Today I cut the old torque tube mounting pivots off my axle housing. I pressed in the bushings for the rear springs in both the spring eye and the frame eye. I then installed the rear springs. I bolted up the rear conversion kit from Classic Parts that actually came from Classic Performance Products- CPP (Write that down people). I still have to set the pinion angle, but I might wait until I have the engine and tranny mocked into place to ensure an accurate measurement to each other. So as of tonight, the 1300 is back on 4 wheels and seems to be sitting a lot higher up than before because of the rebuilt springs, new bushings, etc. I still need my tie rod ends so I can easily move it around. Grrrr...
I had to remove the left brake drum as it was tight as a son of o gun and I’m not sure why. I wonder if the little wheel adjuster got mixed up with the wrong parts when I was blasting things. It is like the shoes are in the expanded state. The right is just like the left and it isn’t hung up. Weird. I have to dig a bit more.
Late this evening I took the baby monitor and went into the shop while my wife went for a walk. I pulled the old stomp starter bellhousing off my original 235 low pressure, which runs decently by the way, and I suspect it would run like a sewing machine if I replaced that broken rocker arm on #4. But I will be mating the housing to a 57 261 so I figured I may as well begin prepping things. I then pulled out of the shed a T5 that I removed from of an ‘86 S10 about 4 years ago for this exact project that got sidelined by the 1 ton and Grandpa’s C10 (Oh yeah! I got to get back to work on that one too!). I really can’t believe how easily GM made matching up parts. I drilled out the holes in the tranny to 1/2” and it slid right up just like all the reading I’ve done said. I will change the input shaft as per the Bolt’s tech tip to use the original clutch, pressure plate, etc. The original shaft has some slop, as does the output, so a compete rebuild will be necessary. Today was a decent day wrenching.
Box: 23
Frame: 73.5
Sheet: 3
Total: 99.5
😎🦊
It’s scary to think that at $100/hour shop rate, I’d have $10,000 sunk into this truck in labour... Yeesh. I don’t think Mama Bear would let that one slide!
She’s not a show stopper, but I’m happy with my work.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qQuXeeW3dM6ifHkL8
