The 1976 Beater Build - by Wixthedog

[wixthedog]

Nothing incredibly cool but I go tired of looking at the crinkled hood so I decided to make some hood braces for it. I see you can buy them but I did not like how they looked and I have a bunch of steel and mad welding skills at my disposal... I also found some hinges that I was told were in great working condition but I cannot get the rear of the hood to sit down. It's frustrating to say the least.

Wanna make your own braces? Check out the pic for all of the dims and find 22" of 1/8"x2" flat bar and 16" of 1/2" square stock and have fun! I reused the two existing hood bolts and had some 1" self tappers laying around. I plan on doing something better than those when I take them off to paint but they will do in the short term.

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by wixthedog

Nothing incredibly cool but I go tired of looking at the crinkled hood so I decided to make some hood braces for it. I see you can buy them but I did not like how they looked and I have a bunch of steel and mad welding skills at my disposal... I also found some hinges that I was told were in great working condition but I cannot get the rear of the hood to sit down. It's frustrating to say the least.

Wanna make your own braces? Check out the pic for all of the dims and find 22" of 1/8"x2" flat bar and 16" of 1/2" square stock and have fun! I reused the two existing hood bolts and had some 1" self tappers laying around. I plan on doing something better than those when I take them off to paint but they will do in the short term.

Yeah thats pretty awesome brother!

[wixthedog]

Originally Posted by moregrip

Yeah thats pretty awesome brother!

Thanks man!

Things are slowed down work wise so its prudent to curb spending for a while so that means the big stuff is on hold. I'll chip away at small stuff for a bit and post up when I can.

[Whamo]

Dig all this! #longbedsmatter

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Whamo

#longbedsmatter

Haha, well played Whamo!

Good work Wix. The truck is looking great. I'm also a sucker for well done, utilitarian fixes. The rough-and-tumble, green and things exterior coating is also really growing on me.

[wixthedog]

Good morning guys, and boy has it been a while! Just like most folks around the world things have been a bit crazy recently for me. Work has been busy and slow but I finally got around to starting some things that were always in the works, and I can'e be more excited about it!

LS swap time!!?? No, not for this guy.

I picked up a 4 bolt main a while back and after taking compression readings I knew it had some rotating assembly issues. Thats ok, my plans involved all of that anyway and ultimately I need a good Gen 1 block. I did not really need a 4 bolt block but thats what it ended up being.

I tore it down and quickly found the culprit, rings on #7 were toast and it looks like the previous owner was anti-oil change. Such cheap insurance, not sure why people don't take it more seriously...

Everything was standard inside the block and it looked good so I dropped it and the crank at he local machine shop and am currently waiting on that to come back.

In the meantime I got busy on ripping the truck apart and getting it prepped for the new engine. Goodbye tired engine, your job is done here...

[wixthedog]

And she's out! Time to start prepping the firewall and inner fenders for paint and make-pretty. I'll also run through the front clip harness and make it right, I see lots of potential for bad connections and grounds as usual. As you may know the connections at the engine are all of 4 so I'll clean those up and make better runs.

[LT7A]

Cool! No reason not to put a good four bolt into use. I am not anti LS by any stretch, but I am a big fan of era-correct. Any idea on how you're going to spec out the engine?

[wixthedog]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Cool! No reason not to put a good four bolt into use. I am not anti LS by any stretch, but I am a big fan of era-correct. Any idea on how you're going to spec out the engine?

Lots of plans! Dropped off the rods and caps for the machine shop to wrap up the rotating assembly today. The crank will stay standard but the cylinder walls will be bored out to .030. Top end I am keeping pretty simple since I got a steal of a deal on an Edelbrock 338hp/389t top end package along with a Edelbrock AVS 650. It's a basic top end and folks will admonish it for many reasons but it will do what I need it do for a while, and as mentioned I got a hell of a deal!

I respect LS power but if I like simple and I am drawn to older trucks for that reason.

[wixthedog]

Well, things take time. Everything takes time.

I decided to do some pressure washing and cleaning today since weather was supposed to pour but we went from 100% chance to 10% chance! Oh well, I continued on and now just have a dirty driveway.

I rolled the truck out and pressure washed the front frame area and suspension, 44 years of grime were still there under the cradle since I didn't mess with it last time knowing I would be pulling me engine eventually. If you have not tried the LA Awesome cleaner from the Dollar Store, do it. It is awesome and much less caustic than oven cleaner.

After the frame I got the ol' SM465 out and started cleaning the 1/2" of grime from its casing.... There are no leaks but I might pick up a gasket set for it Monday and replace them, might as well right? $20 is $20.

End of the day I got the bellhousing and fork cleaned up and painted. First time using VHT Cast Aluminum and it looks pretty sweet.

[wixthedog]

The day started out strong!

