Educating a Ford guy...

[sizzle-fry]

I'm new at forums. I expect that I will probably knock over someone's beer or something - please bear with me.

I was given (title and all, with new tabs even) a 1968 C20 CST Fleetside with the long bed (not a longhorn though). 327, with the 3911032 heads and 3914678 block, incl quadrajet. All options except air. Being rather fond of another manufacturer's old steel I was at first kind of confused and such, wondering what I was going to do with this truck. Then I remembered that saying... Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

It sat for a few weeks, I started it a few times and drove it around the property, and then it sat some more. I parked it in the shop to dry out, cleaned all the trash out of the cab, and then proceeded to look at it every once in a while after work. I checked out the vin and build tag (barely readable on glovebox interior) and got an idea of production numbers, etc. Wow, not too bad - about 2500 trucks made in this specific trim. Numbers match too.

There was obvious cancer from the windshield ridge, rain-gutters, and posts to the regular places in each wing, rockers, and forward cab mounts. The motor was rebuilt once at 240k miles - and I can tell from the ball joints it went another 100k beyond its first rebuild. Everything else seemed sound however. I removed the glass from the cab, and removed the doors and interior so that I could make a better asessment. Now I'm in it...

Free truck, chassis is in great condition, transmission is just dandy, all running gear is just fine, and most of the panels are a snap to make brand new. Yep, guess I'm in. Won't cost THAT much, right? Finished properly it could net as much as 15k, more to the right person I suppose. Stock rebuild, strictly (except for better bushings and bearings). This includes finishes and a rebuild of all subsystems. Wheee... I see 5k worth of mats and steel in chassis/body/cab right now. I see another 3-4k to make the motor/trans better than stock. Lol... I'm dreamin.

The experience is what I want - would rather learn on this free truck than on some 1966 crewcab 4x4... drool. I have my work cut out for me. Lots of questions coming too - like new cab or learn to do real body work... etc. Going to be a great educational project I'm certain. I've done dumber things - promise.

This project is of course just starting, here's (I hope) a few snaps of where this is starting from.

[67_C-30]

Welcome to the board. I would be careful, though, if I were you. These things get addictive. I think If you start driving it around a lot, you will really have a change of opinion on similiar year Ford trucks. These trucks drive SO much better than those old twin I beam Fords.

[sizzle-fry]

Lol - yep, gonna get a feel for them I think. Getting down to the mechanics, its sooo much nicer figuring up a Chevy motor build than a Ford. Ford had what, 9-10 different blocks? (I'll close my eyes and pretend there was never a SOHC cammer).

Dad built bowties - shoeboxes really. And a plymouth (64 sports fury). I've built a 74 scout II - mostly mechanical and paint though - shoddy steelwork, I wasn't really in to the craftsmanship thing at 17). I am truly looking forward to this project no matter who made the beast - lol

Handling, man I gotta say that this coilover control arm independent rear suspension takes the trophy over Ford in it's era. I need a tugger, not a racecar. That is pretty well what this particular truck was made for, and it shows in the design. I've yet to check out my rear pot but suspect the average 3/4 ton pot/gears.

327 isn't known for torque, but the heads that came with it can make this block do wonderfully in that department - to a certain point. Need bigger valves and probably a bit better intake angle - moderate duration cam is fine but them valves gotta pop open wide pretty fast (and then snap tight) to make big torques at usable rpms... Also, stock manifold is really not very efficient - thats another category tho. This block will be stroked up to 383 BTW. Bet it makes 350 torques easy.

(hey, check out http://www.chevellestuff.com/qd/head...ng_by_year.htm) for info on head castings for Chev motors - cool data.

Here's a few more snaps of the pre-teardown truck

[67_C-30]

Wow! You got a free truck with a seat that is worth $500+. Those buddy buckets are very desireable. If you planning on stroking it, you need make sure you have a large journal 327. Being a '68, It may very well be a small journal though. Small journal engines do not have the availability of stroker cranks like the large journal engines do. 327's aren't known to torque monsters, but if they are properly set up that pull pretty decent. You can expect to have at least 4.10's in the rear. That's actually the highest gearset offered in the Eaton rearend.

[sizzle-fry]

I knew I came to the right place - I appreciate the information.

I'll do a bit more searching on this 3914678 block and find out what I can for potential... suspect it'll do but it doesnt hurt to check out leads like the one you provided.

