Driver on a budget.

[Zane M]

Awesome work so far! I will be following this thread from now on.

[Tinkermc]

A man down the street paints dunp trucks and paints outside all the time he also uses Rustoleum.

[TchncnDen]

I haven't done anything really picture worthy lately. I installed the tank, ran the fuel lines and modified the AC compressor bracket, it fits nice. I have a week off so I plan on having it running and ready for paint (not painted) by the end of next week. Making that bold statement on here will give me the motivation to follow through. I also have to squeeze in a hundred miles or so of mountain biking and other fun things so it should be a great week.

[TchncnDen]

I installed the modified engine harness today, it lays down nicely on the engine. I didn't really plan out where to mount the ECM when I made the harness, and with the factory AC stuff there isn't much room. About the only place there is room is the glovebox compartment, there might be enough space for my registration after everything is back in. There's also a picture of the truck AC compressor installed with the modified bracket.

[TchncnDen]

I didn't get far but I started the main harness. I bought this one from Speedway. A couple of months ago I helped an electrically challenged friend install a Painless harness in his 32 Ford and this Speedway kit is almost as nice at less than half the price. I would have said it's nicer because it comes with a new light switch, but today I noticed there is no wiring for reverse lights. I'll have to add those.

[AF_Chevy]

Great job so far! Man I need a friend like you with your body and paint skills! LOL

[cjohnson6772]

Originally Posted by TchncnDen

I installed the modified engine harness today, it lays down nicely on the engine. I didn't really plan out where to mount the ECM when I made the harness, and with the factory AC stuff there isn't much room. About the only place there is room is the glovebox compartment, there might be enough space for my registration after everything is back in. There's also a picture of the truck AC compressor installed with the modified bracket.

I may have missed it, but what is modified about the A/C bracket? Also: amazing work on such a tight budget. I am probably gonna have as much in my swap as you have in your entire truck I am finding that these swaps get waist deep in a hurry and then neck deep shortly thereafter.

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by cjohnson6772

I may have missed it, but what is modified about the A/C bracket? Also: amazing work on such a tight budget. I am probably gonna have as much in my swap as you have in your entire truck I am finding that these swaps get waist deep in a hurry and then neck deep shortly thereafter.

The bracket just had to be trimmed quite a bit to clear the motor mounts. I'm sure it depends on what mounts you use and the position you want the motor to sit. I used adapter mounts from TransDapt that keep the motor in the stock small block position. Also, neck deep is ok as long as you keep your head above water!

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by Steve-W

That engine is the icing on the cake..I think you should rename this thread to:"Driver on a higher budget than anticipated"..or how about:"Driver on a budget the wife is unaware of"

keep up the good work!

Originally Posted by brn agn

This build just got MORE interesting. I'm looking forward to see how the engine performs in a truck.

Thanks! The motor is not for this truck, in fact I have no idea what I'll be putting it in at the moment. It may be a truck, it may be? It was just too good a deal and way too pretty to pass up. I've always had a picture of a hot rodded 80's station wagon rattling around my brain.

[1968gm]

Nice work!!! Im also on a tight budget...so i love your build thread.It gives me hope..keep up the good work! I will be watching for sure!

[TchncnDen]

Vroom vroom!! Ok, I suffered a good case of burnout lately. I've been going out to the garage for an hour here and an hour there, but mostly dragging my feet while I've been out there. It does all add up though. I was still dragging today and I started looking around for what to do next. Well I might as well put a little gas in and check my fuel system. I had some leaks at a hard to get at coupling that I thought might leak. It was a tight squeeze but I got them to seal. What next? Might as well see if it starts. First crank! And that's without exhaust, 02 sensors or a MAF sensor. I'm excited again! Tomorrow I'll sand the epoxy and get some surfacer on. Then I have to clean up the wiring, cut the driveshaft, figure out the shifter linkage and paint the jambs. Then it's on to paint. I'm going to try and burn on through to that point, and I'm still below $7k.

[TchncnDen]

Does anyone know what makes the compressor cycle on factory AC? I have the wiring schematics and it's easy enough to wire in the compressor from the 5.3 but it looks like it would always be on. That can't be right, I must be missing something.

