Project “Blue Bomb” (rebirth of a 1970 c30)

[68bowtie]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Looking better, in the neighbor hood!!!

What settings did you have on welder to make all those "hole" fill in repairs? I have welded some sheet metal, still learning...

Paint looks good!!! I think you should have just laid down the blue over the bare spots!!!

You DO know doing all these things during this season, you make all of us jealous that don't have the awesome So Cal weather!!!

Here is a pic of the settings (pretty sure I haven’t used it since welding on this truck). It wasn’t adjusted perfectly but it worked. Filling sheet metal holes is not too hard but it takes some practice.

I agree I wanted to paint the bare minimum but my friend took some liberty, and it turned out ok in the end.

I know right? It’s been unusually wet here this winter, seems like it’s rained 8 days out of 10 all year. I visited my brother in Cheyenne a couple weeks ago and was reminded quickly how good we have it out here.

[goldenburb]

damn you even got a forklift.lol can't wait to see the wheels on.👍

[68bowtie]

Well I don’t have any real updates but it’s been a while so here are some pictures. 19.5’s mocked up on the front so I can measure how much front spring to cut. It sits almost an inch higher than it did on the 16.5’s, and I want it about an inch lower.





HO72 ready for disassembly...

[Ol Blue K20]

Looking good. Why you tearing down the 72?

[68bowtie]

Wheel cylinder, axle seal, and pinion seal leaks, so I’m going through the brakes and seals. You have to take the axles out to get to the brakes so I figured I would get at least those repairs done.

[Ol Blue K20]

I have 4:10 locker and an open 52 if ya need a center section

[68bowtie]

Cool thanks I will let you know

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Cool thanks I will let you know

No problem. I'll make a good deal if ya need one. We're less than an hour from each other.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Cool thanks I will let you know

No problem. I'll make a good deal if ya need one. We're less than an hour from each other.

[68bowtie]

Got the HO72 brakes and inner hub seals replaced. The gears and bearings/races look fantastic, as expected given this truck only has 98k miles (they look good to me at least, no scoring or gouges??). I’m gonna do the pinion seal after I get it back in the truck, I think it might be easier to wrench on it.

Question: I have a fel-pro diff cover gasket. It’s some kind of molded material. I searched the site and it seems most of people go with rtv. I want to use the gasket. I cleaned the surfaces real good, and plan to just bolt it in. Anyone have experience to share?

[68Gold/white]

Use the gasket, AND put a thin layer of RTV on both sides of gasket. This allows better seal (and installation), and gasket will come off WAY easier if needed, next time!!!

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by 68gold/white

use the gasket, and put a thin layer of rtv on both sides of gasket. This allows better seal (and installation), and gasket will come off way easier if needed, next time!!!

x2^^^

[68bowtie]

I don’t know if I posted a photo of the interior with the seat installed... It took some effort but I finally got a center pair of belts that match color and condition. Yeehaw

[68bowtie]

The rear end is coming along. Just need to torque the hubs down and install the axles, and then replace the pinion seal.

[68bowtie]

My 7-year old daughter who named the truck keeping me company...

[68bowtie]

[68bowtie]

19.5’s the Blue Bomb wanted. It’s hard to say no.

[Ol Blue K20]

Looks great!! Some nice progress.

[cornerstone]

What a great looking interior you have! Looks amazing my friend!

[68bowtie]

Thanks guys.

I made some more progress today. Got the front brake shoes, cylinders, hoses, and shocks replaced, and got most the way through rebuilding an edelbrock 1406. The original q-jet has some issues.

My daughter having fun with the camera...





I learned a lesson today. Apparently throttle plate screws are staked from the factory to keep them from coming free and dropping into the engine. Well I sheared several in half before I figured that out so I had to drill and tap for larger threads. Doh!

[68bowtie]

A few more shots for fun...

[3757chevy]

[68bowtie]

If I had known what a pain it would be to install an edelbrock on a stock cast iron sbc manifold I wouldn't have done it. But the carb was free and I learned a few things along the way in addition to how to do a carb rebuild.

I read that I needed a spacer to keep the carb from overheating. Bought one, and learned that Square bore and Spread bore are not the same. So then I needed an adapter plate kit. The one I bought wasn't machined properly so I had to grind down the bolt heads so they fit into the adapter plate. The carb studs were cheap-o and I stripped one. So I got a better quality set and installed them (after the pic below).

[68bowtie]

The throttle linkage doesn't fit either, so I had to modify my original shift linkage to fit by threading the ends. I bought a throttle stud from edelbrock, but the hole was not large enough (or threaded) so I had to drill and tap the throttle stud in addition to threading the rod. It functions great and everything moves freely.

[68bowtie]

There are apparently a lot of ways to make the throttle return spring work, but what seemed to be the cheapest was just buying a new spring, pinching the end a bit so it clears the idle screw, and attaching to what I think is an engine lift lug. Fits pretty good.

The vac and pcv hoses didn't fit, and they were aged anyway so those got replaced.

Fuel lines are another thing that doesn't fit q-jet to edelbrock. I'm waiting on a new hard line from inline tube so I can have a filter and only short lengths of rubber hose. I'll post pics when I get that going.