72 2wd project "No Daggum Money"

[jjzepplin]

A few pics of the rebuilt Saginaw...
I drilled and tapped a drain in the lower boss and it needs new shifter arms.

[jjzepplin]

A few before the rebuild.
Still messing with the bell-crank.

[Hart_Rod]

Nice progress!

[jjzepplin]

Been quite a while since I've been able to work on this. Bad back injury came back to haunt me. Seems to be messing with my hips for some reason.
Anyway- I took the trans x-member back out as it interfered with the routing of the exhaust from the cheap headers. I used the 4x4 transfer case extra supports that went to the top of the frame rail to make a new member. I cut the center section from the 2wd unit out and bolted it to the reworked 4x4 supports. Welding relief cuts are to come but for now everything is clearing and exhaust is mocked up and does not hang below the frame rails at all. Pics to come.
Axle flip is mocked up but I thought I better set the body on and mock up the fenders to make sure the PO put the front suspension in the right spot. No sense in finishing things up only to do it again because I THOUGHT it was right.
Oh and I have a stock rear sway bar I have to try to install with the flip kit that should be fun when I get it done. Gonna need longer U bolts it seems.
Anyone else still working on their 2wd conversion?

[jjzepplin]

Gonna lower it onto the frame today and pray the front member is in the right spot!

[jjzepplin]

Prayers were answered today.

[jjzepplin]

More pics

[jjzepplin]

Yeah- I know- My garage is a bed of sand beneath a large palm tree. So what. I have to get this thing rolling so I can move it from underneath a big aff tree I need to remove and I don't want it to fall on my truck.

[jjzepplin]

I think the wheels are positioned OK. The front control arm are swapped and the lowers have the "MOD". I think if I had not swapped uppers the wheels would not look to be in the center of the wheel well. Springs are rubbing due to lower mod. Have to cut 1/2 coil or full coil to sit right anyway. Might swap side to side to see if I can cure the rub.

[Blown06]

That's good progress for a guy with a bad back, believe me I know the feeling. Looking real good, keep plugging along and it'll get there.

[jjzepplin]

Thanks! I do everything myself cuz I'm REAL stubborn. I get blasts of energy and go right for the throat. I know my build is not like some of these fellas but it's mine and I have no garage or a lift or a bunch of buddies that can weld real good but I do what I can. That was yesterday. Today I am in serious pain and am sitting on the couch with a small fire outside the window in my caldron and the BBQ firing up for some kielbasa and some pork steaks that have been marinating since yesterday.
I do appreciate the days I can move though. Wanna come help?

[smbrouss70]

Great progress! Getting the body on the frame always makes it feel like it looks like a real vehicle again.

[sierragrande71]

That looks real good, awesome job!

[jjzepplin]

This is why she had to be reborn.

[sierragrande71]

Oh dam!

[jjzepplin]

That happened right when I bought my first house in 2006. I sent for my 2nd truck in Cali and it showed up one year later as my buddy was not so enthusiastic about letting old yeller go.

[jjzepplin]

more pics

[jjzepplin]

So I got a little bit done today. I installed the pedals from my other trucks old SM465 setup. I cut the linkage and re-welded it to fit the 2wd specs. Turned out real nice and works fantastic. Reminds me of my old 66 Chevelle. Mid life crisis satisfaction on it's way.
I am currently watching an old Adam12 and it's a drag race edition. Sweet old rides!
Anyway-I also installed the steering column temporarily to steer it up on the doctors table (cement slab) so I can run the brake lines and fuel lines. I need the bearings replaced and they are a bit expensive for my "cut it to fit" mentality for this ride. I have the cups for the bearings but lost all the balls-haha- in the sandy back yard when I took the column out. I need to find some cheap bearing that has about 1/16" balls. Not payin $60 plus $10 shipping for a bunch of little steel balls.
Anyone got Ideas?

[jjzepplin]

So I got it moving under it's own power.(No wiring harness installed yet) It's on the doctors table and awaits new brake lines. I have a disc drum prop valve and hope the old power booster from the drum-drum 4x4 setup will work. The lines to the master don't exactly line up correctly but with a little redneck persuasion they fit now. I tried the newer 73 up master cylinder but the rod coming out of the booster was too long. So I thought I would just use the old one since I knew it worked. Hope it pushes enough fluid...

[jjzepplin]

So I thought I could just reseal my power steering pump as my other trucks unit is leaking and since this one is not in service yet it would be good practice. No such luck. Shaft has excessive play so A rebuilt unit may be in order. I may attempt the bushing replacement but am worried the shaft may have wear as well. It was fun to get inside the unit to see how they work though. Not much inside there but a vane style pump. Simple really. The serpentine pump has a different o ring style fitting for the pressure line so I just remove one from and older pump and voila! I keep plugging on this and that is the Idea. A little a day and one day soon...TOP DOWN-wind on my skull.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

So I thought I could just reseal my power steering pump as my other trucks unit is leaking and since this one is not in service yet it would be good practice. No such luck. Shaft has excessive play so A rebuilt unit may be in order. I may attempt the bushing replacement but am worried the shaft may have wear as well. It was fun to get inside the unit to see how they work though. Not much inside there but a vane style pump. Simple really. The serpentine pump has a different o ring style fitting for the pressure line so I just remove one from and older pump and voila! I keep plugging on this and that is the Idea. A little a day and one day soon...TOP DOWN-wind on my skull.

Building these truck is like eating an elephant, you got to do it one bit at a time...... Nice progress, keep it up.

[jjzepplin]

I pulled the pump out and successfully removed the bushing. Used a deep socket and my vise. I am ordering the reseal kit with a bushing. Should work out ok.
In the meantime I plumbed all the brake lines and what a beotch climbing around under a lowered truck on jackstands in the rain. Came out ok and should hold fluid and pressure fine.
Dang mud daubers will fill your lines with sand in a heartbeat. Have to remember to cap the lines If I don't close them. Bugger to get them back open. Ran a bicycle brake cable on a drill thru them.

[jjzepplin]

Got a little more done on the engine. New Sanden compressor installed and a new fan and spacer. Also installed the 1 ton rear sway bar. Need new U bolts for the rear end but I think I can weld up the spring perches soon.

[jjzepplin]

I would "LIKE" to find a 67-68 front grill and hood but that is proving to be difficult in this neck of the woods. Will the fenders I have work?
A few pics of the sway bar...

[raggedjim]

No, if you go with the 67-68 front grill you will need the 67-68 chevy fenders (or the 67-72 GMC fenders)

Good luck, it's looking good. Rg