mellow yellow 71c-10

[stich626]

engine shot of the shot engine in the truck.
it's a 327 with a weird carb adapter lol
this will get the 454 and up in the air tranny.
th350 in it now..


OK, because of my health this will more than likely be my daily driver..
so. I gotta get my @$$ IN GEAR
here is the factory dash gauge panel


And here are the parts to go in at somepoint
new gauge panel blank

the wood insert to try to match stear wheel
I have to cut this down for the gauge panel and glove box cover

here is the wheel I'll be try'n to match

it will be used in this truck and the monty SS with the grant theft system

remember the dash pad

these are the gauges going in
tranny temp/nos pressure and clock

the gauge panel is getting this


with these gauge angle fillers

turn signal and high beam lights


the kick panels will hole speakers

the speakers in the doors now will go into the kicks
and these will go into the door
3 way seperates

[stich626]

any advise on gauge placement?
clock may go into gauge panel to make room for a shift light in the dash pad pod

[stich626]

Ok ,after looking at the aftermarket gauge panel for hours try'n to figure out
where to put the gauges,
I looked at the stocker

so ,i'm looking and looking and deside, what the hell, I'll take it apart and look it over..
the small 2 and 1/16th " gauges fit the lower four holes like they where factory,
the upper two holes that factory held the speedo and the fuel gauge where a little to big . A good 1/8th" to big.. but the factory rolled the edges , so with vise grips ,and body work hammer and dolly, closed up the holes without making hammer marks in the metal. so now those gauges will fit
speedo where the factory speedo was and tac where the fuel gauge was..
if I could figure out how to make the panel look cermetrical(sp?) I'd put the tac in the factory hole thats blank and dead center over the steering wheel..
any input ??
i'll post pics tomorrow.. as I couldn't find my 2and 1/8th hole saw to cut out the factory metal backing (face windows for the factory gauges)
so I went to home depot and got another, witch you know means I'll find the old one once I use this one..
got some shrink sleaves and wire ties..
they don't carry multi connertors , radio shack does, so I looked over at another vendor MacCaster-carr and they also carry them..
so I just have to figure out what # of pins I want and order the male/female and the pins and sockets. so I can have a quick connector, to remove the gauge panel when needed..
I feel like a kid again, rolling change to buy connectors.. don't know if thats good or bad or just sad..
radio shack it's like 9 bucks for 2 sets of connectors, MacCaster-car it's 21 for 10 sets of connectors and 100 pins and sockets ..
tomorrow pic's as I cut,fit,paint and rework the factory gauge panel..

[stich626]

Here is the factory set up


Cut the holes in the lower four and center upper to fit the Autometer 2 1/16th" gauges


Added a little paint


The speedo and tach backing clamps ,where a tad to short for the sheet metal backing panel so,, I added a little RTV and waa la


The autometer 2 1/16th" gauges fit the lower four spots in the factory panel like they are born there




The factory panel had the highbeam light in a gauge so, had to add one,
sadly the hole is a little off center..



The speedo and tach fit the factory holes "almost" the factory rolled the metal edges, so to close up the hole a little, I unrolled the flange a little , and Waaa la..



The highbeam and turn signal lights are l.e.d.



and the finished panel , only thing missing is the upper three gauges glass,
that is being buffed, then I'll install and have a better pic of the finished product..

[oldblue1968chevy]

I LOVE the dashpad guage setup, Looks great and cleans things up, but WAY outta my price range LOL

[stich626]

Ok, well doctors office was a waste,, they haven't read the ekg's etc..
so home at noon.. it's a fair day 42 and sunny, so I diside to chase the trucks wire'n to see WHY I have no power to anything..
battery, check 12.80
cable to starter check
small wire off + battery cable (this powers whole truck) power at junction block.. power out of it..
OK go across the core support and to the voltage reg. red wire 3.5 volts? what..
go back to pass side and untape the harness(it runs from pass side fender across coresupport to drivers side..
so at the juction block there is a wire say 6" long(feels like a fuseable link) that is connected to the red wire with a snap connector, you know the ones... you don't strip the insulation you just put wires in and snap it closed..
what assclown use's these for a wire that powers the whole truck... OH IT GETS BETTER..
that red wire that the fuseble link is connected to.. is only 5" long with another snap connector that connects it to the harness... the 2nd one is where it goes from 12.8 volts to 3.5..

This was a TEXAS truck. and this is way past butch.. this it big time redneck wire'n 101..

so I go into garage after shovel'n the door.. to get some new wire and a few crimp butt connectors that I'll crimp then solder and shrink sleave...

Well, who to you think shows up..
THATS RIGHT MR MURPHY.. I need to yellow butt connectors and I have ONE..
off to the store..
after lunch (now) I'll fix this and hope that was the issue..
then start putting the dash together, radio in. and get a few other little thing done,
the wire harness is very brittle.. it need a redo..
but painless is 510.oo+ on sale (not so painless)
and will have to wait..
off to fight murphy

[stich626]

the seat



and painted the blazer tank

[stich626]

[propanemudtruck]

This looks like a fun truck! The dash panel is pretty cool, did you do that or is it a purchased part?

