The Old Mule - 64 BBW

[Palf70Step]

They (camarocenter.com) advertise it as a 14". I am still tweaking the horn kit for it since trucks differ from the cars.

[Palf70Step]

Been tweaking on the ole girl and trying to get little bugs worked out.

I am getting DANG good at changing power steering pumps that we use on these models (70-72 style). I though I had a leak in the low pressure line (which I did) so, went in and tightened it up. Well now the silly thing was leaking worse. Wasn't sure if it was the low line again or not as I had not cleaned the pump off real good when I was tightening the LP line.. So torn it all apart cleaned and inspected everything. It all looked fine, so back in she goes. Seems the it was leaking at the high pressure fitting also. Hmmmmmm, OK ,pump fitting or high pressure line. OK back out with it all, and looked it over. I couldn't see any anything Since I found an old pump from a 72 that I had been planning to use on my old 70 and didnit want to run to the parts store for a line that proably wasn't in stock, I decided to try the other pump first. Hooked my line to it and mounted it up. No leaks and the pump works great.

So evidently the new pump had a less than great fitting. Will see what they say about a return, but I am running this one for now.

Also put in the new fan shroud. It looks way better and is WAY less brittle that the original one! New plug wires (that are not a mile long) are on the bench, I just didn't have patience to accomplish it today. I wanted to DRIVE it.

New steering wheel installed, but something messed up in the horn ring. It appears to be stuck on. For now, separate horn button until I see if they have a good kit for the 64 setup.

Tach is wired up, new speedo installed, so time for a road trip.

It was so nice cruising the old girl after about 4-5 weeks sitting. I have a little bit of a rub/squeak in the speedo cable, so I'll relube it and see it it goes away. If not I'll pick up a new one.

I still seem to have some intermittent wiring issues near the fuse box. I am debating on ordering a replacement inside harness or a complete modern kit. Still need to do some extra grounds for the bed lights.

She is back in her house waiting for some more tinkering (and a bath).

I guess I 3 steps forward, then maybe a step back on things. But that is sorta the old truck world at times

[duallyjams]

There are some good deals on AAW complete kits from board vendors, I just picked one up, been chasing a electrical gremlin all summer.

[Palf70Step]

Need some assistance folks

I can't keep the cup in the steering column that the turn signal switch screws into from not moving around as I turn the wheel or use the turn signals.
It looks like a tab broke off and some one welded a home made one back on. From the looks of ii, seems there might possible also have a tab in the middle that is missing. the few pictures I can find only have the two end ones.

Far as I know it only goes on the one way, but it is very loose. Almost seem like there should be something to push up on the cup and hold it tight against the slot hooks or something besides the cup that when I attach the turn signal switch that the screws will go into so that it stays in place. I am assuming it is the correct cup for the column.

Any ideas?

[Monte's62]

Bill, I believe your cup holder mod is one of my favorite on this entire forum. I don't know if I've seen any others with original type seats. Thanks for sharing

[1966shortwide]

you are missing a tab, also your cup when clocked correct postion your turn signal lever hole at 9:00 o'clock area. will be facing so signal lever is horizontal to the left center of cup.might be easier to get a different hosing with the tab's. The turn signal screw's will pull up cup to be tight.

[62 short step]

I have one Bill that's complete.

[Palf70Step]

Moved the 64 out to let it get some of our 70 degree weather and to do some work on the 94.

She runs great and looks good in the fall/winterish follage.

Made a new front plate bracket, so it doesn't hang below the bumper now. I know it was suppose to go upwards, but I just don't like the look of it sticking above the bumper. Good part is I don't move the gravel in EdB's driveway now.

It's nice to have a tach. Speedo says I am doing about 45 at 2000 rpm. I think it said that doing 70 I was turning 3,000-3,100. (3.73 with 275/60x15)

She's back in her house and tomorrow we start tearing her apart again to get after my electrical gremlins. Hopefully when I run the new interior harness, swap out the column and add some more grounds the electrical issues will mellow out.

[joedoh]

that steering wheel looks perfect in there, and the plate mod is required with a truck that low haha.

[clemdaddy]

sweet truck...
i had a broken tab on my column and picked up a 4-speed column from salvage for $25. solved the functional problem plus got rid of the column shift nub for the stock shifter, its different than the auto or 3-speed column, a lot simpler with fewer parts. just a thought. might help with the horn problem too.

of course if you already have a 4-speed column then ignore all i just said, except the 'sweet truck' part.

subscribed and following along...

[Palf70Step]

Started the wiring replacement today. I got the new windshield wiper motor setup in (but brothers sent the wrong switch, so they should be fixing that issue Monday).

I disconnected everything and started routing the new one in. Next out came the old dash harness. After I got it out, I found a lot more not so good spots in the wiring which probably played a factor with things.

Trying to take my time and get it routed close to original, as well as clean up the craziness of the accessories that were added.

By the way, do any of you have any idea whet the green wire might be for? The old box didn't have one and I can't really tell by the schematics. Maybe the horn?

I sent an e-mail to Classic Parts to see if they can tell me (since I got it from them).

[Palf70Step]

Have been making progress. I got the new inside wiring harness in, and then truck wouldn't run, nor did I have headlights/front park lights and permanent lights on in the rear. Took a while to trace it out (had to leave it sit a few days or I was going to use up a lot of ammo), but turns out the headlight switch was wired wrong on the new harness. (red & green wires reversed) So the hot feed was going to the wrong terminal. Got all that figured out. Good to hear the old girl roar again.

