If it is still on the rack, use the rattle can black and do some re-touch up before you drive it to Florida.
Thanks, Russ! I can now hear that sweet 228 running, but I can't look out over the rounded beauty of the hood and fenders yet. So yeah~ that worked for me! Beautiful truck. Now get going on that GMC of yours!
I finished spraying after I took the pic.s. The camera makes everything stand out, even stuff that doesn't look bad to the naked eye.
Got the new radiator in.......made me say very bad things. It hit the fan when I put it in. I moved the mounting rails to move it back through trial and error.....more error. Here is how... Here is the side of the radiator. Notice the spot welds? Drill them out.....carefully! Do not use too much pressure, if you punch through, you may puncture the core. I have found that a hammer aand a stout scraper works well to break spot welds after drilling them. I use this method for snapping spot welds on the body also. Grind the side smooth... Line up the rails where you need them and fill weld the spot weld holes. Don't spend too long or you may melt the solder from the fins and core. Now spray it all black and install it. I found that I could move the radiator back about 1/4" before hitting the rad. support. This made for plenty of room for the fan. I could barely change the belt before and the fan hit the bottom edge of the radiator when the fan spun fast and began to flex.
Russ, who did you get the radiator from? I bought a repop radiator and it fit perfectly. Inquiring minds need to know!
I got it through Dave's truck parts. The 235 fan is a little closer to the radiator, I couldn't even change the fan belt with the origional rad., it was so close. The new one was just a tad thicker, so there lies the problem.
How to change out the origional ignition lock cylinder..... After I figured it out, I realized that you don't have to remove the ignition switch. But anyway, Put your key into the lock... See that little hole? Rotate the key as far as it will go, then push it in with a pick... This little pin is what you are triggering. It keeps the cylinder from rotting all the way. When the pin is pushed in, the lock will rotate a little further and pull right out. Insert the new lock cylinder in with the key, turn back to "off" and remove the key. I installed the new guage cluster and guess what? The damn temp guage doesn't work#$*%(*&^)^)^^)%$#. The needle is all the way over to the left, and doesn't budge. I called C.P. and they are sending me another one, then I will send this one back. This is getting rediculous.
Sorry to hear about your temp gauge, Russ. Not that being up under the dash isn't a wonderful thing, but there is too much of a good thing, and I believe you found it. Good luck with this next one.
What about us dummies??? Russ: Your instructions for removing the lock cylinder from the switch is missing one little piece of information. You said "Rotate the key as far as it will go". You didn't say which way and I can't remember.
I aquired 2 gearboxes, they are at a friend's shop and he is going to inspect them this morning. Hopefully, Wednesday I will be swapping them out.
Gearbox Fun This should prolly be a seperate thread . The gears in the three speed trannies , like to get tiny hairline cracks that'll wait for the worst possible moment to shatter and spoil your day . If you wash the old gear oil out well , you can use graphite spray to check the tooth mesh , sort of like setting up a final drive . you'd prefer even meshin the center of the teeth , any end meshing is very bad and must needs be corrected ASAP . Mind the cluster gear's end float , Chevs Of The 40's in Wa. State has the correct shims . Really , unless you take it all the way apart , you cannot tell it's condition as the shafts get a strange taper wear on the roller's riding surface when run for years with low or filthy gear oil.... I'd not expect one of these trannies to be silent no matter what .
One of them is toast, good for making trophies with. The other is beautiful. We are going to use the origional case, and cherry pick the parts from all 3, replace bearings and gaskets, then re install.
(banging head on table) Got the new guage cluster in, guess what.....................................the temp guage only reads up to 100 degrees. WHAT the HELL? This is the 4th guage I have installed on this truck. Took it to the trans. shop, we got the gearbox pulled and stripped, some wear and a few chipped teeth. We ill be stripping the good trans this morning and ordering parts. Hopefully get it together tomorrow. Going to Fla. on thurs.
Temp. Gauge Fun I salvage quite a few mechanical temperature gauges , basic 2" InDash ones for LBC's and I always test them by dipping the bulb into the steaming hot radiator of whatever I'm driving when I come across said used or new gauge . They either work or not ,I've seen batches of bad parts before.... It's a serious pisser , I know this .
Got the transmissions all apart. We are using the guts from a car trans in the truck case. It is in the best shape. The only difference is that cars use bushings on the counter shaft, trucks use needle bearings. We are using the main shaft from the truck, the gears from the car. I spent the day tracking down the rear output bushing......HENS TEETH. Found 2 in Oregon, the last 2 Transtar's supplier had. One is overnighting for tommorrow. Found one in Greenville, SC, but turned out to be an empty box. Found 1 in Charlotte, but the old man wanted $100 for it. For part and shipping, I'm in about $60. If you have/ find one.....HANG ON TO IT.
Got the trans rebuilt, now the shifter box seems to be acting up. Went and grabbed one off B.J.'s trucks, We'll install it in the morning. Got the wheels pinstriped, I have no easy tips on painting them, other than hire a pinstriper. I'm a pinstriper and I thought that sucked. Count down to Thursday!
