The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Re: What did you get done on your 'Bolt today?

Installed my rebuilt gauge cluster from J. Carter and it sure looks good! Speedo is all over the place so I might need a new cable.

Started messing around with the middle seat. Bought some raw material to try my hand at making a third seat.

Block removed and hosed out upside down... Resulting in tons of rust and scale cleaned out. Head had cracks welded/pinned and new valve guides and seats. Now repainted and on the way back into the truck. Tranny was rebuilt last week. I should... be getting better performance, shifting and hopefully much cooler running... Hopefully...It's been a long haul to get to the bottom of this overheating issue...

I got the new 350 CID / 350 HP (brandly new from GM)installed in the '59 and fired it up for the first time last night. The 340 stroker I had in there let loose going into the Dream Car Weekend Show over at Disney World Labor Day weekend (only 12 miles on it!). We'll salavage some of the 340 for the next project. The moral I learned is never to trust someone elses engine work without going over everything checking torque specs.

http://s783.photobucket.com/user/jo...mp;_suid=1379591887034018080305311422895

http://s783.photobucket.com/user/jo...amp;_suid=137959193223508608089920818981

The whole build:

http://s783.photobucket.com/user/johntsmith1056/slideshow/59%20chevy%20pick%20up%20project

Sorry to hear that. I always go by Reagans old saying.. trust, but verify!

Yesterday w/ my '65 c10 :

changed the oil/filter and lubed up everything. changed the air filter out, checked all the fluids and things while I was dirty.

major adventure : old grease gun started leaking the grease out the end, except it was in a liquid-y mess! Never had that issue before, I'm suspecting it's some synthetic-y lube, it's a reddish color... what a mess!

old trucks are fun!

-W

woog, just buy the grease that has a quadzillion degree no drip temperature
I feel you pain. Got under my truck and FORGOT the grease gun, then checked the spare tire and forgot the air guage until I had slid under it!!

Hey, some days are DIAMONDS..... and some days are STONES per John Denver!!

Pipe kit arrived for the exhaust and, simply because my bday is next month, I paid way too much (really good deal tho) for an NOS Thickstun valve cover.

Finally got my door panels on. Made plastic liners for them out of the bag the frames came in. Figure it'll protect the cardboard from rain since I don't have any of the felt channels or anything.

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Also cut some 2.25" blocks to get the front of the bed up off the aprons.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3797/9843417886_1381738836_b.jpg

Got my inner fenders ready for powder coating. Will drop'them off Tuesday and see how it goes. Thinking abour powder coating bumpers and grill.

Got the replacement HEI distributor fitted,kindly sent over the pond by fellow bolter Neals49.
Initial start up was disappointing to say the least,I thought i'd screwed up the valve timing etc until I discovered the loose ground wire inside the dizzy!
The engine's running like a champ now,no popping and f*rting.....
Now to rack up some mileage!

Installed powder coated 19.5 wheels and 225/70 tires on the front. Had to adjust the steering stops so the left tire wouldn't hit the drag link during a hard left turn. Went for a test drive. This is great!!!! Almost like having power steering, plus it rides much smoother than it did with the old hard-as-a-rock 7.00/18s.

Got my Suburban front sway bar mounted and I finally removed the old fender mounted turn signals. Ended up having to cut em off. Man oh man, were they crusty.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/9897217343_c000130a0f_c.jpg
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Now that brings back memories; a 30 minute job turns into a two hour cussfest. lol

Went for a drive and stopped a couple times to fine tune the carburetor. Runs real well now, especially with the cooler temps we're getting lately.

Also finally updated my blog! Had to dig all the way back to June. lol

www.rustyfiftyone.com


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I finally painted the Frame with POR15.
Yes, get that stuff on you and it stays!
I couldn't end the day without cranking the engine still on the dolly... I love to hear that 261 talk to me!

Jerry

I was on my way to B scout meeting last night and noticed the needle on my oil gauge had bottomed out. My first thought was if the oil pump had quit the needle would not be flat and that the current to the gauge would hold the needle at the zero point. I then watched the temp gauge for any movement toward hot and saw it wasn't moving and determined it was probably a loose connection somewhere. This morning I checked the sender and found no loose wire. Now I'll have to pull the seat out and contort myself into a pretzel and check the gauge. My newest philosophy now is, "do it right the first time."

