Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build

[hgs_notes]

The alternator was the problem. Been running good since then, but something else came up with a noise from the front of the engine. Sounded like a knock, but not internal to the engine. Remove the fan belt and it went away. I figured it might be the water pump, so I bought a new one. Sprayed it up nice with chevy orange.


But the noise was still there when I started it again. WTH?

The pulleys were good, take the belt off and its quiet again. Put it on and its back. I start messing with the belt tension and turns out it was just slightly loose. Just enough to make a banging noise as it vibrated. Been good for a few days now. I bought a new belt to keep in the truck just in case.

And the new pump is good insurance anyway. That 1 has been on it since 1985 I think. The new one has a better flow rate and HD bearings. Supposedly.

It's always been a mess to drain my radiator and this time I finally figured out a way to drain it without getting green water all over the damn place. I got a small funnel and put a piece of hose on it so it collects the drainage from the petcock and directs it right into my pan.




Today I will try to get some aluminum stock to make my lowering blocks out of. I got U-bolts made at Kremer Services a few weeks ago. How it's done...

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work! Those weird noises can drive a person nuts some times. Glad it was just a belt and not something worse.

[hgs_notes]

I finally got some time to work on the truck a little. I picked up some aluminum stock to make lowering blocks. I got enough to make 4 2"x7"x3/4" blocks and 2 2"x7"x1/2" blocks so I can adjust as needed. I figured 1-1/2" minimum would be needed.


I love my band saw...




Hole drilling time...


Looking like a machine shop around here.

My new u-bolts were 3/4" like the stockers. I have a 3/4" bit, but figured that was too tight on the tolerances. I don't have a 13/16" bit, so went with 7/8" and I'm glad I did.

The U-bolts as bent were too closed up. Probably 4" between the ends and 4-1/4" is needed. Tip of the day for opening them up a little: Put on some gloves, hold one side firmly (I found that holding it closer to the end worked better) and hammer that mother down on some solid concrete or an anvil if you have 1. Hit the top of the arch. The guy that made the bolts told me this trick. There is enough memory in the steel that it wants to flex back straighter and the blunt force on the bend will help it along.

So it looks like I'm ready...


Installing them wasn't too hard. I ended up taking the lower spring mount bolts out so the trailing arm would hang loose. Needed to persuade the axle forward to get the holes to line up with the arms lower.




The new stance...


I think it's good right there. 2" rake as measured from the top of each wheel arch.

Drove it around a bit to see if it would settle any. It didn't. Went by the scale and parked it there for a couple pics...




The weight, without me in it and about 3/4 tank of gas. Pretty good for a longbed I think.


Time to figure out what alignment specs I want and get it in. Road trip in a few weeks.

[Palf70Step]

I like it! Good rake to it.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work. I love your band saw and the new stance looks great!

[mcbassin]

Bummer about the loose belt, glad it was a simple fix. Pain having to change the water pump though. I dig the funnel idea

Very nice work on the lowering blocks too. You have a nice "machine shop" there.
Your truck looks great! I will be doing the same soon. If you don't mind, what did that place charge for the bolts? did you just have them add 1.5" to the stock length? thanks

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I like it! Good rake to it.

I think it's good right there too.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work. I love your band saw and the new stance looks great!

Thanks. I got that saw at a farm auction for about $75.

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Bummer about the loose belt, glad it was a simple fix. Pain having to change the water pump though. I dig the funnel idea

Very nice work on the lowering blocks too. You have a nice "machine shop" there.
Your truck looks great! I will be doing the same soon. If you don't mind, what did that place charge for the bolts? did you just have them add 1.5" to the stock length? thanks

I really didn't mind the water pump swap. Something I was sorta planning to do anyway. I have had the chance to buy real machine shop tools, like a lathe and milling machine, but declined because I just don't have the room for it yet. My next place will have a shop or room for me to build the shop I want and then I can accept the deals when I come across them. I had some training in high school (back when the schools still supported such things) and had more when I was in the navy. I think I would have been a good machinist if I had gone that route.

They charged plenty for the U-bolts. $60 because I got the full 3/4" diameter ones. I think the kits use 5/8". I told them the dimensions I needed and thats what they made me. I can't remember if they were 1-1/2" or 2" longer. I think 1-1/2" because there was still some threads showing through so if I used 2" blocks the bolts should still be long enough. They were about 10" long.

[Low Elco]

I like the rake!

