I'm legit again, my "new" '68 LB

['68OrangeSunshine]

Nice shots. Your Ol Blue, looks like he's happiest pulling logs. Some dogs are like that too.
Also got a new vinyl carport up, Jimmy's under it now.

[89AKurt]

Added racing seatbelts.


Been awhile since I have checked in, COVID1984 has not taken me out. I was decluttering my shop and unearthed this set of Deist seatbelts that were given me years ago. The original seatbelts did not retract, and the driver buckle was missing the button latch, had to keep a screwdriver on the dash. Needed to unbolt the inner mount, and bend out so the belt end could attach. Did some dorky cheapskate details to tidy up the installation. (have new upholstery and padding, when I have a whole weekend and it's not hot as hell ....)

['68OrangeSunshine]

Hey Kurt, Looks like those will keep you from diving thru the windshield.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Hey Kurt, Looks like those will keep you from diving thru the windshield.

Sure will! The original belts were shot. Good you have a carport, anything helps.

[89AKurt]

Not much to brag about, other than (new nickname) Blue Cloud has been running great.
Doing the environmentalist thing of recycling. Made maybe 10 cents per hour with this load. LOL


Neighbor helped me load this Stovebolt block. He wants my truck. LOL


Some downtown Prescott pictures. 9/11:

Another day:


Prescott Valley, the 9/11 Healing Field:


I upgraded to a one wire alternator. Dan at Fast Lane in Prescott Valley doing old school soldering the terminals onto the cables.


Am having the temperature gauge pegging, but it's running normal.


Not much else happening, consider it good news!

[Indyuke]

I love this thread. I just picked up a 68 C10 earlier this year that's nearly identical to yours, colors, options, everything. I think mine is actually in worse shape though.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by Indyuke

I love this thread. I just picked up a 68 C10 earlier this year that's nearly identical to yours, colors, options, everything. I think mine is actually in worse shape though.

Very cool! Thank you.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Hey Kurt. Looks good.
My only safety note would be to replace the clear plastic fuel filter with a steel one.
I had a backfire on the 454 in my '67 K/10 Suburban, the oil-soaked K&N air cleaner caught fire; the electric fuel pump stayed on, and the plastic fuel filter was just starting to melt, when some friendlies jumped in with fire extinguishers.
Had to tow it home from Glamis, Cal, and she's been sitting ever since.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Hey Kurt. Looks good.
My only safety note would be to replace the clear plastic fuel filter with a steel one.
...

Good idea, my previous truck had a Nissan steel filter, which is more effective than these cheap units.

I was thinking of adding this vintage gas can, more for looks than anything, but could be used.


Radio DJ was talking about when cup holders were invented, got me to thinking. My Dorky cheapskate modification, cardboard tube is from a paper roll used for big printers (think "blueprints"). Glued down with silicon caulking, easy to rip out if I ever fix up the truck.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I've got several. I fill 'em at Frys w/ cheap gas points every month.
Take a look at the red steel jerry cans in Harbor Freight. They retail at 40 bucks, but they have coupon deals for 20 per cent off in junk mail. Made in USA.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I've got several. I fill 'em at Frys w/ cheap gas points every month.
Take a look at the red steel jerry cans in Harbor Freight. They retail at 40 bucks, but they have coupon deals for 20 per cent off in junk mail. Made in USA.

Good idea. I'm still mulling over it......

I was having rain water filling up the glovebox (which is one of the few new parts I have installed). This evening I pulled the cowl grill, and saw the radio antenna hole needed to be taped over, put some silicon caulking in any other potential holes, and taped over the holes where the missing rubber for the rear of the hood goes. I'm just attempting to delay the inevitable.

Now I'm thinking of putting on new shocks. Almost all topics are about lowered projects, so not worth reading. The mechanic I trust recommends KYB, ordered a set.

