Viva La GMC!

Keep it clean, children may be present.

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

Post Reply
User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Tue May 21, 2013 11:53 am

@ Hammy: It's a long engine, it's really not that big. The V8's are big in comparison.

@ Mike: I was actually surprised how dark of an orange it was, sprayed it on anyways as I started the process.
It's pretty sexy looking color, especially up close.

User avatar
tristessa
Trusted Air-Cooled Maniac
Location: Uwish Uknew, Oregon
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by tristessa » Wed May 22, 2013 12:33 pm

Looking good .. now get the rest of the stuff cleaned & painted. Need a hand? I've got some time between now & Sunday when I go back to work, only concrete thing I need to do is get to Tram's in Springfield to pick up the Mercedes .. once he's done with the Mercedes.
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Wed May 22, 2013 8:00 pm

Mmmm, okie, I'll give ya a call.

User avatar
chachi
Old School!
Location: ne pdx, or.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by chachi » Wed May 22, 2013 8:43 pm

...
1974 transporter panel, 2.0 dual solex
1991 vanagon NAHT, RJE 2.3

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Thu May 23, 2013 9:42 am

Oh, it's the initial cost. Plus I lucked out - now for a second time - with a very solid van.

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Sat May 25, 2013 10:11 pm

Xelmon wrote:Plus I lucked out - now for a second time - with a very solid van.
With the response I wrote to Chachi in mind, I'll have to say that the more I swim under this van, the more obvious it becomes that this poor thing may have been taken care of for the first part of its life, then it was beaten and not taken care of...
I'll post pictures of the "Surface" rust later.

For now, progress!!

Today was spent with lots of good work instead of tooling around like yesterday, with projects such as removing the bars for the manual transmission, removing the steering column, and preparing for an automatic column switchover.
It also helped that it was magically good weather - like I hoped and predicted. As I was knee deep in grease and mud, all pictures are post-morten.

Before picture commence, it has to be said that the pitman arm was removed with an actual proper puller, $13, three twists, and it was off.

First off the 4 bolts that held the pedal in place. There is a housing shaft, and a rod that is a good 1/2" thick that goes across the frame. The other side had a U-clamp deal and a groove in said rod to prevent spinning.

Image

On the other side of the frame rail is nothing but cramped spaces. The automatic was cake-walk compared to this. One of the transmission rods had to go out to the front, through the lowest slit, while the other went out to the back. I gotta hand it to GM though, overall it's a very solid system, and you have to really screw up to bend a rod.

Image

Even the transmission linkage support bolts didn't snap, you just had to give it all to turn them, and whack it with a hammer. Even though things were rusty, things were looking good... Until I got to the throttle linkage.
I told dad to press the gas pedal, as I couldn't move it by hand... Well, he pressed it, and the rod was bending a bit. Then I just went to remove that whole deal, since it's obviously rusted. Turns out the gas pedal sleeve/housing is rusted into one/apart, with busting 2 outta 3 screws simply twisting off.
The linkage I'll do my best to save, however the pedal and the sleeve are goners.

Image

Interior at the moment... Pretty empty.

Image

BWAAAAA God I love being greasy! :D

Image

User avatar
Mike Boell
Old School!
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Mike Boell » Sun May 26, 2013 8:00 am

I was enjoying my coffee, reading and looking at the pics, then you threw in that last picture and I choked on my scone. Don't scare me like that so early in the morning.
Mike Boell
1975 FI Westy
Oregon City

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN THEY'RE PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Sun May 26, 2013 11:48 am

I was going for a happy mechanic face, not rape face! :P

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Sun May 26, 2013 10:48 pm

And another update!
So today's update includes me futzing around with the break system.
The old master is needless to say old. The rubber over the piston is torn out, and the cylinders inside is black as night.

On goes the cylinder from the '68!
The actual break pin was surprisingly in better condition than the one on the '68! The exposed ends were still rusted, however the core itself had less wear and surface rust.
The end result was using the old break arm - less dirt to clean off - and the newer pin.

Also, scrolling up, there is a lot less dirt next to the pedal as I took a good hour to clean the area out. Of course, break cleaner will have to be used for the most obnoxious stuff... Looks a lot better though. No more 1/2" mud.

Image

As the master is old - and probably questionable - I replaced that and the block. I know that it works, so that's what goes in there.
Had to use the vice grips to loosen the bolts, however once they were loose they only needed a wrench.
Did a lot of cleaning of the threads, greasing said threads so that hopefully they don't stick this bad next time around, and such that.
I did clean the front/rear pipes, just so that there's a bit of sheen in there in that sea of rust. :D

Image

Considering all, it was a rather short work day, still none the less productive as a lot of cleaning, and thoughtful reassembly has taken place.

