"Papa Smurf" - 1966 GMC 1500 Custom [Archive] - 6066 (1960-1966) GMC Truck Club

LordNatedawg

September 20th, 2019, 06:19 AM

19 years old, new to the forums, new to restoring classic vehicles. We'll see how this goes. Let's start with how I obtained this truck and what it all has.

While looking for a used pickup on Facebook Marketplace, I stumbled across an old 1966 GMC 1500 Custom; Fleetside Longbed. Ignoring the advice from my parents to buy "a useful truck", I decided to jump on the offer. I love my dads 74 GMC K2500, so this was my chance to get a truck like his.

The gentleman I bought this truck from had been using it as a work truck for several years (can't blame him...it's a GMC). It has a cargo rack, 8 lug wheels, painted bumper with ball hitch, 3 gas tanks (two in the bed, one in the cab), it has power assist brakes, it has A/C (John E. Mitchell underdash), ram-style power steering, NP435 manual transmission, bigger mirrors, Dana 60 rear diff, it's a 2WD, and the 351e V6 was swapped for a 350 V8. Basically, this truck was the "heavy duty" model of the 1500.

It was running and driving until I touched it. Engine sounds great. Couldn't get a feel for how it drives because I only drove it on and off a trailer.

The body is in decent shape. The rust isn't too bad. Two rust-holes in the front fender. The driver's side rear fender is in rough shape though. It looks to me like it was in an accident. The inner fender in the bed is dented inward, and the outer fender has a solid inch-thick layer of Bondo on it. Besides that, good condition. Only one piece of chrome is missing; one of the "Custom" badges is gone.

An oddity about the truck: the engine crossmember was swapped out at some point. To my knowledge, the 66 should use tubular control arms. Underneath my truck was the straight bolt-up arms. That and the fact that my upper control arm bracket wasn't even bolted to the frame leads me to believe that the crossmember was swapped at some point.

I bought this truck in May. It is now September at the time of writing this post. I've done some work to it...only some. Stay tuned for updates.

Ed Snyder

September 20th, 2019, 06:38 AM

LordNatedawg

September 20th, 2019, 06:51 AM

The first thing I did was clean the engine and address all the leaks.

The heater core was removed. I have to order a new core from LMC. The box was sanded and painted.

Valve cover gasket were changed, as well as the thermostat housing and gasket. A crack in the radiator was filled with lead.

Next, I bought a new steering gear and PS pump for a 1974 GMC C2500. To replace my drag link, I obtained a drag link from a 1979 GMC C3500 in the junkyard. If anyone is curious, 63-87 GMC/Chevy trucks have very similar drag links. They are somewhat interchangeable. Pitman arms are all the same to my knowledge, but the tie rods require some sort of conversion sleeve to work. Also, the idler arm will need to be relocated.

I completely gutted the power steering system. The pump was dead, the steering gear is extremely worn, the regulator on the drag link leaked, and the ram and all the hoses leaked. Instead of trying to rebuild this, I decided to do a power steering conversion. I bought the brackets and drilled the holes, but I haven't mounted the box yet because I ran into a problem. I tried to remove my steering shaft to cut and shorten it. In the removal process, all the bearings disintegrated. I'll buy a new tilt column later. Steering assembly is on the backburner until then.

In order to avoid the conversion sleeve/tierod problem, I decided to upgrade my front suspension....every...single...component.

I bought a "new" crossmember from AspenAutoAZ. I am currently in the process of cleaning it. It'll replace my current crossmember and allow me to use tubular control arms.

Next, I ordered 1979 GMC C2500 control arms (upper and lower), spindles, disc rotors and calipers, wheel bearings, etc. I plan on using my 66 shocks and coil springs. I have not installed any of these components yet. I believe that the brake hoses I have (1979 disc) should attach straight to the original brakes lines, but I have not had anyone confirm that yet. I still need to order a new master cylinder with a proportioning valve.

I'm debating replacing my brake lines with 1979 lines. But I think I'd have to replace my rear wheel cylinder with a similar year too. If anyone knows about brake line/hose compatibility, please let me know.

LordNatedawg

September 20th, 2019, 06:54 AM

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on finding a very well optioned truck. Looks like it even has the rare "Buddy Bucket" seat option. Keep us posted on your progress. Hopefully someday you can even put a V6 back in it.

I hope to put the 351e back in. My only concern is hearing about how difficult it is to find parts for it.

And yes, my truck has the buddy bucket seats. Foam is destroyed, but the frames are still solid. I just need to fix the sliding mechanism on the passenger seat. The bolts look chewed up.

James

September 21st, 2019, 03:03 PM

Next, I ordered 1979 GMC C2500 control arms (upper and lower), spindles, disc rotors and calipers, wheel bearings, etc. I plan on using my 66 shocks and coil springs. I have not installed any of these components yet. I believe that the brake hoses I have (1979 disc) should attach straight to the original brakes lines, but I have not had anyone confirm that yet. I still need to order a new master cylinder with a proportioning valve.

I'm debating replacing my brake lines with 1979 lines. But I think I'd have to replace my rear wheel cylinder with a similar year too. If anyone knows about brake line/hose compatibility, please let me know.

I would also replace the master cylinder (convert from a single cylinder to a dual cylinders) and all of the brake lines/hoses. With front disc brake and rear drum brake you will also need a proportioning valve. Master cylinder will need to match (disc-drum) as well.

POWERSTROKE

September 21st, 2019, 04:22 PM

Ha-Ha.... week or two before I left for college in August 1972, I repaired rust holes exactly where the holes are on your truck on Dad's '67 F250. Only took 5 years in the Rust Belt in the midwest to rust holes behind the frt wheels.
I agree with PAPA SMURF, more current vintage brake components you can use the better. I had several really rusty brake lines on my '96 F250 about 4 years ago. I had already replaced a rusted out power steering line and had replaced two rusted out fuel lines plus both braided stainless flex lines between the frame and engine. Replaced all the rubber hoses on top of the diesel engine in the "Valley of Death". Just replaced those hoses a second time last spring. Anyhow, I bought ALL brand new 304 stainless steel pre-bent brake lines from Classic Tube in Lancaster, New York. I hired a local one man shop with a lift to install them along with a new master cylinder, both frt calipers and both rear wheel cylinders. Anything touching brake fluid was new. Search on Classic Tube and they should come up 1st thing. Replacement vintage brake lines are their thing!
Good luck with your truck! You will like it even more with the Big V-6 in it!

Funky61

September 21st, 2019, 06:26 PM

Looks to be the rare Sport truck option one year only. Congratulations.

LordNatedawg

September 21st, 2019, 08:06 PM

Looks to be the rare Sport truck option one year only. Congratulations.

Wow...no pressure or anything. Lol. Hopefully the mods I'm doing are "acceptable" on such a rare truck.

I appreciate everyone's help. I've never touched brakes before on any vehicle. For obvious safety reasons, I'm trying to get everything figured out before I start.

LordNatedawg

September 24th, 2019, 01:24 AM

"I'd get it one piece at a time,
And it wouldn't cost me a dime"

Finally finished cleaning the engine crossmember. Again, this is a 63-66 crossmember that I bought from AspenAutoAZ. It was in great condition when it came, but it was dirty. Now it's clean and getting a good coating of rust inhibitor.

Once the paint cures, I can start assembling my brakes and suspension. After that, I'll rip the old crossmember out and roll this one under with all the new parts.

Brake system will be getting worked on in the near future. Place an order today for a new brake booster, dual reservoir, and proportioning valve.

LordNatedawg

October 13th, 2019, 06:51 AM

It has been a while, but I've made a slight bit of progress. Mostly gathering parts. Fairly certain I have everything I need for my crossmember swap and front suspension rebuild. I haven't assembled anything yet; I don't want to assemble my crossmember and end up having my new brake rotors rusting away. I don't have room in my garage to store the crossmember.

Some progress I have made: Got all new Grade 8 hardware for my crossmember. I could've reused my the original hardware. But $30 for all new seemed like a good idea to me. If anyone is curious, here are the bolts I needed. Most were obtained at ACE Hardware, unless otherwise noted. All are Grade 8:
6 1/2"-13 x 1-1/4" bolts
6 1/2"-13 nuts
6 1/2" lock washers and flat washers
8 7/16"-14 x 1-1/2" bolts with flat washers and lock washers (ordered from FMWFasteners)
4 7/16"-14 nuts (4 of the bolts screw into nuts welded into the crossmember and therefore do not need nuts)
4 9/16"-18 nut and lock washers and flat washers (FMWFasteners)
4 9/16" u-bolts for the control arms (mine came with nuts. I believe they are 9/16"-12)

I may have more washers than I need. I figured it was better to have them and not need them. Some areas may not need flat washers. The 1/2" bolts are vertical, bolting the crossmember to the frame. The 7/16" bolts are horizontal, bolting the upper control arm brackets to the frame. The 9/16" nuts will hold the upper control arms on. The varying lengths were just me doing some "testing". I originally had 7/16"x1" but they were too short for my liking. Stepped it up half an inch. They might be longer than needed, but they don't interfere with anything. I think 1-1/4" would probably be sufficient.

My CPP brake booster kit came, I bought some copper-nickel brake line as well as the necessary tools to bend and flare it. I will be running 1/4 inch line to the rear and 3/16 line to the front. That is what my proportioning valve requires. I'll figure out what my rear wheel cylinders require and step it down if needed. Also bought new coil springs and shock absorbers.

I did manage to get a new steering column. Right now it's only in for a test fit. All the bolts line up. I'm going to remove it, prime it, wire it properly, then install it again. Old column is....old. Bearings have worn a groove into the steering shaft, all the bearings have disintegrated, and the horn didn't work for some reason. The new column is an Ididit column. Little bit pricey, but fits well and doesn't hurt the truck aesthetically. I bought the paintable version so I can paint it to match the interior later on.

LordNatedawg

October 26th, 2019, 05:45 AM

It's been almost two weeks. Time for a progress update? I surely think so!

