Working Man's Burbon

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Could your Burb be any more dialed in? Great work and write up on the carb.

So
What is the purpose of the speed sensor and even a second one? Are you adding cruise control?

Thanks Joe. Are they ever completely dialed in?

No cruise control control I just need to get my transmission lockup working correctly.

[Beach-Burban]

Outstanding look!!! The colors go really nice together...and you got that fold-down armrest with cupholders that you so desired!

Woody

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Beach-Burban

Outstanding look!!! The colors go really nice together...and you got that fold-down armrest with cupholders that you so desired!

Woody

Thank you sir! Compared to yours it's pretty basic.

[3757chevy]

Looks real good.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by 3757chevy

Looks real good.

Thank you!

[CG]

Fold flat rear seat ... Early on in this thread someone mentioned when they installed the fold flat seat they had to move the front seat all the way forward for the rear to fold flat. Now you mentioned you were over 6ft, has this been the way it works for you having to move the drivers seat all the way forward to get the rear to fold flat? Or is your way of mounting the rear seat different than the other fella did his? Having the drivers moved all the way forward would be a no go for me and you're taller than I am.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by CG

Fold flat rear seat ... Early on in this thread someone mentioned when they installed the fold flat seat they had to move the front seat all the way forward for the rear to fold flat. Now you mentioned you were over 6ft, has this been the way it works for you having to move the drivers seat all the way forward to get the rear to fold flat? Or is your way of mounting the rear seat different than the other fella did his? Having the drivers moved all the way forward would be a no go for me and you're taller than I am.

I don't believe the other truck (I think it was AverageJoe's) had the factory bench seat it in. I ran into the same problem when I tried to use 2013 GMC buckets in mine. I couldn't lay the rear seats down flat without the front seat being completely forward and forcing the lower cushion to compress (2nd photo). I didn't think I could have driven the truck with it that way. The factory bench seat lets me have the front seat all the way back and still lets the rear set fold flat. (1st photo)

[CG]

Ok thanks for the clarification ... Glad to hear this is how it works out.

[HO455]

Some progress photos on the rear seats. Man I will say any savings GM saw when they went from a wood floor to a sheetmetal floor was more than eaten up by the 2nd row seats. There must be a hundred parts to them.

One really pleasant surprise has been how close the green upholstery and the powder coated seat backs match. I didn't have a sample of the new upholstery when I took the backs into be powder coated, so I just tried to match the old upholstery. I most certainly got lucky with that guess.

[CG]

Seats seats seats seats ... Lets see some more seats seats seats =)

[HO455]

Okay! Okay, I'm sorry! I've had some fastener issues to sort out.

The second row bottom seats had some rust on their frames which ruined some of the bolts. Fortunately although the threads in the frames were salvageable, five of the bolts were too rusted to use (Photo #1) and I did have 2 bolts that I twisted in two despite my best efforts. Being blind fasteners I had no way to get any heat on the nuts, even pentrating oil was almost impossible to get on the threads.

Anyway not only did I need some bolts, I also needed some of the flanged spacers that GM used to prevent the bolts from being threaded in to far and distorting the backs. Most spacers were deformed from the bolts being over torqued (Probably with a mis-adjusted air ratchet.) Some of them were less than half as long as they should have been.

My searches for another squarebody Burban at the u-pull-it yards didn't pay off. But I found some spacers that are used in cheap particleboard furniture that were almost perfect. I only had to drill the hole out. (See photo #2 the arrow shows a factory spacer with minor deforming, next to one of the furniture spacers.)

Next was to make the new bolt heads match the original bolt heads (It's an OCD thing you may not have to worry about. ) I chucked the replacement bolts up on the lathe and made a smooth, slight dome on the top of the bolt head. (Photo #3)

Once all of that was done I just needed a day when it wasn't raining. Which was yesterday!

I still need to remove the seat bottoms on both of the lower seats so I can loosen the bolts that hold them to the mounts. Hopefully then I can line them up better. Worst case I will have to take a grinder and slot the mounting holes. But I was happy with how they fit before so I'm guessing it is a tolerance stacking problem.

