Build The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota

[RWBeringer4x4]

I learned with our first to sleep when the baby sleeps. Youll get 8 hrs, just not all at once. If you have a second, everything goes out the window and it turns into survival of the fittest.

This is the advice we keep getting, and we try - but we aren’t good nappers. Unfortunately Avery likes to party from 11pm-2:30am right now and is up every two hours on either side of that to eat. She is also a surprisingly loud, squeaky sleeper (didn’t know that was possible) so she’s constantly waking us up with false alarms. All “new parent” jitters I’m sure. Right now we can’t even imagine two. Avery’s delivery was not an easy one, and the first couple of weeks have been trying. I can’t even imagine throwing another young kid into the mix!

Congrats new mom and dad!

Congratulations on your dougther and getting your 40 back on the road.

Thank you both! It’s very exciting. It is a completely different challenge. The goal was to have the truck mechanically sound before I had kids, and I really pushed it right up to the wire. I still have a few kinks to work out, but I expect I’ll be investing in some sheet metal soon to start plugging away at some of the more accessible bodywork.

 

[bikersmurf]

Congratulations!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Congratulations!


Consider yourself sentenced to life in Maryland now! You'll never be paroled once kids come into the picture!

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Congratulations!


Consider yourself sentenced to life in Maryland now! You'll never be paroled once kids come into the picture!

Yeah, I've pretty much signed up for a life sentence at this point. In all honesty it is pretty convenient being 40 minutes from family with the new baby. My only real hope of escaping MD is running back to Delaware or into southern PA. We actually really like our house and our land in Cecil County, MD, and you get a TON more house and yard here than in DE/PA for your money, but with kids in the picture - we need to figure out the school situation. Cecil County Public Schools are basically "bottom of the barrel" as far as I can tell, so we need to look into the private school options, or move. Then again, I also believe school is a lot what kids make of it (effort in = performance out) and a lot of the "motivation" needs to be provided by involved parents, so maybe there's hope of sending the kid to public school yet, so long as I am better at parenting than car restoration!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Yeah, I've pretty much signed up for a life sentence at this point. In all honesty it is pretty convenient being 40 minutes from family with the new baby. My only real hope of escaping MD is running back to Delaware or into southern PA. We actually really like our house and our land in Cecil County, MD, and you get a TON more house and yard here than in DE/PA for your money, but with kids in the picture - we need to figure out the school situation. Cecil County Public schools are basically "bottom of the barrel" as far as I can tell, so we need to look into the private school options, or move. Then again, I also believe school is a lot what kids make of it (effort in = performance out) and a lot of the "motivation" needs to be provided by involved parents, so maybe there's hope of sending the kid to public school yet, so long as I am better at parenting than car restoration!

Enjoy the baby every chance you get, before you know it she will be involved in so many activities you won't have time to sit and eat dinner together.


You are 100% spot on about parents needing to be involved in motivating kids at school, most parents think it is the school systems job to raise their kids and teach them how to act. We saw it out in Washington county firsthand, parents didn't give a crap about what their kids did at school.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Enjoy the baby every chance you get, before you know it she will be involved in so many activities you won't have time to sit and eat dinner together.


You are 100% spot on about parents needing to be involved in motivating kids at school, most parents think it is the school systems job to raise their kids and teach them how to act. We saw it out in Washington county firsthand, parents didn't give a crap about what their kids did at school.

Be careful - I'm dangerously close to straying WAY off FJ40 tech and into my opinions on modern "parenting." I have a feeling we'd agree, but the moderators might not!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

We have threads for that over on the dark side!

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Ran the chalk test today -

I think @bikersmurf mentioned his BFG’s liked about 26psi (even though they’re rated to 80psi). The tire shop had inflated them to about 55psi, and steering was downright scary, so I’d immediately aired them down to 45. The chalk test revealed that they were still overinflated, wearing in the center and not the edges.

So I decreased slowly from 45psi to 30 psi, where I achieved this pattern:

FRONT:

(Note a bit of chalk on the inside of the tire, and just a tiny smidge on the outside). I’m guessing the inside lack of wear is due to toe-in or camber.

REAR:

The rear has a bit more chalk on the inner and outer edges still:

I feel like 30psi is already pretty low for street use, this should get me pretty even wear. Hopefully it will be an ok compromise between what’s left of my fuel economy and tire wear.

So, @bikersmurf 1, tire shop 0

Still loving the new look!