First off, I tried to remove the old crossmember about a week ago. Got all the bolts out; most of them were not even torqued down. Kinda scary. After removing the bolts and brake lines, it was time to drop the crossmember. I jacked up the truck, put jack stands under the frame, removed the tires, then lowered the jack. The idea was that the crossmember would fall out now that the tires weren't holding it up. That didn't happen. Instead, my engine sagged. The previous owner got the motor mounts backwards. Instead of fixing his mistake, he made it permanent. He welded the motor mounts to the old crossmember. Took a week to cut and break those welds. Not a lot of room to work with, and I couldn't use a grinder or dremel near the passenger side mount. The fuel pump is in close proximity and mine has a slight leak from a cracked hose. (I still need to swap the motor mounts)

After getting the welds broken, the crossmember finally came out. Putting in the new one proved to be challenging by myself. Ended up calling my brother to help out. Once it was in, however, it was smooth sailing. All new control arms, all new wheel bearings, new slotted and drilled rotors, brand new spindles, new coil springs and shock absobers. This front suspension is 100% new. Only one issue is left to solve: My bottom bolts for my shock absorbers don't work with the new lower control arms. The nut doesn't sit deep enough in the recess for the bolt to feed through. And the bolt is a little too long. What I'll probably end up doing is grinding down the nut until it fits and getting a shorter bolt (or use a lock+flat washer).

Question: The driver's side shock stud was loose. From my research, I believe that is a common issue with these trucks. It will work itself loose or crack the frame. Is there a "fix" for that?

James

October 26th, 2019, 09:38 PM

Question: The driver's side shock stud was loose. From my research, I believe that is a common issue with these trucks. It will work itself loose or crack the frame. Is there a "fix" for that?

If I'm not mistaken the original shocks came with the stud made on the shocks. When they were replaced the first time you had to installed the studs then the shocks. The problem is that when the studs get installed they did not properly tighten the nuts (due to lack of access to the nut). This resulting in elongating the mounting holes and or cracking the holes. :pullinghairout: Might had been the same person that installed the shocks also installed the engine mounts (welded)/crossmember (loose bolts). I also found the studs was loose on my 1979 pickup (the other company that we won't mention that has a similar body style) when I had the engine out, I made sure they were tight.

LordNatedawg

October 28th, 2019, 08:59 PM

If I'm not mistaken the original shocks came with the stud made on the shocks. When they were replaced the first time you had to installed the studs then the shocks. The problem is that when the studs get installed they did not properly tighten the nuts (due to lack of access to the nut).

You're correct on all of this. Did some more research. Original shocks did have the studs built into them. As for changing them....it is extremely difficult to reach the nut. I got the driver's side torqued to 70ish ft-lbs. Passenger side is less than 60 ft-lbs. Both need to be 140 ft-lbs. Very tight working space and I'm pushing the torque wrench above my head.

Not sure how I'm gonna get those torqued to spec.

James

October 29th, 2019, 01:54 AM

You're correct on all of this. Did some more research. Original shocks did have the studs built into them. As for changing them....it is extremely difficult to reach the nut. I got the driver's side torqued to 70ish ft-lbs. Passenger side is less than 60 ft-lbs. Both need to be 140 ft-lbs. Very tight working space and I'm pushing the torque wrench above my head.

Not sure how I'm gonna get those torqued to spec.

What you need is to rent/borrow a torque multiplier. The one I have has a 4:1 ratio. I have use it alot on torquing the pinion nut on the rear axle. To buy one your putting out over $250.00.

Here is a video on how to use one (this is the type I have).
 To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? 
The only thing I can add to the video is to be sure the torque multiplier is anchor to the frame to prevent it from moving, I use a chain to hold it.

WE7X

October 29th, 2019, 07:31 AM

LordNatedawg

October 29th, 2019, 07:05 PM

140 Ft. Lbs. torque seems like an awful lot for a shock absorber mounting bolt?? a that torque, it sounds like it would need to be at least a 9/16" or 5/8" bolt. Are they that big?
I think, from a somewhat suspicious memory, a 1/2" un-plated grade 8 bolt has a max spec of about 120 Ft. Lbs.
I have no specific reference for that bolt, but I would be sure that is the correct spec,, before torquing it to that level.
Most wheel studs are not more than 90-100 Ft. Lbs.
Rod Johnson
Issaquah, WA
1970 GMC RM-7500 401M

I would estimate the bolt to be at least 9/16". It is the stud that mounts to the frame. The nut that mounts the shock absorber to the stud is only torqued to 60ft-lbs (as well as the bolt that mounts the shock to the control arm).

I'll admit that these torque specs didn't come from my 60-66 factory manual. They came from my 1974 GMC service manual. The shock absorbers I ordered will fit my 66 1500 as well as 1974 2500s (according to Summit Racing), therefore it is safe to assume that the torque specs are the same. Again, this is the nut on the inside of the frame that is only for mounting the stud to the frame.

What you need is to rent/borrow a torque multiplier. The one I have has a 4:1 ratio. I have use it alot on torquing the pinion nut on the rear axle. To buy one your putting out over $250.00.

I never even knew those existed, but I knew I wanted/needed one! Lol

Couldn't find anyplace online that seems to rent them. I'll start asking friends and neighbors. If I can't borrow one, $250 is not that much money for something like that. I know of a few future tasks that may require it.

James

October 30th, 2019, 01:30 AM

I never even knew those existed, but I knew I wanted/needed one! Lol

Couldn't find anyplace online that seems to rent them. I'll start asking friends and neighbors. If I can't borrow one, $250 is not that much money for something like that. I know of a few future tasks that may require it.

Here one on amazon.com for $328.17.
 To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? 

I had my Snap-On for over 25 years, man the price gone up dramatically. In my 64 GMC manual the torque for the upper nut is 130-150 ft-lbs.

LordNatedawg

November 2nd, 2019, 03:06 AM

Got some good news and some bad news.

Good news first: I don't have to worry about the shock absorber stud. I went to my local auto shop (I know the owner) and asked if he knew where I could borrow a torque multiplier. He said that when I bring my truck in for an alignment, he would torque down everything that I tell him to. So that is covered. I'll save up for a multiplier though, because I still will need it in the future.

Bad news now: I started on my brakes. Got the old booster removed, and the new one doesn't line up with any of the holes. I swear, nothing can ever be "easy" on this truck. Lol.

I see a couple possible solutions to my problem.
1. I might be able to reuse the old brackets
2. I may be able to make my own brackets
3. I might be able to gut the new brake booster to repair the old one
4. I found a bracket on Ebay that may help....maybe. To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? bs_0
Hard to tell with just a picture of the bracket. Don't know if I want to gamble $40 to find out.

I'll probably go with option 2. I could copy the Ebay bracket, except I would be able to make sure it fits and I could do it for a lot cheaper.

When you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself. I like the idea of adding something to this truck that I made myself. Even if it's something as simple as a bracket.

James

November 2nd, 2019, 01:51 PM

snazzypig

November 2nd, 2019, 09:34 PM

LordNatedawg, There is another forum called "The 1947-Present Chevrolet & Gmc Truck Message Board Network". A member there, Captainfab, fabricates all kinds of adapter brackets for master cylinders etc. He has a great reputation for making quality parts and is very reasonable. I would contact him first. He probably has what you need.

LordNatedawg

November 9th, 2019, 06:57 AM

I tried to make my own bracket for the brake booster. Unfortunately I did not get very far. My dad's drill press decided not to work. The thing is probably older than I am. Figured I should take that as a sign. Lol. Ended up buying CaptainFab's brake booster bracket. Also bought his power steering adapter plate. His plate puts all 4 bolts of the gearbox through the frame. You don't have to drill out the threads on the gearbox. I already drilled holes in my frame for the CPP brackets, and I'll have to drill some more for Cap's bracket. I'll probably end up welding the bracket to the frame for some added support.

Cap's brackets arrived around 8pm PST. They shipped very quickly and look to be high quality. Too late to test fit them though, so that'll be another post.

In addition to brackets, I finally got my steering column semi-permanently installed! I painted it the other day with a rust inhibitor; the only available color for that stuff is black. Eventually it'll get painted Fawn or whatever GMC's interior color is. For the wiring, I ditched the Ididit connector and added in about 1ft of wire to extend the wiring from the column so it would reach my dash connector. Then I used individual spades to connect to the original connector. Not exactly "professional", but it works.

I used 18 gauge wire to extend the column wiring. I initially tried to solder, but for some reason it would not flow through my wire, it kept beading on the top. Switched over to spade connectors. One thing to note is that I did not have any light blue wire. I substituted orange instead. If I ever get ahold of some light blue wire, I'll replace it. But for now it will be fine. Also, I did not use the brown wire on the Ididit column. The brown wire is for emergency flashers, and mine are wired to a button on the dash. I simply attached a spade and left it alone.

I've attached the Ididit diagram and the wiring diagram I used. You'll notice I edited it to include the Ididit column. Again, brown didn't get used and orange was substituted for light blue. To my knowledge, the gray wire on the truck connector is an indicator light for automatic transmissions; it does not connect to anything on my truck. In the diagram I used a light gray color from the Ididit connector to the clear wire on the dash. The light gray is supposed to be white, but a white line is kinda hard to see on white paper.

LordNatedawg

November 9th, 2019, 07:46 PM

Just a quick update. Being as restless as I am, I decided to finish assembling my steering column inside the cab. Got my horn button wired up and got the steering wheel on. I'm reusing the 3-bolt steering wheel that was on the truck when I bought it. I believe it's a Grant steering wheel.

P.S. Not sure why one of the images in my previous post is upside down. It's not like that in my phone's camera roll.

LordNatedawg

November 12th, 2019, 04:26 AM

Small update, but a big milestone:

My brake booster is mounted and adjusted. New stop light switch installed and adjusted. Steering column is now torqued down inside the cab and the parking brake has been reinstalled.

CaptainFab's bracket worked perfectly for the CPP booster. The only issue was that the pushrod on the booster was a bit too long. Cap's bracket is a bit shorter than the CPP brackets. Luckily, this issue was easily resolved with a hacksaw. I took off a 9mm casing worth of thread from the pushrod and it ended up being the perfect length after that. No more adjustment left in the rod, and about 1/4inch of slack in the brake pedal before it engages the master cylinder. About 1/8inch of travel before my brake lights turn on.

Next challenge to tackle: brake lines. Hopefully I can start those soon.

LordNatedawg

November 23rd, 2019, 04:21 AM

"Hopefully I can start [bending brake lines] soon"

HA. Who was I kidding? Between work, school, and Army, it is hard to find time. Especially with finals coming up. Although I didn't make a whole lot of progress, I managed to at least get started on brake lines today.

I mounted both calipers because I figured it would be easier to attach the brake lines if I could attach them to the brake hoses. Unfortunately I need a nut for my brake hoses.

