1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

[pjmoreland]

It has been raining nonstop for the last few days, so I put up a pop-up tent so I can use the grinder and wire wheel.

The tray on the battery support had been replaced with a non-stock unit at some point, and it was rusted out, so I replaced it with a NOS tray.

I had some two-part epoxy paint left over from making another batch of dummy filler necks, so I painted the battery support along with a few other parts.

[pjmoreland]

A few more photos

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

A few more photos

Looks like you spotwelded it. On my '71 GMC Jimmy, I used a battery tray from a different vehicle ['80s Buick - maybe?]. A buddy welded the GM truck side supports also. The battery hold down uses two long J-hooks like earlier model trucks. A system I think is superior for active 4X4 rigs. [Not pavement princesses.]

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Looks like you spotwelded it. On my '71 GMC Jimmy, I used a battery tray from a different vehicle ['80s Buick - maybe?]. A buddy welded the GM truck side supports also. The battery hold down uses two long J-hooks like earlier model trucks. A system I think is superior for active 4X4 rigs. [Not pavement princesses.]

Well hopefully it holds up because I intend to do some mild rock crawling with this truck.

[pjmoreland]

Reconditioned the tail light housings today. Both mounting studs were broken on one of them. So I replaced them with screws and jam nuts. Put some RTV under the nuts to hopefully keep water out. There was a random wire spliced into the black wire on both sides, so I removed them and repaired the wires.

The replacement driver side inner fender I got didn't have the square nut for securing the parking brake cable so I transferred it over from the original inner fender.

I started cleaning up the driver side inner fender with a wire wheel, but it started raining again, so I still need to do the underside.

[pjmoreland]

More photos

['68OrangeSunshine]

Fastening that nut prevents the Fender Skirt from becoming a Bongo on washboard roads.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Fastening that nut prevents the Fender Skirt from becoming a Bongo on washboard roads.

There's a missed opportunity!

[pjmoreland]

The tail lights are back together, and they are functional. I suspect it's been a very long time since bulbs were installed in these. They've been sitting out in the weather with no lenses attached. Took some lubrication and effort to get the bulbs in the sockets.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

There's a missed opportunity!

I was gonna say Didjeridu, the Aboriginal instrument, but it turns out to be a wind instrument, not percussion. Carribbean Steel Drum is more what I was looking for.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I was gonna say Didjeridu, the Aboriginal instrument, but it turns out to be a wind instrument, not percussion. Carribbean Steel Drum is more what I was looking for.

The steel drum is painted now.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

The steel drum is painted now.

Jah, Rastamon!

[pjmoreland]

Patched the two 6x9 speaker holes in the driver door. I discovered there is a large dent in the lower center of the door like someone tried to close the door on a baseball batt. It's going to make it interesting trying to smooth out the patches with body filler. I might try to find some sort of small jack that I could use to push the dent back out. Had to get the door reinstalled because we're expecting rain again tonight. I've got two more holes to patch on the passenger side.

[pjmoreland]

A few more photos

[57taskforce]

Strong work!! You are killing it. I feel like a worthless pile reading along and realizing I haven’t really touched any of my old trucks in 6 month. It’s a long story but I live 2 miles away from them for now so I guess I have an excuse lol.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

Strong work!! You are killing it. I feel like a worthless pile reading along and realizing I haven’t really touched any of my old trucks in 6 month. It’s a long story but I live 2 miles away from them for now so I guess I have an excuse lol.

That would complicate things for me if my truck weren't at my house. The rain here has made progress a bit challenging. That's why I've been working on pieces that I can bring inside. I was planning on working on the bigger tasks first, but these little things need to get done eventually. I'm also waiting for some parts to arrive. Once it's time to install the engine, transmission and transfer case, I'll kick my wife's car out of the garage and roll the truck in.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

A few more photos

Dude musta loved his Rock 'n' Roll to have dual 6x9s in each door.
Qudraphonic sound seemed just about to happen in the Mid Seventies -- and then it didn't. Not enough medea support. The Industry wasn't ready.
The public wasn't buying.

[pjmoreland]

Got rained out again last night so I spent the evening doing some organizing, and I tested an AM radio I picked up for $10. It turns on and makes the typical AM hissing noises, but it can only just barely tune in stations. I'm thinking I might try replacing the electrolytic capacitors.

[rodstored-72]

nice job on the speaker hole fixes... I did the same thing on my '72!! I feel like it is a right of passage to have to do the "ol speaker in da door" patches.... LOL!!!

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by rodstored-72

nice job on the speaker hole fixes... I did the same thing on my '72!! I feel like it is a right of passage to have to do the "ol speaker in da door" patches.... LOL!!!

Haha. Yep! Seems like there are more trucks with speaker holes in the doors than without.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

Got rained out again last night so I spent the evening doing some organizing, and I tested an AM radio I picked up for $10. It turns on and makes the typical AM hissing noises, but it can only just barely tune in stations. I'm thinking I might try replacing the electrolytic capacitors.

So do the Capacitors lose their charge over time, or thru disuse?

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

So do the Capacitors lose their charge over time, or thru disuse?

My understanding is that the liquid in electrolytic capacitors slowly dries out over time.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

My understanding is that the liquid in electrolytic capacitors slowly dries out over time.

OK. So how do you distinguish them from other capacitors, Are the dry ones smaller?

When I bought the Orange Stepside, the PO had jammed in a GM AM radio. No pushbuttons so I assumed it was from the late '50s. [No tubes.] Antenna was a telescoping type, but laid flat above the dash. I ''improved'' the antenna with a Radio Shack antenna that was a thin copper wire that scotchtaped itself to the upper edges of the inside wingshield. In North Carolina I got a better oval speaker to fit under the louvers in the dash top.
Before separating from the Service I bought a Sanyo AM/FM Cassette Receiver/Recorder at the MCX. I had it ''professionally'' installed in the dash and cut a 5.5'' Speaker hole in each Door. Rocked and/or Rolled all thru my College days. [Years later, I found the Dude had powered the radio off the Heater Control illuminator bulb feed.] I must have cut a 1'' hole for a springed AM/FM telescoping antenna with a Greenlee 1'' Hole Punch. I found the OEM 516 Orange Radio Delete inside the passenger door. I cut holes for the Sanyo's knobs and painted it wrinkle Black.
I have a White Radio Delete Plate in the dash now. The old Jensen speakers are still in the doors, filling the holes. Nowdays, I tend to listen to my engine closely.

That old Delco AM Radio might still be in the shed. I should dig it up and check it out.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

OK. So how do you distinguish them from other capacitors, Are the dry ones smaller?

Typically, electrolytic capacitors are little cylindrical aluminum cans. Also, I found a service manual for a 1965 Corvair truck radio online which appears to have the same circuit board design as 67-72 trucks. It has a board layout diagram that shows the locations of the capacitors and it has a list that includes a description of each capacitor.

[pjmoreland]

Received the replacement front wheel hub just now. Thanks so much, Nick B.,for helping me out!