What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[idbeast]

worked on several different things, installed the rear disc brakes, rear tires, moved the frame outside, lifted the engine and tranny, moved the frame back in set it in the frame checked and adjusted engine angle pulled it all back out, installed the cab, then reinstalled the engine and tranny, rechecked engine angle, decided it was beer time, only to look outside and see this sunset!

[idbeast]

part 2!

[MARTINSR]

AWSOME!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I got the right inner window frame cut and welded, damn this think kicked my butt, took me about 3 hours to get this done. Was unable to finish it off because I had to go to San Francisco to pickup my daughter at a concert, it was colder than hell but that was fun with the wife.


Brian

[Black_Sheep]

Got a few hours of work in, mostly bolting stuff on and adjusting the fit...

[Advanced Design]

idbeast, truck looks great and I second Brian’s wow on the sunset!

Brian, nice work! How did you determine the sizes of the pieces? Did you use a pattern to cut and fit or did you go straight to cut and fit?

[idbeast]

Thanks Doug and Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

idbeast, truck looks great and I second Brian’s wow on the sunset!

Brian, nice work! How did you determine the sizes of the pieces? Did you use a pattern to cut and fit or did you go straight to cut and fit?

The pieces were made one at a time. I cut the top off, then bolted the bottom piece into place and marked tape where it was, then put the top pieces in and marked them where the tape was marked.

I also had to bend them too being the windshield posts were also bent on the truck racking the windshield back.

When a top is chopped the decision is usually to rake the posts back, or to lengthen the roof to line the posts up. I did both, lengthened it half the way and then raked the posts too. This way the windshield line is more stock looking.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Got the inside passenger window moulding finished off ready for chrome. Got the outside one started, but ran out of gas..I mean my gas. I was out last night picking up my daughter in SF at a concert, didn't get to bed until 1:30 am, that isn't my world anymore.

Brian

[evilokc]

double checked that all the wires were loomed and tucked into the frame and then pulled the truck down from the ramps and jackstands. I started the truck and backed it into the driveway and let it run for about 20 minutes. it ran well. the secondaries were weeping fuel again. I'm not sure why the carb does that. I lowered the float AGAIN! when I started it up to pull it back in it ran well. I should be ready to drive it in a couple of weeks.

[MiraclePieCo]

Bad news for me:

Tried to test fire my engine today (SBC). Would start with gas poured into carb, but never would pump fuel up to the carb. I pulled the mechanical pump and checked the pushrod stroke - barely 1/4 inch. I'm becoming suspicious that my Craigslist engine has a flat cam. Another bad omen was when I pulled the valve covers, all the rockers were aligned - hardly any high or low. I wondered why someone would sell an apparently new rebuilt engine for so cheap - now I'm getting an idea.

Maybe there's something I'm overlooking - anyone have any other ideas before I tear this whole engine out?

[MARTINSR]

I don't know much about that stuff, but from what you say, that doesn't sound good!

Brian

[nvrdone]

id start by checking the valve adjustment. many builders will unscrew the rocker arms to remove pressure on the lifters if the engine is going to sit after being rebuilt.

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Bad news for me:

Tried to test fire my engine today (SBC). Would start with gas poured into carb, but never would pump fuel up to the carb. I pulled the mechanical pump and checked the pushrod stroke - barely 1/4 inch. I'm becoming suspicious that my Craigslist engine has a flat cam. Another bad omen was when I pulled the valve covers, all the rockers were aligned - hardly any high or low. I wondered why someone would sell an apparently new rebuilt engine for so cheap - now I'm getting an idea.

Maybe there's something I'm overlooking - anyone have any other ideas before I tear this whole engine out?

Before you pull the engine, pull the intake. Check the face of each lifter with a straight edge and inspect each cam lobe through the lifter bore. If lobes are wiped it will be very apparent. If the cam is wiped then the engine will have to come out for teardown and inspection. My cam failure trashed the oil pump and the bearings were full of metal filings.

[evilokc]

you may also try to run it off of a gas can to rule out a fuel delivery issue. hope its not a motor issue man. good luck.

