Rescued another one!

[TubeTruck]

Nice looking truck!

on a side note. Where do you get these bench seat covers with the front pockets? I remember them from back in the day but I just tried to google some and came up empty.

 

[RoryH19]

I'll mention something if I have forgotten, will also be tearing into it more in the future here. Also has anyone ever seen a bench seat with the little pockets built in on the front edge, like the seat covers have? It's pretty cool lol I've just never seen it or heard of it

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Nice, I've always liked mahogany interior

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Nice looking truck!

on a side note. Where do you get these bench seat covers with the front pockets? I remember them from back in the day but I just tried to google some and came up empty.

Thank you! Lmc sells them! They're okay quality, my best advice would be pull the seat out to get the cover all perfect and nice and get everything super tightened down and don't mess with sliding it around a bunch. It lasted over a year and I'm rough on seats so they aren't too bad and they offer quite a few colors. I still have it on, just split the threads in a couple spots from pulling on it.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Even with the issues you mention, I still say VERY nice score on rescuing another square!!!

Thank you! In all honesty, the mechanical stuff doesn't sound too bad, might take a few dollars and some time. As for the engine being blown, I would be very curious about that because those 350's are pretty stout engines! If it were mine I would be tempted to take off plug wires and crank it over and see if it makes any noise.

If the engine truly is blown & no good, I know someone from Minnesota with a nice running 350 for sale (not advertised yet) in a 76 GMC

Congrats on the new square toy!!!

I'm not worried about the mechanical stuff one bit, already went through the same thing on my suburban, just needs some love on everything. Reseal the trans and transfer case and run em' then a facelift and get everything working correctly and she'll be solid.

But yes, I'm heavily suspicious that the dealership just didn't want to work on it so they told the guy that it was blown. Or like I said the exhaust is pulled out of the drivers side manifold and maybe they had assumptions based off that?

But my first plan of attack was to get the pipe hooked back up and try starting it and see what it does. Even with what he said I see no windows so I'm confident I'll at least be able to rebuild it if it is bad.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Ive got the perfect 65 or so 283 and powerglide just itching for a home, come on you know you want it

No powerglides for me! Unless it's a race truck lol. I won't give up my 350's either 350 th400 np208 sounds pretty damn good to me lol.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Nice, I've always liked mahogany interior

It really is a decent color shade! Especially with the grey paint jobs.

 

[NCBurb]

But yes, I'm heavily suspicious that the dealership just didn't want to work on it so they told the guy that it was blown. Or like I said the exhaust is pulled out of the drivers side manifold and maybe they had assumptions based off that?

But my first plan of attack was to get the pipe hooked back up and try starting it and see what it does. Even with what he said I see no windows so I'm confident I'll at least be able to rebuild it if it is bad.

I agree, lots of times they just don't want to mess with it...
so I'm sure I'm not the only armchair detective waiting on pics and details of the tear down!

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I agree, lots of times they just don't want to mess with it...
so I'm sure I'm not the only armchair detective waiting on pics and details of the tear down!

I hope I don't have to tear it down yet! But rest assured, when I do have to tear it down I'll post all the pics you can dream of! If it sounds bad enough I might make a video of it too lol

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I got to mess with the truck yesterday, was in between putting an axle under my burban. Decided I wanted to spend like 15 minutes into the 85 since I had the whole day free to do truck stuff. So I took the battery out of the 79 as it's the only battery I own with side posts.

Got the battery cables on, got the dinky chrome air cleaner off of it, gave her the key, heard the god awful noise of starter and flex plate not engaging, bump it a few more times, still wouldn't catch and spin over.

I said ok that's fine, starter or flexplate? That's not expensive. But then I said man I still want to hear it spin over, I then proceeded to grab my 5/8 socket and proceeded to put it on the crank center bolt to try and spin it over, first turn didn't feel good or tight, then I went about three turns, then I for sure knew the center bolt was stripped or the crank was. I didn't bother to check the flexplate or starter, I'll still have to pull the dust cover to see. Then I'll be able to try and spin the motor over.

Pulled the bolt out, sure as ****, it's stripped, so the motor is probably locked up based on those facts.

But an extra fun time! This kid thought he could fix a stripped crank bolt with what is either jb weld or some adhesive.... lol

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[Powerhouse Ranch]

I got to mess with the truck yesterday, was in between putting an axle under my burban. Decided I wanted to spend like 15 minutes into the 85 since I had the whole day free to do truck stuff. So I took the battery out of the 79 as it's the only battery I own with side posts.

Got the battery cables on, got the dinky chrome air cleaner off of it, gave her the key, heard the god awful noise of starter and flex plate not engaging, bump it a few more times, still wouldn't catch and spin over.

