Test runs are always great but they steal time from actually doing something productive...I know this from experience. But a hobby is supposed to be fun right?
Brakes are good, I am all for them. Have you replaced your brake hard lines and rubber hoses? I would encourage doing so as they corrode from the inside even in your arid climate.
Have fun!
I have been soaking up the test runs, driving it all I could this week. You are right too, I never did any actual work on it. I do have a better mental picture of how to move forward though. Brakes are obviously first, the 5 pump stop is just dangerous, even at low speeds. My father claimed that he might have a set of front wheel cylinders, but he could not remember what he bought it for. That is one of the reasons I never did any work on it, I could not track him down this weekend. I know I should replace the hoses as well, but there are about 2 miles of line under there, it is intimidating, I have to work my way up to it.
After the brakes are up to speed, the truck has informed me what the next items are. The transmission leaks at the driveshaft, the steering is a little loose, and there is a grinding sheet metal noise up on the front right that squeaks on uneven road flexing.
At a family reunion, one of my uncles told me he bought a 6 cylinder Chevy motor that someone had sent out to be milled for a re-build, plus all new parts, but never put it back together. My Uncle is sick of looking at the boxes of parts in his shop, so will sell it to me for a song. I am going to go look this week and pull the casting number. I may switch gears, put that together on a stand, slip it in my truck, and then have mine rebuilt. We will see.
On another side note, I have started drawing up plans for a shop, and talking to some General Contractors. I need a real work space, and we are coming into a piece of land, so a 3 bay garage with an apartment seems to be the first logical build.