I decided that I wanted to get rid of the one-pice column and put in one from a 67-72 era trucks. Folks put in the tilt columns all the time, so I figured a regular column would work too. Today I went to work on changing out the columns. I picked up a super good floor-shift column (thanks heehawracing) from a 69 C10. So out came the old chest stabber. Pain in the butt to me. I can't remember the last time I Pulled a 1-piece column. You can see where they attempted a fix on the column (didn't work very well). Got the new column and intermediate shaft setting in just to make sure it would work (and it does/will). So I'll finish the install and mate the new column turn signal wires to my old connectors.

Then its on to finish the speaker bracket for the front speakers.

Oh yeah, the 2 speed wiper motor conversion kit from Brothers works great, and soon as I get the $ saved up I'll get the switch that will also make them intermittent!

[Palf70Step]

Felt great to be out driving the old girl again. Over the last couple months I have been dealing with fuse-box, dash wiring, and steering column. This is a bit of a summary of what I did and what I thought about the stuff I used to fixed her up.

I ended up swapping out the factory column with one from a 69 floor shift C10. Not only did I get rid of the one piece unit, I got the later column which fit my new steering wheel mounting better. Most of the issue was the placement of the stuff for the horn. All the wire colors match up, so I spliced my 64 column harness to the 69 column harness. No issues and she works great. I used a HD hose clamp to secure the column up at the dash, and I used both the 64 and the 70 firewall seal for a more airtight fit.

I upgraded my wipers to a two-speed setup from Brothers (made by New Port Engineering). I am super pleased with the quality and the fit of everything. The only thing that disappointed me was that the factory dash knobs don't fit. The two speeds seem to be better than that of the factory ones. What is nice is by changing out the wiper switch, I can have intermittent wipers also (once I get the money). Once I dig up the parts, I'll add a washer motor also.

The fused box/under dash wiring was a really nice kit. I got mine from Classic Parts, but think it is done by American Autowire. Other than 2 wires switched (easily fixed) in the headlight switch, it was really plug and play and seemed to be good quality.

I made a bracket to mount a set of front speakers from my old 70 to the 64 stock location. Eventually the plan is to get a stock speaker bracket and modify it to fit dual speaker. But this gets some more and better sounds into the truck.

The steering wheel I was having a LOT of second thoughts on while the truck repairs were going on. I liked the smaller diameter, but the wheel felt so thin and boney. I was beginning to think I had wasted a lot of money. Other than the horn kit stinks (was bad), now that I have been driving her, the wheel doesn't feel that bad. It still feels a bit tiny (thin in the grip diameter) but way more comfortable than what she did in the shop. It fits the period of the truck and we'll see next month what it feels like on a long trip.

She drives nice again and nothing is falling off or cutting in and out any longer. So it's back to driving her until the next project happens along

[Alan's Classic]

Nice progress Bill!

[Jeff La]

Glad you got it back on the road. I was in your neck of the woods Thursday and Friday.

[Palf70Step]

Thanbks guiys.

Jeff do you ever roam the LCTC board any more?

[CRGRS 66]

looks great Bill

[Jeff La]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Thanbks guiys.

Jeff do you ever roam the LCTC board any more?

NO I need to start again, so I can get to meet some of you guys one day

[Palf70Step]

Had been driving the heck out of it the last several weeks. My son was using my 94 while his 02 was in the body shop (someone hit it when it was parked). Finally got my 94 back to be a DD, when the cheapo shift finally breathed it's last. So I went to put in my Hurst Indy Shifter and ran into all kinds of little headaches. Turns out the shifter will work in our years, as long as you don't have the 64 (and earlier I guess) emergency brake crossbar assembly. I finally got it in, but no more bench seat use. It is a nice precise shift now, just like when I had one in my 70. I still have a little more shaving to do on the bottom end of both of the shifter forks to clear the emergency brake leaver and I'll probably trim up (shorten) the R-1 shift rod some so it isn't sticking out so much.

Since I had the seat out I decided I would clean up and patch the floorboards in a few spots, then insulate the dude.

Since I had them, these are what will be going into replace the factory bench. They are out of a 98 C1500, so now I'll have power seats and lumbar stuffs.

[Palf70Step]

While I was under the Mule, I notice It is leaking a lot of oil. Near as I can tell seems most is valve cover on drivers side, but there is also a leak on the front of the intake manifold. IT has always had a slight weep out the front, but never gave me any issues around town. My 600 mile trip must have worked loose some old seals. I guess it didn't like those 70-75 speeds with a 3.73 and no OD. So time to order the parts so I can pull the intake and valve covers. Oh well, I have some nice new shiny crate motor valve covers to replace these beat-up ones.

[chad64chevy]

just checking in, made a lot of progress already this yr.

[dwcardfan]

Just joining the party. I love the stance of your truck I'm in on this one.

[Ta2Don]

Lots done since last I looked in...

Looks great!!!

[Palf70Step]

Longer break than what I would have liked. Found out right after I installed they new shifter, that I had previously (about 2 weeks before) tore the heck out of the muscles in my back and cracked a rib in 3 or 4 places. So I have been unable to do anything that involved lifting, bending(breathing) and much moving until this weekend. It felt good to work on the ole girl again, but I still have to go slow.

The buckets came out of a 98 C1500 extended ccab truck. The driver's side was 6 way power and lumbar support. Turns out the electric motors were shot for the seats, so I took an old bench seat bracket I had from a 92 truck and use it to mount the seat. To try and make it look sort stock/nicer, I cut down the front cross brace, then painted both seat brackets up.

I made a side bracket top hold the seats lumbar controller.

Passenger side was mostly just cleaning and painting the seat mounts.

[Palf70Step]

Drilled the holes and test mounted them. They fit real nice. Height is the same as the stock bench, but way more supportive. Whenever I get around to having them recovered, I may leave off the headrests. Just not sure yet. They are comfortable with them, but not era correct looking.

I took them back out so I can clean up the floorboard now, then install sound installation/sound deadening matting.