Lets see you jimmy rigs, quick fixes, and all around funny mods!!!

[67basketcase]

I went and played in local yard this weekend in a foot of snow. I just couldn't help but get some pictures of this truck after reading this thread. Note the fancy floor and rocker panel repairs, only to be topped by the 50 pounds of steel used to make the seat mounts that were then attached with self tapping screws. I didn't get a good picture of the plywood speaker fronts that looked like they were cut with a chainsaw.

[67basketcase]

The best part of this truck wasn't the body work it was the steering wheel. At first glance it looked like they just wrapped rope around the steel frame, but no. It was a CUSTOM wheel wrapped in rope. The center hub was the inside of a bearing with the spokes welded to it. The center cap we held in place with a large amount of red silicone. Then of course the carefully wrapped wheel. Enjoy, I did.

[67basketcase]

I just reread my post. I found a typo. Should be (was) not (we). I didn't do this repair.

[67basketcase]

I forgot the "custom" air tank for the air brakes.

[Aaron Burkemper]

When I bought my 71, the left side alternator bracket was spaced with a bunch of nuts and washers. I finally realized it was because they had put in a later engine with the long water pump. No grade of bolt would keep from snapping, usually requiring drilling out the old one. After it snapped the last grade 8 bolt at the farm store, I used bungee cords strapped between the alternator and fender to keep tension on the belt so I could drive it home. At the time, I was more aggravated than not and did not think to take a picture. It worked, though. There is a sense of accompishment getting a "field repair" to work and get you back home.

[WIDESIDE72]

I parted out a truck a few years back that had speaker wire for power wire for radio, just use both conductors! Numerous joints made in wiring, no wire nuts, just twisted together and taped. Also had a home light switch to control fog lights. Not to mention about 40 rounds of various caliber live ammunition!

The guy got offended when i balked about his claim of rebuilding the engine himself. It turned out to be as mich junk as the rest of the truck. Good for a core only!

[WIDESIDE72]

I pulled a huge rats nest of wire out from under the hood and dash. There were hot wires uncapped and all sorts of stuff scabbed on for radio, cb, driving lights amp etc. how it never caught on fire is a mystery to me!

[WIDESIDE72]

I almost forgot abot the 77k mile 70 Longhorn i bought a couple of years ago from a board member. The story i got from him was he bought it as is. When i went to look at it, i noticed an electric fuel pump laying in the pass side floor board. I thought it was just a spare, etc but on closer examination it was hooked up. The fuel tank was behind the seat but not correct for 67-72 as it was not bolted in because no holes lined up. There was about 10ft of rubber hose connecting the tank to pump to carb (thru the cab!) power for the pump came from the cigarette lighter so it pumped alll the rime unless you untwisted the wires. (Anyone dumb enough to do this wouldnt be smart enough to find a "key on" power source). I figured the stock mechanical fuel pump had expired but examnination inder the hood revealed a fuel pump block off plate.

Truth is the truck had been converted to propane (only) years ago. PO bought truck in California for its slide in camper and needed to get it to Texas and didnt want to deal with propane registration and trying to find propane fill up points.

I ripped all this off and returned it to stock. The truck has one of the nicest most rust free cabs i have seen in recent years. To think it made it half way across the country without bursting into flames amazes me!

[WIDESIDE72]

Another electric fuel pump story invloves a 1967 F*rd 2000 tractor and 5' shredder i bought for $500. It had an electric pump with 3' rubberhose on both ends. Power came from the coil power connection. At least it would shut off when they key was turned off. I removed it and replacedthe failed mechanical pump with a new one. I also replaced the water pump belts and hoses tuned it up and adjusted the solid lifters so it didnt sound like a diesel (!). I used it for four or five years then painted the tractor (ford engine blue rattle cans) and mower (red rustoleum with a big brush) right before i sold it for $3,000 (!)

[motornut]

how about a spare gas tank,ya know then ya got dual tanks!

[sKnNyPpY]

Then there's this guy: http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/4216797679.html

[Steeveedee]

Hmm, this one sort of fits the bill...

