Howdy, all...just wanted to throw in my $0.02 on a few subjects.
First, projects: I've been doing a little bit of oletruck stuff in my
shop lately, which is welcome change from the other "projects" I've been
into recently! I started assembling the 454 that's been sitting in my
shop most of this year in pieces. This 454 is a wierd engine...I bought
it for $175, including a TH400, it was running when I got it. I tore it
down, and found some really scary stuff...like a missing freeze plug,
mismatched heads, only 2 qts of oil in the pan, cracked flexplate, etc.
The engine had 8 (!) sleeves in it...it had been bored .060 over, then
sleeved to standard, then bored .040 over. The sleeves don't go down to
the bottom of the bores, so the pistons are worn funny. I decided that
I'd just re-ring it and use it for 10 or 20k miles, I figure it won't
last much more than that. So, I should probably not use it in the 57
Suburban, which I intend to drive quite a bit....I'll put it in the 59
Extended cab instead. Then, I'll take the 454 that's now in the Ext cab
and rebuild it. Oh, I need to rebuild the 454 in my 55 Belair also! It
never ends.
Rods/Stock: I love original oletrucks...as long as someone else owns
them! I would rather be able to cruise down the freeway at 75 (with the
cruise, stereo, and a/c on). But, I love to look at originals, and help
folks get them back the way they should be. If I had more covered
storage and more spare $$$, I'd like to have a bone stock 59 fleetside
to match my others...as long as I can keep the modified ones also! It
is fun to drive them, and use the funny pedal starter, and the funky
column shift, and listen to the buzzing AM radio, and feel the smooth
torque of a tight rebuilt stovebolt 6...just not for a daily driver. A
friend in town has a 55 Belair hardtop, just like my hot rodded one, but
his is bone stock, with the original 2bbl 265, gypsy red/shoreline beige
paint, stock resto interior, bias whitewall tires, and all. It's
beautiful! I love seeing it. But, he got it running about the time I
got my 55 running (1996), and he has put fewer than 1000 miles on it.
I've gone almost 30,000 miles in my 55 in that time! including a trip
to Michigan. I think I get more pleasure out of driving my car, but I
know my friend got a LOT of pleasure out of turning a hulk into a
beautiful car just as it rolled off the assembly line. He has done
something wonderful, and I can't knock him for it!
List peeves: I don't mind answering "dumb" questions, we all have to
start somewhere. Remember, the shop manual is written for professional
mechanics, so it leaves a lot to be desired if you are new at this
game. Getting a play-by-play from someone who's BTDT is really
helpful. What I DON'T like is when folks reply to a message, and leave
several pages of previous messages attatched to it! Come on, folks,
please take the time to delete all the other stuff that isn't relevant
to your reply. Incidently, I'm on digest, so I see all the messages as
I scroll down...I get only one oletrucks email each day, and it's a long
one! I can't delete a message if I'm not interested in the subject.
Anyways, sorry for rambling...happy holidays to all!
Jim
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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