Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

Leonard,
Thanks but I THINK I have a long water pump. Isn't the difference that the pump body sits away from the timing cover about 3/4" - 1"? Mine does. Why wouldn't you just switch out the pump to a short one? Or isn't it that easy?

[57 3100]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Leonard,
Thanks but I THINK I have a long water pump. Isn't the difference that the pump body sits away from the timing cover about 3/4" - 1"? Mine does. Why wouldn't you just switch out the pump to a short one? Or isn't it that easy?

oh, i thought you had a short pump...... you could swap out the pump for a short one, but then you would also have to swap out the pulleys on the water pump and crank. i have a newer pump and dont want to swap mine out, and dont want to hunt down some new pulleys.
so i will just modify the brackets i bought and make them work.... messed with it more today. chasing down the right length belts, and i HOPE to have it dont tomorrow. at least have it mounted and be able to fire the motor up and see if the belt stays on. its coming along, but liek they say, custom dont have instructions.
hope to post pics tomorrow.

leonard

[tmoble]

the two pump setups take completely different bracket setups. The long pump setup is superior in every way except period correctness.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Maybe thats why whoever installed the 283 in my truck used the long pump?

I've got a STUPID problem. I took my engine compartment apart because I'm cleaning it up/painting and of course I marked wires so I wouldn't forget what goes where? Then I removed the coil to paint it and forgot to mark if the + or the - was to the right or left! Like I said, STUPID. Now I've gotta figure it out. I THINK its negative to the distributor, but I'm not certain. Anyone? Oh and I recently had a Pertronix system installed.

[57 3100]

dan,
its been a very long time since i messed with an old style coil, but here is what i found on the internet... you are correct, negative goes to the distributor.

purple wire, it goes to the igniton switch and goes to the crank side of the ignition (post on the igniton, which has 12 volts when the igniton is in the crank positon), cranks the engine over.

The green wire that comes off the starter, goes to the positve side of the coil. This gives the coil power while cranking.

You will also need a power wire off of the igniton switch that supplies power when the ignition switch is in the run position. This is the 12 supply while the truck is running.

So once you let go of the crank positon, power switches from the starter to the igniton switch and the truck stays running.

The other wire between the coil and distributor should go to the Negative side of the coil. The other end comes from the points or magnetic pick-up in the distributor.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Leonard,

I went to the internet too and there's a lot of stuff about newer cars but a lot less about old style ones. I wonder what would happen if I happen to connect it wrong! EEK!

[57 3100]

hey dan, i got my alternator swapped to the drivers side finished today....
it was a little bit of work, having to modify the bottom spacer because of my long water pump, but it all worked out.
you can check out pics here....

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...30#post4808230

take care.

leonard

[Dan in Pasadena]

Leonard,
I posted on that thread in response. Good job!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, its confirmed that I'm an idiot. The confusion over the coil wires? Turned out I had 2 of 3 wires in the right place. But I stupidly had both the red AND the black Pertronix wires connected to the negative side of the coil. Took the shop 5 seconds to see it and change it and the truck started right up. At least I didn't fry the Pertronix gizmo!

[57 3100]

yea dan, we all do stuff like that from time to time, you're not alone...
glad you got it figured out.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I have a question for your guys about door weatherstripping. In removing the last bits of rock hard weatehrstripping on my doors I notice whoever installed it used some kind of adhesive even though it had the anchors plastic anchors. Is that correct?

I thought the w/s hung on just by the plastic anchors and the metal strips along the bottom of the door?

As it is I will have to remove the door to get all the old adhesive off, prime, paint the door edges and THEN hang the new weather stripping. And "while I'm in there" I'll pull the door panels, install anti rattle strips and Peel 'n Seal inside the door, paint the window frames (or buy chrome if my OCD takes over), put in new vent glass & rubber, and paint the whole door. Man, one thing leads to another.....dozen!

[Daze57]

some ppl use adhesive also on the doors to make sure the rubber stays on - if the li'l clips break off ( plastic) although i have seen a lot of doors sans adhesive - i guess it all depends on how the rubber is made and if it is a good quality and if the fit is good and solid . Some ppl use clear silicone as a glue -others use black or yellow 3m ''death'' adhesive - either way whatever you use dem fumes is lethal be careful.
also you may want to drill a 1/8 inch hole in the door hinge to cab as an aid for door realignment - puttin dem back on and gettin them right can be a pita - been der done dat also - good luck and truck is lookin real nice.
once the door is re-hung use the drill bit to realighn the holes and hopefully the door will be correct.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Daze57

some ppl use adhesive also on the doors to make sure the rubber stays on - if the li'l clips break off ( plastic) although i have seen a lot of doors sans adhesive - i guess it all depends on how the rubber is made and if it is a good quality and if the fit is good and solid . Some ppl use clear silicone as a glue -others use black or yellow 3m ''death'' adhesive - either way whatever you use dem fumes is lethal be careful.

