Traveler

The cars on a frame lift with the rear hanging. MC1of80, trick u joint, I’m unaware of a trick joint is there a part #, manufacturer, supplier...? Thanks, it put the progress on hold until I resolve it, I was aware there would be the unknowns this I didn’t expect. J

Completed the swap of the entire driveline this weekend 10 bolt to 12 bolt t350 to a 2004r, and a new 383. All of the research for this swap suggests that the drive shaft would be the same length yet I cannot install the old drive shaft as it’s too long, not by much but enough that the universal will not go over the yoke. Anyone have an idea as to why it doesn’t fit when many have said their similar swaps didn’t require a drive shaft mod? J

Well I’m bumping into the end of my budget, but the build is almost at the halfway point, all the parts are together (I hope sans some nuts and bolts) and the install has begun. The old 350 is on the way out, the motor trans and rear are next, hope to be 90% done with the R&R by next weekend, provided the corona virus stays out of the way. Let the fun(read the encounter with the unexpected) begin after that. Hopefully 2 weeks and the break in will begin. Here’s what i’m doing I’ve been gathering parts for my 71 for 3 months and have started the process of the installing motor trans and rear; motor- 383 stroker; custom cam(512-520 lift 240-249 duration, hydraulic roller) cnc ported alm. heads, 10.5/1 compression, air gap dual plain manifold, eagle forged crank and rods, flat top pistons, one piece stainless steel valves, 168 tooth flywheel, mini starter, high flow water pump... trans- 200 4R; hardened input shaft, larger pump, bigger bands and clutches, tci vacuum release for torque converter( comes out of lockup by manifold vacuum for down shifts or when slowing down) 2400 stall converter, trans is out of a 87 GN rear- 12 bolt originally in a 1970 chevelle axel tube says it was a 373 open rear, now 355 posi with Richmond gears new lines, and all brake hardware, cylinders..., using stock control arms as I feel I have enough variables all ready, Round 2 will front and rear suspensions, still need a 100+ amp alternator, electric fuel pump, pressure regulator...electric fan(s), efi these goodies blow thru the budget LOL

Looking good! I plan to go a similar route, just haven’t found the right seats, I like the side bolster on your what are they out of?

thanks for the picture, i was able to get the correct one J

Purchased a sport wheel with a chevelle emblem. Anyone know the correct NK4- 4 spoke emblem, I know it’s a bow tie but which color combo for a ‘71? A little shocked at the prices I’m seeing so I want to get the right one. J p.s. got photo off an ebay offering

After looking on ebay at tamraz’s offerings it looks like I can get the front and rear bumper for $250 less than OPGI. I replaced the truck lock and the clip that holds the cylinder in has been on back order for almost a month, the rear view mirror took three weeks, the outside mirror gaskets(?) were in stock and took 2 weeks. Their pricing was not over the top but not cheap. Then these bumpers were adde to the equation, with shipping they would have cost $200 more then tamraz’s AMD. Thanks all for the advice. Lady goes in the shop tomorrow for a new dress(same color green, rechromed trim mirrors etc.) should get her back in 6 weeks(lol). My painter knows I’m going to Carlisle so we’ll see. I’ll have the bumpers sent to his shop for install, he suggest that I sale the ones coming off, anyone interested?

Good morning all, I’m planning or replacing the bumpers on my 71, opgi has front and rear bumpers for a reasonable price. Has anyone used, or seen them and have an opinion on them? J

thanks

anyone have experience with a small block and high rise manifolds and hood clearance I’m considering a victor junior and a holley thanks all j

After spending several hours on the phone I have come to know that Bowtie Overdrive and TV Made EZ are the same company, they have a unique, proprietary cable bracket and correction arm, $280+ shipping is a valid price, in addition you have to drop the pan to install the cable to the TV. I may have to go this way, but I haven’t given up yet. It appears my problem is the Rochester carb. J

replaced the trunk&glove box locks yesterday, now I can get in the trunk without worrying about the key breaking off, progress, ya got to love it

thanks guys, I though it might come with a carb lol

I’ll get my trans back next week, called one vendor was quoted $280+ shipping for a tv cable and bracket? Is this the going rate? J

Good morning all, Since my last post I have put my 2004R in the shop for a hardened input shaft, larger clutches, wider bands, and the trim to allow release of lock up without a switch(going vacuum instead of the brake light switch), and the proper speedo gear to match the 275/60/15’s I plan on. I have got one quote on a TV cable and bracket, $285 + shipping seems a lot, what do you think? I pick up trans next week which puts it 2nd or 3rd in the Q, rear is almost done(that’s my goal for today) then a nice day for the swap, going with the stock trailing arms for the time being. There’s one small(lol) rust spot which will be addressed at the end of the month, hopefully. I’ve been trying to decide which way to go on the engine, I plan on putting in one of the big blocks I have(383 or a 400 lost out to displacement and $), I’m leaning towards the 427(less to do then the 454 to get it running), I have a set of oval ports, Team G intake and a Holley 780 and a 1050 dominator. Anyone have a suggestion on a cam, plan on using 93 but there is e85 available up the street, heads and pistons I will use will yield about 10.5/1 even if I have to use thicker gaskets 2004R has a 2200 stall and will have, soon, a 12 bolt 355 gear).

would removing the bulb work?