My birthday is in a week so I bought myself something nice.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/9920077394_a9a6d9ff98_c.jpg

Headed out to install it now.

Cool.

Got out, got half way in, decided to paint it first. Worried the raw aluminum will oxidize too quickly. :P

unwrapped my the rear sway bar for my panel. I think I'm going to draw the brackets off for, shall we say, future needs! Might get it on this weekend. I ain't feeling to good the past few days....we'll see.

Started making a new dash gauge mount. Got a fuel gauge in. Installed the drivers lap belt.

Installed my new chrome smoothies with new tires on the old truck. First time with truly new tires since I bought it in 75. The wife says " those look nice but they really make the body look rough. You should get the body work done" Don't you just love it when a plan comes together. :-)

Thats classic

Installed fuel gauge. Still have issues with it. Took a really long test drive. Things are working better and better. Found and killed a vacuum leak. Found a caliper leaking brake fluid.

Pulled both rear brake drums off the 1-ton dually. I found the original pads are in great shape. Wheel cylinders are shot along with swiss cheese brake lines. On the body side, I dismantled all the "jewelry" (window crank, lock mechanism etc.) on my replacement passenger door getting ready to restore sand, prime and rustproof for installation this fall. Ratrod black until I figure out how to finish paint. Wait? It is fall......

Pulled rear bumper and filler on the 53 Burb, straightened out the rear body panel. Roughed out right qtr panel rust patch.

Had my buddy do a front end alignment. I installed the dome light, checked a possible leak on the LR caliper. Installed the passenger seat belt. Hooked the scanner to the computer to see what it was doing. Installed a couple of shiny things. Took it for a drive at speed. Got it to 55?, 60?, 65?, 70?? Don't know. The speedo is still in the mail. Kept up with traffic flow. RPM's were low and had a lot of get up and go left in it.

Got it back from a long stay at the shop and very happy...running cool for the first time and much more power due to all new valves. Now just need to reinstall the 1935 GM spot lite...also resto'd.

Going here, just a few miles away. It is said that the Winslow family that took him in and raised him in Fairmount, Indiana rake in about a million and half dollars off his image. they are cousins and have a nice farm north of town and raise black Angus cows and some horses. White painted fences and well kept out buildings and house.

Had a roll of carpet for some time. Today I finally put it in over the wooden plywood floor in the panel. It looks pretty good for a novice (no picture yet) and I could tell after putting it in that the "sound" was a lot softer. Get a plug-in installed for my converter to my C-Pap machine and I'm read to travel!!!

i got Mater new shoes today!!!!!!!!!!! only spent 450 on all six!!!!




Indy

Belated (past-two) weekend update:

New master cylinder and new right rear wheel cylinder (pedal feels much better now)
Removed front hubs/drums to confirm those wheels cylinders are okay - repacked bearings.
R&R right rear wheel bearing and install NOS right rear axle half-shaft. (Empirically confirmed that there truly is a difference between front wheel studs and rear wheel studs, so some "re-work" in this process)
Polished bearing surface on existing left rear axle half shaft.
Cleaned magnets in the pumpkin and re-filled with fresh gear oil.
As an aside, I verified my entire family's olifactory objection to gear oil!

Bill

Bill, seems you been a busy man. How many trips did you make up to Skins for some hot dogs?

Got the boards for the new wood bed cut today! Going 5 boards wide (8.5, 11.25, 8.5, 11.25, 8.5in) since I had 5 10 foot boards of red oak in the barn already. Gonna look real good when done!

wood bed

the thinner boards were finished a long time ago, and the wide boards were left unfinished... the plan is to sand and finish all of them to match

Got a couple bales of rice straw for the bed to quiet down the ride a bit...works really well...seven bucks for two bales..about 140 lb.

Looks correct in a ranch truck too

Installed a new alternator and a new power steering pump. Replaced the TPS and IAC valve. Adjusted the TPS and idle. Installed a new speedometer head.

I suspect the oil pressure sending unit to be bad and have raised her up in prep the remove it and will finish the chore as soon as I have a spare minute.

Finally have everything to build my exhaust. Just received the intake manifold alignment sleeves a few minutes ago. Goin' with a split stock manifold, 2.25" pipe and twin 30" Smithy's glass packs under the cab.

NMI nothing sounds better than a six with split manifolds.