What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

1983 shortbed/ stepside build thread

Overview Gallery Discussion
Here are some pics, this thing is a mess, mud everywhere, even in the bed. I cleaned where the tanks mount but a water main break here put the dampers on that. Under the hood is a mess also, i need more heater hose and have to reroute the hoses for a cleaner look, same with the wiring. I did this with what i had so i could make sure it ran before pumping any more cash into it, thats the job for the weekend. Gota clean under the hood and the bed with degreaser then do new heater hoses and wires . Heres what i have so far.

!cid__0614001152.jpg

!cid__0614001153.jpg
 
Some better pics, engine bay needs cleaning

1st heres the carb, just a better pic, still needs to be rewired.
2nd pic is the tank, finally the beds cleaned, i need to install the other tank brackets so then ill have 2 tanks and enuff fuel to wheel. I had to add a mr gasket 3/4 plastic carb spacer to get the air cleaner high enuf to fit, then it looks stock.

!cid__0617001520.jpg

!cid__0617001518.jpg
 
Last edited:
No pics yet but im doing spray can black duplicolor bed liner in the bed, i dont use the bed except for holding my propane tanks and a spare so it should hold up good. Also added a 2nd tank so i can have around 20 gallons of fuel. Im going to put a t in the line and add a fuel guage that a red litle will go on when i have 2 gallons of fuel left. I finally got the propane to work good, i had a bad seal in the evap/regulator bleading by so it was putting out too much fuel and basicly flooding itself. I bought a new woodward model h-n420, the exact replica as the ohg x-1 i have from hendrix gastrux. When i had it all apart i added a new filter/strainer and a advanced reasearch 121 electric fuel lockoff. Then i rewired it all to fuses and switches. Seems to run decent now, im adding a heated o2 sensor with an air/fuel guage so i can tune it correctly but have to cut and weld the pipe for the bung. Also i installed a 6al with revlimiter and it made a huge differance with my ignition.

I hope shortly to get my yukon 35 spline outers, spicer u joints , warn premiums and get the axle seals changed. That has to be done soon before i change the 205 slip yoke to a 205 fixed yoke.
 
new vaporizer mounting

I moved the vaporizer and shortened the hose, makes it way faster starting. Heres the mount
securedownload.jpg
 
35 spline yukons /35 spline warns...sorry no pics

Today i finally got the 35 spline yukons in, found alot wrong tho, wheel bearings shot, lots of mud packed in the axle tubes, a very rusty mess. i bought new bearings and cleaned it up the best i could. The yukons had to be ground a little but fit in real nice and wow they are beef compared to the 30 spline stockers. I used spicer greaseable joints with full circle clips. To cap it off i also used warn premiums which i hope arent the week link. I plan on running the axle as is till winter hits and then it will come out and get all redone from end to end.

I bought new lines for the propane and now run two 43lb tanks and that gets me 20 gallons of gas. Seems to run well right now and fire right up, a little tuning and all should be good. Also moved the vaporizer to the innerfender because it being on the intake in was getting heat soak.
 
just curious but how long can you run on 20 gallons of propane. do you think its worth the swap and trying to find a place to fill up. and how much does it cost to run propane, like to fill the tank.
 
So far with propane i see 7-8 mpg with my 358. The swap was easy just do your self a favor and buy new. I have 4 tanks that i get filled two 8 gallon and the two ten gallon....totals 36 gallons of fuel. I have 2 local places within a mile that fill the tanks, usually we wheel and ill fill the two ten gallon tanks and im fine for better than a full day. A tank to get filled pricewise is in the 3.00 a gallon range, meaning the 8 gallons are 24.00 and the 10 is 30.00. I was buying vp105 for 10.oo a gallon or sunoco blue for 8.00 a gallon....the cost savings is alot. Propane for me cost alot less even if i use more, i like how it does run like fuel injection and there isnt much too it.
 
o im just goin to guess you got a pretty stout motoor in that rig to have to run race fuel lol. but yea i was wondering about how much it used wheelin all day. cool sounds like alot of money saved
 
The money saved was a big deal to me so i could use it more often. The motor is a worked 350 .040 over....right around 425-450 hp. Ill know soon how for sure it does on a day of hard wheelin.
 
