Need some help on a few things

[Mr.Hyde]

Hey guys I'm having a hard time figuring things out or just generally finding information I'm no mechanic am just a diy guy and will really appreciate the assistance. My questions are concerning a 1968 c10 with a 283 and 3 on the tree lwb no ac.

1. Vacuum I don't really understand the concept or what needs what for hooking these components up. I think all I really have is carb distributor and brake booster.

2. What is the width of the bed floor if I'm going to be using plywood? Is it 72" I would just like confirmation of that.

3.what have you guys done for washer reservoirs?

[special-K]

1: Your engine breaths. It inhales (vacuum) and exhales (PCV/crankcase venting). The vacuum is what makes air go through your carberator. There is vacuum within the carb, it is it's own source of vacuum...like a nose. Your truck borrows vacuum for your power brake booster to assist pedal effort. That uses a bigger hose tapped into the intake just below the carb in the back. Your timing advance also uses the vacuum. As engine revs, vacuum increases, which advances the timing in proportion to engine speed. This uses a smaller hose that taps into intake manifold under carb in front.

2: I assume you have a Fleetside? Laying it in or making a new bed floor? I'll go with laying it in. If you can buy plywood that is 72" wide, that would be great. With a standard 4 x 8 sheet you lay that between the wheel houses and cut pieces (from second sheet) to make fillers in front of and behind wheel houses...or leave exposed. watch for trapped moisture between the floor and plywood.

3: I use factory washer reservoirs. I believe repros are offered

[Mr.Hyde]

And just to add a question how do you guys feel about one of those full rubber flex hoses for fuel of course. Instead of using a metal filler neck. And if I go metal would I just use for example exhaust pipe from and auto store?

1. So after all these are plumbed I would want to bung up the rest of the openings?

2. I was thinking 2 pieces side by side and a third to open up to my gas tank and a tool kit. How deep would I cut the wheel wells?

3. So even if I buy a aftermarket generic and mount it that will work? I wanted to use a crystal skull vodka bottle

[swamp rat]

Yes, if you have open vacuum ports they need to be plugged or you have a vacuum leak. you can buy port caps at the auto parts store.

There are 2 types of vacuum, One stated above is manafold vacuum, the other is ported vacuum which varies with the opening of the throttle, you didn't mention which carb you have, most 4 barrels have both ported and manifold vacuum ports

Your brake booser needs manifold vaccum from either the manifold itself or one of the carb's larger manifold ports, the distributor needs ported vaccum, also the PCV valve should be hooked to a manifold vac port on the carb.

Example: On an Edelbrock 1406 the two larger ports center front and center back of the carb are manifold vacuum, I used the rear one for my brake booster and the front for the PVC. the smaller vac port on the passanger side front is ported vacuum, hook the distributor here, the small port on the driver side front is manifold vacuum, cap it off, or in my case the line to the tranny plugged here..

Which fuel hose are you refering? for a filler hose? hard to advise with out pictures of what your working with, are you adding an under bed tank?

#3..... After market Generic what?

[Mr.Hyde]

I was referring to generic washer reservoir. And I have a 4 barrel quadrajet not sure of the cfm. I'm referring to the filler neck I put a gas tank underneath the bed and it's side fill.

[swamp rat]

I used a S10 filler cap and door for my side fill, had to modify it to change the angle, then used gas hose to bridge the gap between the two, gas hose is expensive, a 2' length was about $20 i think?

Cant help with the reservoir bottle.

[mechanicalman]

I'd prime the crap out of the bottom of it and put one or two coats of marine paint on there.

On top, I'd do the same or at least seal it up with some kind of urethane or water sealer or something. Is slipperiness an issue? Just so it don't absorb water and hold it there and rust everything around it.

A thin sheet of primed/painted plywood with thin aluminum diamond-plate would be cool. You could leave a hole in the wood and maybe hinge a fuel filler/tool kit door? Carriage bolted on in stock locations.

I too will be crossing this bridge soon, good luck. Food for thought.

[Mr.Hyde]

I have a spitfire cap I want to recess in and look like the charger cap, slippery surface isn't an issue. I'll probably seal it and keep the wood grain I don't mind spending the 20$ for a look I want. I will probably hit the bottom of the wood with a rubberized coating.