Other than that, all I managed to do was get a rough shape of the front left brake line. I used some bailing wire to figure out a path and how much line I would need. It got dark and cold before I could actually bend the line. I will try again another day. It's supposed to snow next week, so I may have to suck it up and deal with the cold if I expect to get this thing driveable before next year.

LordNatedawg

November 27th, 2019, 11:33 PM

Weather report: 28*F, partly cloudy with a 10mph wind. Result: fingers are frozen and I'm passive-aggressively telling my parents how great it would be to have a garage to work in.

Despite the weather, I successfully managed to get one brake line bent and installed. Even found a nut for my brake hose (until I can order new jam nuts). Took maybe 45 minutes from start to finish. The copper-nickel line bends smooth as butter. I didn't even use my bending tool, this was all done by hand. Very happy with how it turned out. Not rubbing on anything, not too close to the exhaust pipe, and enough slack that it won't put any pressure on the fittings.

Most of the scrap came from practicing my flaring. And a good chunk was a result of me overestimating how much I would need. Better to have it 6" too long than 6" too short.

How did I get those near perfect loops? I used my favorite tool in the garage: the rattle can. Lol. Feels good to make some progress again.

One down....three to go.

LordNatedawg

January 22nd, 2020, 09:28 PM

Two months later and I am back with a quick progress update. Been too cold to work on Papa Smurf. But today the weather was finally warm enough for me to do things with my finger tips.

First: things are rusting and it is making me sad. The calipers, master cylinder, and steering shaft are all turning orange. It isn't going to hurt anything, it just looks ugly. I'll fix it later.

The front brake lines are complete. The second set doesn't look very pretty, but I don't care as long as it functions. This line was a little more difficult just because it was longer than the previous one. Had to flare the end while sitting under the wheel-well.

I do need to figure out how to secure the lines so they don't rattle while I'm driving. I could copy the system that was originally used. But I figure I should ask if any of you have other ideas. It's not a pressing concern right now, but it's something I need to think about.

I am currently soaking the rear lines and hose in PB Blaster. After removing it, the goal is to have the hose remade with braided steel so I can start bending the rear lines. I also need to shorten the front brake hoses, but that will be something I do later.

It's all coming together. Slowly but surely.

WDShaffer

January 29th, 2020, 03:28 PM

Use insulated tubing clams, available almost any parts store.

LordNatedawg

January 30th, 2020, 08:18 PM

Use insulated tubing clams, available almost any parts store.

Noted. There is definitely more slack in my brake lines than there needs to be. That was done on purpose so I could route them differently if needed for securing.

I also want to update with some small progress. Very small, but progress still. I got some custom brake hoses made. 14" for the front, and I had the old rear one copied exactly. Braided steel lines that fit perfectly. The hoses are not pulled tight when the wheel is turned lock to lock.

More exciting news....today I picked up a 351E V6! It was running and driving before it was pulled. Words cannot describe my excitement. The rare motor that I needed just happened to turn up in my local area. One in a million.

It has the 2bbl carburetor conversion as well as the screw on oil filter. New clutch was put in. The engine was attached to a SM transmission, so I don't know if the bell housing will work with my NP435. Maybe I'll get lucky and the one on my 350 will work. Other than that, I'm not sure what to do. I wasn't expecting to find this motor so soon. I always thought it would take a few years before one turned up.

I guess the first thing to do is to get it on an engine stand so I can do a thorough inspection.

I want to get Papa Smurf running and driving on the 350 first, but I feel like it would be easier to do the work on it with the engine out (now that I have an excuse to pull it). I still need to tidy up the front brake lines, make rear lines, and finish the power steering conversion. Lots to think about...

POWERSTROKE

February 3rd, 2020, 11:38 AM

Congrats on finding the 351. There's no replacement for displacement. I wore out TWO Ford 300-6's, no matter what you did they were always s-l-o-w. And when you pushed them hard to run 65-70 they really burned A LOT of gas, like the '87 with factory EFI would drop to 11-12 mpg. Son's '93 Lightning would run 65-70 and get 14 mpg, lack of 4wd didn't effect mpg that much.
I did a complete brake system rebuild 5 yrs ago on my '96 F-250. I bought a complete stainless steel brake like kit from Classic Industries in New York State. My shop replaced everything in 6 hours, and everything included a new master cylinder, both frt brake calipers, and both rear wheel cylinders. So everything must have fit fine. My ONLY regret was my choice of flexible brake lines. My owner of my local NAPA store said his flex hoses were made in USA. They came a day late from the warehouse. The boxes AND hoses all said "Made in China" in big letters. I should have refused them. They haven't caused a problem but EVERYTHING else I've bought there has. Luckily all my other parts came from the same O-Reily's my mechanic uses.
Anyhow, nice to know the brakes will work if and when you really need them.

jmfurgason

February 18th, 2020, 04:39 PM

Any suggestions for lowering 1/2 ton LWB 1963 GMC front and back ?? what is part # for oil pan gasket 305E Felpro ?? Thanks for ideas JMF

Funky61

February 18th, 2020, 06:11 PM

To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? ,oil+pan+gasket,5436

LordNatedawg

April 1st, 2020, 08:06 PM

Time for a truck/life update and a question.

To sum it up, February and March sucked. I haven't been able to do much due to personal injury. About a week after my last post I was rear-ended and my car was totaled. The injuries to my neck and back prevented me from doing anything on my truck. I'm still not 100%, but I have now been medically cleared to continue life like normal.

So nothing got done on my truck due to my inability to twist and contort beneath it. But I did manage to get my 351E into the garage last week (with plenty of help). The problem I was having was that my dad's 1974 GMC is lifted, so my hoist didn't have enough height to pick up the engine in the bed of his truck. Solved this issue by putting the hoist on a trailer first.

Question:
I'm trying to remove the clutch assembly from the engine in order to get the bellhousing off so I can put the engine in a cradle. But for some reason I can't get a socket/wrench on two of the bolts. It seems like the pressure plate shifted. Again, it is only restricting two of the bolts. I'm inexperienced with clutches; I've only ever removed one. Is this issue solved by realigning the pressure plate? How would I do so? I don't want to pry on things and break something. This clutch is brand new, according to the PO (fresh grease on the throwout bearing, too).

I hope you are all doing well in these crazy times. Stay safe.

James

April 1st, 2020, 10:46 PM

Time for a truck/life update and a question.

Question:
I'm trying to remove the clutch assembly from the engine in order to get the bellhousing off so I can put the engine in a cradle. But for some reason I can't get a socket/wrench on two of the bolts. It seems like the pressure plate shifted. Again, it is only restricting two of the bolts. I'm inexperienced with clutches; I've only ever removed one. Is this issue solved by realigning the pressure plate? How would I do so? I don't want to pry on things and break something. This clutch is brand new, according to the PO (fresh grease on the throwout bearing, too).

You will need to rotate the engine to access the other bolts. The clutch assembly is heavy, be careful. Having an extra pair of hand will help.

LordNatedawg

April 2nd, 2020, 06:38 AM

You will need to rotate the engine to access the other bolts. The clutch assembly is heavy, be careful. Having an extra pair of hand will help.

The problem isn't with that. I was able to get the other 4(?) bolts broken loose by turning the engine (and the engine turns very smoothly, which is exciting). The issue is that two of the bolts have some sort of obstruction near the head.

tbucketnut

April 2nd, 2020, 02:00 PM

James

April 2nd, 2020, 09:59 PM

The problem isn't with that. I was able to get the other 4(?) bolts broken loose by turning the engine (and the engine turns very smoothly, which is exciting). The issue is that two of the bolts have some sort of obstruction near the head.

Someone had operated the clutch without the transmission in place and the clutch disc had drop down. Somehow you need to operate the clutch to allow the clutch disc to move away from the bolt

LordNatedawg

April 3rd, 2020, 12:46 AM

Throw a box end wrench on the head of the bolt, hopefully it is not rounded. Then take another combination wrench and hook the first one to make a lever arm. If it doesnt come off you will have to cut the pressure plate off the flywheel then remove the bolt.
Hope you feel better recovering.
Steve

Unfortunately the wrench trick didn't work. I can't get a box wrench on the head. I'd hate to cut if off and possibly ruin the pressure plate, but that option keeps creeping forward. Guess if it comes to that I should confirm: this engine with the NP435 will work with a 11" or a 12" clutch?

Cfriis

April 3rd, 2020, 01:06 AM

A trick I’ve done in the past when having A rounded Bolt or inaccessible is tack weld another bolt to it Allowing a small extension

LordNatedawg

April 3rd, 2020, 01:48 AM

Tack weld. That seems like a good option. I'll have to give that a shot. Although I have yet to learn how to MIG weld. I've done Oxy-Acet welding, but not MIG. I'll contract this job out to my younger brother and let you all know how it goes. Lol. He was taking a welding class in high school and he's been dying to weld something for me.

In other news: I finally did the power steering conversion. The job that started this whole mess. Two hours of work that took almost a year to do. I initially drilled 2 holes using the CPP kit. This put 3 bolts for the steering box through the frame and one is left beneath the frame. Later I found CaptainFab's bracket that puts all 4 bolts through the frame. Bought that and installed it today. Hardest part was drilling the hole that overlapped an existing hole. Ended up using a file to elongate the existing hole.

Everything bolted up easily after that. Torqued the bolts to 70 lb/ft after adding a bit of threadlocker. Then I installed my hoses, my steering column U-joint, and my rag joint flange. My back started hurting at this point so I called it a day. All that is left to do is to cut my collapsible steering shaft to fit. After that I can install tierods, drill holes for relocating the idler arm, and install my power steering pump pulley.

I still need to order 2 nuts for my steering system. The pitman arm nut (7/8-14) and my pump pulley nut (9/16-18).

Things are finally coming together and it's exciting. Once steering is done, I can get my truck out of the dirt and into the driveway. From there I can finish the brakes.

LordNatedawg

April 13th, 2020, 09:09 AM

Someone had operated the clutch without the transmission in place and the clutch disc had drop down. Somehow you need to operate the clutch to allow the clutch disc to move away from the bolt

Didn't see your post until now. I'll add that to my list of things to try next; priority 1. You're probably right. I have no idea how I'm going to activate it again, but I'll figure something out.

