Not Another Rebuild Thread....

[allaboutchevelles]

McMurphy, Im the same way. Being new to this sheet metal replacement and body work I think I over annalize everything. I fit everything like 10 times and keep adjusting and thinking about it over and over. It seems to take me forever to get something just perfect where im happy to weld it in.

[protrash64]

Cool find and an interesting story. What are you going to do about the engine?? I take it its still dead?

[b2948kevin]

Great build McMurphy.

I had a lot of the same questions just a little while ago. Just note that the 4 bolt main is stronger than the 2bolt main, but most people wouldn't notice the difference unless they are hot-rodding.

I will be interested to see what you do with the drop and power steering.

Shoot me a message if you have questions about some of the stuff I have gone through. The knowledge is still fresh.

[McMurphy]

Do I need a pully puller to get that Pitman Arm off the bottom of my steering gear box?
I have soaked it in WD40 and beat the snot out of it with a BFH but not one budge on getting them seperated !!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by allaboutchevelles

McMurphy, Im the same way. Being new to this sheet metal replacement and body work I think I over annalize everything. I fit everything like 10 times and keep adjusting and thinking about it over and over. It seems to take me forever to get something just perfect where im happy to weld it in.

Thanks Chevelles, it is good to know that there are some other look before you leap types around here.

Cool find and an interesting story. What are you going to do about the engine?? I take it its still dead?

Hey Protrash,
The original 292 threw a rod while hauling a boat from Anchorage back up to Fairbanks 9-10 years ago and has a gnarley hole in the d-side of the motor just forward of the motor mount. For my vision I am going to get a crate engine SBC 350 that I am hoping will bolt up to the transmission that I posted pics of a few weeks ago.

Later when I post pics you can see my engine bay and the transmission cross member that has been cut out. I guess someone wanted that original tranny pretty bad to whack it out of there like that.

I will be interested to see what you do with the drop and power steering.

Me too Kevin....
LOL
I lost out on a 78 Chevy pick up that I could have snagged for $700 that would have had a lot of the stuff I need. So now I am keeping my eyes peeled on CL for a donor rig.

[flips72]

just checked out your build, sweet truck love the camper first off i would like to thank you and your wife for your service in the armed forces and hope your build turns out great, stay warm and dont sweat the small things they will take care of themselves.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by flips72

just checked out your build, sweet truck love the camper first off i would like to thank you and your wife for your service in the armed forces and hope your build turns out great, stay warm and dont sweat the small things they will take care of themselves.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.
My wife and I are both proud to serve. I personally feel it is an honor to serve the American people and our Nation. As the oath says "Bear true faith and alliegence to the same...."

I guess it is time to post some pics now.

First pic is that doggone steering gear box. How the heck do I get that off the pitman arm?? Do I need a pulley puller?
#2 is a stacked toolbox I got from a local guy and I transformed into a welding cart. So far I like it, though it is a cheap-o it is working out fine so far, only complaint is the wheels are smallish and also cheap...
#3 is my rearend gears.... for the life of me I could not spot the ###-### numbers to find out my ratio. Guess I should know what ring gears are before trying this again....
#4 is my fuel cell and two hitch mounted and bolted in
#5 is a close up of the corner showing the angle iron I used for the 4" extension to the frame to fit the tank. I am pretty sure that with snugging the rear bumper up closer to the frame, and the 3-4" raise to the truck bed, I am not going to have too many issues with the tailgate.

But more to follow on that.

If it does mesh well, then I will probably drop the tank one last time, brace and weld that angle iron in for the added strength. Last thing I want is that set up to fail at 70 mph and flip my Tempest into a ditch off I-90....

[williamsboys]

awesome progress, i like that that you are working with so many diff years of vehicles to get the finished product you want. good luck on the rest im tuned in.

