Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Great work on your tcase!

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Thanks guys! It feels good to have this part mostly behind me! I'm going to post a message about using loctite on the shift fork bolts instead of the safety wire. Mostly because I have the loctite, and don't want to buy a 25' spool for something I only need about 1' for. Any thoughts?

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Can't you get some safety wire from a buddy you know that knows another guy whom works on air planes? Or get some from a parts store that uses the smaller wire for parts tags?

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

I know nobody that knows anyone that works on planes :lol: ...but the parts store tag idea could be an option...
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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Not much done this weekend. I did happen to get the mounts made for the fuel tank. Bad cell pic, but here we go :-)

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Not much progress to report this weekend, but I do plan on hitting it hard next weekend. Last weekend I built the mount for my Blazer tank. This weekend, I bought a new welding helmet because it was 50% off. You HAVE to buy things when they're on sale right? :lol: Oh, and I found out that Harbor Freight does sell the safety wire I was after. .99 cents for 25', that I can live with! Next weekend I plan on getting the T case all wrapped up, as well as get the tank mounted. If I'm extremely productive, I'll start on the brake lines....but, knowing me, I'll probably spend most of my time drinking....I mean thinking about it :lol:

Not a great pic, but here's the mount.
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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Yeah! One more item put on!! Got the tank mounted yesterday. The mounts are just tacked in. I'll finish weld it when I bring the frame back to my house.Attachment 1061823

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

So the gas tank has to sit below the top of the frame rails so the bed support rails don't need to be modified, correct?

Is that a Blazer tank from a 67-72 Blazer? It doesn't look like what I thought they looked like? Looks like it should work great, just not what I thought these Blazer tanks looked like.

Nice work!!!

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Thanks!

This is a tank from a 85 Blazer. I went with this style because it was one of the bigger tanks, and another member used this style and it looked like it fit well. I'm still not sure if the bed will need work, but I don't think I will have to do anything as the top of the tank is level with the top of the frame rails.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

No progress to report on the truck this weekend, as I'm waiting for my brake lines to show up. I decided to bend up my own lines, so wish me luck! :lol:

So to fill my time this weekend, I decided to build a welding table for my bench :metal:
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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

nice addition ! Buy twice as much line as you need...LOL, or maybe i am the only one that has that bad of a learning curve !

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm sure I'm going to be sad that I decided to go the route of building my own lines...but, they always make more right :lol:

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

That's one of those jobs that you don't get really good at until the last few bends, and then you have to learn all over again in 6 years the next time you do it.:lol:

Are you flaring your own ends, too?

Nice welding bench addition. So does that hinge down when you're not using it? I should do something like that.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

That is so true! Not sure what I'm thinking but hopefully I can learn to put my ADD behind me and focus. I may end up with something I can be proud of :lol: I will be flaring my own ends, so that ought to be an adventure!!!

Thanks!!! I didn't do a hinge on the bench because I didn't have any scrap material to build one, but I came up with a way to hook it on there so that I can pull it off and store it when I'm not using it. I'm pretty happy with the way that it turned out, except for the legs. I'm going to redo them this weekend.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Yeah!!! My frustration in a box was delivered today! I'm more nervous than ever now :lol:

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Hey, at least you don't have the cab or bed on the frame now. Otherwise you'd be installing hte lines on your back or maybe on a creeper and forgetting to bring the bender(s) under the truck with you. That's when things start going down hill. "The bend isn't quite right (or maybe just really wrong), but I think I can just bend it the right way here under the truck by hand". :lol:

Good luck! Don't forget to put the flare nuts on before flaring the ends. Don't ask me how I know...

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Haha! Yeah, this should be an adventure! Thanks for the advice, I'm sure that I will have several of those darn nuts jump off the end of the line just before I flare them...at least that's what I'll tell people when I forget to put them on :lol:

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Today, went to our local Advance Auto parts store. The General manager took me in the back and showed me a brake line. It is made out of nickle,copper and iron. You can bend it all kinds of way. He tied it in a knot and it did not kink or any thing. I was woundering have anyone tried this brake line. It looks like a real time saver. it will not rust, bend, corrode, or stretch or leak up to 6000 psi

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Wow, that sounds cool. I would be interested to hear if anyone has used them. Of course I'm not sure what I would do without all the frustration lol

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

What brand was the super flexable brake line, sounds very useful.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

The only progress made was bringing the frame back to my garage. It will be nice to be able to walk out and work on it.

