The Official John Lee Jr Thread

[Sharps40]

Morning of the final day of hunting and its downright cool. The sjy is totally clear and full of Stars.

Dad is in the Garden Stand lookin for bucks. I'm in the Tower.

Figured with his good shootin and stackin em up like cordwood in the garden stand, Dad needs a nickname - I figure Deer Thug is about right.

------------------------------

Nothin movin this AM. Even with the cool. I spose with the full moon they are stayin out late.

But, huntin bucks this evening and with a lunch of spicey cowboy beans and rhe metal seat Dad should have no trouble callin one into range!

----------------------------------------------------

Finished. Dad saw no action tonight and I muffed a shot on a tall spike. A clean miss but we put Tracker on it for an hour just in case. No hair, nor blood or even kick up. It wasn't ment to be.

Course, we saw 4, Fired 4 and connected 3. Cooler is full and I like those numbers. Trips not over though. Still got Dad to myself tonight and for the trip home tomorrow!

[Sharps40]

Home Safe......

Nobody will hunt this stand....



Just a look around camp...



This locker full, and the other one too...





All packed and final checks done....





The road home and Crazy Frog has our Six!



See ya in the Low Country in October!

[Sharps40]

I got an email today. Tracking info. I think Mr. Langdon musta finished up my T5 Astro Van trannie and shipped it already. Bout three weeks sooner than I'da figgered. Woo Hooo!!!

[aggie91]

Man I just past some time at work reading your Hunting posts. Make me remember the times Me, My Dad and my Grandpa would go out hunting on the farm when I was a boy and he still had Old Blue (my 1965 C-10). Benifit was that our huntin was at the farm and got to stay in the farm house. Now some 30+ years later, my boys, me and my Dad do the same thing, only no Old Blue. Our season does not open till Nov.2nd, and not sure that we will make the 6.5 hour trip to the farm for opening weekend yet. Depends on how Football for my youngest boy works out...Love your 1886, reminds me of my Grandpa's 25-20 with the lever action and side mounted scope. That was the first gun I ever shot! We still have it and my boys have both used it. They now have new modern rifles of there own.

Great reading and I know how spending time with your Dad can be special.

[Old Bleu]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

I got an email today. Tracking info. I think Mr. Langdon musta finished up my T5 Astro Van trannie and shipped it already. Bout three weeks sooner than I'da figgered. Woo Hooo!!!

Woo Hoo! Can't wait to read about the install.

[Sharps40]

I sent a check for the shipping today. Can't wait to see it. First step is I gotta get my 7mm Mauser sight checked after missing that Wed evening buck...pretty sure I pulled it high but it was a clean miss from a 100 yard rest so its gotta be me not the gun.

Second thing is to get over to the car wash and get mucha the gunk and oil off the bell and floor pan!

Third is to check the clearance on the e-brake x-member to exhaust. If I can drop it an inch I'll do that first, before the trans even go's in.

Got a nice Austrailian Red Back (spider inside the plastic of the knob) shifter knob for it (just gotta find it!)....Sis sent if from Down Under back in 94 when I bought my first jellybean body mustang. We was out at TSC tonight lookin at aluminum and steel stock for shifter possibilities......!

Also went ahead and ordered upper and lower control arm shaft kits cause I might as well do the front suspension while waiting on the drive shaft. Gotta find a drive shaft guy here in this lil burg.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Man I just past some time at work reading your Hunting posts. Make me remember the times Me, My Dad and my Grandpa would go out hunting on the farm when I was a boy and he still had Old Blue (my 1965 C-10). Benifit was that our huntin was at the farm and got to stay in the farm house. Now some 30+ years later, my boys, me and my Dad do the same thing, only no Old Blue. Our season does not open till Nov.2nd, and not sure that we will make the 6.5 hour trip to the farm for opening weekend yet. Depends on how Football for my youngest boy works out...Love your 1886, reminds me of my Grandpa's 25-20 with the lever action and side mounted scope. That was the first gun I ever shot! We still have it and my boys have both used it. They now have new modern rifles of there own.

Great reading and I know how spending time with your Dad can be special.

25-20 be just fine for head shots on deer, drop em like a sack-o-hammers. 22 LR is legal for deer in NC....tween the eyes or in the ear hole and its more effective than a 30 06 in the boiler and faster/cleaner/quieter too!

[Sharps40]

According to the UPS tracker, my new Astro T5 5 speed OD trans left Southern Pines NC for Delivery to the house today at 608 AM. I should see it after 6 PM tonight. 86 lbs...I'll have ta let GoodWife know not ta try to move it, I should be home in time to get it....Got a spot for it on the bar by the Coffee pot where I can slobber on it till its time to install it!

[Old Bleu]

We're expecting a picture of that transmission smack dab in the middle of the dining room table!