[allaboutchevelles]

Yes you do need a pitman arm puller to get that thing off. You can do it with a crow bar and hammer plus muscle but the tool works best. The way I have checked rear end gears in the past is to mark the tire at 12 oclock and have someone turn it 1 full rotation while you count the number of times the pinion { or where the drive shaft connects to the rear end} turns. so if it turns 3 and 3/4 truns that means its a 373 gear set, or if it turns just over 3 times its probally a 308 gear set.

[flips72]

there should be some numbers on the ring gear which is the big set of teeth like maybe 41-11 which when you divide the little number into the big you would come up with a 373, but one thing for sure its a posi unitnice progress.

[protrash64]

Trans x-members are easy for these trucks. Lots of aftermarket and some stock stuff fits just fine; I think from the 73-87 squares. Dont sweat that part.

[McMurphy]

awesome progress, i like that that you are working with so many diff years of vehicles to get the finished product you want. good luck on the rest im tuned in.

Thanks Will... sometimes I have that old Johnny Cash song in my head about the cadillac the guy stole from the factory one part at a time...
I just have a vision in my head of what I want, and I am not shy to go against convention to achieve it I guess.
Either that or I am just a dork...

The way I have checked rear end gears in the past is to mark the tire at 12 oclock and have someone turn it 1 full rotation while you count the number of times the pinion { or where the drive shaft connects to the rear end} turns. so if it turns 3 and 3/4 truns that means its a 373 gear set, or if it turns just over 3 times its probally a 308 gear set.

Thank you Chevelles, I will prolly have to try that. I am posting a pic of the only numbers I found on the gear, but I cannot see them as helpful.

there should be some numbers on the ring gear which is the big set of teeth like maybe 41-11 which when you divide the little number into the big you would come up with a 373, but one thing for sure its a posi unit nice progress.

First of all, I gotta tell you, I am not a math guy...I cant even paint by numbers.
I looked but could not tell any numbers that fit that description but am posting a pic.

Trans x-members are easy for these trucks. Lots of aftermarket and some stock stuff fits just fine; I think from the 73-87 squares. Dont sweat that part.

Yeah Protrash I was just telling the wife that, and explaining the difference between the mid mounts and the tail mounts for the tranny.

So a few more pics and I am gonna call it a night...

#1 is the back side of my ring gear (thanks you guys) and the numbers I found there that still look like Egyptian to me...
#2 and #3 is two different heater box parts. I am not sure why they are different. The one on the right is the original and has what I am guessing is a fresh air omit plate, the one on the left is from a junkyard donor and has the cable and vent. I can only guess this is a climate control of some sort to allow more fresh/cold air in ? I also hooked the donor blower motor up to a car battery and it spun like a demon, and I checked the donor heater core and it seems solid (barely used actually) so I am in business there!! Yay

[Alan's Classic]

The numbers are on the ring gear itself not the carrier which it bolts to. Look along the outer edge where all the teeth are. . They are stamped numbers not raised.
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[chad64chevy]

hey i can help with the rear gear ratio! here two options for you, just take that posi unit out send it to me and i'll send you a non-posi rear unit in either 3.73 or 3.08 which ever one you want, lol! or the numbers should be along the edge like between the edge on the carrier and the lip on the gear, along that little black 1/4" or so strip in post 62 pic#1! if i'm not mistaken, i like my option #1 lol!

[b2948kevin]

Nice work McMurphy. I'm thinking about doing some work on my rear soon, so this will help a lot.

Also, I'll beat Chad's offer and throw in a case of Mnt. Dew.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by flips72

just checked out your build, sweet truck love the camper

Sorry flips, meant to say that I am thinking of restoring that too. I have some really cool ideas for it as well.

The numbers are on the ring gear itself not the carrier which it bolts to. Look along the outer edge where all the teeth are. They are stamped numbers not raised.

