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1974 Jimmy

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We saw a shirt at the drag strip that sums this up best. It says this, "racers spend money they don't have to impress people they don't know to race people they don't like." Bottom line is, do it your way and be happy. The thought never has even occurred to me that if you patched rust with an aftermarket panel you were no longer having an original truck. Now I think if you bought a fiberglass body that would be a different conversation but that's just the hotrodder in me. If you were mad enough at it though NOS sheet metal does exist. I know a guy that did a full convertible conversion with the NOS sheet metal including the doors.
 
texarback said:
So this is a great point and 100% true.

Let me ask everyone this question...

At what point in the repairing of the body would it go from an original to a tribute type of vehicle? For example, the two rear side panels, the front floors, the two front fenders, hood, tailgate and drivers door all need major repair. If I replace them all 100% with aftermarket parts, do we consider the truck now being more "tribute" or would it still be an original Jimmy?

I've been thinking a lot about this. Do I try to save as much as possible of each of those body parts to retain the originalness of the vehicle or do I take the easier path and just replace. Look, I get that this isn't going to be some museum piece and at the end of the day the vehicle retains the look and feel. I'm really just curious to know how that is viewed by people who see and judge these older vehicles. And, this is a mental defect of mine, I like the idea of original parts when working on this project or in my daily drivers.

Thoughts?
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If you're concerned with original, you picked the wrong candidate, if you have that many panels needing work.
 
I got the transmission and the transfer case put back together. Hope both work when that day comes...

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I rebuilt the transfer case and feel good about it. I took the transmission to a shop and feel equally as goodish.

I found a machine shop that I'm going to use for the engine and have started breaking it down. I've never done this before but the inside seems really bad. First, there was about 2 inches of black peanut butter in the bottom of the oil pan. The heads were filled with what looks like dried caked on black dirt with a fresh layer of gritty oily crude on top of that. The pistons are black. I have one stuck lifter and the other 15 didn't exactly slide right out. All the gaskets are baked on and dried out like the Nevada desert. The passenger side heads are in much worse shape than the drivers and I guess that is due to the head gasket being cracked in 27 different places.

I guess this is normal for a not well maintained engine and it will all clean up just fine. I'm waiting to hear back from the machine shop as to when I can drop it off.

Question: do those guys usually appreciate the engine being cleaned up a "little" prior to drop off or would they rather see all that gunk? Does the gunk help them identify anything? I'm sure they are used to it but if I can help them out by not brining all that crap into their shop then I can clean it up a little.

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As I embark on this next phase, any words of wisdom when it comes to rebuilding a small block 350 or engine rebuilds in general? I'll be relying on the Machine Shop for guidance but is there anything that I should watch for or think about?

The goal is to have a sold as built running engine. I'm not looking to do anything special or crazy with this thing. But, if there are modern day advancements that need to be considered then I'd like to hear about them.
 
Really doesn't matter to them,
They're going to clean it no matter.
You do want to check the casting numbers, block and heads. Post them up here.
I highly recommend going to hyd roller lifter and cam.
Flat tappet lifters in today's market are junk.
 
My uncle made the same comment on the hyd roller lifter. So, that is on my list.

I'll post the casting numbers this evening when I get home.
 
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882, are light casting with double heat rider passage, and 76 cc chambers.
Highly discourage spending any money on those heads.

The 010 block is OK, could be 4 bolt main, could Also have a forged steel crank
 
So talk to me like I'm a 5 year old...lol

On the heads; what is the advantage of replacing them? Better gas mileage, longevity, etc? I assume the cost of replacing them would be greater than just having them refurbed. maybe not. I guess what I'm really saying/asking is this: This engine has pulled campers, played in deep mud, and run up and down the highways of southwest Arkansas. Why the need to change up the components. Especially if all its going to see is mostly around town driving with a little highway play.

I believe the block is a 4 bolt. I just took the oil pan off Sunday and didn't pay any attention to the underside beyond a quick peek. I'm also thinking it is a forged steel crank.

What do you mean by "The 010 block is OK". Is it worth throwing money at?
 
