Running & Driving Now '76 Jimmy As it " flew " (the smog Tech's comment) through the emissions test , so I got tags (and supposedly a title) , insured it and have been driving it 'round . I'd be posting this over on the '73 ~ '87 forums but no one there cares about old trucks go figure . I've still not addressed the underdash wiring mess (soon though) as I decided to find out why the original passenger side saddle fuel tank was by - passed . BECAUSE Nate , it was full of shale rust and had pinhole leaks and rotted away pickup and gauge float arm to boot - that's why . So , to-day's madness is to go out to Sun Valley in the predicted 102* F heat with my tape measure and try to find a good used stock fuel tank . I'll also remove and discard the BRAHMA camper shell on the bed , I've been trying to give it away as it's an expen$ive item and the local Mexicans seem to love them but no takers so in the dump it goes , my son works in the trash truck garage so I'll schlepp over there and remove it then take him to lunch. I hope to get the new (used) fuel tank before then , maybe he'll give me a hand and we'll nstall the new back glass I bought else I won't be able to street park it until that's done . Maybe this upcoming week I'll rip the dashboard apart and attack it , fix the bad grounding and broken temp. & fuel gauges , I hate that's it's dark as I drive at night . Technically it's ready to drive North now but I'll wait until the dash is done before calling and setting up my Moto pickup appointment . I dragged the original seat with only one hole in the original red plaid cover , out to the street along with the leaky original radiator and dead hood hinges , soon a nice older Mexican man & his grand daughter came by in his '76 C-20 Chevy scrap truck and began cutting away the cover & *perfect* foam seat buns , I let him fill my trashcan with most of this debris and managed to grab what was left of the original build sheet from the springs , I'll try to salvage it but we'll see .
Fuel crossover Nate, these are great ol pickups. Ive owned 4 or 5 of them. One thing that sticks in my mind, If you have duel tanks with the electric change over(rocker switch on the dash) always use the tank that energized (valve) first. Those valves have been known to die. And always carry a spare Ignition modual(inside the distributer). They dont usually give much warning that there going bad. Have a safe trip! Chris
THANX Chris ! I remember them when new . As it turned out , I drove out to Sun Valley where there's SCADS of these fine trucks in a Pick-A-Part yard , the parking lot was jammed so I asked one fellow who was locking up his truck ' it's to-day 1/2 price day or summat ? ' ~ he grinned " you betcha ! it's all weekend long !" having done this before , I knew it'd be a freaking ZOO inside and since it was already 102° F , I kippered off to my son's nearby shop where we unbolted and discarded the FUGLY BRAHMA shell & crushed it in a packer , then he helped me install the back glass I bought and had tinted - it's now much quieter in the cab and I can put my new Ural Solo sT in the bed unhindered , we drove it to lunch , Chinese Rat On A Stick M-M GOOD ! . I'll get another tank later , or at a different yard or whatnot . When I got home I called the Moto dealer and they said about two weeks , I guess it's ready to drive long distance now but I'll keep tinkering with it . The dual tank setup is an aftermarket deal , I found the old valve , it has three hose nipples and one electrical connection so I dunno , I also scored an original GM 6 port switchover valve , I'll test both and figure out what's what after I get a good stock tank .
It broke As I'm now driving and enjoying this truck , I decided to clean up my work area and put the scrap metal out on the curb (Neil : Kerb) , I dropped the crispy old exhaust manifold from about 2' up and it shattered ~ I'll take a pic and post it here so you'll know what to expect from running with exhaust leaks .
Greg If you have any bolt or nut on eaither end ear , the manifold will crawl & have leaks , often it'll break too .
' Good Pups ' You have no idea ! I got home last night and hit my recliner , they leapt into my lap and I passed out , they're nice to have there protecting and loving me .