Another update on Papa Smurf. I finalized and secured my front brake lines. I secured one end of the line to my fuel line, then drilled a hole in my fender and secured both brake lines to that. I also rebent the second brake line to route it differently and tidy it up.

I also installed my steering shaft. Managed to get my drill press working, which made the job super easy. Last time the drill press didn't work was because it was plugged into an extension cord, and the extension was not plugged into power. Go figure. Once that was set, I measured the required length, cut it to fit, drilled necessary holes to secure it, and got it installed. I got the steering wheel pretty close to center, relative to the steering gear. I think it's off by a few teeth, but I'm happy with it. I can always pull the universal joint off the steering column to adjust it, or just deal with the fact that I'm losing a small amount of steering to my right.

Steering isn't done yet. I thought I had the correct socket for the pitman arm nut, but I don't. Waiting for one in the mail. I need to torque the pitman arm before I can install the steering linkage.

Lastly, I finally installed a new heater resistor and heater core (just in time for summer!). The resistor is located on the backside of the passenger side duct. Disconnect it from the firewall (3 screws), then disconnect it from the other duct (2 screws). The duct should wiggle out and give easy access to the resistor. One of the thumbnails is upside down, but if you click it the image will orient itself properly.

Small rant: The LMC heater core was less than ideal. The heater core was subtly different from the OEM one, but it was just enough of a difference that I had to make small modifications to my heater core box. The hangers for the core did not fit properly on the new core, so i had to drill a new hole in both hangers in order to get them to work. Not a huge issue, just annoying.

James

April 14th, 2020, 12:25 AM

Didn't see your post until now. I'll add that to my list of things to try next; priority 1. You're probably right. I have no idea how I'm going to activate it again, but I'll figure something out.

If the other bolts are already removed, I would try and use a long rod and slip it in the clutch disc hub all the way through and into the pilot bearing. Then see if the disc can be moved away from the bolt, it might move enough to remove the remaining bolts.

LordNatedawg

April 29th, 2020, 01:28 AM

If the other bolts are already removed, I would try and use a long rod and slip it in the clutch disc hub all the way through and into the pilot bearing. Then see if the disc can be moved away from the bolt, it might move enough to remove the remaining bolts.

That worked to get one of the troublesome bolts out. For the last one, I just pried the pressure plate away from the flywheel, yanked out the clutch, and then had enough clearance to remove the bolt. The pressure plate is not salvageable. Not because I damaged it, though. It is (was) new, but it is badly grooved and burnt. The clutch plate itself doesn't have much meat on it. Looks like it got burned up. Not a problem though. Clutch kits are easy to source.

Another update: Finally got around to relocating my idler arm. Replaced to old idler arm that was on the bracket first. Got it torqued to the drag link, got the drag link torqued to the steering box. Then I got out my level and began measuring. Got the drag link level with the crossmember and got it straight. Drilled two holes and bolted it in. I can turn the wheel lock-to-lock without the drag link rubbing on the crossmember. Once that was done, finished up with some new tie rods and fresh grease.

Also want to share that I got my hands on the "Custom" badges. I managed to get two of them from AspenAutoAZ. The studs are broken off the back, but I think I can repair them.

WDShaffer

April 29th, 2020, 08:35 PM

Or you can use 3/32" thick double-stick tape, trimmed to fit the profile...not quite as much work as creating locator studs for pot metal.

LordNatedawg

May 6th, 2020, 02:35 AM

No pictures today. Just another update.

Finally bought a belt for the power steering system. Also changed the brackets for my generator so the belt would be on the second (outer) pulley groove. The power steering and generator are now independent of each other. If a belt snaps, I'll lose either power steering or the generator. Nothing else. I do have plans to eventually convert to an internally regulated alternator. I have the parts, but not the motivation. Lol.

Also bled the power steering. It was not a clean process. It hiccuped while I was doing it and made a lovely puddle of oil on the crossmember... But, at least I can turn the wheel with one hand now. I'll monitor the fittings over the next few days to make sure I don't have any leaks. So far though, everything looks good.

Also bled my cooling system, since I didn't do it after installing the new heater core. That also made a big mess. In the past when I've bled cooling systems, sometimes I'd get small splashes of fluid or a slight mist coming out of the filler neck. Not on Papa Smurf. Coolant decided to come out like a geyser when the thermostat opened. Made a lovely mess, but the process was successful in the end.

Lastly, I dropped quite a bit of money on parts to rebuild the rear brakes on the Dana 60. Parts were a little difficult to find at first, but I think I got all I need. Once all the parts arrive I will post a tutorial and "shopping list" for the Dana 60 to help out anyone else looking for parts. Doing new drums, wheel cylinders, shoes, bearings, and hardware. Also going to modify my hubs to accept the 9/16" wheel studs instead of the OEM 1/2" studs. I don't like running with 2 different sets of lugnuts on front and back.

Before the brakes get done, I want to fix the backfiring issue on Papa Smurf. Pretty sure it's being caused by the large exhaust leak from untorqued nuts at the flange. Not gonna lie, the popping when I rev the engine sounds kinda cool. The reason behind the popping is not as cool though.

LordNatedawg

May 8th, 2020, 10:37 PM

Also going to modify my hubs to accept the 9/16" wheel studs instead of the OEM 1/2" studs. I don't like running with 2 different sets of lugnuts on front and back.

Hm. Knocked out a rear stud and measured it. It measures 9/16" already. Knocked out a stud from the old front end, it measure 1/2". Something isn't adding up. I have good reason to believe that the front was swapped out before I bought it, but the rear looks like it hasn't been moved. Did some GMC Customs come with 9/16" wheel studs? I thought that GM didn't start using that size until 1971-1972. All the research I've done suggests that it should be 1/2".

It is entirely possible that the PO used a Dana 60 out of a different truck, or different hubs were used after it was rebuilt in Minnesota. But it is also possible that my "one year only" truck came with 9/16" studs all around, and the front end swap changed it to 1/2". I'm at a loss. This is a whole new can of worms.

I should be happy that I don't have to drill my hubs. But I don't trust some of the things that the PO did. You've seen some of the damage already. Want to see some more? At least one rear drum is missing the parking brake lever and has all wrong springs. Glad that I was already planning on replacing the whole assembly. Haven't checked the other side yet. I suspect the parking brake works on the other side though, because I can't rotate the wheels with the brake on.

LordNatedawg

May 12th, 2020, 04:54 AM

I think I figured out the "mystery hubs". I measured and looked up the wheel studs. According to auto-part websites, the only vehicle that these studs fit is a Jeep J20 (1974-1987). I either have the hubs for a J20, or an entire axle. Hard to tell because the casting marks on the axle tube are illegible. Luckily the brake parts are the same either way.

Speaking of brake parts: I installed the last big piece of brake line today. One long piece of 1/4" line that runs from the master cylinder, behind the engine, down the frame, and to the rear axle. It was a pain in the butt to install, but it's done. 1/4" line doesn't bend nearly as smoothly as 3/16". Also, I didn't bother jacking my truck up. I opted to crawl around underneath with very little ground clearance and repeatedly hit my head on the auxiliary fuel tanks. Probably would've been easier if I had more room to work with, but hindsight is 20/20.

The last 2 pieces of brake line will get installed when I finish the brake rebuild. The rebuild will either happen late this week or early next week. I'm still waiting on a few parts. Once that is done, just need to tweak a few small things and I'll have a functioning truck.

LordNatedawg

May 20th, 2020, 01:32 AM

Not surprising, but I hit another obstacle. I can't do the brake rebuild until I track down the parking brake levers (actuating levers). I'm missing both, and no parts supplier seems to carry them.

It's part #9 in the photo. Looks like a boomerang. Second pic is Dorman HW2553. Supposedly that kit comes with the lever, but my hopes aren't high. I ordered it and it should be here in a few days. Already ordered a similar kit from Crown Automotive. They had a picture showing the lever I needed, but the kit arrived without it.

More info: Dana 60 rear axle, 12" x 2.5" brakes.

WDShaffer

May 24th, 2020, 04:06 AM

you could clean up and re-use the existing one...I think I see it in the previous photos...maybe?

LordNatedawg

May 24th, 2020, 04:24 AM

you could clean up and re-use the existing one...I think I see it in the previous photos...maybe?

Unfortunately not. They're missing from both sides. On the bright side, the Dorman kit did come with one (right side). I'm still struggling to track down the other side. The only leads I have are that these levers were used in Chevy and GMC in the 60s and early 70s. They were used in the Jeep J20. They were also used in some Cadillac and Oldsmobile in 50s to 80s (I could be wrong on the early end of those date). So they aren't just limited in usage to trucks.

I'm monitoring my local junkyard. Hopefully one of these vehicles will pop up soon. Otherwise I might be able to take the lever I have to a metal fabrication shop. Maybe they can mirror and reproduce it.

LordNatedawg

June 25th, 2020, 09:02 PM

Well. I found a precision sheet metal fabrication shop. They were able to reproduce the parking brake lever I needed. It took a month for them to so, but it's finally done. The shop I went to typically only serves bulk orders for businesses. The owner was very kind to make an exception for me, so long as I paid a "single item fee".

Not a single vehicle with compatible brake parts appeared in my local junkyard during the month of waiting. So the only way I can see getting these levers is to get lucky at the junkyard, buy from someone scrapping a Dana 60, or order the Dorman kit and have a shop mirror the lever for the other side.

I have to finish up a few other vehicles that I'm working on for family members. They noticed that my mechanical skills were not being used and thought it'd be a good idea to give me something to do. Once I'm finished with those, I will continue with Papa Smurf. One setback at a time, we will get him back on the road.

GMCNUT

December 10th, 2020, 10:06 PM

Looks to be the rare Sport truck option one year only. Congratulations.

Funky, I had a copy of that ad many moons ago and I took it to the framing shop and they destroyed it. Not getting into how and become irate again, but they destroyed it. Very poor communication between the owner and the idiot who ruined it. Anyway, I am going to guess you don't want to sell yours, but would you do me a solid and post a WTB ad in the marketplace on this site showing your ad in a clear picture so we can see who else has a copy they might sell?

Funky61

December 10th, 2020, 10:32 PM

Hello GMCNUT, That is just a copy and paste saved from a thread at the 67-72 Forum or an old eBay ad I don't recall, but I don't have the actual ad.

I will post up the WTB for you.

