1970 in CT

[ryanwk628]

This felpro leaked on both sides of the gasket, with and without permatex high temp. I don’t think the F intake compresses these metal portions around the port enough at their torque spec. They may work if the exhaust manifold was perfectly machined, not going to try and find out right now.

My logic behind putting sealer on the engine side and not the exhaust manifold side was that if I needed it I could add it later. The instructions called for none. Leaked both ways

Went back to Remflex. Used the high temp gasket maker on the exhaust manifold only. Nothing on the engine side which was really nice after I spent a lot of time cleaning it. Intake looked pretty good too. Letting it set now

The profile is the same but the Remflex is much thicker and feels softer.

 

[ryanwk628]

No leaks with the Remflex. I was able to confirm base timing, get it to idle and set my mix via the lean drop method. Starting easy and running very nicely which gives me piece of mind, finishing one thing before starting another. Now onto the 3/4 tub...

In the meantime, I ordered (4) tall acorn nuts from Belmetric. Sometimes its the small details

 

[Jdc1]

Belmetric is the best.

 

[tyama]

great thread! hope it goes well and you get done soon.

 

[ryanwk628]

Well, now I’m committed.

Cleaning up the frame and corners of the cowl. Need to bring my welder over and fab up some sheet metal patches. Going to replace the rear cross member. Should do the RMS while I have access. Maybe while the tub is at paint. Lots to do.

 

[White Stripe]

Bye bye rust

 

[ryanwk628]

While I have the body off I am replacing the rear crossmember and angle brackets with NOS Toyota parts I snagged on Marketplace a while back. I ground off rivet heads and the weld on the spring hangers and was able to work it out. This was far more difficult than some people have made it seem, and I need to go back and drill out the remaining rivets that wont come out with a 4lb hammer and punch. It took almost 6 hours, taking my time, and struggling to drift out rivets that would not budge. I have no idea how people replace this with the body on.

I am going try to clean up the mating surfaces and coat both sides of everything before it goes back together. I got high strength 3/8" button head screws from McMaster and will be welding as well.

 

[ryanwk628]

In parallel I have also been working on a Blazer tank conversion. I plan to install the early Toyota sending unit into the new tank (found for $60 with free shipping online.) I got a sending unit ring made by Tanks Inc that is meant to insert into a hole you drill and give the bolts something to fasten to. It was too far off the Toyota bolt pattern. ID was too small and hole pattern was off, so I returned it.

Using the same idea I made my own and had it cut out by Send Cut Send. With shipping if I bought one or bought three it was the same cost out the door (~35 cut and tapped), so I have two extras.

Fits just right.

 

[ryanwk628]

Since I last updated this thread I have been chipping away at the frame cross member repairs and patching up the cowl. The crossmember and corner braces needed the holes slightly drilled out and it fought me to line everything up. Once it was bolted and torqued with high strength, fine thread button head screws from McMaster with thread locker, up I welded in where there had been weld prior and have been painting so it hopefully wont ever rust again.

I have to work on it in bursts when I can get over there, and go until I realize there is something I need. Even to bend those corner pieces, I had to go home because I did not have a vice. Im using that Steel-it weldable paint to try to seal up anything I can.

I think I will use a stock style transmission cover rather than the boxy one that comes with the tub, so I have held off on beating this bump flat until I get the cover (ordered from Topnault.)

I had to cut the flange a little bit the at the seam so the tub can but up flush but it seems like it wants to line up nicely. I need to bolt it all together and hang the doors. I can see why others have extended the lip on the cowl floor to get more overlap since they want you to bolt through the floor in front, and that is something I will probably end up doing.

 

[ryanwk628]

In between griding and welding or while I wait for paint to dry, I am doing some "while I'm in here" work. I am converting to a rear tank. Being tall, its something I have wanted to do to get my seat down. This is the blazer tank, and Im going to use the chevy sending unit as my pick up and add the Toyota sender for my stock gauge. I didnt want it jammed against the angle braces and shock tube which is where it touches, so I bent up two pieces of bar stock to press against the indentations on the tank.

These got welded to the frame and have since been painted. This will allow me to just have tank straps below for if I need to drop the tank... like when I upgrade to a Sniper and want to add an in tank pump.

One of the things than needed to change was the exhaust routing. My muffler was shot (and also installed backwards I noticed) so I picked up a laminar flow muffler. I had one on my old beater truck and liked it. It wasnt tinny, quiet at idle but growled when I accelerated. This one is supposed to be "moderate" so lets see if it is similar or makes it sounds like a lawn mower.

The exhaust had do be snaked between the shock and the bump stop, then run under the frame before turning out in the factory spot. I did this with 2 45s and a polished SS 90. I need to add a hanger at the 90.

Its not all locked in yet, so it wants to swing out. Im going to make a hanger using the factory holes which will set final locations

 

[ryanwk628]

In parallel, I have rebuilt that transfer case I got with the 4 speed. I cleaned up all the parts, degreased it and painted it with etching primer, then aluminum paint. It looks much better.

