"Rust Never Sleeps" World Build Thread

[Alpacket]

Thanks, Migs and Englewood Cowboy. What a trip! Learning a ton.

A quick Christmas update - it's chaotic. If there is a stage of every build where you are elbow deep in five completely different mechanical systems at the same time, I'm there. As Bill Murray would say, "Human sacrifice. Cats and dogs living together. Mass hysteria!"

Engine bay is pretty much wired - Painless harness - but I haven't started the dash yet. Flux capacitor (hydroboost) is almost done. Just need one more unobtainium fitting. Pre-1974 steering wheel on 1976 column effort is progressing. More on that later. Pedals are looking pretty good. Seats went in great.

And Santa came through - early - with some Fitech.

 

[figo40]

The purpose of this thread is to add to the ever-growing body of evidence that a guy with very little experience can build a truck in one bay of a garage, given enough time.

The subject is a 1976 California wagon sport with 33,000 miles on the odometer, true mileage unknown, procured in St. Joseph, Missouri, November 2012. The goal is a near original truck, with a few tweaks here and there, reliable enough to drive around town on the weekends. Here are some pictures of how the truck looked when purchased. One thing you can say - she was pretty complete. Even the radio worked.

Nice build! but what happened to this?%)

 

[69broncofun]

Nice

Nice would like the hear the mufflers . Thinking about getting the same set up. Nice job!

 

[Alpacket]

Nice build! but what happened to this?%)

I know, it's crazy. All I can say is, it's an ever evolving vision. And as I get closer to seeing the end, I find myself inventing more stuff to do. This sounds weird, but it's kind of frightening coming close to the end of a long project. Thanks for the interest, though.

 

[Alpacket]

Nice would like the hear the mufflers . Thinking about getting the same set up. Nice job!

Me too! Maybe soon. Thanks.

 

[Alpacket]

Might have a pretty cool update in a few weeks (no jinxes) but in the meantime, this isn't bad. Copied Berky, shelled the stock radio, and replaced the innards with a small Kenwood marine amp. Then went a little further and hid the remote in an old Johnson Messenger CB. So the whole thing looks pretty stock. The handset cord is even a Lightning cable. All Bluetooth and works pretty well with just one speaker (well, one of those dual cone ones) in the dash.

 

[Alpacket]

Engine Start

A bit of a recap ...

Stock 1979 351W short block with new crank, rings, seals and bearings
Comp Cams XE258 roller cam
Howard hydraulic link bar roller lifters
GT40 heads with new valves and seals
Comp Cams roller tip rockers and Alex Parts' springs
Hedman 88400 shorty headers with high temp powder coat
Edelbrock dual plane Performer intake manifold
Fitech 600 TBI

https://youtu.be/j-efIZobtp8

Runs like a top. Ignore the drip from the high pressure fuel line. I'll fix that.

 

[Alpacket]

Insurance

Took some pictures for insurance today and thought I would share. Kind of a nice mid-project break.

 

[gmc]

Looks great. A couple questions if you don't mind. Where'd the hydroboost bracket come from? Is that boxwood green? Thanks.

 

[Alpacket]

"Rust Never Sleeps" World Build Thread

Looks great. A couple questions if you don't mind. Where'd the hydroboost bracket come from? Is that boxwood green? Thanks.

Thanks. I got the hydroboost bracket locally off Craigslist, but I'm pretty sure it's one of those on EBay. It was covered in crappy paint when I got it, so I blasted and powder coated it.

And yes, it's Boxwood, mixed at Oreilly's. Cheap single stage Nason Urethane, but I think it worked pretty well, in most spots. Still haven't sanded and buffed it all out.

 

[Alpacket]

It moves!

 

[TTTGOWYO]

Cant say enough what a great job you are doing. Love all the details.

 

[Alpacket]

Cant say enough what a great job you are doing. Love all the details.

Thanks for the encouragement. Keeps me going!

 

[Alpacket]

Quick update. Progress has been a little slow because I can't stop driving it around the neighborhood and annoying people. But put a new shift knob on the shifter, and replaced the triangle foam filter I was running with a Scott Drake 289 hipo reproduction that, I think, looks and works a lot better. Oh yeah, and I have a windshield now, with stainless hinge.

 

[Alpacket]

Also cleaned up and wired some SEV Marchall 812 driving lights a friend gave me. I put in yellow LEDs instead of the h3 halogens it had. I think they turned out pretty good.

 

[Bferrari]

Your killing it! Looks great! Keep it going!

 

[Alpacket]

Your killing it! Looks great! Keep it going!

Thanks. Having fun.

 

[Crawdad]

Are you missing a few letters on the grill?

 

[Alpacket]

Are you missing a few letters on the grill?

Ha. Yes and no. I know where they are, but it's not on the truck.

 

[Crawdad]

Ha. Yes and no. I know where they are, but it's not on the truck.

Only reason I asked was bc I have some extra used ones I'd be happy to give ya. But since you have them no biggie.