Double Dingo's 1965 3/4 Ton "Crusty Biscuit"

[DoubleDingo]

Duplicolor makes Detriot Diesel Alpine Green #DE1618 I have one at the house that I bought a few years ago for my model truck engines. I think I got it at Napa or Oreilly's.

Cool, I think my parts store carries duplicolor, so I should be golden.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Cool, I think my parts store carries duplicolor, so I should be golden.

They didn't have it in stock, but they got it for me. Sweet!

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[DoubleDingo]

Got this HEI today. Don't know the brand but it seems well built. It's missing the button that contacts the coil, but I don't care, that's an easy fix.

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[DoubleDingo]

Working with Big Brand to get this fire hydrant issue resolved. Damages will be covered, so now for some estimates.

 

[DoubleDingo]

This Big Brand fiasco set me back a few weeks on some things regarding Crusty, but they are paying up. For about a week I've been waking up in the middle of the night, and then the thoughts come a-flowing, I need to do this, need to do that, don't forget this, and etc. So today I decided to put it all on paper so I can check things off as I go. Edit: The stuff on these pages was all stuff I was planning to do but then The Fire Hydrant....Two pages for replacing the transmission, installing the Ranger OD, and if the compression check on the 292 checks-out, an engine swap. Edit: Ironically the only thing related to the Big Brand fiasco is on this page....One page for bed wood restoration. Either way the engine will come out to tackle some other items that are accomplished a whole lot easier with the front end wide open, such as replacing the front cross member frame mounting bolts. I'll post up photos ONLY as the items get checked off, and some will be similar to previous photos because I'll be tearing the front end sheet metal off again. It's a lot easier to remove the engine straight out the front instead of up and over the core support. That, and with the hood still on it will look like a normal truck from the street, since I have no garage to secure anything behind closed doors.

Here's the To-Do-List...my apologies, I couldn't get the camera to focus any better than that...

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[DoubleDingo]

...

 

[DoubleDingo]

Life finally allowed me to do the compression check on this engine.

#1 160psi
#2 160psi
#3 160psi
#4 164psi
#5 151psi
#6 155psi

I think those are good numbers for an engine with 155k on it.

Cranking oil pressure 30psi. This just may be a good engine. I know it's going into service.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Ran out of shade, but made some progress. Ten items crossed of the list.

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[DoubleDingo]

Crusty is back on the road, still with the 350. The parents went out of town this week and asked me to take care of their place while they were gone. On my way home I drove by the machine shop and saw it was open, so I was able to meet and pick the brain of the guy the has done machine work for my Pop. His work is phenomenal. Asked him if he has ever heard of the Lump Kit for the inline 6 head, and he has not. However, he did have a head sitting in his shop and asked me to explain it to him. So I told him the bolt boss in the middle of the intake port gets removed, and the lump sits in the bottom of the opening to increase the flow and get the intake charge into the valve downward and not just straight in. He said he could do it on the mill. Cool! We discussed larger valves. He said going with 1.94 valves will hurt the bottom end some, so increasing to 1.84 from 1.72 will be good. I wanted to go with the 1.94 but if for some reason the head gets messed up by going too big, then that is a lost head, and I don't think they are making these heads anymore. I need to get his email address and send him the link to 12 Bolt dot com so he can look at the numbers, and then see if he still thinks the 1.84 is the way to go. If you get too aggressive with the valve increase you can hit water, and that's what I am worried about. He is a great machinist, so I trust his work, but I would like him to at least read up on this stuff before diving in.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Just bought this head for the 292. It will get 1.84 intake and 1.60 exhaust valves installed in it. Should be here next weekend. It already has the lump kit installed, so the head is machined for it, all I have to do is get the valve job done after I get it. Then I'll have the original head from the engine and this performance head too. I'll post up photos of the real thing once I get it into my possession.

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[DoubleDingo]

Went out for some seemingly minor wiring fixes. Not so much. Got the left front blinker working, then the right front stopped working. Got that fixed. Been having issues with the turn signals canceling after a turn. Since fixing the front took so long and the sun was moving west and shade was leaving, I decided to tackle the turn signal mechanism.

Blessing in disguise. Pulled the horn cap and the nut holding the steering wheel was about a half inch from being tight. Steering wheel was snuggly attached, thankfully, but that was the beginning.

The turn signal mechanism was completely loose as well. Seeing it was tinkered with by someone previously, I dug out the column from Mean Green to rob those parts off of it.

Didn't think to take pictures when removing the connectors from the bulkhead pieces. Got that out of Mean Green's column and was removing the connectors from the under dash bulkhead. Sonofabitch! The wires are not factory colors. If I had taken photos of the Mean Green column setup it would have been an easy swap, as that turn signal switch was mated to the wiring harness now in Crusty Biscuit.

Had to pull the instrument cluster for better visibility of wiring and to make it easier to match the various connections of turn signal bulkhead. While I was at it I lubed speedometer cable. No more bouncy-bouncy I hope.

Tomorrow, button that up, and then fix the taillights/brakelights, then change the oil, time it, and adjust the carburetor.

This where the dash sits...

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[SirRobyn0]

That's one fine looking truck. Not trying to hijack your thread with this comment, but about 25 or 30 years ago, I had a 1965 Chev C30, inline 6, four on the floor and 2 speed rear end. Mine was not a nice truck, I bought it for next to nothing, and it was mess when I got it. The plan for that one was to fix it into a work truck, kind of like the 85 square I have now. I did get to haul a few loads with the 65, but before I got to really do much fixin, someone blew through an intersection and I slammed into them at 55mph with no seat belt. Lucky I walked away but the truck did not. Anyhow reading your thread brings back good memories, chances are slim that I'll ever own a truck of that vintage again, but it's great to see the progress you have made, she's going to be one fine truck when your done.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Thanks, I have so much to do on it, but I like driving it more than working on it. If I had a shop things would be different, I could leave things apart until done. Out in the open on a busy street, you have to button it up each day or things walk away. I felt comfortable leaving the dash open like that...lol...

 

[DoubleDingo]

@SirRobyn0 luckily you walked away. If you've noticed throughout the thread I've mentioned Mean Green. That was my daily from '87 until '05. I rolled it trying to miss an accident. I was nearly done with it, it just needed disc brakes. Everything else was in good shape, except the bed wood needed replacing. But it is what it is, and after 10 years I found another.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@SirRobyn0 luckily you walked away. If you've noticed throughout the thread I've mentioned Mean Green. That was my daily from '87 until '05. I rolled it trying to miss an accident. I was nearly done with it, it just needed disc brakes. Everything else was in good shape, except the bed wood needed replacing. But it is what it is, and after 10 years I found another.

Yes I am and you are to, if I had an old rig like that again I'd definitely put seat belts in!