Project "Sweet 16"

[mknittle]

Getting there looks pretty good. this part can be a PITA to get lined up!

[Atommik]

I like the motor mount idea! Any clearance problems with factory exhaust manifolds? What about a mechanical fuel pump? Also will you need a trans hump on the floor of the cab? My cab mounts are almost the same height as yours.

Thanks,
Tom

[skymangs]

Mknittle, I am struggling with the lining stuff up portion... When I angled the radiator, nothing fit right... We're working through it though, slowly but surely.

Atommik, the motor mounts worked out PERFECTLY... I'm using the stock 71 malibu 350 manifolds, with no clearance issues. I have over an inch between the steering shaft and manifold. Only place it gets a little close is between the bottom of the pass manifold and the upper A frame. still good, but close. You might look into 87 Camaro manifolds... they are tight, and pass side exits out the rear. I considered them before figuring out the stock manifolds would work. My steering shaft angles look real nice, and travels from lock to lock with no binding... I am not planning on using a mechanical pump, but it looks like clearance would be real tight. We are using the stock in tank S10 pump with a return style regulator. Yes, we'll definately need to add a transmission hump, but not too large a one, maybe 3 inches high.

99, didn't take the hood off today, got side tracked on another project. Will take pics of engine tomorrow, promise!

Wait till you see the crazy steering wheel we came up with!

[skymangs]

Ok, so here it is... We really like the stock steering wheel, but at 18" diameter with a drop column... It will be a knee knocker. We also like the 66 Chevy steering wheel, but it is 17" and the deep dish puts the wheel kinda close to the chest...

We looked at aftermarket wheels, but the only ones my son and I can agree on are like $150-200... Kind of kills the low budget idea. I came up with a brilliant (I think) solution.

Right away I googled repairing an antique steering wheel, watched a video on how to restore using por15 epoxy... got the creative juices flowing. What if I made a bastard wheel? Cut the center of the stock steering wheel, mate it to a 15" wheel (has to be before 1985 when hard plastic was still used)?

Here it is... Doner wheel is from an 83 Ford pickup, 15" hard plastic.

[skymangs]

By the way, the Ford wheel was free, and I know where I can get like 5 replacement stock wheels, so if I screw this up, I'm not out too much!

Here's the center section, cut out of the stock wheel, next to the 15" Ford rim, and the fitment of the spokes to the rim.

[skymangs]

You'll notice that I trimmed over an inch of the bakelite off the spokes, and an inch off the rim where I intended to weld. I also ground the matching surfaces down a little so that the metal would be contained inside the plastic once I use the epoxy to re-make these sections.

[skymangs]

Here's the welded wheel, nicely centered, just like the factory one, only smaller. I ordered the Por15 epoxy on Friday, and expect it to be here in the next day or 2. Then I'll re-make the sections that I cut away, re-contour the finger grips to match, sand it down and paint it... Hopefully it will work out nicely? I've never heard of anyone doing this, but it seemed worth a shot. At $25 worth of expoxy, if it works it'll drip cool, keep our quasi-farm truck look, and save buying a $150 steering wheel!

Almost forgot... Recieved 3 boxes of engine parts today from UPS! Summit comes through again. Cam, Gaskets, fuel pump block off, valve covers, air cleaner, double roller timing set, and return style regulator... total cost, $206 to my door.

Project total to date: $1345.00

[xpickup]

skymangs, Looking good. Nice job on the steering wheel. It sure is better now it is a smaller diameter.

Shannon

[mknittle]

That is a cool idea on the steering wheel!!

[skymangs]

Thanks, I'll wait to see how the epoxy stuff come out before I decide for sure if I like it or not. Looks great in the truck, but will require some steering column modification (gear shift and turn signal lever shortened and re-bent, as well as some shift collar mods). I'll post more on that as I do it. Right now it looks like it will work out though.

[99 to Life]

thats cool you are using the OG steering wheel, just modified. I love a big wheel though. It boggles my mind that companies don't make repro stuff that is a little more usable for some, like replica steering wheels only smaller.

