Hoopty Jr

[Palf70Step]

My entrance back into the square body world. The start is an 83 Scottsdale. 350 (so they say) with a new Eldebrock carb. It runs like it, but I want to confirm the block number to make sure I don't have a 305. It does runs strong though. Pretty decent shape, just need a lot of "professionalizing" for now.

Right now I am just going over things to make sure I am comfortable/trust the truck.

First thing off was the tool box

I am ordering a new dash pad and will replace it once it gets here. I have order some speaker brackets from bigblock73 and will move the 6x9 speakers to the rear so I can get rid of the console box. Then I'll work on cleaning up the wiring and engine compartment.

I also want to mount a 92 C1500 bench set in place of the stock one. Any of you done one and got the short cut route on how to mount it?

The list of little things keep keeps growing, but don't they always. My main goal is to only do what won't keep her off the road any long periods of time. I don't need another 70 project yet.

Anyways, my start of Hoopty Jr and it's maturing thread.

[my4by2]

Looks like a good project man - always liked those bench seats a lot! Keep us posted.

[inovermyhead]

Nice truck Bill.

[Palf70Step]

No real work on the truck itself. I have been looking things over and seeing what all I need to get the interior pieces needed to make Hoopty look whole again.

So today I went to the U-Pull and was able to scrounge up a bunch of things I deemed that I needed. The only thing I couldn't find yet is a lower dash piece for under the steering column. What I did find was a complete dash with all the gauges (and a clock), plus a Silverado dash bezel. Hopefully these will function in mine.

Most of the rest was door and dash trinkets. I even found a set of door locks with key that work.

I am not sure if the Silverado Bezel is any better than the one in it, but I decided I would grab its since it was in one piece. Hopefully the dash pad will be here next week, then I can start getting all the little pieces in place

[Palf70Step]

Work and some injuries kept things moving slower than what I would like. I have stripped the interior and rebuilt the gauge panel. I got everything to work but the oil pressure gauge. Next test will be the sender for it.

The old red dash pad is gone in favor of a new black on. Oh do I hate the folks that designed how it mounts.

I am also working up brackets to mount a bench seat from a 92 C1500 in it.

Oh yeah, can't forget the newer style steering wheel.

[Palf70Step]

Most of the guts were missing in both doors. Why??? is the question. Anyways I got luck and was able to get most all the pieces in a local pick and pull, so I replaced the door guts, cleaned up the door panels and install working door locks..

While I was pulling parts, I found some more dash pieces and a Silverado dash pad band in pretty decent shape. Unfortunately most of the mounting tabs were broken or super brittle. Being it was only $2, I decided to try and build some new mount tabs out of #6 sheet metal screws. Plastic epoxied them in and I'll cut them to size and see if they will hold the band in place. In theory it should work.

I was driving it around the neighborhood yesterday to stretch it legs some and it ole Jr decided to be bad. Hoopty decided to spit about 2 quarts or so of tranny fluid out onto the shop's carport. I can't tell exactly what gave out, but from where the leaks appear to be, the front pump, convertor, or the seals between the two have given up. So I guess as soon as work gives me some more free time I'll drop the tranny and see what gave out. I sure don't feel like I can pick them very well at the moment.

[shaggy4267]

Awesome choice on the dash and door card color. I have to score some black ones myself.

[Pop's C-10]

looking good

[luifer76]

nice truck man keep those pics coming.....

[lilpoindexter]

I cut down my OG '78 brackets to fit the seat frame of the '94 seat I used. I did not use the seat base of the '94. The original brackets almost seem like they were designed for the seat.

[Palf70Step]

Spent the day swapping out the tranny in Jr. First I took the tranny out of the 70 (it's a newly rebuilt T350C like what's in the 83). I stuck a regular (& broke) T350 in the 70 to support the engine.

Then I tackled getting the tranny out of the 83. Took a little longer since there was more crap to pull (greasy crap) then what was in the 70.

She's out a cleaned up a little. Big difference between the old and what's going in.

Got most of it done. Tranny's bolted in, Torque converter tranny lines and the exhaust are hooked up. I just have to hook up the shift linkage and drive shaft, then bolt in the cross member.

Last pic is the star of this episode. BTW I had cleaned up some already. Grease just seems to find me!

[Can't kech me]

real nice truck! keep it coming!

[Palf70Step]

Well it looks like she lives and moves again. Finished hooking everything up on the tranny, filled it with fluid and fire her up. She seems to move and shift OK. Made some noise up and down the street with a big $xxt eat'n grin
I don't see any leaks yet, just new problems showing up.

