hAetwagon's 65 Progress thread..

[hAetWagon]

This is the intro so it's a bit long...won't alway be like this I promise.

I found a 65 C10 long bed in October of last year that had a 350 crate motor and 2spd powerglide in it already. Nothing was permanently installed. The engine bay was a rat's nest of wires and confusion. I figure this is as good a place as any to post progress,and solicit tips and advice. If I had my heart's desire I would strip this truck to the frame and bare metal and start from scratch.. That's a way down the road though. For now I'm going to see how close I can get it to where I want it doing all of the work myself. This is going to present some obstacles but I want to do it for the challenge and the experience.
Thus far I've stripped the top of the motor down and replaced the carb,cam,manifold,fan,rewired the truck, (by hand which I'm sure the rest of you know sucks...) tore out the bed and have done as much as I can to clean up what doesn't work. isn't going to be used or just looks like plain doodoo.

I've gotten the motor to run reliably,replaced all the gaskets and that was goal 1.
#2 is..for some reason I no longer have reverse in the Powerglide transmission. I know diddly about trannies. I'm going to replace it with a th350 (which if anyone has anything I should know in advance things I may not know I need I'd gladly welcome it).
Once the powerglide is out I'll use it to learn transmissions (seeing as I won't need it.) and rebuild it.
As you can imagine not having reverse makes parking tricky. It'd be nice not to have to plan my routes and parking spots accordingly again.

However..parking will remain tricky after the swap due to step #3.
I need power steering. It still has the 65 power steering assy sans power steering pump I wanted to upgrade to the newer box since I already habe the pump. I know I need an adaptor plate and to cut a few reliefs.. but I also need to know what other components I need.. I'm going to continue to do a lot of searching but I still don't quite have the total hang of the search function here...kinda all over the place.

Once that's done... I'm tackling suspension.
I'm debating on just getting a notch and static kit for now or just put the money towards an air ride kit. I've got the hookup on the air kits so it's a matter of do I wait and just do it once or take the static off and go from there selling the kit? I think cost comparison will win decide that one.

After that (or during) I'm going to be doing the body work. I haven't welded much and plan on learning using this truck. I have an extra door that needs some work and I can use it to practice shaving handles. Frame welds I'm not dumb enough to do myself for the air ride....that comes later.

without further ado here are the pics of my truck. I've decided I'll never get rid of it as a symbol of the past year and how hard things have gotten. It was my toy at first...then my daily driver when I had to give up my Tundra.. It's still here. I'm still here and therefore neither of us is going anywhere.

It's not fair that one of us has to be so durned sexy while the other looks like hell. So I'm helpin him out.

This community has been a lot of help with a lot of great guys from what I can tell by lurking so I'm making it home and hope I can contribute at some point. Thanks in advance guys.

[Corts60]

Looks like you got some work ahead of you! It'll be a great experience.

Where in Sacto do you live? I am from Folsom/Rancho Cordova area originally...

Cort

[hAetWagon]

I'm in the Arden area..not too far away.
I'm looking forward to the work and you're right.
Here's the most recent engine bay pic.
I'm shaving the firewall as soon as I get a welder here..

[hAetWagon]

That's not it...hmmm. where's the edit button?

[protrash64]

I think your bed patch panel needs a patch.....you'll get it all together.

Where did the edit button go????????????

[hAetWagon]

Lol thanks. The bed is completely stripped at this point of course.
I't been rattle canned flat black in the meantime.

1. Found a tranny so that's next.
2. I'll order the adapter plate and get the steering box.
3. Then it's on with the suspension.

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by hAetWagon

Lol thanks. The bed is completely stripped at this point of course.
I't been rattle canned flat black in the meantime.

1. Found a tranny so that's next.
2. I'll order the adapter plate and get the steering box.
3. Then it's on with the suspension.

