Bubba's recycling project

[bubba327]

The manifolds are all painted up and I have the collectors ready with first bends fit and cut and the crossover balance pipe built.
The cross over will be at the transmission brace just past the trans oil pan. and will be 1" below frame measured to the top of pipe.
I read a lot of ideas online about where the H pipe should be but that is where it ended up fitting best.
Just need to get the manifolds bolted back on and can start to make things permanent .
I need to pick up a pair O2 sensor bungs to weld in just in case I find a wide band to help with the set up and tuning.
The manifolds I am using are 67-68 Chevy truck 283-327 on the right side, And the left is 65-68 passenger car and truck 283-307-327. so I guess they are kinda correct for the year and kinda match.

[McMurphy]

Good to see you posting progress again!
Looking forward to your exhaust install as that is next for me after my bed.

Keep us in pics, want to see how this goes for you

[bubba327]

Things are coming together,and this is kinda what it looks like. It turns out that the left ram horn is 45 degrees and the right is 55 degrees.
clears the oil filter with a lot of clearance and the starter by only 1/2". I bet I will end up with a heat shield there.
I bolted up the 2" collectors to the manifolds with out the beveled gaskets so they were perfectly flat to each surface to start ,then fit a lot of times before I tacked every thing together and final welding. The offsets will need the legs shortened really close to the first bend and then we will see about what will work for mufflers/ packs.
After the H pipe the offsets will just get clamps so they can be removed.

[63 Spud]

Looking good Bruce. I'm interested in seeing what you go with for mufflers.

[bubba327]

So here it is, all in place!!!
I ordered a pair of Summit welded oval magna-flow knock offs, but they did not fit very well so I regrouped and went with the round
Thrush long tube glaspacks, 27 " overall and 2,25" pipes and it sounds just perfect!!!
no drone or cackle ,just a badass rumble when under throttle, and a nice mellow deep purr at idle and part throttle .
I wanted to kick the pipes up and over the axle and out the back bumper but when I started fitting things in , It sure seemed to close too the tire.
I have short mandrel bends turning out in front of the tires until I get a better plan.



here is the new freshened 283 in full dress!!!

[63 Spud]

Awesome! No more white knuckle rides down the freeway on-ramp.

[bubba327]

So there has been this grin on my face all day that just wont stop,
Cuz I knew that my 64 was waiting for me in the parking lot at City hall tonight!!!!!!!!!
The motor now has over 100 miles after the LONG way home tonight and it is running awesome!!! needs a very few minor things but motor is pretty much complete.
Sure some difference after the inline six, I kinda spun the tires once or twice tonight, and it gets to 60 mph in a hurry!!!
It did kinda turn into the NAPA on its own, but then the guys there wanted to see it after all the parts I have bought.

Ordered a new Eastwood catalog yesterday, looks like the body and interior are next.
that hood needs a flame job or SS stripes until I can make it match

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by 63 Spud

Awesome! No more white knuckle rides down the freeway on-ramp.

Thanks Mark!! Did you recognize your old Holley Contender intake???
It was blasted and it cleaned up pretty nice

[63 Spud]

That intake manifold is too clean to have ever belonged to me!

[likaroc13]

Congrats on getting it back on the road! The exhaust looks good, & I'm sure that engine definitely makes a difference. If you can do it, I'm sure we'd all enjoy a little video clip sometime. Keep on grinnin' & drivin'!

[Captainfab]

It's good to hear you're back on the road.

You did a very nice job on the installation

[bubba327]

We went out for milk shakes after supper tonight, and ended up on a 75 mile adventure, I forgot how much fun this truck is to cruise in !!
Daughter will help me film a quick video this weekend and will try to get it posted!!
Thanks for the support guys

[chevy_man5]

Awesome Bubba!! Glad to hear she is back on the road!

[bubba327]

Sorry for the delay in the progress report.
I seem to be having to share the 64 with youngest daughter now.
She has been "borrowing " it when ever she can these days.
Oldest daughter came home from college over the fourth of July and was quite pleased with the new performance. There was some discussion about who really lays ownership to the truck and " just dont wreck it little sister"

The new motor has almost 1000 miles on it so far and is running great, and getting around 17 MPG. It would probably do better when I quit rodding around like I stole it.
No problems so far, no leaks , no clunks or OMG's. I am wishing I had a fan shroud on it here in the recent hot weather. Air conditioning would be nice too when the temps are over 100 every day,

The 64 went to the Emmett cruise night last night-it did get a little hot but it was still over 100 degrees at 6pm.
Never boiled or vapor locked but the girls would cruise for a while and have to park for a while when the temp gauge crept up. later in the evening, it cooled down and the heating issue went away.
Would adding a electric pusher fan help during the stop and go times?
My 69 Chevelle vapor locked twice so I too had to park it till the night cooled.
There was over 800 entries in the car show at the park and countless others came to the street dance and cruise, lots of family fun was had .
There was several 50"-60"s bands along the cruise route and lots of food vendors

Seems to me that more younger people may be getting into the classic cars and away from the ricers, lots of 20 to 30 year olds with the 50's and 60"s costumes driving in some nice older cruisers even quite a few 4 door stockers - even saw a few stock 70s station wagons packed full of people and kids just having a blast from the past.

[likaroc13]

That's funny to hear about the daughters. Maybe it's time to find another truck. Great to hear that the new engine is performing well. Sounds like decent MPG's too! That cruise night sounds like it was a blast. That's something I'd definitely enjoy, & at 31 I'm still part of the "younger" crowd I guess. Gotta love younger folks who are keeping classics on the road.

