Working Man's Burbon

[HO455]

There was one additional issue with the belts. The L brackets are powder coated but the shoulder bolts that fastens them to the floor won't fit in the hole. The coating has to be scraped out of the inside of the bottom hole so the shoulder on the bolt will fit inside it. Hopefully that will be all of the problems. I still have to bolt the other end down and start using them to be sure

[HO455]

This post is the first one of the electrical upgrades I am doing. I purchased a delay wiper upgrade from Revolution Electronics. http://www.revolutionelectronics.com...-wiper-module/
I went with their unit as it is a plug in box that uses the stock wiper switch with no modifications. I also ordered their fuel pump controller. This is a big jump of faith for me to get two items from a company I have never personally dealt with before. So here we go.
I made a plate to mount both of the controllers and secured it under the dash just above the vent. The wiring for the wiper box is really simple especially with the photos they have on the web site. (They have a section just for our trucks) The only problem is the wires coming out of the controller are too short. It might of been possible to mount the box direct behind the wiper switch on its own bracket but I didn't want to pull my gauges out just to find out that I couldn't get my drill in position to drill the necessary holes. (I didn't want to drill through the firewall into the cowl area. No sense in providing a new spot for rust to get started.) The solution to the short wires was made easier for me to solve as I still had the old dash harness. I cut the wiper switch plug off of the old harness with about 8" of wire and soldered it to the leads from the controller which made it real clean to hook up to the switch. Three other wires plug into the wiper switch plug on the dash harness. They plugged in firmly and they probably didn't needed it, but I taped them to the plug anyway. I hooked the 12 volt positive (red wires) from both controllers together and plugged them into the radio spot on the fuse panel. The wiper controller worked perfectly when powered up. It isn't the most intuitive operation to select the wiper speed. But I think once I get to using it it will become second nature. You can see how it works on their web site where they have a video posted.

[Advanced Design]

Interesting. Hadn't heard of the company or product so I checked out the video and information they provide. That is a good idea. Thanks for the share.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by HO455

I also noticed that the rod (?) that connects the seat adjustment lever on the driver side to the slider on the passenger side is gone. Anyone know what goes there???

I will check when I get back home but I think I have an old set of seat brackets with the adjuster rod still connected, if you need parts let me know. The rod is long enough I would probably bend in a loose 180 to get the box size down

Richard

[HO455]

Thanks for the generous offer Richard, but this time I will pass as I still have the unrestored bucket seat/console set up from the Blazer I plan on installing. I will cobble up something to get through the short term. This just one of several issues the seat has at this point. Thanks again and I hope you had a good Thanksgiving day.

[HO455]

Part two of the electrical upgrades. The fuel pump controller. The PO installed an electric fuel pump on the WMB after he had issues with the stock one. He was using a toggle switch on the dash to operate it, which wasn't working for me as I couldn't remember to shut it off. This along with the fact in order to switch the air compressor on/off you had to open the hood to plug/unplug the fuse. As I mentioned in the earlier post I ordered a fuel pump controller from Revolution Electronics.
http://www.revolutionelectronics.com/Fuel_Pump.html
I installed the pump controller as per the instructions with the supply side of the purple lead coming from the IGN unfused terminal on the fuse block. The other side of the purple went to the 12+ coil lead on a relay I installed by the battery. This purple then continues on to the fuel pump 12 volt positive. Thus the controller contols the air compressor as well as the fuel pump. I was able to use the unfused IGN as the 12+ power source for the fuel pump as the controller has a 7.5 amp circuit breaker built in. The relay switched 12+ power for the compressor is coming from a 20 amp circuit breaker mounted next to the relay.
The controller installation went smooth with no complaints and it works like a charm. The fuel pump and air compressor both run for three seconds after turning the key on and then they shut off. Which is nice as I can then start the engine without the compressor load (8-15 amps depending on the tank pressure.). After the engine starts and the tach signal is received the fuel pump restarts as does the air compressor. As part of this I rewired the 12+ power supply to the HEI. The PO had run a wire from the fuse block to a hole in the firewall to the distributor. I removed that and plugged the hole. Then I cut the old ballast wire off at the firewall plug and connected a regular wire and ran it to the BAT terminal on the HEI. This wire also supplies 12+ to the choke.

[notchbackgta]

Originally Posted by HO455

I also noticed that the rod (?) that connects the seat adjustment lever on the driver side to the slider on the passenger side is gone. Anyone know what goes there???

From what I have seen, it is just a heavy gauge steel wire with a spring wound in the center. I had part of it? I think and I just used some stainless safety wire and doubled it up and hooked it to the levers and the spring, just an idea

[Dieselwrencher]

I'm curious as to your wiper upgrade. It looks like a nicely built set up. I need to get one for mine. I've been waiting for a board member to finish his latest batch but this 2 speed system is driving me nuts!

[HO455]

Originally Posted by notchbackgta

From what I have seen, it is just a heavy gauge steel wire with a spring wound in the center. I had part of it? I think and I just used some stainless safety wire and doubled it up and hooked it to the levers and the spring, just an idea

I couldn't find any of the steel rod/wire so I used your idea and doubled up some mechanic's wire instead. I had to make a clamp and spring for the driver's side end, so the lever would return and I would have a place to hook the wire to. My factory parts are missing. It is kind of cobbled up but it will work for the short term.
Thanks for the reply

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I'm curious as to your wiper upgrade. It looks like a nicely built set up. I need to get one for mine. I've been waiting for a board member to finish his latest batch but this 2 speed system is driving me nuts!

