1969 Custom/10 clean up

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by litew8

Cool, you have a steering wheel similar to mine (I don't see them around). I didn't sandblast mine though, just sanded down the wood. Any idea what brand/model? I've enjoyed reading your build thread. I like seeing how it's done overseas. Keep up the good work.

I can see the similarity, I'll check if there is any brand on it..I haven't seen anything that cought my eye, but I'll check and thanks for the support!

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by Steve-W

Then I got busy with my HEI ignition.. because I was smart enough to remove all the spark plug wires, assuming that there would be a mark on the distributor showing cylinder 1 .... But unfortunately I was wrong

So after some contemplating I realized that if the engine is at TDC ( top dead center ) that the rotor of the ignition should point to the first spark plug .. TDC can be seen on the harmonic balancer when the line Lines up with the 0 degrees mark.

1 cylinder must then be on the compression stroke , this I checked by taking off the valve cover and checking whether the rockers of cylinder 1 both had clearance .

the annoying part is that when the engine is at tdc , the rotor of the ignition is directly between two points on the distributor ... so I assume I take the one before the rotor as cylinder 1?, or after .. suggestions are welcome

Since timing is set as degrees before TDC, the #1 cylinder would be before the rotor. This is assuming you have the distributor marked as to where it was when you took it out. This should get you going, then set the timing with a light once running.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by TchncnDen

Since timing is set as degrees before TDC, the #1 cylinder would be before the rotor. This is assuming you have the distributor marked as to where it was when you took it out. This should get you going, then set the timing with a light once running.

I didn't take out the whole distributor, only the cover, so the position of the rotor vs the timing on the balancer hasn't changed.

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by Steve-W

I didn't take out the whole distributor, only the cover, so the position of the rotor vs the timing on the balancer hasn't changed.

Cool, I didn't get that part. Wire it up and you will be fine. #1 is just before the rotor.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by TchncnDen

Cool, I didn't get that part. Wire it up and you will be fine. #1 is just before the rotor.

I trust your expertise, it's just that if I turn the engine counter clockwise until the balancer reads 12 degrees ignition advance, the rotor is still not at the sparkplug before the rotor, so how much degrees advance would a 350 normally have?

[litew8]

Can you post a picture of TDC and the rotor showing where it is sitting, or at 0, and where #1 is on the dist. housing? It might help.

[FrankieD]

Steve hope all is good Figured I would chime in here I would imagine you got most of your questions answered but headers are a real pain if you don't get the right ones and keeping the bolts tight are another thing also. Do you ever go to Summitracing.com, they have a few choices for the header bolts, the alien head s are good but they also sell bolts with a 12 point head and other locking type bolts. Hope this helps.

http://www.summitracing.com/search?S...header%20bolts

The stock headers are also a pain on my 95 K2500 we had to use a pry bar to get the holes to align.

Here are a couple of pix of the cermac coated headers I bought from Summit

[JointTech]

Your timing mark may not be accurate. Mine was way off. I could never find TDC using all the tricks on the forums like a piece of cotton or finger or a chop stick.
so I got one of these.
Amazon.com: Innovative Products of America 7880...
makes it so easy I could do it!!

Cool build!

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by FrankieD

Steve hope all is good Figured I would chime in here I would imagine you got most of your questions answered but headers are a real pain if you don't get the right ones and keeping the bolts tight are another thing also. Do you ever go to Summitracing.com, they have a few choices for the header bolts, the alien head s are good but they also sell bolts with a 12 point head and other locking type bolts. Hope this helps.

HI Frankie, thanks and actually no, I haven't looked around on summitracing. My most frequent visits are to LMC or Tuckers, but I'll check it out for sure!

Originally Posted by JointTech

Your timing mark may not be accurate. Mine was way off. I could never find TDC using all the tricks on the forums like a piece of cotton or finger or a chop stick. So I got one of these.

thats a great piece of kit, I'm going to order one for sure

[Steve-W]

Just googled "Header Bouten" (Bouten are Bolts in Dutch) and look what I found



So we do sell them in the Netherlands, but for now I'll stick with the allen bolts


and TDC (which is called BDP in Dutch...Bovenste Dode Punt) finders we have as well! never occurred to me to look for that:

[Steve-W]

I was back working on the wiring and discovered that my 3 year old son helped me with color coding the wiring diagram


and can anybody tell me the purpose of the 8 black wire in the middle?


last question; does anybody agree that the position of my indicator arm looks odd?

[Edmond]

I believe that's the converter for if you put in a later style steering column.
And it looks like that is the case with yours.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by Edmond

I believe that's the converter for if you put in a later style steering column.
And it looks like that is the case with yours.

