Francis the Tow Pig - 1949 GMC 250 Dually

[OutlawDrifter]

After checking plug wires, coil wires, etc, and pulling my hair out last night. I decided to focus on the front end. I knocked out putting the stock spindles back on, now measures about 5.5" at the fender like I originally planned on. Goes in and out of the shop without dragging...all is right in static drop land.

Have to make a trip to Topeka tonight to get the ECU reflashed and then I'll start working on the valve cover issue and hopefully have my wheel tubs and ring to finish the light holes in the bed. Tomorrow may be another emergency day off to get some more accomplished, so close, and it would be rad to have the bed painted for the show.

In other news, the heat pump install is almost finished in the shop. Missed the need for the cooling side this year, but the heat will be nice this winter. My father-in-law stopped by yesterday when they were finishing up for the day and said they had the fan blowing and it was moving a lot of air.

[lower50's]

What heating are you using? Pic?

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by lower50's

What heating are you using? Pic?

I'll snap you some pics when I get home tonight. It's a Trane 3 ton heat pump with backup coils for when it gets sub zero. Inside unit is mounted on the wall about 8' high and has a distribution tube with 4 outlets that runs along the north wall of the shop. North is the long side where my air compressor and metal fab bench are. This thing should move a lot of air!

[OutlawDrifter]

lower50's, pics as requested. This thing blows some serious air! I'm glad I went this route instead of a mini-split system, better filtration, and way more air movement.






In other news, ECU is calibrated for the injectors, and I have all necessary stuff to "finish" the bed for tomorrow. Probably knock off work around lunch time today and thrash out the rest.

[Lanaa1209]

great truck

[OutlawDrifter]

Well, Francis drove to the show under his own power. Still have a few bugs to work out on the tune. Windshield wipers are comical, and it needs HVAC.

It poured rain for most of the car show, so we had a poor turnout. Kind of a bummer, but the truck had a lot of interest. Lots of people scratching their heads over the engine. I heard everything from a GMC specific V8 to a Pontiac V8.

I did bring home a 1st Place trophy for the class, but I was the only in the class, so a win by default.

With no more time crunch in place, I can slowly start working out some of the bugs and get the bed painted.

[gigamanx]

Nice job on the win and the rain sucks, but at least good to make sure there are no leaks in the cab

I've done some martial arts tournaments where I am the only one in my age group. I win a 1st for effort, but it never feels as good as winning because I was the better man that day.

[joedoh]

woooo nice joerb on the win. maybe leave out the "only one" part of the story if
you retell it. truck looks great!

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

I heard everything from a GMC specific V8 to a Pontiac V8.

fun fact, those are the same thing!

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by joedoh

fun fact, those are the same thing!

Yes, true story. Pontiac supplied V8s in late 50s. I also had to explain that at the car show.

[Old57]

Looking good, always feels good to be able to take that first drive

[lower50's]

That heater looks great. Congrats on making it to the show!!!! It's still nice to get an award.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by Old57

Looking good, always feels good to be able to take that first drive

Thanks, still has some more bugs to work out. Need to iron out the tune and get the alignment copacetic.

Originally Posted by lower50's

That heater looks great. Congrats on making it to the show!!!! It's still nice to get an award.

Moves A LOT of air, had the AC side on Friday afternoon, kept it a nice humidity free 70* in the shop...outside temp was around 85* and 75* humidity. Thanks for the kind words, I'm taking a week off to regroup before I start back in on it. Too many late nights in a row, really took its toll!

[joedoh]

hey how about a running video? lets hear those smithys

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by joedoh

hey how about a running video? lets hear those smithys

Great idea!

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by joedoh

hey how about a running video? lets hear those smithys

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Great idea!

I have the replacement sitting in the shop, I'll get you guys a video as soon as I take care of that rattle!

[OutlawDrifter]

Well no videos yet...but soon, seriously, I'll get it taken care of.

Replacement muffler is welded in and aknovaman, came up yesterday and worked out the tune. Pickup drives great, plenty of power, shifts nice and crisp. The glasspacks definitely have the sound I was looking for, but eventually will drive me nuts! At some point I'll have to put in an H-pipe and possibly go to some Dynomax Ultraflows. That will be a next year project.

We have (probably) the last Cars N' Coffee of the year coming up next Sunday. I will get some video of it then.

Bed still isn't painted and I have yet to get it into town to have it tagged...hopefully that will happen this week. I did roll it across the scales yesterday, without me in it, and about 10gal of gas it hit 3500lbs dead even. Still no bed floor but that shouldn't add more than 100lbs.

In other news, daughter #2 got her "new" pickup Saturday. She is my pickup girl, didn't want a car. We found a 1991 C1500, regular cab, short bed, 305/5 speed, and it's a factory "Sport" pickup with the red/black trim. Typical GMT400 rust (cab corners, over the rear wheels, etc), but will make her a nice driver. Wrong color, but this was one of my dream pickups in high school.