The only disappointing thing was the 503 green paint I got to paint the seat back latches isn't 503 but Detroit Diesel engine green. UHGG! You can kinda see it in the back of the last photo. Expensive paint that sprayed out really nice. Anyone putting a 471 in their truck need some paint?

And for CG's information the front seat is all the way back in the last photo.

Now I have the whole seat belt dilemma to get figured out.

[Beach-Burban]

Wow...that's a slick looking install! I totally get the "matching bolt head" thing...you did a great job with that as well!

Woody

[CG]

Today I'm 100 percent convinced I want to do the rear seat like yours now. I love it, and your upholstery looks awesome.

Course now I have to source a seat haha. I hate going to wrecking yards anymore, no Im not turning in my man card, just one of those things I did all the dang time when I was younger ... Over it haha.

[HO455]

Thanks everyone. It makes the 2 year wait worth it. I was just my luck to drop them off right before Covid took over.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I like your seats. I had a set of Squarebody backseats ready for my '67 K/10 Suburban, but the rear floorpan was not deep enough for the seat back. Then that truck got totalled.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I like your seats. I had a set of Squarebody backseats ready for my '67 K/10 Suburban, but the rear floorpan was not deep enough for the seat back. Then that truck got totalled.

Oh! How depressing! I always hate to hear that kind of news.
On the upside thank you for the kind words about the seats.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by HO455

Oh! How depressing! I always hate to hear that kind of news.
On the upside thank you for the kind words about the seats.

White Fang is still here. Now it's sort of a retirement project.
It was ''totalled'' on paper by Farmers after an engine bay fire. Body is fine.
With gas getting so high, I wasn't inclined to rebuild a BBC.
My Sub now has a Salvage Title which would require a complete overhaul.
With running trucks -- '68 C/10 Stepside and '71 GMC Jimmy -- I don't need a 3rd truck, especially with gas, insurance and maintenance.

Set up was: 454/TH350/NP205/12 Bolt 3.73 w/Auburn Posi.

The rear end was cannibalized into the Jimmy 12 years ago. The Stepside has the '67's horn button, hood letters ''E'', Voltage Regulator, and the hood latch, plus some odd signal lens screws.

I have a 292 L6 core, an SM465/T221 core, a thrashed 1971 12 Bolt 3.73 Eaton Posi diff, and a partial Dana 44 front axle. Truck was originally rigged as 283/SM420/T221-?/12-Bolt open 3.73 -- I think. PO progressively up-gunned the motors... 283, 350, 454. And went automatic.

[Average Joe]

Holy frijoles Batman! Your seats look incredible! Beautiful install as well!

To clarify more on my seat combo, I have 2004 Silverado seats in the front with the ‘86 rear. With this setup I’m a lil more forward with the rear seat folded flat. Having a 30” inseam it’s totally doable. Anyone taller may feel a bit cramped. YMMV

[HO455]

Thanks Joe. They are comfortable too!
And as always I appreciate the kind words.

Not much else to report on, I put new front tires on 2 weeks ago and I've been driving around town searching for new fabric to replace the current fabric on the door panels, which should be the next project once the weather gets drier.

The WMB is currently dirtier than it's ever been since I started driving it. It's either raining or freezing out. And just to complicate thngs I had Covid last month and my mother's apartment was flooded when the pipes in the ceiling froze and we had to move her into my sister's house and since have been working to dry her belongings out locate a new place for her to live.

The odometer now shows 40k miles since I got the truck.
Oh and I installed a clock in the WMB. My dad had a similar one in his K20 back in the day.

And thank you to everyone who comes here and looks around. I'm finding it hard wrap my mind around the fact there has been 160,000 visits here.

[HO455]

The new clock!

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by HO455

The new clock!

... .. Well, at least it is easy to read.

LockDoc

[3757chevy]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

... .. Well, at least it is easy to read.

LockDoc

DUH! but it's not digital.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

... .. Well, at least it is easy to read.

LockDoc

And the installation went as planned with no additional can of worms to sort through.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by HO455

The new clock!

Classic clean look. Reflection of a simpler, more elegant era.

[3757chevy]

Any way, The seats look great.