'66 Longbed 327 w/AC project

[cortcomp]

I just got home (NEohio) from Fresno CA with the latest addition to my garage. I'm a big pontiac guy, so i haven't been in a lot of the chevy websites, but this looks to be my new home on the 'net for this project. Glad to have an old truck in the stable for fun out with my beagles, and for something different to drive.

The truck is solid and straight, but of course, nothing is perfect and if it was, it'd be kind of sad because there'd be nothing left to do! Truck rolled over 100,000 on the way home (4.5 days, 12 hours a day driving) at 70mph. Engine bay is old and dirty and leaky, and interior works but blah. It is nicely optioned (AC, Spotlight, 327, has 3 gas tanks with in cab switch, aftermarket but neat and period correct, deluxe gauges) Here are my plans:



Interior:

Paint everything
new steering wheel
Restore gauge cluster (add vacuum and tach)
Add parking brake light mod i found here over tandm lock light
Add classic looking radio
Fix and adjust cluch pedal so not 1 mile in the air
recover seat
restore and replace kickpanel air vents
remove carpet/replace with rubber style mat
probably put some kind of sound barrier down
Figure out why there are like 10 screws around my small back window, remove and fill those holes before painting



Drivetrain/underhood:

Yank and clean and detail the engine as in my other projects (pics attachd) I love a colorful, stockish looking engine bay.

Put compressor and new A/C hoses/drier on to fix A/C (Everything else there)

Swap 3 speed for my spare NP440 trans (i adapted one NP440 to my 71 pontiac/462ci/433 hp,500tq and love it). The ones i have are the chevy bolt pattern ones, and this should be an easier swap than my pontiac because this is a truck bell. (no bearing retainer turn down) and the shifter should line up better in the truck. I know the shifters are hard to find, but standard muncie levers and a hurts shifter with a little work on the mounting plate bolts right up to this tranny. Running a competition plus in my 71, shifts great with this tranny. Love the internal reverse light switch also. I will likely adapt the correct hurst shifter for this truck with heims linkage like i did in the 71 (pic attached). Was easy enough, durable, and NO SLOP. And again, should be easier with this setup, because it looks like the shifter is away from the tailshaft more in the truck install than right up against it like in the A-body.

Have carb pro-rebuilt (4GC) and new fuel pump and all lines and tank selector valve

Install sending units in the two saddle tanks and find a place for a vintage looking switch so when i switch tanks i can see what i have on each tank.

Tanks are plastic (econo-tank, RV place from waco seems to have made them) and look i good condition

Power steering slave system leaks like a siv. Will put new quick ratio box conversion in, using the plates the gentleman here sells. I see i'll need a pitman arm too, not sure if i need other parts like drag link or whatnot because i already have power steering?

replace old booster, and new dual master for safety


Exterior

Blast the bumpers and grille and paint white. Likely repaint all white exterior white again, bright and shiny, and paint bumpers and grille white instead of cheesy aluminum spray paint.
Put new darker colored wood bed in.
Lower slightly for style
New 15" radials, maybe even stick with the mini-white stripe, but a lot wider to fill up the wheel wells more
New drums, shoes, hardware ALL THE WAY AROUND! This thing barely stops. I have 2 other 4-wheel drum cars and they stop GREAT. I know drums can work, they're likely just sadly neglected.


Thank you all for having this site ready for those of us just coming into these trucks! My father in law has a very nice 57 chevy truck, but it's already completed so i haven't had to scrounge around the web for ideas and help for these trucks. I like the style, and i'm excited to get on this driving project after the last couple major projects i was working on.