Thanks Alan, next time I have that off I will look, prolly take a pic too...

hey i can help with the rear gear ratio! here two options for you, just take that posi unit out send it to me and i'll send you a non-posi rear unit in either 3.73 or 3.08 which ever one you want, lol! or the numbers should be along the edge like between the edge on the carrier and the lip on the gear, along that little black 1/4" or so strip in post 62 pic#1! if i'm not mistaken, i like my option #1 lol!

Ok shipping it COD to ya, but it may hurt coming from Alaska. Hope it thaws out before you get it too, it is -37* out there right now.

Nice work McMurphy. I'm thinking about doing some work on my rear soon, so this will help a lot.

Also, I'll beat Chad's offer and throw in a case of Mnt. Dew.

Ok this many guys making offers on my rear end is starting to make me nervous.... and a case of Mt Dew to sweeten the deal too? Hrmmmmm
I am going to look into the little breather filter for the gear case too like I saw in someone else's build instead of that hose set up.
If you need the part # let me know. I will have to post it later when I am home, that is where the info is.

Thanks for stopping by with the info and advice guys, I appreicate it!!

[57truckguy]

Ok not ot beat a dead horse but you will need a pitman puller to get the arm off the gear box. Almost never comes off without it. I borrow mine from the local autozone or O'rileys which ever I'm at at the time... Still think you should consider the 70's Surbanna upgrade... just saying... I would have went that way if I'ld have know about it when I did my front end... I'm not unhappy with what I've got... but it sure would have been cheaper.. I've got a 89 Dodge Dakota front end under mine.. Using the 4 cilinder springs and all stock OEM parts.. drives like dream. much better than the axle it came with.. 12 inch disk brakes, rack and pinion stering, power stering, choice of drop spindles, and all OEM parts for repairs. I'll get off my soap box now and leave with my pride. LOL

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by 57truckguy

Ok not ot beat a dead horse but you will need a pitman puller to get the arm off the gear box. Almost never comes off without it. I borrow mine from the local autozone or O'rileys which ever I'm at at the time... Still think you should consider the 70's Surbanna upgrade... just saying... I would have went that way if I'ld have know about it when I did my front end... I'm not unhappy with what I've got... but it sure would have been cheaper.. I've got a 89 Dodge Dakota front end under mine.. Using the 4 cilinder springs and all stock OEM parts.. drives like dream. much better than the axle it came with.. 12 inch disk brakes, rack and pinion stering, power stering, choice of drop spindles, and all OEM parts for repairs. I'll get off my soap box now and leave with my pride. LOL

LOL no worries about dead horse beating with me, too many people I work with dont just beat it, but then drag the carcass around for days!!

Today I am calling off Craigslist to look at a couple of possible donor rigs.
in order of choice:
1. 79 Chevy truck, no details provided other than it is for sale and has to get out of the yard, and the price is very right for me.
2. 85 GMC good looking and running truck, would almost hate to part it out, but the price is almost right for the amount of parts I would get off it.
3. 80 GMC the price again is almost right, but no engine or alot of other parts I would want/need. But I am going to take a look at it anyways for the brake system.
4. 75 Monte Carlo... has the right engine, and probably all the right brake stuff, just want to be lazy and unbolt/bolt on the front cross member ect...the price is in the ball park to play with, but I would hate to part out such a good looking car (though up here I doubt there are many low riders and would be hard to sell off the shell when I am done)
5. 83 El Camino, same as the Monte Carlo, but the guy wants an absurd amount for it for no title...

I read where someone did the part by part, piece by piece brake up grades and said if they had it all to do again he would have just gotten a donor and did the whole assembly swap. (and it may have been your thread too 57truckguy, I will go look here in a minute) So that is what I ~think~ I want to do .... I would just have to beg my neighbors to use there side of the garage for a week to do it. When it is -30* outside you get limited to what you are willing and can do outside.....

