Oink Oink (2 Viewers)

[mn12]

A few more and the tool.
I haven’t cleaned these up much. A little goo gone will do the trick.
If you look close you can see a little nick on one of the scrapers. Drexel slipped .
Oh well, it’s the passenger side rear.

 

[RUSH55]

Nice to get some things knocked off the list

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Been a while since my last post.
Lots happening with the holidays and hunting season.
With all that behind tried to focus on the 55.
Cold weather had me turn on the heater, then noticed a familiar smell coming from the engine.
Checked it out and the thermostat housing was leaking.
As always, nothing goes as planned.
Went to replace the housing, thermostat and gasket.
Reminder this truck has a GM 350
Gasket = No problem
Thermostat = No problem
Housing = Nobody has one, but can get one in a week. Crazy.
Anyway. One bolt out with ease, the other, no go.
Got to the point of breaking the bolt or stripping it out. So tightened it back up and called my neighbor. 50+ year mechanic and an awesome one at that.
He’s also been chomping at the bit to rebuild the carburetor.
I took the 55 to his shop and he got to experience the glory of POs.
Thermostat stripped a thread. No problem. Re-tap and roll.
Carburetor…rabbit hole.
Pulled off the carb and surprise. Spread bore manifold with regular carb.
Didn’t even line up and the gasket wasn’t sealing in the back.
Out with that carb and he put in a quadrajet. Solved the surging problem I had been battling.
Got the carb on, go to set timing…no timing marks,
He had to find TDC old school. Amazing. Arduous, but very talented.
Once found, remarked the balancer and good to go.
Got that going and heard an exhaust leak by the passenger side manifold and he couldn’t let it be.
Found it, fixed it and put in a steel gasket. Problem solved.
Not only a mechanic but an exhaust genius.
It’s not over yet.
My driver’s door has been sagging since I bought the truck.
When I Iooked at it, I thought the hinge pin needed replaced and that’s what I told him.
He said. Oh OK.
Picked up the truck and he had adjusted both front doors and they are now perfect. Freakin’ amazing.
So now on to winter project number 1.
Replace the beltline and window fuzzies.
Rock Auto Fairchild Part 01484X2 and 14574X2.
So I went to work on the pulling the old ones out.
Was much easier than an expected with my homemade makeshift tool. A knitting needle I altered years and years ago when working on my old Bronco. Worked like a charm.
Started with driver door. Bad idea. I suggest starting with a door you don’t look at every time you get in the truck.
Pulled out the old.
Sprayed everything I could see with surface shield, then cleaned it up.
Where there was a little rust, I used Rust Reformer to help with any future problems.
All in all, everything was pretty clean when I took off the old.
Then it was time to put in the new scraper. Measured, drilled and lined up the pins.
Pushed one in and it bent. Tried another, same deal. No go, so, I remember reading on MUD that you can use adhesive.
Well I just happened to have some left over from when I put on the weather strips.
Gave it a whirl and it worked like magic. I know it’s not the best way or traditional way…but it is way easier. Yes it will be a mess whenever it needs replaced, but so will pulling out all that sound deadener I put in there
Got all but 3 doors done today and I am really happy with the results.
Placed one more order to Rock Auto so seal up the drivers door for good.

 

[mn12]

Circling back to a previous unknown part.
This is under the gas fill neck and bolted to the frame…in a couple different ways.
3 bolts with smooth heads and 2 bolts that attached to welded square nuts, one of those bolts through tailpipe bracket.
I’d have to say definitely stock.
Came off very nicely, but with a bunch of dirt. For sure a rust magnet.
Overall in good shape and sure makes it easier to get to the gas neck gasket.
Also has a piece of Velcro attached to a piece of Velcro riveted to the base.
Seeing how the pig pen hasn’t seen before, I will declare it unobtanium and will trade for built and installed LS with 5 speed
Any takers?
Didn’t think so.
Happy to share dimensions with anyone interested in making one.

 

[mn12]

And a few more.
Approximately 16” x 8”

 

[RUSH55]

Interesting. Haven’t seen one in person, but want to say fellow Mud member @Gordobe mounted something on that plate… a battery maybe?

 

[mn12]

Cleaned up and ready to mount back where it was in few days.
Raptor lined. We will see how it holds up.

 

[PabloCruise]

This piece is off a '78?
I will have to look at my '78 FSM and see if I can learn something today...

 

[mn12]

Time to dive into the front wheel wells and remove the undercoating.
Fun times!!
Of course found a little rust lurking.
Used an oscillating tool this time with a semi-blunt blade on it.

 

[RUSH55]

Looks like that worked pretty good

 

[mn12]

Yes. Worked way better than previous.
Used heat gun and scraper = nightmare.
Used paint scraper = worked good, but time consuming.

Looks like that worked pretty good

 

[bobm]

I use Airplane stripper. Apply walk away, come back and it basically falls off. Just don't get it on ya it s

 

[mn12]

A coat of primer and flat black now ready to roll.
Sunlight added an odd color that looks a little copperish.
Never mind that leaky steering box.
Something for another day. Or better yet, power steering.

 

[mn12]

Thank you @DanTCook
Probably will never hook it up, but it fills the hole nicely.

 

[mn12]

Hard to believe almost 2 months since last post.
I’ve been in a motor nightmare for the last month.

Truck started backfiring. Then started backfiring almost all the time.
Adjusted carb, nothing.
Ask awesome mechanic neighbor for assistance.
Checked timing and replaced vacuum advance.
Worked for a little bit, but started backfiring again.
Went to replace distributor cap to see if that would help. Got into it and distributor was too sloppy up and down to his liking.
Replaced distributor.
Set timing. Would not time well.
Replaced spark plug wires. Problem solved.
Went for a drive and truck was missing.
Under advice from neighbor. Pull 7 and 8 plugs to inspect (my 55 has GMC 350)
Sure enough plug 8 was completely fouled. 7 wasn’t good either.
Replaced both of them. Set timing. Adjusted carb.
Runs better than it ever has.
What a mess.
Very thankful for having such a great neighbor.

Time to drive!

 

[scrapdaddy]

Looks like you're burning oil

 

[mn12]

@scrapdaddy
Yes, yes I am for sure.
1 qt every 1,500 miles.

 

[mn12]

Not OG but I dig it until I find some originals.

 

[bobm]

Looks like you're burning oil

Earl!! Look like BBQ ribs

 

[RUSH55]

Earl!! Look like BBQ ribs