BTW here's a place one can look up their small block and find some relative potential.

http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php

I can see I'm stuck with a 2 bolt... but that don't mean much if I'm not spinning at 5k+.

Do you (or someone else perhaps) have a link to a site that tells me how to identify my rear pot/gearing?

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by sizzle-fry

I knew I came to the right place - I appreciate the information.

I'll do a bit more searching on this 3914678 block and find out what I can for potential... suspect it'll do but it doesnt hurt to check out leads like the one you provided.

BTW here's a place one can look up their small block and find some relative potential.

http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php

I can see I'm stuck with a 2 bolt... but that don't mean much if I'm not spinning at 5k+.

Do you (or someone else perhaps) have a link to a site that tells me how to identify my rear pot/gearing?

Ok, you're good if you have the 678 block. It a large journal (same block was used for 302/327/350) , and will accept all common stroker cranks/kits. As you said, you will have absolutely no issues with a 2 bolt main with what you building. There is a rear decoder somewhere around this board, I'll see if I can find it for you.

[sizzle-fry]

A couple more photos of teardown, damage, etc.

[67_C-30]

I'm having trouble finding a decoder, but there are guys here with books (such as the red book) that will decode it for you. You should have stamped code, usually on the passenger side axle tube, that tells you what it is like the pic below.



Also there 2 rearends available for 3/4 tons. It would have had a Dana 60 or an Eaton HO52.

Eaton H052 - Available ratios - 4.10 opt., 4.57 std., 4.13 opt.



Dana 60 - Available ratios - 3.54 (big block trucks), 4.10, 4.56

[sizzle-fry]

And a couple more

[sizzle-fry]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

I'm having trouble finding a decoder, but there are guys here with books (such as the red book) that will decode it for you. You should have stamped code, usually on the passenger side axle tube, that tells you what it is like the pic below.


Also there 2 rearends available for 3/4 tons. It would have had a Dana 60 or an Eaton HO52.

Eaton H052 - Available ratios - 4.10 opt., 4.57 std., 4.13 opt.

DOH, I can see a pressure wash in my immediate future... and I'll figure out this quote/reply business if it kills everyone

[sizzle-fry]

And just a few more snaps

[sizzle-fry]

Minor updates only for now. Lots of things are going on outside of the build - like spring... someone has to get the garden started and collect/split enough wood to season for next winter. It still gets dark though, or rainy. Progress will be made.

Here's snaps of the engine removal and the nasty 2 into 1 headerpipe. Sure am glad I just let that motor sit in the chassis until there was no bodywork in the way, what an easy trick.

The exhaust pipe appears to have been run just a little close to the driveshaft. The muffler has a grove where the weld from one end of the drive shaft seems to have been rubbing, and the pipe itself is beaten into a recess from where the knuckle on the driveshaft was coming into contact. The matter offended me to the point where I just sawzalled the pipe to free the motor and took the headerpipe off after. It wasn't stopping me, coulda pulled motor without the cut - but it offended me.

I'll get to pressure washing this weekend - supposed to rain tomorrow, great time to pressure wash.

[Mike J]

Man, quick work on the teardown! good job!

and that truck looks a whole lot better than mine when I first brought mine home! Great score, especially for free! wish I still had my chrome side moldings! Some previous owner took mine off...

[sizzle-fry]

Minor update, pics later this week.

Managed to get most of the frame torn down, just a couple things to remove - shocks, swaybar, torque bar, and transmission linkage mounts. Then it is pressure wash time.

I had removed the engine and transmission as a single unit, great ease - except... removing the torque converter and flexplate while the motor is suspended on the hoist is not cool - avoid this if you can. BTW, I knew better but was being lazy. Big torque on those bolts holding torque converter to the flexplate - required two breaker bars. One of these bars broke the last bolt free, the responding force plus 900 lbs of motor bouncing on the hoist caused the other bar to suddenly be free and pop me in the face (right eye). By the time I walked over to the sink to get some paper towels to mop up the blood (20-30 steps) my eye was swollen shut. Lol, had not even busted a knuckle or got a sheet metal scratch up till this point. I stopped and had a few beers before finishing up and getting the motor mounted on the stand. Next time I shall rest the motor on the bench to keep things from getting bouncy.