Assembly went easy. Referenced the Project Wrong Way @BenjaminCA video building the Orion a lot.

Getting out this little needle bearing was the worst part. I had to do surgery until I could split it and peel it out.

So I am at a cross roads, another "while Im in here" vs avoiding scope creep.
Do I slap it together and try to add the 4 speed now while I have the body off?
Do/will I need to move to torque tube to do that because it hits the e-brake on a 4 speed/t-case combo? Ive seen conflicting information in that regard.

 

[ryanwk628]

Its a ways down the priorities list but I wanted to prepare for a future 4 speed swap while I have the body off. Looking at build threads, I did not know if I need to move or remove the cross member people refer to as "torque tube" so I asked in another thread. It seems some people just delete it, others have moved them back, or just work around it by shimming the engine.

I like the roll cage connectors but could not find any with the correct dimensions and the length was going to be a problem with the curves which start very close to the frame. I ended up having plates cut from Send Cut Send, which I bolted together and welded in after cutting the tube.

When I cut it the frame opened, maybe 3/16th, so I put a strap on it when tacking it back together.

After it was tacked up, I took it apart and welded it up. I welded around the OD, and went inside and fillet welded the seam which I ground flat afterwards. The hardest part was the back side of the bracket closest to the frame, which I set as far away as possible without getting into the radius. The opposite side I did just far enough out to clear the transfer case without getting into the bend.

This should provide plenty of clearance in the future when I want to swap to a 4 speed. No, its not as strong as the roll cage connections, but the people running without this piece and some of the simpler bolt in designs gave me confidence this should be fine. Im glad I did it now while the tub is off because it would be very difficult from underneath with the body on.

 

[ryanwk628]

I got a 4 speed trans tunnel cover because I dont really like the boxy one. It came in well wrapped and only had a small bend on one corner from shipping that I was able to tweak back. It is thinner than the 3 speed one and I will have to modify the passenger side to sit flat on the flat floor which I have seen done in other build threads. For the price Im willing to do it just for the more stock look.

It may be a little close to the vac transfer case actuator, but so will the new tub's floor.

 

[mrboatman]

Where did you get the tunnel cover from it looks nice

 

[ryanwk628]

Where did you get the tunnel cover from it looks nice

TP Autoparts, here is the link. The reviews are about in line with what I am seeing, but since I am using it with an Aqualu and expect to modify it, I dont mind.

 

[mrboatman]

Thanks

 

[tpscruisers]

I wish I went that route with my aqualu tub. I like the stock tunnel cover better.

 

[White Stripe]

Since I last updated this thread I have been chipping away at the frame cross member repairs and patching up the cowl. The crossmember and corner braces needed the holes slightly drilled out and it fought me to line everything up. Once it was bolted and torqued with high strength, fine thread button head screws from McMaster with thread locker, up I welded in where there had been weld prior and have been painting so it hopefully wont ever rust again.

I have to work on it in bursts when I can get over there, and go until I realize there is something I need. Even to bend those corner pieces, I had to go home because I did not have a vice. Im using that Steel-it weldable paint to try to seal up anything I can.
View attachment 4062622
View attachment 4062623

I think I will use a stock style transmission cover rather than the boxy one that comes with the tub, so I have held off on beating this bump flat until I get the cover (ordered from Topnault.)
View attachment 4062624
I had to cut the flange a little bit the at the seam so the tub can but up flush but it seems like it wants to line up nicely. I need to bolt it all together and hang the doors. I can see why others have extended the lip on the cowl floor to get more overlap since they want you to bolt through the floor in front, and that is something I will probably end up doing.
View attachment 4062629
View attachment 4062630

Might be worth cutting that floor pan out completely and replacing it.

 

[ryanwk628]

Working on the fuel tank, I adapted the Toyota sending unit to fit. The depth was very close so not much adjustment needed. I decided to locate it on the driver side as seen below.

The tank has a sump I was working around so I aligned it to fit in the area to the left

A 1 3/4 hole saw was the right size for this sending unit.

I located the holes and it lined up with the C flange I had made from Send Cut Send. I kept it secured with one fastener.

I used a long fastener to go through the sending unit into the flange, then removed the one I had in there initially and pulled it into place to get the others in. Ive since changed them all out for stainless button heads.

 

[ryanwk628]

Working with the sending unit designed for this tank, right now I am just using it as a fuel pickup, but in the future I want to use it to support an in tank pump if I go Sniper TBI. This link explains it better. I cut off the provisions for hose clamps and converted them to AN.

This will also allow me to use the Chevy sending unit if I ever decide to go to a Dakota Digital dash.

Im still figuring out if I want to have a dedicated vent or use the early vented gas cap I have.

I found a 5/16 sock that fits over the pipe and right now it is being retained by the bracket.

If/when I get to the Sniper I would use an in tank pump, and probably the corvette style return filter.