Afterward, I took it out for a quick 15 mile run. The handling is far less squirrelly and the ride is significantly smoother (on par with my 31” coppers). I can’t hear the M/T’s droning off all the other engine noises and rattles so they can’t be that much louder than the Cooper A/T’s.

At 60mph, the engine hums along at about 2600-2700RPM. It’s loud but not deafening. It’s funny how smoothly it gets to 60mph, and how it basically just falls flat on its face after 65mph. Not sure if it’s just the nature of the gearing, a bad carb tune, or the SP2P intake’s tiny runners.

All in all, pretty happy with how it’s running right now. A couple more kinks I’d love to fix:

- Speedometer wobbles badly between 0-40mph - new cable needed maybe?

- Carb probably needs to be rejetted and possibly rebuilt. I can’t kill the engine with the idle mixture screws so something still isn’t right...

 

[pb4ugo]

You can try disconnecting the speedo cable at the t/case and pull the inner cable out of the sheath and grease it up and reinstall.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

You can try disconnecting the speedo cable at the t/case and pull the inner cable out of the sheath and grease it up and reinstall.

I did this already when I reassembled during the engine swap. It had always wandered below 25mph, but in the last couple weeks it has gotten worse.

The speedo gears looked ok when I disassembled, so I think that limits it to a cable or gauge issue. The wobble implies it might be binding to me...

This is also a 75’ and still has the 2 piece cable. It’s possible the cable running from the weird emissions box thing on the firewall could be bad too. I haven’t messed with that one yet.

 

[bikersmurf]

Ran the chalk test today -

View attachment 1777060

I think @bikersmurf mentioned his BFG’s liked about 26psi (even though they’re rated to 80psi). The tire shop had inflated them to about 55psi, and steering was downright scary, so I’d immediately aired them down to 45. The chalk test revealed that they were still overinflated, wearing in the center and not the edges.

So I decreased slowly from 45psi to 30 psi, where I achieved this pattern:

FRONT:

(Note a bit of chalk on the inside of the tire, and just a tiny smidge on the outside). I’m guessing the inside lack of wear is due to toe-in or camber.
View attachment 1777059

REAR:

The rear has a bit more chalk on the inner and outer edges still:

View attachment 1777058

I feel like 30psi is already pretty low for street use, this should get me pretty even wear. Hopefully it will be an ok compromise between what’s left of my fuel economy and tire wear.

So, @bikersmurf 1, tire shop 0

Still loving the new look!

View attachment 1777057

Afterward, I took it out for a quick 15 mile run. The handling is far less squirrelly and the ride is significantly smoother (on par with my 31” coppers). I can’t hear the M/T’s droning off all the other engine noises and rattles so they can’t be that much louder than the Cooper A/T’s.

At 60mph, the engine hums along at about 2600-2700RPM. It’s loud but not deafening. It’s funny how smoothly it gets to 60mph, and how it basically just falls flat on its face after 65mph. Not sure if it’s just the nature of the gearing, a bad carb tune, or the SP2P intake’s tiny runners.

All in all, pretty happy with how it’s running right now. A couple more kinks I’d love to fix:

- Speedometer wobbles badly between 0-40mph - new cable needed maybe?

- Carb probably needs to be rejetted and possibly rebuilt. I can’t kill the engine with the idle mixture screws so something still isn’t right...

33x10.50s : 25 psi
When I had 31x10.50 : 21 psi
With 33x12.50 : 21ish... getting a bit rusty.

I’ve run about 80,000 miles at 21 psi so I wouldn’t worry about lower than 30. The pattern looks good at 30... I’d also try 28 or 26 for a short straight run and see how it compares... and rides.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

33x10.50s : 25 psi
When I had 31x10.50 : 21 psi
With 33x12.50 : 21ish... getting a bit rusty.

I think I’d get a perfectly flat tread pattern at about 28psi, maybe 26 in the rear, just seems absurdly low for road tires.

 

[bikersmurf]

The science is behind it. It is the psi over the footprint that supports the weight. Bigger footprint makes for less psi to support the load.

If you’re happy with the ride at 30, leave well enough alone. If you like it lower, give it a shot.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

The science is behind it. It is the psi over the footprint that supports the weight. Bigger footprint makes for less psi to support the load.

If you’re happy with the ride at 30, leave well enough alone. If you like it lower, give it a shot.

I completely believe you - after all folks routinely run these tires at 12-15psi off road so I don’t worry the tires sidewalls would buckle under the truck’s weight below 30psi or anything.

