1972 Cheyenne Super coming apart to go back together

[McDeezl]

Hi Greg
Checked out your original thread and read start to end .... what a story getting this truck home to NS and what an amazing find. Just an amazing all original truck in pretty unbelievable original shape. Hard to believe that it was destined for a scrap pile at one point what a tragedy that would have been. Great work so far and subscribed to watch this as you go.
Cheers... Sean

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by McDeezl

Hi Greg
Checked out your original thread and read start to end .... what a story getting this truck home to NS and what an amazing find. Just an amazing all original truck in pretty unbelievable original shape. Hard to believe that it was destined for a scrap pile at one point what a tragedy that would have been. Great work so far and subscribed to watch this as you go.
Cheers... Sean

yes sir,i'm glad it's here and glad it's mine.i am busy painting inner fenders and then the rad support,then clean up my mess and put an engine together.hopefully there will be an update maybe tomorrow night.take care.thanks.Greg

[mr.mud1]

just a little to report,i spent a couple days this week driving a dump truck where we are hauling 700,maybe a 1000 loads to rock to a dyke being built 2 miles long being in a national wetlands area,i managed to get all the little parts,rad support and inner fenders painted,new front shocks installed and then the shop cleaned up,can't build a motor in a mess,so i was most of today cleaning up,organized and checked all the parts for my engine build,cleaned the deck of the block,the timing chain cover and fuel pump flanges and then tapped all the threaded holes,an important step.even though this thing just came back from the machine shop and the hot tank and the de-ruster tank,it still isn't clean as it could be.every threaded hole has to be tapped,some are full of sealant,rust and just dirt.i spent hours and hours cleaning bolts,can't forget about the threads in the block.the transmission is at the tranmission guys place.the rebuild kit i ordered him is there and the last couple of pieces needed for the transmission are on the way from a member in New Hampshire,thanks Dan.tomorrow i will start assembling the engine.

[mr.mud1]

more pictures

[mr.mud1]

a stormy day here today but not storming in the shop.i didn't get done what i planned on,never do but progress just the same.i spent some time cleaning up the bottom end of the block,installed the main bearings and verified the clearances and checked the thrust bearing clearance.all good,re-installed and lubed the crank.i checked all the ring gaps and then started fitting rings and installed 4 pistons,checking the rod bearing clearances.everything is fine,no issues,i guess that's why i drive 3 hours to my regular machine shop i've used for about 35 years,even though there are others closer?4 more pistons to install tomorrow along with whatever else i get done?

[LT7A]

Hey Greg, the progress looks really good. The sheen of the paint on your cleaned up parts and those inner fenders looks so nice. And the clean engine, ready to go back together too. Were the pistons they pulled out of their dished? So will you have a bit more compression with those flat tops?

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Hey Greg, the progress looks really good. The sheen of the paint on your cleaned up parts and those inner fenders looks so nice. And the clean engine, ready to go back together too. Were the pistons they pulled out of their dished? So will you have a bit more compression with those flat tops?

Thanks.it seems like all I have done for a couple weeks,is clean and paint parts?looking better now.i will have another update on here later tonight. The pistons i took out were domed just like the new ones.the new rebuilt will be just like it was from new.take care.

[mr.mud1]

a little more progress today.i got the short block completed,pistons all in,oil pump,camshaft and timing chain set installed.oil pan and timing cover on.tomorrow we'll get cylinder heads and the valve train installed.we'll have an engine in no time.

[mr.mud1]

today i was able to get both cylinder heads installed,the valve train assembled with all new rocker arms,valves adjusted and ran the pre-lube for a bit,long enough to see we have oil pressure up to the rockers arms.all good.tomorrow the intake is going on and then maybe start with some primer and orange paint.there are a couple of small parts in the mail that i'm waiting for to give to my transmission guy,but once they arrive,he's ready to go and re-assemble the transmission.he has a new rebuilt kit, everything is apart,cleaned and inspected. i have plans to change the steering column to a tilt while the engine is out.lots to do but making progress.

[68Gold/white]

What head numbers are those???. My 396 has/had the small closed chambered heads on it (original). I'm looking for something open chambered, for a little less compression, like yours...

Look'n good in the N.S. neighborhood!!!

[mr.mud1]

thank you sir,these heads are 3993820 with a cast date of june 25/71 and the other head is 820 with a cast of may 23/71.take care.Greg

[mr.mud1]

a little more progress today,not happy with the paint.it looks better in person than it looks here,my phone doesn't take the greatest pictures,but it isn't right so some more paint tomorrow,remove the black parts and we'll do it again.i am going to install on the weekend,a tilt column i did for this truck and if the few transmission parts i'm waiting for,come tomorrow in the mail,i'll take them to my transmission guy for him to re-assemble the trans,then it'll all go back in where it belongs.i love it when a plan comes together.

