First '78. What should I do?

[oneday1]

Hey all. First off, want to say I've been reading the forums and am loving all the info available here. Great site...keep it up!
So, I recently decided to purchase a truck for work and was looking through the classifieds when I found this one. 1978 C1500 Heavy Half. Fell in love right away. Paid 1500 for it and am not too unhappy with the price. It has very minimal rust and body and frame seem straight and solid. It has a number of small issues such as gas gauge working erratically (locking in 3oclock position sometimes) fuel tank switch doesn't work, slight oil leak, etc. I was just hoping to see if anyone had any suggestions, concerns, or things to watch out for or take care of right away to keep the truck healthy. I'm mechanically able and was a diesel mechanic in the Army but honestly have absolutely no experience with older gas trucks. Any help or pearls of wisdom are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Chevy1966]

Nice truck! Post some more pictures when you have a chance. Now on to your question... when you buy a "new" 35 year old vehicle you have a lot of items to look at on your checklist. What you do depends partly on what your plans are for the truck: daily driver, restoration project, etc. Also depends on the recent history - was the truck sitting for a long time or driven on a regular basis? First on my list would be to check the condition of the brake system and fuel lines - you need to be able to stop and you don't want your truck to burn up because fuel is leaking somewhere - gasoline is not as forgiving as diesel fuel is. Check you heater core too - make sure it isn't leaking into the cab (a problem that I have had recently with one of my 3 square-bodies). Regarding your fuel gauge - if you are certain that the problem is with the gauge, not the sending unit, then you will need to pull out the instrument cluster and see if the gauge is mechanically damaged or maybe just has some dirt in the movement. If you need a new gauge I might have an extra one - send me an IM. Regarding the fuel tank switch issue you need to determine if the problem is the switch (in the cab) or the valve with should be on the right-hand tank. Start by checking the voltages at the switch, then check the connectors at the valve. Also it is possible that the fuel lines are blocked or maybe someone plugged off one of the tanks for one reason or another. It's all a process of elimination. If you do need either a new switch or a new valve, they are still available from a number of sources. Tell us a little more about what you find and you should get a lot of help from the forum. Good luck!

[oneday1]

Chevy1966 - Thanks a bunch. Helpful advice. I have started inspecting the most crucial elements (fuel, brakes etc.) and haven't found too many issues yet. As for the history...that is the problem. There is a lot of aftermarket on the truck and figuring out what is what is going to be difficult. Wires that go nowhere and that kind of thing. I'm pretty positive though that it is the sending unit and not the gauge itself that is causing the trouble with the fuel gauge. Thanks too for mentioning about the gas tank as I didn't even stop to think that there might be a reason to shut one off....damage etc...makes a lot of sense and I would of kicked myself if I spent time/money on the switch only to find out the gas tank had a hole in it or something. This will be a learning experience for me but I am looking forward to it. I will post some more photos once I really start getting in to it. Thanks again!!!!

[walkerb]

Nice truck. Is the color Sunset gold?

[oneday1]

I believe its Buckskin option #65L

[Tdubbyount]

Lucky for you, these things are about as simple as it gets! If i were you i'd pick up a copy of a Haynes or Chiltons service manual for these trucks. They will run you through just about anything you can think of. They also have plenty of wiring diagrams that'll help you figure out that fuel gauge/switch problem. Just keep running through the basic checks and you should be fine. If there's a problem anywhere it will surely make itself known! Just keep up on the basic stuff and if you have any problems just post it up on here and you will quickly get bombarded with possible solutions. Have fun and good luck!

[manimal]

Nice truck!

[motornut]

looks good,a heavy too ,don't see those often

[Old School Low]

Hello Heavy Half bro. Mine is 78 SB. Check my out New Old Guy thread. I'm new and learning too and have the busted knuckles, empty bank account and ruined parts to prove it. LOVIN EVERY MINUTE. I'm sure we'll both run into similar issues and can maybe exchange what we're doing. My son in truck after lowering 2 days ago, and BRAND NEW, PROF BUILT 383 just waiting to be installed. I'll need mechanic help to do this, never pulled and swapped engine before.[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]