It seems like for on-road use, you’d be imparting a lot of friction and rolling resistance. I know we don’t drive these things for their stellar fuel economy, but I’m surprised to hear you got 80,000mi out of a set of tires running that low. Especially since I know your tub is significantly “up-armored” from stock!

I’m used to modern cars, with standard road tires, which are wider, and generally set to 32-35psi (on significantly lighter vehicles). Heck, my Mazda’s TPMS triggers around 26psi.

The chalk doesn’t lie from a tread contact perspective, the tires want to be around 26-28psi, I just find that surprising given the narrow tire profile and hefty weight of the truck. Seems like you’d be driving around on flat tires!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

That’s a downright awesome looking rig! You’re treating it right sir.

 

[bikersmurf]

I completely believe you - after all folks routinely run these tires at 12-15psi off road so I don’t worry the tires sidewalls would buckle under the truck’s weight below 30psi or anything.

It seems like for on-road use, you’d be imparting a lot of friction and rolling resistance. I know we don’t drive these things for their stellar fuel economy, but I’m surprised to hear you got 80,000mi out of a set of tires running that low. Especially since I know your tub is significantly “up-armored” from stock!

I’m used to modern cars, with standard road tires, which are wider, and generally set to 32-35psi (on significantly lighter vehicles). Heck, my Mazda’s TPMS triggers around 26psi.

The chalk doesn’t lie from a tread contact perspective, the tires want to be around 26-28psi, I just find that surprising given the narrow tire profile and hefty weight of the truck. Seems like you’d be driving around on flat tires!

80k was two sets of tires. Both sets wore as though they were overinflated. First set was about 50k and the second was about 40k... I guess that makes 90k.

At 25 psi with 33x10.50 BFG ATs on 8” wide rims my contact patch is narrower than yours at 30 psi. I don’t know if it’s because they’re the older design or load range, but they would need to be less than 25 to get the pattern you have.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

That’s a downright awesome looking rig! You’re treating it right sir.

Thanks, It’s coming along! It should be pretty close to mechanically sound at this point - which is unfortunate because I’ve been using all the glitches to put-off bodywork...

I’ll just drive it for a week until something else breaks.

Really, I’m at a bit of a crossroads. It’s a good, honest, original pain job and the tub is still solid. The top and doors are shot. Part of me thinks it would be a shame to grind off the original paint at this point...

At 25 psi with 33x10.50 BFG ATs on 8” wide rims my contact patch is narrower than yours at 30 psi. I don’t know if it’s because they’re the older design or load range, but they would need to be less than 25 to get the pattern you have.

That is really bizarre - or some seriously rigid sidewalls! Isn’t your rig like 6500lbs? I believe the new KM3’s are load range E.

 

[Shark56]

Rick, I run 28 in the front 26 in the rear. That's on my grey 1970 with 2f, winch and stinger. Your front weight is probably a little less so 26 in the front might be where you need to be. Tires can handle it that low with no problem.
Glad to see you are driving it now!

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Rick, I run 28 in the front 26 in the rear. That's on my grey 1970 with 2f, winch and stinger. Your front weight is probably a little less so 26 in the front might be where you need to be. Tires can handle it that low with no problem.
Glad to see you are driving it now!

It has been a long road getting here but I’m glad I got to put some miles on it. Still running your old bumper too!

How are your 40’s doing? When I was down there ages ago I think I recall you were working on repairing the blue one after a crash. Is it back on the road?

If both of our rigs are running we should take the rigs and meet up and grab a beer or lunch somewhere once I’m off house arrest with the new baby. I really have not seen a lot of other 40’s around here. John, who helped me out early on, had to sell his rig a few years back. Otherwise I think I have seen one Freeborn Red one puttering around the Newark area but have never found the owner.

 

[bikersmurf]

Thanks, It’s coming along! It should be pretty close to mechanically sound at this point - which is unfortunate because I’ve been using all the glitches to put-off bodywork...

I’ll just drive it for a week until something else breaks.

Really, I’m at a bit of a crossroads. It’s a good, honest, original pain job and the tub is still solid. The top and doors are shot. Part of me thinks it would be a shame to grind off the original paint at this point...



That is really bizarre - or some seriously rigid sidewalls! Isn’t your rig like 6500lbs? I believe the new KM3’s are load range E.

Mine are load range C max load 2600 lbs at 50 psi (by memory). Given the truck is 4700 lbs, it kinda makes sense that 1/2 the pressure will support 1/2 the weight (2250 front and 2450 rear).

Since your’s are E range, that would explain the difference.