Update 8May2018
Step 10.
Installed a new water pump, alternator, thermostat, radiator hoses, and alternator. What better way to make it work than to make it all new. Everything went in fairly straight forward, only took 3 trips to the auto parts store and everything is in and tight. I haven't run any wires from the alternator yet as I have all the wiring stripped from the truck until I can get the interior painted.
I finally got around to installing the year correct tank with straps under the bed and routing new fuel lines to the fuel pump. A 6 foot piece of hard fuel line and about a foot and a half of flexible fuel line did the job. We cranked the motor without spark to verify the operation of the new fuel pump and realized the connection to the carb was loose as it was spraying fuel everywhere. Good news, fuel pump works! I wired the coil to the ballast resistor and the other side to the solenoid on the starter. My foot pedal is slow on the return, I hope its just from no use in the last 15 or so years. On 6May2018 I hooked up the battery, had my son work the pedals in the cab, put a screw driver between the ballast resistor terminals and crossed my fingers. He engaged the starter and the engine popped and shuddered, nothing. I verified firing order and had #5 and #6 swapped, corrected my mistake and tried again. This time the ole girl fired right up and idled!!!! It was if she had been running everyday since I placed her in storage. A little adjustment using the timing light and idle screw and she is purring along. I'm starting to get pretty excited and I can really see all my hours of work being worth it.
I finished up the sound deadening material in the cab and am ready to start reassembling the door mechanisms and hanging the doors on the rebuilt hinges. I'm sure lining up the doors is going to be a huge pain, but I just have to proceed one step at a time. But shoot, I have brakes and a running engine, its almost ready to test drive, there is just the little issue of somewhere to sit.
Last edited by Peggy M; 10/13/2023 2:09 AM.
