Project Texa Go

[lolo33]

really like "old school" style of your truck with original painting

[Billett]

Thought I'd share my new exhaust

68 C10 Exhaust - 350 SBC Flowmaster Super 44's -...

[lolo33]

really nice sound.
Now you just need headers

[Billett]

I thought about it, found a set but it was a little too late. I'm actually happy I didn't anyway. At the moment I'm living up in Philly so I don't drive it that often, but when I do its for an hour+ and with the 4 speed I don't think the engine bay would keep very cool with headers. Not to mention that I just don't have the money for a good pair right now and I'm not a fan of doing things half assed.

On the flip side, my brother has an 84 El Camino with a stock 400 and a pair of super 40s with no cross pipe of any kind and his is MUCH meaner sounding with the headers

[Billett]

So I posted the video, but just realized I never wrote what actually happened. It was quite an adventure. Dropped the truck off on Monday, got it back Thursday. Ram horns to an x-pipe to dual super 44's, over the axle and out the back, 2.5" crush bent piping. Sounds fantastic. Friday I took it over to my Uncle's to fix what I was told was a rear main seal leak. It was not... just a rear main seal leak. Found out that it was the rear main and an oil pan gasket, which I didn't have at the time. Also while we were in there we discovered a few other things... The reason I had no backup lights was because there was no wire leading to the trans at all. My brand new exhaust was run right where my rear bump stops used to be. The guy literally took the bump stops out and ran the pipe right there, and forgot to mention it to me. I already put a decent dent in one side... Oh and to top it off I was apparently missing a particularly important piece of clutch linkage AND I'd been driving it around for months without a pilot bearing!! I mean the trans is all original with all the little safety plates and everything put back on, but no pilot bearing!!! Long weekend later and we got it all fixed up by Tuesday. My uncle even tried a softer clutch spring since the pedal is so damn heavy, but it didn't change anything so he thinks I may have some sort of HD clutch. Any ideas? Anyway, she's all better now and driving smoother than ever. Next step is to get a set of trim rings. After that who knows...

[67cheby]

great project !

[Billett]

Got those trim rings! And a few other things while we were out at the junkyard.


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[gdavis]

Originally Posted by Billett

Finally made some decisions and got a bit more done. After reading the most recent Hot Rod magazine I was inspired to continue on my original path of just making the truck a fantastic DD. Maybe another inch or two of static drop with some good, quality performance suspension components, adjustable panhard, swaybars, etc. I'd like to swap out the sbc 350 for a more economical and more powerful lq4. I thought about adding a GV unit to the 465, but at $3000 I'd rather toss in a tko/t56/nv4500. I don't really tow much and it's only 2wd so I'm not super concerned about the granny gear. Air con would be nice and I think I'll relocate the tank to the bed so I can put some speakers in the cab. Disc brakes all the way around and a decent rear with s locker will round it all out. Still trying to figure out what to do with paint though..

Obviously this is going to be a long, expensive process, but I like to plan way ahead and take things one step at as time and unless I write it all out so I can look back and go "hey that's why I wanted to do that" I'll end up going crazy.

First step in this process? Readjust the timing... I took her into the shop last week since I couldn't pass emissions for high co%. I checked fuel pressure since the edelbrock 1406 I have doesn't like it high, and readjusted a few setting on the carb. Still wouldn't work so I was going to go out for a timing light, but decided instead of wasting a ton of time I'd just take it in. Last time I went to the station I got a co reading of 8.9%, 7% is passing. Got it back with a co% of .34, but my co2 jumped up to 13.5%! I'm thinking that the shop just retarded my timing a ton to make it pass inspection, but now I have to keep my big toe on the throttle at stops or it wants to die every time. I've tried to adjust the carb again to keep it alive, but it just feels really off still. I realize that it was wrong before so what I am used to is not correct either, but it seems like they took my timing to the other extreme... Going to head out for a timing light this week and have a crack at it.

To keep you interested though here's a nice pic!

I love the picture of the sun set with the truck in front. That is God's work and your build.

[Billett]

Thanks I really appreciate it! Here, I edited these a tad so it's a bit brighter and you can see the truck. It added a lot to the sunset as well.

[Billett]

Spent most of this week trying to figure out exactly what to do about my radio problem. The goal is just a decent sounding setup that I won't have to replace in the near future. The problem was getting it all to work in a standard cab and making sure I could still use all the factory stuff.

