New to the site

[Jethro]

Recently bought a 64 GMC 1/2 ton. Looking for a place to find advice for fixing her up.

[Funky61]

Welcome to the forum Jethro!

Do you have any photos of your 64 you'd like to share?

There are many knowledgeable members here. The Jolly Website is always fun to look around and explore for information as well.

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:welcome:

[Jethro]

Thanks Funky61.
I'll have to see if I can figure out how to post some pics.

There's also a 66 Chevy panel in my garage. That one will need a bit more work...

[Jethro]

Don't know how to post pics on here but I've been busy with the truck.
Figgered out the "original" engine wasn't. Turned out to be a 250. Was supposed to be a 230. The 250 had a few issues including very low compression on #6 and a quart of oil disappearing every 30 miles. Picked up a 230 out of a 66 Malibu and swapped it in. While I was in there I also installed a new clutch.
The alternator had been modified by a PO to the point that it was impossible to adjust belt tension. They had ground the pivot mount to @45 degrees??? So it got upgraded to an internal regulator style.
Carb was puking fuel so it got "rebuilt" by me (no carb genius). Still leaked so I replaced it with a rebuilt one from Uremco. Haven't yet tuned it but it runs better now. Had to tighten one of the top screws down and use my old fuel filter housing to stop the leaks on that carb.
Today she's getting a HEI distributor. Then I'll tune her up a bit and I can move on to other things like a split brake system and suspension repairs.

[Jethro]

Well, things didn't exactly go as planned. The brand new HEI distributor I bought thru Amazon dropped right in. I thought I had the timing pretty close but she didn't start right off.
After cranking it for a bit I got out to turn the distributor a few degrees and saw fuel leaking from the pump. Lucky I had one. Sidetrack for a bit and swap out the fuel pump.
Ok... fuel fixed... again...
Back to timing...
Finally get her fired up and the light firing. Initial reads about 18 advanced. Try to turn it back a little. Engine dies.
Try and try again. Can't get the dang thing to run right.
Eventually, accidentally, I figger out that if I push a little toward the front of the distributor the engine smooths out and idle speeds up. ???? WHAT???
After about 3 hours total in the blazing heat I gave up.
Planning to check my grounds and see if that helps. Otherwise I'll probably just put the old points distributor back in.
Any advice?

[Jethro]

The truck now has really good grounds from battery to engine, frame, and cab. Didn't help the Chinese HEI.
So I put the old points distributor back in and got her running great. Still gotta hook up the choke cable.

She's got some electric issues, one of which was no dash lights. Night lights.
Got that fixed today. Found the instrument panel printed circuit was partially fried. While the cluster was out I found a few wires to nowhere and some of those clip connector things that come with trailer wiring kits. Got rid of those things and lubed the speedo cable.
I had another cluster and, between the two, made one good one. I hope. At least the dash lights up now. Haven't driven it yet.
If the oil light and the temp and fuel guages work I'm done with that.

[Jethro]

Trying to post a pic.

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[Jethro]

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[Jethro]

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[Jethro]

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[Jethro]

Ok I think I have the pics figgered out.
I'm gonna start a new build thread.