Scott M

Havnt touched this thing in months but I managed to make some small progress towards the truck...

Installed the power steering pump bracket from Alan Grooves part number 402L got it installed and hooked up

Installed the new speedo cable took 10 min haha

Little odds and ends...

I have a few questions however...Can I fire up the motor for the first time after a rebuild with straight long tube headers? Ive read ppl say you cant hear if something doesnt sound right and others say its all balongne just fire it up... I really dont have the 650 the only exhaust shop in town wants to put an exhaust on it and they do crappy job anyways Id rather tow it on a trailer to get the exhaust done. also I have no expireince with hooking up the electric choke on the carb...is it just as simple as two wires where do most people tie into?

Is there an adjustment on the shifter linkage for the tranny for a 2inch body lift or will I for sure have to take it out and get a piece welded I know the linkage as it sits is in a bind.

In order to fire up the motor do I have to bolt the flex plate to the torque converter or is it ok to fire it up not bolted on??

GaWeakland86K5

One of the wires on the e-choke is a ground, the other is usually recommended to be tied in the ignition (or an ignition controlled power source/key on source).

As for the body lift, I had a K5 that I had a 2in body lift on that I added a piece of 2in round stock to make up the difference. It was pretty easy.

Also watch out that the flex plate and the torque converter are clear from eachother, I fired one up one time without bolting them together and they ended up contacting eachother. Luckily there was nothing more than some rub marks.

GaWeakland86K5

I forgot to add....

I have broken in to diff GM small blocks with open headers, not very pleasing to the ears but mine turned out just fine. Also hope your neighbors are friendly

Any future plans for EFI?

Scott M

Hey glad to see your post and comments! I actually am in the process of getting an exhaust system for the truck this week and figured might as well get it on before firing it up not cause of neighbors just for satisfaction of knowing its all together. As for the choke that is surely easy enough will wire that up this weekend. Plan to take the linkage off this weekend too and get somebody to weld a stick in there. I guess just be safe and bolt up the torque converter lol.

I have a renewed spirit for this project with the holidays and my christmas bonus haha! so its time to finally get it back on the road almost been 1 year since i put the lift on.

Scott M

Any future plans for EFI?[/QUOTE]

Not at the moment, The carb is brand new (500 bucks) so i guess ill just rock it for awhile. Here on the coast in texas there is little grade and I dont plan on doing much climbing just beach and mud so Im hoping the carb will be fine. Who knows, I think Ill get it a fresh paint job before id look into more motor modifications

GaWeakland86K5

Not at the moment, The carb is brand new (500 bucks) so i guess ill just rock it for awhile. Here on the coast in texas there is little grade and I dont plan on doing much climbing just beach and mud so Im hoping the carb will be fine. Who knows, I think Ill get it a fresh paint job before id look into more motor modifications[/QUOTE]

If you are not planning on a ton of hill climbs or any steap grades, I think you'll be more than happy. I just got rid of my Truck Avenger Carb after 2 years of steap hill climbs and decents.

Scott M

If you are not planning on a ton of hill climbs or any steap grades, I think you'll be more than happy. I just got rid of my Truck Avenger Carb after 2 years of steap hill climbs and decents.[/QUOTE]

Nice I almost went with the Truck Avenger Series but for some reason I ended up with the 670 CFM Aluminum Steet Avenger 4-bbl Carb. I prolly should have went the truck avenger but oh well like you said wont do much climbing at all so hopefully be ok.

Scott M

Also with the body lift and the linkage I put a 1 in transfer case drop on before The body lift and Im remembering now that it was a little tight(the linkage with just the transfer case dop) I guess smart thing to do would be go with a 2-1/2 to 3 inch insert glad i thought of that....make sense to you?

GaWeakland86K5

You should have enought adjustment on the linkage to make up that 1/2-1 inch difference. But either way, I don't think it's a bad idea.

Scott M

OK I have some up dates....worked on the truck a little bit this weekend

I welded in a 2 inch piece for the shifting linkage worked out pretty good got it painted and back in linkage isnt in a bind anymore and for the record you were right the 2in piece was plenty I actually prolly didnt even need the 2" lol

I half way installed a tach that i got from oriellys. Have to wait until this weekend to see which wires are hot to splice into, dont have the battery in. I ordered a new battery tray and brace thing whatever it has factory cause my old one was rusted and I scrapped it.

I hooked up the power steering hoses to the gear box been putting that off took all of 2 minutes.

Took a look at the electric choke, the ground wire was just connected to a bolt on the carb itself from the factory so Im assuming this will work for the ground. Bought new wire and ran it for the positive just need to tie it into the right wire when I get the battery in.

My exhaust system that I bought came in on saturday proceeded to install that until I realized that after putting on the header reducers from 3 to 2.5 and then purchased reducers from 2.5 to 2.25 that it took up too much room and didnt provide enough space at all for the elbow to get over the transfer case so i bought today the correct reducers that adapt straight from a 3 to 2.25 from summit hopefully be enough room if not modifications will have to be made.

bolted up the sway bar link.

plans for this holiday break dec 24 thru the weekend is to fill missing fluids like power steering fluid and anti freeze, get the bed bolted on pray like hell that the stuff comes in from summit by sat get a battery in there to complete wireing of tach and choke. recheck bolts, recharge my 6in knn air filter and possible start up i will def be making a video of this and posting a link to youtube

bunch of little stuff that doesnt take much but they seem to add up lol

zebvance

Sounds good. Question is, how much beer is it going to take to get that bed on?

Scott M

Well we can start with a suit case haha Hey also since you like hooking up electrical stuff i can get the battery on and then you can help me finish wiring up the tach haha and choke

GaWeakland86K5

Good luck and stay focused! You're almost there haha

Scott M

Thank you! Ill post an update early next week with what all got done, now friday afternoon and saturday morning are shot cause me and Zeb have a fish/duck hunt trip planned haha but Im going to get as much off that list as possible really would like to be at the firing up stage by the end of this weekend so the following would just be firing it up, enlisted in the help of my cousins who have experience in breaking in motors and making sure distibuter goes back in right after repriming oil pump figured just hold off to the following and get there know how in there make sure its right....

also ive always been super satisified by ordering through summit i have spent a couple grand there through this project and always have superb shipping! says my package is on time and should be delivered by the end of the day tomorrow! if it comes in i might just have to give the delivery driver a tip for the holidays! i know once they turn it over from summit its out of their hands but still they give you a tracking number everytime within an hr or two....

Scott M

ok update time...

I was able to get the bed bolted on, since the bed I put on is for a newer chevy like 80+ I had to drill two new mounting holes in the frame 6 of the bolt holes lined up. over all not bad

Exhaust....Talk about a pain in the @ss with one person I have it up there and hanging with wire just for the moment have to get if up but this clamp kit is no fun lol

also since the bed is a newer style i dont think the tailgate is going to work, I put it on yesterday did a little modifing and now I dont know how ima get it off lol Its in a bind and hooked on one side idk its a mess as well.

Got my new battery tray on and the battery in looks good

Thats all for now, really hoping to fire it up this next sunday! we shall see how it goes few pics from this weekend.