Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by Thealien

If you have not already shipped it back I would take it to a machine shop and have the hardness tested before returning it. That way when they say it tested fine at XX rockwell hardness you will know if it really is/was or if they are bull****ting you. I have been burned enough times in my life that I live by trust but verify!! If they do try to lie you could then send them a copy of your test and post the results on every forum I could find. On the other hand if it tests the correct hardness I wouldn't even return it and would also tell as many as I could?

Where’s the “like” button?

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by Thealien

@smbrouss70

If you have not already shipped it back I would take it to a machine shop and have the hardness tested before returning it. That way when they say it tested fine at XX rockwell hardness you will know if it really is/was or if they are bull****ting you. I have been burned enough times in my life that I live by trust but verify!! If they do try to lie you could then send them a copy of your test and post the results on every forum I could find. On the other hand if it tests the correct hardness I wouldn't even return it and would also tell as many as I could?

Sounds like an excellent idea! I will check with my local machine shop about getting it tested.

[smbrouss70]

I had to move the Blazer to get the lawnmower out of the shop. Ratchet wanted another ride, who I am to deny him? It just looked so good in the sun with the weeds all around it, so I had to snap a couple of pictures before I put it up, and cut the weeds down.

[Palf70Step]

Very NICE Steven!!

[Advanced Design]

Sweet pics!

[smbrouss70]

I've found a Tremec 3550 for sale for $1500 with a steel bell housing. I'm seriously considering it. They were the predecessor to the modern TKO's. It has a little lower torque capacity than the TKO-500/600's which I really don't need anyway. It has the same gear ratios as the newer TKO-500's, which I like the gear ratios in the 600 better. But I can get rid of the 700-R4 quicker for half the price. I did go check it out in person and the gears look almost perfect inside, they have very little wear on them. Now I just need to make a decision and run with it... AFTER HRPT, of course.

[Palf70Step]

Nice!!

[litebulblsc]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

I've found a Tremec 3550

What did those come in? Or were they only aftermarket?

[smbrouss70]

They were aftermarket only and originally designed as a T-5 replacement in Mustangs and Camaros from what I understand. I do know that in 2004, they quit making the 3550s and replaced them with the modern TKOs.

[gringoloco]

Is it chevy pattern? I thought the 3550s were F*rd only? If it’s a bolt-up like a TKO, grab it. Worst case, you can save it for me

[smbrouss70]

That's what I have been trying to figure out. It supposedly came out of a BBC car and the bellhousing is definitely a SBC/BBC bellhousing. According to the numbers on the tag, it is not the GM version that was offered back then. I'm sure I could make it work, but do I really want to go through that much trouble to save a buck?

There really isn't much info on the 3550's on the interwebs anymore, so it is hard to research all of this.

[gringoloco]

Measure the input shaft, sure way to tell. GM 10-spline is 1 1/8” diameter, F*rd is 1 1/16”. Also, pilot snout diameters differ, but I don’t remember measurements off the top. Either way, it probably has a 28-spline (ferd) output, so no help there.

If it’s a F*ord unit, you’ll spend more time and money adapting it than it would cost just to get a new TKO.

[smbrouss70]

Yeah, I found out that I can get the GM TKO-500 input shaft and bearing retainer in the 3550. But by the time I change everything, i might as well spend a little extra to get way more torque capacity and a warranty...

[smbrouss70]

Well, I have 31 days until we leave for HRPT. I finally got off of my butt to install the Vintage Air. My buddy Kevin came over for the weekend to help and keep me motivated. We stripped the interior and the dash so that we wouldn't get metal shavings in everything, then removed all of the factory heater components. After mocking up the evaporator unit, I came to the conclusion that routing the lines out of the inside cowl vent wasn't going to work very easily due to how close the blower was to the vent. I thought about using the bulkhead that I bought, but in the interest of simplicity and the fact that I want to test out the A/C on a trip to North LA on the 17th, we decided to transfer the VA plate holes onto my pretty blue panel. If I want to hide the lines better later on, I'll just have to get another plate and have Kevin paint it to match. We tried both polished and painted allen head bolts to hold the plate to the firewall, but decided on the painted. I still need to install the condenser and make up some lines next weekend, then I can get it charged and finally have A/C in the Blazer.
Here's a few shots of the progress this weekend.