Ah, ok, so since I'm putting in a complete new 12 circuit mini EZ wiring set, I can loose the converter?

[FrankieD]

Steve I just got this today in my Summit email it might help you out on shipping

http://www.summitracing.com/customer...faqs/?aid=4265

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by FrankieD

Steve I just got this today in my Summit email it might help you out on shipping

http://www.summitracing.com/customer...faqs/?aid=4265

Superb! thanks. While you're in the helping mode I posted a new thread regarding my wiring headache:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=607688

[Steve-W]

Yeah!! got my new front window in today (sorry for the lousy picture)


and thanks to all your help I'm and going to attack the wiring this weekend and finally make some progress

I'll be off for two weeks with no reason to come online so:
I'm signing off, Happy holidays and don't drink and drive. see y'all in January!

[Steve-W]

So back from the holiday's, hope y'all had great days with family and friends.
Poland had no snow, so no white xmas this year but driving back from Wroclaw to Berlin the roads where empty, so I could do 450 miles in just under 5 hours. (yes indeed almost a 100MPH average, thanks to lack of police in Poland and no speedlimit on the German Interstate)

went to work on the truck yesterday and didn't feel like attacking the wiring, so I decided to change the ignition lock cylinder.
I discovered that the previous owner had bought new door and ignition locks going through a box with miscelanious parts.
having no idea how to change it I turned to google and ended up at this great movie on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPDeuKFwc-E

you gotta love youtube!

didn't get much more done, my mate was there working on his '69 Charger, so it was all talk and no show

[Steve-W]

I have another thread going only for the wiring stuff: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...82#post6465482
and as I describe there, we got the wiring figured out! I didn't get everything hooked up yet, but atleast I now know where everything should go.
(I couldn't figure out the ignition switch and gauge cluster wiring)

hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow to get is mocked up and see if everything works, the I'll cust the wires to length and tidy them up.

and then...I'll still have plenty to do

[Steve-W]

Another month has passed since I posted in this thread. I got some good tips in my other one regarding the wiring, so thats'all figured out!
I also had a thread regarding the wiring of the propane tanks and the mixer and although I didn't get any responds I worked it out, so I felt it was about time to test it!

filled up the engine and tranny with oil, put some water in it and guess what?

check the video!!
https://vimeo.com/86941619

[Steve-W]

*Happiness bump*

check the video of me firing up the engine first test run after 2 years

[Steve-W]

Got some more work done on the wiring, put in the wires for the dome and cargi light. I also bought some electrical plugs so I can shorten some of the EZ wires and a power splitter. it looks small, but is 5"s long, so I have see where it will fit. But I'll use it as a central point from where I can draw either battery power or ignition power.


Then I tried to splice a wire. I found a how-to in youtube which looked easy enough..but as you can tell from the pictures, I had a hard time and need more practice

first attempt:



second attempt:



Gawd..I can't look at these pictures without laughing, I need help to my defence, the solder wasn't clean, so it sputtered to much (don't know if that's the correct term?)
But I must say, besides the way it looks..it sure is strong. I'm here on the next picture pulling at the wire with my full 175 pounds

[Steve-W]

wanted a change from the wiring, so I took my heater apart. Now I can't remember whether it was working in the first place, but if I put a feed to the connector and a ground to the body, the damn thing should start spinning right?



Also my top waterhose started leaking after I had fired up the engine last weekend, so I took it off; *Shock and Awe*

what is that?

[FrankieD]

Steve that looks like some kind of corrosion did you flush your radiator?

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by FrankieD

Steve that looks like some kind of corrosion did you flush your radiator?

you're talking about the white chunks right?

OMG..I can't believe I forgot to do that...you're right because I just unbolted it, disconnected the hoses, emptied it and that was it. is there a special fluid you should flush it with?
(hope that's not a dumb question)

now the cooling lines in the engine can get clogged right..

[Steve-W]

Checked with a local repairshop that specializes in US classics and they have some stuff from JB to flush the cooling system, so I'll use that.

but something's come up, something I had to check before I dumped the old cabine at the scrapper.. the cabines are different.
the old one was non AC, the new one had AC, so the heatercore doesn't fit!!

the cab is painted and mounted, I can't possibly weld in a piece..or can and should I. the average temperature here in Netherlands is 62F, so I can do without an AC
if anybody knows a solution I'd like to hear it!

Also in my headlight there is a small bulb, I guess you call it the park light right? it's being held by a small clip..but it's empty on the right side, what do you call the bulb holding thingy? I can't find it on lmc