1969 Custom/10 clean up

[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

[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

[FrankieD]

Don't know if you flushed the Radiator yet but yes there is stuff to put in the to get the gunk out here I use Prestone flush you should be able to get something from the parts store.
I think for the Parking light you could find a clip from another auto maker that would work just take the one from the other side and try to match it up.

You could cut a piece of sheet metal and paint it then screw it on to cover the A/C holes.

Good luck

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by FrankieD

Don't know if you flushed the Radiator yet but yes there is stuff to put in the to get the gunk out here I use Prestone flush you should be able to get something from the parts store.
I think for the Parking light you could find a clip from another auto maker that would work just take the one from the other side and try to match it up.

You could cut a piece of sheet metal and paint it then screw it on to cover the A/C holes.

Good luck

Yeah they sell stuff from Justice Brothers over here to flush the cooling system, and covering the hole with a plate is probably what I will be doing

[Steve-W]

With the new cabine I got a rear window with a sticker on it and I’m wondering if there is a way to track down that owner? I thought it might be cool to let him know that his truck..or atleast a major part of it, ended up in Netherlands Europe 

the number on the sticker says 1563

I got some flushing stuff for the cooling system to get the muck and rust out

cooling flush

A friend gave me this old testing machine, it’ll work perfect to set the timing

testing machine

Yesterday I picked up my new exhaust pieces

exhaust plumbing

and this is roughly what it will look like .

mock up


exhaust design

[Steve-W]

Friday I got started with the exhaust pipes, but didn't get far because I found out that my headers or the flanges don't go straight to the back, but have a downward angle.


So I have to hook up the pipe under a angle (aprox 15 degrees)


Here is a close up, so I have a short piece with a flange which hooks up to flange of the header. then I hook up the front pipe to that short piece.


Then I left the pipes for now and got busy with spray painting the grille, it's black now
[/quote]

[Steve-W]

After burning two weekends without being able to work on the truck, I got some work done yesterday and today.

the front was already wired up but I had to wait for some parts being shipped over from the States like the headlight switch pigtail, but it came and now I have working headlights


I also put my cluster bac together and seeing I don't use the Amp meter, I used that needle and put it in the temp gauge.


Here is the box with parts, which my mate from Riverside Ca. send over. Gear linkage, some pigtails and other miscalanious stuff.


I am still looking for the connector for my cargo light, bought a new one, but it came without the pigtail, here a picture of the old one. I have never seen a connector like this.


In a moment of 'walk away and do something else'I had to fit and see


Here's my rebuild front, the hell with chrome.


Also I'm almost done with the cabling, just some small stuff like the reversing lights, brake swith cabling and routing the cables (that's actually pretty difficult, just to get the cable neatly tucked away)

Ok, and this I just had to post. one of my mates is rebuilding his 68 Charger and he is putting in a Nissan 350Z rear-end. remarkable how well it fit's. the front end will be the real challange.

[litew8]

Good progress, things are coming together nicely. Do you plan on welding the exhaust to the short pieces?

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by litew8

Good progress, things are coming together nicely. Do you plan on welding the exhaust to the short pieces?

thankks! the short piece is stainless, the pipes are normal steel, so I was planning on using a clamp. but I'm debating where to make the small corner, because I have to overcome the 15% (approx) downwards angle of the headers.

how likely is it that my engine is slanting backwards to much? could I just put a jack underneath the tranny and see if it will lift an inch or two?

[Steve-W]

I'll revise the question, does the engine lean backwards a bit? just so I know whether to lift te gearbox an inch or so, or modify the exhaust to overcome the downward angle of the headers.

the cargo light issue is solved, a member on the dutch Chevy truck forum came through with a connector he had laying aroung for a Desoto..


I had to modify it a bit, but it works!


Also hooked up the dome light


and is this the spot for the dome switch?

[Steve-W]

OMG..almost 4 months without an update... sorry guys!
well to be honoust, I haven't been doing much during the summer, because we're having a great one. So I mostly spend my evenings outside having a drink and BBQ with family and friends.