LordNatedawg

December 20th, 2020, 01:03 AM

It has been a while, but I'm back with another update. Working on more family cars has kept me busy. They take priority over Papa Smurf, unfortunately. Also, I bought a new-to-me GMC 1500. That one is 46 years too new to talk about on this forum, lol. Anyways, I also have an update on Papa Smurf.

I completely rebuilt both rear hubs and gutted the old drum brakes. I installed new wheel bearings and races, new seals, and new studs and lug nuts. Next logical step would be to install the new brake hardware. Just need another day of decent weather so I can do that.

Here are some part numbers if anyone needs them. I have a Dana 60 rear diff. that came out of a Jeep J20. Keep in mind that there were a few variants of the Dana 60 that these parts may not fit.

Wheel Bearing (Inner): Timken 28678
Bearing Race (Inner): Timken 28622
Bearing Race (Outer): Timken 18620
Wheel Bearing (Outer): Timken 18690
Wheel Seal: Timken 455860
Axle Shaft Flange Gasket: Fel-Pro 55350
Axle Nuts and Washer Kit: QK4763
The axle nuts require a 2-3/8" socket.
Lug Stud: 6413166 (Napa)
Lug Nut: Dorman 611161
My lug nuts and studs are 9/16". I believe every other truck had 1/2" studs.

FetchMeAPepsi

December 20th, 2020, 05:19 PM

Good job on the part numbers. For the other projects, you can put them in the other projects forum ( To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? ). I put my woodsplitter build in there and even installing my water heater.

POWERSTROKE

December 21st, 2020, 06:02 PM

Since we're talking full floating rear axles, 25 years ago now I was fretting over getting a half or 3/4 ton truck. And I'm not sure why but almost 25 years later and 320,000 miles later it still has the factory installed bearings and seals. Guess I made the right choice all those years ago.
Never stops amazing me how these GMC trucks were built! Not many common parts with a Chevy, but I bet it's almost easier to get the GMC parts today than the Chevy parts.

LordNatedawg

January 12th, 2021, 02:35 AM

Finally got around to assembling my rear drums. Without any detailed photos to reference, I have to assume that I followed my service manual's directions correctly. It got too cold and dark to actually adjust them, so I put the old drums back on for now. Sometimes later I'll have to finish installing brake lines to the wheel cylinders, put on the new drums, and get everything adjusted properly.

If you see something wrong in my photos, please let me know. This is my first time doing a full assembly of drum brakes. The pictures are showing the passenger side drum assembly.

Part numbers:

Rear Drums - ND 4401202 (12" x 2.5" / Lug holes are meant for 9/16" lug studs)
Self-Adjusting Hardware - Carlson H2555/H2554
Drum Hardware - Raybestos H7128
Wheel Cylinders - Centric 13462016/13462015
Brake Shoes - Raybestos 127PG (Semi-metallic pads)

And a note. The golden bracket you see in the photo is not replaceable. Earlier in this thread I mentioned how it was missing. I was able to track one down (Dorman HW2553) and then I had it copied and mirrored by a precision metal shop. It wasn't cheap to do. Don't throw them out!

Funky61

January 13th, 2021, 04:27 PM

LordNatedawg

January 14th, 2021, 01:13 AM

LND, here is a link with some drum brake assembly photos.

 To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic? 

Thanks for this. Based on these photos, I have no reason to believe anything is assembled wrong. I even followed my service manual step-by-step. Shouldn't doubt myself too much.

Unfortunately, there is a problem somewhere in the braking system. Today I adjusted my drums, installed the last two pieces of brake line, and then vacuum bled everything. Ran about 2 quarts of fluid through the system. Haven't had a single air bubble all day, but the pedal has a lot of travel. It goes down about half way to the floor before it gets stiff. With the truck running, there almost isn't a brake pedal at all.

The last time I had an issue like this was on a Saturn Ion. I had just replaced the master cylinder, it experienced these symptoms, and it turned out the the new master cylinder had a bad internal seal.

Too many factors to consider on my truck. I replaced every single item you can possibly replace in the brake system. I have no way of knowing if all the parts are compatible or not. I'm relying on aftermarket manufacturers correctly labeling products.

My truck has some braking power, so I plan on taking it on a very slow road test to see if anything changes. If nothing else, the parking brake seems to work. It's super tight and I can only get 3-4 clicks out of it.

As much as my dad would hate me for doing it, I could always borrow the MC out of his 74 just to see if mine is the issue or not. I could only see the problem being either the:
1. Master cylinder
2. Proportioning valve
3. Improperly adjusted push-rod
4. Non-compatible MC bore size

On the bright side of all of this, it has enough braking power that I can probably move my truck to the driveway and get it out of the slanted gravel pit.

Sorry if the post is jumbled. I'm a bit frustrated.

Funky61

January 14th, 2021, 04:51 AM

That’s got to be very frustrating LND;
Sorry to hear that...

Here’s a link from CPP on figuring out brake issues that might help you.

 To view some links or images in this forum your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Maybe you should introduce yourself with a new topic?

LordNatedawg

January 15th, 2021, 02:05 AM

Vented my frustrations, read through CPPs troubleshooting sheet, and then did some research on braking systems.

Here's what I came up with:

After looking at old part numbers (**** glad I documented part #s), it appears that I ordered a MC and brake booster kit for a 1/2-ton truck. Meaning the bore of the MC is too small to push out the required volume of fluid needed for 3/4-ton disc brakes. It explains why my pedal has a good amount of resistance, but goes to the floor. The MC is currently producing pressure, but not volume.

The bore I have on my MC is likely 1" or 1-1/8". The solution is grab a MC and proportioning valve off of a 1979 GMC 3/4-ton (to match the front discs). They used a 1-1/4" bore. This will allow me to meet the volume needs of the heavy duty disc brakes.

Essentially what we're looking at is the difference between JB5, JB6 and JB7 braking systems. JB5 systems are on light duty 1/2-tons (your typical GMC 1000 or Ch*vy C10). JB6 systems are on heavy duty 1/2-ton and light duty 3/4-ton. JB7 is for light duty 1-ton and heavy duty 3/4-ton. I mixed and matched JB5, JB6 and JB7 parts. My truck has a GVWR of 7,500 which would put it in the JB7 category (7,500-8,400).

So, I'll be ordering a new master cylinder for a JB7 system and I'll see where that gets me. Probably a new proportioning valve too, just to be on the safe side.

*This post is a compilation of everything I researched today. It is accurate to the best of my knowledge.*

LordNatedawg

January 17th, 2021, 01:53 AM

I don't like to jump the gun, but I think I solved the problem. I installed a new master cylinder. An OEM ACDelco meant for a 1979 GMC C2500 HD. Plumbed some new lines to the proportioning valve, bench bled the master, and then installed it. I also installed larger disc brake calipers because the old ones I had were meant for the light duty C25. Lots of air in my brake system, but the pedal is significantly stiffer and only sinks with some constant, heavy pressure. Quickly stomping the pedal makes it feel rock hard. I think once I get everything bled, I should have a solid brake pedal.

Really don't want to jump the gun or jinx myself, but I'm feeling good about this.
A 1/8" increase in bore size doesn't seem like much. But lets assume that the fluid is moving through a cylinder 8 inches long. A 1-1/8" bore and 8" stroke would push about 7.95 cubic inches of fluid. A 1-1/4" bore and 8" stroke would push 9.81 cubic inches of fluid. Now that's not exactly how master cylinders work, but it proves a concept. The volume adds up over distance.

James

January 17th, 2021, 06:05 PM

Are the brake lines copper plated? From what I been told solid copper brake lines is a no-no and prone to failure. Correct me if I'm wrong.

LordNatedawg

January 17th, 2021, 09:08 PM

Are the brake lines copper plated? From what I been told solid copper brake lines is a no-no and prone to failure. Correct me if I'm wrong.They are the NiCopp brake lines. An alloy of primarily nickel and copper, as well as some manganese and iron. They were recommended to my by someone who makes custom brake lines for a living. They have the strength of steel lines, but they bend smooth as butter.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

LordNatedawg

January 19th, 2021, 09:35 PM

Finally got my truck to the driveway. The brakes work great! They're actually too good. When I pushed the clutch in, the truck would slowly stop before I touched the brakes. Couldn't get it started in second gear, had to use the granny gear to get it rolling. It also didn't roll back when it was on the sloped part of my driveway. I probably adjusted my pushrod in too far, or I need to back off my drums a bit. I'm just glad I have solid brakes all around. Next task is to obviously adjust my brakes so they don't drag, check and change all the fluids, and then get this thing sent off for an alignment and new tires.

What honestly surprises me is that, after two years of sitting, there wasn't a single wet spot in the gravel. That either means I have no leaks, or the fluids that might be leaking are completely empty. "If she ain't leaking oil, then she's out of oil."

LordNatedawg

March 30th, 2021, 02:24 AM

Small update. Brakes are still locked up because I've been busy with other vehicles. You can see those in the other build thread. That thread is not yet up to date though...because I've been busy.

Today though, I decided to retackle my leaky radiator. Original solder joint did not hold so I tried again. After 4 failed attempts, I finally got it sealed up. I've never done any plumbing soldering, only electrical soldering. It seems that the trick with plumbing solder is to clean everything with muriatic acid, heat the area, clean it more, then add flux, heat, flux, heat, flux, heat, solder. Follow those steps and you should get a clean solder joint. I'm not too happy with how globby it looks, but it seals and is adhered to the radiator, and that's what counts. I might cover it with some JB weld and then sand it smooth. Kinda like bondo.

I should have some spare time this weekend to get the timing sorted on my engine. Needed the radiator sealed so it didn't spray hot coolant on me while I was working. The timing seems way off. Hard start when it's cold, runs okay hot but it seems like it's running rich.

Also I noticed that all of the fittings on my 1/4" brake line are weeping brake fluid. Not leaking, just weeping. The master cylinder is not missing any noticeable amount of fluid, but all of the fittings are wet and some of them formed droplets. I probably need to go through and loosen each fitting then tighten it back down again. Repeat 4 or 5 times to form the flare to the flare nut. All of my 3/16" flares are fine, so I'm guessing it's just an issue of the flares not being formed properly. Again, it's not a bad leak. The reservoir is still full and no drops have hit the ground.

LordNatedawg

July 15th, 2021, 01:30 AM

Been neglecting this forum. A few months ago I got my engine close to perfect on the timing. It doesn't spit flames and backfire anymore, but it still could use a bit of tuning on the vacuum advance.