[skymangs]

99, here's the pics of the engine you requested. I mocked up the radiator when I originally decided to angle the core support. Looks like I'll have about 5" between the rad and the water pump pully. should be plenty of room for a puller fan. Radiator will get replaced with an aluminum 3 row here shortly. Second pic shows the clearance on the steering shaft. When the column is in, it's 1.25" from the manifold. Third pic is the pass. Exhaust manifold. Only has 1/4" between the bottom of the manifold and the rear of the upper A Arm. Might clearance the arm just a smidge, just to be safe!

[skymangs]

So here's today's work. Making the steering column work with the AD wheel... First up was re-bending and shortening the shift lever.

Next I had to re-work the curve of the shift collar. The AD wheel had a large gap above it when it was centered.

I solved this by making a series of small cuts on the top of the collar, and carefully bending the ends down to make a curve to the top of the wheel

[skymangs]

Then welded up my cuts and flap disked it down. Sorry the pics are blurry, having a bad camera day I guess!

[skymangs]

Next I straightened and shortened the turn signal lever, and put things back together.

Last few are the finished steering column, ready for some sanding, primer, and paint. Michael has decided to go with a 99 and up Saddle colored Silverado Bench seat (with integrated seat belts) and a dark Chocolate brown for all the metal in the interior. I've been scouring Craiglist for a suitable seat for about a week now with no luck!

[99 to Life]

here is a pick of my Efan and pulley. I guess I got an inch give or take. Love the steering mod. Don't doubt CL man, it will pop up. Or call a local salvage yard. You will find a nice seat. I used a 72-87 chevy bench seat, just barely fits side to side.

[skymangs]

That's a pretty slick setup there. I can only hope his comes out that nice. He's pretty set on the 99 and up bench. I don't doubt I'll find one pretty soon, just hate the daily search for it!

I sure hope that epoxy works as good as it's supposed to, I don't want to give up this steering wheel. I think it looks pretty trick in there!

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by skymangs

Then welded up my cuts and flap disked it down. Sorry the pics are blurry, having a bad camera day I guess!

Seems like i have seen somthing like that done somewhere, but I cant remember where.

looking good

[99 to Life]

did you measure the 99+ seats width yet?

[skymangs]

No, I haven't measured yet... guess I should. I'll measure my wife's 04 bench tomorrow... seems like I should have already thought of that... Kinda feel dumb now

[99 to Life]

Hey most people would have dug one out, paid for it, got home and been pissed. It's just the way it goes. I hope it fits for you.

[skymangs]

Well 99, you were spot on with measuring the seat width. It's 58.5" wide... about 1.5 inches too wide for his cab. Sure glad you thought about that one! Wondering about a Trailblazer second row?

Here's work for today. Epoxy arrived this morning. We did the initial epoxy of the wheel. Will sand it down tomorrow, and do another application, maybe 2 if needed. Looks like it's gonna work pretty well. Epoxy is hard to the touch after 2 hours now. This stuff is supposed to be sandable and everything. Here's some pics.

[skymangs]

While we're waiting for that to cure, we did some floor cutting. We'll be making repair panels tomorrow, and try to get the right side buttoned up.

Second pic is the final fitment of the 70 C10 brake pedal. Hides nicely above view behind the dashboard.

[skymangs]

After that we worked on the center grill in the dash. Michael saw someone on this board that had hinged it, and hidden the radio behind it. Of course, that's how he wants his truck too.

Welded tiny washers to the grill to capture the trim, Then welded piano hinge to the backside. Everything looks like it should work. I'm going to go to my favorite junkyard next week, and get a glovebox door guide from a 60's GM car to limit the travel of the grill.

[99 to Life]

Man sux that seat wouldn't work for you. Steering wheel is gonna come out great. For the floor, I ran braces from the driver side up over trans and to the pass side. Did one in the very front of cab and a little before the tailshaft of the trans, really helps stiffen up the floor. The hinged speaker cover is becoming the new thing to do. Definitely makes sense because its nice to have a glove box too. I hid my radio under the dash, next project I'm def gonna go with utilizing the speaker area too.