Otherwise this weekend I decided to service my torpedo heater, and was going good until I accidentally broke my hot surface ignition for it. You would figure that up here in the land of 9 month winters there would be every part of every heater ever made just falling off shelves... but no.
Thank goodness for Amazon.com
I got about half of my heater box tore down, cleaned and primered after the heater debacle, but did not want to suffer in the 40* garage yesterday to finish it up.
I will call this my bye-week and have another cup of

[flips72]

hey McMurphy are you going to lower your truck using drop spindles or just leave it stock hieght?

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by flips72

hey McMurphy are you going to lower your truck using drop spindles or just leave it stock hieght?

I am at the mercy of the parts I use for the disc brakes right now regarding the spindles I think.

I was just thinking of only dropping it as much as the 2.5" springs in the front and 4 or 5s in the rear.
I dont want stock height though, these trucks look (and probably ride) so much cooler closer to the ground. IMO

I dont know at this point, is there a wisdom behind your question I could benefit from?

[57truckguy]

you can if you want.. cut one coil off the spring and get 1 1/2 more drop and no problems in ride. or sterring... or use the 6 cylinder springs and get about 2 inch drop.
I used the 6 cylinder springs and worked wonders.

[57truckguy]

id you ever figure out what gear you have... >>> ???? look on the pinion it will tell you. you'll have to look around the posi but it is possible to see it you can get you head up there.

[Rooster's 67]

STOP STOP STOP. there is no need to re-engineer these trucks front end too much. Do you want to switch to a 5 bolt pattern for the wheels? if so the easiest thing to do is to find a 73-87 C10 pick up or 73-91 R10 suburban.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444823
once you have found one of those you will want the whole front end (suspension, steering, everything)
The General did not change very much over the years. you can take the whole crossmember with suspension and steering and transfer it to your truck. It will gain rubber control arm bushings, disk brakes, power steering, all the goodies.
you will need a bracket for the steering box to mount properly to the frame, if you get the booster,master cylinder and brake proportioning valve of the donor you will need a bracket to mount it to the firewall.

the best way to do the swap is find someone that will sawzall a frame right behind the shock mounts and take it home. transfer parts, good to go.

check out the FAQ's on the 67-72 boards also there is a ton of good info about these mods, and the 62-66 are as I said basicly the same under the skin.
also the FAQ in the 60-66 boards.http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=450021

Also check here for lots of answers http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=92

Enjoy lots of fun ya got there.

[flips72]

all i did to mine when i changed to disc brakes is found a set of 72 spindles and changed ball joints and outer tie rod ends, did like 57truckguy said cut 1 1/2 coil off my six cylinder springs you can buy new rotors and calipers for practically nothing easy evening job then re moved rear axles and drums had them re drilled, ta da five lug disc brakes.

[McMurphy]

57truckguy: This truck came stock with a 6cyl, so more than likely it has the springs for that. And no, I have not pulled my rear diff cover off again to look at the gears for the ratio again. Busting my heater on Saturday put a damper on doing things in the garage right now. You can only bundle up so much to fight the coldness, but if you have to wear thermal gloves, then there isnt going to much wrenching going on....

Rooster's 67: thanks for the links, I will start reading those here in a few minutes! I was actually looking at an 85 Sierra last night as a donor rig. It has all the parts I am wanting, to include the 350ci, which the fellow says is a crate engine with only 20k miles on it.... It does sound good though, and no smoke, ticks, pings, squeels, or whines.
Once I secure the parts or a donor rig, I plan on hitting CapFab up for the adaption plates for the Master Cylinder and the Power Steering Gearbox. I figure ordering both at once will be better than one at a time.

And by the way Rooster, I absolutely LOVE that quote of yours!!


flips72: Thanks for the input, I will probably wait until I get the 350 in the cradle and see how low it sits. Then if I want it lower, either order the drop springs or cut the ones I have.

Thanks for all the replies guys! The more you all tell me the more I learn and the less boo-boos I make. This way if it all doesnt go according to plan, I can claim it was all according to prophesy!