truck's theft, so I'm a bit suspicious of that claim, but it's not going to stop the show.

Steering wheel's pointing in the right direction now and everything else seems to be operating normally. According to the vendor, even Delco replacement components are starting to be second rate - coming from China now - and he sees things like that light switch (which had about .050 slop in the pull rod bushing) "all the time."

Don't care - won't use this guy again, unless it's a warranty (36,000 mile/3 year) issue and then only very reluctantly. I won't bag on this guy - using his name and location - but for someone who was touted as "An Expert In All Automotive Repair", this guy's left a very bad taste.

Mac. :smoke:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Hey Mac where you at in Socal, I see surf city...you in HB? Im up in West LA. There is a great shop and member on here by the name of 1Gearhead, shop is Classic Performance in Santa Fe Springs, call Jerry, he is a cool guy and great work/prices.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yep - I'm in HB. Thanks for the source - I'll check'em out. :metal:

I used eddingsengine.com to build my motor, despite being all the way up in San Fernando and was blown away by their old school attitude (you know, actually doing what they committed to?) and realistic price structure, and that's what I'm looking for in everything else on the this truck and my 65' Chevelle Malibu.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Jerry is your man then! thats what hes all about, guy has been doing this for a very long time. Work is priceless and wont take out a second mortgage! Plus hes about 30miles closer! here is the info...

Classic Auto Service
9127 Painter Avenue, Whittier, CA
(562) 789-8813‎

Look him up on here, 1gearhead

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

hey Mac, I found you your own personal emoticon.....
http://www.hardcoresledder.com/forum...ult/dqueen.gif

;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:haha::haha::haha:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Is that a new or restored black plate?
Also what kind of power are you making from your 283?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Cheesy repaint on the plate - came out okay, but if I do it again I'll use a roller on the plate's raised characters.

Eddings Bros says, with the cam they installed - about 200 horses at the flex plate - using the 2-barrel Rochester. Nothing to run to the strip with, but it does keep right up with traffic and pretty much sips gas.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Put a glove box insert in Saturday. :smoke:

Did I tell you before that Classic Industries (in Huntington Beach) sells a great deal of utter crap? Well, if I didn't - I'm telling you now.

----

I'd had this box for about a year and after putting new wipers and arms on recently, I moved on to the next project - the glove box. Now in previous installations I knew the following:

> The material for the box is rather delicate - when compared with other items on the truck.

> Most manufacturers don't really make a distinction from year-to-year, even if there are some actual physical differences.

> You've got to have your chit together - fastener wise, because going cheap in this area will simply cause you grief.

The unit I got wasn't even close to having the right fastener locations (clips embedded in the paper board) and the four side slots near where it mounts on the dash were 3/4" off where I needed them to be and I had to trim this thing extensively.

90 minutes and 3 Heinekens later it was in and functional.

I ended up using two valve cover spreader washers on the two fasteners at the top/front, to spread the load out, and drilling a hole through each side - where the door mounts and stabbing in one new screw in each side.

I don't think I have any more Classic Industries components hanging around in my inventory - and I'll never order from them again. Honest.

Mac. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

the only problem Mac is that they more than likely all get everything from the same place
ron

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Not what I wanted to hear, Ron. :smoke:

My neighbor is a Mazda Miata nut and races one, and he makes some molded graphite body parts for his car and friends.

Wonder if that technology would work for glove boxes?

Mac. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

it is not that great of a demand product so you are not going to have that many manufacturers competing for your $. there may be another manufacturer, but your just going to have to look . look for a good orig (used), you'll find one
Remember "life is not a bowl of cherries", though we would like it to be. you'll more than likely run into other obstacles that will remind you of your ex.
ron

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yeah - I need more of that. :smoke:

(Next time I'll just make one out of plywood.)

Mac. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Good job Mac. Good to see your still trucking along on it.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thanks Jason - it's amazing how little items can be overlooked and not missed until you fix them.

The wiper arms and blades are an example: Had to put a socket over the driver's side drive shaft and gently pull on it with a 1/2" drive ratchet. Got it back to nearly stock and now the blade doesn't lift off the wind shield. Don't know how you'd bend one of those shafts - but it came to me like that in 2003, from the P/O.

Come on rain! Bring it!

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I know what you mean. I'v been chiping away at the little stuff to. You thread reads like it's running and driveing well. Good to hear it.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Glad to see you both are getting little stuff done.......wanna come over and play with some sandpaper??:lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:lol: :lol: :lol: Sure, if we can do some welding patches on the corners of my doors.

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

No problem :thumbs:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:smoke: First oil change coming this Saturday, after the Donut Derelicts.

300 miles on the new motor.

Mac. :chevy: