Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[smbrouss70]

Hmmm... What's happening here?

[smbrouss70]

I got the gas tank back in last night after fighting it like it was made for a different vehicle. After I finally got it in there, I realized that I didn't hook up the fuel line to the sending unit. I tried to get the hose on there but it was way too hard from all the ethanol that the government forces us to use. I ended up replacing that hose with a new piece and with the assistance of my beautiful wife got the damn hose clamp on there without having to drop the tank again. After that was done I ended up replacing the other hoses all the way up to the fuel pump, so that I won't have to worry about those being hard and breaking on me for at least 4 years, which is how long those have been on there.

Today for lunch, I went in the shop and finished up connecting my fuel fill and custom vents for the tank. Hopefully I will be able to fill the tank with the gas nozzle wide open without gas burping back out at me.

After I got off of work, I decided that I should probably make sure it still runs, since it has been sitting for 1 year, 1 month, 2 weeks, and 4 days without running. I put the exhaust back in and the driver's side is REAL close to the edge of the hole through the ECE trailing arm crossmember. I figured that I would try it out and see if it does actually make contact when I had it running... It does, now I get to "modify" my exhaust so it won't hit anymore. You can actually hear it hitting in the video when I kill it. But it does run like a top! Now that I know it will "Go", I can finish the brakes so it can "Stop!"

Blazer cranking up after a year long nap - YouTube

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see her start up again. Getting closer!

You get shop AC functioning again?

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Glad to see her start up again. Getting closer!

You get shop AC functioning again?

No, not yet. I think he will be coming next week, but the outside temps have been lower which makes it to where the A/C can sort of keep up, but more importantly it isn't tripping the thermal overload on the compressor. So it has been bearable in there.

[gringoloco]

Woot-woot!

[smbrouss70]

I got an email today...

MY GAUGES HAVE SHIPPED! According to the tracking number, they should be delivered Friday! I'll be in Washington, DC, but I know what I'm doing when I get back Saturday night.

[gringoloco]

Super cool though I thought we were getting a weekend update...

[smbrouss70]

I pulled something in my back this past weekend. Not much got done in there. I did get my exhaust tweaked so that it doesn't hit the ECE trailing arm crossmember anymore.

[smbrouss70]

Out with the old....

... and with the new-ish....

... And IN with the new!

[smbrouss70]

I have a question for y'all though... I can input any mileage that I want, until I put over 100 miles on the new gauges. Should I put the mileage off of the original cluster of 85,449 (which I believe to be correct)? Or Should I put the mileage that I have on the new engine of 2,114? Or should I leave it to count from 0, which would basically tell me how many miles I have put on the air bags, wheels and tires, and new brakes?

[jeffg1010]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Out with the old....

... and with the new-ish....

... And IN with the new!

I mean, most guys would kill for any of those

Looks awesome!

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

I mean, most guys would kill for any of those

Looks awesome!

I hear you. I looked at gauges for a long time and none of them ever convinced me to go through the hassle and expense of changing the stock gauges out. When I saw the VHX Classic gauges in the second picture, I figured I would finally change the gauges out, then 6 months later they came out with what I really wanted but they didn't exist yet, so I had to get them. They are even better than pictures can show you, I can't wait to get them powered up.

Thanks!

[gringoloco]

OG mileage, I say. Everything can change, but once that’s gone, it’s gone. I have literally no earthly idea how many miles are on my junk, and no way of knowing

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

OG mileage, I say. Everything can change, but once that’s gone, it’s gone. I have literally no earthly idea how many miles are on my junk, and no way of knowing

Honestly, I'm leaning toward the original mileage even though the only original things that have that many miles are the body, frame rails, front crossmember, and trailing arms. I have mileage of every thing else in a spreadsheet... 700-R4 installed, engine installed, air bags, rear end, radiator installed, 700-R4 rebuilt, etc.

Your comment that once the original mileage is gone, it's gone forever, I hadn't thought of it that way before. It's kind of like erasing a little history on it, and that just bugs me...

An added bonus is that I won't have to explain all of this to a potential buyer, because it won't be for sale until after I'm dead. Then it's Brandi's problem, and she'll have spreadsheets.

[Palf70Step]

I agree with the OG mileage also. Gauges look good Steven

[smbrouss70]

I LOVE THESE GAUGES!

67-72 C10 Dakota Digital Retrotech Gauges -...

[Advanced Design]

They look awesome!

[gringoloco]

Is it possible to black out the info screens?

[smbrouss70]

So far I've only figured out about dimming them all the way down. You wouldn't see anything during the day, but at night you might still see it a little.

I've still got a lot of learning to do on them. Right now, I'm just playing!

[Palf70Step]

Very nice!

[smbrouss70]

I tried to use stock style metal/rubber lines for the hydroboost setup but I just couldn't get them straightened out enough for them to tuck under the inner fender like the original lines did, so I decided to use high pressure PTFE AN lines to make it look better. I made up the pressure hoses from the pump to the HB, and from the HB to the steering gear. I figured I would just use the stock hard line and rubber hose for the gear box return to the pump and a rubber line for the "spit" tube off of the HB Tee'd into the return line. After staring at the return hose and the ugly gigantic loop that it forces me to have on the rubber line, I need to make a decision as to which way I want to go. I also don't like how high my metal bend is for the "spit" line compared to the AN fittings on the pressure ports.

I could make a new hard line coming off of the gear box that would eliminate the huge loop and figure out a way to lower my spit tube bend, or just go AN for the return and Tee fittings... I've ordered the parts to go either way, we'll see how it plays out.

[C10_ustacould]

The make 135* AN hose end that would really clean up the "split tube" connection to the HB unit.

[smbrouss70]

The AN fittings on the high pressure hoses are 150*. I ordered low pressure fittings and hose for the return and the spit tube and got 150* for that so it would match.

[C10_ustacould]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

The AN fittings on the high pressure hoses are 150*. I ordered low pressure fittings and hose for the return and the spit tube and got 150* for that so it would match.

Sweet!

[smbrouss70]

Got my power steering pump modified. It now has 3 -6 AN fittings on it.