Welcome Home, Gentleman Jim

[swissarmychainsaw]

Today, I'm excited to say, I found my new truck.
A 75 Gentleman Jim.

It's in a bit rough condition, but I picked it up at a good price, with some room in my pocketbook to make some improvements.
Today I looked at it and closed the deal, tomorrow I go get it!

Truck has been sitting for a long time. Had to jump start it, but it fired right up and ran great.

Leaks coolant (water) out of the Water Pump really badly, so I filled it up first and went for a test drive! I have a two hour drive to get it home, and maybe I'm crazy but I'm going to put a new water pump, belts and hoses before it even goes to the gas station.

The owner is the sweetest lady ever and she is going to let me do the work in her carport. Hopefully the job goes smoothly, and quick. Supposed to be hot here.

Replacing the pump looks really straight forward. What gotchas should I look for?

The truck has the AC compressor but no belt, so I'm going to leave it.
Do I need to pull the alternator out of the way?

What's crazy awesome is that this truck is nearly 40 years old, but the auto parts place had everything I needed for it in stock! Score! and it was all cheap!

It has some pretty bad damage to the bed, but other than that its in decent shape (for a beater!)

I has been repainted at some point (some black in the body trim). Its a pretty good "30 footer".

The other slightly scary thing is that the trans leaks a bit and was low on fluid. Reverse did not clunk into gear and would only engage when I gave it a little extra gas. I'm hoping that some added fluid and some lucas additive will help. That or I'm nuts.

[07XCSBZ71]

Very Nice Score!!!!

[79Betty]

Most parts drivetrain wise are always cheap. Very nice!
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[Katrina/10]

Some guy in Tennessee was just trying to sell one of those for 50,000 dollars! I like your truck, take some more pics.

[swissarmychainsaw]

Well, I made it home with the truck today.

It was the steering pump that gave me hell. It took me hours to figure out that you need to looses the brackets on the "adjuster" side of the pump to get things to line up so it will bolt up. Man that was a pain! And it was 97 degrees where I picket it up! yeah ok.

First Impressions of Gentleman Jim:
I'm judging by what works, not what *doesn't*.

Good things the lights worked, cause I drove home in the dark!
My water pump replacement worked great (the first time) and did not leak a drop.

Two kinda big things: Tranny. When you put it into Reverse, it take about three seconds to "clunk" into gear. Before I drove it the 2 hours home, I put about a quart of Lucas Magic Transmission lube (or whatsit called).

Steering:Something is not right here. Going straight down the road the wheel is cocked at about a 45 degree (turned); which leads me to believe that someone "fixed" the steering at some point.
Play, I get, but this is weird. Usually with play you get a certain amout of dead air, and then the truck responds. Equally left or right. Here left feels pretty normal but right is NOT RIGHT! Turning to the left the truck steers left, Turning to the right you go off in some of of steering-wander-never-never land where the truck wanders a bit and you frankly don't feel in control.
Very strange, and me no like. Thoughts?

Oh and Glass Packs! I have to laugh. Reminds me of high school. And they just sound awful! Who want's em!?

Hard to beat that cheby 350/350 combo. Nice power. My 305/700r4 was really underwhelming.

Cheers! I only took picks of the motor. Tomorrow I'll get up some pics of the truck!
--Nick

[truckfan]

lemme lurk

[80SPORT]

Change your transmission filter....that MAY fix the problem.

And check the frame where the steering box mounts...you may have a cracked steering box mount area

[swissarmychainsaw]

Here are some pics, not really in any order.

I put on about $100 worth of water pump, belts and hoses, just to feel good about making the 2 hour trip home!
It was my first water pump change and it went well (no leaks first go!); but it took me a long time.

HINT: the trick to getting the power steering pump back on is you have to loosen the bolts on the bracket (the back side
on the drivers side of the engine) then you can get everything to line up right. Seems easy now, but it took me a LONG time to figure that out. Or it was just too hot 97 deg! and my brain melted. Probably that. yeah.

General condition of the tires and wheels



The motor is surprising well ... well ... New plugs/rotor/wires/fuel pump/alternator.
She/HE? Fires right up (after putting in a new batter)

[Katrina/10]

Looks like a keeper

[swissarmychainsaw]

Well, you can't edit your posts after 30 mins. so here's what I was going to say:

The leaking mess I originally found.
Good thing there was no coolant left, I hate letting that poison hit the ground. How do you dispose of it?

This one needs a flush! The water in there now looks like mud.

Sierra Classic badges are in the cab!

Welded Hitch

The parts that got me home.