I said ok that's fine, starter or flexplate? That's not expensive. But then I said man I still want to hear it spin over, I then proceeded to grab my 5/8 socket and proceeded to put it on the crank center bolt to try and spin it over, first turn didn't feel good or tight, then I went about three turns, then I for sure knew the center bolt was stripped or the crank was. I didn't bother to check the flexplate or starter, I'll still have to pull the dust cover to see. Then I'll be able to try and spin the motor over.

Pulled the bolt out, sure as ****, it's stripped, so the motor is probably locked up based on those facts.

But an extra fun time! This kid thought he could fix a stripped crank bolt with what is either jb weld or some adhesive.... lol

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yup. that'll do it.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

yup. that'll do it.

I'm thinking the crank is still good, I would hope the crank threads are stronger than the bolt. I'll get that dust cover off in a couple weeks and try to get it to turn over. Either way, if it's locked up or not, i think I still came out on top of the deal.

It's always fun doing this detective stuff, even though it's finally on one of my own trucks.. lol

 

[Grit dog]

Nice score! That’s a clean truck and a steal for $500 basically!
I would t spend 5 min on that old motor longer than it took to yank it out of the truck. Decent to good small blocks are just too cheap and plentiful still to mess with an engine unless you’re building it.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Nice score! That’s a clean truck and a steal for $500 basically!
I would t spend 5 min on that old motor longer than it took to yank it out of the truck. Decent to good small blocks are just too cheap and plentiful still to mess with an engine unless you’re building it.

My uncle owns a repair and machine shop, I worked there for about five years, I don't get discounts or anything like that. But I grew up on a farm as well so both those things helped me a lot in life.

Basically he's got an "old school" machine shop, around this small town is grain trucks, old chevys, and fords, and quite a bit of hot rod stuff comes through the doors. It's got some new machining setups, and a lot of good older models, like the old sunnen equipment, they have a hot tank, and a engine baker. They push out quite a few engine rebuilds, from 60's vw's to 502 bbc, 12 valve Cummins, he'll even John Deere 4630's. I split 6 tractors while I was there, to pull the engines for a rebuild.

Anyways I'm just rambling, I pay him to do the machine work, and round up an engine kit. Pistons, bearings, cam and lifters, etc.

All I have him do is press the pistons onto the connecting rods, and install cam bearings because I don't have a cam bearing installer. I'll build it from there. He quoted me about $1200 I think it was.

Edit- also small blocks aren't very plentiful, or at a good price around here. Everybody loves their small blocks up here.

 

[K10farmtruck]

My uncle owns a repair and machine shop, I worked there for about five years, I don't get discounts or anything like that. But I grew up on a farm as well so both those things helped me a lot in life.

Basically he's got an "old school" machine shop, around this small town is grain trucks, old chevys, and fords, and quite a bit of hot rod stuff comes through the doors. It's got some new machining setups, and a lot of good older models, like the old sunnen equipment, they have a hot tank, and a engine baker. They push out quite a few engine rebuilds, from 60's vw's to 502 bbc, 12 valve Cummins, he'll even John Deere 4630's. I split 6 tractors while I was there, to pull the engines for a rebuild.

Anyways I'm just rambling, I pay him to do the machine work, and round up an engine kit. Pistons, bearings, cam and lifters, etc.

All I have him do is press the pistons onto the connecting rods, and install cam bearings because I don't have a cam bearing installer. I'll build it from there. He quoted me about $1200 I think it was.

Edit- also small blocks aren't very plentiful, or at a good price around here. Everybody loves their small blocks up here.

Ten four on that one. Small blocks are like gold around here. Safe to say theres still a bunch of good old boys that haven't bought into the LS craze. Better off to build what you got. Its fun and youll at least know what have. Top lines the best they always find time to bs with a guy. I think the last time i was there i picked up a 454 and talked for an hour about the best place to get a steer processed. Thats small town service at its best

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Ten four on that one. Small blocks are like gold around here. Safe to say theres still a bunch of good old boys that haven't bought into the LS craze. Better off to build what you got. Its fun and youll at least know what have. Top lines the best they always find time to bs with a guy. I think the last time i was there i picked up a 454 and talked for an hour about the best place to get a steer processed. Thats small town service at its best

They've always got somethin cool lol. The quote they gave me was with flat top pistons too. The simplicity and reliability, mixed with the parts availability and aftermarket support, it's a win win. Ls swaps are cool and reliable too, but I think a small block Chevy sounds better, and if it's built can compete with a higher horsepower Ls setup.

You can always just go to efi anyways. Less work for fuel injection lol