Hello From Minnesota

[Hammerhandle]

I purchased a 1976 C10 that Came from Utah, while i was in Arizona, and brought it back with me.

I must admit I am a Die-hard Ford guy, because every bowtie i have owned in the past spent more time broken down, than it did on the road. (yeah, yeah, flame me later)

With that said this C10 hasnt been much different, planned to purchase the truck running and driving (as the Ad stated), but the person who was selling it decided he wanted to rebuild the carb before i showed up, so it was running right.....
he quickly screwed up the carb, (broke secondary butterfly) and decided it would be a great idea to reinstall the carb and try to put the truck in gear when the engine wanted to run wide open.

He decided to do all this while i went to get the cash to buy it, so i get back to a truck that wanted to run wide open, with a broken transmission, oh and because he broke the trans, he in anger punched the windshield...... I seen the truck drive in under it own power, so I was speechless when i got back.
So when i got back the price was reduced significantly.

Right now the truck is in my garage, with a New Windshield installed, a 700r4 replacing the broken THM350, a different carb on and properly rebuilt by me, but once i got it going it had a severe ticking noise now ( it didnt when it pulled in)
So now the engine is awaiting the new cam to show up because one lobe was completely flat, and three lifters so far out of adjustment you would need half a set of feeler gauges to check the lash.

I may be a Ford guy, but i couldnt let this idiot continue to destroy this truck, so its on its way to becoming my non winter Daily/project, I hope to have It back on the road by this saturday.

I also started wire tucking, and trying to repair the multitude of hacked up wiring previous owners had done.

I will gladly start a build thread for you guys to keep track of if you're interested.

[zieg85]

Quite a story, sorry you had to go through all of that.  I've had well over 100 over the years and never had any problematic ones.  Welcome from the St. Louis, MO area!

[Shifty]

Welcome from Tucson!  (Thanks for saving a square from certain doom)

[bd]

Welcome to the forum.  I agree that's quite a story.  Any +40-year-old truck is bound to have an interesting history and some war wounds.  Sounds like you have its recovery well in hand.  We would love to enjoy a build thread.

[Mike81K10]

Wow, the person you bought if from was not very bright. Interesting story and look forward to some pictures of your truck and progress. Now your will get stuck on Chevrolet and get rid of your Fords.

[JohnnyPopper]

Great story, welcome from SoCal!

That moron didn't deserve her, or any truck for that matter. Sheesh!

He probably filled it with 90w to keep the noise down...

[roundhouse]

Welcome.
I don’t discriminate

I have a 74 Bronco and a 76 K10 and a 65 Falcon Wagon

I Have owned many old Fords Pontiacs Mercurys and even a couple of Dodges

[JohnnyPopper]

OMG! Not Dodges!!!

Joke. Mopar has it's own pedigree of wonderful products.

Oh yeah, the Chrysler 300 with the dual 4 barrel 'tunnel ram' intake manifolds!!!

Stock cast iron headers to boot!!!

Takes me back to my youth...

[Mike81K10]

Although I am mostly a Chevy person, I use to have a 76 Bronco 4x4 roundhouse, wish I never got rid of it. I also owned a 1966 Plymouth Sport Fury III that I also wish I still had.

[Hammerhandle]

Thanks everyone,
well the diagnosis is still grim, i finally got her to fire up, ran ok, so i started to bring up the RPMs to break in the new cam, it starts to increase the knock as i start to bring it up in RPMs.

Now I know its bottom end knock, if you have heard it before, its unmistakable. (pretty sure its a spun rod bearing, very faint at idle, and started, went away then came back worse)
The problem to begin with there was so much clatter, before replacing the cam it was hard to decipher what was what.

Engine comes out saturday, i wish i had the money for a 5.3 or 6.0 setup, sadly i will have to settle for some rod bearings and hopefully no crank work, but i wont get that lucky.

[Mike81K10]

Should get your engine machine work done. New bearings most likely will not last if your engine has very many miles on it without your crank being turned.

[VileZambonie]

Think about what it would look like if you went over to the bench grinder, ground down the lobe and lifter, collected all of the particles and then poured them into your engine. Once the cam is wiped, a rebuild is in order. As far as the 5.3L or 6.0L swap, not knocking it (pun), but everybody and their brother has done it. We're at a point where it is refreshing to see period correct engines under the hood too.

[JohnnyPopper]

VZ! How many times do we have to tell you to STOP MAKING SENSE!!???!!

[Hammerhandle]

Think about what it would look like if you went over to the bench grinder, ground down the lobe and lifter, collected all of the particles and then poured them into your engine. Once the cam is wiped, a rebuild is in order. As far as the 5.3L or 6.0L swap, not knocking it (pun), but everybody and their brother has done it. We're at a point where it is refreshing to see period correct engines under the hood too.

Around SE MN you can get a 5.3 or even the 6.0 for the same amount as a older 5.7, heck my go to Salvage yard said they had Zero 5.7's in their yard, and I dont know up to what years would work with the parts i already have (IE changed deck height, etc, etc.)
So really a 5.3 or 6.0 is a very viable option as far as availability, and cost.
Also the machine shop in my area is so busy they needed 2 days to Kuda wash an intake, and valve covers. So as far as time investment as well, a LS (dont they call them something else?) isn't a bad option for quick replacement, except the added retrofit costs, mounts etc.
As of right now, i need to weight cost, time etc because this is my only vehicle besides my Road Glide.

[JohnnyPopper]

I get it, there are less period correct engines out there.

I am encouraged by VZ's comment though.

The '80 I'm banging on will have an orange V8 hiding a 383. Jus sayin...