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texarback said:
So talk to me like I'm a 5 year old...lol

On the heads; what is the advantage of replacing them? Better gas mileage, longevity, etc? I assume the cost of replacing them would be greater than just having them refurbed. maybe not. I guess what I'm really saying/asking is this: This engine has pulled campers, played in deep mud, and run up and down the highways of southwest Arkansas. Why the need to change up the components. Especially if all its going to see is mostly around town driving with a little highway play.

I believe the block is a 4 bolt. I just took the oil pan off Sunday and didn't pay any attention to the underside beyond a quick peek. I'm also thinking it is a forged steel crank.

What do you mean by "The 010 block is OK". Is it worth throwing money at?
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I can answer at least the head question. Anybody rebuilding an engine anymore will go with new aluminum heads most of the time. The limitations of your heads make them not worth the money since you could spend the same amount and have a new more efficient aluminum set or cast iron vortec set of heads. Those old stock cast heads just don't flow and produce power like the "newer" stuff. The only reason (I'm happy to be corrected) anyone would bother rebuilding cast iron heads would be if they were going for certain look (like a guy with a '32 Ford Roadster and he wants that cast iron head look on his motor) or if someone wanted to be bone stock on a number matching rebuild.

I'll add I'm kinda impressed you found someone willing to rebuild any of it. It is a dying art, especially rebuilding heads for anything other than race applications, at least in my part of TN. I don't know of anyone that's not at retirement age rebuilding motors around here.
 
The 882 are a smog fyel economy head, prone to cracking. If you do take them in be sure they are checked for cracks. I will be pleasantly surprised if the heads don't have a crack between the valve seats.
Any gm sbc head at 70k plus miles should have at least the exhaust guides replaced, not knurled. (My opinion on knurled) Every valve job the exhaust valves should be replaced. Hard valve seats checked, probably replaced and or installed.
You will see post on the internet of people building 882 and that they can be made to flow, these folks have a rule book to appease or want originality.
Bottom line these heads are not dependable for long term survival
Also avoid 624 same head.
 
jimmyleetn said:
I'll add I'm kinda impressed you found someone willing to rebuild any of it. It is a dying art, especially rebuilding heads for anything other than race applications, at least in my part of TN. I don't know of anyone that's not at retirement age rebuilding motors around here.
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Complete transparency time: I have not talked to the guy that was recommended yet. So, I'm not sure what he will and wont regarding this engine.

Edit: I couldn't find anyone that would work on the transfer case. Every transmission shop I called said no one works on cast iron any more. That too seems to be a dying art.

Thanks to both you and Wes for the direction. Engines are way above my pay grade.
 
They are out there. Np205 is not a difficult t case to rebuild.
Many members here have done their own. Try Phoenix transmissions. Owner is a member here
 
I have an NP203 and I rebuilt it myself. I actually bought a rear planetary gear from Greg at Phoenix Transmission. I also needed some of the needle bearings for the differential carrier assembly and he was also kind enough to offer a NP203 for free if I came to pick it up. I ended up finding the part that I needed from another member. Great guy from what little I've dealt with him.

The rebuild was pretty easy actually. There are a few really good YouTube videos and there isn't anything you can really mess up.

The one issue I did run into is finding the shims to set the end play. I ended up reusing what came out of it but no one makes them any more and I couldn't find anything through a place like McMaster Carr. I called anyone and everyone who rebuilds or supplies parts and they all said good luck.
 
Wes Harden said:
They are out there. Np205 is not a difficult t case to rebuild.
Many members here have done their own. Try Phoenix transmissions. Owner is a member here
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I did not know this about the owner. When the day for a new TH700r4 transmission comes I'll have to give them another look. Every time I look at TCI my wallet trembles.
 
Chickntrk said:
TCI is junk, I’ve seen them not make a trip around the block.
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That's interesting, you're the first one I've heard to have bad experiences with them. There's a local guy that builds hot rods, and just about anything really, and that's all he'll use and he's put them in who knows how many different types of vehicles. That's what I always seem to find is other than monster, which everyone hates for the most part, you get answers all across the board when it comes to transmission rebuild companies.
 
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