Diary of a Restore (Thread)

[AmericanSavage]

Excellent! The body work looks really good.

My only thought on the bed is to use pop rivets instead of screws as it might look better. Or maybe less bad? But if you are going to redo it some time anyway maybe it doesn't matter.

As for the choke cable, what do you expect - it says Holley.

Gary,

I never thought of pop rivets! Ugh!

I used a flathead phillips screw like the ones Ford used for the dash, etc. They sit fairly flat. Will get a pic for you.

As for the Holley. I could not be happier. The carb was essentially plug and play. I never had to do a thing. The orginal carb, which I still have, would not even allow idle, and the choke was a converted electric to manual.

I spent a bit for the Holley, but the tech guys were superb in their service, and did not try to oversell me something that would be overkill. Pricey yes, but the carbs just work.

I do hear that two guys left Holley and started their own company. Cannot remember the name, but the carbs they sell are about $100 cheaper and I hear are the same quality.

[Atlas75]

Jim and Gary, Thank you for ALL the info and assistance. I did not think about the hydraulic v. my mechanical.

Carl: You want me to shoot some pice of the rear end? Yes? If so, will get to it tomorrow, and upload for you.

Not the rear end directly but the rear springs (both main and auxiliary). I can almost see it from your first photo today. It looks like 5 main springs and 1 aux spring but I'd like to see the arrangement (where everything is placed). Also, how wide is your aux spring?

This is what the spring pack looks like on my truck. 5 main springs and 4 auxiliary springs. I don't think this arrangement is factory and I am curious if the blocks are even in the right place. My aux springs are 3" wide.

I was told the farmer who owned it before the guy that I bought it from had some sort of field sprayer in the back so maybe he had the springs beefed up to hold it. Just trying to figure out what factory looked like. Thanks for any photos you can provide.

[AmericanSavage]

Not the rear end directly but the rear springs (both main and auxiliary). I can almost see it from your first photo today. It looks like 5 main springs and 1 aux spring but I'd like to see the arrangement (where everything is placed). Also, how wide is your aux spring?

This is what the spring pack looks like on my truck. 5 main springs and 4 auxiliary springs. I don't think this arrangement is factory and I am curious if the blocks are even in the right place. My aux springs are 3" wide.

I was told the farmer who owned it before the guy that I bought it from had some sort of field sprayer in the back so maybe he had the springs beefed up to hold it. Just trying to figure out what factory looked like. Thanks for any photos you can provide.

Carl,

I will get right on this tomorrow, and upload a few pics for you likely in the afternoon. I will measure the width for you as well.

Cheers!

[AmericanSavage]

Carl,

I will get right on this tomorrow, and upload a few pics for you likely in the afternoon. I will measure the width for you as well.

Cheers!

Gary,

So what brand of Carb do you favor?

And here is a pic of the springs--3"

[Gary Lewis]

Gary,

So what brand of Carb do you favor?

And here is a pic of the springs--3"

I had way too many problems with the Holley on my brand new 1969 Super Bee to ever like them. Leaking bowl gaskets, blown power valves, etc. My preference is for a carb that holds gasoline in with metal rather than a gasket or fabric.

I like the Carter/Edelbrock carbs. I grew up on Carters, so when Edelbrock picked up the manufacturing rights to the Carters that was my go-to carb.

[AmericanSavage]

I had way too many problems with the Holley on my brand new 1969 Super Bee to ever like them. Leaking bowl gaskets, blown power valves, etc. My preference is for a carb that holds gasoline in with metal rather than a gasket or fabric.

I like the Carter/Edelbrock carbs. I grew up on Carters, so when Edelbrock picked up the manufacturing rights to the Carters that was my go-to carb.

Kind of a lull in the action today. Some minor sanding of the inside bed, and a little bit of seam sealer, some bondo glass on a few seams (it's stronger so I opted for that). More sanding. Removed my home-made lift from the bed to get it cleaned out for the shoot--still thinking by Friday.

Most of the day today was spent on the interior. Since the previous owners put in a JVC modern radio, which hardly worked, was not supported (it hung in the dash), and the speakers in the doors did not work either. So, I opted to go with a classic looking radio. This is what I got. It arrived yesterday.

Fitting the radio turned out to be a chore, for one, where the heck do you put the back support? I never liked finding such places because there is no easy solution to this, especially since the back of the dash is all Air related, and plastic. While searching for a spot, I noticed the floor air assembly was loose, and so unscrewed it, cleaned it up, and added insulation around the point it contacts the air assembly so It would direct more air to the feet and not leak.

Back to the radio--thankfully the original faceplate was there, but it was cut. So, I cut a piece and tried to fit it back to as close to original I could get.

Here is the two pieces welded.

My welder is acting up a bit as the trigger seems less responsive. So I missed a couple times. But, the welds took, and I ground it down a little before drilling the holes for the tuner, etc.

