The Old Mule - 64 BBW
 

Figured I would start a build thread to keep a run of what I am doing with my new ride. Nothing major, but had to fix a couple things to make it mine.
First and foremost, gotta have my foot gas pedal. (yeah I know, but I lived and survived the 70's...at least it isn't on a Gremlin:lol: )
Next was my front tag. I have forgotten how long I have been using it, but as the guys at work state, we know it is yours if it has the plate.

Lastly was having a place for the coffee and water bottles.

I picked up a cup-holder for a 2002 Silverado Work Truck (GM Part#88938355). They are still a bit pricey ($65), but I had mine so I took it out of the 83 and removed the shelf angle that I added to mount it in the 83.
The 66 bench seat is flat still across the front lower lip. Originally I though I would have to pull the seat, drill, then bolt it on, but I found a simpler way.
Got two (2) old Harbor Freight 1" c-clamps, flipped them with the screw end up into the seat and clamped the original cup holder brackets to the seat lip.

Again, I was doing this mainly to see if it would clear and I could mark for holes, but the cup holder is solid and isn't going anywhere.
If you can find one in a junkyard these holders work great for all size containers.

Well back to driving it.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Nice truck! I'm subscribed! :chevy:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Very nice ride
Subscribed

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

I like your cupholder idea. I'm going to put that one in my "borrowed from other build threads" file so I can use it on my builds.
Oh yes, Nice ride too!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Killer man, I like it.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Very nice!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Great Start! :metal:

Cup Holder Idea… Consider it Stolen!:bann:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Sharp

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Nice job making it yours

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Great looking truck. Whats it got for drivetrain?

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Crate 350, with Edelbrock 1405 carb and manifold. Stock (or a stock) speed manual tranny.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Boy, that truck looks familiar? Lol!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Yeah someone tried to get in it & drive away with it like they owned it while I was at the Waffle House this weekend . :uhmk: Sheesh! ;) :lol:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Lol!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Nice!!!

So is the square body gone now?

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

that looks pretty sweet already!!! looking forward to seeing what you do with it

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Yes....sold it last week. so this one is paid for now.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Thanks ....at the moment, it is mostly drive it and enjoy it. I got a couple things I am looking at fixing....speedometer gear in tranny is broken and I am going to change it from a 3.73 rear to a 3.08/3.07 set of gears so it will cruise a bit better at interstate speeds. Other than that, DRIVE.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Very sharp looking truck, im partial to that body style also. Enjoy your ride.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Nice truck man , I have seen that cup mod before and I have always liked the way it looks

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Other than driving it, this is about the only real thing I have done to it.

I made a new shifter knob out of a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton piston. I have been holding onto this since shortly after I got my 70 in 2002. Anyways, I cut the wrist pin, added a coupler nut, cleaned it up good and cleared coated it. After letting it dry a few days, I finally put it on this morning. I went and tested it out while I did some cruising around the coast.

Drive on Folks! :chevy:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Looks great. Have fun cruising.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Looks good Bill!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Very Nice!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Looks great.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Your truck looks great. Have fun driving it!

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Nice truck and I really like your front license plate.:agree:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Been trying to silence a few of the rattles. I did some brass washers on the gear shift linkage, and that seems to quiet that cheap tinny rattling.

I also discovered the rattling from the rear was the brace for the driver's bed side was broken and there was some rust in the lip of the wheel well that made it flex and rattle as I went down the road.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Broke out the welder and patch up the wheel well and welded the brace back into place. A little resin and quick paint to pretty it up. Not show quality, but fits the truck and doesn't flex and rattle.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Unfortunately, while I was testing it for the rattles, something gave out. :censored::m6: At this moment I am not sure if something broke in the clutch or the tranny.

I suspect maybe the clutch. Pedal feels soft till almost to floor. None of the Z-linkage appears to be broken, but the throw out arm rod barely makes contact. It seems like the throwout bearing arm is stuck in mid stroke. Tranny feels weird to shift (very hard). I have it up on jack stands and even if I start in gear, I get no movement from the rear wheels.

After I do the brakes on my DD tomorrow morning, I'll drop the tranny to see if I can see what went crazy on me

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Well it appears I am looking for another tranny.

This is what came out of the 64 today.

Don't know what I did to it, but I promise mom & dad I was not racing or burning out or anything stupid.

Now to the trenches to find one close by.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Good grief.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Wow, that did a number on your tranny. Good luck finding a replacement close by.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Got her out of tranny prison yesterday. I had found a solid core, but one of the syncro's was bad, so I got it rebuilt by a local place. The guy that use to be the owner of the shop is semi retired. He just builds the good stuff instead of the new fangled automatics. He has been doing these trannys since 1957 and he also own's a 64 C10 SWB Fleet. His is way nicer than mine and all stock looking. Glad to have the ole girl back again. She (and I) enjoyed our 4:30 AM cruise towork today. Road trip this weekend!!:ito: :chevy:

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Cool, enjoy your road trip.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

I have not been doing much but drive the ole girl. It feels great. Decided to do some minor prep for Cruising the Coast.

Major work here....Changed out the ole beat up visor.:smoke::mm::lol:

Then I just enjoyed the afternoon with her before the rains comes in.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

enjoy cruising the coast

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Bill love the new truck. I've been following your 69-70 build for years, from the shed to building a shop and so on. Did you sell that truck? I just noticed the 64 in your avatar.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Yes John Life got in the way for a while, so I sold both the 70 and 83. Then bought this when life smoothed out.

Re: Palf's 64 BBW Short Fleet
 

Yep I'm starting to think the 64-66 trucks are now my favorite. Good choice.