What did you do to your truck today? Chapter II

[VWNate1]

Oops ~ thanx .

[special-K]

I got my '72 going right about a year ago after needing a few things that had her parked. I ran it till winter and since spring...8,000+ miles with no issues. A couple weeks ago a spark plug blew out when starting it. The plug boot had gotten burnt from being against the header. So, I put new plugs in and a new plug wire (wires new from last year). Started it up, sounded good, except heard a nasty sporatic noise like the fan tapping the shroud. Checks for play n water pump, alternator, and other pulleys. All felt tight but something was definitely going to grenade down the road. I bumped the alternator and noticed it made a sound. Turns out the halves were loose. Two of the screws were missing on the rebuilt unit! Got that straightened out and remembered it had been hearing a small exhaust leak. Header bolts all tight but noticed a collector gasket had a small blowout. Replaced that in a jiffy and now the truck is good to go another round. Also cleaned the engine up and changed the oil. It always feels good taking care of a few things on the truck. Next chance I get I'll be replacing the dash circuit and adjusting back-up lights while column is dropped. They come on in neutral now.

[B Myers]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I told her she looked pretty (I lied.)

That's pretty funny, true love

[Already Gone]

A friend of mine offered to redo my carb so I picked up a carb kit, float and choke thermostat and thats what he did. Went to his place at 5:30 and left at 9:30 and took the long way home and felt the diference right away. Truck runs smoother and is more responsive.

[samkost]

Installed emblems, side markers, and wheel rings/caps.

[66clow]

Carnuaba'd it. The before and after came out pretty good but that was a heck of a work out. Then went for a bike ride and of course it rained on the way home. Darn Florida summer rains, now it's sunny. I'm beat!

[RodnRudy]

I changed the oil and filter in the old girl. Gonna run down to Louisville to the Nats next Thursday.

[GR8-68]

Installed the front swaybar and almost finished the cool mat inside the cab

[54belair]

Today, after 5 1/2 years we gave birth to " My Grandsons 68 stepper". Today she hit the sunlight under her own power.

[NoStopN]

I finally got tired of the old seat cover shedding like a Yeti. I pulled the cover, then the seat, & I'll be vacuuming the cab tomorrow. I bought another cheap-o seat cover for the time being.

[Haru]

Originally Posted by NoStopN

I finally got tired of the old seat cover shedding like a Yeti. I pulled the cover, then the seat, & I'll be vacuuming the cab tomorrow. I bought another cheap-o seat cover for the time being.

Awesome, did the same and used some restore stuff on the seat!

Minus the rip, looks good

[Coley]

I took the time to do a little under hood detailing yesterday.
I haven't done much under the hood over the last couple of years and the valve covers were looking a little marked up and were shedding their paint.
....nothing too serious one way or the other, but simply took the time for a quick renewal on the valve covers and an overall wipe down.

I also took the time to show a quick pic of my ('72) linkage and kickdown stuff....noting there was a thread recently about what this set up looks like and this one to my knowledge is very original.

Regardless, not mint or 'show' at all but this truck is my preferred daily driver through the summer months for me.
It is a really great, nice running engine....older rebuild from the previous owner (maybe in the 90's?) on the original engine and the truck is a really nice, smooth driver....painless to buzz around town in.

All good
Coley

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Put this in the driveway for a bath before the next phase. Only brakes, suspension engine/trans, driveshaft, steering box & linkage to go, and I'm headed into the right direction. That said, I may not beat the cold on the frame. Takes me a while.


Anyway, for some reason this looks cool. I like how the wheels set-off the frame. Nice stock stance, though I may drop 4/2.5. I'll use the wheels with 3" rings and common rally bowtie hubs, sometime before the year 2020 That's the plan anyway.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Put this in the driveway for a bath before the next phase. Only brakes, suspension engine/trans, driveshaft, steering box & linkage to go, and I'm headed into the right direction. That said, I may not beat the cold on the frame. Takes me a while.


Anyway, for some reason this looks cool. I like how the wheels set-off the frame. Nice stock stance, though I may drop 4/2.5. I'll use the wheels with 3" rings and common rally bowtie hubs, sometime before the year 2020 That's the plan anyway.

That far along eh??? Looks like you have been way busier than some of your posts seem to be.

I like the stock stance on all our trucks, to me it does not put the truck "out of era". Yet that is just me, I really like the look of the rally wheel on those shortys!

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

That far along eh??? Looks like you have been way busier than some of your posts seem to be.

I like the stock stance on all our trucks, to me it does not put the truck "out of era". Yet that is just me, I really like the look of the rally wheel on those shortys!

I'm definitely feeling some progress, thank you. I may not beat the cold weather to paint the frame. That's okay, there will be plenty for the body/paint folks, & lots to send out for restoration. Worst case I hit the frame in the spring. The build should go smoothly, so that's the plan.

I like the stock stance as well. If I run with two-ton deluxe (is. "sandwich" ha!) then I'm dropping her 4/2.5. I may leave the stance if it's painted just ochre & white top, as it was stock. Either way it's getting belts. At the moment I'm leaning deluxe. It will look more better with the antenna I'm using........Factory 67-68 Corvette fat ball fixed mast. A deviation from the "original" plot.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Well, after a good 16 hours with de-greaser and lots of scrubbing, here's a clean slate for the final phase of take-off. I thought to use a steamer, but none available, and they want near $200 to rent just a high pressure sprayer. No thanks, I did it the hard way.

