So Pearl is coming home on the first. Running like a champ except the tranny. I still wa t to do the 390 upgrade but for now the 360 is purring. Found a guy who has a rebuilt tranny ready for install for around $500 though I wish I could rebuild the tranny myself. Scored some great parts the other day from the PnP. Stock antenna, heater box so I can restore and upgrade it. Wooden floor console, the part that attachment to the passenger side manifold to heat the carb. Found a cab in great shape sadly I can't afford it at the moment or have the ability to pull it and Install it at this time. Still need to do the muffler, bushings and find out what's wrong with my tail lights.

 

If you can get a rebuilt tranny installed for $500 do it. I think a kit is $300 and the work is ridiculous to do yourself. Having it installed is a good move.

 

Great news picking up the old girl on the first. Have a heater box to rebuild with some help. I want to upgrade the hamster wheel to put out better air flow. As well as upgrade the foam used to divert the airflow. I need to find someone to sand blast the housing for me. Also looking to replace the air hoses.

 

Queenie these heater do pretty good when using a 180-195 thermostats.
I'd first remove the heater core clean it out all the dust an dirt. And also the air air box which can plug with leaves and crap over the yrs.

When I liked in NV. for a few yrs in the early 80's Carson city winter temps off & on 7-12* at times and when my big supper cool rad & a 180* thermostat. I will say driving slow due to snow on the roads on & off road driving once in a while. And the old heater defroster did not keep to windshield clear from fogging up.

So did the old cardboard trick placed over half the rad to restrict air flow into rad to get hotter heater air..

You know theirs always a red neck trick to do now & then when needed..
Orich

 

Brought The old girl home the other day. Shes purring like a kitten but she needs a few things still. but I thought i'd show off the work done.

 

still need to put the driver door on, add the door lights, rebuild the heater box, update the blower motor, find a fan shroud, replace turn sig switch, add break booster, find way to fix parking break cables, find a replacement cab and help to remove and install it.

 

I'd replace that old oem vacuum advance as most have failed yrs ago and many people never check to see if it's still functioning correctly.

By removing the vac. hose at the carb end and sucking on the vacuum hose is an old shade tree trick to test it.
Orich

 

ill add that to the list of things to just replace

 

we for those who dont know ive been moving slowly fkr the last few months. I have not been able be on much.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that Pearl is lost. Her engine caught on fire after what we think the Carb cracked and was leaking gas all over the engine. The damage at driest looked nomenal but after heavy inspecting the damage was much more then I could ever afford. Due to this I was forced to give her up. I am now looking for another 69 that's 4wdr. But due to my info.e it might be though to fine one.

 

Oh my Pearl the girl was kind of on the rough side for you to keep her road worthy.
So sometimes we get in over are heads of doing repairs ourselves.

Then it becomes time to part ways like it or not.

Well hopefully you were not hurt when she puked gas out setting herself on fire.

Was wondering what happen to ya as have not seen any post for a long while.

Ok one thing about 4wds is more to go wrong and those front ends they do need a lot of care and $$$$ keeping it road worthy.

The more cash you can save for a 4wd only means your buying someone else troubles who is tired of fixing it to just keeping it running.
General speaking that is.

I'd say stay away from the f250 4wds as the front ends are not cheap to even rebuild yourself. The old closed knuckle there's no one who makes the axles for it once the inner diff seal wears a deep groove in them they leak axle lube out to the brake shoes lining oil soaking it. I can keep going on about them. The 1976 up axle with disc brake cost about $1100 if you rebuild it yourself. These almost 50 yr old trucks are not easy to completely do everything that have issues with..

And in the snow belts 4wd sell for a sack of gold$$ as you may know.
Orich

 

Thanks Orich you have always had great info. Pearl was rough but something about the old gal made me fall in love.
I love the old trucks maybe that's my downfall I would love another 2wd or 4wd but I will have to look for something better than the old gal but I k ow I want a bump. Or dent side. I guess I'm just confused.

 

Hmm may be an old classic army jeep you could live with
Orich

 

I'm partial to the Bumpsides because that's what my dad had when I was a kid growing up.

The Dentsides (as a whole), however, had a lot more features and more desirable equipment than the Bumpsides. While I like the Dentside trucks, I just don't think they look as good as the Bumpside body style.

The good news is most all of the desirable things on a Dentside can be swapped over onto a Bumpside truck.

Save up your money and buy a truck that's in overall good condition to start with. A lesser truck will cost more money, just to get it up the the level of a more expensive truck, before you can move on with adding the things you'd like to make it a better truck.

 

Perhaps fate is telling you to upgrade?

 

+1 Aren't you on the West coast, Charlaine? You should be able to find a pretty decent truck for a few grand. I bought my rust free '68 250 from a guy in Littlerock, Ca. for $2,900. It needed a little exhaust work and tuning but the body, interior, suspension and drivetrain were in very good shape.