1976 Sierra Classic big block

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

I'm no expert, but I recently swapped a TH400 in my truck and I probably read every thread on this forum about the TH400. I'm pretty sure the switch controls nothing but the passing gear. A lot of guys don't even have it hooked up.

Gotcha. I think I have two issues then. The modulator doesn't hold off the upshifts at full throttle AND I'm not getting any downshifts from the detent switch/relay. Vacuum lines are brand new to the modulator... need to pull it off and check it out.

Another trip to the salvage yard yielded a cruise control cable today from an early 80's Pontiac Parisienne (might have been a Bonneville, didn't pay attention) with only 61,xxx miles on the clock. Dang clean car really. The cable was a good 8-10 inches longer than the original, but had the correct ends on it and works perfect. The old one was so rusty and dried out that it delayed reaction of the cruise control on both acceleration and deceleration. Now I just have to either clean up the engagement switch on the turn signal stalk or replace it because it doesn't work every time you hit it.

[bnoon]

Cruise cable installed. Still gotta figure out the "set" button though. Sometimes it works, other times not so much. You can also see the "upgraded" washer bottle with the integrated washer motor. One of the cheaper upgrades from a salvage yard I've ever done.

Messed around with the detent switch too. Found that it sometimes gave a flicker of voltage to the trans, but would not hold it. Figured I'd go ahead and pull it apart and see if I could make it any better. I improved it, but the plastic behind the contact points was too worn and would push the contacts right back up after a few strokes. No local parts stores carried it. Bogus.

[bnoon]

I was striking out EVERYWHERE for the dang detent (kickdown) switch. I finally found an original GM one on Ebay listed for over a hundred bucks, but it had the part number on it! Cross referenced it on Rock Auto and found AC Delco sells it under the same part number 01242101! http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1321802 The weird part though is that it wasn't even listed under their parts catalog for these trucks with 454 and auto transmission. They showed the TH350 detent cable, but not the switch for the TH400. But then they do list the solenoid inside the trans... whatever. Whaaaah whooooo!!!

[bnoon]

Put a bed liner in today and put on a bed rail cap. Had to modify the tailgate piece of the liner so that both could fit. Little body saw took care of the overlap and some new screws made quick work of it.

Pulling the liner out of the truck in the salvage yard wasn't so easy though. 4 bags of frozen sand in the bed, about 2 inches of frozen dirt, 4 or 5 cement corner stones also frozen to the bed... Took about two hours to free it up using a large flat blade screwdriver to chip it all free... all of this after removing the 8 screws that hold down the back thinking those would be the hard part... took about 3 seconds for the screws to all come out with a cordless impact driver LOL! Oh well, good times I guess.

[Greenlee]

Looks good!

[1774btcrew]

Nice looking truck! Look cold in your area though! I have pulled parts in really cold places and it wasn't a lot of fun for me.

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

Nice looking truck! Look cold in your area though! I have pulled parts in really cold places and it wasn't a lot of fun for me.

Yeah it's -2 out right now. Coveralls and a hoodie and I was fine.

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by bnoon

Yeah it's -2 out right now. Coveralls and a hoodie and I was fine.

I don't envy you one bit! It is 56 here in Phoenix today.

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

I don't envy you one bit! It is 56 here in Phoenix today.

I'll think of you this summer when it gets into the 115 area. I remember me and my ex in Vegas when the whole southwest was setting records for number of days in a row above 110... We thought, hey, let's get up early to avoid the heat... yeah right! It was above 100 by 8AM!!! at 10AM it was 110! I'll take the cold any day!

[Greenlee]

I just noticed this truck is Mr. Green Jean's brother.

[bnoon]

Yeah, I keep going back and forth on which one to keep. Right now it's both because Green Jeans isn't running yet and I need to keep a running truck around for all of my house projects. Once both are running, then I'll have a decision to make.

[bnoon]

Plastic above rail toolbox for only $25 at Wrench N Go. Pulled from an 89 GMC and it was already unbolted, the latches work, and it doesn't even sag that bad like so many of these do. Perfect for tools going to and parts coming from the salvage yard. I pulled the latches and removed the locks for now, so not real secure until I figure something out, but still... it's at least a way to keep things from sliding around in the bed and still keep them out of the cab (some parts are too dirty and some are too stinky). Salvage yard score!

[Zane M]

If you want to keep that box from sagging, brace it off the floor in the middle. Wood blocks are cheap and easy, or get creative with something else.

[bnoon]

Not too worried about it as I won't be overloading it with tools every day. It's just to keep stuff for short duration except maybe my ratchet straps and things like that.

Yesterday at the salvage yard I also picked up the correct '73-'78 front headlight and grille trim pieces instead of the aftermarket '79 treatment that the previous owner put on. The earlier stuff just looks more trim to me, the '79 more bulky. The '79 stuff will be listed for sale here shortly.

Before.
Side by side comparison.
After.

[Low Elco]

Don't forget all the center bracing and whatnot. It's not the wham-bam switch you might think it is. I'm all about it, though. Here's a good thread on it-Ken's game is tight!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...51#post4584651

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Don't forget all the center bracing and whatnot. It's not the wham-bam switch you might think it is. I'm all about it, though. Here's a good thread on it-Ken's game is tight!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...51#post4584651

The parts I swapped out where all wham bam switched out already. Took maybe ten minutes including taking pictures.

[Low Elco]

Ach, right on, just the trim. Sorry, 8th day at work and 4 hrs sleep. I think it's the deep 73-75 grill that's the sticky wicket. You're right, much cleaner.

[bnoon]

Yeah I have the deep grill on my 74 Green Jeans. Depending on if Julius sells or not, I may have a grille project to do too, but nothing conventional.

[bnoon]

Been a little while since I worked on Julius because my new daily driver required so much work (2002 M3 blew the water pump 40 miles from the dealership), but anyway...

I replaced the U-joints yesterday and today and I got to use my press the just sits and sits and sits 99% of its life. It normally just holds onto other tools as a place for them to hang, but today it actually had to press things!!! So much easier than beating the snot out of them with a hammer to seat the caps. Dad and I made this press probably 30-35 years ago when I was little... I had to call him up and tell him I got to use it again. It has probably been 4 or 5 years since i used it last. Good memories.

Marked the middle joint to keep the weighted sides together. The center support bearing seemed fine, so greased the slip section and left it.

Pressed to one side.

The one that didn't have needles wasn't even the joint that was jumping a quarter of an inch during diagnosis!!!

Pressed all the way out.

New ones going in.

[bnoon]

Both sections reassembled.

Going back under the truck.

Hopefully next up is rust repair!!!

[bnoon]

Said goodbye forever last night. Sniff. You were a good truck Julius. I will miss you forever.