Yesterday was a HUGE day for Blu. Second only to when I brought it/her home. (seems to have too many nuts to be a she but I'd rather call it a she than a he)
I fitted and installed the carpet. Cleaned and installed the seatbelts. Carpet looks good. I put in some nice shiny new doorsills from GMCPaul that fit really nice. Holes lined up perfectly. (the originals were just too rough to put back in with the new carpet).
Then, to my wife's joy, Steve C (local forum member) came over and helped me put the bench seat back in the truck. This is the first time I'd been able to sit in the truck since I brought it home. I forgot how small it was. Steve was laughing. The cab is tiny. I may have to turn this into an extended cab just to get some leg room.
Then............we took it for a ride. First maiden voyage- I had only driven it onto and off the trailer and into the garage. Never left first gear... My wife was good with Steve coming along as she hasn't seen the truck drive yet either and was skeptical over whether or not we'd make it back alive.
The truck did great. The transmission functioned properly, shifter was good, clutch needs adjustment (all the friction zone seems to be way too high on the pedal). Brakes were........ well........ no power brakes so lets just say it stopped. (I haven't mentioned it on the thread but I did check the brakes right out. New drums on the back, fronts just turned, new shoes all around, new lines, I cleaned everything and inspected it, the brake fluid looks new, nice and clear and it has decent pedal). I've never driven anything without power brakes so I think this'll take some getting used to. Even my '67 Camaro had PB. The suspension was really, really soft, especially since this truck is spec'd with the optional heavy duty coils, front and rear. Needs shocks, too bouncy and the steering wandered just a little - I'll have to see if I can tighten it up a tad in the steering gear box. Steering wheel (that goofy Camaro wheel) isn't mounted straight. Its nearly 180 degrees out which is annoying....
Gauges all worked, speedo worked fine. Got up to temp normally (no leaks anywhere), oil pressure was normal on the gauge..
The exhaust is little annoying- its got factory manifolds (including one I had to replace) and dual exhaust (wimpy looking 2") but no mufflers- its got some kind of weird resonating tubes I've never seen before- they are too long to be glasspacks. (this pic shows the additional rot I found on the cab corner expediting its replacement)
Its not obnoxiously loud, but on decel there can be quite a bit of popping out the back at higher RPM (downshifting), it sounds like my harley. New exhaust with some decent mufflers (I like dynomax) is on the short list.
Anyway, we drove around town for about 30 minutes showing each other all the C series trucks we knew were in the immediate area. Stopped it a few times. Got gas.... It ran good.
The clutch pedal was sticking to the floor a bit so I lubed it up when we got back to the garage. I thought that fixed it but it didn't. It must be binding up somewhere so I have to find where.
I took it out again last night to church and it ran great there - my 7 yr old rode shotgun and loved it. Then after church we went out to dinner. On that drive it started acting up - it stalled twice and didn't want to start (both times in intersections of course). Then it didn't want to start when we left the restaurant for home. I think the float is sticking in the carb. It has a "new" reman quadrajet on it but it sat for about 9 months so the bet is everything is gummed up and sticking. I'll get a few cans of carb cleaner and a rebuild kit and go through it. I found some oil underneath it this morning and it looks like the rear main. Nuts. Not something I can do a temp fix on until I pull the engine out this fall/winter to rebuild. I'll have to keep a cookie sheet with me for when I park in friend's driveways! A small broom and dustpan for all the rust that falls out when I slam the doors too!
Seriously, if I have to keep slamming the doors the way I do, I'm getting different brand seals.
Anyway- she is rolling so that kicks ass. I have the driver that I was after. Now I can put some miles on it and let her tell me what she needs.