Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

hows your electrical doing, after all the night mares?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

The drama is under control in the electrical department.

The ammeter was toast. Don't care. Going with a volt meter. Shopping for a three-holer below the dash gauge sheetmetal (preferably the 2-1/16" diameter SW oldschool type), so I can have an Auto Meter unit like the oil pressure and water temp units.

The only gauge that's functioning in the old cluster presently is the fuel.

The truck's got a job now - helping my boy in his landscaping business, so I'm pretty satisfied now that all the lights, inside and out, work.

We put a new Mexican blanket seat cover on the old girl - which is cool and now I'm looking for a proper fit rubber floor mat (heavy duty), so I can trim up the sheet metal hole for the shifter and put my custom boot on the goose neck shifter.

Mac. :ito:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

F 19 250 my 61's license plate
M 43 601 my 63's license plate

I have not owned these trucks for over 30 years but still remember the plate numbers.

I read somewhere that somebody made plastic glove boxes. A nice plastic one would last a long time if it did not get brittle and crack.

I think the old cardboard gloveboxes are a pain!

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Check with Tony (Lilred) he had a rubber mat a few months back.
Heres a link to what Tony had or may still have.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=314092

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

What colors of serape did you get?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Pretty wild - neon colors. I'll shoot it tonight, along with the hump, so Tony has something to eyeball regarding my floor mat idea, and post them tomorrow.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

New seat cover material.....:ito:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:metal: We're official now........

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Looks cool Mac, I really like the clean job you did on the floor cut out for your shifter.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Wow! That thing is bright. I like that shifter. If my Hurst shifter ever goes out I think I'll have to look into one of those.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I checked out your car club website. Looks like a good time.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yeah, I used a drilled hole to define the corners and a Radiac wheel to cut the straight parts out. Guessed where the shifter tower and linkage was going to land and was only off about 1/2 inch - forward. Cleaned everything up and installed the power-train, then towed the C-10 up to the transmission guy.

Unfortunately, they decided to use a massive pair of tin snips and hacked the corner closest to the driver - wanting to create just a bit more clearance. Cool thing was - they didn't charge me for leaving the jagged sheetmetal sticking up in two places!

I'll clean all that junk up before I put my custom boot on the goose-neck.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thanks - I like the shifter too - especially after putting that .090 thick rubber sheet under the two linkage towers. Can barely hear the transmission any more, and that's without a floor mat and the shifter boot installed.

The shifter isn't cheap: About $235.00 from a local rod shop, but as I work in a machine/grind shop - I can tell you the hardware and fit are AAA.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yep - it's very informal, but quite a gathering most weekends. :mm:

The only things they get testy about is burn-outs, exhibition of speed and/or noise, and those damn thumping stereos. Ticking off the neighbors (home owners and businesses) is a major 'No-No' with the organizers, and you can hardly blame them for that.

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Good to see you driving.;) I'm still waiting for spring.:uhmk:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

What I'm enjoying now, that the rings are seated and the bearings seem comfortable, is 'going through the gears' with the old school shifter. Not anything radical - but enough to have fun building up speed pretty quickly.

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I've only put about 300 yards on my 3 speed since I got it fixed. Manuals are fun. I think thats why I had to get it fixed.:lol: Alittle to much fun.;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Oil change completed - oil was very clean with no particulates detected. The old filter was tight to the adapter, but I've got one of those Pennzoil filter wrenches to get it started. Truck runs great.

Now my next mission is the rubber floor mat buy.

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Glad to hear it's running good Mac.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

how do the bearings seem comfortable or is it that you are comfortable with the way that it is running
ron

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I was wondering the same thing.;) Just how do you know when they are comfy?:ben:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Did your camera get broke?:wop:Vernski:metal:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Well - the rear end seems to be settling down (noise wise) from the initial week, which (I don't know about you) makes me more comfortable.

;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Based on experience in rebuilding lathe and milling machines - it's being able to recognize the difference.

;) Mac.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Nope - camera's just fine, but I didn't feel the installation of a glove box warranted any new pics.

:lol: Mac.

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

The complaint was suppose to go back about half the thread and looks like you are doing better with pic's now. BTW your truck is very nice looking, nice work and quite a story with it's being stolen and getting it back and all was good luck indeed. Thanks for sharing!---Vernski:uhmk:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Thanks for the compliments, Vernski.

I was very lucky, according to the OC Sheriff and they said vehicles (specifically targeting groups) were rarely ever found in drivable conditions. Needless to say - my insurance coverage has be substantially increased since the reconstruction.

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Unless there was bloodshed. Then pics of glove box installation are required.;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

There was. And I'm not proud of that. :smoke:

How a simple assembly made of expensive cardboard and big staples could end up being such a pain in the ___, I have no idea. Someday I hope to tackle putting light in there, but I'll probably need to go to therapy shortly thereafter.

Mac. :lol:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

:haha:

Even if there was bloodshed, it just makes it that more interesting. :lol:;)

Come on, put a light in there so we can see the blood stains. J/K ;) Progress is a good thing. :metal:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yeah, watching Mac bounce off the walls of his garage and making his grandson run for cover - a real scream. No thanks - I'll stick with a flashlight for a while.

Although I will say I've got a supposed '327' waiting on an engine dolly presently in the same garage that's beginning to whisper to me. (Loony Bin, here I come.)

Mac. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Shot (this morning) of cab and seat cover - of a real, working truck:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Sheet metal screw to hold the saddle tank door (sprung) closed:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

And for those that bag on "Gardner's Trucks": This is for you. ;)

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Nice pics Mac. Was that saddle tank door on your truck when you got it?

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

Yes Sir, both sides - with good sized tanks, which - unfortunately - had some severe rust problems. The fine person that ripped my truck off decided to pry the driver's side open with a big screw driver or something and sprung the lock, leaving the door to flop open every time I came to a stop.

He could have just laid on the ground to look under the truck to see what was there - but like the locking gas cap, for the behind-the-seat tank (which he wrenched off and ruined the neck), logic didn't seem to be one of the tools in his mental shed.

The door hassle was fixed with a very small diameter hole drilled through its edge and through the bed and putting a sheet metal screw (upper right-hand corner) into the damn thing.

On a side note - the boy was out all day on jobs and the truck got its first chance to stretch her legs on the 405 freeway for a good run. Kid says she ran like a top and got many a "Thumbs Up."

Does my old heart good to hear that. :chevy:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

I get those to. It does make you feel good.:metal:

Re: The 283 Rebuild Begins
 

very cool Mac, thanks for sharing....and finding your camera :mm::lol: