COHI's 1966 Longbed

[Cohi]

thanks!

[Cohi]

Copper for the dash came in.... It's called "Verde"

I was hoping for a more splotchy patina with more spots of copper exposed - but this has really large areas of green.

I need to clean up the edges and drill out the mounting holes but you get the idea... And it needs to be covered with a few coats of lacquer to stabilize the patina.

copper will also go on the upper portion of the glove box door and the 2 gauge panel above the radio - which may have too much chrome going on...

[Cohi]

Pin striping by Stan Weaver on Sunday

[Cohi]

the cut down jobox contains all the compressors and such for the air ride

[Cohi]

Bowtie Overdrives 700r4 stage 2 pressure testing completed

TV Connected @ 1000rpm

P - 94
R - 150
N - 95
O - 94
3 - 94
2 - 245
1 - 250-260 bouncing

TV Disconnected @ 1000rpm

P - 96-97
R - 150
N - 97
O - 95-96
3 - 95-96
2 - 260
1 - 250-270 bouncing

Full TV @ 1500 rpm:

P - 210
R - 250
N - 205
O - 200
3 - 190-230 bouncing
2 - 255
1 - 255

They said numbers were good and it passed its test drive. Locks up at 2300 rpm, disconnects with brake tap or heavy throttle. As for bouncing numbers, they asked about a lopy cam, mine does lope that bad but it does a little and they said it was fine.

Other Q&A:

Linkage cam (theirs) rotated clockwise smooths shifts, rotated counter clockwise firms them up. No TV cable adjustment needed, just rotate the cam to where you want it.

Max trans temp...195. If it's hitting that regular, they advise an external cooler. Said the trans should run about 30 degrees cooler than the engine, but cooling lines run through the radiator so it matches the 180 engine temp once it gets up there.

Now for further engine break in, alignment and charging of the ac system)

[Cohi]

Next thing is to get the air/fuel mixtures and secondaries set up properly. The blueprint engine 390hp, 355 sbc came with a 600 cfm electric choke holley 4160.

I'm presently in Denver, about 5500 feet above sea level - so a bit less air up here.

Carb runs pig rich out of the box. I adjusted the float levels. Original mains were 66, i've dropped them to 62. Original power valve was 6.5, I've dropped it it 5.5 as the the best engine vac I can get at idle is 11 inches. Sticking an inline regulator in soon as the parts arrive.

Plugs are beginning to clean up with the jet change but I suspect the secondaries aren't opening as the spring is to strong for this altitude. Hopefully my theory is right.

[Cohi]

Door lock day. Lmc Keyed alike set. Required mods to work with the oem handles. The wings need to be shaved back to match the ones on the original. Once that was done they work great. Don’t shave them back and the key won’t turn.

[Cohi]

Door lock day. Lmc Keyed alike set. Required mods to work with the oem handles. The wings need to be shaved back to match the ones on the original. Once that was done they work great. Don’t shave them back and the key won’t turn.

[Cohi]

Power Steering Weekend.

Parts List:

Cardone #27-7501 remanufactured power steering box - Summit Racing
Power Steering Pump - Endurance #7011 - AutoZone
Lars Steering Coupler #201 - Advance Auto
Pump Brackets - Billet Aluminum #ICT 551745 - Summit (this was a complete set, billet aluminum for alternator, power steering & sanderson AC unit)
Captain Fab Mounting Plate and Adapter sleeve (Very well done pieces - highly recommended). Comes with Grade 8 bolts.
Moog #K-6131 Pitman - Amazon
High Pressure Hose - Duralast #70911 - Autozone
Low Pressure Return Hose - Duralast #70551 - Autozone
Carquest Inline Filter #20-0038F - Advance Auto
V-Belt - 37" (Crank to pump) - Continental #13576 - Summit Racing
PS Pulley - Spectre Performance #4487 - Speedway (single pully aligns with the middle crank pulley, which is occupied by the alt belt.
Crank Pulley - Summit racing aluminum 3 groove - v belts

[Cohi]

The original manual steering box had a bout a half turn of play. I cut the shaft at the the rag (right where the shaft enters the rag) and will back a second cut later for final fitment. I wont be reusing the original rag joint coupler, opting instead for Captain Fab's adapter sleeve.

[Cohi]

After cutting the shaft and separating the pitman from the cross link, the three holes used for Captain Fab's template are exposed. Disconnect that brace on the left and swing it out of the way allows better cleanup and welding on the frame rail.

[Cohi]

Captain fab's template is spot on. I used a razor to cut out the EXISTING HOLES on the template, then attached the template to the frame rail running bolts through the holes i'd just cut out. The template layed flat and I used a center punch to mark the holes of the new holes that had to be drilled. Pilot holes were then drilled for three of the holes.

I didn't center punch the lower left hole yet as it was really close to the existing hole and needed to be welded up first (as shown in the pic). The template was reapplied and this last hole was center punched and drilled out.

[roll_the_dice]

Looking good...Great job...maybe I missed it, but are you going to do a repaint or just keep the green and clean it up?

[Cohi]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Looking good...Great job...maybe I missed it, but are you going to do a repaint or just keep the green and clean it up?

Thanks!

I'll fix the floors and get the interior upholstery finished up by spring-ish. Exterior will stay the same for the time being. Prolly start body work in a year or two.. maybe three.

[Cohi]

Added an an Autometer O2 sensor on the left back that feeds this AFR gauge. Makes jetting a Holley a LOT easier. I'm in Denver (for now) so this thing got jetted down considerably to keep it from running pig rich.

Sry for the weird angle on the pic.

[Cohi]

Shaft tacked and cross drilled. 1/4” grade 8 x2.

[62 short step]

Very nice!

[Cohi]

Originally Posted by 62 short step

Very nice!

Thanks Bud! No more rocks and water flying up into the bed from now on

[made2drag]

Looks good so far!

[Cohi]

Originally Posted by made2drag

Looks good so far!

Thank you Sir!

[Cohi]

700R4 running warm at sustained freeway speeds so I added a B&M (#70266) plate style supercooler. Probably overkill for what I needed but it did the job quickly. Mounting straps are aluminum. There's standoff space between the A/C condensor and no clearance issues with the grill. It's still plumbed through the radiator. Current thermostat is a 195 which i put in for winter, but may drop back to a 180 during Denver's summer.

[pdxhall]

I just looked through your build. Great work! It's good to see another long bed.
I added an additional BM trans cooler through my 700r4 besides the internal radiator cooler. it works great, even in this southern AZ heat.

[Cohi]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

I just looked through your build. Great work! It's good to see another long bed.
I added an additional BM trans cooler through my 700r4 besides the internal radiator cooler. it works great, even in this southern AZ heat.

Thanks! I lived in PHX in 90 and was rolling in a 54 ford pkup in primer black with no a/c. Trans cooler worked good though

[Cohi]

Well... she ran and rode pretty good on the Ridetech system, Blueprint 355 and Bowtie 700R4 (I did fry one 700r4 when the TV cable went out of adjustment unnoticed).

Presently waiting (12 months) on a GSI air ride chassis, new LS drivetrain prepped and ready to install. Before it comes to me in Colorado, the chassis will pay a visit to Arizona High Test for stainless brake and air line plumbing. Hoping to finally get the chassis by Dec/Jan - then lots to do over the winter.