Yeah, looks like the remnants of the "yellow death" on my doors. I'd never heard it called that before but it is appropriate. That crap is STRONG!

Originally Posted by Daze57

... also you may want to drill a 1/8 inch hole in the door hinge to cab as an aid for door realignment - puttin dem back on and gettin them right can be a pita - been der done dat also - good luck and truck is lookin real nice.
once the door is re-hung use the drill bit to realign the holes and hopefully the door will be correct.

You smart guys really annoy me! Where's the fun in doing it the easy way without all the cussin' spittin' and hair tearin'? Kidding of course.

I'd actually read your advice somewhere in the murky past (old guy, memory is the 2nd thing to go!) and forgotten about it. I was thinking of scribing lines but your advice is a LOT better. I'm defintiely doing that. Thanks for reminding me how not to be a moron...again!

[OrrieG]

Yellow death? Out here we call it gorilla snot.

[57 3100]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Yellow death? Out here we call it gorilla snot.

LOL. yea, we use to say something along that line...

Dan, i dont have nay experience with the weather stripping... good luck.

leonard

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by 57 3100

... good luck.

leonard

Abandoned in my time of need!

I'm going out of town for afew days so there won't be any new trucks news or photos for awhile. WIth Daze57's suggestion of drilling a holes thrugh the hinge to locate it when I replace the door...I'm thinking I should drill BOTH the top and bottom hinges when I do it. Sound right, or unnecessary? I'm planning on removing the two bolts that hold the hinges to the door frame and never unbolting the hinge from the door itself.

[Daze57]

dan

using the drill bit is the way to go & your choice of doing top and bottom is great .

as far as bein' a smart guy? naaaaaaaa just tryin to help a fellow ol' truck lover get it on da road .
as far as being a moron? uhhhhhhhhhh no ! believe me i know a moron - i see him everyday when i get up and look in da mirror - LOL

REMEMBER FELLOW OL' TRUCKERS - outside of a book - a dog is mans best friend . Inside of a dog - it;s too dark to read !

[Kim57]

Dan
I used my floor jack to put mine on. You just have to balance the door on it. Made it a lot easier for me and I have a bum back.
Kim

[Daze57]

floor jack works well - you can also ratchet it down for better stability

ya dont want that metal fallin on ya

[Dan in Pasadena]

Both good ideas. I'd thought to put a rope on the window frame and hoist it from one of the joists in my garage but the floor jack idea is better. I don't have to move stuff around to do that! I think I'm still going to scribe the edges of the hinge locations and I'll use the drill bit if I can too.

I'm nowhere near final painting this truck but I want an extra clean driver while I get it totally mechanically squared away, so I can't stand to install the w/s without sanding/priming/painting the door edges before I put it on. That'll end up making me do the same for the whole door and put some Peel 'n Seal inside and make each door as tight and rattle free as possible.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I'm kinda stoked. Drove my truck the other day and realized on the way home (after dark) I CAN'T be driving it as is with nothing but the headlights working. A friend referred me to a local auto electric guy he raved about to fix the tail/stop light issue so I dropped it off. He just called me and will fix EVERYTHING electrical for $225-250:

Tail/stop/signal lights w/a disconnect for when I remove my bed
New signal assy on column-gives me hazard lights
Front running/signal lights
Trailer connector on rear
Dome light
Dash lights
Glove box light
Install a cigarette lighter for phone charging
R&R any wiring with cracked/questionable insulation and grommet holes

This alone will enable me to drive the truck a lot more than I have up to now. Bit by bit guys!

[57 3100]

wow dan, thats a great price for sure. and well worth it to not have to mess with the wiring yourself. i hate tracing down bad electrical issues.
good luck.

leonard

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Leonard, Yeah my point exactly. Replacing any "bad" wiring alone is worth it. The other stuff I coulda done but it'll be nice to have it all done at once.

What's new with your truck?

[57 3100]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Hi Leonard, Yeah my point exactly. Replacing any "bad" wiring alone is worth it. The other stuff I coulda done but it'll be nice to have it all done at once.

What's new with your truck?

got the alternator swapped over and drove it about 30 miles last weekend. got a slight belt squeal between the crank and water pump pulley when stabbing the throttle in park. creep up on the rpm's and no problems. only on sharp throttle snaps. might be looking for some factory pulleys soon if it dont go away.
got my rear roll pan in and will need to measure for cut outs, since i want to also retain my factory bumper.... then i need to get serious about ordering a radiator and a/c unit..

[Dan in Pasadena]

Nothing too special to anyone else but I'm REALLY pleased. ALL lights working, horn working from horn button, cell phone charging (yeah, heresy for an old vehicle). New dome light (still yellow though-I don't like that. New cigarette light knob made me take 000 steel wool to my rusty old ones, my dash cluster trim too. They came out better than I'd imagined so I installed the new rearview mirror I was saving, I moved on to my headlight trim rings, front bumper. Chrome is a bit "pecky" on this stuff but will do nicely for awhile for a driver til I go for final paint.