A pair of these under the seat: Amazon.com: 6W3V3-4 - JL Audio 6.5" Single...
These in the dash to replace the busted 4x10: Amazon.com: Infinity 429I 150W (Peak) 4 -Inch...
These under the seat as well, with the tweeters cut into the dash: Amazon.com: Infinity 609CS 270W (Peak) 6-1/2 x...
And this to power it all: Amazon.com: Re Audio Xtx500.5 1500 Watt XTX...
Not the most powerful setup, but I can keep my gas tank behind my seat, my feet free to move about the cabin (kick panels), my doors uncut, my seat able to slide with its full range of motion, my cabin vents free to blow some air across my hairy legs, all while only cutting 2 optional holes in the dash. Should be pretty solid.

I bought 1/2" mdf last weekend and the fiberglass kit and bondo are on their way now, along with the dash speakers, (Amazon Prime is awesome!). Gonna wait a bit on the other stuff until I can sell some of the old parts from my s10.

Oh, forgot to mention, I'm going to be using the head unit out of my fiances jeep. I bought it for her last xmas but since then the car developed a knock and we've gotten her a different one so no sense letting it go to waste. I'm going to fab up a fiberglass mount inside the dash for it because I can't stand the thought of cutting a hole in the dash for this radio. The hole itself doesn't bother me, but I think these trucks looks weird with new style radios in the dash.

[Bomp]

Nice ride and story. Glad to see your getting things back in order. I like the list idea. I have one but no time line. Long story.

Going to keep an eye on this one. Subscribed. Nice work!!

[lolo33]

where wiill you put speakers in the dash ?
can you post some pictures of your installation ?

[Billett]

Do you mean the 4" speakers or the tweeters from the component set?

The 4" speakers will.go into the factory spot in the dash where the original 4x10 was. I'll probably make up some little bracket for them out of scrap metal or mdf and fiberglass.

As for the tweeters I'll have to take a pic but they'll go in the dash as well facing up at the windshield. I have no AC so they'll fit fine behind the glove box and over the steering rack.
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[Billett]

Thanks bomp!
Posted via Mobile Device

[lolo33]

You talk about the two holes with a black grid under the windshield ? I thought to put them into those hole, I don't have climate control too.

[Billett]

In this.pic the two chrome grilles are for the heater. Those are staying there. The center body colored grille is for the stock single 4x10 speaker. Im going to take out that speaker since mine is broken and put the two 4"s in there

[lolo33]

good picts. the chrome grilles are in black plastic in mine, but there is no heater connection. so i think i can use it to place small speeakers.
What do you think off ?

[lolo33]

I want to show you 2 picts of my dash board where you can see there is any connection to the heater grilles.
do you think it's possible to put 2 speakers at those places ?

[lolo33]

Or is it better to place a 4X10 speaker to its own place ?

[69gmcc10]

This is lookin to be a fun project, I am in for the ride!

[Chiva1971]

This is a nice picture !!, congratulations. Greetings from Argentina.

[Zoomin]

Originally Posted by lolo33

I want to show you 2 picts of my dash board where you can see there is any connection to the heater grilles.
do you think it's possible to put 2 speakers at those places ?

He's talking about putting two 4x4"'s in the same place the stock single 4x10" used to be.

[Billett]

Originally Posted by lolo33

Or is it better to place a 4X10 speaker to its own place ?

Personally I would put another 4x10 or two 4s in the stock place and try to reconnect those heater hoses, but only if you still use the heat. I drive in fairly cold weather for a decent chunk of the year so those defrost vents are invaluable to me, but yes you could definitely put speakers in there. What size is the hole?

[Billett]

Chiva1971 and 69gmcc10: Thanks a ton guys! It's always nice to know someone else is interested in your hard work. I never got any kind of a following on my s10 build so it's great to see that some people are interested!

[Billett]

Made it through Hurricane Sandy without any major problems. Power went out for the night, but we didn't have any trees come down on us. The dog had a hell of a fun time when we went out on Monday.

I was a little worried about the truck because I still don't have all the weatherstripping in around the windows, and I just took off the passenger mirror, but I figured it's been rained on before now so once more wouldn't hurt it.

I got the bondo and fiberglass in yesterday, and the radio out of the jeep. As soon as I have some free time I'll be mocking that up. Probably won't have time to do much until I get my winter break around early December. Then I'll have more than I can handle!