What did you do to your truck today? Chapter II

[69GMCCustom]

Teardown on my suspension. Removal of original ball joints, tie tods, and the sway bar bushings were missing. Cant get the endcaps off the upper and lower control arm rod bushings tho. Grrr.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by 69GMCCustom

Teardown on my suspension. Removal of original ball joints, tie tods, and the sway bar bushings were missing. Cant get the endcaps off the upper and lower control arm rod bushings tho. Grrr.

When my son and I did the front suspension on my truck (original parts- 46 years old!) we had to stand on the control arms and use a cheater bar. I'd say it took in the neighborhood of 300 Lb-Ft to break the lowers loose, and they fought the whole way. Anchor them down well and get a good impact wrench.

ETA- they weren't even rusted, having spent the last 43 years in southern California. Good luck!

[69GMCCustom]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

When my son and I did the front suspension on my truck (original parts- 46 years old!) we had to stand on the control arms and use a cheater bar. I'd say it took in the neighborhood of 300 Lb-Ft to break the lowers loose, and they fought the whole way. Anchor them down well and get a good impact wrench.

ETA- they weren't even rusted, having spent the last 43 years in southern California. Good luck!

I have been surprised by the lack of rust on everything. So far the easiest part have been the control arms, they fell out when I took the nuts off. Everything else is O.E. including the brake drums, and it all had 2 inches of road crud protecting it. I was told the odometer had only rolled once from the p.o., (of course if only has 143k miles on it lol.) But according to the licence plate holder, it was sold from Frontier Ford in Fresno, 3 miles from where it sits now.
I'll try a longer breaker bar, if that doesn't work I may have to run the down to an auto shop for a more powerful impact wrench. Thanks!

[ghalperin]

Originally Posted by 69GMCCustom

Teardown on my suspension. Removal of original ball joints, tie tods, and the sway bar bushings were missing. Cant get the endcaps off the upper and lower control arm rod bushings tho. Grrr.

I had the same problem last year when I did mine. A little heat from the Victor persuader and they came right off. I had to use the torch to heat up many parts for the tear down.

[NoStopN]

All I did was move it out of the garage while I moved some wheels in. Sadly, they aren't wheels for the '69. They're just taking up space.

[NoStopN]

Double post. We need a "delete post" button around here.

[RodnRudy]

I went to install my new Holley valve covers and found they won't fit. They're too narrow to clear the casting lug on the corner of the head. The aluminum covers are 1/4" narrower inside than the factory sheet metal ones. I'll be contacting Summit Mon. and sending them back. I'm not wanting to grind down that lug and take a chance of getting shavings in my new engine.

[Killer Bee]

picked up a donor D60 4:10 LS FF GM 8 lug last weekend for the '71 K20 Sub and left it in the truck for the week..



craned it out at work Friday after shift to roll it into the wash bay for a good bath..

cleaned up real nice, no road scars, dents, or gouges and all the machined surfaces are smooth to the edges









crappy weather yesterday but nice out today so I lifted it out of the truck with my cherry picker..



now for perch and shock mount research and prep for install..

for reference, going under the white one parked in the street in the background, not the blue one in the driveway..

[Metaldoc]

P/s brackets done.

[OregonNed]

Re-gapped that last, elusive, hide-behind-the-headers, spark plug to say the tune-up we did is complete...

[Pete K1]

Replaced gear indicator and dome light and lens from LMC

[rjs53]

Got the front clip removed, then drilled out the spot welds and removed both rockers. That was it, because both front and rear cab mounts are toast, along with both floor pans and cab corners. Someone had put slip on rockers on and homemade cab corner caps. Now the real fun begins.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

picked up a donor D60 4:10 LS FF GM 8 lug last weekend for the '71 K20 Sub and left it in the truck for the week..



craned it out at work Friday after shift to roll it into the wash bay for a good bath..

cleaned up real nice, no road scars, dents, or gouges and all the machined surfaces are smooth to the edges









crappy weather yesterday but nice out today so I lifted it out of the truck with my cherry picker..



now for perch and shock mount research and prep for install..

for reference, going under the white one parked in the street in the background, not the blue one in the driveway..

Dig the blue 'burb in the background of that pic. There is a '67-'68 'burb near me that I would like to take a pic of, but it's in the guy's driveway. Kind of a lighter blue with darker blue cartoon flames. 4WD, but I forget what kind of wheels. I don't feel right taking pics of people's stuff without asking. Guess I need to start asking. We'll see.

[beaterku]

Finally put the top coat on my frame and broken down parts to convert from leafs to coils. I'm hoping progress picks up now!

Also, updated my YouTube build series: https://youtu.be/fUetpeVKbpk

[stevenfromtexas]

took apart passenger side vent window. sanded and painted. waiting on backorder rubber to rebuild

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by RodnRudy

I went to install my new Holley valve covers and found they won't fit. They're too narrow to clear the casting lug on the corner of the head. The aluminum covers are 1/4" narrower inside than the factory sheet metal ones. I'll be contacting Summit Mon. and sending them back. I'm not wanting to grind down that lug and take a chance of getting shavings in my new engine.

If you like the look, why not grind out the inside of the valve cover? (tolerances permitting)

With the nice work you have done on that engine, I would be hunting for a set of vintage finners.

[69BUCKET]

Finally got it in for last time...getting close...

[swervins69]

Motor/trans pulled, as well was bed.

[Andy4639]

Got the passenger side exhaust manifold off to fix and installed the rear S/S simulators on the ramp truck.

[Baker72chevy]

I seat the motor in

[RodnRudy]

I sent the Holley valve covers that wouldn't fit my heads back to Summit and these came on UPS truck this afternoon. Ran out to the garage and threw one on and the fit is perfect. They're Billet Specialties by the way, nice stuff.

[Killer Bee]

those are very nice covers!

[stevenfromtexas]

Received my Classic Heartbeat rubber stuff.....weather strip, window (front and back) rubber and some door and hood bumpers...yeeeyaaaa
the thought of calling in tomorrow to "play truck" crossed my mind

guess I'll go to work....just got a text that that my GMPaul stuff will be here when I get home Thursday morning.....another

[Drummerboy]

I bought my truck a set of hubcaps.

[RodnRudy]

I bent up a new fuel line to better clear my new valve covers.