pdx-sanity66

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by REEDS 72

Brett, motor&trany looks killer, that's got to be nice to have them in place. Your truck is coming together very nice, not much longer. I can see you and Joanne getting in it and going to breakfast on a nice Sunday moring, anyway it really does look great and a super good build thread on it, I hope you guys had a good Christmas and a happy New Year! Tell the boys hello from us and I will get my build updated ASAP Reed.

Hey Reed, good to hear from you. Speaking of out for a Sunday drive, you should be doing it sooner than me. I need to see some progress pics. Your truck is too nice to keep hidden. I hope you're all getting through the Utah winter okay.

Originally Posted by 63sbssbbw

Looking awesome Brett
Keep up the good work
T

Thanks for checking in, man: metal:

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Are you going to run a carb or fuel injection?

Bret

I'm going with a 650 Edelbrock, I'm trying to stay fairly old school since that's what I know.

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Looking great. I'm also behind you, at the point of (hopefully) pulling the motor and trans from the frame today .

Good luck, they're pretty easy to get out. I've got some comments below on putting one back in, though.

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I remember when I was at this stage.... Hang in there buddy.
In the end, it is ALL worth it !!

Thanks, man. I'm kind of at a spot now with the engine and trans in that I need to organize my priorities again. I'm thinking of so many things that can be done now that I have to get focused again.


Okay, so this is what's been going on. I haven't got too much time to work the last couple of weeks but I've done a couple of things.
I got the holes drilled in the frame for the trans mount and got it bolted down just fine. Now for the hair pulling and head banging part. Here's my experience with motor mounts so others my be spared my pain. I first ordered a couple of rubber mounts, old style with the single bolt through the old style perch and into the mount. One of them seemed fine but when I was testing the bolt to the thread before installing just to make sure it was okay, I found the threads were a little tight. I thought it might just be some paint of the threads so I proceeded to try and thread the bolt through. With barely any torque on my socket wrench, the threaded part of the mount broke away from the mount. Okay, I should have learned my lesson here, but not, I went to the local NAPA store and bought 2 of their mounts( at least I wasn't going to use the other so called good one of the other pair). The mounts appeared okay and I went ahead and installed the engine and trans, and got everything bolted down except a little snugging of the motor mount bolts. You may have guessed it, but yes, one of the new pair came apart in the same way and I was even more careful with tightening than I had before now that I was aware of a possible problem.
So as I sit right now, I have ordered a pair of tubular perches and the later style mounts from CPP. I shouldn't have been a cheap A$$ and did this to start. I had considered it.
While I'm waiting, I ordered and received my power steering adapter plate from Capt. Fab so I can get that hooked up. I need to pick up a new pitman arm first, though.

[siggyfreud]

Wow, sounds like the mounts were pain in the butt. Given the power some of us put through these motors it's hard to believe they're held snug by one bolt on each side. Have a link to what you ordered? I see perches and weld-in mounts. They go together I take it?

[Captainfab]

The engine and trans looks good sitting in the frame

I hope you took those motor mounts back and got a refund. I've never been too crazy about this style of motor mount. That is why I typically go with the '73+ clamshell style of motor mount. They are a much better design.

[63sbssbbw]

When I scavenged my '75 clip , I made sure to take the perches too , just in case.
Any tricks to shortening them to fit??
T

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Wow, sounds like the mounts were pain in the butt. Given the power some of us put through these motors it's hard to believe they're held snug by one bolt on each side. Have a link to what you ordered? I see perches and weld-in mounts. They go together I take it?

Yeah, they were a pain alright. I wouldn't recommend anybody using the old stye mounts. They're built really bad. The perches and mounts I got are CPP perches but I got them through their ebay site for a real good price.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

The engine and trans looks good sitting in the frame

I hope you took those motor mounts back and got a refund. I've never been too crazy about this style of motor mount. That is why I typically go with the '73+ clamshell style of motor mount. They are a much better design.

Thanks, John. I did take one pair back but the ones I originally got from Summit would cost me more than the parts to ship back.

Originally Posted by 63sbssbbw

When I scavenged my '75 clip , I made sure to take the perches too , just in case.
Any tricks to shortening them to fit??
T

Good plan. Sounds like a much better option. I'm not using those so I can't give you any info on shortening them.

Here are the perches I got. The same ones that many on the site have used.

[ol_skool_chevy]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

I'm back to working on my rear gas tank and a member happened to ask some questions about it. Here you go Seth. There are photos on the first page of the thread that show some shots of how I trimmed the frame rails. Here are a few more shots of the modification.

