Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[tmoble]

Dan, how about that shroud? how did it fit? did it seem like something made for the truck or a universal fit deal?

[57 3100]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks Leonard. Hey, I noticed your truck is a featured photo on Sid's dropped axle website. Congrats!

yep, back when i was still running drum brakes up front and chrome steel wheels... thanks.

leonard

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by tmoble

Dan, how about that shroud? how did it fit? did it seem like something made for the truck or a universal fit deal?

Funny you ask because it was sold to me by The Car and Truck Shop in Orange, CA as a "Universal Fit for '55-'59 CHevy Turcks". The shop ended up having to make some spacers for it - I'll take a picture and post it later. I don't really LIKE them, but it works ok. They also had to install a shorter spacer between the fan and the waterpump because they guy told me it (the fan) shorud only be "He tested it and told me it pulls hard now, so excellent.

Anyway, more pictures coming as they happen. I keep debating starting separate threads for individual things I do to it, but mostly I like keeping all the pictures together so I can go back and look. Let me know if anyone (moderators?) wants me to break up this long thread.

[tmoble]

sounds like your shop is pretty competent. the fan is supposed to be half-in/half-out of the shroud. efficiency drops way off in a hurry if it's wrong.

I found that shroud at the same vendor. I've got a factory style radiator coming in, so I hope that shroud works on it.

thanks for taking time.

[tmoble]

Dan, on your "new engine", you'd be better off to hook up a PCV valve on the passenger vale cover, use a PCV with a right angle fitting on it, run the hose to that large port on the right rear of the carb, has a large cap on it now.

Once you start driving it any you'll also be way ahead to hook up the vacuum advance and make sure it's working. Big gas mileage gains there.

Throttle rod from pedal should be in the top hole where the spring is now. There's a little bushing gizmo available for the big hole. move the spring to the hole right under it or run it off the bottom lever back to a bracket or whatever.

[Pop's C-10]

nice build man..

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah, I am really happy wit the shop's work. They've been in business 45 years, so they've got a reputation to maintain.

tmobile, one of the very first things I asked about was the sealed vacuum port. Turns out my engine is way over cammed and only runs about 11 inches of vacuum at idle. According to the shop it oughta be about 18-20 inches. So, in the future is a cam change. I'll probably revert to a stock 283 cam. As it is, it has little low end torque and with the single plane Holley manifold it HAD, it was really a dog at low RPM. BUt it was SO out of good tune it was hard to be sure. To get it running as well as it is now the timing is set at 22 degrees BTDC and 40 degrees total. Its got good compression but the shop feels with a stock cam I'll likely pick up 10-15psi across the board. Incidentally, I inadvertantly kicked it down a gear at about 55 mph on the way home and it flats screams from that point up! Not too useable, but impressive.

Why are you advising to hook up the PCV? This engine had a road draft tube originally. It has little to no blow-by now so its not like I'm contributing to pollution much and I don't like the clutter. I'll definitely take a look into the throttle rod you advise. Thanks for the info. Now I want to see a photo of a stock setup to see how its supposed to look?

[ChuckDriver]

Looking good Dan! I know you are excited to be able to enjoy driving it as you work on it. Keep up the good work!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks JJ,
Yup, excited to be able to drive her. New rear bumper going on today. Hopefully some door weatherstripping and possibly the anti-rattle strips. Fortunately, all stuff I'd already bought because I'm shutting down the checking account on truck purchases for a LITTLE while. (Yeah, we all know how long that lasts!)

[ChuckDriver]

I need the anti rattles for my doors also. Let me know if you find a set that actually fit. I got a set from Brothers and the tabs didn't line up with the factory holes in the door on 3 of the 4!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ha ha, I know what you mean. Got mine from "The Car and Truck Shop" in Orange, CA. I use that shop a lot because they're relatively local and I pick my stuff up rather than pay shipping. The holes line up (I lined them up) but the overall length of them is wrong and I will have to trim them to fit.

Incidentally, I got NOTHING, ZERO, ZIP, NADA done on my truck this weekend. Ended up rewiring my exterior patio wiring in preparation for some exterior fans I've ordered. Oh well.

[tmoble]

Dan, if you don't have a PCV your engine will be full of stuff that looks about a cheap milkshake. A LOT of moisture is created by the combustion process and it condenses on the inside of the engine. Usually the valve covers will have a bunch of it. This is one of the reasons engines back then had such a short life compared to engines now.

What's in the road draft tube hole in the back of the block?

[Dan in Pasadena]

First, apologies in advance about the lousy cell phone pictures (my camera batteries died).

tmobile, Duly noted about the condensation, thank you. You also asked about the spacers to install the generic "55-59 Fan Shroud". As you can see, the shop milled some thick-walled stainless tubing, but a stack of washers would have worked...though not looked as clean. Still and all, I don't care for the look of this but it serves the purpose without hacking up the shroud and the truck is a driver, not a show truck. When I clean and paint the engine compartment I may just paint all this and it won't show...much.


New fan spacer because as it was the fan was too "deep" into the shroud. Shop said the fan blades should be 1/4 - 1/2 into the shroud. As you can see, mine are now about 1/3 of the way in and it draws REALLY well. The engine had NO thermostat so we're trying a 160 degree 'stat and it seems to be working excellent. I've got a nice stainless overflow tank but just haven't installed it yet.


