Project Reno - 72 cheyenne rebuild

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by cmabolt

made a little progress yesterday. Got some wiring stuff delivered. I soldered together some nice weather pack connectors for the fan setup.

Got the core support grounded to the frame.

Most importantly, I got all the temporary wires hooked up and some fuel in the tank for the test start. I did run the fuel pump to pressurize the lines and only had one leak at a loose line fitting. Tightened her up and back in business. I also cycled the pump till I heard the return line dumping fuel back into the tank. Very happy it works.


Dropped a bolt in the frame to hold the DBW pedal

I am a little concerned about priming the engine. It has been sitting for months and part of that time upside down. Any suggestions? This isn't like the old small block. I was thinking I would take out the plugs give a squirt or two of WD40 in the cylinders and dry crank till I have pressure. Then close it all up and give it a go? Hopefully next post will be a video of the motor living. On your mark, get set...

Mind if i ask how you get your text between the pictures like that?

[swamp rat]

Can't ya pull out the distributor and prime the engine by turning the oil pump with a drill motor? I wouldn't do WD-40 as its not a lubricant its a water displacement product, a small squirt of motor oil wouldn't hurt i wouldn't think.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by mjensen

Drumroll please!!!!
That looks awesome! Where did you source the weatherpack connector?

Thanks mjenson.
Should be firing up today!! I am pumped as this is another step in the right direction. There are a lot of weatherpack resources on the inter web, but I needed a connector that could handle 10 gauge wire. I used terminal supply.
http://terminalsupplyco.com/Connectors.aspx
It was pretty cheap at $13 for all. They have about any kind of connector you could want.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Can't ya pull out the distributor and prime the engine by turning the oil pump with a drill motor? I wouldn't do WD-40 as its not a lubricant its a water displacement product, a small squirt of motor oil wouldn't hurt i wouldn't think.

Thanks swamp rat. There is no distributer on an LS. It's all coil packs. However, I did indeed pull the plugs, hooked up an oil pressure gauge, put a few squirts of oil in the cylinders and cranked until I got pressure. It took about a minute and then I got 25 psi. I imagine the psi will increase once i start the motor.

Thanks for your input about WD40
Chris

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Mind if i ask how you get your text between the pictures like that?

I use snapfish to store all my photos. When I post, I use the option pictured below (yellow box with what looks like a mountain scene inside of it)


This allows you to paste in a web link from snapfish or other photo site with the address of the picture. Just delete what is in the box when it pops up and paste in your link. this enables you to insert links between text lines.

Does that make sense?

Good luck! I think you can also find some info on this in the welcome area forum.
Chris

[cmabolt]

While waiting for the little lady to arrive at the garage to video the inaugural starting of the motor, I worked on a heat shield for the clutch slave cylinder.


Installation worked out just fine.

Finally she arrived and we had a startup ceremony. Link for video below
http://youtu.be/GT4Q506dtj4
Now that the chassis is complete and metal work done on the bed. I am running out of stuff to fix. I am going to try and rebuild the e-brake mechanism. The small torsion spring inside broke when it was being sand blasted. We'll see if I can pull that back together. Don't want to fork over cash for a new one. Now if that damn bodywork would get moving.

[mjensen]

That's awesome! So exciting to hear it run!

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by mjensen

That's awesome! So exciting to hear it run!

Thanks Mike! I was pretty pleased my damn self.
Chris

[cmabolt]

Some minor progress. Since the body shop has all but halted my build, I am now tweaking stuff that bothers me. I was having some clearance issues with the radiator shroud and steering box so had the shroud corners cut and welded.


I purchased some temp wrap to protect the o2 sensor wires as they are pretty close to the headers.

I also realized that when I made my heat shield for the slave cylinder, adjustment wasn't accessible from underneath the truck. So I removed and carved out some more metal so it can now be adjusted from underneath.

I picked up some flowmaster ball and socket exhaust fittings for my headers and plan to weld those on at some point.

Now if i could only figure a way to cover the clutch fork. Stock boots just don't do it. Tolerance it too tight.

Last but not least. I ran the motor today for about 20 minutes to make sure the fan cycled on and off. Everything is working flawlessly. I did notice after shutting her down that my oil gauge sending unit is leaking. Damn it.
More to come and hopefully it will be a finished cab.

[Sir Fisher]

nice build!!!

[cmabolt]

Thanks Sir Fisher!

[cmabolt]

We have filler! Went by the body shop today to check on progress. much to my surprise, they are pretty far along on the cab. Should be in primer soon.

They said they are getting about 5 hours a week in on it between jobs.

At least there is progress.