I was able to replace the front coil springs without any drama, it sure was nice breaking everything apart since I was just in about 6 months ago. Everything came apart so easily! I took out the 2" drop springs and installed 1" drop springs. Hard to tell what the result is without the weight of the engine/front clip and they'll need to settle. I'll hang onto the 2" drops until I know I'm happy.

I then moved on to the seeping rear differential cover! I got everything lined up and ready to remove bolts and I saw what the culprit was, one of the bolts was missing at the 7 o'clock. Not missing, sheared off. Not just sheared off, but sheared off with an extractor already sheared off inside of it. Ugh.

Not much I can do about that so I cleaned everything up and will go ahead and install the cleaned and painted cover with the empty bolt hole. Worst case I got rid of the nasty mud oil that was inside of it...

I'm picking up the gasket set for the SM465 this afternoon and will continue working away.

[wixthedog]

Progress! Sort of...

I ran to town and picked up some new bolts for the 12-Bolt, turns out they were 3/4" and about 1/4" too long so I had to get more. The old ones were a mishmash and I didn't like them. I did get everything cleaned up and gooped it up with some of the Black RTV for oil stuff so fingers crossed when I fill it up it doesn't leak!

If you have ever removed the top cover from an SM465 do yourself a favor, don't. What a huge PITA and it is still not back on. The trick is to put it half way into reverse to pull it, and that worked, but while wrestling the chunk of iron to the other end of the work bench it slipped into neutral. Now I cant get the dang thing aligned back to set back in. Ugh.

Short block is ready! The block was dipped, inspected, and decked. Crank was inspected and stayed standard but the block was bored out to .030 since it had a wear line. A set of Sealed Power hypereutectic flat top pistons with 4-way reliefs made their way in since the OE's were garbage. Edelbrock Performer Plus Cam (218 intake/224 exhaust) and double roller timing set installed and degreed. 2 piece rear main installed and ready to go.

Then mama said to cut the grass, and I hit a stump. Ugh.

[LT7A]

I'll bet your truck will sit just right with a 1 inch drop springs. Next time you are ready to take the diff cover off, you may be able to do the old weld-a-nut trick to get that broken bolt out.

[wixthedog]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I'll bet your truck will sit just right with a 1 inch drop springs. Next time you are ready to take the diff cover off, you may be able to do the old weld-a-nut trick to get that broken bolt out.

Time will tell! It looks a little high at the moment but its deceiving, springs need to settle and the front end is light. I hope you are right because I dont want to do it a third time!

I was tempted to try the weld a nut option but its recessed pretty good, hard to tell in the pics. It would be luck to goober enough in and capture the broken piece and the nut but it just may come to that. I filled the diff yesterday and checked before bed and everything was still dry so thats a good sign.

Only other thing I managed to get done was replace the mower blades, service it, and finish cutting the lawn.

[wixthedog]

Victory! Knowing when to walk away from something is a hard thing to learn and it took me many years to grasp it. Letting the transmission case simmer for a day let me attack it with a new mind set and I was able to get it set in about 20 minutes.

I changed all of the gaskets and both seals, primered, and painted it in Cast Aluminum. She looks good! I also installed and tested the new backup light switch.

That is about where this story for the next month, time to go back to work.

Broad list of stuff to do when I get back home:
1. Replace 3x u-joints and carrier, paint driveshaft
2. Clean up and paint firewall
3. Clean up and paint inside of front clip
4. Clean up wiring on front clip
5. Finish build of engine and mate tranny
6. Install/Break In

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by wixthedog

Updates were promised and updates you shall receive! (even if they are not that impressive)

As expected the ol' girl has been fighting tooth and nail. It appears untouched in her 44 years so I knew this was coming. Torches, big hammers, air hammers, and presses are all employed to make the immovable move again.

I found that several leaf springs are cracked in half in the center but fortunately these happen to be leafs that are being removed anyway. A cleaning and critical inspection of the leafs that are staying revealed they are good to go, sans bushings. If you have never replaced leaf spring bushings you are missing out! There really is no easy way. My go-to method is to drill out the old rubber bushing until you can drift out the center bushing. I then insert a hacksaw blade and make two cuts into the old outer bushing so it can drift out a little easier. Then I clean the prep the ID of the leaf spring, add a little grease, and then press in the new bushing. I have an actual press but I found a large hammer makes quick work of it as long as you prepped correctly and have a solid work bench.

New 3/8x16x2" allen head cap screws were used to bolt the leaf spring packs back together.

I'll continue on and replace all 6 leaf spring bushings and then do reassembly between Christmas and family stuff.

taking notes! I see I will be in for some rubber drilling as well!

[wixthedog]

Not a whole lot to report but my last couple orders made their way home. No pics because I'm still out of town. Picked up a new oil pan and one piece gasket, some odds and ends from LMC to make an order worth it, and a radiator support bushing kit from Brothers that I paid too much for because everyone was out of them.

I'll be home next week and can get back to work doing fun stuff!

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by wixthedog

I changed all of the gaskets and both seals, primered, and painted it in Cast Aluminum. She looks good!