Also thinking of adding anti-sway bars. The '69 I owned before had the front bar. Bookmarking this topic:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...anti+sway+bars
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...anti+sway+bars
Awesome install thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=72338

['68OrangeSunshine]

I never tried sway bars. Doubt if I'll be swayed from avoiding them.
On the other hand. If you can't remember the last time you replaced the shocks, you likely need new ones.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I never tried sway bars. Doubt if I'll be swayed from avoiding them.
On the other hand. If you can't remember the last time you replaced the shocks, you likely need new ones.

Punny! The previous owner had plans to bag it, so nothing was done on the suspension, have replaced bushings, brake pads, etc., and it wallows over dips.

Ordered a few parts from Truck Stop Car Shop. The easiest thing to fix, ever, was adding the legal light.



The CA warning stickers crack me up, I'm gonna die of cancer or cause birth defects with these parts?


Getting the heater control box in was fun. Instead of re-using the lag screws for mounting to the dash, I got metric bolts with nylon nuts.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Yeah. If you're 8 months pregnant and sliding under the truck on a creeper, and a Heater Control happens to fall off the bench and strike you in the abdomen, then yeah...It could happen. Cancer? I dunno. Might have to boil a dozen of them in a big cauldron and make soup out of it every week, to get any carcinogenious[sp?] effect.

Might be a tougher world if more moms-to-be changed their own oil.

TPD cops stopped me in the Jimmy a few years ago, allegedly for not having an illuminated license plate. Fer Christ's Sake! It's bright lemon yellow and scotchbrite reflective. Shouldn't need a light. Actually the Sgt explained it was Training Night, and he wanted a ''safe, non-threatening'' situation where his Policewoman trainee wouldn't likely be in danger, so she could have practical experience with a vehicle stop. A '71 GMC Jimmy looked easy. I think they had not been briefed on the then-new, YOM plates. I didn't get a ticket or even a verbal warning, just a briefing by the Sgt, with an apology, and a request to evaluate his student's technique.
I then tried to fix the License Plate Lamp. Wire was open. Spliced it. No joy. Bulb was out. Replaced it. Still dead. Ran a ground strap from the rear frame to the back bumper. Still no joy. I decided to forget about it. Next night, it worked fine. Go figure.

On the pickup: the rear bumper has been so scrunched up by impacts over a hard life, that when I had it straightend out, and hung a Class III hitch, there wasn't enough vertical space to fit the plate. So I pulled the Light assembly -- like it was never there. The AZ plate is mounted top-end-flush on the passenger side of the rear bumper. Cops never seem interested in it.

[89AKurt]

Veddy veddy interesting.

All I have is some glamor shots from tonight.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Nice.

[89AKurt]

Getting annoyed by gas smell. I should get a new gas cap, the gasket is totally shot. The locking caps suck? Need to learn what 'ecc' is, and if my truck has that.

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ocking+gas+cap

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ocking+gas+cap

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ocking+gas+cap

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ocking+gas+cap

['68OrangeSunshine]

I got a gas cap from GMC Paul for 8 or 9 bucks. Tight fit no leaks.
Had been buying Stant caps from O'Reilly's and Auto Zone, but the rubber dried up and cracked after a while. I then got a tip from the forum that NPD had the perfect gasket, for 67-71 Chevys and Ford Mustangs for only one dollar. Fit was perfect, but the ethanol [+ whatever else] added to AZ pump gas soon wilted this gasket too.
Happy with the GMC Paul cap.
ECC [Evaporative Closed Circuit?] is emissions compatible stuff, came in w/ MY '71 or '72.
There's a return line from the fuel pump back to the tank, and a carbon particle fume escape vent under the hood. And vent holes in the Driver Side ''B'' Pillar.
Not for '68s. Forgetaboutit.
How is the shape of the filler neck grommet? If cracked, that can also import fumes.
I used to have locking gas caps. Sloshed a lot of gas over the side in hard right turns. Also lost a lot from evaporation when parked in the Desert Sun. I finally figured I'd been paranoid, and using the 'locking'' gas cap was losing me fuel. Not many theives have the time to siphon off gasoline. Too low a score for too high a risk. Millenials hate the taste of Regular, anyway.

