Bubba's recycling project

[bubba327]

Well sometimes you just get lucky!!! I checked Craiglist late last night after watching the BSU football game and found the top ad in auto parts was a 69 Gm 12 bolt truck in 3.07 ratio. WOW@
I hated to call that late but the ad was posted just 10 minutes previous, And I picked it up this morning!!!
Is complete from drum to drum from a 80,000 mile truck from Baker City Oregon.
It is correct width and 6 lug. Gears are good and oil is clean with no metal suprises in the bottom of the case.The only difference is the panhard bar attachment is on the case instead of offset on the tube as was 64 style. I have a extra 72 panhard bar that should fit.

It was meant for a 65 C-10 racetruck project but plans changed to a posi.

[Alan's Classic]

Nice!! I like the progress!! Good find!!

[daverod]

Nice find. Gotta love CL.

[bubba327]

Things are going way too smooth right now.
Another friend just let me have ALL the Chrome trim pieces from his 66 short fleet, as he just replaced all his with new trim (and a LS1)
I only needed three pieces but some are in better shape than mine and I now have more wall art to hang up high in the garage for future use.
He did not want to store them and shipping is a pain for the long stuff and he wanted to Pass it on to somebody who could use it !!
First Daverod gives me backup lights and now here is trim... and the anonymous some body who gave Alan a tailgate ....snif... it is choking me up!!
lots of great guys in the classic car/truck world



I tried to get his old 327 700r4 but it was a trade for the LS1 and 460E.
Hope to get the rear end installed this weekend!!

[Captainfab]

A little bit of advise on switching that rear end. Get yourself 2 new U-bolts with nuts and washers, as well as new hardware for the panhard bar. IMO it is worth the small investment for those new parts versus the time and aggrivation of trying to remove them without cutting them apart. Besides most of the time if you do get the U-bolts out without cutting them, they are likely very rusted and not worth reusing.

Originally Posted by bubba327

Things are going way too smooth right now.
Another friend just let me have ALL the Chrome trim pieces from his 66 short fleet, as he just replaced all his with new trim (and a LS1)
I only needed three pieces but some are in better shape than mine and I now have more wall art to hang up high in the garage for future use.
He did not want to store them and shipping is a pain for the long stuff and he wanted to Pass it on to somebody who could use it !!
First Daverod gives me backup lights and now here is trim... and the anonymous some body who gave Alan a tailgate ....snif... it is choking me up!!
lots of great guys in the classic car/truck world



I tried to get his old 327 700r4 but it was a trade for the LS1 and 460E.
Hope to get the rear end installed this weekend!!

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

A little bit of advise on switching that rear end. Get yourself 2 new U-bolts with nuts and washers, as well as new hardware for the panhard bar. IMO it is worth the small investment for those new parts versus the time and aggrivation of trying to remove them without cutting them apart. Besides most of the time if you do get the U-bolts out without cutting them, they are likely very rusted and not worth reusing.

John was right, They would not budge even with a big cheater and had to be cut loose with a sawzall. I am glad I ordered new ones.

[daverod]

Bubba do you know when the axle increased in width? My 66 has a 71 and it's 1.5 wider. I would like to change out my 64 staying with the 6 lug. I wonder if I could just get new gears? What did you give for the axle? I found one here for 200? It's a 70 1/2 6 lug. Guys checking the ratio. He said the truck only worked in reverse? That most likily a trans problem would'nt you think?

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by daverod

Bubba do you know when the axle increased in width? My 66 has a 71 and it's 1.5 wider. I would like to change out my 64 staying with the 6 lug. I wonder if I could just get new gears? What did you give for the axle? I found one here for 200? It's a 70 1/2 6 lug. Guys checking the ratio. He said the truck only worked in reverse? That most likily a trans problem would'nt you think?

The whole banana was $250 on Craigslist. I did not argue with that. I was the first caller, And there were other guys waiting if I passed.

That price is about what a ring and pinion will cost from Summit . I know the 71 style are wider and 5 lug. 1971 was the first year front disc brakes were standard issue.The carrier size changes at 3.42 also.
I think that 70 was the last year , but they used up inventory till they ran out mid way through the 70 year. There is info here if a guy will search.
I still have the 72 axle in 3.08 but due to the backspace of my wheels, clearance would be within 1/2" at the fender. I thought that is too close with the side to side movement allowed with the track bar.
If a guy has skinny tires and narrow wheels that 1 1/2 would not be an issue
I found most 60-66 years had the 3.73 or 4.11 Due to most had 3 or 4 speeds, and usually the 3.07 were in a truck with a automatic.

I am going to lose some low end power but hope I will make it up with the Offenhauser intake and new Holley 7448 carburetor. The Inline six is a low end beast anyway.

$200?? grab it!! Reverse only is probably transmission problem. Just drop the drive line and spin things by hand and feel for a smooth rotation, no grinds or play in the pinion gear

[bubba327]

Good Idea Captain.
I had already tried to find the track bar bushing locally but struck out. New bushings and U-bolts have been ordered from LMC.
Looks like the same track bar bushing was used from 64 to 72 even though the pre 69 bars are longer length as they mount differently on the axle tube .
Looks like I am waiting on parts for this weekend , Hope my backup light parts get here before Friday.

[daverod]

What gears where in your truck to begin with?

[bubba327]

I have 3.73 gear ratio in now according to the code stamp on the axle tube . With the 235/60/15 tires it is a screamer at 55MPH. Kinda winds the ol I-Six right up.
I don't have a tach yet so I'm not sure how wound it is but the 3.07 gears will help on the RPMs
You needing an axle, Dave?

[daverod]

Mine seems to be ok for what I use it for, I have 15" wheels/tires too. My speedo is way off but on the hiway it seems to move right along. I don't hit the hiway for very long. My 66 has a 71 rear end I'll have to look on the tube or gears to see what it has. I forgot you have a 350 trans.

[bubba327]

I am going to swap axles first to see if things are better in the RPM dept which they should be. Only I worry about the I-6 having enough power to start off . Trial and error I guess . It sure smokes the tires now when in the gravel.
I guess next option would be a 700R4 transmission . The 700R4 has significantly lower first gear and second is a little lower(than TH350) also which helps the start off launch . But The 700R4 needs a TV cable from the carb I am told.
Transmission kickdown linkage has been a problem and PIA all along with the inline SIX and the one barrel carb.
I have not ever gotten the TH350 Kickdown cable to mount up where it will work. Good thing it is not required like the cable on the 700R4
It guess it is still an option to change to the Holley carb and Clifford or Offenhauser intake for the ability of transmission cable hook up.
One thing at a time is still progress .

[bubba327]

Back up lights are installed and working thanks to Daverod who donated the lights from his 66 to the recycling project

[collins10672]

i used to have a 66 truck with 350,turbo 350 and 3:07 rear gears and you could cruise on the highway all day at 75.the 3:73 which was the standard gear in these trucks is way too low for my tastes.when you get that rear end in you will be able to drive it like a modern truck and it should get way better fuel mileage to boot.can't beat that.btw i like your truck too brings back lots of memories.

[daverod]

Good to see the lights working again. Maybe if I ever get my damn Ford out of my garage I can get somthing done on my trucks. I've been doing a oil pan/rear main oil seal for a couple weeks now. No mojo. I hate working on fords. Everything is 2 big extensions with a couple swivle heads. Did get the pan off and everything cleaned up today. Ordered a bunch of body parts for my 66.

YouTube - Bull elk bugling

I know what your doing. You would probably pass this little guy up huh.

[daverod]

I know how you love this guy? Now you can see it anytime you want. Maybe it will help you work on your truck. I think this version is the xxx rated one.

YouTube - Crazy Frog - In the House

You better get busy and post up some pictures of your truck or this thread is just going to be a bunch of dumb videos.

[bubba327]

Thanks Dave I appreciate the video. Stupid annoying little frog.
Wish I had progress to post on the truck but I cannot get it back from daughter to work on it. She has driven it over 1200 miles since school started!! It is 25 miles round trip to school daily. It is gonna get worse, Basketball season has not started yet. Powder Puff girls football starts Monday.
She loves her little truck.
Kinda wish it had a bigger gas tank now , sure seems to need filling a lot.