I was out for an afternoon drive with my bride of about 6 months, driving from Lancaster towards the 5 fwy on hwy 138, laying some tracks. This would have been in 1982. At about 100 MPH, the fan belt popped off. It was a '64 Impala convertible, and we had the top down. I couldn't stop to put the belt back on because we were driving through a locust migration. I'd run it up to some great speed, and shut it off, then coast until the bugs were almost to the point where they could jump in. I'd fire it up and run it up to speed again. I must've done that for at least 10 miles before we got out of that swarm. My wife was freakin' out with all the bugs on the windshield, one got caught in the wiper blade on her side, and was crawling around trying to get out, and "staring at her". I LMAO, she ended up getting mad at me, but it was too funny.

When we finally got out of the swarm, I rolled the belt back on with the screwdriver blade on my Swiss Army knife (no tools, go figure- I worked as a mechanic at the time), and kept it under 4000 RPM all the way home, then got a new belt. Good times!

[Molberg]

Uploaded this pic to my build thread... thought it may belong here too. Me.. knocking out auto crossmember from my parts truck. Wife (shaking her head lol)and kids pulled up in the car, and snapped this pic

[Longhorn 70]

My rigged throttle linkage and spark plug wire retainers. The retainers are hard to see behind the header.

The throttle linkage was a piece of aluminum ¼" rod. I threaded both ends and put Heims joints on each end. Then bolted to the carb and existing pedal linkage.

For the retainers, I used a small piece of aluminum and built a 65º braket. Screwed a 3 wire retainer to it then bolted the bracket to the block.

[Grumpy old man]

I was in Maine 20 miles up a logging road with a 1968 4x4 we still use for deer hunting season well i was about 18 at the time and after hunting all day and dragging my buck back to the truck in the dark alone i couldn't wait for the heat and a comfortable ride home . Well after the truck started it ran for about 30 seconds and died , After trying to restart a few times I got back out in the dark and found a destroyed distributor rotor ,Alone in the dark 20 miles from nowhere I searched the truck and found a paper clip and elastic band behind the seat i bent the clip and used the elastic band to hold it onto what was left of the rotor and drove out 20 miles in 4 wheel drive with the truck popping and backfiring for 2 hours barely reaching 5 mph on the good sections of road ! , We still have that old broken rotor in the glove box of that old truck !

[Molberg]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

I was in Maine 20 miles up a logging road with a 1968 4x4 we still use for deer hunting season well i was about 18 at the time and after hunting all day and dragging my buck back to the truck in the dark alone i couldn't wait for the heat and a comfortable ride home . Well after the truck started it ran for about 30 seconds and died , After trying to restart a few times I got back out in the dark and found a destroyed distributor rotor ,Alone in the dark 20 miles from nowhere I searched the truck and found a paper clip and elastic band behind the seat i bent the clip and used the elastic band to hold it onto what was left of the rotor and drove out 20 miles in 4 wheel drive with the truck popping and backfiring for 2 hours barely reaching 5 mph on the good sections of road ! , We still have that old broken rotor in the glove box of that old truck !

That's awesome! Lol!!!

[Longhorn 70]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

I was in Maine 20 miles up a logging road with a 1968 4x4 we still use for deer hunting season well i was about 18 at the time and after hunting all day and dragging my buck back to the truck in the dark alone i couldn't wait for the heat and a comfortable ride home . Well after the truck started it ran for about 30 seconds and died , After trying to restart a few times I got back out in the dark and found a destroyed distributor rotor ,Alone in the dark 20 miles from nowhere I searched the truck and found a paper clip and elastic band behind the seat i bent the clip and used the elastic band to hold it onto what was left of the rotor and drove out 20 miles in 4 wheel drive with the truck popping and backfiring for 2 hours barely reaching 5 mph on the good sections of road ! , We still have that old broken rotor in the glove box of that old truck !

You should mount the old rotor as a trophy.

[C/10 King]

Found this "custom" exhaust pipe in the last truck that I bought.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by C/10 King

Found this "custom" exhaust pipe in the last truck that I bought.

That should be chromed

[Molberg]

Hillbilly fart can muffler

[67ChevyRedneck]

Back in '07 I nicked a TINY hole in my heater hose near the front of the motor. Only leaked when engine was running. The stupid hose went inside the cab for the Vintage Air kit, so I didn't want a mess in the cab replacing the hose, so I wiped it dry, and put a bandage of electrical tape around it, intending to at least fix it by cutting it and splicing it back together with a connector... well, the dang thing hasn't leaked a drop in 6 years, so I haven't fixed it