I will wrap the back support to this plate and screw/tap it directly so the radio can come out as one unit, at least that's the plan. I like ease in these situations since reaching behind anything in this area between the dash/plenum/firewall is difficult if not impossible. I have to rewire for the new radio plugs. Since I do not like to waste space, I got a stereo speaker for the center dash where the mono speaker used to be (it was long removed by previous owners, and they ripped up the dash I have in the process it seems). On the plus side, I have the original "wood" grain dash that was thrown in when I purchased the truck. That will go back on.

Wiper motor arrived today. That will go on tomorrow with the new parts for the arms. Nice to be putting things back ON.

[mat in tn]

Gary,

I never thought of pop rivets! Ugh!

I used a flathead phillips screw like the ones Ford used for the dash, etc. They sit fairly flat. Will get a pic for you.

As for the Holley. I could not be happier. The carb was essentially plug and play. I never had to do a thing. The orginal carb, which I still have, would not even allow idle, and the choke was a converted electric to manual.

I spent a bit for the Holley, but the tech guys were superb in their service, and did not try to oversell me something that would be overkill. Pricey yes, but the carbs just work.

I do hear that two guys left Holley and started their own company. Cannot remember the name, but the carbs they sell are about $100 cheaper and I hear are the same quality.

dont worry . im a holley fan also. i really like the factory HO 4barrels. i have the 80457 on my baby bronco and its great.

[BigBrother-84]

I had way too many problems with the Holley on my brand new 1969 Super Bee to ever like them. Leaking bowl gaskets, blown power valves, etc. My preference is for a carb that holds gasoline in with metal rather than a gasket or fabric.

I like the Carter/Edelbrock carbs. I grew up on Carters, so when Edelbrock picked up the manufacturing rights to the Carters that was my go-to carb.

About the carb arguments, I read all (I think) the different discussions on the Forum (btw this one is excellent https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Carburetors-Gary-s-Musings-tp768p760.html).

I was seriously ambivalent, and Gary almost convinced me to go on Edelbrock side.

I finally chose the Dark Side of The Force , mainly for the following reasons:

- The Eddy’s «out of the box» quality seduced me at first, but I have to admit that I can turn on a friend with vast experience on different carbs brands, owner and pilot of a 1968 Mustang, who can play for me with various adjustments, if required;

- The «fuel pressure sensitivity» afraid me a bit, I enjoy my mechanical fuel pump and prefered to keep it simple without adding any external devices, such as a pressure regulator;

- I understood (am I right?) that fuel entrance of the Eddy is on the passenger side, requiring some modifications to the fuel line;

- My friend explained me that, if you ever want or need to modify the carb qualities, it is much simpler with a Holley (Eddy’s alterations seems to be more touchy, parts less easy to obtain, for example metering rods and jets, needle/seats, etc.)

Following my friend’s opinion, this kind of modifications are much easier on a Holley;

- Holley has a laxative effect on Gary (for proof his toilet’s logo) , so I just can strongly encourage a brand that offers such health benefits for our friend Gary.

So no hard feelings, huh, Gary?

 

[Gary Lewis]

Kind of a lull in the action today. Some minor sanding of the inside bed, and a little bit of seam sealer, some bondo glass on a few seams (it's stronger so I opted for that). More sanding. Removed my home-made lift from the bed to get it cleaned out for the shoot--still thinking by Friday.

Most of the day today was spent on the interior. Since the previous owners put in a JVC modern radio, which hardly worked, was not supported (it hung in the dash), and the speakers in the doors did not work either. So, I opted to go with a classic looking radio. This is what I got. It arrived yesterday.

Fitting the radio turned out to be a chore, for one, where the heck do you put the back support? I never liked finding such places because there is no easy solution to this, especially since the back of the dash is all Air related, and plastic. While searching for a spot, I noticed the floor air assembly was loose, and so unscrewed it, cleaned it up, and added insulation around the point it contacts the air assembly so It would direct more air to the feet and not leak.

Back to the radio--thankfully the original faceplate was there, but it was cut. So, I cut a piece and tried to fit it back to as close to original I could get.

Here is the two pieces welded.

My welder is acting up a bit as the trigger seems less responsive. So I missed a couple times. But, the welds took, and I ground it down a little before drilling the holes for the tuner, etc.

I will wrap the back support to this plate and screw/tap it directly so the radio can come out as one unit, at least that's the plan. I like ease in these situations since reaching behind anything in this area between the dash/plenum/firewall is difficult if not impossible. I have to rewire for the new radio plugs. Since I do not like to waste space, I got a stereo speaker for the center dash where the mono speaker used to be (it was long removed by previous owners, and they ripped up the dash I have in the process it seems). On the plus side, I have the original "wood" grain dash that was thrown in when I purchased the truck. That will go back on.

Wiper motor arrived today. That will go on tomorrow with the new parts for the arms. Nice to be putting things back ON.

I like that radio! Looks great.

And Jeff, no hard feelings about the carb. I hear Holleys have gotten a whole lot better from back in '69, but that one was so bad that I don't want another one. (On the other hand, I'm not running a carb at all now and loving it.)

[BigBrother-84]

On the other hand, I'm not running a carb at all now and loving it.

I love this strategy.

The debate is therefore closed!