humm dawg..not really understanding your question..if you are putting on a timing chain just line up the marks.. when doing a performance build with a modified cam you can tweek the timing a bit with a degree wheel if you know what you are after..but most stock or over he counter cams will use the stock timing settings (some after market timing sets have a few keyways to use for advancing the cam timing).. maybe someone who knows more than i do will chime in with a better answer

 

Most likely its the smog timing chain. 99% percent of the time to tell if it is an aftermarket performance timing chain you will see on the bottom crank sproket there will be 3 key ways. One for 2 degrees retard straight up and 2 degrees advance. Some aftermarket units that my dad and I used for a sbc race engines were 4 degrees and not 2. Hoped that helped!

 

Can't wait to watch this all come together!

It's sad that I've seen trucks in better condition get crushed.

 

The project continues with two main objectives at this point. 1. Take the motor down some to get a look at what I have and to replace gaskets to stop leaks and white smoke through the exhaust (I hope just a head gasket issue). 2. The rear frame repair work. I will be bouncing back and forth between the two as time and motivation dictates.

Today it was the rear. I started by removing the two top gas tank straps. The bottom straps were pretty rusted out and I figured it would be easier to work from the top than the bottom. I had read enough here that indicated it could be done either way. So the first stud on the strap snapped when I tried to remove it, but the other one came off ok. I wasn’t really planning to replace these during phase I as they were still pretty solid, but oh well.

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Now to lift the tank out. Ummmm….there is no way this thing is just lifting out. The flanges around the tank are just too big to clear the frame rails. No matter how I tried there was no way to maneuver it out. Ok, I guess I will need to cut the bottom straps. I already have these new in my inventory anyway. Well, looking at the frame on the bottom, I don’t see how it would come out that way either? Yeah I probably could have bent the flange on the tank to squeak it through, but I had a better idea.

Since the rear cross member was coming off anyhow, I just cut it off now. But I still had to notch and bend the cutoff piece to allow the flange to slide past. I did that and successfully slid the tank out the back.

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Now off with the rear bumper.

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And the rear hitch.

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So with that all out of the way I have some room to work comfortably. I wanted to start removing some of the riveted components. I thought it would be as easy as grinding the heads and punching them through. I have done it a million times with bolts. Nope, that isn’t happening easily. What’s the deal? Why won’t these punch through?

This picture is of the driver’s side rear spring bump stop bracket, inside the frame. Here you see I have three of the four rivets ground. Why won’t these come out? I HAMMERED on them to no avail. I thought about getting a pneumatic hammer, but don’t think that will make them budge either. It’s almost like the rivet became one with the frame. Do I really have to try and DRILL these things out?

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You know what.....

Before I take this frame work any further, I really gotta look for that frame number.

 

I promised myself I'd leave you alone, but let me say this.....

The gas tank slides to one side and slips right out the bottom with no issues. Try putting it back in and you'll see. No need to cut the rear cross member. You're right, nothing you can do will let it come out the top.

Rivets. Yes, they are fused to the frame. they were put in as hot rivets. You're also using the wrong tool. Use a mini sledge and a drift. Not a center punch. Use one that's just smaller than the rivet is. A few whacks with the baby sledge and they'll drive out. If you get them hot with a torch, (Don't cut them, just get them hot) they'll pop out very easily and clean.

 

Quake I hope you won't stay quiet. I got no hard feelings toward ya....or perhaps you could just not bear to take part in my idiocy any longer.... ) Anyway, thanks for the response.

I will give your suggestion a try on the rivets. Yes, they were center punched but that wasn’t what I was banging on them with. I was using a drift punch, albeit it was way too small for the job, and the center punch was made just to try and keep the drift punch in relatively the right place. I will put some heat to them and drive them with something proper and see how that works.

Yes, I will buy into the fact that the tank does come out the bottom (I guess how else would one normally replace it if they couldn’t take a cross member out?). Really, the hitch was in the way and I didn’t want to remove it until I had room to get at it.

 

wow!! i guess it has been awhile since i have been around a rusty northern truck.. after looking at your pictures i notice the receiver hitch was still on when you tried to remove the tank could that of been why you had trouble.. as far as the rivets alan is right about you should use a flat-tipped drift-punch as close to the size of the rivet as you have, the center punch just makes them tighter..i cut out alot of cross-members in my job.. i just cut the head off with a torch on the crosmember side if i can then drive it toward the frame.. if you cant get to that side then cut on the frame side and drive toward the cross-member but that will usually bend it some, but then you can straighten that after you remove the rivet... well enough of my dribble for now..have fun

 

opps disregard my last post...... you got there ahead of me

 

well i was able to remove and install the gas tank from to side but....the top and bottom straps have to be fully removed and a whole lot of cussing and ect,not the easiest but can be done

 

No cuss no fuss....you should always consult the FTE clan 1st. You know some of us have done this at least once already....... like you do not know this now.

1. Should of removed the rear bumper 1st
2. Should of removed the hitch 2nd
3. Gas tank very easily drops out the bottom with the filler/vent neck removed.
4. The top straps come off easy AFTER the tank is removed, push down and unhook from front cross member.

Drive on looking good, oh and your shop floor got dirty again. lol

If you are wanting a easy way to remove rivets, quality air gun and higher quality chisel.

VIN should be in line with the alternator on top side of the frame rail and then again on the top side/passenger side frame rail about in line and below the front seat mount bolt?

 

1 & 2 Yes, I agree to that method. But, it would have been very difficult to get on top of the bolts for the hitch with the tank in the way (they were spinning) and luckily I immediately thought to just cut the rear cross that was coming off anyway. If it had to come out the right way, it just would have taken a lot longer. Just an idea for others in a similar situation.... My real point is that I have read here many people try to attack this job from the top, and I just don’t see how that could be done.

]3. That would have required 3 extra minutes.

4. I see what you’re saying there.... mine weren’t really cranked down that tight and the stud snap just because of how rusted it was. It didn’t take much torque before it broke. No problem getting the strap entirely out with the tank still in it.

And now to the VIN:

I tackled the position you indicated.

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I had heard/read for two years now that is the place I would find it. SO I cleaned it up pretty good, but I just was not seening any signs of it being there. Hmmmmm

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I looked around a bit and decided to hit the next logical spot which was on the other side of the spring perch down toward the starter area....and there it was. Obviously all the different plants were doing things a little bit different.

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The numbers were nice and crisp. The oil buildup had protected them nicely. So at this point I have a Title with a Matching Frame. The cab, which still has the original warranty sticker, shows the same VIN. I can see where it was masked off when it got painted over the factory paint, so I am pretty certain I am dealing with all original truck. I still cant find any stamped cab numbers (I will continue to look) but I would bet on it being original.

 

There is a difference in "should" and "will", but glad you found it. And now others know where to look too, thanks fo rthe pics.

As far as a spinning bolt head put a box end wrench on it (yea the gap between the tank and frame is small but doable) then spin the bolt/nut to put torque on the wrench to hold it aginst the frame and keep the wrench in place.

Just do not get your finger in the way when you first tighten it up if you are using a air impact. BTW did you get one of those yet??

righty tighty lefty loosey......

 

Awesome blossom looks just like what I have to look forward to when I head home I even heard there's a nice new wasps nest growing.

Good luck I will be watching

 

if you are worried about those hitch bolts giving you trouble ever again..put in the bolts and nuts without the hitch before you put the tank or hitch back in, weld a piece of flatbar or something to the heads connecting them together then remove the nuts.. then they can never spin again when removing or installing hitch or fuel tank in the future