After overhaul about 3 years ago, my engine has hung on an engine stand in the back corner of my shop. Never started it. With a little help from the wife, I mounted it in the frame a few days ago. After rebuilding the starter and carburetor , electronic ignition installed, basic timing set and double checked, all the fluids were topped off, and that baby fired up and ran like a champ! Man, I was one happy trucker! Took it through the 3000 RPM break-in, and then proceeded to install the T-5 transmission. My two boys and my son-in-law were all going to be here today, so I wanted to get the transmission in (the easy way) so they could help me lift the cab onto the frame. Things were going pretty good until I broke the retainer spring on the clutch fork pivot ball. So I went ahead and had them help me put the cab on anyway. Gotta use the help while I have them! Anyway, it sure feels good to be heading up the opposite side of the "restoration" valley after these months and months of taking stuff off, rebuilding, sanding, etc.
Good on ya, Bob! I love posts like this~ the "it's coming back together" thing. Sanding/grinding, whatever you have to do to get it to bare metal... It would be great to be able to skip this part, but... I forget, did you do the original front, or change it to IFS? If it's original, did you go the disk brakes way? Do you have a "three foot drift pin" to line those holes up with? =^)
Very good ! . Those pesky clutch fork springs _are_ available from your local Chevy dealer , hard to find in the catalog though so the oldest parts guy might just know where they're on the shelf .