[Dieselwrencher]

U-bolts have definitely gone up in price the last few years. But, the nice strong rod stock like you got will assure you don't have a loose axle. It drives me nuts that a lot of lift and lowering companies give the grade 3 and 5 u-bolts in their kits and that is sketch!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I like the rake!

Same here.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

U-bolts have definitely gone up in price the last few years. But, the nice strong rod stock like you got will assure you don't have a loose axle. It drives me nuts that a lot of lift and lowering companies give the grade 3 and 5 u-bolts in their kits and that is sketch!

I paid $20 for the aluminum stock, and $60 for the U-bolts, so I didn't really save any money doing it this way, but I'm not worried about how strong it is, thats for sure.

Driving it the past couple days I had a new sqeak or high pitch sound in the driveline. Today I jacked it up, loosened the bolts on the hanger bearing and retightened in case there was some added pressure on the U joints from the driveline angle change. And since I was already under there I added a few squirts of grease to the U joints.

Took it to New Ulm where they are starting a regular Saturday night cruise thing and the noise was gone. Rode great but I gotta get the alignment done.

Here's a few pics from the cruise...

[Low Elco]

That Red TA gets the Old School Sammy Hagar going in my head. Just me, and my TRANS AM, come on catch me if you can.....

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice pics and glad you're driving it! How long until your trip down south?

[hgs_notes]

We will be leaving 6/7. Might head towards KC, then cut east through St Louis for a change of scenery.

[Dieselwrencher]

If you're in the area and have any issues, don't hesitate to give me a shout!

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

If you're in the area and have any issues, don't hesitate to give me a shout!

Will do, but what if I'm not in your area? I still have your #.

Appointment is set for alignment. I'm seriously considering getting a spare fuel pump for the old holley EFI. It's 1 thing that may be a pain to get in stock and will leave me stranded. It's fairly old, used by a previous owner, has been run hot when I had recirc issues. I just don't trust it. I have a spare fan belt. I have my tool bag and oil, etc. The other worry is my old as dirt tires. Weather checked but not many miles on them. I plan to replace them and the wheels next spring if I get my bonus. They seem to be ok, but I constantly check them. I don't carry a spare, or a jack. I would just call for a tow if needed.

I don't expect problems. I do try to plan for them and avoid them where I can afford to do so. Last years trip went pretty smooth and a few of the issues I had then have been taken care of. The stereo and interior have been upgraded. New front suspension and steering components, new water pump and alternator. New lower stance to bang speed bumps on.

[Dieselwrencher]

:LOL: Well good luck either way. Might not be a bad idea to order a spare pump just in case. It will last a long time if you have a back up.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

:LOL: Well good luck either way. Might not be a bad idea to order a spare pump just in case. It will last a long time if you have a back up.

I found out it was cheaper to add emergency roadside assistance to my insurance policy than to buy a spare pump. $1/mo per car. So I added it to my truck and my daughters car since she has decided to join the road trip. She will go to some of the same places as my son and I, but take her own route for parts of it and instead of power tour she wants to leave earlier and head SE a bit further.

The alignment was done yesterday. A word of caution to those of you that haven't had this done. The cost they quote you for alignment is just for checking it. Adjustments add to the cost. Sometimes significantly. Mine was $271.

I had them try to reach the following specs based on info from the "make it handle" thread. +5* caster, -.5* camber, 1/8" toe in. They couldn't quite do it. I was a bit surprised how much caster I started with (alignment sheet attached below with before/after) because I didn't move my LCA's as far fwd as some have on that mod. But just doing that I had 6-7* caster. The further static drop from removing my spacers under the coils really messed with the camber though and they could only get it out to 1.24-1.45* so I will have to see how the road wear is at that. Spacers are maxed out on the UCA studs.

They also adjusted the rear axle too. They said it was probably dog legging a little. But it's rolling smooth and easy now. Almost ready for the big trip. Leaving here saturday and heading to Kansas City to see fellow board member low elco and have some fun there before heading east through St Louis and into IL.

[hgs_notes]

Heading south tomorrow morning and I think I have everything ready to go. The last bit was to get a motorcycle wheel chock made to help stabilize the dirt bike I'm bringing back home with me. The ones at the store seemed simple enough and hardly worth the $40-70 price. So I took some pics of the different styles and made my own.

Nothing fancy. I had some angle iron and flat stock around the garage to use and I paid $5 for an 8' long piece of 3/8" round stock. I bent the rod on my neighbors clothes line pole (all my stuff is square) and just tossed it together. I used my Kawasaki as a model, should be close enough on tire size.




