Yup, the memories are priceless. I have a few pics but I usually get so tied up in just enjoying the time together that I forget to get pics.

 

Small update on my ongoing issues with the little things on my truck.

Today I pulled the speedo cable from the transmission and felt around inside. The drive gear is definitely worn out as you will be able to see in the picture down below. At least not I know for sure why my speedometer doesn't work.

Second main issue I have been having is with the fuel gauge not reading properly. Today I found out why this is. The 'new' sending unit I purchased from DC several months back has one fatal flaw; The float has a hole in it. Needless to say it fills with fluid and sinks to the bottom of the tank and stays there. I don't know if they will replace the float after this much time has passed. Luckily I got the bright idea to check the sending unit that is in the in-cab tank I have sitting in the garage. I removed the sending unit and it still has it's float! I put it on the unit for my tank and the gauge is now reading. It is a bit off since I never adjusted the rod angle. At least I will know when I an getting low on fuel and that's what matters to me.

 

Speedo drive gear is now ordered from DC.

In reference to the bad float from my previously ordered sending unit, DC is sending another float at no charge. After this much time they could have told me I was SOL, but They are sending another without complaint.

 

Minor progress, but progress.

I made it out to the pick a part this morning and found 3 Bumps in the yard. They were pretty stripped already but I was able to find a couple of the interior pieces I have been looking for. I got a complete ashtray, both vent ducts, and the interior light housing and wire. All the hoods were gone so I was not able to get the things to mount my hood emblems. All the dome light door switches were gone also. Shame they were fleet side beds since they all had good tailgates. I would like to replace mine one day. I moved the dome switch from the passenger side to the drivers side door so I will have dome light once I get a working bulb installed. I did test to make sure it was turning on and off at the light housing with the door switch. Finding the ashtray motivated me to run the speaker wires to behind the seat since my 2 inch massive surround tweeter that was mounted there no longer has a home. I have a couple speakers that were donated to the cause by a friend that now get to do more than bounce around behind the seat. Not having any floor coverings I had to get creative with the running of the wires. I went through the windshield pillar, over the door, and down the back behind the seat.
I have the gaskets to seal the engine, including the new style 1 piece oil pan gasket. I only need a couple more things and I will be ready to pull the motor and tranny come spring break. I also received the speedometer drive gear and new float from DC.

Here are some pics:

The old massive surround system


the stuff from the yard run


gear and float:


ashtray installed:


Dome light waiting for bulb:

 

Looking good Greg....nothing at all wrong with taking your time and working within a budget.

I just wish I was as lucky as you are with finding bumps in the scrapyard. Annoying little things missing that I just can't find yet, but they will come in time.

 

They are not easy to come by in the yards here. Most were scrapped when metal prices when up. Guy a couple blocks from here has one for sale as a part truck but I have no place to store it.

 

I just read this entire thread and like it, keep up the good work!!

 

Thanks.

It's a slow project on a tight budget. That and sometimes the budget gets put back into the household expenses to make ends meet. I would love to strip it to the frame and completely go through it like so many others. That would be great but I have to keep it driving as it is my daily driver. Also I enjoy driving it too much to let it sit torn apart in the garage for the amount of time that kind of resto takes on my kind of budget.

 

Well now, as I sit here reflecting on a seemingly bad purchase for my truck, I realized that I have had my truck for a year now. My, how the time flies. It was just about a year ago that my family and I drove up to Stagecoach, NV from Las Vegas to meet the Nevada chapter leader and her family. We loaded tires, tools, parts, and gas cans and hit the road. To anyone unfamiliar with the trip, it takes about 8-9 hours and there is little to nothing between here and there. The trip up was uneventful and fairly relaxing. We met up with Donna and her family and that was when I got my first hands-on look at the truck her husband was selling. We had a great time visiting and meeting a few other members of the NV chapter. I spent the evening with her husband doing a full tune up, fluid swap, and repairs such as getting tires mounted, hoses, alternator, voltage regulator, and starter solenoid. The next morning we said farewell to our gracious host and pulled out of the driveway in my new truck for the very long ride home. Some things made for an awkward trip back, like the speedometer didn't work, the fuel gauge also didn't work, only had 1 wiper (of course it was raining), and there was no rear view mirror. I had to use a brick to block the wheel when fueling up because the emergency brake didn't work. To make that even more awkward was the fact that it had to be started by jumping the solenoid under the hood. At the very first gas station we stopped to fill up at the glass fell out of the driver's side mirror when I closed the door. That did not set a good tone for trip, and now I only had the passengers mirror to see behind me. I pushed the truck way past its limits going through the mountains. At one point the wife called my cell and told me to slow down. I asked her "why?", and she said I was doing at least 90. I laughed and told her that was no way that this truck would even do 90. She told me to guess again, she was doing 85 and I was leaving her behind. Needless to say, I slowed down a bit. It was really hard to get a good judge on the motor as it had an exhaust leak and absolutely no sound barrier in the cab, not even a fire wall mat. The truck had been sitting for about 10 years I was told. About half way home we had to pull over and add water and about a quart of oil. The fresh fluid in the radiator had uncovered a long time leak in the top tank that we didn't know about because of all the caked on dirt. The oil leak is from the rear main and valve cover. I figure this was from the hard drive and long time sitting. We got back to Vegas an hour or so after dark and my new truck was finally in my driveway. This is when the real adventure began. Here are some of the pics of the truck as it was, and a group pic of us together.


















The purchase, by the way, was another full gauge cluster. Date stamp is June 1970. Problem is that it is a 71, plastic gauge housing and all. Good part is that it came with the pigtail. With that I can just change the locations of the wires to make the actual 70 full gauge cluster work. I didn't get the plug with that one. So, not an entirely bad purchase, but paid cluster price for a plug. Oh well, I will use what I can.

 

That's a great truck and worthy of restoration as you can

 

Thanks, We are in the middle of moving and unpacking right now. Once the garage is cleared of furniture, the truck comes in for the motor to be pulled.

 

believe me I know how that goes .. Shop space at our place is at a premium .. That doesn't keep me from dragging more projects home My plan is that the wife will finally succumb to the idea of building a bigger shop just to get my projects in waiting indoors She just doesn't put the same value I do on them for some reason Wish you the best on the motor .. The I6 is a great motor

 

It runs great, but loves to mark it's territory a bit too much. Just pulling to put in new gaskets.

 

That is where it starts

 

it is all the budget allows for currently.