What fuel tank is that? Where did you get it?...Nice truck. I'm in Hillsboro

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

What fuel tank is that? Where did you get it?...Nice truck. I'm in Hillsboro

Hey, man. Yeah, I met you and Frizzle out at the Cruise in a while back. I didn't have the truck out there obviously. The tank is an early mustang tank. I saw it done on another truck and really like how there is not much hanging down below the frame rail.
Thanks for looking in. Getting the engine in is a major milestone for me and now I can just started spending and attaching stuff during the winter.

[TJ's Chevy]

Sorry to hear about the mounts...they can be a big pain. I'm staying with the ol 6 banger in my truck so I (HOPE) I won't go through quite the same experience. lol. Well glad you have been able to find a neat set of tube mounts...looks cool. Hope the new ones work well. T.J.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Sorry to hear about the mounts...they can be a big pain. I'm staying with the ol 6 banger in my truck so I (HOPE) I won't go through quite the same experience. lol. Well glad you have been able to find a neat set of tube mounts...looks cool. Hope the new ones work well. T.J.

Thanks T.J. I got the mounts but here's the continuing saga:

I got the perches and mounts and proceeded to install them. I held the perches up as close as I could to the old ones and they appeared to be okay to the untrained eye. I unbolted the trans crossmember to allow for movement, hooked up the cherry picker and loosened up all of the bolts on the old mounts and perches so when I lifted the engine I could quickly unbolt everything and replace with the new stuff. So I've got the engine dangling on the crane and I have removed the old mounts a perches and then I realize the perches are not correct for the original mount holes, they are for mounting in the forward holes of the frame. It was getting late and I didn't want to leave the engine dangling on the crane so I decided to go ahead and loosely hook things up for the night while I researched whether they had sent me the wrong perches or if I had screwed up when ordering. When I got done and the engine was in I really like the way it sits in the frame. It sits just a little lower and more even and of course leaves lots of room at the firewall. My main concern from what I had read was the clearance of the radiator and accessories in front. I posted in the general thread for pics of other trucks with the mounts moved forward and I can't see any reason not to leave it this way.
What do you think?

[Bomp]

Motor looks great.
Are your headers or exhaust manifolds going to clear?
drive line length ?
Definitely has clearance for the radiator.

[Bigru]

Great build! Keep up the good work.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Motor looks great.
Are your headers or exhaust manifolds going to clear?
drive line length ?
Definitely has clearance for the radiator.

Hey Greg, it's good to hear from you. Of course I've been following along with Steiner and you've gone way past what I could even imagine . The exhaust headers are no problem, I'm using the Tru Ram manifolds and there's a ton of room to get at things and run the pipes off of the collectors. I've been wanting a set of those since they first came out and when I saw them on some of the trucks on the board, I was even more convinced. The driveline length will need to be changed but it was going to need to be anyway with the 700r4, so it will actually need to be shortened less, if that matters.

Originally Posted by Bigru

Great build! Keep up the good work.

Thanks for looking in, man. I've got a long ways to go and the encouraging words really help with the motivation thing.

After much thought, and checking, and asking for opinions, I think the engine stays in the forward position. I just like the looks of it there and it seems and now there will be plenty of space at the firewall and a slightly lower center of gravity.
Today I needed some thinkin' time so I plugged in the headphones and went to the garage and tore apart my driveshafts. They are in excellent shape and the u-joints were all good, but the carrier bearing was another story. That thing had been worn out for quit awhile. I've got to decide which way to go with them. New everything or get the one original shortened, and get new u-joints for both and balance and of course carrier bearing.
I'll probably go new. Price and budget come in to play and I could always upgrade later if I want.
Anybody want to talk me into one or the other?

[pdxhall]

So, I picked up a driveshaft last weekend from a 2000 Silverado and took it in to have it rebuilt, shortened and balanced. I also stopped at a couple of places looking for a used flexplate dust cover for my 700r4. I never realized it would be so difficult. About the only thing I've seen for sale aftermarket is chrome and I don't want chrome. I stopped by the Chevrolet dealer near me to see if they had one and no luck there. But...............
this is what I bought and will be sitting in my driveway tomorrow.

[siggyfreud]

Thing is massive. Could buy the chrome cover and etch/prime/paint it.

[mark 66]

Nice truck, what are you going to be pulling with it?

[Bomp]

Holy Smokes....
Me likey......Way to goooooo

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Thing is massive. Could buy the chrome cover and etch/prime/paint it.

Yeah it's big but it's what I need. I've about decided to do just that, much simpler than running around looking any more.

Originally Posted by mark 66

Nice truck, what are you going to be pulling with
it?

