Intro from an old Assembly Plant guy

[aotte1]

Truck pic in garage, getting kind of tight. Only way to get it in was on open trailer.

Keith just a note, person in area has a complete new process trans for sale here.

Les

[aotte1]

No we are not upside down here in KY!!

[aotte1]

Trying again

[D13]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I haven't spoken to you since the All People's meeting: congratulations on your GM Patent award!

K

Thanks Keith.
BTW there's a pair of A-833's laying in the shed... near the 77 with its worn out 3OTT... Hmm...

[MalibuSSwagon]

You guys are killing me....I need one of those A833 for a project but there are none to be found around here.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by aotte1

Truck pic in garage, getting kind of tight. Only way to get it in was on open trailer.

Les

I never thought about hanging them from the ceiling to maximize storage space. Good idea.

I hadn't comprehended yet that it was a stepper, too. I have a place in my heart reserved for step sides. I was going through a more conservative phase when I ordered my '87, hence the fleetside box, skinny tires and rally wheels (rather than fat tires and aluminum wheels).

K

[aotte1]

Local info from craigslist, Louisville, KY, for OD 4 speed trans,
"GM New Process 4 speed overdrive manual transmission with bell housing and hard to find shifter, has the same gear spread as a 700R4 automatic

513-two-four-eight-1932"

Les

[Keith Seymore]

100,000 views!



Geez - I feel tired. Think I'll take a nap -

K

[J Knight]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

100,000 views!



Geez - I feel tired. Think I'll take a nap -

K

100 or more of those are me, maybe more.. lol

[Keith Seymore]

This facebook post was brought to my attention.

It's a nice overview of the GM Milford Proving Ground:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200531816965684

The poster, Tom Youngs, was one of the original engine software calibrators. He did the calibration for the '87 pickups, which was the year throttle body injection was introduced.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Found this nice pic of the blue truck over the weekend:



This one shows the Scottsdale package with the square front lamps, drop all the way around and the aluminum wheels w LR60-15 Goodyear white outline tires.

K

[bryce6horse]

Does anyone know what this blackbox is or what it does? I have researched online and I cant find anything about. My truck does not have TBI and it is not tied into the distributor. I am stumped.

[mosesburb]

Originally Posted by bryce6horse

Does anyone know what this blackbox is or what it does? I have researched online and I cant find anything about. My truck does not have TBI and it is not tied into the distributor. I am stumped.

It's an air injection control module that appears to be specific to the 1986 model year on C/K 20/30 models with the 350M or 454W engine. It would control the operation of the diverter valve in the air system for the exhaust.

[bryce6horse]

Thanks for the info Mosesburb. I do have the 350 M code engine.

[old cool]

Dear Keith,
I read this post with interest, but I also read the brief history you wrote about your dad (Van). Sounds like he was quite a quite a car guy. And you, are probably a "chip off the old block". I think write-ups like yours are what makes the classic car and truck hobby fun. I believe others would still enjoy the history and it should be re-exposed; (especially for Pontiac fans).
My dad spent his entire career at PMD and I too was a car assembler at PMD and FB; both in Pontiac during the late 60's.
I loved your 58 Pontiac, and who wouldn't love to own your dad's original 65 GTO!
I hope others read your post. I found it on forums.performanceyears.com. I'm sure you also have it written under this forum.
I'm still working on drive line noises (I'm sure you remember the post). And, as you suggested, perhaps since we are local to one another we can hook up for test drive. You can't beat experience when it comes to the older hammers. Perhaps what I'm hearing is normal though I don't think so.
Before I forget, is the May Dust Off show still happening? And, when is the next Widetrackers show? Hope to hear from you.
Ted (old cool)

[Keith Seymore]

Thank you for the post and for the kind words -

The Widetrackers Dustoff has been moved to June in an attempt to get into the better Michigan weather (...not sure it's working, though). It is scheduled for Saturday June 14th, which should be their next big event.

Make sure and introduce yourself if we meet up; I'll have some questions about your PMD days as well.

K

[jpnh]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Found this nice pic of the blue truck over the weekend:



This one shows the Scottsdale package with the square front lamps, drop all the way around and the aluminum wheels w LR60-15 Goodyear white outline tires.