That should lighten it up a bit! ;)

There's something really cool about getting all that stuff cleaned out, cleaned up, resealed, etc. Good work.

[wixthedog]

Progress! Not nearly as much as I anticipated but that's how the cookie crumbles. Fortunately sports are back for the kiddos so that's kept me busy since being home, two boys play travel baseball and one is keeping up with cross country summer conditioning.

Anywho, I introduce you to Bold Avocado! I wanted something that gave a little wow when the hood was popped and I think this will do the trick. It's a cool color and is only lacking clear. That'll go on tomorrow and then I can prime and paint (gloss black) the front frame section and suspension.

Inch by inch, she is getting there.

I got the oil pump and screen fitted and tacked up and then I found that my new oil pan is a POS so I ended up cleaning up and painting the original pan and that will complete the bottom end tomorrow. Hopefully by end of day tomorrow I'll have the top end complete and ready to mate with the SM465.

Maybe.

[wixthedog]

Originally Posted by LT7A

That should lighten it up a bit!

There's something really cool about getting all that stuff cleaned out, cleaned up, resealed, etc. Good work.

Absolutely! I don't know why I am still surprised at how much crap there is stuck to these old trucks when I get to scraping and cleaning but I always am. I also cleaned out the under cowl area where the wiper linkages are and it was like a dust storm coming out of there!

Super excited to get the truck back on the road, I've missed driving the old Beater.

[wixthedog]

Progress was made and I'm pretty happy with how things are going. At this rate I should be cruising by the weekend...maybe.

Got the two coats of clear on the firewall and it turned out great, for a firewall. Not exactly fender or door skin quality but that's ok by me.

Got the OEM oil pan bolted up to the one piece Fel-Pro gasket and the only thing the bottom end is lacking is the oil filter adapter! I can't find it anywhere and I've looked long enough. Melling makes them and the local parts store can order them, the hard part is finding the right bolts as usual.

Top end has heads, lifters, and rockers now! Valve lash was set to zero plus half a turn. I am pretty heavy with my zero usually so a half turn usually works out well for me.

An old acquaintance whom I cannot recall needed my oil primer tool more than I so I made a new one from an old HEI distributor. Tomorrow I will go ahead and splash oil and prime it up before I put the manifold on. Then its paint frame and start buttoning up!

[LT7A]

Motor is looking good. My mechanic buddy will occasionally lend things out but he makes you hold it up and he takes your picture with his cell phone. That way if he needs it he goes back through his pics and can find the guilty party, haha.

[wixthedog]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Motor is looking good. My mechanic buddy will occasionally lend things out but he makes you hold it up and he takes your picture with his cell phone. That way if he needs it he goes back through his pics and can find the guilty party, haha.

I thought about keeping a small tally book in my toolbox but I usually jot it down in whatever notepad I'm using at the time....it then gets full and thrown out!

A bit more progress today. The front frame, suspension, and front part of the cab floor is now painted. I then spent many hours cleaning, priming, and painting all of the various doo-dads and brackets that will be bolted back on eventually. Not glamorous work at all but it needs to be done for sure, no reason to bolt something on that hasn't been made better.

I can't believe it but the local O'Reilly Auto Parts had the oil filter adapter (Melling MFA350) in stock, but they didn't have a 2-line fuel pump! My go to, NAPA, didn't have either so it was a wash today.

I found some 5/16x18 bolts that were a hair long but nothing a hacksaw and a thread file couldn't solve (they need to be 1.25"). I now have a filter! I'll have the fuel pump tomorrow so I can fill it up with oil and get it primed up before I put the manifold on.

[wixthedog]

Fuel pump in and happy, I was finally able to pour some oil in and run the oil pump. Silly me forgot to plug the oil gauge port at first so that made quite a mess! All went well after that and air was purged and oil went where it should. I was then able to install the manifold and valve covers! Only issue there was one of the tabs on the manifold at the valve cover had to be ground down but that’s probably a valve cover fab issue I’d guess.

Tons of little things remain but the list is getting shorter by the day.

[wixthedog]

Good morning everyone, and happy (observed) 4th of July!

The front frame/suspension is all ready to go with all lines and wires clipped down and happy, and fresh motor mounts. At some point the hard line for the charcoal canister was cut and was the cause of a gas smell so rather than find or bend a new one I just ran some 5/16" hose and tucked it in behind the fuel/brake hard lines. Can't hardly even see it! The blower motor/wiper motor/other firewall accessories are installed and ready to go. I ran through the wiring harness and made a bunch of repairs to past work and removed some old wiring that was just not needed any longer. She is taking shape!

Still lots of work to do, as always, but she is getting closer by the day.

I paused yesterday to pickup and install a new folding bed cover for my daily driver, its made by Lomax. I like it because the tailgate can be operated normally without having to mess with it. You can also easily remove the three sections should you need the entire bed, which is rare for me anyway.