[CUSTOM/10]

Huh.... Now you'll probably be on the road before me !!! "LOL"

Gary

[swamp rat]

Nice! Sure wish i had about 7-10 G's ( i have no real idea how much it should cost) to hire a body shop myself!

[Mr Chevorlet]

Yes another nice build, cant wait to see paint on the body and assembled.

[Crash_OK]

Looks great.. Can't wait to see it with paint.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

Huh.... Now you'll probably be on the road before me !!! "LOL"

Gary

Hilarious!
I am cautiously optimistic, but have been here
Before. Feel like a broken record with this body
Shop stuff. If I could just get the cab back I could
Get the truck driving, braking, shifting and partially
Wired. So, we'll see.
Chris

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Nice! Sure wish i had about 7-10 G's ( i have no real idea how much it should cost) to hire a body shop myself!

I wish I had 7-10k for bodywork and paint,
But do not. The body guy gave me great numbers.
So, I doubled it and think it is still doable.
Lol

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by Mr Chevorlet

Yes another nice build, cant wait to see paint on the body and assembled.

Thanks Mr Chevrolet. Appreciate it.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by Crash_OK

Looks great.. Can't wait to see it with paint.

Thanks mark. I'm sure by now it all seems
Like a distant memory. Probably itchin to start
Your next project
Chris

[CUSTOM/10]

Originally Posted by cmabolt

Hilarious!
I am cautiously optimistic, but have been here
Before. Feel like a broken record with this body
Shop stuff. If I could just get the cab back I could
Get the truck driving, braking, shifting and partially
Wired. So, we'll see.
Chris

I'm working on stuff in the cab, just ordered an antenna, cowl trash screen, windshield washer hoses. I'll soon be ordering a new wiring harness and getting the upholstery done.

Gary

[cmabolt]

Update!! Happy New Year gang!
Well, still waiting on the body shop for my cab. Yup been slow goin and totally shut down my progress. It is pretty cold now and until I have the cab, really no reason to freeze my ass off. I am yet again very frustrated with this body shop thing. I just don't get it……..

I did fit the truck bed to the frame and checked clearances for my fuel filler neck and looks like things are going to line up perfect. The filler door and neck that was fabbed into the bed is from an F100 so it's a filler/vent combo neck. I think I will just take the vent line from aluminum tank and put a filter on it since it doesn't need to be attached to anything.

Hopefully 2014 will be the year to actually be driving this thing. I just can't imagine why that wouldn't be the case.

So, hopefully more to come soon. Wish me luck!!
Chris

[cmabolt]

UPDATE - Oh the horror!
Stopped by the ol'e body shop last week hoping to see the truck in primer.
Nope! It hadn't been touched since the holidays. So. I decided since it has been nearly 8 months since I brought my cab to them, and considering that I still have a bed, doors, hood, and front clip yet to be painted, it's time to go. Yes, I realize that these things take time but F' them.

So, I got a lead from another restorer about a guy who works from his home. I was informed that I would have to wait a while, but that once my time came up in line, my truck would be the only thing he would be working on. Sounds good to me I say. After a few calls I was set up. So staring in March, I will begin hauling my truck piece by piece over to his shop.

On top of all this I have back surgery for a herniated disc coming up. Bummer!
Timing is everything.

More to come...

[quadzero]

Too bad about the body shop putting your project aside, seems to be a common issue with a lot of people on this board. 8 months is a joke. But still good to see the updates and great progress coming along and being able to start it for the first time is a great milestone. This project is inspiration for others following along.

[cmabolt]

UPDATE!
Well after a year and a half of suffering from sciatic pain, I finally got back surgery. Bummer! So for the last 6 weeks I have been hobbling around waiting for things to heal up. Now I'm feeling 100% better and ready to get cracking on this truck again. So with that out of the way…

"Operation body shop," has now reached a new mile stone, my 4th body shop! What the… in order to get this thing done before 2017 I have decided to go the way of specialists. So I am now using a metal and body guy as my first stop, then a painter only for the second stop. The cab, hood, doors, fenders and cowl arrived at the painter on friday. Picking paint on Monday and this week the bed and tailgate go to the body guy for a little filler work.

So, in anticipation of the paint being done some time this year (Lol), I started rebuilding my vent windows. I read and watched a few tutorials, but all in all seemed pretty straight forward. I did not buy the vent window rebuild kit. I instead used steel pop rivets and hammered them flat. The result was pretty strong. LMC rubber was decent quality and fit.

I'll post some more pictures when I do the passengers side. Next up is the window regulators. Just gonna clean them up and lube.

Now that the weather is warm again and once I get the cab back, all hell will break loose on further work. Stay tuned...