K

cool truck, i like the style, that was one you owned?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by jpnh

cool truck, i like the style, that was one you owned?

Yes - that was my first pickup, and also my first new vehicle.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Well - this is happening too frequently...

Some of you might remember this post, from a couple years ago:






Little red was pressed into service this weekend, too, to retrieve my daughter's car after a little bump.

Fortunately I was able to glue the grill back together and clear out some damaged plastic. Had her back on the road by bedtime.

K

[775stepside]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Thank you; I hope so.

Here's a pic of the "father" of the little red truck: this was my '80 stepside, also ordered new and followed through the assembly plant.

You might notice some tricks here, like lowered about 6" in back, 4" in front, spare tire mounted in the box, etc. Some of the tricks you can't see are a 292 cu in straight six with dual exhausts, a 4 speed saginaw with floor mounted shifter, and a platform hitch that comes out from behind the license plate.



I sold this one in about 1985/86 when I became a company vehicle driver the first time...

What wheels are those? I'm looking for some of these for my 77 stepside

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 775stepside

What wheels are those? I'm looking for some of these for my 77 stepside

Those are the factory RPO PH7 Forged aluminum wheels.

They were also available in later years as an RPO N90, which was the same (appearance) wheel but changed to a cast wheel as a cost savings.

K

[G-10Assembly]

Keith I read your entire thread with deep interest and loved it!

Now what engine does your 1987 Scottsdale have? Did not recall seeing that.

Obviously I am all so familiar with most of the body parts on your truck as they came from Indianapolis IN.

Did you want this truck specifically in some ways because it was going to be the last of that body style?

When you were issued GM company cars did you insist on Corvettes and Caddy's? HAW!

Randall KEITH Wilson.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by G-10Assembly

Keith I read your entire thread with deep interest and loved it!

Now what engine does your 1987 Scottsdale have? Did not recall seeing that.

Thank you; yes - it's a V6. We have a long and glorious tradition of driving 6 cylinder pickups in my family.

Originally Posted by G-10Assembly

Obviously I am all so familiar with most of the body parts on your truck as they came from Indianapolis IN.

At your convenience, can you highlight which panels were made by Indy for the '73-87 pickups? I'd like to refresh my memory.

Originally Posted by G-10Assembly

Did you want this truck specifically in some ways because it was going to be the last of that body style?

Not so much because it was the "last", or because I thought it was going to be collectible. It was more that I had seen the GMT400 version and not liked it as well. In their defense, most of the early trucks we see are always painted white and are stripped down versions, so they are not necessarily being presented in the most favorable configuration.

Originally Posted by G-10Assembly

When you were issued GM company cars did you insist on Corvettes and Caddy's? HAW!

No! I always insisted on TRUCKS!!

(LOL)

K

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I attended a memorial service for my friend Steve today. He passed away suddenly on July 2nd of a previously undiagnosed heart condition. He was 61 years old.

Steve and I worked at the GM Milford Proving Ground together. He was a mechanic through and through, with an affinity for engines and machines of all kinds. The memorial was held at his farm, about an hour north of where I live. The family had asked any of us with "hot rods" to drive them for a small display. I thought it would be fitting for me to drive lil Red, since that's what he and I worked on when we were together. They also had his '67 GTO, his wife's '69 Chevelle (it was her car from before they were married) and his '72 Chevy pickup parked out in the grass.

Many of us heard Steve say, on more than one occasion, "...after I'm gone I want you to run my ashes through a Chevy big block, running at 4000 rpm. I want to see what the inside looks like." He even reiterated with one of his buddies: "you're gonna take care of that, right?"

So - today was the day. At the end of the service they fired up his '72, which has a 396 in it, and ran it up to 4000 rpm, while pouring some of his ashes down the carb throat. I cried a little.

Godspeed my friend. A hot rodder to the very end.

K

Outstanding!

[Keith Seymore]

I saw this the other day and realized I never shared:

When I left the brake group at the DPG the guys had this "going away" present made.

These are K truck rotors, polished and cut in half, probably as a nod to the "V Blazer Brake Pull" project we worked on forever. One of them has a nice plaque with my name and the date on it. Suitable for bookends or doorstops, as needed.

I am always touched by the thoughtfulness and appropriateness of this gift.

K