1971 C/20 Alley Find, Back From The Dead

[fast/cheap/right]

So, I have mentioned my new truck in a couple posts, now I want to start a build thread so I have a permanent to do list I cant misplace. I am working on a thin budget so I'm trying to repair what I have before replacing with new, and keep priorities in order. A little input is always nice too .

Here it is in all its dirty, straight off the flatbed glory.


As expected for the cheapest truck I could find on Craigslist, it has some issues. But, it runs (really well thankfully), shifts, and stops...all the most important things.

Done: Replaced all the fuel and vacuum lines and the one lonely belt. Put in a new fuel pump. Repaired numerous wiring issues and installed a battery. Put on a pair of repro 67 Camaro mirrors, re-keyed everything, and fixed the door handles. Fresh oil, plugs, wires. Removed the bed as one bedside was hacked up and the wheel wells were removed with a grinder. Removed about 200 pounds of towing accessories, from front and back hitches, to ancient brake controllers and random wires going nowhere. Oh yeah, and its registered and legal!

In progress: Replacing shattered back window, have everything waiting to do so. Cleaning fuel tank as it keeps trying to suck up muck and die from lack of fuel.

Need now: Before I will feel safe driving it a bit locally, need to replace/adjust headlights, improvise tail lights and some form of rear fenders. Should probably bleed the breaks. Also need to find one windshield wiper arm.

Need in the very near future: Tires and to replace the exhaust as both are showing their age badly. After that I will feel more confident in driving it somewhere to get a replacement bed. If anyone in the Denver Metro area has some decent 16" rim take off tires, or a complete long bed box available you could be my hero.

Need eventually: Rebuild the z-bar, and replace the bell-housing clutch fork boot. New u-joints, shocks, and usual suspension parts. Replace valve seals (smokes just a little). Replace windshield. Should probably rebuild the carb at some point too, I have a rebuild kit and brass float on a shelf already. I would also like to rebuild the spotlight and make it usable too, because its awesome.

Want: 3 point seat belts. Tachometer, HEI conversion, aluminum intake manifold, and a bit more aggressive cam. Internally regulated alternator conversion, along with headlight relay conversion. Clean up the interior and replace the dash pad, steering wheel, seat cover, etc. Lower front and rear 2-3 inches. Put posi-traction in the Dana 60 and maybe slightly taller gears. I may also do a NV4500 swap at some point. Last on the list of priorities would be build a hotter engine (maybe go LS or big block), and start rust removal.

[cornerstone]

Nice truck! Glad you're starting a build thread, always good to have more. I'm wanting to see your fast/cheap/right plan unfold... something I've never been able to manage. I'm all ears and ready to learn!

[fast/cheap/right]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Nice truck! Glad you're starting a build thread, always good to have more. I'm wanting to see your fast/cheap/right plan unfold... something I've never been able to manage. I'm all ears and ready to learn!

The thing about getting something done fast, cheap, or right, you can only choose two .

But on that note, another item off my to do list, my fuel tank surprisingly wasnt a rusty mess. It just had about 30 rocks, some sand, a peach pit?, and a gas can filler neck in it . Just need to give it a quick rinse to get the last of the sand out (thinking I will use acetone to avoid rust), and a new sender gasket and it can go back in.

[fast/cheap/right]

Rear window, installed. Fuel tank, installed. Tail and license plate lights, installed. Of course with those 3 steps forward, one step back.

The left tail turn signal wire has an issue somewhere between the firewall and the rear under bed connector. Also the brake lights are very intermittent, so, I may be needing a turn signal switch.

[fast/cheap/right]

So, quite a bit more progress. I've had it around the block a few times and it runs and drives really well, especially considering how badly it needs tires. I haven't gotten past the brake lamp and blinker issues, so I am definitely going to need to bite the bullet and get a new blinker switch. I have a carburetor rebuild kit and brass float that I should probably put to use too. It seems to empty the bowl after about a week of sitting so I'm pretty sure the old Quadrajet has the typical leakage from the lead plugs on the base of the bowl. One funny issue, the guys at the factory in Cali all but missed putting in the driver side hood insulation strip, so that side of the hood likes to flop around...something I will have to fix or it will drive me crazy.

To keep the budget down I took out the saws-all and chopped off the exhaust just behind the firewall, getting all of the most rotten parts out. Installed a pair of 31" Thrush glass packs, 18" extensions, and a couple 45 degree pipes. Sounds wicked and is no longer full of leaks...not bad for about 60 bucks I must say. I picked up a pair of window well liners, two 10' pieces of conduit, and some clamps, and put together a set of fenders for the rear tires. Looks very tow truck/semi like. I stole the wiper arms off my '66 Plymouth Valiant parts car as they were identical in length and fitment, another box ticked off.

I managed to find what was left of the build sheet crumpled up in the back of the seat. Sadly not much of it was left/legible, but I did find out it was originally sold at Roth Chevrolet on Colfax in my town of Lakewood. After nearly 50 years of going from owner to owner all over the state, its now living about 4 miles from where it was originally sold.

A few quick pictures:

[67C10Step]

Cool. Any progress is just that - progress.

[fast/cheap/right]

So, with the birth of my first boy, and the death of my 99 year old grandmother, needless to say, progress has been somewhat lacking for a bit. Not to say I havent gotten a few issues worked out.

Rebuilt the q-jet, even took the time to clean up the casting flash in the secondaries while I had it apart. My secondaries now work, and it starts beautifully after getting the idle mixture all tuned in. It also runs like a stabbed rat, or mouse rather. I need to either bend the choke coil back to the right shape so it doesnt get stuck on the housing, or replace it and the linkage. A previous owner buggered them up rather well and it and the fast idle cam are giving me a bit of a headache, but I think I know what needs to happen to fix the ills. If I cant make it better, I may give in and get an electric choke conversion from Mikes Carburetor.

I managed to fix the tail light issues after taking the signal switch assembly mostly apart and cleaning up all the contacts. The left turn signal issue was rather simple after some head scratching. I ended up using a zip tie to create a bumper where the stop had broken off, causing the switch to travel far enough to leave the contact pads. Cant beat a 5 cent fix.

I discovered the need to replace the windshield washer reservoir, and pump. I'm thinking I may leave that for a junk yard hunt and go with a more modern reservoir with integral pump from a 90s Silverado or S10.

On the free end, once my friend is done recovering the seats in his '56, hes going to give me his old blanket seat cover. Also one of my buddies at work is planning to get knobbier tires for his truck, once he does he's going to roll his take off 265/70r16s my way.

[fast/cheap/right]

I took the time to do a little work today after getting leaves swept up in the driveway. After some careful massaging with my ring mandrel pliers my choke coil is now once again coil shaped. With some adjustment of the linkage my choke now fully opens without any fussing, and the fast idle happily drops down when the throttle is blipped. Sitting and watching a divorced choke open is rather like watching a pot boil.

I will say, after rebilding and adjusting Holleys and Edelbrocks, I'm not sure why the Quadrajet has such a bad name. It may be a little fiddly in some respects, but it was easier to seal up than the Holleys I've worked on, and no harder to do initial tuning than any Edelbrock I've had. I realize having a manual transmission may make things a little easier to dial in, but I am really impressed with how responsive it is too. Very snappy off idle response, smooth secondary transition, and a great noise through an unsilenced aircleaner...what more could you ask for.