Thread: 1972 Chevy K30 Longhorn Build

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This is a trivial moment for me. I've been busting butt on this blue ford for the last 2 weeks. This weekend the owner came over and helped work on it. I typically don't do this with people I really don't know. I've gotten to know him pretty well over the last year and he has been wanting to help out because he misses his truck. (It's been down for 2 years now) So I figured it would be nice for him to be able to see what it takes to finish a project like this. People always say they know, but I highly doubt they do. I have to say this truck has turned out quite nice. Plus he wanted to drive it 7hrs down to Illinois some where to use for his high school best friend's wedding. Which is tomorrow. It isn't a show rig, but it is so much nicer than when he brought it to me. I'm not into super high lifted trucks any more, but I'd drive it for a little while. Haha

We fired the engine up for the first time at midnight Saturday night. It took a little bit for the injector operating system to prime up, but shorter time frame than what I was expecting. It sounded so nice. This thing has huge injectors and a pretty large cam. With the tuner it has on it, the 0 tune has the injector pulse width pretty low and the thing lopes pretty good. It is not an ordinary sound for one of these. Pretty cool in my hot rodder mind.

Other than a small fuel leak, nothing weird went on. We fired it without the radiator in it to make sure everything was kosher so we didn't have to rip the front of the truck back off in the event it wouldn't run or what ever. (This engine has been a problem child) Sunday early evening we got to putting the radiator in, and sure enough. It had a good sized pin hole we didn't see until about 3.5gal in to filling the coolant system. He went to Napa to get a new one. Around 10pm he filled the cooling system up and guess what? The water pump was leaking. We tore the radiator back off and removed the water pump. This gear housing was corroded pretty badly before and it had to be welded and ground/repaired. We thought the repair was just to the back side but I put a straight edge on it and the water pump sealing surface wasn't perfect and there was some pitting there. These use a formed o ring to seal them. I didn't use sealant on it when I installed it because I can't remember why. I think I was in a hurry to get it painted. Either way, while this was tore apart it gave me the opportunity to fix the fuel leak. That was one of the hard lines for the return regulator that wasn't all the way tight. Of course you couldn't get to it so I removed the alt/ps pump mounting bracket to get to it. I cleaned it all up and added some aluminum compatible high temp sealant to the gear housing and the water pump. Installed the formed o ring and we put it back together. We let it cure over night and put the truck the rest of the way back together today.

He is so happy to hear it run and be able to drive it. It hasn't seen the outside for 6 months. It is nice to see that space in the garage again. I still have some things to finish up for him. He wants to put stacks in the bed and leave the tail pipes. He then wants me to put in 2 electric cut outs. The problem is, the exhaust is 4" in, 5" tail pipes, the his cut outs are 3". That is going to not be fun. His front calipers are sticking and heating up, and I have to re install the vacuum reservoir and run new vacuum lines to the lock outs. That is a very small list compared to a month ago.

I'll bet that was a great feeling watching it leave for awhile, I'll bet it was a $500 dollar bill for sure to rebuild this pickup It doesn't seem right how a guy can sum up 6 months of work in a couple of paragraphs

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

I'll bet that was a great feeling watching it leave for awhile, I'll bet it was a $500 dollar bill for sure to rebuild this pickup It doesn't seem right how a guy can sum up 6 months of work in a couple of paragraphs

Oh, it was. Most of that description was just for the last few days. But I know what you mean. It still drives me nuts that this deal has been a year long ordeal. What do you do though? one thing always led to another. And the dude is still trying to get his money from the first guy. I could go into that more but I won't..................

It's just amazing how the last thing you have to do requires removing 3 or 4 other thing that will also have to go back on. Been there and done that so many times. It is a good feeling seeing it gone though. Then you say a prayer it won't be back right away.

Sounds like you're so close to the finish line... then "something" will creep up or he'll say lets do this add-on etc. etc. etc...

Some town cops here in MA would have a field day with those tires sticking out like that... LOL.. I hope you can complete it (and get paid!) and it's gone for at least the summer!