Thanks Mark. I'm not pulling much yet but I've go less than a year before retirement and we're planning on an 11' camper and a lot of traveling when that happens and then after we get tired of that we may get a fifth wheel and we'll be set up for that, too. I got too good of a deal to pass up and I need time to get everything set up so I decided to go ahead and do it now.

Originally Posted by Bomp

Holy Smokes....
Me likey......Way to goooooo

Thanks, man. I can't wait to get it. They had to bring it down from Washington. There wasn't a 3500 dually within 150 miles of Portland. I'm just waiting for the call for pick up.

[1963c-10]

So the CPP mounts would only work in the forward position? Why not just drill the hole where you need it in the crossmember to keep them in the rear position?

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

So the CPP mounts would only work in the forward position? Why not just drill the hole where you need it in the crossmember to keep them in the rear position?

It was about 9 pm the night I discovered they weren't going to fit in the correct holes and the engine was dangling on the crane. I put them in the front location just to get the engine weight off of the crane for the night. When I saw how it fit (which I like better) I decided to leave it. I had to drill 2 more holes for the trans mount and the driveshaft was going to need to be shortened anyway so no loss there.

[1963c-10]

I'll be running mine in the rear position, just the way I've planned/mocked this build. I'll see what firewall clearance I have once its mocked in the frame. If position is good I'll work the firewall around the covers. Probably would have been easier if I had gone w/swp, but I had all the fixings to run a lwp and it allowed more money on the engine build. I'll be getting there in a few weeks. Working on the donar crossmember swap/disk brake conversion/new front suspension part currently.

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

It was about 9 pm the night I discovered they weren't going to fit in the correct holes and the engine was dangling on the crane. I put them in the front location just to get the engine weight off of the crane for the night. When I saw how it fit (which I like better) I decided to leave it. I had to drill 2 more holes for the trans mount and the driveshaft was going to need to be shortened anyway so no loss there.

How far forward does it put it? I picked up the same mounts. My driveshaft is already the right length for the stock position and a 700r4, but now wondering if I'll need to lengthen it if the engine moves forward.

[lawest]

Nice build, I followed a link to your thread from another one that was talking about different options for under bed tanks. I am trying to figure out if a 60-65 Falcon or Mustang tank will work in my '69. Do you happen to know if the frame rail spacing is the same from your truck to mine? Also, what are you doing for a sending unit? Sorry for the sidetrack.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

I'll be running mine in the rear position, just the way I've planned/mocked this build. I'll see what firewall clearance I have once its mocked in the frame. If position is good I'll work the firewall around the covers. Probably would have been easier if I had gone w/swp, but I had all the fixings to run a lwp and it allowed more money on the engine build. I'll be getting there in a few weeks. Working on the donar crossmember swap/disk brake conversion/new front suspension part currently.

I see no reason you should change it if you like it where it is. I'm using a long pump also, with an electric fan and space is not an issue. I've been following your build. The front end looks great.

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

How far forward does it put it? I picked up the same mounts. My driveshaft is already the right length for the stock position and a 700r4, but now wondering if I'll need to lengthen it if the engine moves forward.

It moves it forward about 2 1/2".

Originally Posted by lawest

Nice build, I followed a link to your thread from another one that was talking about different options for under bed tanks. I am trying to figure out if a 60-65 Falcon or Mustang tank will work in my '69. Do you happen to know if the frame rail spacing is the same from your truck to mine? Also, what are you doing for a sending unit? Sorry for the sidetrack.

Thanks for looking in. I don't know the frame rail spacing but I think I've heard that yours is wider. The sender is still a question. I know of a place that I can get the mustang one changed to the correct resistance but they are a little spendy. I'm looking at some other options I might try to.


I've just been "buying and bolting" lately. I've picked up several engine necessities and I also finally located the flexplate dust cover I've been looking for. All of a sudden one showed up at Summit in powder coated black steel. The first I have been able to find except the chrome stuff. Just not a lot of choice for the 700r4 it seems. There wasn't a picture with the listing so I emailed them and they had me a photo back in a few hours. I bought it and a few other things and it took less than 3 days to get to me. I've bought quite a bit from them and they usually have a good price and in my experience great customer service. Ya think that'll get me something free? Not really. It's just nice when you can get good service and I believe in recognizing that.

[bj383ss]

Looking good. Thanks for the info on the cover. I need to get one of those as well.

Bret

[lawest]

Thanks for looking in. I don't know the frame rail spacing but I think I've heard that yours is wider. The sender is still a question. I know of a place that I can get the mustang one changed to the correct resistance but they are a little spendy. I'm looking at some other options I might try to.

Mine is 28" between top flanges of the frame rails, would you mind measuring your tank to see if it would fit? I really appreciate it.