The wipers have worked well in the shop but I have yet to venture out in the real world. I have some other things to straighten out first. I know if I don't do them now I'll just learn to live with them and they may never get fixed. I will post a report after some real world testing.

[HO455]

Installed bump stops on the front end today. Simple install, drill hole (finding the right place took thirty minutes) and bolt down. The PO cut the old ones off and since then it has used the ends of the sway bar for bump stops if it was aired out. I also believe the front passenger side upper shock mount was broken due to no bump stops. First photo before, second shows the spot where the sway bar rubbed and the new bump stop at about normal ride height. Third is aired out on the stop. The fourth is the bump stops I used. The last one is additional damage on the sway bar bushings. I still need to come up with some sort of steering stops. Time to hit the forums.

[HO455]

Today I redid some of the fuel lines on the WMB. The PO had put a electric fuel pump and just ran hose to hook it up. Took steel tubing and replaced as much of the hose as I could and added a prefilter for the pump and ditched the clear plastic filter at the carb (just above the headers). The pictures show the changes best. After I was finished I found that I had removed 37" of hose. The prefilter is 140 mesh screen and cleanable. The filter is a 40 micron Baldwin. I did the supply to the pump in 3/8" for future needs. The last photo is of one of the fittings I was using. I was blowing out all the fittings before installing then when I found this one with a filing stuck in it from the matching process. It took a bit of work with a small screwdriver and a file to clean it out. Glad I saw it as it was the fitting that I installing at the pump inlet. I'm sure it would have chowed my pump sooner or later. The heater hose got repositioned so it no longer rubs on the fuel pressure regulator.

[HO455]

While doing the inlet line to the fuel regulator I noticed that the top flange of the frame is bent up. It kinda looks factory but the lower radiator hose rubs on it. I know the engine isn't stock but I would have figured that 85 305 water pump inlet hose would be the same as a 67's. Please look at the pictures and let me know. If I have to get in there and bend it back down it would be nice to know.

[notchbackgta]

That is a factory bend in the frame. You could try unhooking the lower hose and turn it a bit, putting some "preload" on it so it doesn't rest against the frame. That is what I did on my truck since the hose was close

[LockDoc]

-
I just cut a 3" piece of old radiator hose, split it, and installed it on the lower hose where it rested on the frame.

LockDoc

[HO455]

Thanks guys. I put a piece of that extra fuel hose to use over the offending edge. It's good to know I don't have to try and straighten the frame. After that big repair I still had some time to put some cowl screens on along with a new cowl seal. It took two tries on the screens as the first set was assembled backwards. Fortunately when I went down to return them they had a second set on the shelf. I was thinking I got lucky, but if I was truly lucky I would have never got the bad set to start with. Once I got the correctly assembled ones they fit right on with no issue. The cowl seal seemed a little short as if it had shrunk. I glued about two inches of the center to the cowl panel, set it on the cowl and then pulled the ends outwards to get the holes ins the seal to line up.

[notchbackgta]

Originally Posted by HO455

The cowl seal seemed a little short as if it had shrunk.

Mine was short too. I put in a screw on one end part way, then went to the other side and pulled it until the last hole lined up, and the rest were then close.

[HO455]

It makes one wonder if they were made for a different vehicle and someone decided "it's close enough" for a 67-72.

[HO455]

Started on the conversion from a two valve bag system to a four valve system. I want to move the valves from under the dash to under the seat. After a lot of thought I decided to run the lines under the floorboard and come up under the seat. This will involve running the lines near the exhaust pipes so I went with steel tubing in between the frame rails and then switching to plastic lines. I drilled six holes to start (4 to the bags, one from the tank, and one vent) then bent the lines. In order to make a good seal and prevent rattles I drilled a plate to bolt on the under side. The plate will compress the grommets installed around each tube for a positive seal. The top of each grommet got sealed with some of the sound deadener. I put the four lines to the gauges inside a piece of stiff clear tubing for protection and ran it under the carpeting to the firewall. I found a metal box from a bathroom fan and cut it down to make the mount for the valves. The valves are a Little Larry's Four Play set. I ran out camera battery so I didn't get any photos of the mount fabrication. Just a before and after.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice install on that! I have the touche' on my 72 and it doesn't like cold weather. I called aire jax and they said to put about 15 drops of oil, or air tool oil in the inlets to help lube the valves. So you might want to do that before you button it up. My rh valve will stick airing up and is kind of a PITA. It has only done it in the cold, but I figured I'd pass the info along to save you some hassle later.

[HO455]

Great idea! Now where is that can of Marvel Mystery Oil?
Thanks Dieselwrencher!

[Advanced Design]

That is some nice fab work for the plumbing. Good ideas!

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

That is some nice fab work for the plumbing. Good ideas!

Thanks AD.
I'm waiting for the last fitting to show up (ordered six, got five correct ones and one incorrect fitting. It's always something) and then I can get it all buttoned up for some completed photos.

[Bomp]

You are a better man than I. Great fixes on po butchered areas.
Following along from here on out.

[HO455]

Thank you and merry Christmas.