Shaun - Is yours power? I assumed manual. :-hair

As for getting the rivets out that hold whatever mechanism you have, I found that using the Dremel with a cutoff wheel in it and quartering the rivet's head works best. Then take a chisel and bend the quarter up and off. Like this, but cut deeper:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b05dcbb200.jpg

I just drill the heads off...
Someone "borrowed" my 1/4" pop rivet gun. :-arrgh

I like throwing $100 bills away!

I was at the junkyard a few days ago and on of the trucks had a fairly new dual exhaust system, so today I went back at got it for my truck. I also grabbed the exhaust manifolds which looked liked they were replaced too.

http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/...psfw1czikx.jpg

Paid $45 for everything, and I only had to make 1 cut to get it out. I've been going back and forth about getting headers, but for now I think I'll make this stuff work.

Nice find Gabe!

I'm envious of those of you that have junkyard's around.

I can physically take the shaft that the crank handle sits on and move it all around. Either way, it has to come out to diagnose it.

Sounds like it's time for new...

That's what I was thinking.

I welded my tail pipes on finally . Dual exhaust with stock mustang gt headers , Jones max flow dual in/out muffler with crossover . all 2.5" pipe . Still have a few pin holes to touch up but done for the night .

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ps267b65ca.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSEz...ature=youtu.be

Thanks!! took me about 2 hours to get all that off, but I did'nt have any help with me.

We've got a few junkyards around, but there's only 2 yards that have trucks as old as ours, they usually have '87+, but not always '80-'86 trucks.

Bought 5 new lug nuts because I only had 15 of the closed end style, washed the whole truck, painted my spare tire carrier to match the truck, and just stared at it while wishing it ran.

Speaking of buying things, I did nothing to the truck(s), but for the truck - Dad's: I ordered 124 pieces of stainless fasteners. Would you believe all of those are for the valve covers? Well, would you believe they are for the valve covers plus a few spares? If so, you'd be right. $50 for the valve covers and $25 for fasteners to hold them on. :-hair

Gary, that's only a nickle a piece.
Doesn't sound bad at all to me.

You said some were 4 1/2" long?

Gary, I got my valve cover fasteners at Lowes lol.

Yup, but they were a bit above the average - $3.30/ea. The washers at $1.38/box of 100 seem to have done something to the average. ;)

I took a break from the engine build / engine stand project (almost done) and decided to finally take a hard look at the loose steering issue on the truck. Everything is pointing to a worn steering gear, so I got a new one. I plan to replace it tomorrow.

While I was at it, I recalled I had a 'clunk' when going into 4H last winter. When I bought the truck, the PO had said he replaced the u-joints so I wasn't real concerned.

It turns out the PO is a lying POS. The front shaft u joints were old,rusty and partially frozen. They where also clanking around and when I pulled the drive shaft, I found 2 bearing caps with no rollers at all! Good grief...

Replaced the U-Joints this afternoon. A new personal record - 1 hour start to finish.

On to the steering gear tomorrow..