I also solved my locked up brakes. First, the parking brake was adjusted too tight by the previous owner. Loosened the cable, pulled the handle 4 clicks, then tightened the cable until the brakes started to drag. After that, I had an issue with a kinked brake line at the proportioning valve. Used my last 6" of brake line to recreate the 4" section; no room for error. After that was solved, I had some preload on the master cylinder. Seeing as my pushrod is already as short as it can go, I had to put 2 washers behind the master cylinder. It solved the issue. Wheels spin freely with engine running and engine off, but the brake pedal doesnt have too much travel before the brakes are applied.

This truck is almost road worthy. It still needs tires and the control arm bushings torqued, but I think I can solve those fairly easily. I got a new torque wrench that should help me get the leverage to get 220lb-ft on the upper bushings. Also, I recently got a job at a tire shop. Might be able to bring the loose wheels to work some day and mount up some new tires on my lunch break.

LordNatedawg

July 16th, 2021, 03:43 AM

Tried to finalize the timing on my engine today. Things were going well until my alternator died. Shortly after that happened, my distributor cap decided to snap off. Oh, and I had to stop a few times to let my engine cool down because it was running at 240 according to my thermal gun.

My truck is dead, but it presents at least two opportunities for upgrades. I'm going to install an HEI distributor and an internally regulated alternator. Additionally, while I have the distributor out of the way I will also install an electric oil pressure sensor. I'm hopeful that sorting out the timing will also help the engine run cooler.

Sucks to take 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, but it'll be good to get this engine running smooth and clean.

I know there is some speculation on whether HEI distributors will fit on a 350 in our trucks, the main concern being firewall clearance. From what I've seen it'll be a tight fit but it will indeed work. I'll let you know otherwise.

Tomorrow I'm making a trip to the parts store. Hopefully I can get my truck back up and running before I have to return to work next week.

LordNatedawg

July 19th, 2021, 06:20 AM

New alternator is installed, HEI distributor fits, and my electric oil pressure sensor just barely fits. Tomorrow I plan on actually wiring these all up. I also installed new spark plugs gapped at .045 for the new HEI distributor. I'll be replacing spark plugs wires as well.

When I pulled my wiring harness today I saw the horrors of 50+ years of custom wiring. The harness is a complete mess. After trimming most of the terminated wires I think I can finally makes sense of what the harness was meant to do.

Once I get everything back together I'll let you all know about part numbers and wiring diagrams.

On an interesting note, whoever installed the last distributor forgot the gasket. So I solved one major oil leak there. They also did not use any sort of sealant on the mechanical oil gauge, so that is a second leak solved (assuming I used enough of the proper sealant). At least I know for certain this gauge won't leak inside the cab. Lol.

LordNatedawg

July 21st, 2021, 05:35 AM

My truck did a very good toaster impression today. Lots of smoke coming out of the air vents.

Long story short, something in the original harness was shorted and melted almost every electrical wire inside the cab. And it only took a few seconds. I saw smoke, I unhooked the battery, everything was burnt and melted.

All the wiring I did is fine. It isn't melted, it didnt even get warm. The only thing I did with wiring was remove/replace the resistor wire, remove the alternator external regulator, and repair wires that were spliced for accessories that no longer exist in my truck. Everything is wired up according to my 65-66 GMC FSM.

I don't even know if my truck runs with the new distributor because I never got the chance to crank it over.

Prowbar

August 22nd, 2021, 12:11 PM

LordNatedawg

January 28th, 2022, 10:38 PM

Man, just read through your entire thread, ungrateful work it seems like. Fixing the crap produced by the previous owners take a heck of a lot of work. Will be following your thread with interest and I commend you on your ability to just carry on (when you aren't out fixing family vehicles!)

Good luck.

David (also a young guy at 22)
It's only a matter of time before the grandkids grow up and buy their own project vehicle! Lol. And honestly, in a 50+ year old truck, some of this should have been expected. This truck has been someone's beater-with-a-heater for a long time. Only makes sense that several "goodnuff" fixes have been made.

I've been slowly working on Papa Smurf. Winter and work has made progress extremely slow, but here is where I'm at:

I bought a Painless Wiring kit (PN #10112). I've already removed most of the wiring from my truck. I just need to remove the headlight and taillight harnesses. Everything is getting carefully removed and labelled because some parts of the original harness may need to be reused. Obviously the melted parts can't be reused. That would be my ignition connector and passenger side bulkhead connector.

While working on wiring, I decided that now was the best time to solve my overheating issue. I'm going to be removing the current cooling fan and replacing it with some electric fans. I nabbed some cheap fans from a C5 Corvette, a BMW 325I dual temperature switch and wiring harness (91c/99c), a dual fan two speed LS relay kit, a new thermostat housing with a 1/2" port for temperature switches, and a 185F thermostat. All of this will be cobbled together to improve cooling. In theory, my thermostat should open at 185F, my cooling fans should kick on low speed at 195F, and high speed at 210F.

In addition to all of the cooling fan supplies, I had to upgrade my alternator again. The 70 amp alternator wasn't going to be sufficient for the fans. On startup, both fans can draw up to 60A (30A each). Once they are up to speed, that draw will decrease to 30A or less (about 15A each). That is still a significant portion of my current alternators charging capacity. To prevent any issues, I went with a 140A alternator. That will provide more than enough capacity for the fans, and any other accessories I decide to install later such as AC or a new radio.

So far all I have done is test fit the fans. They fit almost as if they were made for this truck. I bought them because the fan measurements were very close to the radiator dimensions. I also found that fans from a Saturn Vue are rather close, but the C5 is even closer. All of the cooling fan supplies cost me about $500. Honestly not bad.

Hoping for some warmer weather soon so I can actually start installation of everything.

Prowbar

February 4th, 2022, 08:54 AM

That's a big ol' alternator! Probably robs a lot of hp as well... :teehee:

Kind of wondering why it overheats? My 305 never goes above thermostat temperature. Is the radiator plugged?

LordNatedawg

February 5th, 2022, 03:04 AM

That's a big ol' alternator! Probably robs a lot of hp as well... :teehee:

Kind of wondering why it overheats? My 305 never goes above thermostat temperature. Is the radiator plugged?

Radiator isn't plugged to my knowledge. I believe the overheating issue is due to lack of airflow through the radiator. My truck has a SBC 350 in it. The SBC is way smaller than the 305 V6 so it sits further back in the engine bay. The PO put a fan spacer in, but the fan still sits pretty far away from the radiator. There is no shroud to help direct airflow, and there is a giant gap in the engine bay.

Basically, the cooling fan wasn't doing much besides stirring up dust. The truck did cool down a bit if I drove it, but not by much.

LordNatedawg

March 22nd, 2022, 02:32 AM

Progress update. Fans, alternator, and cooling neck/sensor have been installed. Wiring is going in and I am also upgrading the headlights, marker lights, tail lights, and reverse lights.

Installing the fans was super simple. I just used some aluminum L brackets that I had lying around. Drilled some holes in the radiator shroud and the fan shroud, then bolted them in. The HVAC tape is to seal the gaps. I want the fans to pull air through the radiator, not around it. The fans and coolant sensor have all been wired in to the relay kit. All that is left to do is to hook it up to the Painless wiring harness.

Speaking of wiring, the mess of wires that you see is surprisingly organized. Painless does a great job of labeling and binding everything together. Right now I'm working on getting the wires routed the way I want. Then I will wrap them in split tube and secure them before I start making connections. I am also working on a few upgrades to lighting first.

The headlights I'm installing are the Colorshift lights from Oracle. You can see the difference between stock lights and the Oracle lights. There is an LED ring around the edge that I can control with my phone. I can make it almost any color/pattern that I want. Should help my truck stand out even more. In addition to that, the bulbs are being upgraded to LED. They still use the same H4 connectors though. The only mods needed to make these headlights fit are some mods to the buckets. Little bit of cutting and drilling (as shown in the last photo). So far I have two buckets done. They're taking me about an hour a piece. I'm trying to go slow so I don't ruin them entirely. In the even that I do mess up, a lot of these parts are available aftermarket. Even the headlight adjusters are easy to get (most of mine are broken. 56 year old plastic is very easy to break).

Besides that, I have some sequential LED tail lights. No mods needed for that. It plugs right into the original harness. Same with my LED reverse lights.

Lastly, I am installing clear lenses on my marker lights. The bulbs are being replaced with LED switchbacks. If you don't know, a switchback bulb is solid white when the power is constant. When power is "pulsed" (when a blinker is turned on) the bulb will change to orange and will flash. My marker lights will function as both an amber blinker, and a white DRL. No mods needed for this except a no-load flasher and the switchback bulb.

Lots of things going on. I cannot wait to get all of this installed. Hopefully the junkyard fans actually work. I didn't think to test them before installing them.

LordNatedawg

April 5th, 2022, 06:40 AM

I've been hard at work getting all the wiring put together. So far I have everything except my interior and my taillights wired up and ready to go. I even got my truck started today. I never got to hear it run when I installed the HEI last July because it caught fire before it ever cranked. Thankfully, the only smoke and fire that occurred today was from the backfiring in my carb (last time I installed the distributor, I put it in 180 out...woops). I couldn't let my truck run for long though. My brand new thermostat housing is cracked and leaking.

As far as wiring goes, the Painless kit really is simple to install. I swapped around a few wires to suit my needs then slapped it in some split tubing and ran it where it needed to go. After that it all fell into place. Keep in mind that the kit is made for Ch*vy and GMC. So some wires are missing, and some aren't used. Keep your original harness as reference and be ready to reuse/rebuild some parts of the original harness. Just as an example, I have to rebuild my heater and blower motor harness to reuse. I also have to splice my original gauge cluster harness into the Painless harness.

No pictures this time around. I don't really have anything interesting to show. Just wires and such. If you decide to do the Painless rewire and have questions, feel free to ask.

Last thing. I'm looking at replacing my coolant reservoir. Did our trucks even come with an overflow tank? My service manual mentions them but I don't recall that it showed what they looked like or where they were mounted under the hood.

LordNatedawg

June 2nd, 2022, 04:08 AM

Things are coming together nicely. My cooling fans work beautifully. They keep my truck running with the needle right in the center of the gauge. On cooler nights they only stay on for a minute or two. Hotter days, they sit on low speed at idle for a long time. But they haven't kicked on to high speed so I know they're at least maintaining temperature. I also solved my coolant reservoir issue. Summit had on that was fairly easy to install. Should serve the purpose nicely.