[1963c-10]

Nice work rich....you can always bring some of that meat 30 min south if you run out of freezer room. I probably wont get much of a season in. Im waiting to see the new trans also.

For what its worth, I used a 25-06 for years...old Winchester model 70. Was great for the deer in these parts. Most days out I carry the old .50 muzzleloader out now just for the challenge.

[Sharps40]

Sing to the tune of The Saints Come Marching...."Ya can tell by da smell that it will be runnin well jus as soon as the seventyfive weights poured in."

Guess what jus arrived? Yep its Over Drive time at Richies house! Well, at least its on the counter to be slobbered on for a month or three while I round up the resta the parts and a bit of time for the install!

Here we go....the box, well packed....



Nice, its already painted!!!! And not greasy! I'm gonna like this job.



Mid 80s case, 14 spline in, 27 spline out, appears the input is the same length as the Camaro T5 so hopeing for a near direct bolt in to the 1965 bell housing and crank, etc.







Here is the gearing, despite what the Innernet lists for Astro Gears, its as I discussed with Mr. Langdon, 3.5 first, .76 Overdrive!



From the front, Non World Class T5, and by smell, also confirmed, 75W gear oil. (WC uses ATF I believe)



Stubby Shifter there...no worries, got me a welder in the house...Mig style, no more using the arc welder and hangers! I can chop that off and make something neat.

[Sharps40]

Well, lets see the tally so far....

1. Mid 80s Astro Van T5, NWC, totally overhauled....$650.

2. Short throw parts installed during the rebuild....$20.

3. Shipping to my door....$57.

So, $727, its here, overhauled/like new, painted, short throw kit, no grease, no busted knuckles...So far, I'm really likein this. I don't have to worry about installin it an findin out its worn out like the strong possibility with a junkyard dog or craigslist part. And, the gears are guaranteed to be what I ordered, not an advertisers best recollection.

[Sharps40]

I gotta tell ya, getting excited. I got 321 miles on this tank of gas and the needle is pointin at about the 16 gallon mark....that's durn near 20 mpg with the peanut and 3.73 rear gear. This T5 install could be a worldbreaker for me in the mpg department....Mr. Langdon is sayin to expect 3 or more additional MPG once its installed and running. That would be better mileage than my 2004 minivan ever got and put us in the 391 mile per tank range and still maintain a gallon or more in reserve! Good for cross country trips!

[Sharps40]

Looking up under the dash from the gas pedal what I think is the final most annoying in cab rattle I've had to track down on John Lee.

At the arrow, the link from clutch pedal arm to the downshaft that goes thru the floor and rotates the bell crank.

When just right, heavy acceleration with a load, up hills, windin to the top of each of my three gears, rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle sounding as much like the death of an engine via pinging as anything.

The only cure was to slightly depress the clutch or toe it up solid against the rubber stop till the load was gone and the harmonics in the rod settled down to a non ratteling state of mind....more than frustrating.

So, apart it came...the down shaft in fair shape, about 20% wear on the joint, a slight groove...but the hole in the arm still quite round. So, for now, a dab of grease on the link and between the arm and the retention pin? A washer to take up the slop and eliminate the rattle....I hope. Will know for sure in the AM after the run to work.

And if that's the cure I might just replace the entire linkage set with a heim jointed assembly for these old clutches...no more worn shafts or egged out holes. Course, the only set I've seen like this is from LMC and I don't know what the quality might be like....I'll have to continue shopping.

[shok]

Could you just cut and thread that end of the rod and put a heim right there?

[Sharps40]

Prolly but then gotta cut the other end and the push rods and by the time ya cobble that all together with decent quality heim joints (at $15 or $20 each) and sloppy crooked hand cut threads on old steel rods, I think I can buy a kit tailor made for the truck. Just wanted to see if there is something out there by way of choice other than from LMC. I've been okay to extatic about their quality but much of the stuff is foreign and falls in the Just Okay category. At least the clutch kit was fantastic. So, still shoppin.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

Well, lets see the tally so far....

1. Mid 80s Astro Van T5, NWC, totally overhauled....$650.

2. Short throw parts installed during the rebuild....$20.

3. Shipping to my door....$57.

So, $727, its here, overhauled/like new, painted, short throw kit, no grease, no busted knuckles...So far, I'm really likein this. I don't have to worry about installin it an findin out its worn out like the strong possibility with a junkyard dog or craigslist part. And, the gears are guaranteed to be what I ordered, not an advertisers best recollection.

Sharps,
You forgot to mention one of the REALLY REALLY nice features of your new T5 . . . . . Drum roll please! . . . . . . . Wait for it! . . . . . . The cable speedo output on the tailhousing! That's awesome! Those S10 cable speedo tailhousings are really hard to find! It is a really NICE score!

[scrapmetalart]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

Looking up under the dash from the gas pedal what I think is the final most annoying in cab rattle I've had to track down on John Lee.

At the arrow, the link from clutch pedal arm to the downshaft that goes thru the floor and rotates the bell crank.

When just right, heavy acceleration with a load, up hills, windin to the top of each of my three gears, rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle sounding as much like the death of an engine via pinging as anything.

The only cure was to slightly depress the clutch or toe it up solid against the rubber stop till the load was gone and the harmonics in the rod settled down to a non ratteling state of mind....more than frustrating.

So, apart it came...the down shaft in fair shape, about 20% wear on the joint, a slight groove...but the hole in the arm still quite round. So, for now, a dab of grease on the link and between the arm and the retention pin? A washer to take up the slop and eliminate the rattle....I hope. Will know for sure in the AM after the run to work.

And if that's the cure I might just replace the entire linkage set with a heim jointed assembly for these old clutches...no more worn shafts or egged out holes. Course, the only set I've seen like this is from LMC and I don't know what the quality might be like....I'll have to continue shopping.

drill out the mount hole & put in a bronze bushing?

[Sharps40]

Lugnutz65 Yep, I forgot....Mr. Langdon did say he was putting on the S10 tail housing. Gotta round up a 72 4wd speedo cable assembly with both ends threaded as its the right one to replace my old short cable.

Scrapmetalart The hole in the shaft is pretty much still round, no need for a bushing there. Natural wear and tear has a groove being rubbed in the elbow of the downshaft on this one. I suspect the wear on the belcrank ends is similar. That's why I'm thinkin heim joint assembly, the studs are fixed in the holes and everything rotates on bushings in the heims instead of metal to metal contact. Should rattle less too!

[Sharps40]

Update, that fixed it...no more underdash death rattle!

Originally Posted by Sharps40

Looking up under the dash from the gas pedal what I think is the final most annoying in cab rattle I've had to track down on John Lee.

At the arrow, the link from clutch pedal arm to the downshaft that goes thru the floor and rotates the bell crank.

When just right, heavy acceleration with a load, up hills, windin to the top of each of my three gears, rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle sounding as much like the death of an engine via pinging as anything.

The only cure was to slightly depress the clutch or toe it up solid against the rubber stop till the load was gone and the harmonics in the rod settled down to a non ratteling state of mind....more than frustrating.

So, apart it came...the down shaft in fair shape, about 20% wear on the joint, a slight groove...but the hole in the arm still quite round. So, for now, a dab of grease on the link and between the arm and the retention pin? A washer to take up the slop and eliminate the rattle....I hope. Will know for sure in the AM after the run to work.

And if that's the cure I might just replace the entire linkage set with a heim jointed assembly for these old clutches...no more worn shafts or egged out holes. Course, the only set I've seen like this is from LMC and I don't know what the quality might be like....I'll have to continue shopping.

[Sharps40]

I spose one of the first jobs will be to cut off that stubby s10 shifter and get the shaft ground back flat on one half so I can make up a home spun shifter shaft or use any of the myrad shafts avaialble for the Ford T5s.....course I could just pick up a ford T5 shifter on eflay, redrill the front two mounting holes and save myself a buncha grindin but thats no fun.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

I spose one of the first jobs will be to cut off that stubby s10 shifter and get the shaft ground back flat on one half so I can make up a home spun shifter shaft or use any of the myrad shafts avaialble for the Ford T5s.....course I could just pick up a ford T5 shifter on eflay, redrill the front two mounting holes and save myself a buncha grindin but thats no fun.

Rich,
Allow me to butt in here. You have a BUNCH of options. It sounds like you LIKE to fabricate things, so your idea mentioned above will certainly work.

I'm not at my home computer, but there's a vendor who sells a short throw shifter and the Hurst style bolt pattern shaft . . . I think it's about $89 PLUS it has the shift stops so it will prevent overshifting (a common problem if you get a little aggressive).

I think you can remove the stem with the ball on the end from a FORD T5 shifter and swap it into your current shifter. You pry up the tabs, disassemble the shifter, drill a new hole for the pivot pin, etc. I have a link to the whole thing on my home computer. That way you can keep your short throw shifter and base plate and just swap out the stem part.

Little that I know you, I'm guessing you will choose to fabricate.

Jay

[Sharps40]

Ha! I might just....

Mostly thinkin ahead right now....still gotta lot of deer to shoot and parts to round up.

[Sharps40]

This whole overdrive thing makes me feel as tickled as a boner in sweat pants.

[Sharps40]

Yer blog has a straight stick added on to the S10 shifter. Looks like a decent temp solution if it'll clear a bench seat. Gives me time to look around and fab up some stuff after the trans is in and I can drive it while fabbin.