Nice pix.
I had to down the Orange Creamsicle for a couple weeks. The ''custom-made'' clutch rod was coming apart, and I was afraid it would happen in traffic. Also my passenger side window came out of the track. So I replaced the regulator and the window run and post channel rubber, and the felt side wipes, but couldn't figure how to put new rubber seals around the vent wings, so the old prehistoric rubber went back in. Very involved process according to You Tube videos. Only did the RH door window rubber. I'll do the drivers side later. Won't be so hard a second time.
So nice to have a smoothly rolling window again. Also, on cold, icy, dark and stormy nights, driving in the blackness, wind whistling thru the gaps in insulation, and the intermittent rapping, rapping, rapping on my door. You'd think the bony fingers of the Grim Reaper were knocking to be let in -- at 60 MPH. Well Nevermore.
A freak wind gust blew my 20' x 10' ShelterLogic canopy over. Fully tits-over-teacups and landed on the tin shed next to it -- ripping my new-in-September cover, and bending most of the poles useless. I can get another on Amazon, but it's a $300 setback.
We used a 10 x 10 Arizona Wildcat popup to work on the door, but it can't be left up overnight, the wind will kill it.
I went to see my machinist about his custom upper clutch rod. He said the rod ends weren't really Heim Joints, but something for tractor/implement linkage shifters. He directed me to Don's Hot Rod shop, our local "Candy Store" and I got a pair of proper heim joints, then Ace hardware had 3/8-24 1-1/2'' bolts, bronze washers, and locknuts to complete the fix. After replacing the upper clutch rod so it's bombproof for another 14 years, I noticed the clutch feel got a lot taller. I let the 2 jam nuts on the lower clutch rod out about an inch and a quarter -- taking pressure off the fork, but it's still a high stepper.
But now it runs.
Still haven't gotten fresh aspen swamp cooler pads yet, and it's 95F inside with fans on. Now with the truck running, I can pick up the pads.
The '71 Jimmy is running good. I was on my way to the Shell station to tank up last Saturday night. I get 80 cents off a gallon from Fry's VIP points. The gas gauge never worked since I got it. The traffic light changed red before I could pull a left into the Shell Station. When the light went green, I hit the gas, got 25' into a 90* turn and it stalled. Deadstick. I tried to start again and it coughed to a shaky start, but sputtered around the corner and up to the pump. The log showed I had gone 201 miles since last fillup. [I figure 10 MPG.] I filled one 5 gallon jerry can with premium, and slowly pumped 20.3 gallons into the blazer tank. It's a nominal 20.5 gallon tank. The in-cab tanks will hold 22.5.
After a fresh filling, the Jimmy was good to go.
Major gripes are the PO's redneck adaptation of late '70/80s Camaro/Firebird buckets. The wire/coil framing was enveloped by the foam padding and they're not repairable. Also the way the back mounts are set into wood 4x4 flat post sections with lag bolts is unnerving. But real bucket seats would run me $1000. [Before you even get the right seat brackets.] Toss in another grand for Air, and half a grand for new floor matting/carpet and interior wall trim panels, and it might become a nice truck. [Not counting body work and paint.]
Another long hot summer. At least the snowbirds are gone.