I can help you with that right here....
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=332923

[hAetWagon]

Well, time passes on among other things. Ended an old job and began a new one..
a week into it and on the way to work my momentary starter wire grounded out and sent my new starter into the flywheel while traveling down the freeway.
I was a mile away and stopping wasn't an option, (especially in CA , and even moreso in a shirt and tie.)
So The starter's chewed.
I left the truck at work and went and got a starter. Went back to work the next day and crawled underneath...to witness half of all of the teeth had been vaporized.

No way to start it. (that I'm aware of at least.)
So I'm being forced into doing the tranny swap in the parking lot after work.
in an effort to reduce potential hitches I found another powerglide real cheap to throw in it for the meantime.

I don't have a tranny jack so will be using a 2.5 ton floor jack to accomplish the task. Not looking forward to it but it's just how it's gotta be.

I've done a bunch of trans swaps..
but for the sake of the Classic Truck Rookie can y'all give me a heads up on any tools or parts I may not know I need? the objective is to get my ride to work and drive the truck home.


I used to be able to replace my trans,clutch n flywheel in my supra in 45 mins. I'm hoping I can get this done by the time the sun goes down which will give just over 2 hours.

Thanks fellas.
Josh

[neto]

Good luck with the swap. Could you turn the flywheel to where the teeth start so as to engage the starter and maybe get your truck started to be able to take it home?

[hAetWagon]

The starter engaged at 70 miles per hour traveling down the freeway scaring the living feces out of me in the process with the horrific roar that ensued. The teeth start somewhere in between the Highway 50 onramp and the Florin road exit my friend.
May they rest in pieces.

I see what you are saying and I wish that was an option. The parking lot is where the magic's gotta happen.

I know I'm a new poster around here;and y'all seem real friendly. so I'm going to assume that this is going to be pretty straightforward judging by the lack of response as opposed to a "let-the-n00b-beat-his-head-against-the-pavement-til-he-gets it" kinda thing. I had to discover that in order to get the top bell housing bolts in my supra you needed an 18" extension, a universal and an 8" extension with a deepwell 14mm socket to get the job done without considering suicide.
I just don't want to be amidst the rubble finding I need a $1.40 item with no way to get it when I could have gotten it earlier. and I KNOW y'all know that feeling.
Thanks in advance.
Josh

[Alan's Classic]

First off congrats on your project and sorry for loosing your (trucks)teeth. First question do you have a new flex plate? There are 2 different sizes. It sounds like you have bent a few wrenches before. I'll try to list the things that have to come off. So you can do an inventory of tools that you will need. First unhook your battery.

flywheel dust cover if you have one
drive shaft (Don't forget a drain pan)
tranny cooler lines
shift linkage
kick down
Torque converter bolts
bellhousing bolts
Flexplate (Need a torque wrench) I put loctite on when I install the bolts
crossmember
Wheel chocks (I hope it is in a flat parking spot)
Does your ebrake work

Other than sockets, extensions and pry bars. I'd grab a bottle jack and a piece of wood incase the engine sags once the tranny is removed.

I'm sure there is something I'm missing, but maybe this will jog someones memory.

Good luck

[jason65]

Did you get it? You were out past my bed time.

[Alan's Classic]

Does your starter still work? Also don't forget some tranny fluid. Might need some jack stands as well.

[protrash64]

Im not familiar with Pwrglides.....will the convertor work with both trannies? Are the shafts the same?......good luck with the swap, may the force be with you.......

[hAetWagon]

Alan hit the nail on the head.
I got off of work at 6 yesterday and ran out back lickety split.
I didn't get to see any of this but the removal went really smooth.
The starter is brand new. I just bought it in hopes of fixing the truck and that's what caused me to realize that the teeth were gone on the flywheel.
I'm realizing which core tools I need to get the job done to carry with at all times.

I have a couple observations:
1. I NEVER want to work on a vehicle this disgusting ever again.
There was so much goop and sludge underneath it that when the subframe was unbolted (by the 2 bolts remaining) that I had to hammer it loose and slide it back and forth to create a path for me to slide it out of the way.
2. That no matter how much you prepare, until you are able to remove everything and take whatever you are replacing in with you. There will always be something in the way. I was going to go into work today 4 hrs early to finish, go to the gym next door to shower and drive it home tonight. Except when I pulled the flexplate off last night it was clearly a smaller size than what I had to replace it.