[smbrouss70]

We also cut the dash for the stock A/C vents, which took a little bit of nerve to cut an unmolested dash, but I think the end result is soooo worth it! Unfortunately, all of the PO's warning labels had to come off of the dash since the 3 vents were going to partially cover them, but I did take pics to preserve the memory of them!

[Chulisohombre]

Good progress. That’ll be nice for the summer.

[gringoloco]

Lookin’ good! Hate to see the decals go, but it’s for a good cause

[smbrouss70]

Wow, I haven't posted here for a while. I have an excuse though, I've been busy causing my self more work and prepping for HRPT.

While installing the VA condenser, I was trying to hurry and ended up putting a drill bit into my aluminum radiator. I immediately ordered another one and got it powder coated the day it came in. Lesson learned, spend 15 minutes to pull the radiator to avoid spending another $400.

I got the A/C all buttoned up and got it charged last night. It blows 35° air out of the vents with it just sitting in the shop idling. The lines didn't turn out exactly as I imagined, but they do hide that big ugly heater valve pretty well, if I do say so myself.

I also added an electric pusher fan to the front of the condenser to assist the engine driven clutch fan. I added the Dakota Digital PAC-2750 fan controller also. It's a pretty neat unit that can turn on/off 1 or 2 fans at different temperature set points, and with it connected to the DD Retrotech gauges it uses the same sending unit and can turn off the fans above a set vehicle speed. Of course, it also kicks the fan on with the A/C regardless of whether it has reached the temp set point. That should help with all the idling while waiting to get into the venues on HRPT.

While the grille was off for the condenser install, I also swapped out the sealed beam headlights with the Jeep Wrangler JK headlights, so I can be more like my hero Gringoloco! They give the front end a cleaner look and will hopefully provide better, brighter, more focused lighting.

[C10_ustacould]

Looking good!

[gringoloco]

Wait, a radio AND air-conditioning? Might as well be driving a new Challenger...

[smbrouss70]

Who said anything about a working radio? I will have a bluetooth speaker on the dash though!

[smbrouss70]

Final step of the A/C install is done, the shallow glove box is in. I'm loving the new look of the dash with the factory A/C vents installed. I installed new spacers for my wheel tubs, I went from 1/2" to 1-1/8" so hopefully my rubbing is finally gone. If I make it through HRPT without rubbing, I will stretch my factory tubs to get rid of the spacers. Just need to change the oil and recalibrate the governor in the 700-R4, and of course load up clothes, ice chest, chairs, canopy, tools, spare parts, etc. I am leaving Wednesday night to spend the night at a buddy's house in Natchitoches, then Thursday morning we head out to NC to start the long haul on HRPT!!!

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Who said anything about a working radio? I will have a bluetooth speaker on the dash though!

Still better than meow-mix!

[smbrouss70]

Anything is better than that!

[smbrouss70]

Now that I am back from HRPT and a week in TX working in the heat and moving into an apartment at night, and another week back at the house getting caught up on everything else, I can finally explain why the Blazer didn't make it to HRPT.

I had everything done in time (for once) and was loading the blazer up for a week and a half of HRPT bliss in a torrential downpour at my house. I know the Blazer leaks in the rain and it doesn't bother me a whole lot because the floorboards are already coated and it has a rubber mat instead of carpet, but when I realized that the windshield weatherstripping was leaking and it was dripping on the electronics for my new A/C and gauges, I looked at the dismal forecast for HRPT and made the decision to leave it at home. I did attempt to buy a universal car cover at Wal-Mart around 1AM before I had to leave to try and give me at least a little protection while it was parked... That didn't work out so well.

I ended up riding with my buddy Kevin in his sweet 68 C10. There were a couple of days that ended up being nice, but the rain on all the other days made me glad I left it home.