Intro from an old Assembly Plant guy

[70-Shorty]

What a great thread! Great to see the resto and the stories on the assembly line. I was lucky enough to go to the Van Nuys plant when i was i kid, shame i don't remember many details 'tho. I chuckled about the late model power mirrors...i put them on my 81 Crew Cab Dually.

i thought they really cleaned up the lines of those trucks. That truck was fun, it had a 15x15 Weld single in the rear with a M/T 31/18.5/15 fattie in the back replacing the duals. Again, thanks for your stories.
Tim

[Hulk Will Smash]

Originally Posted by 70-Shorty

What a great thread! Great to see the resto and the stories on the assembly line. I was lucky enough to go to the Van Nuys plant when i was i kid, shame i don't remember many details 'tho. I chuckled about the late model power mirrors...i put them on my 81 Crew Cab Dually.

i thought they really cleaned up the lines of those trucks. That truck was fun, it had a 15x15 Weld single in the rear with a M/T 31/18.5/15 fattie in the back replacing the duals. Again, thanks for your stories.
Tim

Man, that's a great looking truck!

And Keith, I think you should really have "high-rollered" the guy in the Escalade and gone $15k!

You know, that's what gets me about buying clean old cars. The same people who wouldn't think anything of spending $70k for a 5 year throw-away Escalade freak-out about spending $25k on a spotless '67 Impala... Myself, embarassingly enough, included in that nonsense until relatively recently!

[406 Q-ship]

Hey Keith I used live in Fenton between 79-83 and remember driving by the truck plant many times on US 23 on the way to Flint. Now I know what that smell was......lol. I knew many of the parents of the kids in school worked at the truck plant. Is it true that 8 to 9 out of 10 trucks would have some sort of problem right off the line at that time? I know that alot of new vehicles (back in the carb days) would not start right off and due to time would get pulled around to the skilled trademen where they would get them running. Just wondering how true it was........got the scoop?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

Hey Keith I used live in Fenton between 79-83 and remember driving by the truck plant many times on US 23 on the way to Flint. Now I know what that smell was......lol. I knew many of the parents of the kids in school worked at the truck plant. Is it true that 8 to 9 out of 10 trucks would have some sort of problem right off the line at that time? I know that alot of new vehicles (back in the carb days) would not start right off and due to time would get pulled around to the skilled trademen where they would get them running. Just wondering how true it was........got the scoop?

Sort of true - but not as bad as it sounds here;

For example, my truck had (1) backup lights not working and (2) A/C charge. So we fixed the backup lights on the short repair line, and I bought off on the A/C charge (they just wanted to make sure it had a good one). That would constitute "some sort of problem" but not a big deal.

"No starts" are a big deal. I can't imagine, even in the carb days, that they would have more that one or two a day that wouldn't start or they would have burned the place down...

K

[Keith Seymore]

Got an offer yesterday -

I was buying gas and some guy in an Escalade rolled up:

Him: "...how bout you sell me that little truck you got there..."

Me: "...I'm not sure you can afford it".

Him: "why's that?"

So I told him about following it down the assembly line, driving it off the end of the line myself, etc.

Him: "350?"

Me: "V6, manual 4 speed/overdrive, 3.73 gears". We talked a little about the paint job, etc.

Him: "ok - so....how much?"

Calling upon all the insights I've learned from this site, I paused for effect and said "....$12K".

Him: "ok" - he said, as he rolled the window up and drove off.


I can only assume he was headed to the bank to get the money. Not sure how he is going to find me again, though....

[R&K's71]

Welcome Keith awesome thread cant wait to pick your mind with my 79. Im from a GM family as well father in law works at the wentzville Mo plant and brother in law works at the Kansas City plant. You have a beautful truck , and happy birthday to lil red as well

[KQQL IT]

Great reply.
Posted via Mobile Device

[C-10 simplex]

Sorry, i couldn't read thru the rest of the thread (due to time constraints) which, by the way is an excellent one, from 09 which was the last time i "intruded" upon it.


So, does the 6, 4speed 3.73 really tow the open trailer and chevelle with no problems----breaking a sweat, supporting-the weigh-wise etc.? At say 65 mph?


b) what about the enclosed trailer?

i guess the 3.73 really makes a difference?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by C-10 simplex

Sorry, i couldn't read thru the rest of the thread (due to time constraints) which, by the way is an excellent one, from 09 which was the last time i "intruded" upon it.