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Bending is no problem- lay it out with coathanger wire first. Flaring always causes me vast amounts of violent profanity.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

LOL

Sometimes violent profanity is what it takes to get the job done!

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

I'm saving up money for my swear jar now :lol:

Gonna need a bigger jar!

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

grrrr.... Ever have one of those days where you suck at organizing and planning? Oh wait, that's every day for me :lol:

Today my plan was to start on the brake lines....what really happened is that I broke the flaring tool on a scrap piece. ooops I am very happy with my Eastwood tools though. I bent up the scrap after the epic flaring fail :lol:
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I did manage to finish weld my tank mount. Oh, I also fixed the driver's side tank strap. I was not happy with it, so I reworked it.
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Then, I got bored and started practicing TIG. I am no good, but then again, I just started.

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

What broke? The little centering pin that goes in the tube as you make the flare?

At least you were able to stay busy in the shop. I always feel like practice time (either with your tig or some other skill) is wasteful, but in reality it is always time well spent.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Yup...snapped the little bugger right off :lol: I'll have to lube it up better next time I guess.

Yeah, it was nice to dink around and learn. I'm going to have to keep at it if I plan on welding my own exhaust...not sure I will, but it never hurts to dream :lol:

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Those frigging things snap off so easy it makes you wonder how they don't snap off every time you use it.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Yeah, Eastwood sells just the die and I wonder if the quality is any better.
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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Got the replacement tool today, and was actually successful in creating a double flare on a piece of scrap. Next weekend I will try and form up some lines.

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Just went through your build, and gotta say I really like that you've kept your humor through this, but maybe that's just for us;) Coming along great! I've got the same Eastwood tube bender and it works great, but when you have to put multiple bends into the same line at different angles you're likely to get a good reminder of that Bud Lite Blue you are aiming to put on your truck:lol:

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Thanks Rick!

Yeah, I have to keep my sense of humor, because at the end of the day it's really me being my worst enemy. Learn and move on right? :lol:

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Well after a week of searching, I've finally found out that they don't make bulkheads for the front because they never existed :uhmk: the hoses actually go through the frame and connect directly to the hard lines. Now I feel better knowing that I didn't lose some uber rare option :lol:

I'm going to try and call my local hydraulic hose supplier and see how much it would cost me to have them make me up some 24" lines.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Ok, there will not be any update today other than the fact that the board set me straight in what my brake line setup should be. I went over to my local Evco House of Hose and they're going to make me up some new front and rear hoses. It was cheaper to have them make them than to buy the extended lines from various online suppliers (by well over 1/2). I still need to order Ts and elbows and such, then I hope to make progress next weekend.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Ok, I couldn't help myself. I HAD to bend up a line just to see how well I could do it. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Looks good. Keep it up! I'm probably going to be redoing a bunch of mine once I find another frame, too. I don't have that Eastwood bender, though. Might have to consider an upgrade.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm really happy with both Eastwood benders. They work great. I'm still not sure about the flaring tool. If I was going to do more flares, I would spend the money on a flaring tool.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

I picked up my hoses today from the local supply shop. First thing I notice is that I used the wrong hole to measure the length needed for the fronts. No biggie I guess if I just use the hole that I measured to. I am going to have to make sure their not too close to the exhaust (or my planned exhaust :lol:). But something a little more serious that I didn't think about. Did you all know that the front wheels turn right and left? Yup, I don't think I put enough thought into this before I ordered the lengths, so I may be ordering again. The fronts I ended up making 24" long with the 4" lift, but they don't even seem to leave enough slack. On a good note, my measurements for the rear will work...

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Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Don't turn the wheels or hit bumps and it will be good, sucks when something just isn't right, you will get it right next time.

Re: 69 GMC "Ol' Blue"
 

Ha...yeah it is really disappointing, but mistakes are going to be made. I'm just going to keep moving forward with these, and replace them at a later date.