81 Chevy Beater

[Stilldrillin]

They look a fine set of wheels!

Good luck with the decoration Wes...... 

David D

[Powder Keg]

I went out early this morning and got everything ready to paint. I wiped the wheels down one last time in preparation for paint. I then started carefully mixing things:o) I'm learning to paint and have been doing things on the cheep here lately. The paint and thinner are from a local farm supply store. It ran me $30 for a quart of paint and a gallon of thinner. I'm using a harbor freight paint gun that runs about $14. I think it does a fine job.

81 Chevy Beater

All ready to go\o/

81 Chevy Beater

I mixed it a little too thin. But it went on pretty good. I'll make the second coat a little thicker.

81 Chevy Beater

Here is the first coat nearly dry.

81 Chevy Beater

I'll wet sand them and spray another coat tomorrow. I'm using http://www.vansicklepaint.com/index.htmltractor paint on these rims and the truck. It is pretty cheep and looks like it will work pretty good for an old truck.

I'll wear my mask next time:o)

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

Hit a snag today. We were 20 miles out of town and the truck hesitated, backfired, then died:o(

81 Chevy Beater

A good friend came and got me.

I suspect the ignition system. No spark:o(

~Wes~

[75Plus]

You might pop the distributor cap off and see if the distributor is turning. A broken timing chain can cause that problem and they do break sometimes due nto hi8gh milage.

Joe

[Powder Keg]

Thanks! That was the first thing I checked out. It spins when I crank the engine. Thank goodness!!! I think it's the module. I'll do a little more testing.

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

I've been swamped lately. When my truck broke we were headed to get a surprise. A friend of my uncle has had a camper for sale all summer. No one came to look at it and he decided he just wanted it gone. It happens that it would be a perfect fit in my truck\o/

This weekend we ran over and got it with my uncles boat trailer. It's at my folks' house now. As soon as I get my truck running I'll go get it and bring it home.

It is a Rancho ElRae made in 1978. It's bigger at 10 feet long and a little heavier. But the upgraded springs on my Chevy should hold it fine. I was told everything works but the power inverter. A quick look shows that the vents need sealed and one needs repaired where it had been leaking. The missing door is inside. The lock was broke with it open and I couldn't close it. My wife is excited because it has a potty:o)

81 Chevy Beater

81 Chevy Beater

81 Chevy Beater

Like I said I've been swamped and haven't had time to fix my truck. I've been reading up on it and I think the ignition module inside the distributor is the culprit. I'll have to check it out.

~Wes~

[jgroom]

Yeah, women kinda get hung up on the potty thing..   

Looks like you'll have quite the rig when you're done. 

Cheers

Jeff

[Brass_Machine]

Stinks to hear about the truck Wes. I hope it is going to be something simple (pretty sure it is). Great score with the rancho!

[Powder Keg]

I'm still playing with my truck.

The distributor still turns when the engine is cranked. There is power on the battery side of the distributor. (Turns on and off with the key) I pulled the ignition module and the parts guy tested it OK. (He even tested a new one to double check that he was doing it right) I guess that leaves the ignition coil and the pickup coil. I think I can get a used ignition coil to try out. To test the pickup coil I have to pull the distributor. I'll continue when I get some time:o)

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

Truck's fixed!!! Distributor was wore out. Bought a new one for $110 and she runs better than ever:o)

~Wes~

[dsquire]

Wes

Glad to hear that there is still life in the old girl. With the TLC that you are giving her she should be good for another 100,000 miles.

Cheers 

Don

[Powder Keg]

Well, I drove the truck about a hundred miles today. Everything worked great! She hasn't ran this good since I bought her. I found something at the Junk yard to put under the hood(o: I'll get pictures of it tomorrow.

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

Said Goodies

81 Chevy Beater

It's an old York A/C compressor. They have their own oil reservoir and don't rely on lube in the freon. They make great on-board air compressors\o/

~Wes~

[75Plus]

That is a great score Wes. That electric clutch will be handy too. I installed several hundred of those back in the 50's and 60's.

Joe

[Powder Keg]

I paid just a little extra for the compressor($50). But It was OK because it came with the clutch\o/ I have 2 or three air tanks lying around and a couple air horns. They will be the first add-ons:o) I would really like to get air lockers for the differentials. But that will have to wait.

I need to see If I can find some compression fittings that fit the compressor and convert them to a 1/2" NPT. That will make it easier to plumb things up. I think I have a pressure switch to run the clutch. That leaves me needing a check valve and a pop off valve and a fancy gauge for the dash:o)

There will also be a couple of quick connects and hose storage to run air tools:o)

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

The truck has been running really good lately. But the radiator has sprung a leak. Looks like I'm getting new parts again\o/ I found a nice aluminum radiator that is all TIG weleded together, for not too much. I'll order it in a week\o/

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

Well I finally got a radiator and put it in. It's been pretty hectic with the house and work taking up a lot of time. I ended up getting a Champion all aluminum radiator for my truck. This one was a inch too tall so I'm going to have to make a couple new brackets for the top but it wont be a big deal. Out with the old and in with the new!!!

81 Chevy Beater

Thanks for watching:o)

~Wes~

[Powder Keg]

It was nice enough to finally get my radiator brackets made for my truck. This is what I came up with

81 Chevy Beater

I can finally drive it again\o/

~Wes~

 

[dsquire]

Wesley

That looks like a nice way to clean out the tool box and make a bracket at the same time. I always knew those old wrenches would be good for something, I just didn't know what. Now I do.

Cheers 

Don

[vtsteam]

Really enjoying this!

[Stilldrillin]

All those old, black Whitworth spanners I haven't used in decades.......... Love it! 

Well done Wes! 

David D

[AdeV]

It was nice enough to finally get my radiator brackets made for my truck. This is what I came up with

81 Chevy Beater

I can finally drive it again\o/

What a brilliant idea! I'd be far too precious about my spanners to have thought of that idea, but now I will be on the lookout for where I can do something similar.

I think the _only_ thing I'd try and do differently (and I don't know if it would work or not....) would be to drill through the brackets, and then weld the spanner up from the underside; so from the top it just looked like it was sat there... then again, I'd probably get confused every time I had the bonnet (hood) up & would be trying to pick them up...

[ieezitin]

Wes

Are you from Maryland?

If not you should be.

Anthony.

[Powder Keg]

I'm glad everyone likes my new brackets:o)

AdeV, I welded them in place, so it would have been harder to weld and have them accurate. But they would have looked cleaner, plug welded, for sure.

Later,

~Wes~

[Analias]

It was nice enough to finally get my radiator brackets made for my truck. This is what I came up with

81 Chevy Beater

I can finally drive it again\o/

~Wes~

 

Heehee - I think that would drive me crazy. I would keep reaching for it if I was working on the engine or clearing the engine bay when finishing work. :-)