Lesson learned= The flywheel diameter and tooth count are based off of the transmission. In this case a 2speed powerglide.
Kragen didn't have it to exchange and the guy behind the counter stared at me like I stare at Alan's build thread. "Glassy eyed and confused."

So, I'm getting the flexplate, going into work at noon and conceding defeat until tomorrow, which is when I'll be buying a face shield, a poncho, and blasting the hell out of the undercarriage with a pressure washer.
Thanks for the help guys.
I'm picking up momentum with this thing and I'm settling into a few ideas as I prioritize things.
I've decided where to mount my air setup in the future, and fuel cell. I miss doin' this kinda stuff.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by hAetWagon

Alan hit the nail on the head.
Lesson learned= The flywheel diameter and tooth count are based off of the transmission. In this case a 2speed powerglide.
Kragen didn't have it to exchange and the guy behind the counter stared at me like I stare at Alan's build thread. "Glassy eyed and confused."

Sorry if I confused you.

[hAetWagon]

Less "confused" more "baffled"
I've learned a ton from your guys' build threads.

[hAetWagon]

Swap is quasi done.

I expected to come across some issues and wasn't disappointed.
I got everything apart no problem. Reassembly was an issue.
I got the tranny lined up on the pins and started some bolts.
I figured that like that manual cars that I've worked on I could draw the bell housing in with the bolts.
Well, yes, you can do that. Except you had better make sure that the TORQUE CONVERTER IS SEATED ALL THE DAMN WAY first. Failing to do this apparently results in the casting breaking.

I NEVER want to have to do a major swap without pulling the motor and trans as a single unit. The amount of time it took for reassembly was absurd.
I got it, and it will never take that long again but still.
I got all the way to reinstalling the driveshaft and discovered that the output shaft splines were different.
I called the guy I bought the Trans from and asked him if he knew how many teeth it had, he actually had the yoke for it and dropped it off to me while he was in sac today from vacaville.

I didn't have any time today after work to try any more but I could not get the U joint out of the DS. Suggestions are very welcome here and encouraged. I've had to cut em out before but obviously dont have a torch setup at work.
Everything else I've had has had straps on the yokes.

[protrash64]

It will need to be pressed out into a big socket, for instance.....or a piece of pipe. Similar to a balljoint removal tool. Good luck, sounds like the truck is really fighting back on this one.

[joe231]

Is there C-clips on the inside of the u-joint cups?
did you remove them?
they might be covered in crud and hard to see...

[TimE]

If the joint has never been removed, the factory used some type of plastic retainer (in some) that has to be melted before the joint will press out. I have ran into this a few times on some old drive shafts.

[joe231]

you don't have to melt the plastic, they will knock out, a vice makes it nice, I don't think they used the plastic stuff until the mid-late 80's though....

[Corts60]

This sounds so familiar.......Good luck man! All my tranny dropping in random parking lot days were in Sacto as well. Nothing worse than being greasy laying on the floor and having SWASS in Sacramento heat.

[hAetWagon]

The joint is the original style with the clips. The clips have been removed I just can't get the cups out thus far. I was trying in a shirt and tie for 20 min so I'm sure when I go back it'll be all good.

Next I'm going to order Ez wiring's kit to rewire the truck. I need brake lights and turn signals and stuff.

After that I'll do the Air RIde as I'm sanding.

I've decided that I'm going to go the route of the elevated bed floor to conceal my fuel cell and air ride system, as well as my battery.
It just makes sense to me and I really like how it cleans it up.
I may do something different in the future but for my skill set now it seems like a great option.

I'm going to look at a few different styles and may incorporate a lift system for access.

[hAetWagon]

And I need to give back here.. this place is worthy of support.