NO PROBLEMS!! No tow ropes. No rescues. Only a few jump starts but not after the headlight buzzer went on.
I have the new rear axle ready to go and planning the changeover the first weekend in November when School is out for two days.
Looking at speaker options and what to do there.
Kinda looking at the 71 and wondering about doing a few things to it.......

[daverod]

Cool, glad to see she's liking it. I don't think gas milage was a big selling point of these old engines. I swear I get better milage since I went with the 4 barrel and headers. But it's still not great. I don't have to drive very far though. The price of cool ant cheap. Had to put a new control box in my hot tub. Suck. Forgot the pump was 220 the box was wired for 120 pump. Lost a few days of sleep over it. It works now though. There was a time I was thinking I wished you lived here.

[bubba327]

I cannot check mileage yet as the speedometer is 30% off.
Waiting til I get rear axle changed then see where we are with speedometer error and can get different speedo gears then. The monojet carburetor is working fine, starts good in the cold mornings and warms up quickly. The glasspack muffler is a little annoying in the pre-dawn darkness somedays.

[daverod]

Just put your fuel line in a one gal can and drive done the road about 7 miles.

[bubba327]

Hey--My avatar went blue !!
I finally paid up!! I have gotten more a whole lot more than 25 bucks worth of fun, knowledge and information from here!!
Should have done it sooner.


Winter is coming to Idaho again and roads are getting frosty and slick in the mornings.

Daughter is driving the Yota again to school (under objection ) so I can work on things a little more.
The '64 never missed a day of school in 2 and 1/2 months ,and no mechanical problems.
Pretty good reliability I would say.

I bought a certificate for a new windshield at a silent auction fund-raiser for the local FFA chapter at her high school, So that is on the list of things to do.
It had a crack in the window but was still drivable.

I'm trying to clear out a bay in the garage and get it inside for the winter.
Amazing that I have a three car garage and only my Chevelle is inside.

[bubba327]

Winter has come to Idaho..
It was 12* today
I drove the 64 to town and checked the anti freeze ratio in every thing again. I put the diesel additive in all the tractors and trucks, I checked the battery levels as a dead battery will freeze.
I remembered the 4 wheelers and had to get up around midnight a couple nights ago ago and throw a horse blanket and a tarp over one with a trouble light just in case.

The truck fires right up in the cold, warms up quickly and the heater works great!! Glad I put the larger heater core in.
Too dang cold to work on it and we are having to much fun driving it around.
Daughter still gets to drive her truck to school when the roads are not slick and the weather permits, Has to take the Yota if roads are icy.

The Yota's windshield broke in the cold last night. I made a quick trip to the store, turned on the defroster to clear the ice and the windshield broke all the way across the bottom just above the wiper level. That Bites .


Having a Breakfast, Coffee and BS morning on Dec 4 in Middleton Idaho
A few local SW Idaho guys want to get together and put faces together with projects, which should be fun for all.
Wives will be out shopping I am sure and we can hang out and bench race and have breakfast .
Shoot me a PM for time and details

[tiggamonsta]

Yeah, its dropped into the 30's a couple times here, but it still hits the 70's in the day. :-)

[murdoc]

Bubba,

Been reading up on your thread tonight and i got alot of information thanks to your heater core conversion. I just recently replaced the blower motor for my heater and was amazed at how much more air it pushes.

I have the deluxe heater, but i have been really liking the thrift-air control on the dash. Its a much cleaner look and seems as though it would work just as fine as my deluxe if i just change the controls from the 3 lever control to the the pull/turn knob that you have on yours.

Im wondering if you can tell me how many speeds your knob has. Its 3 for the deluxe switch, and i thought i read somewhere the thrift is only 2 speeds. can you confirm? also, what does the pulling on the knob do for the heating system?

I have read up alot on the factory heating setups for these trucks and am convinced that they are more than adequate for heating these trucks and its passengers. Mine is at least, for which i am very grateful...