Total noob just got a '69 GMC.

[1969GMC]

Hello all,

I just picked up this '69 GMC truck. It runs and stops. My plans are to make a daily driver out of it and use it to haul miscellaneous junk and a jon boat. This truck will be mostly for short distance driving. In the long run I'd like to put some more serious work into this truck.







I know very little about these trucks, and what I do know is mostly from lurking this website. I have been building air-cooled VW's for most of my life (Bus guy,) including engines from stock to strokers. I don't have much experience working with water cooled engines, however. I am hoping that some of you could maybe tell me something about my truck. Please assume that I know nothing.

My short term goals are to make the truck mechanically sound in every way. I was told that the engine is a 350, and the transmission is a TH350. There are a few things on the engine that have me confused, so I figured that I'd ask about them here. I've taken photos of them.




I'm assuming that this is the thermostat housing. There is a stack of washers on one side, and a bolt that doesn't look like it fits on the other. In addition there's a bunch of blue colored goo (Hylomar, RTV?) at the area where it mates with the intake manifold (I also don't know what type of intake manifold I have.) It leaks, but very slowly. I want to take care of this, but I don't want to mess with it until I have the right parts and at least a clue about what to do (e.g. what to do if stripped out, etc.)

The other thing that I don't recognize is the distributor.


Anybody know what distributor this is, or how to identify it?


And here's a pic of the engine. Does everything look to be in order?

Sorry if I am not posting in the right section, or not following site etiquette. I am new here.

Thanks,
Andrew