Drilled holes in the bed floor and then painted it up pretty.




Later fellas.

[tkeduk8r]

Good luck! Safe travels!....
Mike

[Low Elco]

Thanks again for coming by! Truck is too cool, and Enjoyed meeting you and the kids. Hope the rest of the trip goes well.

[hgs_notes]

Teaser pic. We made it. We saw. Got the T-shirt. Heading home. More later.

[hgs_notes]

Gonna get started with an update from the road trip. We loaded up and left the morning of 6/7.


We turned south and took mainly 2 lane highways across Iowa. Some of this route (most actually) I have been on several times in the past few weeks for work. We stopped in Estherville at a hot rod shop for a photo op.


I can't remember what town we saw this in...




We stopped at a drive inn place in Carroll for lunch...


And as we were turned south again we went over a big overpass for a set of train tracks. Down the hill I saw a body shop with a bunch of old iron around it so we turned around and found the road that led to it. A place called Total Performance (totalperformancerestorations.com) and the owner (Benton Warnke) was more than happy to let us rummage around. He showed us several of the projects he currently has going. He does mostly mopar stuff, but I don't think he turns any work down. There was plenty of GM and Ford products around also. If you're in the area around Des Moines to Omaha and need to get work done on a classic ride this guy can do it.
















We only had 1 break down with the truck this trip. We were pulling into a gas station in SW Iowa for a break, and we heard something that wasn't right. Took a look underneath and saw this...


Across the road was a Cenex that looked like more than a gas station. It had service bays, and looked like they did some agricultural business, but it was closed for the weekend. I walked over to look around cuz I saw a bunch of old junk/machinery around the site. I figured there was a chance they had a bolt I could scrounge off something. By a couple of the doors I found wet boxes of old junk parts, coffee cans with bolts and other mechanical bits in them. I found a few possibilities so I took them back to the truck. Between the assortment I found I had a perfect replacement shock bolt with lock washer included. A few minutes later we were heading south again. My son was amazed. I'm just used to finding solutions to problems and this was an easy one to fix.


While my son and I were driving due south, my oldest girl was heading down I-35 from St Paul and meeting us in Independence, MO. She beat us there by about 20 minutes. We found her and headed to Chips (low elco) place a mile or so away. Me and the kids...


We visited with Chip, had a beer, looked at his projects, then went to a hot rod BBQ place in the area. I'm gonna stop here for a bit. I have some work I need to get to but will get back on this later. Lots more pics and I'm not even done with the 1st day.

[Low Elco]

Can't wait to see the rest of the trip!

[Palf70Step]

Ditto

[hgs_notes]

A few more pics from along the way to Chip Heads...




The reflection on the hood looks kinda cool...


As I said earlier, we went to get some BBQ. Chip took us to a A Little BBQ Joint (http://www.alittlebarbqjoint.com/), which looks like a garage with hot rod memorabilia all over. Including a bar made from a couple cars, complete with flame jobs.




Painting of a dragster, with a drag slick, and engine parts mounted to give it depth...

And Chips blurry head (normal state for him I think).

Old bikes, signs, etc, and Chip again. The camera just loves him.


This old car pulled in as we were leaving.


From there we went to the Independence Cruise Night. Chip said that there were typically more cars than what we saw cuz we were late. It's about 10 time the cars I see at our little local cruises. Here are some of my favorites and an example of the variety of stuff that shows up.

I will start with my dirty road worn truck...


Damn nice K-5, which was 1 more 1st gen than I saw on power tour.


Pro Street...


Looks familiar. Pretty sure it's been published...




Chip and I both dug this little beast...






Matching pair...




This one was just too cool. Shows that you don't have to be ratty to get into the details.






Factory Five Cobra. Owner on the right (who I talked to a bit about his build), Chipster on the left. Of all the pics I put up on fb, this 1 got the most likes from all the lady friends of the Chipster.


This camaro was over the top.






This mustang blew me away. Both of these built by a local shop.








Low n slow...


Dune buggies? Yep.


That's it for day 1. We went back to Chips to drop him off. Then headed east to the hotel. We had a great time packed into our brief stay in the KC area. Chip could've said, No thanks, I'm busy, but instead spent some time showing strangers around town, talking trucks/cars/junk, sharing his beer and being a fine host.

Thanks again Chip.