Its been a few years since I have done anything to this thing, its been working great but time for a little change. I just picked up on craigslist a toneau cover and a goodmark cowl hood since ill need the extra room..:D

I just ordered a dual carb adapter to run 2 propane carbs on my 358, also the rebuild kits for my current carb and the vaporizers. The adapter bolted on top of my rpm air gap adds an extra 9 inches of height. Should be doing this in the next 2 weeks when all the parts come. Im going to run one new main fuel line with an adapter so I can run both tanks open. From there up to a filter then to a t or a y(whats available)to a electric fuel lock off for each vaporizer. The vaporizers with be connected to the carbs with a short black pipe instead of the gaan hose, with a bracket on each for extra support. Then I can run the truck from either carb to conserve fuel or when I need more. here is the adapter I ordered, uses one baseplate and no need for a dual quad intake.


images




The other change ill be doing Is pulling out the front Lincoln locker and putting in a new Detroit with 5:13 gears, spicer ujoints along with new bearings and seals. that stuff should complement my 35 spline outers and hubs quite nicely. I picked up a used set of gm 5:13s for my 14b. Hopefully the new gears with the 4 speed and 39s will work good compared to my 456s I currently have.
Ill post pics when I get deeper into all of this, needs to be done by the 2nd weekend of October(local mud bogg). So I have plenty of time to get it tuned and all ready to go.
 
I found a super deal on a goodmark cowl hood and a tonneau cover, finally got the superwinch lp10,000 working. Picked up a xrc 10,000 winch cover since they are cheaper too. I did some big changes to the ignition and the propane kit. I mounted a new impco model e right to the side of a new mmx450 carb(ebay and couldn't pass it up), ran all new fuel line with a new filter and lockoff. It now revs right thru 5500 nice and clean. I recurved the Mallory unilite mechanical advance so that I have now 20 degrees advance. With 14 degrees initial and 20 degrees advance its all in by 2800 rpms. Ill test it out and see how well it does this way. I can also change to a locked out hei since that would prob help too. I will go 2 steps colder plugs and see how that goes.


Recently seen the joe gibbs racing oil with high zinc, I picked up some 15-40 and a wix filter. Changed the power steering pump to a hydroboost style with external reservoir also did the pump mod. I used a smaller pulley with ams oil power steering fluid. My 2x8 ram turns the 39s pretty well, better than before. Still didn't get to do my 5:13 gears or front locker, hopefully soon. A buddy of mine does em a lot so its when he has time. Hopefully I can get to the jb conversions twin stick kit also since the weather has been so decent.


As for the dual carbs, I stalled a little on this. It runs too good now for the moment to pull apart. im still collecting parts to do the install anyway, im waiting on a backordered rebuild kit and another impco model e with orange spring. Going to try the dual x450s and if they are too much ill be going to a set of used impco 425s I picked up.



 
Last edited:
Thanks guys much appreciated. Its taken a few years and super slow but slowly getting there.
 
Thankyou, this week Ill try to get new pics of the new propane setup. I picked up a new msd wire kit and a new cap/rotor. yesterdayi put in a set of peanut plugs in my angle plug heads, that gave me more room for my plug wire boots. I was running heat range #5 plugs before with the initial timing at 12 and 24 degrees advance by 3500. I now changed to a heat range #3 with an initial timing of 14 and advanced 16 by 2800 rpm. That shorter steep curve helped a lot along with a plug gap of 32.
 
Here are a few pics from the local mud bog, it was too thick and tough this year. I used all the skinny pedal I had and only made it 3/4 thru. The pics are going thru the pit backwards.









 
Yea 3 trucks and a jeep on rockwells with bigblocks. Their tires ranged from 44-54 boggers. All other stuff there made it as far as I did and that's about all, it was like a wave of mud pushing thru.
 
Looks like some sticky, gooey mud. I'm sure a good time was had by all. Now you're going to have dried mud clumps appearing under your truck for the next couple of weeks. :haha:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom