Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I found these and almost completed the sale, but the shipping charges I thought were rediculous, so I backed out.
http://www.earlyclassic.com/catalog.aspx?ProductId=195

yeah, I saw that price and told WES and he said check to see if they have them. I called them and they are actually out of stock on them and won't get any more...they need to update their site since that call was over a month ago...maybe that's why shipping was high-to keep people from buying something they don't have and can't get...

[hgs_notes]

The past couple days, I've been working on it. Everything going back together takes 4 times longer than you think it will, and 10 times longer than taking it apart. I'm just continuing to work in the engine compartment so far. I finally got the lower radiator mounts, got them painted and installed. Had to cut a relief into the lip on the bottom of the support so the HD radiator mounts would fit, since they are longer than the regular ones.


Then I started the rebuild of the EFI system.


This was waaaaaay easier than any carb I ever rebuilt. Theres like 4 O-rings, a couple gaskets, regulator diaphram and spring, thats about it. The biggest issue I had was on one of the fuel line fittings. One was a home made piece and I tried to find a replacement for it, but it was some oddball thread. Tapered like pipe threads, smaller than 1/4", but bigger than 1/8". It's possible it was metric, because there were a pair of metric bolts on it elsewhere. I just plugged the hole going through it, drilled it out a bit and ran a 1/4" pipe tap through it so it matches the other fitting and will be easier to change later.


The plumbing isn't as nice as I would like, but should work for now. I'll look at getting fancier tubing later on. Depends on how much I like the system also. All the fuel line is run axcept for the rear few feet because my hood is resting there for the moment. I'll probably finish that today.


What brought my day to an end yesterday was finding a place to mount the ECU. It needs to be out of the elements, away from the heat, should be out of sight, but needs to be accessible so it can be tuned. It's not that big, maybe 5"x5"x 2", but there is not much room on the firewall. I don't want to bolt it under the upper cowl area for fear of leaks through the holes, and trying to avoid putting it further back like under the seat because I don't want a big grommet through the floor down there and don't want to run two fairly large wire runs under the carpet to the firewall. I might make some kind of bracket that will run from the bottom lip of the dash to the firewall that I can screw it onto.

Anyway, the engine compartment is nearly done. Still waiting for delivery from Classic Heartbeat for some grommets, etc. Should be here soon though. Todays task will be electrical. I'm not thrilled about the condition of my underhood wire harness and will see if I have a better one in the attic. If not, I'll clean up what I have. It's not terrible, but there are a few splices, made by me, that I could have done better. And I'll probably start working in the cab today also.

I talked to the body shop friday morning and I'm bringing it back over there tuesday. Hopefully I can drive it there.

[VA72C10]

Nice progress!!!

[hgs_notes]

Think I'm done for the day. I re-made the underhood wire harness, then found a good one in the attic. My truck originally was a 307 V-8, 3 on the tree, no gages truck. There are differences in the wire harnesses for the auto tranny and gages. So I made the underhood one to work with the gages, eliminated wires that I could, but may have to modify it again for the alternator. I believe I swapped to an internally regulated alternator, and if it's not already, it will be before I drive it again.

I did have a near perfect wire harness for in the cab though. Unmolested and in great shape. It's in there, but not much is hooked to it yet. I think I need to swap the neutral safety switch or the connectors for it. It was a van tilt column and the connectors are a little different.

For the heck of it, I hooked some power to the starter and used a remote start switch to turn the engine over. It was good to hear it, but still a long way to go before it's running on it's own power.

[hgs_notes]

Nearly running. I'll back up a bit though and start at the beginning. Had to hit the road this morning for work, but it was a short day. My stop wasn't too far from a junkyard I like to hit once in a while and I found another truck there. Didn't take much, but the wife said last week she wanted me to put a bench seat back in it. I have a split bench to use, but she is putting her finger prints on the interior. So I got a very nice 68 bench seat. Has a tear on the driver side, but overall very good. It will get recovered later and it looks like we might go with the turquoise interior afterall. The only trouble spot there is armrests, which I might have to dye to match.

Yesterdays only real problem with the harness was a corroded fuse link and I didn't have the firewall gasket yet. I found a couple fuse links at the yard and my parts were delivered today. I installed the battery tray with a few bolts for now, it still needs painted, but I don't have the time right now.

I bought a new pair of battery cables and got those installed. I'll have to clamp them down yet. Then I figured out which wires and connectors of the nuetral safety switch to use and cut a tab out of the way on the switch, plugged it in, and turned the engine over with the key. So far so good.

I added some oil, filled the radiator, and turned it over til I had steady pressure and lubed it up a bit. Then I put the fenders on. FINALLY!






Next I got to work finishing the fuel lines. All thats left is to hook the pump suction to the tank. I have it off for now because I want to prime the pump with gas before I close the line up.


I started hooking the wire harness up for the fuel injection. The fuel pump is hooked up, the injectors, throttle osition switch and fast idle solenoid are connected. All that's left is connecting the power relay to power it all up and plug in the ECU and try it out. The only concern right now is if the ECU is actually good and I wont know till I try to fire it up. I'm not permanently mounting the ECU yet. I'm just going to hook it all up and see if it runs, then after paint I'll work on permanent mounting.

Still hoping to drive it over to the body shop tomorrow, but I think I'll need a little luck going my way. here's how it sits for the night...

[VA72C10]

Nice work! Looking like a truck! Engine bay is looking very good too!!!

On the armrests, I am having memory issues...but someone used the earlier style 60's armrests that have the stainless trim piece running though them and had them recovered to match his seat. They fit the factory screw holes and it came out AWESOME and would solve the matching issue...

[spike38]

Making some great progress!

Spike

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Nice work! Looking like a truck! Engine bay is looking very good too!!!

Thanks.

earlier style 60's armrests

From what? I'd like to have options. The woman in town here that does interiors said she could make a stitched cover for my arm rests as an option too. So far the wife likes the turquoise interior parts the best. It just goes with the paint.

[xludan]

Looking awesome. Your getting close. Do you plan on bringing it to any MN car shows this season if you finish it soon enough? Hopefully you do so I can come check it out.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

From what? I'd like to have options. The woman in town here that does interiors said she could make a stitched cover for my arm rests as an option too. So far the wife likes the turquoise interior parts the best. It just goes with the paint.

looks like 55-66 trucks had them? Here's the first place I could find them...I've seen them cheaper before....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ARM-R...s#ht_500wt_956

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by xludan

Looking awesome. Your getting close. Do you plan on bringing it to any MN car shows this season if you finish it soon enough? Hopefully you do so I can come check it out.

The only show up there I thought about was the Cra Craft National, but I'll be out of state during that one. I'll probably just keep it at the local stuff this summer, but who knows. Maybe the St Peter show would be good.

Originally Posted by VA72C10

looks like 55-66 trucks had them? Here's the first place I could find them...I've seen them cheaper before....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ARM-R...s#ht_500wt_956

Hmm, I'll have to see what the wife thinks. Thanks for the link.

Time for good news/bad news.

Good first, I got the EFI all hooked up, the fuel pump works and it should go.

Bad news, it didn't go. No gas through the injectors, no signal to them that I can tell. Problem may be ignition though. The engine doesn't want to fire even with fuel squrted into the manifold. Double checked the power to the dizzy, it's good. Double checked power from the relay to the ECU, its good. I'm not positive but think there has to be a signal from the tach connector for the EFI to squirt, so it stands to reason if there is no spark, the injectors might not open.

More good news though, I thought I was going to drive to Beloit, WI tonight, work tomorrow and not get home til thursday, but the job may be postponed a couple weeks. Now I can go back out and see if I can fix it yet.

[hgs_notes]

Brief update while I'm on hold with Holley. I found my ignition problem. A plug on the dizzy wasn't connected. So I have spark, still no injector action though.

[67cheby]

on your tbi wirining harness did you make or buy it?? i am watching yours closely, this is the same set up i am going to be running (i have the Holley tbi unit) Eldelbrock intake, and i bought my wiring harness from (fuel injection connection)...so anyway i am tagging along watching as you work out the bugs !

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

on your tbi wirining harness did you make or buy it?? i am watching yours closely, this is the same set up i am going to be running (i have the Holley tbi unit) Eldelbrock intake, and i bought my wiring harness from (fuel injection connection)...so anyway i am tagging along watching as you work out the bugs !

I bought a new harness, and to my surprise it basically came with all of the wiring for the kit. I talked to a holley rep and he said the injectors are probably stuck shut from sitting for years and the fuel drying up. I comfirmed it by borrowing an injector noid light kit from a local garage and the ECU is sending a good signal to the injectors. Then I swapped one of the injectors for a spare that the guy sent with the kit and that injector works, but not good enough for the truck to really run on. It coughs and pops but not getting enough fuel to really go.

I have both original injectors soaking in carb cleaner, hoping one or the other will break loose. If not, I'll have to buy a new one.

[hgs_notes]

Here's the status of the aparatus... Injectors still stuck, new ones very hard to come by. There is an update kit for the injectors...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-534-170/

But it doesn't include the injectors, which are these...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-522-43

So I have a few choices. Bite the bullet and buy the upgrade, buy a pair of alternate injectors listed on ebay as a suitable replacement (maybe, maybe not) or hope enough soaking in cleaner will loosen up the old ones. A friend of mine also suggested finding a diesel shop that cleans injectors to see if they can do something.

The advantage of buying the update is that replacement parts in the future would be easier. The disadvantage is the higher cost. There is always other options, such as selling this and buying a newer EFI or go back to a carb.

Anyway, my trip got cancelled, I worked on it all day, it goes to the body shop tomorrow. The other work done today was a start on laying the fatmat on the rear wall of the cab, 2/3 done there. I put the new seat in with 4 bolts just to make it easier to move around. It takes like 5 minutes to pull out.

[hgs_notes]

Truck is at the shop. I'm going to have them paint the steering column and defrost vents body color. Also left a radio delete plate with them to paint. Not sure I'll use it, but just in case I want to ba able to just pop it in.

Progress pic


My new seat, $30 bargain.


And the door panel up to see how it looks with some sun on the paint.


I'm hoping its painted before the weekend, should be. Hopefully the bed gets sprayed next week. I'm probably going to order the injector upgrade kit, but I'm going to call some diesel shops first for an opinion on cleaning what I have. I need to order an exhaust kit also. I could be driving it in a few weeks. Need to stay optimistic right.

[VA72C10]

Door panel looks great with the paint. Man, it's getting close now!!!

[lyrikz]

Just a thought. We have shops here called Dr. Injector. Send them your injectors and they repair/ fix them.. Normally 25 dollars an injector. They can at least tell you whats wrong with yours.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Door panel looks great with the paint. Man, it's getting close now!!!

Yeah, it looks great. Too bad I have nothing else that really matches them.

Originally Posted by lyrikz

Just a thought. We have shops here called Dr. Injector. Send them your injectors and they repair/ fix them.. Normally 25 dollars an injector. They can at least tell you whats wrong with yours.

Thanks for that tip. I looked them up and another company out east. Then talked to a local diesel shop, who suggested another diesel shop, who then told me about a local company that he knew used to do it, then finally had the end point of the quest. Wenzel Auto Electric in Mankato cleans and tests fuel injectors for about $15 each. This service should be better advertised and easier to find in my opinion. So I'll drop them off in the next day or 2 and should have them installed shortly after the truck is back from paint. That's assuming they are usable. I just need 2 out of the 3 to work.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Yeah, it looks great. Too bad I have nothing else that really matches them.


Thanks for that tip. I looked them up and another company out east. Then talked to a local diesel shop, who suggested another diesel shop, who then told me about a local company that he knew used to do it, then finally had the end point of the quest. Wenzel Auto Electric in Mankato cleans and tests fuel injectors for about $15 each. This service should be better advertised and easier to find in my opinion. So I'll drop them off in the next day or 2 and should have them installed shortly after the truck is back from paint. That's assuming they are usable. I just need 2 out of the 3 to work.

Glad i could help. If they cant get them to work, i guarantee they will have ones there to replace them.

I have never heard of injectors drying up and sticking. Thats a interesting one there. Good luck.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

Glad i could help. If they cant get them to work, i guarantee they will have ones there to replace them.

I have never heard of injectors drying up and sticking. Thats a interesting one there. Good luck.

Basically the varnish is preventing the injector from moving I think.

On another note, I talked to a guy about doing the exhaust once it's out of the paint shop again. Probably have to borrow a trailer to haul it over there. Open headers and lack of windshield would make it a very loud drive.

So my challenge the next few days is to spray black on some of the pieces I either forgot or just didn't get to yet, like the door latch catches, the battery tray, etc. and I need to finish what I'm doing for bed floor repairs.

[hgs_notes]

The last couple days have mostly been spent indoors due to the 100+ heat indexes, and I needed a break. I did spend some time cleaning up the garage and sorting through some parts. Today I got started on the last part of bed repairs. I cut out a strip that was rusted where it bolts to the bed floor and decided I better get the bed tipped up onto the front panel for better access, and I knew I needed to touch up the primer under there.


Most of the bare spots are where the bed sat on the saw horses, but some of it was just plain missed. There are some areas that need some sandblasting, both under the bed and under the bed rails, which can be seen easily with the wheel tubs out.




So I have some work to do sandblasting some spots, spraying some primer and fixing a few spots.

[hgs_notes]

Busy morning. I cleaned some things up, and then made a huge mess again. Got the sandblaster out and quickly filled the garage with silica particles. I ran out of sand before I could clean up the bumper brackets and a couple other odds and ends, but pretty well got the bed done. I used a wire wheel to clean up some areas I didn't have sand for. Then sprayed some wax/grease remover on it all and wiped it down. Let it sit for a while and then sprayed some epoxy primer on the bed floor and some misc brackets. Not sure if I'll do anything else today. I'd like to finish the repairs and grinding so I can spray epoxy on the bottom front edge yet, then the bottom will pretty much be ready for paint.

There is nothing on a project like this that is not a lot of work. The body shop should be painting the cab tuesday or wednesday. The bed will be ready to put on a trailer and go to the shop at that time.

[VA72C10]

Looks good. Not many dents in that bed floor!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Looks good. Not many dents in that bed floor!

Thanks!

Actually the rear 2 feet or so are pounded down pretty good. If I was going for more of a show and shine truck, I would have replaced the floor, at least the rear half. But I plan on using it like I did before it was painted, I'll just to be more careful.

I picked up some more black paint to spray the bottom with, but I need to let the primer set up more, so maybe tomorrow.

Wow, 600 posts and still not done :/