Markeb01 Build Thread

[roll_the_dice]

I am excited for your trans swap...and more excited for you to be able to drive the truck again!

[markeb01]

Thanks! Me too!!

[Indian113]

Stick or Auto- I think your Truck is still one of the Sharpest of our Groups! I look at it every time I think how dumb I am to tear mine down a s far as I have. Keeps me in Line

[markeb01]

Thanks for the comments! Well today we pulled out the driveshaft, shifter, speedometer drive, transmission, clutch linkage, clutch, and pressure plate. We stopped at the flywheel as the starter drive is in the way, and also needs to be pulled first. So we'll get to that next Saturday. I'll post some more pictures tomorrow, as I can't get into the garage tonight.

We also got the new shifter housing mounted on the new TH350, and checked the sliding yoke for fit. The flex plate showed up today (way early) so I fitted it up against the torque converter and it's also perfect. Things are really going rather smoothly!

[markeb01]

Here's a few more shots of the garage stuff:

[markeb01]

The black plush carpet and the chrome flexplate dust cover will both arrive next Tuesday!

[markeb01]

The black plush carpet and the chrome flexplate dust cover will both arrive next Tuesday! That's the balance of all the pieces I need to go back on the road!!

[Grizz1963]

Excellent stuff Mark.


Grinning here at all your new toys.

[markeb01]

Well my son came over again yesterday, and we got the TH 350 installed in the truck. The flexplate is in, along with the converter, and the transmission is completely bolted in. The new TH350 driveshaft yoke is installed, and the driveshaft is in place. I had the shifter mounted long enough to measure the placement, which I will cut in the floor pan tomorrow before the carpet shows up. The dipstick tube and dipstick are in place, and only one bolt remains to be removed from the clutch master cylinder. It's moving along rather nicely. Here are a couple of shots of how the tranny looks mounted in the chassis:

[Palf70Step]

Nice

[Indian113]

won't be long Now, keep up the good work

[markeb01]

This Friday my son will be back over to help finish up the truck. The only things that remain are:

Make hard lines connecting transmission to the radiator tranny cooler.
Connect speedometer ground.
Fabricate back up light switch (or toggle switch).
Install transmission oil filler pipe and dipstick.
Fill transmission with trans lubricant.
Install passing gear kick down linkage.
Install shifter and floor pan.
Install carpet and seats.

I think that's about it, and we'll be motoring around again!

[Captainfab]

It sounds like you should be done in time for the weather to dry out and warm up a tad.

[markeb01]

That's what I'm hoping for!

[markeb01]

Well it finally warmed up enough to work in the garage for a bit. So I got the transmission cooler lines hooked up to the inline cooler, and to the tank at the bottom of the radiator. Here's what the inline cooler looks like. I got one that's round, black, and 17" long, The picture of the silver one is a goof I can't figure out how to delete.


I also picked up vacuum lines to connect the transmission shifter to carb, and am ready to install the kick down linkage as well. In the next day or so, everything under the hood will be done and only the carpet and interior is left to complete the project.

[markeb01]

My son came over today to hook up the kick down linkage to the carb. Unfortunately we didn't have the right parts, so I ordered them from Summit and they should arrive by the weekend. The picture of the bracket is at the 1st link below. I'm not sure why the photo is squished up.

[Grizz1963]

Great seeing you onto this latest phase in the trucks life with you.

How many years have the two of you been together now??

[markeb01]

I believe it's been 30 years now, and we're still going strong!

[markeb01]

The temperature finally climbed up to 40 degrees today, so I went out and started installing the carpet. I aligned it forward and sideways, and got the passenger side seat brackets installed. If the weather holds up tomorrow, I may actually get both seats installed and be done with the transmission upgrade!

[350TacoZilla]

Glad to see you getting it buttoned up man! Can't wait to read the update where you have driven it for the first time again. That interior always makes me think this thing should be in one of the old hot rod movies.

[Palf70Step]

[markeb01]

The temp outside today was 50 degrees, so I got a few more things done on the truck. I connected the gas linkage under the carpet inside, bored out a hole for the dimmer switch, hooked up the reverse lights on the shifter (I used the neutral safety switch for the backup lights), and connected the rest of the shifter/boot & lockout lever and shifter knob. Nothing left but the seats now and we're ready to hit the road again! My neutral safety switch is run through the dashboard now.

[realvc]

Moving right along on this project. You will driving again very soon.

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see it is almost ready to cruise again!

[Grizz1963]

Good to see things headed in the right direction Mark.