I have 2 major issues at this moment: My steering column has so much play that the steering wheel will sway side to side and I can't seem to fix it. I have been looking for replacement units, but I haven't found one here in the Netherlands that is exactly simular to the one I have now.

next is that my old Cab was non-a/c and the new one was with a/c. so my heaterbox will fit, but it leaves a huge gap, and I have to cut into the cab.
Stupid of me that I blindly assumed the cab's would be the same...

But this is where I could really, really! use some help from you guys.
in this below image you see someone who cut out an extra piece to make the non ac heater fit on an ac cab:


now my question is, should that cold air hole be so big?
as you can see from the below picture, the cold air valve is a lot smaller than whe hole in the dash


when I take this into consideration, it seems I only have to cut out a small piece? see below picture:

[Bugeyev8]

awesome work on the truck ! really like the color and the transformation you have given that old truck, looking forward to seeing more progress

[PaddyR]

I've read that a machine shop can redrill the axles to 5 lug and turn down the flange centre to accept the 5 lug rim.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by PaddyR

I've read that a machine shop can redrill the axles to 5 lug and turn down the flange centre to accept the 5 lug rim.

Yeah heard that too, but I've got the 12 bolt diff, so there should be enough shafts around..even here in the Netherlands

[Steve-W]

Friday evening working on My truck and since I put in my steering column I figured to fire it up and flush the cooling system.. But ofcourse the damn thing wouldn't start
I didn't spent to much Time on it, but is seems to Be a fuel problem... Just what I needed.

[RockinKees]

Steve, just read the thing.
Quite a bit of work you've done!!

, you could have repaired the old cab.....

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

, you could have repaired the old cab.....

yeah sure, when pigs fly and hell freezes over on the same day

Hahaha

the new cab was free, so who was I to argue I'm Dutch, free is always good.
and I can't imagin the work we would have had repairing the old cab..you saw the pic's right?

[RockinKees]

Yeah, I saw the pics!!
It doesn't look repairable, at least not easy....

[hgs_notes]

Get it running yet? And BTW, you can weld stainless to non-stainless using the stainless wire in a MIG welder. Its done all the time.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Get it running yet? And BTW, you can weld stainless to non-stainless using the stainless wire in a MIG welder. Its done all the time.

Yeah got it running...[idiot mode] I ofcourse put in the dual vacuum thingy in the intake manifold for the brake booster and tranny...which left 1 vacuum opening uncovered on the carb...
as soon as I closed that off, it started right away[/idiot mode]

Last Friday I took two friends to the garage and looked at hopefully my last electrical problem: when I turn on the lights, all's good. so front and back are on and brakelight function aswell. When I switch on the turn signal left or right, the brake light on that side doesn't function. the hazard lights work normally as does the horn..so we concluded it must be the turnsignal switch? (your thoughts are welcome here )


than we decided to put the hood on, just to see if it would line out alright.
well, after some fiddling and a couple of gentle pushes from 200 pound weighing yours truly it came to a point where we say in Holland:"leave as is"
[/quote]
can't wait to see what the paint will look like washed and buffed

[RockinKees]

I had the same problem with the brakelights on mine, it was indeed the turnsignal switch.
Solved it with good Ol' WD40

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

I had the same problem with the brakelights on mine, it was indeed the turnsignal switch.
Solved it with good Ol' WD40

yeah I believe WD40 can solve almost anything except bringing peace to the world..
but I'm still going to order a new one

[Steve-W]

Through a Dutch importer I ordered some stuff from LMC Trucks today:
Paintable front bumper, because I want an all black face, no chrome
the signal switch which hopefully will solve my wanky blinker problem.
and some more rear brake stuff, because I'm not as 'meticulous' as I should be.


the rights brake shoes all went on without to much hassle, hence my suprise when I tried mounting the left side and I just couldn't get it right.
first of all the left brake wheel cilinder appeared to be leaking, something I didn't notice before, but that's no biggy. I have restored my fair share of brake cilinders in my life. But then I noticed the park brake lever (the one in the drum with the cable attached) sat in a funny position...
a simple tug at the cable revealed it was jammed stuck.

so..in my LMC order are brake wheel cilinders and new park brake cables so apart from the backing plate, everything will be new.