On a side, my chassis was in the drive-way not 48 hours when my neighbor walked up the drive-way, 1st time in 14 years. He had his 24/7 pouty face on, and only said "how long will this be in the driveway?" I said, "couple days, eye-sore huh?" He says yeah and walks away as I burst out laughing. But then I got teed off and told him to "go back to [insert State]", which is a certain State west of here. I'm not confrontational, but these people are bad. They're not satisfied unless up in your business. They're fully indoctrinated and miserable. Truth is, they probably don't appreciate the looks of my 72 in the driveway like I do. A real shame

Just an observation, gaskets and the hot sun don't mix. My transmission has a slow leak or so, but it was anything but slow sitting in the hot sun. A canvas slowed the leaks to normal, & the gaskets sealed by cooling the transmission with water.

[In The Ten Ring]

Sorry, no pics. Rain ran me back into the house, looks like that's over for now.

I had just finished grinding a bit of the outer grill off, enough to allow a J-nut to attach at that point. I don't think I had a J nut there before, I'll bet that was wrong from the factory as my original J nut wouldn't line up either. *Update: J nuts are on and lined up. Will try to put grill back onto truck tomorrow.

[VWNate1]

@ Tony ~

This is why I bought a house with 8' fencing all around it and I still have a drunken b*tch next door who minds my business more than she does her own or allows anyone to trim her tree that leans over my fence....

Some folks are just miserable and envy you soley because you're out there happily working away up to your elbows in soap, grease and old tuck parts .

It's looking VERY good ! .

What displacement is that big V8 ? .

[toolboxchev]

I do feel sorry for the guys into these rigs down south of me. I have known about them for decades. Some things never change, keep him out of your Resto, some will stop at nothing to fowl someone else out.

[72_swb]

I tried some of this ice stuff lol. It's faster and easier to put on. We'll see how it holds up.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

@ Tony ~

This is why I bought a house with 8' fencing all around it and I still have a drunken b*tch next door who minds my business more than she does her own or allows anyone to trim her tree that leans over my fence....

Some folks are just miserable and envy you soley because you're out there happily working away up to your elbows in soap, grease and old tuck parts .

It's looking VERY good ! .

What displacement is that big V8 ? .

It's a 402 punched out in 1993. The heads might be high performance off I couldn't tell you. All I know is they're supposed to be 10:1 compression as opposed 8.5:1.....There's 40K miles on the build and I'm not rebuilding it. It sounds great, feels great, and the oil has never been dirty. Only oil loss was through the rear main.

I'm thinking of moving to a rural area. Less house, more garage and more property.

You just had to bring up fence........HA!. I will not bore you with all the details, but this is ironic. I built the fence line between us (200 feet), which is seen in post 5662 above. They paid for half. When they gave me the check the bastards said "we didn't want the fence in the first place." I've always been polite to them. They're just miserable.

Then they built a cyclone fence along their back yard, everyone else has wood. Course nobody complained I bet. I mean, that would be rude man.


That wax looks real nice 72.

[VWNate1]

I feel your pain Tony ;

Me, I finally gave up being nice to complete a$$holes and once they say something stupid and rude like "we didn't want the fence in the first place." I would have instantly said ' then you shouldn't have cried like a little b*tch ' .

I know I'm sort of rough due to my environment but I try so hard to be a good neighbor here in the Ghetto but as you said, some are just born to whine .

The old crack house across the street finally got some good people living in it, a nice Chinese couple with Grandpa, they were skittish at first but when they saw me out side picking up trash and bottles etc. every day they warmed up fast . then they saw me planting yet more cactus in my parkway and got busy, yanked all the weeds out of their parkway and planted Aloe in a nice row ~ most neighborhoods all it takes is one person to care and keep things tidy and most others will begin to tune up their yard, plant flowers etc .

My rule : pick up every bit of trash on both sides of the street across from my side, any glass item I can see discarded no matter how far away, gets picked up or swept up if broken immediately because glass isn't good, there are kids here and I well remember stepping on broken glass when I was a kid .

No excuse for not making some effort, YOU LIVE THERE .

[toolboxchev]

Did the power steering gearbox over a month ago. Well going down the freeway I hear this growl sound in the turns.

Luckily it was just a piss leak on the high pressure line. I will tell you this Napa Brand products are not what you would like them to be.

Never the less, a little fabrication on my part and bending and groaning I got it done.

I was very lucky in getting to know a man years ago whom worked on rigs all the time. I ended up giving him the nickname "Master o' de Eights". Learned a lot from that guy and he was impressed with my skills. Here's to ya Tex! Not forgotten my man.

[72_swb]

No the napa and Oriellys has gone down to Autozone level. I've been going to the dealer. Cost more but last longer. The last water pump I got from napa was a joke. Thin crap.

[NoStopN]

I posted no evidence of my seat cover swap. Amazingly, it might be money spent for nothing. I went by the local Fastenal the other day & there was an upholstery shop next door. I didn't get the chance to stop in since I was trying to fix my Z71. Now for the proof:





And the new cheap seat cover.



I'm satisfied for now. Plus, I was thinking about having it recovered in black. I plan to have the windows tinted, so it shouldn't be too bad.