[Dieselwrencher]

What did you use for paint on your inner fenders and radiator support? It looks really nice. The engine paint looks nice on here too. Good work on your 402!

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

What did you use for paint on your inner fenders and radiator support? It looks really nice. The engine paint looks nice on here too. Good work on your 402!

thank you sir,it's coming along although i seem to have to do things twice til it suits me?i painted the engine again last night after pounding around all day in an old dump truck.i haven't looked yet this morning but the paint looked like i was painting over oil??i can't imagine anything got on the orange paint,but you never know?so i'll be doing something with that today.all the black parts are rattle can painted with something we have here,called Tremclad semi-gloss black.i don't know if Tremclad is available in the states,it's made in Canada and i use it alot.it's oil based and seems to do well.i'm very happy with the engine.it was supposed to be out and apart along with the trans to repair the oil leaks but it wasn't in good shape once i pulled it down for a look,no good putting a band-aid on it,fix it right or don't bother.25 years in storage saved the truck but didn't do the powertrain any good,but that's fine.i'd much rather fix a motor and trans than rebuild a body.take care.Greg

[68Gold/white]

Wished you were closer ...I have several cans of the original Chevy orange paint...

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Wished you were closer ...I have several cans of the original Chevy orange paint...

well,as my buddy Bob in Medina,Ohio would say"ain't nothing but a ride" 2250 miles,give or take?i think i found out why the color looked off,when all else fails,read the can dummy,it said Chevy Orange-Red???whatever that is?? so i bought a couple more cans of Chevy Orange and painted it again.i don't know if the pictures will look any better on here,but it looks alot better standing in the shop looking at it.it's Orange like it should be.more progress tomorrow.take care.Greg

[Dieselwrencher]

Now that you bring g this up, I've ran into that as well. It was quite irritating so I feel your pain. It does look sweet now!

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Now that you bring g this up, I've ran into that as well. It was quite irritating so I feel your pain. It does look sweet now!

thanks Ryan.it's looking alot better orange than pink as one of my buddies said.why did you paint your engine pink??he said,well it wasn't pink but it sure wasn't orange either,all good now.take care.Greg

[4byfour]

Beautiful truck. I love this paint scheme on these pickups, very underrated imo. Also, looks like you doing some great work on it, glad you are saving it. I have to drive by a 72 Cheyenne super, black and white, on my way to and from work everyday just watching it rot in place. The guy refuses to sell it.

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by 4byfour

Beautiful truck. I love this paint scheme on these pickups, very underrated imo. Also, looks like you doing some great work on it, glad you are saving it. I have to drive by a 72 Cheyenne super, black and white, on my way to and from work everyday just watching it rot in place. The guy refuses to sell it.

thank you sir.i don't know if you read the other thread i had going about buying this truck a year or more ago, but not being able to go get it with covid going and the borders closed.this truck was on the way to being scrapped??i'm glad it ended up here and i do like the green and white but never was fond of the white down the sides but it's growing on me.we all see those trucks and cars ,rotting away,i'm going to fix it someday??then there's nothing left to fix?a shame.take care.Greg

[McDeezl]

Beautiful work Greg and the hugger orange stands out the way it should instead of the tangerine pink or whatever that was! The Tremclad black semi gloss really did come out nice as well. I bet you're itching for the tranny now huh?
Sean

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by McDeezl

Beautiful work Greg and the hugger orange stands out the way it should instead of the tangerine pink or whatever that was! The Tremclad black semi gloss really did come out nice as well. I bet you're itching for the tranny now huh?
Sean

hi Sean,thanks,it's coming together.i'm waiting a couple small parts that are not the transmission rebuild kit.the transmission guy is waiting on me to have the parts to him but i have things to do.still a few small parts to paint and i want to install a new tilt column while there's nothing in the way.i would fire the dummy that bought chevy orange-red paint but then i'd be out of work??i never knew such a thing existed but it sure didn't look right.all good now.maybe later this week the tranny parts will be here,it won't take long to get the tranny back after the parts arrive.i'm thinking now about sending the manifolds out to be coated but we'll see.take care.Greg

[Happy_dan]

Sorry for the delay on the transmission parts.
We'll try again today to get them on their way.

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by Happy_dan

Sorry for the delay on the transmission parts.
We'll try again today to get them on their way.

hi Dan,don't you worry about it 1 little bit.i have lots to do,this won't hold me up.not your fault,no need to be sorry.i needed YOUR help,you didn't need me being a pain in the tail.thanks for everything.Greg

[mr.mud1]

not alot to report,i've been working on little stuff but then again,it all has to be done.not very glamorous but today while it's storming outside,i was working on cleaning up the cowl area,firewall,heater box, and cleaning and inspecting the wire harness's while i wait for a new firewall and rad support wiring gutter.i have the new fan clutch installed on the fan and the new battery box on the rad support.little stuff but all progress.Take Care.Greg