Oh, and the mud, and the rust that fell off...

Image

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Amskeptic » Mon May 27, 2013 11:04 am

Xelmon wrote:And another update!
futzing around with the break system.
break pin
old break arm
break cleaner
No, Mr. Xelmon, not here. We have to exercise our spelling chops here.
B-R-A-K-E for things that stop your car.

Break is what happens to your car when you drive off a road upside down.
Colin :drunken:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Mon May 27, 2013 5:02 pm

Image

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Wed May 29, 2013 1:13 am

Today's task ended up focusing on the steering column, as that is sorta the next thing that has to go back. Of course, it had to all come apart as the felt bushing leaked and the signal cluster got all oiled up. Apart it comes!

First thing's first, mending something! Or at least swapping it out. The turn signal switch was cracked at the thread, and one of the return springs was broken, so I said screw it, time to get a new one. Ended up being 10 bucks too!

Image

All assembled, fit's pretty damn well too!

Image

Ah this piece. This is the contact side for the horn I believe, and this is the finished installation, as I had to use a copious amount of glue to reattach it. I had to take it apart to remove the last of the oil, and sadly...

Image

... All but one of the ears broke off.

Image

I also did some cleaning and polishing on the steering box, and she is looking much better now.

Image

Of course, as helpful as the fellow was at O'Reillys, I noticed at the end of the day that the signal switch while a good fit, isn't perfect. There is another one that is 2 digits off for a P/N, and it's the correct angle. Oh well, I'll take it apart and return it calmly.

Image

User avatar
tristessa
Trusted Air-Cooled Maniac
Location: Uwish Uknew, Oregon
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by tristessa » Fri Jun 07, 2013 8:46 am

Been a week since the last update, and I *know* things have been progressing...
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

User avatar
Xelmon
Sedna of VW lovers
Location: LA or Portland, OR
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Xelmon » Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:27 am

Yes it has been, I finally got around to compiling major milestone pictures, although there are quite a few that have been left out.

Verbal:
First, the biggest thing that was open to be tackled is not a problem. The rear differential is in extremely good condition, with virtually no wear on the R&P, and minimal surface wear on the sleeve bearings for the two transfer gears.

The axles are also in very good condition, and have been fortunate to have the 15 roller bearings which are known to be much better for wear. Never the less, new bearings and seals have been installed.

The kingpins are in generally better condition than the previous white van, however they are still worn and wobbly. Oh well.

The drag link and dampeners however are deader than a door nail. All have to - or have been - replaced so that the ride would be a fair bit safer.

Pictured:

Image

The "new" carb has been rebuilt, however I managed to bust a bolt, so I have not fully reassembled it. I will definitely use one of the gaskets though to install it on the "old" intake!

Image

This has been one of Tris's pet projects, new front seats. They are both adjusting, and they have this nifty feature of folding flat. They came out of a Chevy Venture mini-van, center row seats. :)

Image

The automatic column is back in, and it's even more buttoned up than in the picture! Of course, the steering wheel is still not back on, as I want to center it.

Image

This is the bellhousing from the - now removed - 3 speed manual. I'll take pictures tomorrow, as the clutch was dead. However, whatever punk band drove it around knew their stuff, as the flywheel is easily turnable, and reusable! :D

Image

Image

The 3 speed... I have yet to clean it off and figure out what I'm missing out on / happily avoiding.


Image

Dad, he's been helping out a lot from grabbing parts like no tomorrow, to replacing all 4 corners, breaks and everything... Makes me feel like a total putz.

Image

Out with the old, in with the new!

Image

Tristessa in the flesh, he has helped far more than I could ever thank him for.

Image

As it was late, these are pictures from the next day... Isn't she pretty?
Also déja vu, I know I have taken a picture in a very similar angle before!

Image

And also dad's handy work. As he knows how to work the polisher, he has been doing small bits.

The owner of the salvage yard said that "When you get it running, bring it by, I want to see it!". I have a feeling that he's either going to be amazed or pissed, as he didn't get around to work on it for nigh on 10 years. =D

User avatar
Gypsie
rusty aircooled mekanich
Location: Treadin' Lightly under the Clear Blue!
Status: Offline

Re: Viva La GMC!

Post by Gypsie » Wed Jun 12, 2013 1:37 pm

Lookin' sharp Adam.

And it's still spelled "Brakes"... :pirate:
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

Post Reply