Last and best: I FINALLY got rid of that monstrosity of a diamond plate rear bumper and put a new chrome stock bumper. I even got the license plate out of being taped to the rear window too. Not a big deal to most but I HATED that old bumper. Just as a reminder, here's "Before":

Here's "After":


NOTE: While taking the underhood pic's I noticed the NEW battery puked some acid on my new valve covers! The shop had rebuilt my generator so I can only assume they did something wrong OR the voltage regulator gave up the ghost and allowed overcharging. I'm hoping the shop will do something for me, but I know it's not likely.

[Kim57]

Dan
The new bumper looks real nice.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Kim. Its nothing out of the ordinary at all, but it feels like a tiny bit of progress. "A bit at a time" I keep telling myself.

[tmoble]

Any issues with installing that bumper? I'm about ready to plunk money down for one. My truck originally had an even bigger and heavier rear bumper. It took two guys and floor jack to move it. One of the coolest things I ever had happen was because of that. I was sitting at a stoplight and a local shyster type lawyer rear-ended me at about 15MPH in his one day old black Lexus. Just totally trashed the front of that car including the hood buckled up, way up. I could hardly keep a straight face, the bumper from Hell didn't even have a black mark on it. The guy was just shocked, anti-freeze all over the ground, steam rolling out, refrigerant whistling through a leak, the whole schmear. His brand new car left on a roll back. He's standing there wondering when I was going to start screaming about whiplash. It was great. People were standing around giggling. I would have given anything for a camera.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Funny story. Nothing modern stands up to even a regular old style bumper much less one of those diamond plate monstrosities.

Bumper fit fine. NO issues...and I WAS expecting them. Now let's see how the Chinese (I assume) chrome holds up?

[tmoble]

it was one of those $150 or so versions?

[tmoble]

check the charge voltage, with the engine running. See what it goes up to with increased RPM.

That shroud install is really not bad at all. I could live with that on a DD truck.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Just an update (mostly for myself I guess). Yesterday morning I was thinking, "I've gotta call the shop & tell 'em about the charging issue". 30 minutes later the shop CALLS ME(!) to ask if I'd driven the truck over the weekend? Is all well? Do I have any questions? I was surprised and very pleased. That's customer service in my book. I related the charging issue and he asked me to drop it off today for him to check it out further. No word on what; if anything, they'll do to offset the damage to my new valve covers. If it's a voltage regulator issue that didn't show itself after they rebuilt the generator I can't say much. Afterall. it's likely a 50+ year old regulator. But I told him I was really unhappy about the damage to the valve covers....so we'll see.

Unrelated: I dropped a couple hundred $$ at The Car & Truck Shop in Orange, Ca yesterday. I went in just for the braided tail light wire covers to finish up my bumper installation project and ended up buying window cranks & door handles, vent handles, vent glass & rubber, vent rivet kit, door panel screws, dome light assembly. Obviously, I'm getting ready to do some improvements in the interior and I got carried away. Oh well. Pic's coming as the work progresses.

[Daze57]

just make sure you clean your vent window frames real well and use dishwater soap and water to slide the new rubber on - makes a huge difference.- also when you do the rivits on the wing window -make sure the rivits are squared up nice and straight - if ya bang them in crooked ya may have to do it over -- been der done dat

[hsdropout]

Danny Boy, I like your truck, what you've done and mostly you are getting to drive it. That is what I was mostly looking for but......... My '59 is in pieces (try not to go there if you can help it) kind of hung up on primer/paint issues before i keep going too much further. I would like to get the cab shaped up (not to bad as far as rust, etc.) and back on refurbed frame and then start hookup of motor, tranny, wiring etc.

I was wondering what type of primer you have been using....looks kind of grayish green?

Gotta fix my cracked steering wheel too.

Again, it's great that you get to drive it and work on it.
Lucky find on that one!

Thanks, High Speed Dropout

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Daze57

just make sure you clean your vent window frames real well and use dishwater soap and water to slide the new rubber on - makes a huge difference...

Thanks for the head's up. I haven't even looked at the vents very close so I have no idea how the new rubber goes on. Didn't THINK it "slid" onto anything...but I'll definitely study on it closely before I start. I've been looking for a detailed thread on the subject for Task Force trucks but so far nothing.

On my voltage regulator, I went to the shop today and they installed a new one. My old one had been charging fine before it left the shop but by the time they checked it today it was charging up to 16 volts!!! They had to adjust the new one several times to get it to charge between 13.8 and 14.2 volts once the cover was put back on. I'm driving it a week and will take it back in for a check next week. They're not charging me anything.

hsdropout, The primer is rattle can Duplicolor "Self Etching" - yeah right. It's temporary. Just getting it one color and protecting it (to a degree) while I get it like I want it mechanically.

[tmoble]

yep, installing the cover changes the charge voltage. Seems they're a little touchy.

[Dan in Pasadena]

We discussed doing a changeover to an alternator - which I WILL do at some point but the short term problem with that is I have Camel hump 327 heads on my engine with no holes in the front of them. So bracketry would require fabrication OR the shop knew of an aftermarket place selling a kit for $169. But a one wire chrome alternator is another $95, plus labor...you get the drift. Too much for right now when I really have no need of the additional capacity. Later when I put in AC, etc. it'll make more sense.
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