The new Eastwood blaster (and chassis paint) shows up on thursday, between then and now I'll need to fab a new wall in the garage so I can make a blasting/paint area - just some 2x4s and OSB and a visqueen ceiling. The wife is suprisingly on-board - anything to contain the mess I suppose. Will build in filters and fan and be stylin'

[vk_chevy]

sorry to hear about your injury, hope that was the last and only one,
nice progress on the truck, I really like the 67/8 trucks, they are may favorite,

there are some real nice board member vendors that will take good care of your parts needs and really know these trucks, you may want to look up Wes @ classicheartbeat here in Olympia if you need parts.

[sizzle-fry]

Finally got the chassis cleaned/degreased - 50 years worth of muck and grime gone, replaced by beautiful surface rust and factory paint. All I need to do now is remove the front/rear suspension and then media blasting can begin. I also have to cut away the cheesy trailer hitch bracket that someone fabbed - atrocious really (there should be a pic that shows it already, will add that too if not).

Air compressor arrives saturday - the biggest bottleneck is not having air. Need grinders and cutoff/grinding disks yet too... thats all easy as I work next door to Harbor Freight Tools.

I'll post some pics of the clean chassis and the media blast/paint area within the next day or two.

[Original67]

Looking forward to what you think about the eastwood chassis paints. Which of the 3 kinds did you get? Make sure to keep the pics comin we are pic whores here and I would love to see the frame process

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by Original67

Looking forward to what you think about the eastwood chassis paints. Which of the 3 kinds did you get? Make sure to keep the pics comin we are pic whores here and I would love to see the frame process

I was kinda waitin to see the pics of his busted up face




























Im just kiddin truck is lookin great keep the pics a commin

[sizzle-fry]

Originally Posted by Original67

Looking forward to what you think about the eastwood chassis paints. Which of the 3 kinds did you get?

Looking at getting the 2k ceramic in satin. I have yet to actually get the paint though I did get their reccommended urethane primer. Will get all the materials in one spot before starting so that means a week or two best case before things start happening again. Time to get busy on that booth.

[sizzle-fry]

Originally Posted by thesledhead

I was kinda waitin to see the pics of his busted up face

Lol indeed - It has been a long time since I had a black eye, never one with a companion cut. I took great pleasure in the fact that people stand back when they noticed it... its a similar response to "open-carry" sidearm, etc. You can pretty much go to the head of the line (didn't actually do that) and folks won't make a peep.

[sizzle-fry]

Pics - finally recieved the new air compressor. 430 lbs... didnt factor that in. Did manage to walk it off the pallet safely and onto the lags that I anchored into the floor. Wiring is next, the easy part.

Also managed to cut off that nasty trailer hitch. Cleaning up should be no problem for a grinder and a wheel now.

[sizzle-fry]

the other photos

[sizzle-fry]

Alrighty - so yes, this is still an active thread.

The compressor - now have it wired (after researching and asking folks everywhere I ended up using a 40A breaker and 8g wire - just do it properly) - took a couple weeks but its workin fine, sure makes that friggin meter spin when it runs though, 2 phase 240. One man shop on the other hand, I'll never have air problems.

Now have it partially plumbed - there's 1/2 inch outlet on the tank valve but I want a 3/8 circuit as well as the 1/2. I made a 1/2 manifold out of black steel pipe that gave me my two outlets.

I set up the 3/8 regulator and water trap and have that end all ready to go. Took 10 days to get parts from Northern Tool (ingersol rand regulator and trap, hoses, fittings, etc.). Easy air... 3/8 is for the majority of tools and sprayers (can reduce to 1/4 easily with inline regulators).

I wasn't certain what I wanted to do for the 1/2 inch side so I didnt order that gear at the time. I wound up just duplicating the other line with the same components but at 1/2 inch. This line is for the blaster, hoists, and any heavy tool or hvlp needs. Can always step it down, but can't get the volume back if you start small. This gear arrives next week. Man, 1/2 quick disconnects are hard to find. So are regulators designed for 200 psi+ from uphill side.

This 1/2 setup is what I need to continue the build - i.e. blast chassis, the next step. I also need to go get lumber to build that room for blast/spray. Plenty of pix to come - update was simply to demonstrate some sort of activity.

This is a new house/shop for me - didn't even have real power in it. It's been a long climb just to get outfitted, build has to come second to the shop buildout... but its about to start back up.

[sizzle-fry]

The air is finished. I'm now plumbed for 1/2 all the way to tools, 3/8 inch and 1/4 inch also. Without air things got a bit slow - now the front end comes apart, then the rear end. After one final cleaning I'll be ready to blast - just gotta go get some media.

[sizzle-fry]

Here are some final teardown photos