The bed is pretty dented on one side. I found a 79 bed locally for under $400, not sure if I should change it out or fix this one (79 has the doors covering the filler).

I will say the design of the filler necks on this is stupid. 100% of the time you spill gas when doing a fillup!

--Nick

[Katrina/10]

Some auto parts store will take used coolant.

[Restrorob]

Dang Nick..... Open the doors and lets see the inside !!!

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by 80SPORT

And check the frame where the steering box mounts...you may have a cracked steering box mount area

First thing I would check.

Also, is it fighting you going down the street? With the wheel cocked that badly I woudl wonder if someone didn't plow a curb and bend some stuff underneath.
I had a K5 once that I assume the PO hooked a chain to the center-link(? the bar that goes across from wheel to wheel). It fought me badly until I replaced that bar (didn't realize it was supposed to be straight until I looked a different truck?). Point is, look at the front end parts and look for somethign obviously damaged.
Hopefully nothing serious!

PS; I think '75-76 GMC grills are some of the best of all the trucks.

[Brockwaykid]

nice score, good looking tailgate band too!
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[swissarmychainsaw]

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

First thing I would check.

Also, is it fighting you going down the street? With the wheel cocked that badly I woudl wonder if someone didn't plow a curb and bend some stuff underneath.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
I crawled around under there (when NOT taking pics of the interior) and I'm not sure what it is, I think its the front sway bar has a bent hangar bracket.

Not my truck but I found a pic.


The drivers side bracket is pretty bent. That is either:
1. The Problem
2. Evidence that this bad boy hit a curb.

Thoughts?

[swissarmychainsaw]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Dang Nick..... Open the doors and lets see the inside !!!

Man I took a bunch of pics for you yesterday, but my camera did not have a card in it so it only used onboard mem. Meaning I could not easily get the pics off.
I'll get some for you ASAP!

[esbstuff]

Originally Posted by swissarmychainsaw

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
I crawled around under there (when NOT taking pics of the interior) and I'm not sure what it is, I think its the front sway bar has a bent hangar bracket.

Not my truck but I found a pic.


The drivers side bracket is pretty bent. That is either:
1. The Problem
2. Evidence that this bad boy hit a curb.

Thoughts?

Or someone used it as a jack point! I just take the sway bar loose and reajust the bracket with a hammer till straight.

[Tx Firefighter]

I can't vouch for Kalifornia, but here its legal to dispose of antifreeze as you see fit. It's water soluable so a garden hose makes quick work of any spillage.
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[Zane M]

Congrats. That truck has a lot of potential.

[swissarmychainsaw]

Here are pics of the inside. Remember this is just as she rolled up, no clean up involved. The more I look at these the more I think "what was I thinking?" LOL

[swissarmychainsaw]

On they way to work today, I focused on what is weird about the way this Tank Steers...
Here is the issue in a nutshell:
Usually a vehicle "centers" itself, meaning that when you let go of the steering wheel, the vehicle's front wheels return to pointing "straight ahead".

This means that as you drive down the road and the road bends slightly left you steer a bit left, then as the road straightens, you essentially let go of the wheel, and it should start tracking straight again.

Mine does that when going LEFT, but when turning slightly RIGHT it seems to *stick* a little bit, and you have to then steer it LEFT back to center. Which FEELS weird!

So let's look at the suspension....

Passenger Sway bar hanger:




Driver side Sway bar hanger:



Passenger Gear:
Hrm... Following the sway back nest to the spring does not look right. I did not see that while taking the pics!



Driver Gear:



So the only thing I see out of place is that bent Hanger on the Passenger side. That and some of the bushing material is coming out on the driver side.


PS I did inspect where the steering assembly mounts to the frame but did not see any cracks in it.
I can get some better pics of that too.
Thoughts?

[Brockwaykid]

that interior looks pretty decent, if the dash bezel had a new insert put in it, a seat cover, and the speakers were put back it would look fine!
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[gonecountry]

It might just be the picture but in this pic it looks like the outer tie rod end is bent. do you have any more pics of that area?


In this pic you just can't quite see the outer tie rod end where the bend might be, but you can tell the sway bar is pulled right out of it's bushing on the control arm. I'd say someone may have used the sway bar as a tow point and pulled the bracket forward like that

[79Betty]

Spend a couple weekends on her and you'll be good to go! Does look bent...
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[nheller76]

looks bent to me! I was having trouble with mine not centering and steering funny and i fallowed the instructions on this link and IT WORKED WONDERS! Try it, may help.

http://bangshift.com/blog/driveway-t...two-tools.html

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=593459