So, does the 6, 4speed 3.73 really tow the open trailer and chevelle with no problems----breaking a sweat, supporting-the weigh-wise etc.? At say 65 mph?


b) what about the enclosed trailer?

i guess the 3.73 really makes a difference?

Thank you; yes, the V6 3.73 combination does a fine job with the Chevelle on the open trailer. You have to be careful launching, but once you're rolling it's no problem. That was my primary race rig for many many years. Keep in mind my open trailer pulls very nicely no matter what tow vehicle - it's low and very stable.

However - the enclosed trailer - not recommended. That rig becomes a very expensive "grade detector"...

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Great reply.
Posted via Mobile Device

I thought about saying $14k....

[JohnC]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I thought about saying $14k....

You may want to reconsider that offer and start shooting higher. You couldn't replace that truck with it's emotional ties for that I wouldn't think!

[DetroitDan]

friend of mines got a low mileage restored 87 GMC crew dually 4wd on 19.5s. guy with plenty of money told him today he wants it, and told him to name his price. He said it's not for sale, even though he could use the money. Guy insisted he didn't care how much, he has to have the truck. My friend stuck to his guns and wouldnt sell or even make up a price.

[juiceman650]

Those are some great stories you've told us Keith, and an awesome job done on a one of a kind truck!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Keith Seymore]

Couple updates -

The big news around our place is that we've moved! Sold our house in town and moved back out to the country.

Everybody did their part in helping during the move, including Lil Red. Here's a pic of Red bringing home my latest acquisition, which is a Model 154 International Cub Lo Boy. This is going to be my primary grass cutting/snow pushing/trailer toting machine, and I already spent some quality time on it doing some leaf mulching over the weekend.



That's the only good moving pic I've got, since the rest of the time it was either (a) dark out, or (b) raining (lol).

The house comes with a separate outbuilding, with additional garage parking attached as part of the barn. Here are the Pontiacs safely tucked away -










The other news is that lil Red has now rolled over 196,000 miles. I'm hoping that's it for a while, as I'd like to park the truck and do some heavy maintenence over the winter (engine gaskets & rear axle work) and plan to use that as an excuse to not drive it through the winter. "Quest: 200k" will have to resume in the spring -

[SBTork]

Congrats on the new place!!

Looks like come spring time you'll be in the market for some of the "200K mile club" decals.

[JohnC]

Congrats on the move.

[87Bob]

A city lot is easy to take care of but I'd miss my 5 acers. I like having elbow room and no nosey neighbors.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Love that garage. Looking for my first place and it's gotta have a garage of course. 4 bays would be ok. Gotta have a spot for the Malibu and the truck.

[motornut]

looks like a great new spot

[Keith Seymore]

Yep - it's a Vauxhall Ampera, which is the RHD version of the Opel Ampera....

...which is the Opel version of the Chevy Volt.

Almost like "Six Degrees to Kevin Bacon", only automotive.

K

[motornut]

that looks quite nice
we've had a local story about a guy with one
seems his condo won't let him plug in
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories...ic-car-120127/
can't believe it,they should be happy somebody cares

oh but we do have passenger-side drive throughs !!

[Keith Seymore]

Mid-winter update:

Lil Red is resting comfortably in the back barn, recovering from "rear end surgery".

I took this opportunity - mostly as an excuse to not drive it during the winter - to replace a leaky axle seal and cover gasket, as well as to install new rear brake shoes. The operation was a success and the rear is now clean and dry. I was really happy with how "tight" it was, too - minimal backlash and a most excellent wear pattern on the gears. One of the nicest I've seen.

Next up: regasketing the engine (oil pan, valve covers and intake) to further aid in keeping Red off the road til spring.

So, in the interim, I'm driving this:





and - wait for it - here's the tricky part:



It's not to bad on the open road, but parking and other fine maneuvers are a bit strange. "Drive thru" is entirely out of the question. So far so good, though, as I haven't knocked the garage down or anything like that - lol.

K

[Restrorob]

Dang, Did someone set that one on the assembly conveyor assbackerds ?

[Low Elco]

Congrats on the new place! Hereya go-

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

Enjoy!

[moneyeater]

Great looking House and Shop!
Congrats on that!
Its worth the way to the city, work or whatever and its the excuse to use the Truck! ;-)