[MARTINSR]

All I got done was some practice. I screwed up the outer window moulding and need to see if I can get better at welding and finishing for chrome that 24 gauge moulding. So I got out there and made some changes, one of them being going to .030 wire for filler, I am getting better.

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by evilokc

you may also try to run it off of a gas can to rule out a fuel delivery issue. hope its not a motor issue man. good luck.

Ding, ding, ding - we have the winner!

My local engine builder told me it's very unlikely to wipe the fuel pump eccentric on a cam. But it wouldn't run off a gas can either. The fuel pump is BRAND NEW, so it couldn't be that, right? Nonetheless, I happened to have a greasy old zillion-mile fuel pump on the shelf, so I installed it. Sure enough, it picked the fuel right up and the engine ran fine. Incredibly, the brand new fuel pump was bad.

The build is back on track! Now that I know the motor will run, I'll start assembling the front sheet metal around it.

[nvrdone]

quality control isn't what it was in the past. ive had many "new" parts turn up bad. went thru 5 new alternators before i found a good one.

[evilokc]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Ding, ding, ding - we have the winner!

My local engine builder told me it's very unlikely to wipe the fuel pump eccentric on a cam. But it wouldn't run off a gas can either. The fuel pump is BRAND NEW, so it couldn't be that, right? Nonetheless, I happened to have a greasy old zillion-mile fuel pump on the shelf, so I installed it. Sure enough, it picked the fuel right up and the engine ran fine. Incredibly, the brand new fuel pump was bad.

The build is back on track! Now that I know the motor will run, I'll start assembling the front sheet metal around it.

congrats man! love to hear a simple fix for what seems to be catastrophic failure.

[Black_Sheep]

I drained the fuel tank to reseal a minor drip where the NPT to IF adapter fitting screws into the tank and did a little wiring at the junction box I mounted to the rear sill.

[MARTINSR]

Well, I have taken a turn, I give up on the window mouldings right now. I have been practicing on welding this 24 gauge moulding to perfection for chrome and I give up, it's just too damn thin for this guy to pull off. I believe what I am going to do is get stainless ones and cut them just like I did 40 something years ago and not even weld them. Just piece them together done deal. I will be looking at other trucks and asking questions but right now, it's on the back burner.

I am dying to see this blue truck again to see how he did it. But I find it hard to believe it can even be installed as original without folding it in half. The way it tucks into the window opening over the pinch welds, I really wonder if it can be done with the top chopped without folding it in half.

Anyway, I cut the one stainless moulding I have and was able to bend it for the slanted A pillar without any heat or any problem so I know I can do that, and I will be looking for a nice pair of stainless mouldings being the only one I have also has holes drilled in it for a mirror. :drunk:

Anyway, off to the next step this is on the back burner. And yes that's me standing next to my truck around 1982.

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Got the throttle cable routed and connected. Had to fabricate an elaborate bracket on the carb, but it works slick.

Also mounted my front pulleys. I'd originally mocked things up with a short water pump, but changed to a long, thus putting the crank pulley right over the front crossmember - yikes, I didn't know it would be so close! But it doesn't touch, so better to be lucky than good.

[MARTINSR]

Well after leaving the garage last night a bit frustrated and beat by that damn moulding tonight I leave the garage PUMPED and excited about the next step!

I welded up the six holes in the firewall that wasn't stock, then rotated the cab around to start working on the roof again. I am READY BABY to jump into that fun stuff!

I just did a little studying of what the next step is and making a template for that next step and WHOOO HOOOO fun stuff!

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I used my Chevy authorized 26mm impact socket as a dolly to round the edge of the roof a little to match the section I am putting there bringing the window down to the body line. I thought I was ready to go with the window that I cut out of my other roof.
I started setting it up making the next step to trim it and weld it in and found that it had to be modified as the top of the window curves down on both sides.

So to continue the proper curve I had to make some mods. I spent over a friggin hour on this part that I thought I had already fit! :drunk: Geez

Anyway, I think I got it but I cam going to tack it in place and do the other side and get the cab out in my "viewing courtyard" to be sure that window looks right.

Brian

[Black_Sheep]

Among other things, finished up the filler panel for the core support and shot it with some 2K.