I replaced the dash bulbs with led’s off ebay. I ran into two issues, the first was the trace of the printed circuit lifted off the mylar(I guess the substrate is mylar) I simply put it back where it came from and carefully reinstalled the bulb holder over the trace, the second issue I ran into was the led’s I purchased where polarity sensitive(not all are), you may want to turn the bulb around in the holder and try again. J

Rear was done yesterday sans a little cosmetics, on to the brakes, hopefully today. The control arms are due in by the end of the month, then the fun part comes, the install.

Sorry all, sometimes the old me still comes out. Ya know I decided to retire from who I had to be so I could be who I wanted to be, that money post was more an internal exercise that slipped through to bore/amuse the rest of you. Again sorry 😢

In my professional life I managed million dollar budgets which taught me to establish budgets with wants and manage budgets to needs. I’m doing the same thing with this project, at least I’m hoping to. Do you remember what Mike Tyson said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” lol. Hopefully my wants won’t cause me to get punched too hard by my needs😊

Thanks for asking. The axles arrived last Friday, installed the studs, cleaned the axle tubes, checked the carrier bearings, prepped the cover and the rest of the rear for the final push. I ran into a little issue with the brake cylinders, they must be original as the bolts that hold them to the backing plate seem to have shrunk, they are not metric or sae, started to get physical with them and remembered I had one of those gadget tools (a socket full of pins) that may work so I don’t have to chisel or grind them off. We have hit a cold spell here and my garage isn’t heated (oh poor me lol) so I took the last couple of days easy(helped my brother paint his home on Monday). So today I feel guilty for being lazy yesterday. I hope to solve the brake issue in a hour or two then finish prepping the bearings for install, put in the axle seals and axles, c clips..., add the gear and posi lube and close it up. I then have to wait for the control arms to arrive to install the rear, I have everything else I can think of, maybe. I ordered ‘inline’ brake lines they arrived, got drums, brake shoes, axle bearings, hardware kits, middle hose, the only thing I may need is the emergency brake stuff off of the 10 bolt. I spoke with a gentleman in Delaware who will rebuild the 2004R and take care of the internals such as a hardened input shaft, bigger band, larger clutches, a TCI kit that eliminates the lock up control issue(allows overdrive without external control) and the correct speedo gear for 275/60R15’s, and the bracket for column shifter. The last decision I have to make is two fold, upgrade the 350 with heads, cam, intake or go the 383/400 route. The second choice is going carb or efi, which will determine which type of gas tank. I started with a $5k budget and have gone halfway through it if I do the trans upgrades. If I just throw the 2204R in ($120 TCI stuff) I can do any of the above and stay in budget without the efi. 383/400 is $3500 with carb, upper end on the 350 is $2500, trans $950, efi and tank/fuel pump/lines/electrical is around $1600, just replace the tank $150. I estimate I have $5k-$8k equity in the car as I got a good deal, so my budget was low to begin with. Decisions, decisions,lol. I’m blessed to have such problems.

Wow that is impressive, if I can get mine in that kind of shape then she may get some beautiful jewelry such as that!

Yesterday I removed the outer bearing, went to the store of the father of the kid I’m putting through college lol (parts store) and purchased new bearings, ordered new axels and hope to have the rear ready for install this weekend or early next week. Still need to decide on the control arms and bushings.

Yesterday I started to prep the 12 bolt I got for install, my first impulse was change the oil, throw it in. I decided to put new axel seals just because it would be easier to do it with the rear on jack stands, that’s when I found the left axel bearing was missing a roller. Axel has some pitting in the bearing path, so it will be cheaper to do it once than see if it will last, so I now have to order axels. NAPA has the bearing in stock so this morning I’ll be off to the parts store. Do it right do it once, see you can teach an old dog new tricks.

ruff, ruff, lol turns out the guy worked as an engineer at a job I had applied to be the chief at. small world. thanks for the advice. other spending needs have come into the equation so I think I’m going to do this a little more piece meal and just do the uppers at this point