[stich626]

it's from just dashes

[stich626]

Well, last week I dug out some stereo gear from my 97 f 150 that I installed in 98 and pulled when it was totalled in 2000
and desided to install the old junk that isn't worth anything in the truck

The doors where already cut front and rear for 6.5" speakers so I opened the rear hole and installed my boston acustic 6 by9s and pioneer 6.5"


I also had some kickpanels and a set of cerwin vaga(remember them) 6.5" two way seperates
the woofer is in the kick the tweeter in the dash


next was the really old jbl and kenwood amps



and then cut the crap out of my arms try'n to get this in the dash

[stich626]

and re installed the seat after a little rework

now to fit this blazer tank under the bed

this brace under the bed must be cut
all gone


there is another brace behind this one so it's not a big deal, if I was to use it like a 3/4 ton truck then,,
I'm gonna cut the brace at my cut about 3/8" and fold it in and weld it so it'll have a little added strenth..
after that sand and sand and then some por 15

[Pop's C-10]

frame looks good

[stich626]

cleaned and painted my junkyard front sway bar and brackets

cleaned and burned out the bushings in the long arms


first coat of paint

[stich626]

while cleaning the rear end I got all the numbers off it..
this one is driverside facing forward

drivers side back top

drivers side back tube

two sets drivers side back bottom

pass side front

pass side front tube

any info thanks

[stich626]

While, rebuilding the rear end of the truck I desided it take the rake out of it.. as it may help when loading up the bed, but this truck will never see that type heavy loads again but will be used as a truck so didn't want to lower the whole truck. just take the rake out of it to help with weight transfer..
so off to grant steel for some 2"by2" .25 square tube

took the shock mount and used it for template for the holes for the u bolts

a little paint


the carrier bearing was junk so try'd to install it.. but the u joint has to come out.. and no cash so. it's on hold


the energy sub. bushings for the long arms.


they don't like to just fall in.. and don't come with outer shells..


spent a half day cleaning and sanding the rear end , that I'll have to resand as it isn't painted and rained the last few days


see my el cheapo coil overs.. hehe..


next up is sand the bottom of the bed and por15 it..

just received the q jet throttle shaft bushings and thats on my plate too.
just need a drillpress vise..
thanks fer reading

[75ChevyGuy]

Trucks coming along good! I really like the door panels. Are they factory?

[mcbassin]

Nice project Stich! I will follow along too

[stich626]

Originally Posted by 75ChevyGuy

Trucks coming along good! I really like the door panels. Are they factory?

no idea, came with truck..


thanks tho.. on the post..
now if the rain would stop

[mcbassin]

Hey Stich, what was the clearance cut in the bed brace for? the gas tank? Just curious, I was thinking about using a blazer tank too. thanks

[stich626]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Hey Stich, what was the clearance cut in the bed brace for? the gas tank? Just curious, I was thinking about using a blazer tank too. thanks

yes for the blazer tank...
if I was to do it now, meaning buy the tank, I bought my blazer tank kit in 2003 and never installed it till now,
I'd look at the f body tank (camaro) that the fill faces the back of the truck..
it makes placing the filler easier(behind lic. plate)
and no cutting of bed brace, just notch a frame crossmember..
but I already own this tank.. I was looking at jeeps the otherday , you know real jeeps, they have a filler with no door, just the tank cap..
gonna see if the photoshop area can work this..
as the nascartrucks that style fill doesn't look that odd..
I'd just have to paint match the jeep body piece that goes around the filler neck..
if putting a tank in the back.. the lic.plate fill is a better option.. as it requires no body mods to the bed side.. and I've not seen a behing the marker light fill in person to say if it's a place I'd want to have a fill.
being extra carefull of my paint while filling 21 gallons, isn't my idea of fun..
(I jam a 16/20 ox soda bottle in the gun and clean the windows,, so a fill that I have to hold and take care not to chip paint off,scratch..
not my cup of tea..

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Looks like the truck is really comming along..

[stich626]

Well I popped the cover of the 40y/o gear oil





gave the cover some love while off





the track bar needed new bushings so.. I painted it





and everything back but not tight.. still need to replace drivers side brake line and the rubber line



it started to rain so that was it



this truck didn't have a front sway bar, but the 73-87 bars are a bolt in..

the holes are in the lower a arms and the frame, you just have to remove one rivit in the frame for the crossmember right behind the core support and replace rivit with a bolt as the sway bar frame bracket uses this hole also..

so bolted this in after burning out a few rivits



then did boring stuff

refilled the rear end with gear oil and then moved to the tranny pan.. to get the pan off the crossmember has to move back, 8 bolts and 2 bolts at the mount and slide it back.. pulled pan it was very clean no junk on the floor, installed the new filter painted the pan and installed the gasket, the tranny mount was junk so new one , one bolt hole for the mount in tranny was striped so had to fix that, tapped to the next mertic size and called it good, as this tranny isn't stay'n no point of a helicoil..

popped out rear seal and replaced it, the 3 u-joints and carrier bearing.. buttoned up all that and added 3.5 quarts of fluid..

will top off when I start it up (needs gas)

ran the feed and return to the blazer tank that will replace the in cab tank..

and called it a day.. broke creeper, so that will get a grind and weld..



to do list

source the fuel filler hose and vent

run the fuel sender wire to cab

ground the fuel sender

clamp the fuel lines to the frame..

install new brake shoes and pads

finish wire'n gauge panel

wire the headlight relays

wire kill switch

wire alarm

finish sanding bottom of bed and por15 and reinstall..

[oldblue1968chevy]

Lookin' good looking great stay at it

[stich626]

hope to get more done next week, being sick sucks..
thanks..