Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Since things are never finished, a bit of an update.

I took it into my favorite old-school shop for a punch list of finishing things I didn't want to do myself (reroute a fuel line, since I hate gasoline, etc), get the AC charged, and so on. My driving it there and their own test drive convinced me I don't want a 3000 stall converter in an otherwise stock truck. I should have seen that coming.

So, in goes a 1397 stall. Not 1400. Not 1395. But yes, 1397. And that's its rating behind a 307 Buick Regal (it's a 200-4R, and I still have the original TH400 of course). Slays me how precise that rating is given it depends on so many factors.

I also scored an NOS Delco PleasureLift Power Pack to go with the NOS PleasureLift shocks that I already had. I bet the two as a set are worth a pretty penny (and were not cheap individually either). I'll install that when I get it back, and will also do the trailer wiring. I can't imagine I'll tow a lot with this (we have 3 other trucks in the household) but I want it capable.

Hopefully by spring it'll be ready to head out and visit the world!

Duh - Crossmember Bolts
 

One of the best things about a full nut & bolt frame-off is you get to build the chassis/engine combo just like in the brochures.

I made the boneheaded mistake of dropping the trans crossmember bolts in from the top, which means they can't come out without removing the cab! As the guy who's changing my converter found out this morning. He was able to get it back far enough that he can swap the converter after removing the flexplate, but that was a silly move on my part!

My '69 Pontiac came from the factory with an upper control arm bolt in an unremoveable direction, and it didn't come off until the body did too. So they made the mistake on the assembly line too, that's my only excuse!

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

that is one awesome build-wish i had the time, money and health to do my 72 super 4x4 like that. i have the know how but not the other three. my first employer had a saying."don't get old-there ain't no future in it". as a high school kid i thought it was funny- 40+ years later and damn he was right.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

As soon as I get it back I'm going to start doing my compressed air work on it. I have the GM Pleasure Lift Power Pack, the GMC Dual Air Horn kit, and the Delco air shocks.

What I'm not sure is where to plumb in the reservoir tank (that I don't yet have). I'm thinking it should service the horns only, so the back of the truck doesn't drop if I hit the horn! But then I need a tank with a check valve of some sort. I'll figure it out eventually...

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

If you're healthy you don't need the other two and if you're not you don't care about the other two! So best wishes on that!

I am indeed fortunate to have the time and money (know-how is what I trade the time and money for!). Odds are, however, that in 90% of cases if you gave someone the truck I started with and $50,000 in three years you'd have a disassembled truck and boxes upon boxes of parts in bags and on shelves.

Actually -doing- the work and finishing the truck is harder than earning the money for parts, trust me! I've got more than 3 years into it and that out there the majority of days. You can't tinker your way through a frame off.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Out and about on the first "Nothing left to fix" drive, where I found only a few things to fix...

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

No kidding about this, it's way hard to do the work but so much more rewarding than a stack(s) of cash.
Looking good Dave! I understand about the nothing left to fix quote :)
My list grows every time I take my truck out for a drive.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Well, the transmission quit once it gets hot, no forward or reverse. Contemplating putting a 4L80E in it.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

That sticks about the trans the truck looks great !

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

That sucks, I hope it all works out for you. 4L80E is a good choice.
I wonder why the TH200 failed?

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Dave, the truck looks great! I really like your choice in wheels. It looks good either way, but I really dig them. Very, very, nice Z06 too! Shoot, the Pontiac looks great too. Sorry to hear about the trans. At least if you go 4L80E now, you shouldn't have to worry ever again.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Not much new, still stuck in bad transmission land.

When the 200-4R quit I decided to move up to a 4L80E. If I had it all to do over again I'd have just stuck with the TH400 and 3.54s, but since I was at the time convinced I wanted overdrive, I went with 4.56 gears in the rear (which works out to final ratio of 3.05 with overdrive). So with those gears now installed overdrive is a must.

I wasn't able to find a good 2WD core 4L80E locally, so I ordered one from an eBay volume rebuilder. It came looking like crap, as if the case had been melted. And in fact the main harness connector -was- melted and had to be replaced. So it didn't bode well.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

The 4L80E shift linkage is in a different location, so my tech at Preston's, who is doing the trans swap for me, made up this linkage. Works great, feels great and positive, and actually lines up pretty well on the gear indicator too!

In park it almost touches the firewall (but doesn't) and then moves away as you go through the gears, so it's perfect.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Beautiful truck! I absolutely love that color!

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Well, here it is with 100 miles on the new transmission. Doesn't look much different, except there's not a tow truck underneath it! Paint color sure has a "Candy Electric" look in the sunny photos, but I really don't think it looks that way in person...

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Looking good!

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Glad to hear the new tranny is working out good.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

I love your truck, it's beautiful.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Glad things are working out now.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Finally have my correct, green AC tint with no shade-band glass, installed. I used Euroglass in Redmond and recommend them to anyone local.

I did an oil change today and went ahead and connected my AUX battery, as my truck has the TP2 option but I never actually wired it in.

Not much left to do... I plan to add trailer wiring as the next step so I can tow with it. I also need to pull the steering wheel off and fix the signal cancelling (probably a broken spring) and get an AC leak found and fixed, but that's life!

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Just figured I should update the build thread with a picture showing the stock wheels and caps that I now have on it. Nothing else major new! I replaced my remanufactured compressor with a new aluminum A6 that I painted black to try to disguise... it looks reasonably stock. But it doesn't leak, or throw oil all over, which is a big bonus.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Better photo.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Man do I love the simplicity and quality of this truck, that blue always has me drooling everytime I come look in on the the ole build tread.

Re: Dave's 1970 GMC 402 Longhorn
 

Truck looks great Dave!