Well I bought another one

[jrusher]

Started pulling the engine out other day and block is cracked bad on passenger side. I wondered about the orange paint on the engine and figured it was swapped out at some time but block casting number does date it for a 1966 283 so who knows maybe it wAs just rebuilt and painted orange later on. I did read some late 66 truck engines came off the line painted orange? I did find grey on the bell housing so had to be grey like the rest of the v8s in those years . It has camel hump heads as well
Good news is I found another 283 with same casting code and freshly rebuilt for $300 😁 so I’ll use that and maybe swap the heads and paint it grey

[jrusher]

Couple shots of the cab mounts and inner rockers. Can’t believe there’s still black paint under the mud. I’m thinking of blasting the floor bottom and and blasting coating the frame. This is going to start snowballing already lol.

[Warrens69GMC]

It always snowballs. Good project.

[Corts60]

Got to love those dry and preserved California trucks.

[Riverstory]

Welcome and fabulous find. You're well on your way - now when to know where to stop removing that next bolt

Read where you came down to Havasu for the races. If you're in the neighborhood . . look us up. Run to the Sun cancelled this year - dang rona.

[jrusher]

Originally Posted by Riverstory

Welcome and fabulous find. You're well on your way - now when to know where to stop removing that next bolt

Read where you came down to Havasu for the races. If you're in the neighborhood . . look us up. Run to the Sun cancelled this year - dang rona.

I will do that . I miss the havasu heat so much! Snowed here yesterday

[jrusher]

Got alittle work done on truck but getting yard work done and winterizing everything around here has held me up. Sent frame, inner fenders and rad support out for blasting and coating . I told guy satin black like my previous frame and everything was done in flat Going to take it back or give it a quick coat if guy doesnt come through and fix it . I blasted inside of cab other day and found some rot above windshield. Wasnt expecting that but at least they sell that patch now. Rest of cab looks good typical drivers floor area and kick panel. Very little to patch on passenger side. I'll do both rockers inner/outer and some spots on rear cab flange. Need to blast bottom of cab floor yet if winter weather holds up then I can start metal work soon

[jrusher]

I put an ad on Facebook marketplace last week looking for a front box panel as mine is rotted out at top of panel where it was rolls over at the top . Damn mice. Anyway this old feller messaged me says he’s got one and the same color from a 63 but you need to take the whole truck for free just get it outa here ASAP . So I went picked it up about 2 hours away couldn’t say no lol . Cab is really rotted but rest of truck was all there and some really good parts that I could use ie tailgate, trim, hood, front box panel and grille. I hate to part it out as really all it needs is a cab or someone ambitious enough to do a ton of metal work in cab

[jrusher]

Haven’t done much work on old blue last few months but getting back on it . Went through the 283 and just starting on the steering, suspension and brake repairs. I’ll get on the cab metal repair soon hopefully
Found some old slot mag wheels think I’ll run them

[Riverstory]

Looking great! 75 in Havasu today. Just reassembled my cluster today with a new lens - damn reproductions - the silk-screening is WAY off.

[jrusher]

Originally Posted by Riverstory

Looking great! 75 in Havasu today. Just reassembled my cluster today with a new lens - damn reproductions - the silk-screening is WAY off.

That’s a summer day for us up here lol . -2 Fahrenheit here today . Cluster looks good luv the tach ! I bought a replacement cluster lens for the wife’s 61 and never used it as it looked terrible

[cgrocen]

What is that clock from? Is it a new clock, or is it a clock from another vehicle that was made to fit. Nice work!

[Riverstory]

Thanks for the compliment. The clock is out of a 80's Volvo. It is a quartz VDO clock - German engineering - and I created new artwork and covered the original clock face. I let the clock run on the truck battery for 4 weeks and it never lost nor gained a minute. $15 off of ebay, $10 to print the artwork. $25 clock to fill the hole. Forget my time - ain't worth much cause if it was, I'd have a million bucks in this restoration.

[jrusher]

Awesome work it looks factory! I might have to do the same

Originally Posted by Riverstory

Thanks for the compliment. The clock is out of a 80's Volvo. It is a quartz VDO clock - German engineering - and I created new artwork and covered the original clock face. I let the clock run on the truck battery for 4 weeks and it never lost nor gained a minute. $15 off of ebay, $10 to print the artwork. $25 clock to fill the hole. Forget my time - ain't worth much cause if it was, I'd have a million bucks in this restoration.

[cgrocen]

Thanks for the Volvo clock tip! It looks like the knob for adjusting the time is above the 1 o'clock position just under the top lip of the instrument cluster housing. You must have rotated the clock 180 degrees from its original Volvo position, as similar Volvo clocks on eBay have the adjuster at the lower left.

[Riverstory]

You are correct. I had to create an clearance opening in the top of the housing for the mechanism. Then it was simple as rotating the clock face 180 degrees.