"new" truck

[mjsmith1223]

Just a couple days away from picking up my "new" truck. It's a 1986 GMC C1500 High Sierra. It originally had a 305 in which someone let the oil run dry and it seized. The motor was replaced with a 350 from a 1978 Blazer. Getting a new windshield tomorrow and a new tranny pan gasket early next week. Options: FM radio, TH350 automatic transmission. That's it. No more. This truck is as spartan as they come. Vinyl flooring and upholstery, no headliner, 2-40 a/c (2 windows rolled down, 40 mph). The front clip is in great shape. Very little rust and no dents. The box is in really good shape as well. No dents and only a couple of rusty spots. Very rare to have that little rust in Michigan. The drivers side cab corner will eventually need to be fixed as that is rusted. The passenger side of the cab has only a little surface rust that could be sanded out and fixed.

Just a couple of things to be fixed right away: The choke is not working properly. It has a divorced choke system that doesn't seem to be opening up like it should as the engine warms. The carb is really dirty so I'll try cleaning it first to see if it's just stuck on some grime. After that, I'm not sure, choke thermostat maybe? Any experts on fixing divorced chokes around here? Also, the water temp gauge never got hooked back up. I'll just have to find the wire and the sender and re-connect them. Might have to get a new sender as the transplant motor may not have one installed. The paint is pretty faded so I'll try rubbing that out to restore some shine to it. In a few years I'm thinking of shaving all the exterior trim and painting it anyway. Just need to decide on a color.

Pics will be posted as I can get them.

Mike
Grand Haven, Mi