New to site first post

[Dan Wales]

Boy like everyone else here I fell in love with the 67 -72 Chevy trucks. I worked on these in my early career in the Air Force. can you imagine supporting 100 of these with 327's and three on the tree. I felt like at one time if you could find a bag large enough I could assemble one in a bag.

Father time has caught up with me and after 40 years federal service I retired a few years ago.

Just couldn't get rid of the impulse to have one of these trucks. Looked high and low for one for a couple years actually. I'm NO body man by any means so I needed to find one that I didn't have to strip to the frame. I still have a little mechanical talent which will be put to the test putting this 71 back in good street condition. Right now I have oil leaks every where on this engine and trans.
Of course I'm going to pull the engine and trans and start from scratch. The seller says that it has a higher stall convertor than stock sounds like it. I have no idea what gears are in the rear end 12 posi I think, I will pull the cover soon and start counting teeth,

Right off the bat I'm asking for a little advice & help I have been reading this board for several days now almost every post learning and trying to remember the past we're talking 42 years.

My first attempts at photos. I'm not sure what brand of headers are on here. The flanges have been cut and headers welded straight to the exhaust nice job actually and the truck sounds good but we all know sound can fool ya. In the one photo you'll see #2 cyl header tube hitting on the right motor mount support. I doubled checked the mount is good engine is sitting level. The fan is square in the fan shroud. In other photos on here, it looks like other header sets are clearing the mount by maybe an inch. The other photo if I can get it on here will show #3 plug boot actually touching the header tube. I didn't know shorter plugs were available until I read on here about the Accell shorty plugs. Sure looks to me this would be the simplest immediate solution to this problem. The intake is a Street Dominator and from what I have read on here they're crap. I intend to bite the bullet and get a Holley and Edelbrock Performer off Summit or Jegs. I'm thinking while I'm at it I might as well upgrade the HEI with a unit off Jegs or Summit.

The alternator bracket isn't getting it either I know I can turn the rear of the alternator and gain just a little clearance the but the belt will still be off center. It is now, the belt adjust is also at max in the bracket, someone put shims behind the bracket so it would clear I'm looking for the cheapest solution here I found a couple brackets that should work on Jegs and Summit they look great but also about $90.

Really sorry for the long post, I have not found how to get to the FOR SALE page on here by other members. The majority of the members on here are WAY over my in head in body and metal work.

One other question might as well get the beating over with. It appears the fan is a original 7 blade fan which I like, however there is no viscous drive and when you whip the motor you get belt squeal that's a lot of blade. Any suggestions I have wore out Summit and Jegs there are a few on there that look like the will work okay I'm hoping someone may have bought one or have a better place to look. One good thing so far the radiator is good and that big fan pulls a lot of air.

I apologize again for the extremely long post but to say that I'm impressed with the level of talent and CIVILITY on here would be a tremendous understatement.

Any help and advice truly appreciated

Dan