My headlights works. The LED bulbs are super bright. I have to aim them still, but that'll be easy. The LED halos also work. They were a bit tedious to wire up. Each halo has 4 wires that needed to be connected with butt connectors to the Bluetooth module. 16 butt connectors later, everything works.

My taillights and reverse lights are installed. I need a new reverse switch for the lights to work, but my taillights work. The sequential blinker and brakes look awesome.

My front blinkers also work, but I need to figure out how to attach the new lenses to the housings. The lenses I bought came with rivets that were way too big to fit. I found some screws that fit tight, but they stick out too far in the back and hit the hood when I try to install the housing.

And lastly, I've actually started driving my truck regularly. I got it tuned perfectly. It starts on the first turn of the key and is ready to roll after less than a minute of warming up. It's not registered or insured yet so I have to keep it off the main highway, but it handles nice while cruising around the neighborhood. I even had a chance to do some light towing with it. Had to pull my 1938 Buick out of the backyard. I hardly felt it. My truck powered right through it.

All in all, I'm starting to see 3 years of hard work paying off. I only need the front blinkers installed to make my truck legal. Then I can invest in new tires and an alignment. I'm excited for the future of this project once it's on the road.

LordNatedawg

November 24th, 2022, 11:17 PM

I have good news, bad news, and in between news.

I've managed to torque my control arm bushings, only 3 years after installing the arms. Had to unbolt my exhaust from the manifolds and remove the front shock absorbers. Turn the tires as needed and use a 4 foot long torque wrench. Easy peasy.

I also fully installed the coolant reservoir, and got a new washer reservoir that I believe to be period correct. On top of that, I replaced my wiper motor, washer pump, wiper switch, and headlight switch. All of that works perfectly (minus the washer pump that I haven't tested yet). My marker light housings were installed. I ended up using the screws and grinding them down until the housings fit in the hood. The clear lenses are much cleaner looking, in my opinion. I also aimed my headlights and got my reverse lights wired up.

As for the bad news...since it got cold I decided to adjust my choke. I got it set and wanted to warm up my truck. I was off doing other things while it was idling when I suddenly heard liquid hitting the ground rapidly. Sure enough, my radiator gave out. The truck didn't overheat, but it appears that the underside of the top tank is where the leak is at. It is going to need a recore before I can continue. I have a local radiator shop that should be able to do it. If not, I'm sure I can get a C5 radiator to fit. The cooling fans would certainly work.

That's where I'm at. Just tying up loose ends while saving money for tires. The radiator is a setback, but not the end of the world. Happy Thanksgiving!

LordNatedawg

November 28th, 2022, 10:34 PM

Update on my radiator. I took it to A1 Radiator here in Reno. They told me that the core that was currently in it is not correct, meaning that someone has rebuilt this rad at some point before. He also told me that it would be about $750 to restore it to factory original. He gave me a few other cheaper options, such as using a 2 core vs a 3 core.

I went with the OE style core. Everything should be done by the end of the week. They are going to fix dents and cracks in my tanks. He also noted that, with the proper core, my radiator will shrink by about 1/2" on the sides. That shouldn't cause any issues with my electric fans.

I wish I took some detailed photos of what it looked like before. Regardless, I'm excited to see what it will look like once restored.

Additionally, I ordered a radiator from the EvilBay. Less than $100 for a used C5 rad. I'm going to see if I can adapt that to fit, just in case my Harrison rad is too nice and pretty to be used.

LordNatedawg

December 8th, 2022, 05:03 AM

I present to you: a restored Harrison radiator. They fixed the dent in the inlet pipe, resoldered the crack in the tank from the inside and outside, put blocks on the sides to hold the fins in place, resoldered every connection, and gave everything a nice coat of black paint.

I'm happy with how it turned out. It was expensive, but worth every penny. I'll give an update on how it performs once I get a chance to reinstall it.

As for the C5 rad. I haven't had a chance to test fit it. I can already tell it's probably going to be too wide and not tall enough. I'll play with it later.

LordNatedawg

August 7th, 2023, 05:01 AM

Words cannot describe how excited I am. I know it has been a while since my last update, so sit tight.

First. The restored radiator is great. Cools the truck quickly. I took my truck on a long cruise around the neighborhood and the temperature never went past the middle point on the gauge. Fans stayed on low speed for most of the drive, but it was almost 100 degrees out so that is expected.

Second. I tried installing a washer pump. The original mechanical pump. I bought one from Cardone (Car-don't) and it didn't function properly. I'll try again later.

I also tried fumbling with my motor mounts. I tried to flip them because I thought they were backwards. It turns out that the perches are just wrong. From my limited research it seems that there are differences in perches between C10s and C20s, and even different years. I'll need to get them fixed because my motor vibrates a fair bit with only have the spring perch being bolted down.

And finally for the exciting news. Tomorrow (8-7-2023) I will be putting on tires and performing an alignment on my truck. My boss made sure the alignment rack was free for a few hours so I should have plenty of time to dial in my specs. My truck is insured and I have made an appointment with the DMV to register it. It isn't perfect by any means, but it is legally roadworthy.

After 4 long years I will finally be able to enjoy my new truck!

LordNatedawg

August 8th, 2023, 05:05 AM

Tires and alignment complete. I went with Hercules TerraTrac CH4. A nice highway tire that is very affordable. The PO had 245/75/R16, but I switched over to LT235/85/R16. A taller and thinner tire should help with MPG and it greatly reduces steering effort. Running 40psi in all 4 tires for now. I can switch that to 60psi front, 80psi rear if it ever gets a heavy load.

As for alignment specs, I was surprised to find that the Hunter alignment machine at work had factory specs for a 66 GMC 4x2. Modest positive camber, about 2.5* caster, and a pretty insane amount of positive toe. It wanted 0.18*, but I left it at 0.15*. Just a word of advice: if you bring your truck somewhere for an alignment, make sure to give the tech coffee and donuts. Camber shims are no fun to mess with. The tech will be grateful and will ensure that your alignment is dead on, not just "good enough". Talking from experience here. Lol.

And of course, my posts would no be mine if they didn't end with a new problem. My blinker fuse keeps blowing at random. I haven't found any way to get it to blow reliably; I don't know what's causing it. One minute they work, but the next time I go to turn them on I suddenly have nothing. For now I'm going to do a "fix" by installing a breaker instead of a fuse. That way I can get blinkers back when I'm on the road. Also saves me money. I've already put 3 fuses in it this week.

LordNatedawg

September 4th, 2023, 01:09 AM

I'm still trying to track down the source of my blinker fuse issue. I've inspected all the wiring that I installed and can't find any dead shorts or worn through insulation. The only wiring I haven't inspected is within the steering column itself. But without a consistent fuse blow, it's hard to say what the issue is. Sometimes it blows when I'm sitting stationary, sometimes it happens as soon as I try to use the blinkers, sometimes it happens when I'm turning. Some drives it doesn't happen at all.

I added a few grounds to my battery and engine. It won't solve the issue I'm having, but it will help with overall electrical efficiency. I already had the main ground from battery to engine. I added battery to chassis and frame, engine to body, engine to frame. I also added one from hood to chassis.

I've been enjoying my truck and discovering new problems with it. I expected new problems to arise once I actually started using it. On top of my blinker issue I have discovered that my coolant reservoir is too small. Kind of expected that. I'm running my truck hotter than some classics, as well as running a lower pressure radiator cap; there is going to be quite a bit of expansion. Not a huge issue, but should be addressed. I also found a loose u-joint in my driveshaft. That will need immediate attention. No fun having a u-joint explode at 65mph. Ask me how I know...

All that being said. I am still very much enjoying my truck. It isn't registered yet so I can't take it to work yet. But I have been using it for grocery runs or quick errands down the street. That will have to cease until I can fix the u-joint though.

LordNatedawg

October 13th, 2023, 08:06 AM

Sort of an update and a warning of what is to come. I'm excited for this one.

First. I haven't had much time to work on Papa Smurf. So the u-joint is still shot and my blinkers aren't fixed. However, I think I found where my blinker issue lies. While moving my truck in the driveway I happened to bump the connector for my steering column and my blinker relay suddenly started clicking. That tells me I have a short in that connector. Poor pin fitment, bent pins, or similar. I need to pull the connector apart and take a gander.

Second. While doing some spring cleaning in the backyard shed, I found an old Rochester carburetor. My dad says it came off his 74 GMC and "never quite ran right". It was not the original carb for that truck though. The markings suggested that it originally came off of a 1977 Ch*vy.

Anyways. I sent that carb away to Sean Murphy Induction for a Stage 1 rebuild. That should be done in about 15 weeks. Continuing on, I decided that I want to pair that carb with a computer.

I'm a mechanic on modern vehicles, so I understand computer controlled fuel injection fairly well (I am far from an expert though). A friend of mine showed me how to control the AFR of my carb with an oxygen sensor. A product called the Carb Cheater allows the carburetor to self adjust to a set AFR based on readings from an oxygen sensor by inducing a controlled vacuum leak. I am oversimplifying it a lot. It does so much more. And the best part is that install is easy and non-invasive. It will not ruin your carb if the system were to die. This product is similar to a feedback carburetor, but updated with superior modern technology. This product is also on a 15 week wait time.

My Edelbrock runs just fine. But my goal is to have a truck that is more powerful and more fuel efficient. I think a computer controlled Rochester is the way to go. When the carb and computer arrive I will install both at the same time, but I won't turn on the computer until I have verified that the carb is tuned perfectly. That way I know I'm getting the most out of the system. The computer is an enhancement, not a band-aid. The carb needs to be in good working order first. That means a solid tune with the proper settings.

And just to finish off, my truck is finally registered. No smog required in Nevada for any vehicle older than 1967 which means I can get normal license plates.

it's gonna be a long 15 weeks waiting for my new toys to arrive. In the meantime I still have plenty of work left to do on my truck. Stay tuned!

Prowbar

October 13th, 2023, 10:11 PM

LordNatedawg

October 24th, 2023, 03:26 AM

The carb cheater is a great idea. From a guy on YouTube called Thunderhead289 for anyone wondering.

But I think that with a little knowledge about carb tuning and a wideband O2 sensor you can come a long way, without the need for a carb cheater.

You're right. A little practice is all it takes to get a carb tuned right. But the cheater is still useful even after a perfect tune is achieved. As mentioned before, it cannot replace a solid tune. It can only enhance.

