Project 30 years sitting

[patdaly]

Originally Posted by Dale99

I had worked on the horns while drivers side was out, and neither worked. So since I didnt know how a horn actually worked, I took one apart. Cleaned it. Put it back together, it works but sounds VERY sick.

There is a single screw with a locking nut on the horn. They used this to adjust the sound of the horn when new. If you can get it broke loose, you might just be able to get the right sound again...... What do you have to lose?

[Dale99]

Yes, I pulled it out and replaced it. I adjusted it and no matter where it sounds sick. I just got another set from a parts truck. Hopefully these work.

[Dale99]

So Sun afternoon I found an add in the paper someone was parting out a 72 blazer. So I went n grabbed the doors and horns.

After getting home n taking off the inside panel, the left one is riddle with dent pull holes, and the whole skin is bondo

Only one of the horns work *sigh*

But anyway. I got my hitch in and bolted up. I plan to make a set of straps for the sides since I can only get 4 of the 6 bolt holes lined up.

Thanks to hilljob, its offically labeled with a name

The diving board is bolted down and should be good for little kids. However, I think i need to shim it still for adults.

[Dale99]

So I got my new spring plates on for adding a swaybar this week. This weekends project will be cutting out my front crossmember and adding one from a 73-87 in it that has swaybar mounts on it, and is not torched out for the previous motors that were in this.

Should prove interesting. I will try to remember to take step by step shots on this as I have only found final pictures.

[hgs_notes]

I'm gonna be watching this part. It sounds like an interesting swap.

[Dale99]

3.5hrs, old cross member is out. The rivets on the left side are pita because its 3 layers. I had to drill them almost all the way thru.

Will have to do some cutting and tourching on the new member to get it in the way I want.

[Dale99]

cross member is hammered in place. Heading out to get bolts, then off for fun for the evening.

[Dale99]

Alright, try to type a step by step here on the cross member.

1. Obtain 73-87'ish crossmember with swaybar mounts.
2. Clean all old rivits out of "new" member.
3. remove old member, and I would do your best to do it w/o destroying it. You will use the ends of it for templates later.
4. I laid them up next to each other and noticed they were not an exact match. It is 1 layer of metal taller, and the top is angled differently.
5. I ended up pie cutting along the bend originally so that I could bend it down and get the ends the same height. After doing this I noticed I had a power steering brace on the left side that would not allow 2 layers of metal. However, cutting this made it much easier for step 6.
6. I heated the top and bent it tell it matched the old member minus the extra metal for the swaybar mounts.
7. Cut a good section off the swaybar mount off so that it would be correct height, and be even with the frame. Remember, you will have to install this at an angle, so you might want to angle these cuts to help install.
8. I welded my pie cuts, and welded one side of the swaybar mount to the member since it will no longer be riveted at the frame.
9. I then noticed the top flange is wider then the old. So I cut some of this down, then later cut a slight radius on it for helping put it in at an angle (red markings on pic to be attached)
10. Hammered in place installing left side first. I ended up having to take my right bumper brace-frame bolt out for this.
11. Once in place I chose to go with (3)3/8x1 carriage bolts so that I could keep the riveted look. However, I would now suggest (2)3/8x1 carriage, (1)3/8x1.5 carriage, and (1)3/8x.75 sae. I drilled 3 of the holes out to fit the nut/bolt setup(holes were close, but not exact match). The one bolt that is above your steering box I drilled and tapped to put basic sae bolt in.


I need to finish cleaning up some of my cutting on the swaybar mount before I can bolt my bar up.

[Dale99]

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[Dale99]

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oh, while doing all this, I fixed a coolant leak from the block warmer I installed. Also got my horns working, installed grill trim. Its still apart to put on a new steering box, and paint my left fenderwell.

[Dale99]

Been a few weeks on update. Got a new ps gear box in which was a pita. As well a new drop pitman arm. The pitman arm was the best 100bux I have spent on this. Steers so much better now!!

Also painted both fenderwells, both sides. They are a pita to sand.

While out of town on a photoshoot that I'm still not done editing pictures. I picked up the materials to fix my passenger floor/rocker/apost/kick panel.

gutted the two doors I got a few weeks ago. Both doors ended up being junk and only usefull for parts. Waist of 2bills

Otherwise, Also worked a dodge ram, and a s15 jimmy intake.

[Dale99]

So friday night my jimmy started running like complete and uber crap.

First it felt like timing slipped like it had been before. Checked sat, it was correct.
Then changed plugs to warmer plugs due to oil usage. Helped, but still not enough.
Checked spark to all wires, Its getting.
Fiddled with linkage on carb. No fix
Pulled valve covers tonight to check flattened cam. All rockers moving.
Did compression check. One is out of range

[hgs_notes]

[Slinger60]

Bummer ...

[Dale99]

Agree. Ive got a lead on a newer 350, but hes not sure if its a roller or not. Trying to decide what all to do, but I'm thinking buy newer goodies for the camaro, make it faster Then take "left overs" and build the jimmy motor.

[tjsblazer]

Just read this whole thread. Some great progress. Gathering some info here.
Is you truck factory ride height?
What size are those tires?
For the crossmember swap is it about the same distance to the crank pully or closer/further?

thanks in advance. good luck with the rest of the build. Jeff.

[hgs_notes]

Could just be a bad valve or head gasket. SBC's are so easy to build and parts are everywhere. Just depends on how long you want this one laid up for repairs. Trust me, I know how it is with multiple vehicles to play with. It might be a relatively simple fix that gets you back on the road in a weekend.

Not that I'm against building up more power in any way.

[Dale99]

tjs..
1. No, it has 4" of blocks all the way around from the previous owner. Blocks on the front is not advised.
2. 33X12.5 goodyear wrangler
3. IDK, I use the stock frame holes, with as close the holes in the crossmember. They were close, but not exact. I lined them up and drilled them. I think I may have gained another 5/8" between engine to member. But my break lines are still there and kinda free dangling.


HGS. Yea, parts are fairly easy to find some basic stuff. I really wanted another 4bolt main, but I'm getting a 2bolt It looks like. But main thing, I'm wanting/getting a roller motor. Most important, I need this truck to move in/out the garage preferably on its own power. I'm quite often getting asked to work on other things. The few extra buxs here n there is quite nice.

[Dale99]

So while hanging around the house today to fix wiring on a trailer, and weld on neighbors Camaro, and wait on the guy to drop off my motor... that didn't show.

I kept tinkering with the jimmy trying different ideas. While it still has a dead miss in the motor, I think I found out the main running issue. This carb has some vacuum thing-a-ma-jig on the side of it. I took that line loose, plugged it. Runs better.

[Dale99]

ok, even though motor didn't show up. I went to the junkyard today in search of some vortec heads. Wa-la, found a 3/4ton with some 906 heads. So I jacked them, the valve covers, pushrods, and flexplate.

I will have these rebuilt and put them on my Camaro. Take them heads n put on the jimmy. Gotta keep the sports car the fastest

I took the valve covers, cleaned them up, then did some sanding on them. Then I'm going to leave them in the weather while I build this motor and attempt to make them look patina'ed. We shall see.

[Dale99]

spoke a little too soon. Was a day late getting here, but for the price to my door step. I cant say much.

[hgs_notes]

Hard to believe how a little vacuum leak can make such a big difference in how well they run. I used vortec heads on the engine I built for my Jimmy. I got the cheapo summit racing intake for it. I found a head rebuilt kit with all stainless valves, new springs, etc and that motor rocks.

[hgs_notes]

Here's a link to the kit I used. The machine shop that built mine said the parts were good quality. Couldn't beat the price.

http://www.competitionproducts.com/H...ductinfo/8511/

[Dale99]

I'm going to put the vortecs on the Camaro. The jimmy will get the corvette 113 heads that have been rebuilt with likely about 15k miles on them.

I'm debating on putting new springs in the heads. Since I really don't have the funds, I doubt I will.

What cam did you use? That's where I'm stumped right now.

[hgs_notes]

I understood what you meant for what heads went where. Just saying that's the route I took on my jimmy.

I used this one. Got no complaints. I think it was picked because it was near the limits of the max lift for the vortec heads, and had a good power band. I remember doing quite a bit of research during this part of the build as far as limitations on the heads and such. Also, before I took the heads to the machine shop, I used a die grinder to smooth out some areas in the ports and remove some shrouding, clean up the casting lines, etc. Not what you would call port and polish, but clean it up before the machining/assembly work was done. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=363

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/su...make/chevrolet