The Fun Begins

[brandon-n-lisa]

This is the '69 I began workingon last week. I wish I had the space to take her all the way down and do a frame off, but that will have to come later. This truck has a lot of hidden rust in the usual places, and it would be easier to fix if I could tear it down.

This truck has a 350 with a 4 barrel rochester carb (is that stock?) a 3 speed manual tranny. I have no idea what the gearing is but I am assuming it is stock.

Right now I am working on the little things to get this truck road worthy. Tail lights, wipers, brakes. I fixed the turn signal switch with a little enginuity. I think a lot of the signal switch probs out there are the same as what I had, and you can save $40 bucks by fixing it yourself. I posted how to do it in an earlier post named 69 tail light issues.

[brandon-n-lisa]

One more thing. Someone stole one of the wheels off of this truck when it was sitting in the bed waiting to be repaired. If anyone recognizes the brand or the style, please let me know, because I would like to replace it and keep the other three instead of having to start over.

Thanks - B

[screamin_c102]

Post a close-up of the rim. I believe its the old Centerline Champ-500 style, that somebody painted body color.

http://www.4autostuff.net/wheels/cli...c_polished.htm

[Jwill41]

I have two 10" wheels like those. I would have to get $60 for the pair if you pick them up at my place.

[brandon-n-lisa]

Jwill -

If they are the same wheel, that sounds great. I don't know what the width of the ones one there now are cause I haven't really looked yet. I know the tires are 30 X 9.5 and the wheels are 15's. If the ones you have are a little wider, I coulsd just put those on the back. I am glad you have two, cause that would give me a matching spare with my third one.

Does anyone know how hard it would be to strip the paint off of these wheels without damaging them. I just don't like the paint on them, but would like to keep them, at least for a while.

Thanks - B

[Jwill41]

Hang on a minute. I will go out back and take a pic.

[86swb]

Don't you just hate those people who just take what you have with their five finger discount. I guess it was someone who needed only one wheel. What else would they do with only one? Hope you find a good replacement and better yet, get you hands on the person that stole yours. I would use my "five fingered fist" on them.

[Jwill41]

Most of what you see is only dirt. It looks like the clear coat is peeling off around the center caps. Looks like brake fluid or something got on them. The plastic "American Racing" emblem is also bubbled like brake fluid might do. One of them has a scuff mark like maybe it hit a curb but not bad at all. I think these wheels will clean up and look very good. They are 15" x 10". One has a blown out tire and the other is still holding air and has a lot of tread but looks kinda weather cracked.

[brandon-n-lisa]

J - Those are the exact ones! I wouldn't be able to get up to buy them till the second week of September or so(no time or money right now, just registered for the Fall semester). I hope you don't get rid of them before then.

As far as the guy that stole my other wheel, I imagine is was some kid that had nothing better to do. I can't imagine that too many folks have a need for that exact wheel that is painted that color. I agree with 86swb and would love to give him a "five fingered fist" to go along with his five finger discount wheel. It's not really that the wheel was worth that much, it's just the fact that he probably took it and just threw it in the garbage or sold it for scrap and got five bucks to buy some meth with.

Does anyone know if it will damage the wheels to strip the paint off of them, or what the best way to do that would be?

Thanks - B

[Jwill41]

Just send a pm or email when you are ready. I have not been trying to sell them so they probably will be here.

[Yukon Jack]

Welcome and that is a good looking truck. Your post shows why this board is the best out there. Could have taken you a long time to find a replacement wheel and here you weren't even looking and now it looks like you are set with two replacements at a fair price. Can't beat this board!

[krue]

Nice project. Wish the truck I started with was as nice.

[brandon-n-lisa]

This board is by far the best place. I have been so impressed with you guys. Thanks to all of you. There is so much experience and know-how on this board that I doubt there is hardly ever a question that goes unanswered.

Got the taillights working, bled the brakes(still pulls to the right a tiny bit), and made a plate and pop riveted the wiper motor and mount back into the firewall(the UGLIEST repair job you have ever seen LOL, I will try to get some pics on tomorrow). Fixed all that this weekend and took her for a spin around the block to check out the brakes. I really can't believe that a truck that has sat for the past few years still runs this good. You just can't beat a chevy 350!

I could probably use sand for oil and kerosene for gas and she would still purrr like a kitten. (Disclaimer - DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME)

Any of you fellow Texans know what the Inspection is like for these trucks in the Dallas/Fort Worth area? I live in Ellis county just south of DFW and we have all the same emissions standards as Dallas. I just don't know if they hold the older vehicles to the same inspection process.

Thanks - B

[Jwill41]

All they will do is a safety inspection. They check brakes, lights, horn, tires, exhaust for leaks, etc. There are no emmisions testing. I think if a vehicle is 25 years old it does not get tested for emmisions.

[Palf70Step]

You have a very nice truck there. Welcome to the board from the south end of Mississippi.

[brandon-n-lisa]

Jwill - I'm glad they don't do the emissions thing. Hopefully it won't cost 40 bucks to have it done then.

It has been a busy day. I "rigged in some AC duct and it blows plenty cold. I used 3" aluminum clothes dryer duct, and it worked pretty well for the AC. It will do for now. I guess I'll have to order one of those duct kits from Evil-bay before the winter so that I can have defrost.

The only thing I have left to do before inspection, is to get new wiper blades, replace one headlight, and get the instrument panel lights to work(I doubt they check this but I want them working anyway. After those things and an inspection, I can start driving this thing around town.

[Jwill41]

It $12.50 here for inspection and I think that is state wide. I had aluminum duct in mine for a while but just couldn't stop worrieing about it shorting something out so I changed it.

[86swb]

Kentucky does not have any kind of test on cars and trucks here. I guess that is a good thing? I did not know some states still did that. I knew California did. But they (California) are really strick on cars and trucks. I wonder how many states still have those test? I think our neighbor Tenessee does also. Not sure. We lived in Kansas for a while and they did not have any test on cars and trucks but that was back in the '70's.

[brandon-n-lisa]

I was stationed in Kansas in 1999-2000, and they still don't have an inspection. Arkansas does not have one either. I will say that I did see some pretty scary cars in Kansas, and I would be afraid to ride next to some of them on the freeway. I don't really think it's that bad of a deal. I think they only do the emissions testing for Texas in the highly populated areas. Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, etc. It would be interesting to know what all states require an inspection and if it includes emissions testing or not.

[55chevy]

I like the color coded wheels, but that's just me Nice project, I wish mine was the same, the 68 SWB I have my eye on is that green color and the price is right, also wish my grill was that nice.