[Tinkermc]

looin good so far

[ta2ed]

There should be a. High/low pressure switch to regulate amount of pressure build up to kick compressor of and on
Posted via Mobile Device

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by ta2ed

There should be a. High/low pressure switch to regulate amount of pressure build up to kick compressor of and on
Posted via Mobile Device

Yep, that's what I thought too, but I don't see it in the wiring diagram. The wires go straight from the switch to the compressor so the clutch is engaged when you turn the air on. I must be missing it, but I don't see it in the diagram or on the physical unit. Can you point it out to me?

On another note, I know I said you can prime a vehicle with a brush and roller but blocking epoxy that was rolled on is a lot like trying to block down your driveway, mucho trabajo. It's all done now though. I have two spots to work a little polyester putty on and then it is time for final prime.

[ta2ed]

According to that diagram, you're right there isn't 1. What year is the motor and what did it come out of? I can hit shop key for another schematic and see If it shows anything different
Posted via Mobile Device

[ta2ed]

Have you ever used the waterborne primer? I have a couple times it did ok but it wasn't anything to write home about
Posted via Mobile Device

[ta2ed]

Ok according to a diagram I got off of shopkey the high/low pressure switches are on compressor. I looked it up for a 2000 c1500 5.3
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[Tinkermc]

get busy get yourself through this so you can start driving this nice truck, not many people will see it in the garage and the fun begins with the engine running, hope this motovation helps

[Tinkermc]

dash will be awesome

[hopped up]

am i right in thinking when you wanna paint over the rustoleum you have to take all the rustoleum off. is that correct? just wanna be sure, good build and great info keep it up!
Posted via Mobile Device

[TchncnDen]

Originally Posted by hopped up

am i right in thinking when you wanna paint over the rustoleum you have to take all the rustoleum off. is that correct? just wanna be sure, good build and great info keep it up!
Posted via Mobile Device

Yes and no. If you wake up the next morning and decide you want something different and try to paint over it you will have a big fisheye mess. Rustoleum is oil based after all, or at least it was. If it is really dry, and it takes a long time to be really dry, then you most likely won't have a problem. You may still get some fisheyes, but there are a couple of ways around that. I prefer a couple of dust coats with a long flash time before putting on wet coats.

I found out that the 5.3's did come with one big exhaust manifold and one small, don't know why but I assume it has something to do with the Y pipe. I found a guy on craigslist parting out a Silverado 2500 and they had 2.5" oulets on both sides. I got the manifolds, flanges and pipe past the o2 sensors, o2 sensors and AC lines for $80. Thanks to ta2ed for sending me the wiring diagram for the 2004 AC I found out the pressure switch is in the line. Now I can get the compressor side of the 04 lines spliced into the evaporator and condensor side of the 71 lines and have functioning AC. I'm at one of those points where there has been a lot of work done but not much visual progress. That should all change this weekend so I expect to have a bunch of pictures coming.

[orange 69]

Awesome Job!
Subscribed

[TchncnDen]

Got a lot done this week, it's picture time! The fuel sending unit is installed, that was easy. I messed with the electric fuel pedal. I must have cut it, added metal, moved and cut it up again five times. I just couldn't get it to look right and have full range of motion. Then I had an aha moment and cut up the old gas pedal, welded it to the electric unit and walla, one shot and done. I looked into what everyone was doing for shift linkage and it looks like lokar is the way to go. It seems everyone had to bend it up to get it to work right. There isn't much to it and a piece of metal and a couple of heim joints was less than 10 bucks so I made my own. It works great, I just took it apart to paint.

[TchncnDen]

I hate paint chips, they're just too small to get any idea of what you're looking at. I wanted a silver and a black metallic. The silver is easy, but the black is where it snafued. I even carried the book out into the sun when I was picking it out. The one I got appeared to be black with minimal metallic, just what I wanted, it was called black mica after all. When I put the first coat on gray primer it obviously had a strong green tint, not what I wanted. It blackened up with more coats and the metallics are a mix of colors. I was planning on some type of blue divider stripe so I think I'll still be ok if I can find some kind of blueish green that I like. It's just disappointing when you're expecting one thing and get something else. Then when I got my satin black at Home Depot I saw they had some environmentally safe mineral spirits for a dollar more. Well, I like the environment so I got some. When I went to pour it in it looked like milk! I didn't want my satin black to turn gray so I stopped at a splash. I think everything is going to be fine, it was just a frustrating day as far as paint is concerned.