355 Tested And Ready To Go In

[ChaseDale3and8]

Guess this is one of those days that things just don't go right! I'm getting frustrated at this computer since I have posted pictures on here before obviously, but this time the links post with no pictures! Perfect end to the day!
http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu353/ChaseDale3and8/045-1.jpg

[ChaseDale3and8]

There's tons of pictures on photobucket. My screen name is the same as it is here if you want to look at more. I just can't get this g&*%$!@ thing to WORK! ....Joe

[CoggedBelt75]

Copy the image code from the pic and paste it to your post

[ChaseDale3and8]

Thanks! I tried that a while ago but couldn't get it to work. Let's see if it'll work this time.

[ChaseDale3and8]

The next morning.







Didn't replace the A/C compressor, but it got taken apart from the brackets, cleaned up, painted and reinstalled. Had to cut a chunk off the bracket that bolts on to the exhaust manifold too. It got cleaned up and painted afterwards, then reinstalled. The power steering pump was making noise, so I bought a re-manufactured one, installed my old pulley, and put new lines on.

[ChaseDale3and8]

[ChaseDale3and8]

There will be more pictures coming later. I have more from today's progress that  I'll post as soon as I get them loaded. It always takes me a while to get anything loaded though, since my computer is getting slow in it's old age.....just like me!  And CoggedBelt75, thanks for the help with getting these up! I was ready to give up! ....Joe

[ChaseDale3and8]

[ChaseDale3and8]

[CoggedBelt75]

Looking good Joe!! Keep the pics coming.

[reload]

Looking good Joe!! Keep the pics coming.

+1

[Tx_Phil]

Really nice.  Going to be one sweet ride when your done!!

[ChaseDale3and8]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments! It keeps me motivated! I finally got the A/C condenser to fit in the core support, and got it all bolted back in today. I don't have the lines reconnected yet, but I'll get to them later. Put my radiator on sawhorses and filled it full of vinegar before I left for work today. I heard that vinegar works pretty good to clean one out since it is a mild acid. We'll see after I let it sit for a couple of days or so! Once I get it cleaned out I'll clean the outside of it up and paint it  and the brackets before I reinstall.

Got to clean up the fan shroud too. Think I'll just give it a basic wash up with some detergent soap and see what it looks like. If I don't like how it turns out, I'm thinking about hitting it with some wax and grease remover, then scuffing it up with a Scotchbrite pad and shooting it with some of that Krylon black paint that is made for plastic. Just have to see what I've got before I make that decision. I'm still waiting on the passenger side headlight buckets that I bought off of eBay from a guy out in California last Friday. Since I live in Missouri, it seems to take a while to get anything from out there.

I'm also going to drop the inner fenders out and wash, scuff, and repaint them. I have some braided stainless steel hose covers still in the package that I bought some time back. They have blue clamp covers. Ya think I oughta put them on too while I'm at it? I'm indecisive on that part right now. I might just make this ugly old truck purty under the hood yet! The body is going to be another story. The old clear coat paint is coming off everywhere! I need the left side cab corner, rocker, etc. all cut completely out and redone from where the last guy really screwed it up, and replace both doors, front fenders, patch the passenger bed side behind the tire, straighten the left bed side, THEN it might just make a nice cruiser yet!

I already have guys at work trying to persuade me to sell, but I'm very attached to this truck, and the ONLY way I'll ever sell is if somebody were to offer me stupid money.......and I mean stupid money for it! I gave $3,500 for it bone stock 9 years ago, and I've lost track of how much I've spent on it over the years. The money doesn't matter to me much though since the enjoyment I've gotten out of this ugly old square makes it all worth it. .....Joe

[ChaseDale3and8]

Ran into a set back. When I hooked the battery up, the wire that goes from that plastic block on the firewall to the fusible link melted in two! I tried to track down and see what is going on here, but  the only thing I can find is a couple of wires that look burned at the bulk head where it plugs in to the fuse box at the firewall.  So I have no power. I replaced the fusible link with a new one and a 30 amp fuse that I got from O'Reilly. It promptly blew that 30 amp fuse right out! So, I have a short somewhere, but I'm not sure WHERE! I'm not great at electrical, and don't have the patience! I've never had ANY electrical issues with this truck until now, and I had it started once already, the day after I swapped this 355 in. So right now I'm scratching my head. Called a local guy that I know of that parts out these old trucks looking for a wiring harness. He's looking to see if he still has one. If he does, I'm just going to re-wire it and be done with it. So, as of now I'm putting off installing the radiator, shroud, hoses until I get this thing wired so that it will run again. Still really bothers me just what happened, since I had it running once, and have never had any issues like this before. All I have is just a few more pictures of the inner fenders painted up, and the other 2 headlights after installation. .....Joe

[ChaseDale3and8]

I bought another wiring harness. I'm going to be wiring it up within the next few days and see what happens. The exhaust system is here now too. I hope I don't have any more issues so that I can finish this thing up and get it back on the road where it belongs. .....