72 Cheyenne home
 

Drug my 72 Cheyenne home this weekend. I bought it from a buddy that got it in the late 70’s. Been sitting for probably 20 years. It’s super rusty, I only wanted it because it’s 3/4 ton leaf chassis. Bonus is that it’s a Cheyenne but dressed with all the Super extras minus correct seat. I asked him what happened to the engine he said nothing, its actually a pretty low mileage reman. He told me he just had other vehicles he started driving and he didn’t take care to store it correctly and it’s deteriorated because of that. I checked and it’s not froze up, I only moved it enough to tell. I think I’ll pull the plugs and spray something in the cylinders. I have a nice tank I can toss in, I’ll change fuel filters and clean out the carb etc etc. Maybe I can get this rust bucket … I mean cool patina truck running.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Nice score. The front looks pretty straight.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

The hood, fenders, inner fenders, core support, firewall, are all super rusty. Still might be kinda neat to get it running. Its 3 OTT which reminds me of my early days of driving. Im not going to be tearing it apart anytime soon, if ever.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

It's good you got it home where you can think about it or get to work with it. I tried having a shop away from home and it didn't work out well. I loved the times I worked in there, but having a project right outside allows for more time in on it

Hey Chuck, how ya been?

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Glad you got her close by now.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

I like to use a concoction of marvel mystery oil and pb blaster in a clear silicone hose shoved into the plug hole, for lubing up long sitting engines. Finish it off with a shot of compressed air in the hose. That will vaporize the mixture and help spread it around in the cylinder. Let it sit a few days and repeat the process if it’s stuck, if not you should be safe to spin it over.I’ve had a few that were stuck with light rust in the cylinders that broke free and ran great doing this method.

This is a not so good shot of the hose installed in the TPI 305 in my IROC-Z earlier this year. It was stuck tight from sitting for 20+ years. Broke free in less than a week and it runs great now.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

I was messing with it yesterday and started pulling plugs. I was thinking maybe I should really give a shot at rotating it before I go any further. Got a good pull on the belt and grabbed the fan to see if it would rotate past what I assumed would be a rust ridge ... Nothing, it pulled around pretty darn smoothly. Having the plugs out was a help Im sure.

Ill pull the carb and filter today, grab a big (full) gas can and some gas hose and see if I can start it up this weekend.

There is an issue with the hood latch and I pinched a chunk of the skin off my left thumb messing with it. The truck and I are officially blood brothers now lol.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

it's good to have that bond.i seem to re-establish the bond every other day??

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

I've zero experience with firing an engine that has sat so this may be worthless idea. If engine is not frozen, what about using an oil pump primer tool to spin the pump, reprime and circulate oil into the system? You would still need to oil the cylinders, but you might also protect the valve train and maybe a bearing or two.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

that is an excellent idea and you're right,might just save some damage.i know whoever woke the engine up in my truck after a 25 year snooze,caused lots of damage when it first started dry.there was alot to repair and replace in a 74,000 mile motor because of that dry start.it should've been in much better shape given the miles.all good now.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Here is a picture I took of a picture from when he parked it. Some of the emblems and side trim are gone now. Those wheels and tires are long gone. Was a decent truck back then. Stepped A arms in front, de-arched springs in the rear. Snap toneau cover back in the day.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Good ideas on the dry start issue. I don't have any plans on keeping this drive train or any of the sheet metal for that matter, but still a good idea, why muck it up just being lazy?

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Good color. I am a bit biased though. ;)

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

Well its not as purty as it used to be. The entire truck looks like the hood in the first pic I posted. But I agree it is (was?) a really great color.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

I had a couple of distributors that I ground down the shaft to fit a cordless drill. Stuck it in and used them to prime any rebuilds and and anything that had sat awhile. Just a thought.

Re: 72 Cheyenne home
 

For a 350 that turns over by hand (and assuming that the oil looks decent), I would pull plugs and put your magic mystery oil of choice in there. Disconnect the fuel pump. Let it sit a day or so and rotate it with the starter until it shows oil pressure. Clean/change the points, new plugs and wires. Put a little 2-stoke gas down the carb and see it she fires. SB Chevys are pretty tolerant of oil issues.