69 GMC "Ol' Blue"

[rgunlock]

Too bad on the deal with the vette. Maybe your better off without that distraction. Cool idea on the clutch linkage fix!

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by mud.man.rj

Nice job on the z bar and as for the Corvette...well just how things happen, truck need you more anyway.

Thanks mud.man! The Vette would have been fun, but you're right. I HAVE to finish this truck . I still have a '47 Fleetline in my backyard patiently waiting for its turn in the garage.

[7dee2]

Looks good Mike! I really like old corvettes but I think you made the right decision.

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Too bad on the deal with the vette. Maybe your better off without that distraction. Cool idea on the clutch linkage fix!

Much better off! Thanks Rick!

Originally Posted by 7dee2

Looks good Mike! I really like old corvettes but I think you made the right decision.

Yes, now I must focus Grasshoppa! :-). Thanks Brett!

[mjensen]

I finally figured out my clutch and flywheel situation, and I was overthinking it . Got it mounted and put back in the truck so I could work on the clutch linkage. That is where I hit the next roadblock. I don't think I have the right tube adapters. I have both right and left hand threaded heims but the left handed ones will not thread in. I guess I have to have left hand threaded tube adapters as well? Then as I was moving the cab around to put back in the garage, I had a fairly scary experience. One of the casters fell off and almost sent the cab into the new truck. That would not have been good!

[swamp rat]

Glad it didn't bump the new truck! At least the heim joint sleeves should be an easy fix.

[rgunlock]

Yikes!! Close call.

[mjensen]

Yeah, me too!!!

The part that is kind of irritating to me is that you would think the machine shop I bought them from would have set me straight. They knew what I am building.

[7dee2]

Clutch looks right from your pic good job! There is a pilot bearing in the back of the crank right? I had a real good time with one of those once, dang thing some how got loose.

That is scary after all the work that went into your cab not to mention the possible scuff to big red...

I cannot believe all the mistakes other people have let me make in this hobby and still do!

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

Clutch looks right from your pic good job! There is a pilot bearing in the back of the crank right? I had a real good time with one of those once, dang thing some how got loose.

That is scary after all the work that went into your cab not to mention the possible scuff to big red...

I cannot believe all the mistakes other people have let me make in this hobby and still do!

Haha...yeah, it had one in it with needle bearings and all looked well so I left it. Hopefully that doesn't bite me in the a$$ later.

I was lucky I was able to keep the cab from tipping...could have been a real bummer

I talked to the machine shop today, and they're going to make it right tomorrow.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by mjensen

Haha...yeah, it had one in it with needle bearings and all looked well so I left it. Hopefully that doesn't bite me in the a$$ later.

I was lucky I was able to keep the cab from tipping...could have been a real bummer

I talked to the machine shop today, and they're going to make it right tomorrow.

REPLACE THAT THING! nothing is more frustrating that getting it all back together, then the clutch starts making noise... i did the clutch 3 times in a row on an f150 once. first time the T/O was bad from the clutch kit. second time the T/O was bad that we replaced it with. third time the T/O was bad. by the end, i was just glad it wasnt mine. i would have burned it if it had been. haha..

i would consider replacing the bearing with a bushing. when the bearings go, they eat the pilot on the input too. there have been a million bearings last for ever, but there have been more bushings not ruining parts for longer.

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

REPLACE THAT THING! nothing is more frustrating that getting it all back together, then the clutch starts making noise... i did the clutch 3 times in a row on an f150 once. first time the T/O was bad from the clutch kit. second time the T/O was bad that we replaced it with. third time the T/O was bad. by the end, i was just glad it wasnt mine. i would have burned it if it had been. haha..

i would consider replacing the bearing with a bushing. when the bearings go, they eat the pilot on the input too. there have been a million bearings last for ever, but there have been more bushings not ruining parts for longer.

X2! A bronze bushing cannot dry out, one a deez is what I use.

Glad the machine shop is making it right you'd think somebody would realize left to left & right to right threads AYE!

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

REPLACE THAT THING! nothing is more frustrating that getting it all back together, then the clutch starts making noise... i did the clutch 3 times in a row on an f150 once. first time the T/O was bad from the clutch kit. second time the T/O was bad that we replaced it with. third time the T/O was bad. by the end, i was just glad it wasnt mine. i would have burned it if it had been. haha..

i would consider replacing the bearing with a bushing. when the bearings go, they eat the pilot on the input too. there have been a million bearings last for ever, but there have been more bushings not ruining parts for longer.

I will probably take you guys up on your advice. I have the bushing that came with the kit, and I don't want to deal with this crap later.

Originally Posted by 7dee2

X2! A bronze bushing cannot dry out, one a deez is what I use.

Glad the machine shop is making it right you'd think somebody would realize left to left & right to right threads AYE!

Summit took care of me today. I got the correct tube inserts and started my clutch linkage...overkill yes, but who cares

[7dee2]

Looks like that should work great Mike.

[Dieselwrencher]

Mike, great work on the clutch linkage! That caster deal is a bad deal! I've had casters break off while pulling a 1100lb cummins engine out of a truck, and that is not cool at all! By the way, I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

Looks like that should work great Mike.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Mike, great work on the clutch linkage! That caster deal is a bad deal! I've had casters break off while pulling a 1100lb cummins engine out of a truck, and that is not cool at all! By the way, I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks guys! I think I've also dreamed up a way to make my linkage work on the passenger side tonight! It's all in my head right now, but I'm hoping to mock it up this weekend. My problem has been that it needs to push the rod back to engage the front drive shaft, but pull forward to shift into low. I guess I should have realized this sooner, but hey, that's what this crap is all about right?

[mjensen]

Well, I didn't do much working except for exercising my wallet and left hand curls. I ordered up some Hedman 69230 headers today, as the headers that came with this engine will not clear the clutch linkage no matter what I try. I've also been dreaming up what I'm going to do with my 4wd linkage. I think I have some ideas on how I'm going to pull that off, but it's going to take some more drinking...er I mean thinking time.

[mud.man.rj]

Drinking is thinking isn't it. Well sometimes.

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by mud.man.rj

Drinking is thinking isn't it. Well sometimes.

That's where I come up with my best ideas

[Dean'smeanmachine]

Looking good

[mjensen]

Originally Posted by Dean'smeanmachine

Looking good

Thank you Dean!

[mud.man.rj]

My best ideas are when I am sleeping, just wake up think about it and go back to sleep, always seem to remember, takes the time to ponder to figure things out sometimes.

[ryanroo]

mine usually come after i've built it wrong three ways...

[mjensen]

I was able to get the clutch linkage fastened down, but I cannot figure out the 4wd linkage. No matter what I try, I can't get it to pull the right way. I may end up having to build a twin stick setup, unless you smart people have another idea.

[mjensen]

I got my headers yesterday. They took a little work on the drivers side to get them to fit, but I think we're in good shape. The muffler shop is probably going to have to tweak them some more to be able to get the pipes connected, but that's their problem

First attempt


Passenger side has a ton of room


After a little "massaging"


Little close to the bell housing


Clears the linkage