Author Topic: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation  (Read 7068 times)

Offline The Lady In Red

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The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation
« on: April 13, 2010, 08:06:52 pm »
The day we first met.

The pretty green "Abandoned" sticker was what first attracted me to her.  It was love at first sight. I bought it from a woman whose estranged boyfriend "borrowed" it, retarded the timing so it wouldn't start, and gave it a less-than-appealing new coat of rustoleum in silver and orange. He then parked it on the street somewhere (hence the sticker). She towed it home, and got disgusted. I saw her ad online and jumped on the deal for a mere $200.00  :o .



The "New Flowmaster dual exhaust" (as stated in the Craigslist ad) was not all it was cracked up to be.  The right side pipes were laying in the back of the truck...



and the left side pipes were hanging on for dear life.  The rocket-scientist owners boyfriend must have used slip-joint pliers to tighten the clamps  ::) .  OH! and her front rally feet sported bald 235/75/15 sneakers, and the silver rear feet were wearing 33 x 11.50's ... good for the transfer case, huh?



Oh man... This has got to be THE WORST dash I have EVER seen in a CK... the seat is gorgeous for a bench, but the rest of the interior is... well, shot.



Courtship, exploration and discovery

I towed her home, and the next day I found this stuff at Lowes called "graffiti remover".  Look what I found!





The bed is straight as an arrow.  The only flaws I can find are a broken fuel door hinge, and one small rot-spot on the right bedside, rear lower wheel arch.



Absolutely GORGEOUS original rust free gate, complete with superman emblem  ::) .



Decent black rally's under the hideous orange paint, but a rotted right-fender  :-\ .



Even the grille is nice.  The Left fender is pitted like it was peppered with stones. Strangely, it is ONLY above the body line??? No where else.



If you give an idiot a can of spray paint, and something valuable... You will regret it.



Ok... a VERY GOOD set of 4 BF Goodrich All-Terrain 235/75/15's, beauty rings and center caps, compliments of my '84 Silverado parts truck.  I sprayed the rally's flat black (should have been gloss).



Continued ....

Offline The Lady In Red

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The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation. Part II
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2010, 08:53:05 pm »

Our first argument


A bad wheel bearing and leaky seal discovered while checking her out for state inspection. So I installed new ones.



After trying to clean up the brake shoes, I noticed a bad wheel cylinder also  >:( . SOOOOO..... Off they came.



Then re-assembled with new shoes, hardware and wheel cylinders.




Learning the matters of her heart.


Rebulilt 327, bored .30 over (355), new everything except the stock aluminum 4bbl intake from an 86 Camaro, start to finish.






































Our second argument.


I have not had a chance to install the rebuild yet, so I am running the original 305 for now. On my way to work one day, she stalled on me, and would not re-start.  Sounded like a pretty serious timing issue.  Here's what I found:

YUCK!  These gears have not been out of here since Moby Dick was a minnow!



Cam gear...



Crank gear...



Surprisingly clean and damage free crank/keyway, ect...



New timing set...



5 degrees BTDC...



Happy times.

Local gas station...common stop for the Lady...lol



Cleaned up and posing in my yard.  She is far from completely healthy, but getting there one step at a time!



I welcome and look forward to comments, questions, ect...

~Lady's caretaker

Offline beastie_3

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Re: "The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation, Part I
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2010, 01:38:34 am »
Nice find!

Offline Layne

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Re: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation. Part II
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2010, 06:35:57 am »
Look's good. Glad you're slowly resurrecting her.
77 c-10 - 77 400 86 700r4 "Emmy"
83 citation - 2.5L Four on the Floor!
88 sierra - reman 350 700r4 "Eleanor"
All normal practicality and rational money handling goes out of the window when it comes to my truck.

Offline Grover 1

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Re: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation. Part II
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2010, 10:00:28 am »
You have truly saved this truck!!
1978 C-10 SWB
1986 K-10 SWB
1975 C-10 SWB

And here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice - bd

Offline howlinwolf

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Re: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2010, 07:01:13 pm »
nice job man
78 Chevy Custom Deluxe flatbed, PROPANE POWERED

Offline Jacked85K10

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Re: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2010, 07:48:47 pm »
Excellent story. Looking forward to the happy ending.

Offline oldyeller

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  • 81 Chevy 3/4 ton
Re: The Lady In Red" - A story of rehabilitation
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2010, 08:35:29 pm »
Great find.  Good that you thought to use the graffiti remover on it and found a great looking truck underneath. 
1981 Chevy 3/4 ton (aka yeller)
2001 Chevy 1/2 ton extended cab lifted with flames
1950 Dodge Wayfarer all original
1951 Chevy truck
6 extended cab square bodies
Just to name a few