Had to laugh at myself when I read about starting it without the radiaror---Seems like I remember some early 60s of starting things up after cam changes without the timing cover or front pulleys----as THEY had went from gears to sprockets for changes there was various ways the cam people and manufacturers set up the timing-some up, down, up up, and even some where it was so many chain links between marks--------

My 1999 F350 is getting some updates including newer doors and also a 2017 superdutu ALUMINUM bed/tailgate-and yes, guys, I have been taking some pics ( the snow is almost invisable on the white bed

And Ryan since that video was from Byron 2012 I'll look thru some of my archives from there for some pics of your car

Originally Posted by 34_40

Sounds like you're so close to the finish line... then "something" will creep up or he'll say lets do this add-on etc. etc. etc...

Some town cops here in MA would have a field day with those tires sticking out like that... LOL.. I hope you can complete it (and get paid!) and it's gone for at least the summer!

Here's a funny deal. Yesterday he was driving the truck around town and the local police pulled him over. The officer asked why he was driving all over town. Blake explained he just had me build it and he was driving it around trying to get used to it. The officer really liked it and was surprised how clean it was. He never said anything about the lift, tires, etc. That surprised me. Haha

I do hope it will be gone and have no issues. It was such a pain, and we had so many issues, I was really nervous about it. Blake said yesterday it cranked long the first time he started it in the afternoon. This morning, it popped right off. That's good news. Just have to finish some cosmetic stuff for him, install his stacks, install some traction bars, complete the vacuum system, and charge the AC. The belt makes weird noises so I need to call ATI and see if it needs a different sized idler some where. But this is minuscule compared to a few weeks ago.

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Had to laugh at myself when I read about starting it without the radiaror---Seems like I remember some early 60s of starting things up after cam changes without the timing cover or front pulleys----as THEY had went from gears to sprockets for changes there was various ways the cam people and manufacturers set up the timing-some up, down, up up, and even some where it was so many chain links between marks--------

My 1999 F350 is getting some updates including newer doors and also a 2017 superdutu ALUMINUM bed/tailgate-and yes, guys, I have been taking some pics ( the snow is almost invisable on the white bed

And Ryan since that video was from Byron 2012 I'll look thru some of my archives from there for some pics of your car

The front bumper on this truck is from a 2016. I'd like to see the bed on yours when it's done. I've been thinking of selling my 95 and getting another super duty. We'll see.

Originally Posted by cffisher

It's just amazing how the last thing you have to do requires removing 3 or 4 other thing that will also have to go back on. Been there and done that so many times. It is a good feeling seeing it gone though. Then you say a prayer it won't be back right away.

Yes it is. It is nuts everything on that engine is covered up now. It gets pretty tight in there.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

the 0 tune has the injector pulse width pretty low and the thing lopes pretty good. It is not an ordinary sound for one of these. Pretty cool in my hot rodder mind.

WHAT! No video?





.

I need to get a video camera so I can actually upload videos. My phone is to full and won't record them.

This morning I replaced the front calipers on the blue ford because the old ones, the pistons were froze in the calipers. Imagine that. The poor truck has been setting for 2 years. Then I put a stock belt on it with a smaller idler on the tensioner to get the belt chatter noise to go away. The ATI damper is 12% bigger OD than the stock damper. ATI gives a different belt to use on their site but that belt is too loose and makes a weird chatter/slight squealing noise. It was annoying and who knows how long it would last. Now there are no weird noises, it sounds normal. Blake showed up and helped me bleed the brakes. He took it for a drive and is all smiles. He took it home and is bringing it back Saturday so I can do the electric cut out install with the stacks and tail pipes.

Tomorrow I'm dragging another customer project home. I have to do a 4x4 conversion on a 69 Longhorn. I'll probably start a build thread for it. It is a really nice California truck that a guy from New Mexico is having me build for him.

A new project?
Wow... why am I not surprised?!?!?

Well.. at least you share pictures!!

Originally Posted by 34_40

A new project?
Wow... why am I not surprised?!?!?

Well.. at least you share pictures!!

I've had this truck setting at my parents place for a while. The owner dropped it off last year when he came across the country. I figure I should be able to get the front axle done quick enough and then get it off to the body shop. My younger brother has started helping me so I'll sick him on tearing it apart. I only have 1 other customer truck awaiting work besides this one. A dodge I have to replace the clutch, rebuild the front end, and some other odds and ends. The list is getting shorter. This side work stuff has been another full time gig here lately.

I didn't know this was a side job for you, I thought it was your bread and butter. I remember when I had that kind of energy

[ This side work stuff has been another full time gig here lately.[/QUOTE]
Yes but great for parts money