[lower50's]

3500lbs is not bad at all. Also congrats on getting your high school dream p/u in the family lol.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by lower50's

3500lbs is not bad at all. Also congrats on getting your high school dream p/u in the family lol.

Yeah it moves out pretty decent, definitely not lacking for power. I just have to remind myself the pickup is for my daughter...not me, haha.



Well, I had planned to provide you guys with awesome videos of...um...awesomeness, but, tragedy has struck in the form of a severe power steering hemmorage. I have multiple leaks, including one at the pressure fitting on the steering gear. My adapter to from the gear to the AN fitting seems to be the biggest issue, but I believe it is leaking elsewhere also. The pump is toast, and it ruined the brake pads on the driver's front. Still made the outting today and the truck pulled most of the crowd.

[lower50's]

Oh that sucks!! That's all part of a build unfortunately. At least you still made it out.

[joedoh]

hemorrhage is about right with the dark red fluid spraying everywhere!

[OutlawDrifter]

Well I finally got my tail in gear and fixed the PS pump. Nothing like waiting a month or so...haha.

Really needed to get the truck moving under its own power so I could rearrange some things in the shop. Replaced the pump with a reman and the newer style pulley with the windows. Then I put new brake pads on the front and bedded them in when I took it for a test drive.

I still don't think the brakes are "right". I can't get it to lock the tires when I perform a panic stop. I don't get any air feel to the pedal, and it's not puking fluid anywhere. It's a bit bizarre. I thought I wasn't getting enough pedal travel, but it appears to bottoming out before it runs out of travel.

Rethinking the change to the 3.23 gears from the 3.73s. The deep gears make for a rocket and it really isn't too bad on the 2 lane highways, just not interstate friendly.

I need to get a couple of 4x8 sheets of diamond plate aluminum ordered to do the bed floor, and really need to get it sealed and painted. Sure was nice to drive it again last night...my boys enjoyed the ride too.

[nuke1]

truck is killer

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Well I finally got my tail in gear and fixed the PS pump. Nothing like waiting a month or so...haha.

Really needed to get the truck moving under its own power so I could rearrange some things in the shop. Replaced the pump with a reman and the newer style pulley with the windows. Then I put new brake pads on the front and bedded them in when I took it for a test drive.

I still don't think the brakes are "right". I can't get it to lock the tires when I perform a panic stop. I don't get any air feel to the pedal, and it's not puking fluid anywhere. It's a bit bizarre. I thought I wasn't getting enough pedal travel, but it appears to bottoming out before it runs out of travel.

Rethinking the change to the 3.23 gears from the 3.73s. The deep gears make for a rocket and it really isn't too bad on the 2 lane highways, just not interstate friendly.

I need to get a couple of 4x8 sheets of diamond plate aluminum ordered to do the bed floor, and really need to get it sealed and painted. Sure was nice to drive it again last night...my boys enjoyed the ride too.

s10 brakes can be a real bear to bleed, I took Hussey's advice and picked up a vacuum bleeder at cardboard freight and it works great on these, even still it can take forever to get the air out of an empty system. its not a common mistake and just throwing it out there, but make sure you have the right side of the master going to the front brakes, although getting it backwards would probably lock up the rears pretty awfully. just spitballing.

my 2500hd has a 4l80e and 3.73 gears, I turn about 2100 at 65. sounds busy, not a terrible thing though. I am running 265/70/16s though so a little taller.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by joedoh

s10 brakes can be a real bear to bleed, I took Hussey's advice and picked up a vacuum bleeder at cardboard freight and it works great on these, even still it can take forever to get the air out of an empty system. its not a common mistake and just throwing it out there, but make sure you have the right side of the master going to the front brakes, although getting it backwards would probably lock up the rears pretty awfully. just spitballing.

my 2500hd has a 4l80e and 3.73 gears, I turn about 2100 at 65. sounds busy, not a terrible thing though. I am running 265/70/16s though so a little taller.

Joedoh, thanks for the ideas. I'll try bleeding them again, I picked up the same bleeder at HF when I started the project. Knowing I would be doing it myself. The lines should be correct front to back unless Pirate Jack's really screwed something up. They aren't bad, just won't lock, and the pedal doesn't feel like there is air in the lines, but bleeding them one more time won't hurt.

The 6.0s love to rev. 2100rpm is just getting into the fat spot on the torque curve. My HD has the 6L90e with 3.73s and runs around 2000 at 70, the 4.10s are much better with this particular trans and the 6.0l. I'm been kicking around the idea of selling my 2500HD and building a RCSB GMT400 or a square body with an LS setup and AC....sure will miss my crew cab though.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by nuke1

truck is killer

Thank you!