"The Bucket" project diary

[jaros44sr]

Nice work! Your a lucky girl to have such talented husband.....

Intersted in the hydraboost, lots of pics please

[fun in dirt]

All the brake setup we're using came off the same CUCV donor truck that we also got the axles out from under. The hydroboost mounting plate had to be modified to match up the Bucket firewall & to use the existing studs from the brake pedal assembly for mounting. After this, was able to check the rod length to the existing pedal. As you can see it was a little too short & hole in pedal was little too high. The oe brake rod had an end on it that the i.d happened to slip right over the hydroboost rods o.d...cut off & welded that one on to get the extra length & drilled a new hole. I'd also saved the CUCV brake pedal itself, cause like the wide ones better than these little ones since going automatic trans now anyway. So welded it on & cutoff the clutch pedal above the dash.

[fun in dirt]

The old motor had some cheesy headers that were in pretty bad shape. A few years ago I bought a pair of the Dorman 2.5" ram horn manifolds after reading a thread about them on this site. But I got confused, imagine that, & bought 2 of the side with the bracket on it. Nothing that can't be cut off though, so no big deal. Only thing about the manifolds is they get to looking pretty bad after a while when the cast starts to rust. This is "just a mud truck" (as we laugh & say when something gets scratched or isn't just perfect on this project) but I still want my junk to be presentable when open the hood. Didn't want to go to the expense of getting them jet hot coated. Did this on our Chevelle headers & it's all good, but doesn't seem to hold up on the truck stuff that gets used alot & water/mud splashed on occassionally.
My husband read an article the other day about a guy who "seasoned" his manifolds just like you do a cast iron skillet. We did the same & they came out great!

[fun in dirt]

Cooked & let completely cool. Then did it one more time to get a more uniform & dark look. (The 2nd pic has some charcoal ashes on them but that brushed right off). They seem to really darken up as they cool. Had to hang them on the motor to get that "look view". I love it!

[72blaz]

If there was a contest for most creative and fun thread You would win hands down...lots of just really cool ideas here..

[fun in dirt]

A few more parts & got some new brake lines run.

[71veronica]

very nice job. your blazer is awesome keep up the work.

[fun in dirt]

Finished running all the brake lines, proportioning valve for rear brake adjustment & new master cylinder (off '01 Chevy with disc front & back).
Dug out & dusted off the new T400 that has been sitting in corner of shop for several years waiting its turn!

[fun in dirt]

Some more progress!
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[Morgantown Mafia]

WOW! That is one of the coolest projects I have seen! Excellent fab work and lots of good ideas! As mentioned before you are blessed to have such good help with this project. Keep up the good work!!!

[fun in dirt]

Originally Posted by Morgantown Mafia

WOW! That is one of the coolest projects I have seen! Excellent fab work and lots of good ideas! As mentioned before you are blessed to have such good help with this project. Keep up the good work!!!

Yes I am very blessed! Now get back over on your own forums & quit spying on me over here
Lovin u xoxoxox

[mcmlxix]

What are you going to use the shift the Xfer case?

[fun in dirt]

We made one!
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[fun in dirt]

WIRING has been the word for the past few weeks. Gave up on finding a 205 4wd indicator light switch that worked. I'm not paying $100+ for one from Quad 4x4. Made up my plug wires & got them installed, wired up alternator, starter and such motor stuff. This weekend I tackled the interior wiring and am now 90% finished with that; at least to the point I could re-install the instrument cluster & console pieces!
Tip for the day: Found these cool little velcro wraps at Lowes the other day. They are great for bundling wires together till you get them all routed before final ziptieing together.

[Tom Vogel]

Good job! Isn't wiring fun? ...kidding
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[fun in dirt]

Lots of work the past few weekends...steering column rebuilt & put back in truck, hydroboost lines & steering box back in, finished wiring everything, exhaust completed, radiator/trans cooler & hoses installed, repairs to battery box, several little vacuum & vent lines...you know all that stuff that has to be done, and seems to take forever with little progress.
So Saturday we were able to finally crank it!
This initially battery hook-up & run always makes me so nervous, but it all went GREAT!
Still don't have rear driveshaft back from being shortened...the machine shop has messed it up twice, so maybe the third time it'll be right.
Fan spacer is supposed to be here today from Summitt & then have to finish some fab work on shroud.
Reinstall passenger fender & grill stuff...then we'll be cruising again.
I'm getting excited now!!!

[fun in dirt]

Cooling system complete!

[jaros44sr]

Very nice progress, enjoy reading your build...you gave me another idea for my exhaust

[Tom Vogel]

How hard was it to get all the air out of that Hydroboost setup.?

[fun in dirt]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Very nice progress, enjoy reading your build...you gave me another idea for my exhaust

Cool!

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel

How hard was it to get all the air out of that Hydroboost setup.?

I'm not sure yet... bled brakes & all this weekend, then drove it down the road. Brakes & steering worked flawlessly for awhile, then went to zero pwr steering & almost zero brakes. Steering pump not whining or anything, but the fluid looked like chocolate milk & very watery. So drained it then refilled, cranked & let run for a bit; all seemed better sitting in shop. But fluid all choc milk again/still. Will probably do this several more times until it clears up & then see what happens.
The steering pump & box are both used, so they are probably a little nasty inside. Hopefully this is all it is. I've read that hydroboost is pretty picky about contaminated fluid. If that doesn't work, will swap out the power steering pump.
But to answer your question it shouldn't be air in the hydroboost. As it can bleed itself through the power steering cap. We filled the power steering up with fluid & let it sit several days, working wheel back & forth occassionally & keeping resevoir full, before ever cranked it the first time.

[fun in dirt]

Flushing out the nasty pwr steering fluid helped a little, but it still wasn't correct so put a new pump on it & that worked! It was the same pump that was on my old motor & the extra demand of the hydroboost showed its weakness. It's one of those things should have just put new on it from the beginnning anyway. Also had to play around with the adjustment on the manual valve to the rear brakes to get that set just right so wouldn't slide the back tires = close all the way, then 3 rounds open, perfect.

[fun in dirt]

Motor/Trans/Xfer...PHASE 2...COMPLETED!

So yesterday was the day. Got the final pieces put back on, cleaned it up & we went for a maiden voyage! It drives so much smoother now. Crazy how much vibration & all was in that old drivetrain. Even my 9yr old boy was excited, and he is usually not into this at all. But he now likes playing with the air horn button on the shifter & wanted to drive it, so I let him.
Made a run up to Little Mountain - 130 miles, 1/2 tank of gas & we were back home with no major problems!

[jaros44sr]

Very nice, great job....now you can go out and wheel it somemore.

[Tom Vogel]

Love the pictures. You live in a beutiful place. Btw, you must be the coolest mom, lol. Now it wont be long before he wants one.

[fun in dirt]

Thanks y'all!!!