The power steering seems to come and go as to whether it works or not. The steering box does have a slight leak, but I don't know if it is the box or the power steering unit (or both). I top her off with some fluid and bleed it out, but still seems like a lot of foaming going on the power steering pump unit. Just have to figure out which one to replace.

Disappointing about the steering, but happy about the tranny, so good week afterall.

[Palf70Step]

Sweat'n with the oldies. Got some time on Hoopty today. Finished up my brackets to mount the 92 C1500 bench seat in my 83. I ended up using the stock 83 bench seat brackets and 2 pieces of angle iron. Took a piece of 2x2 angle, cut it to size and bolted it to the back side of the 92's seat. I used another piece of angle (actually a bed rail 2x1.5), cut and mounted it to the front of the seat.

Then I bolted the stock 83 brackets to the floor and slid in the seat. I adjusted it up, then marked the rear angle so I could bolt the stock 83 brackets to the angle. Many, many, many test fits later I got the brackets bolted up and mounted in the truck. I then tack welded the 83 brackets to the front angle iron.

[Palf70Step]

I cut the upper seat rail off the front side so it would not stick out too much.

Unbolted it from the truck and began the welding. Unbolted it all and welded all the pieces together. I had planned on removing the bolts after it was welded up, but my sloppy welds made that not happening, so I ground down the bolt heads on the rear of the brackets so the angle sits flush to the seat. An old piece from a squeeze mop gave its life to be the bracket for the seat adjuster cable.

[Palf70Step]

Closer shot of the seat adjuster cable bracket

I made some oversights and had to go back and notch the rear angle in four places. 2 to let the stock seat belts come thru the seat holes. I also had to notch the angle about a 1/4" around the slide rails and the rear angle started to rub when my fat butt was on it and was pushing back to the rear most position. Got her all cleaned up and gave it a few coats of Rustolium gloss black.

[Palf70Step]

All bolted in and ready to drive!!

I also worked on replacing the dash pad trim piece today. But I am not done with it yet, so you'll have to wait for that installment.

[str8axle55]

Looking good. The seat looks great, lower than stock or same?

[Palf70Step]

it seems to be about the same.

[Palf70Step]

Rain, rain...ain't going away, so I worked on the 83 wiring. Painted my speaker mounts and mounted the 6x9s. The brackets from Jeff (Bigblock73) were excellent and fit great.

Worked some more on the under dash wiring. I think I got most of the trash out and can begin the "proper" hook up of the accessories.

[Palf70Step]

Finished up the wiring (I think). Everything seems to work now and doesn't look like a rabid lawnmower ran thru the under dash area. I have a flaky park lamp socket, so I ordered a new one and some door sills. I'm gonna slap the home made carpet back in till I get some cash saved up and order decent carpet for it.

Something that was great was I took it out for a little ride. Tranny seems to work good. I need to figure out the kick down cable for it. But she runs and moves again. It felt good to drive the old beast.

Now to get a new windshield installed and get her inspected.

[Palf70Step]

Was hoping to get a windshield in the beast today, but the one they had was cracked. Good thing though. I went out to fire up Hoopty and there was tranny fluid on the floor again. So I would not get too bent out of shape and smash stuff, I went and took care of the yard work first, then I wired in a new park light/turn signal socket.

Then I crawled under the ole girl to see what I could see. Well it appears some dumbs**t didn't tighten the tranny's drain plug. Matter of fact the idiot never even thought to check it since was in the 70 for so long. Hopefully that will solve the leaks.

Power steering seems right most of the time, but I definitely thing the pump is not long for this life. I am trying to hold off a bit as the engine in the 70 has a good one on it and I am pretty sure right after our Crusing the Coast, the engine that is in the 70 will be moving over to here.

[notyo_cheez]

RE: the "kickdown" or TV cable, to adjust it flip up the retaining clip behind the bracket, push the throttle wide open, push clip down, return throttle.

[Palf70Step]

Had a new windshield put in her yesterday and cleaned her up some. Did some more tweaking on the wiring and added the important stuff to cruise with.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Rain, rain...ain't going away, so I worked on the 83 wiring. Painted my speaker mounts and mounted the 6x9s. The brackets from Jeff (Bigblock73) were excellent and fit great.

Thanks for the compliments Bill. You did a great install on the brackets.

The rest of the truck is coming along nicely as well!

I should have flew you out to help me swap my th400 a couple weeks ago...it wasn't any fun.