[89AKurt]

Thanks for the information! I cut out cork gasket, and that is working so far. But pressure builds up, so have to stand back when opening the cap. I had a locking cap on the '48 that I had last century, it was a PITA.
I got all new spring mounts on the back now (since one was missing, had to buy a set), an additional improvement in ride.

['68OrangeSunshine]

If you get a Self Venting gas cap, you won't have to open the cap to release pressure. Excess vapor pressure in the tank can cause excess fuel pressure at the carburetor.

[89AKurt]

I should take a picture of this cap, it has a hole on the inside center. Haven't noticed too much pressure when opening the cap, and it's running like a charm (knock on wood).

Put Christmas lights on.
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['68OrangeSunshine]

Reminds me of one of Robert Redford's less successful movies, "The Electric Horseman''.
I fixed a couple of electric gripes on my Stepside.

I'd been having trouble with the charging system. A new Batt, Alternator and EVR in August, had resulted in the new EVR being defective -- despite being an O'Reilly lifetime warranty replacement. It charges -- sometimes -- but the field coil/contact would stick, causing the Red GENERATOR light on the dash to stay on after removing the key. A sharp thump on the left fender, near the amber reflector lens, would kill the light, by unsticking the contact. After the Batt went dead last week, from not disconnecting it overnight, and the Red light sneaking back on, I suspect -- I decided that New parts are all NFG. I cannibalized the EVR off my '67 K/10 Suburban [marked 5/97] and put it on. Works greak. Charges 14+ VDC at idle. No Red light w/key in OFF.

Then I went after my dead Tach. It had stopped, indicating 1800 RPM at all speeds, engine on or off. Instrument lit up with all the other gauges, but that's a different circuit. A brand new Auto Gage 2300 Tach [same item] was $65 at Jegs and $64 at Summit. Before I plunked money down on a new tach, I had to make sure the wiring was all normal, or there wasn't a dead bee stuck in the internal clockwork.
Continuity from the coil terminal thru the firewall to the line just under the dash 'rang' good. Then I pulled the Instrument Panel. Sure enough, there was a break in the red [+] line to the tach, caused by that red wire getting caught by the in-cab clutch spring, that tore it apart at the butt splice terminal. A new butt splice, and after putting it all back together, worked fine.

While I had the dash apart, I wanted to replace the plastic connecting multi-plug that goes into the printed circuit on the back of the instrument panel. One of the 'Ears' [locking tabs] had broken off. I had gotten a new plastic housing from Classic Industries, but last night, it could not be found.
So I quit while I was ahead and just buttoned it up.

Also R&R'ed all the Radiator and heater hoses on the '71 Jimmy. There was a hole in the old lower radiator hose. That required a back flush, a detergent quick flush, adding 2 gallons of 100% Prestone cut w/2 gallons of distilled water, and a new radiator cap. Now it only needs alignment and fixing the leaky P/S gearbox, and it's good. Although the big yellow shocks are covered in greasy black dirt. Can't remember when I last changed them out...

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

... Although the big yellow shocks are covered in greasy black dirt. Can't remember when I last changed them out...

Been awhile, haven't done anything with Blue Cloud. Reminds me, I should pay membership, so I can sell the shocks that are wrong for my truck. Stupid me, ordered a set for C-20, with leaf springs.

Went with the car club on a cruise to Seligman.





Been a very long time with no activity. Most snow this winter:

['68OrangeSunshine]

Yeah, I've been hibernating too. We didn't get much snow. Now it's fixin' to bake. But this week it's been mild. Rained briefly Monday.
No work since November. Maybe a couple days in May.
Filled up the pickup yesterday. Didn't gorge, stuffing extra jerry cans as I usually do. Not at $2.69/Gallon. Just added 10 gallons to top up. I have about a dozen full cans, I need to burn off.
GMC's giving me brake problems again. I'll call in Dennis when I can line up more cash.
Take it easy,
Brian
So you must've renewed your membership, since your avatar's in Blue.

[KevinK7]

argh lol, ...more Rt. 66 pics, ...you're killing me lol

Great shots as usual