In other news. I think I fixed my blinker issue. Touching the connector actually had nothing to do with the problem. My finger was just touching the wire for the flasher unit and providing it with a path to ground. However, inside the connector was a pin that was flattened. It was sliding under the female pin instead of inside of it. That can cause excessive current draw and heat. Time will tell if the issue is actually resolved. I was never able to get a reliable way to blow the fuse.

I also tried to fix my loose u-joint. I got the driveshaft removed and took some measurements, only to find that the u-joint is fine and my differential yoke is stretched. I don't have the tools to replace the yoke at home. I'll have to bring it to my shop on my day off. Should be a quick swap.

LordNatedawg

December 25th, 2023, 12:13 AM

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are enjoying time with family this holiday season.

Papa Smurf is unfortunately down for the foreseeable future. Last night I attempted to drive it around the neighborhood to view Christmas lights with my family. I didn't even get down my street before it blew a blinker fuse, sprung a major fuel leak at the pump, and 3rd gear disappeared.

I can shift into 1, 2, 4, and reverse, but the detent for 3rd seems to be gone. I'm guessing there is an issue with the shift fork, or maybe the detent is full of crud. Either way the transmission needs to be looked at.

The fuel leak obviously needs to be addressed as well. A while ago I had a small leak, but I was able to fix it just by tightening a loose fitting. That same fitting is leaking again, but it is much worse.

As far as the blinker issue goes, I have exhausted every potential cause except the wiring in the steering column. I will have to pull the column out and disassemble it. The short has to be internal.

As always, this presents opportunities for upgrades. I like the heavy duty nature of my truck and I want to keep that theme going. Since the transmission might need a rebuild, maybe I look into swapping it for something else. My truck screams at 50mph and would benefit from having an additional gear just to bring down the RPMs at 55mph. One way to accomplish this is with a NV4500 transmission. A 5 speed manual with a granny first. These transmissions were used by The Big Three behind various big blocks or diesels. Not uncommon to find one in a 8.1L Chevy bucket truck. The ultimate dream would be to find one of those bucket trucks and take the whole powertrain. I would be converting my truck to EFI at that point, but it would provide me with all the towing and hauling power I could ever ask for.

Realistically, I need to open up my current transmission (NP435) and figure out what's happening.

I am still waiting on my Rochester carb. I was told it should be shipped out within the next week or two. My Carb Cheater has already arrived. Neither of these are going to be of much use if my truck can't shift gears.

Prowbar

December 25th, 2023, 07:09 AM

LordNatedawg

December 26th, 2023, 05:16 AM

I feel your frustration...
Rebuild kits for NP435's are available if needed. As you said, could be as simple as a stuck detent.
NV4500's are the most common in Dodge trucks but need an adapter plate. Not sure if the GM unit just bolts up the the V6 bellhousing. In both cases the shifter moves back in the cab, very close to the bench seat.

I have a SBC 350, so my trans options are nearly endless. The NV4500 did come with Dodge commonly, but they were also in quite a few GM trucks behind the small block, big block, and LS motors. GM trucks of all kind are much more common at my local wrecking yard than Dodge.

Regardless, after a bit of thought and research, I think a better option would be to utilize a TR4050. A more robust, smoother shifting version of the NV4500. My old NP435 will be stashed away for later use. I can mate it with my 351E and use them to restore a different vehicle back to factory original some day.

The TR4050 swap will not be cheap nor easy. But I'll let you all know how it goes. Just don't expect any updates on that any time soon. Gotta save a bit before I can afford that. In the meantime I'll try to tackle my fuel leak and blinker issues.

LordNatedawg

March 14th, 2024, 04:18 AM

It seems that this thread was reverted to Dec 25. I'll try to catch it up to the best of my memory.

I received my rebuilt Q-jet a back in January. A stage 2 rebuild from Sean Murphy Induction. I have not had the chance to install it yet. I'm trying to track down various bits and pieces such as choke linkage and vacuum port adapters. It'll happen soon enough.

I fixed my fuel leak just by replacing the offending fitting. A few months have passed and the fuel leak has not come back.

Lastly. I have been driving my truck around the block on occasion to avoid flat spots in my tires and try to get my blinker fuse to blow. Since December, the fuse has not blown again. This issue is getting extremely frustrating. No patterns to it as of yet.

LordNatedawg

June 17th, 2024, 03:29 AM

Got a few more updates to share.

I've slowly been gathering parts for my q-jet. I needed some things like the divorced choke linkage and some various fuel and vacuum fittings. I should have everything I need now. I plan on installing the carb around the same time I replace my motor mounts, so that I can use a lift plate when the carb is off to hold my engine up.

Speaking of motor mounts. I discovered that the P.O. of my truck used the wrong motor mount perches. There are several different styles that vary by engine, vehicle, year, etc. Whatever he used was a front mount perch. Obviously that won't work for a rear mount application (unless you booger weld it in place like he did). I ordered some 67-72 motor perches that should fit significantly better.

My blinker issue is still ongoing. I might have made progress with diagnosis. My blinker fuse popped while I wasn't even in the truck. It was idling in the driveway. I verified the blinkers worked prior to walking away. When I came back they no longer worked. I have yet to duplicate this incident, but it suggests that I have a very small short somewhere that is causing gradual heat buildup. The first thing I'm going to try is replacing my LEDs on the blinker circuit one by one. I want to make sure the circuitry in the switchbacks isn't the issue.

Lastly. I got tired of my coolant reservoir. It was only a quart sized reservoir and it always overfills before my truck reaches operating temps. I calculated that I would need approximately 3 quarts to allow for expansion and drawdown. Just to be safe I ordered a 1 gallon coolant reservoir and then proceeded to make a custom bracket for it. I used 1/8" flat steel and bent everything with a hammer and vice grips. It took 2 days to get everything bent, drilled, and painted. But it came out great and the reservoir is very sturdy. A total of 6ft of flat steel was used to make the bracket.

Prowbar

June 17th, 2024, 07:50 PM

Nice work on the brackets and reservoir. Never had any issues with coolant overflow.
The V6 takes 8 gallons of coolant (didn't believe it at first until it all pours in). When the engine is cold I cannot see any coolant in the radiator but when the engine is hot it is about 1" below the cap. Anymore coolant and it will blow it out via the hose under the cap.
I always drill a small (.080-.100") hole in the thermostat so air cannot get trapped between the thermostat.

As far as the blinker issue goes, did you check the harness in the steering column for any exposed wiring? Did you have the park lights on when the fuse went out?
Did you check/replace the hood harness?
Do you have a good ground from the hood to the rest of the truck?

IMO, as far as the drivetrain goes, I'd build up the 351 V6 and rebuild the NP435 transmission. They are sweet shifting units in good shape. The close ratio version is the best for the V6. Yours is probably the wide ratio.
Regear the rear end to 3.23 gears using the DoctorDiff gear set or install a Gear Vendors Overdrive.

LordNatedawg

June 18th, 2024, 06:42 AM

The 351 V6 and my 350 V8 are also running at different temperatures. On the factory gauge my operating temp is right on the edge of the normal line, closer to overheating. I've verified several different ways that around 200-210* is at that zone. I would guess that the V6 operates closer to 160-180*, because my 180* thermostat starts to open when the needle is dead center of the gauge. More heat is obviously going to mean more expansion. I keep my radiator full to the top to prevent oxidation.

My wiring issue is strange because everything is new. And I never had the blinker issue after installing the new column. The issue came about after I rewired the rest of the truck. I added ground straps all over. Battery to body, frame, and engine. Engine to frame, and frame to body. Also added a hood to body. When it blew the fuse while idling, there weren't any lights on in the truck. I did find that one of my switchback LEDs was slightly damaged. I installed some new ones and I'll just have to see if that helps or not. I really should take a multi-meter and try to find the short.

I also agree with you on the V6 and NP435, but I don't think I'm going to do it on this truck. I have my reasons, even if they may be frowned upon here. The V6 I picked up a few years ago will be used in a vehicle some day, but it won't be in Papa Smurf.

LordNatedawg

July 1st, 2024, 01:51 AM

I FINALLY FOUND MY BLINKER PROBLEM!!!!!!

Decided to do some more diagnosis today. I needed to be able to recreate the issue. I ran my truck with no lights on for 30 minutes. Nothing. I turned on the blinkers one by one. Left - pause - off - pause - right - pause - repeat. No dice. Then I moved on to the reverse.

Reverse - pause- neutral - pause - repeat. Suddenly I heard a loud POP when I switched to reverse. I swapped the fuse out and repeated. R - N - R - N - R -POP!

I ohmed out my reverse switch and found that it was very intermittently shorting to itself, creating a dead short to ground when I shifted into reverse. Suddenly everything makes sense. When I initially started my rewire, I noticed that the PO had no reverse light bulbs and no pigtail on the reverse switch. He must've been having this same issue.

Just about drove myself crazy trying to track this one down. I absolutely despise intermittent electrical issues. But now it has been uncovered. I'm going to try and find a new switch that fits in the shifter base. Hopefully this is the end of this problem.

FetchMeAPepsi

July 1st, 2024, 03:28 AM

Awesome tracking skills! That must have drove you crazy and it was all due to a tiny little wire acting up.
:thumbsup:

aphaynes

July 1st, 2024, 04:59 PM

:goodjob:Nice troubleshooting! Congrats.

blang

November 7th, 2024, 12:21 AM

Wow, starting off at 19 and still going strong 5 years later. You'll be a pro in no time!

LordNatedawg

May 20th, 2025, 03:21 AM

Out with the Edelbroken, and in with the Rockchucker. I finally found time to get my carb replaced. Used the Carb Cheater spacer and swapped from electric choke to divorced choke. I primed it, turned the key, and my truck came to life and ran like it was parked yesterday. Shamefully, it was actually parked several months ago...

The carb was rebuilt by Sean Murphy Induction. Unfortunately, Sean closed down shop shortly after delivering my carb. He got it tuned perfectly, based on what I could tell. I didn't have to adjust anything. Not even the idle speed. It was all dialed in.

I also replaced my water pump today, because my old one started leaking from a weep hole. Probably one of the only jobs I've done on this truck that didn't come with any surprises. Just a simple water pump.

Last thing I need to take care of is replacing the proportioning valve to fix an intermittent RF wheel lockup, then finish installing my Carb Cheater.