Project: Good Enough

[92 Dime]

TL/DR: Not much of a project write-up: this will be more a log of work done to get the truck “good enough” for me to use it for a move/getting a house ready to sell. I couldn’t even tell you what color the truck is.

The whole story:
I’ve basically been truckless for the past 18 months. I sold Rusty (the ‘86 GMC), and the Dime has been waiting for me to have time and the inclination to figure out the latest engine problem. I sort of moved away from home to help out some family, so there it sat.

Earlier this summer, while I was at the old place mowing, a neighbor said he’d be interested in buying the house. Hmmm. . . . No more “3 hours on the road, mow for an hour, then 3 more hours on the road” is tempting. But first I’d have to actually move out, and for that I’d need a truck. So I started shopping.

What I wanted was a regular cab/8’ bed 2WD pickup. Chevrolet would be nice but honestly I figured for this project I wasn’t going to be picky. I figured if I got lucky I’d wind up with a W/T.

There just aren’t a lot of regular cab trucks made these days. . . and 8’ beds are kinda scarce as well. Out of 200 or so trucks I considered, only 2 or 3 were W/Ts (that surprised me). In a few moments of weakness, I even considered a ‘61 GMC and a ‘65 Chevrolet (I got a monkey on my back that whacks me with a tire iron every time I see a first-gen C/K pickup), but both were SWB.

It looked like my best choice was an ‘89 Chevrolet K1500. Engine is a 350, TBI, looks like a 700R4 transmission. RPO is GU4 so the rear end is geared 3.08. . . which works for me: I don’t want or need 4WD, but I’ll be putting ~4k miles on it this summer and fuel is expensive! I sketched up a punch list of needed repairs, got some parts prices, got some estimates, and worked up a budget.

Right off the bat, I knew it needed (in no particular order):
--new tires (broken belts in 2 of the 31x10.5x15s)
--a new gas cap
--oil change
--new battery
--new battery cable ends
--plugs/wires/cap/rotor
--new fuel filter
--air filter
--bleed brakes
--clean or replace PCV valve
--remove the side-to-side toolbox
--replace the exhaust
--get a jack/lug wrench/spare tire
--replace the driver side door hinge pins and bushings (and probably striker)

And cleaned.

Definitely cleaned.

The cost of the truck, parts, and repairs, were within budget (as long as I did all the work), so on the 6th of July I bought a truck. It should be “Good Enough” for the move. After that, maybe I’ll keep it but if I do it will need more work:

--new seat
--a decent set of instruments (what IDIOT came up with moony-gauges, and who doesn’t build a tach in a TRUCK??)
--new windshield
--flush coolant
--flush axles, etc
--replace broken tow hook (front)
--replace broken grill, re-attach P-side turn signal
--replace locks both doors
--replace door seals, window seals
--troubleshoot/fix odometer (currently DOA)
--kill switch installed
--replace CAI setup on air cleaner
--shocks
--clean lube seat belts
--replace serpentine belt
--replace brake master cylinder with NBS MC

We’ll see.

[92 Dime]

When I've had time to work on the truck, weather hasn't been cooperating. Not a problem at the old place, where I had indoor workspace; here I'm working in the driveway.

On 8/9 July, I got "new" tires (a set of takeoffs with ~ 20 miles on them), the oil changed, air filter replaced, battery cable ends replaced, gas cap replaced (don't laugh--it took 20 minutes!--the cap was broken into about 6 pieces), started work removing the old exhaust. I did some parts scrounging as well.

Then I paid a visit to O'Reilly's to pick up parts and order muffler and some exhaust pieces.

[92 Dime]

7/15 was exhaust day (or maybe "8 trips to the parts store day"). Having already cut back the exhaust to solid pipe, I was able to quickly replace the cat. Then the fun stopped. Everything between the old cat and the tailpipes had to go. I think I was the 6th or 7th person to install an exhaust system on this truck, and everyone had welded on their own hangers for the exhaust. There comes a time when some of those have to go!

I wound up buying a cheap angle grinder (because my good one is 150 miles away) and cutting most of the hangers off. That also got the remains of the muffler out of the way, but first I had to dissect out the tailpipes from what was left of the muffler.

Finally that was done, and I could bolt on more hangers and get the muffler and tailpipes on. Everything seemed solid, so I called it a day.

7/16 let me try out my new Mityvac bleeding system. It worked but I still don't like the feel of the brake pedal. I may bleed it again the old way just to convince myself everything is OK.

Took the truck for a test drive up north of town, where I've been test-driving cars and trucks since high school. Not sure how fast I was going when I got pulled over, that mooney-idiot-spedometer was pegged at 85. Nice deputy, his first words were to ask if I was test-driving before buying or checking some repairs? He told me to slow down and have a nice day.

Did some actual work with the truck today, hauling some brush (pretty bad storm last night) to the dump. Everything worked. I think I'll go get that tool box out of the box.

[Palf70Step]

Sounds like a good project. Hopefully you can post some pics of the ole guy. Be nice to see the hot rod you working with.