[C@rnut001]

Those are some great cruise pictures you shared, thanks. I think it is great that both of your daughters love this truck. Keep up the great job with it. Yes, I agree, maybe it is time for another one of these trucks...LOL.

[bubba327]

Thanks guys,
I should have taken some pictures of the young ladies in their "pin-up dresses" and poodle skirts and some of the guys in the white t-shirts with the sleeves rolled up.
JR and the Sting rays were rocking the parking lot at the drive-in.

I will say that I do not like the shows where it is all about the trophy and who spent the most money on the restoration, I am just about enjoying a hobby ( okay-obsession) and driving these cars for fun.

I am glad my girls are having fun with it too, The youngest will be a senior this year and then off to college so I will have time to drive it then. She wants to drive it to high school as long as the weather permits, She will have to drive her 4X4 when the snows come.
Oldest girl is in Kansas at KU for two more years. we'll see where she ends up after graduation and if she has a place to keep it,
I may have to start another truck, I do have plenty of parts left over

[tune_1]

the cruise night was great. glad to see that type of activity. I had a problem with a 63 engine i rebuilt and adding a shroud helped a lot with cooling, it handled a parade with no problems.

Looking good keep up the work and posts

Dwight

[bubba327]

You know your truck is a driver when you have to install a engine heater. Temperatures were down around zero just before Thanksgiving and the truck was kinda slow starting.
I installed a Kats engine heater in the lower radiator hose and remixed the coolant to -34*F.
Then moved the holley gas line pressure regulator to a different spot on the fender to a cooler spot farther away from the exhaust manifold. I was intending to get that done this summer.

Back on the road to check for leaks when the time came to roll over the odometer to 20,000 miles on the display. So when it was about halfway rolled over, the gears in the odometer stuck at 19999.9 and started slipping and rounding off the square shoulders of the speedo cable.

Back home I tried to get the odometer to finish turning over to 20K with a extra cable and a hand drill but it is now stuck halfway rolled over.
I now will have to remove the dash and check out the inner workings of the odometer.
Not finding much info on speedometer information on the web, anybody have any links or information to the workings of the speedometer/ odometer ?
Or is it time for the dash upgrade with round gauges and a new speedometer?

Have almost 3000 miles on the 283 since it went on the road in June 2014 and still running great. It only missed a few days of work while the snow and ice were a problem, Really don't like pushing snow with the front crossmember and oilpan..

[Captainfab]

You should be able to just replace the speedo. If you can't find a good used one, contact member TBONE1964 here on the forum. He rebuilds instrument clusters and is now just over in Oregon.

[bubba327]

Thanks John,
I am guessing its just too much resistance to turn over all the gears , so I will see what is holding up the progress. Good to know members here can help out if needed.


Paid my member dues again last month to the forum , I have saved far more time and money by subscribing to this site I could ever spend on the annual dues!!

Thanks to everybody who makes this a great place!!!!

[Billyburban]

Originally Posted by bubba327

Attachment 795277Removed the old vacuum booster and went shopping at the pick-a part. Found 5 or 6 Astro vans but went with a 94 with pretty low miles and fairly clean. The cylinder was tight and did not spin so it looked like pretty good choice.

Attachment 795278 the Astro hydro boost bolted right up to the bracket I bought from Captainfab for the vacuum booster.

Attachment 795279 I grabbed the metric O-ring hoses off the Astro. I cut them apart and then had NAPA crimp on some fittings that have 3/8" compression style connections which made installation a easy thing.
Attachment 795280 I bled the brakes and the power steering and went test driving. Pretty nice brakes now. Maybe a little too soft and touchy . Might have to drive it for a while and get used to it and see if it will work.

Hello. I was wondering if you could take some detailed photos of the lines how there ran on your hydro boost setup from top to bottom cause I hear ppl say to T them an I'm more a visual learner than reader. Did you use the factory astro van lines ? I just bought mine yesterday I wanted to start next weekend

[bubba327]

Will take some pictures of the install and get them posted by the weekend for you.
I installed a 283 in place of the Inline six last year but did not change anything on the Hydro boost .
It has been quite a while since an update I know, but My truck has been a solid daily driver with not a single issue that ever left me stranded or broke down.

I pulled the carpet out over the weekend and have been studying the rust on the floor board, and I am ready to tackle the rust monster.
Any body have great recommendations for a place to get all the patch panels, rockers foot wells pillars etc all at the same place?
I have been checking out Top Banana's site .
Any body ordered from them?

[Billyburban]

That's cool with the 283 how you liking it so far ? How's the metal work coming along ?

[bubba327]

I haven't been around much lately as work, farming and family have kept me pretty busy.
I paid my membership dues again this year and I am still supporting things here at the site. I guess that I have saved enough time and money by all the help I have gotten here on the site that it is a pretty good bargain!
The 64 has been my daily driver almost non stop this year with never a problem. Okay I did run out of gas once but that was my fault.
I do drive my power stroke when it is raining or when it is extremely hot in the summer, but the sweet little 64 gets the work the rest of the time.
I had plans to do a little body work this fall when a friend offered to help me some , but sadly that did not happen. maybe next spring....
so It drives on.... and its still a blast to drive !!! I never get tired of the smiles, thumbs up and waves from friendly folks who appreciate old trucks