sniperthx1
1/2 ton status
I bought this truck when I was sixteen. It was lifted 4" and had 33" junk tires on it.
It came with a TBI 350, SM465, NP208, and 10b/10b axles geared to 3.73.
I drove it as a daily driver, and wheeled it on the weekends after adding some 35x12.50x15s.
Shortly after I got married, it stopped running and I assumed it was the fuel pump. Unfortunately I had no time to do anything with it as I was being activated by the US Army.
It sat for 4 years with a quarter tank of gas, the battery fried and it was used as a temporary storage place for random parts and the like.
After being discharged from the Army on disability, I now have the time and more importantly, the ambition to build the truck as I would like it.
Shortly before parking it, I had replaced the 10b/10b set with a 10b/14bsf axles, but never got around to hooking up the shocks on the rear axle.
The swaybar is MIA, and the power steering pump was leaking like a sieve.
So, last week I decided to confirm what was wrong with the truck. I put a battery in it from a 92' dodge dakota I use for general use, and figured Id dump a little gas down the intake and see if it wanted to fire.
Turned the key and that truck started right up! This prompted the nickname "Immortal" as that truck wasn't dead, it was just sleeping.
It wouldn't idle, but ran just fine at higher rpms, so I looked around the truck and found that the TBI unit was leaking like a sieve, flooding the engine.
A quick rebuild and the truck idles now. It still idles rough, and backfires a bit, but I need to remove the old gas before I know exactly what running condition it's in.
Barring any further needed work, I turned to fixing the horrible leak on the power steering setup.
I had bought a new power steering pressure hose before I parked it, and had it lying around. So I went to install it.
Wrong hose. After heading over to the parts store, I found out the pump and steering box are out of a 78' or so truck, and they used a flange fitting instead of o-rings on that one.
Bought the right pressure hose, installed it, only to realize that it was the return hose that was leaking.
So, I bought a flanged piece of steel tubing, and bent it up to fit. Problem solved. Filled up the resevoir and bled the system, and it no longer whines at me.
I'm guessing that the old pump and box were damaged when the steering box ripped off the frame earlier in this trucks life, as evidenced by the welded repair panels on the frame. To fix this problem, I installed an Off road design steering box brace. I haven't noticed any further damage since then.
To summarize:
87' Chevy half ton shortbox. Silverado.
TBI 350 with trans dapt throttle body spacer.
SM465 transmission, completely overhauled.
NP208 transfer case.
4'' lift via front springs and rear blocks.
35x12.50x15 Kelly MSR tires.
Swaybar missing (upgrade?
)
Helper springs.
10b/14bsf axles
3.73 gears
High steer arm. (Came on new front axle, not sure it's needed.)
Planned upgrades:
Rear shackle flip. (eliminate the blocks.
)
Remove helper springs.
York On board air.
Hydroboost brakes.
ORD swaybar disconnect and correction. (Or equivalent, and a new swaybar.)
Mount the shocks.
Relocate fuel tank to bed. (Better weight distribution, easier repairs.)
Rock rails.
Winch and bumper. (Hopefully.)
KC lights mounted to front bumper.
HD axles shafts, possibly 14b ff in the future.
Edited to add: Headlight mod.
Edited once more to add: Disc brake conversion on 14b SF.
Progress may be slow. I'm disabled and wrenching usually puts me on my cane and hurting for a few days afterward.
Pics forthcoming, photobucket is being a pain.
It came with a TBI 350, SM465, NP208, and 10b/10b axles geared to 3.73.
I drove it as a daily driver, and wheeled it on the weekends after adding some 35x12.50x15s.
Shortly after I got married, it stopped running and I assumed it was the fuel pump. Unfortunately I had no time to do anything with it as I was being activated by the US Army.
It sat for 4 years with a quarter tank of gas, the battery fried and it was used as a temporary storage place for random parts and the like.
After being discharged from the Army on disability, I now have the time and more importantly, the ambition to build the truck as I would like it.
Shortly before parking it, I had replaced the 10b/10b set with a 10b/14bsf axles, but never got around to hooking up the shocks on the rear axle.
The swaybar is MIA, and the power steering pump was leaking like a sieve.
So, last week I decided to confirm what was wrong with the truck. I put a battery in it from a 92' dodge dakota I use for general use, and figured Id dump a little gas down the intake and see if it wanted to fire.
Turned the key and that truck started right up! This prompted the nickname "Immortal" as that truck wasn't dead, it was just sleeping.
It wouldn't idle, but ran just fine at higher rpms, so I looked around the truck and found that the TBI unit was leaking like a sieve, flooding the engine.
A quick rebuild and the truck idles now. It still idles rough, and backfires a bit, but I need to remove the old gas before I know exactly what running condition it's in.
Barring any further needed work, I turned to fixing the horrible leak on the power steering setup.
I had bought a new power steering pressure hose before I parked it, and had it lying around. So I went to install it.
Wrong hose. After heading over to the parts store, I found out the pump and steering box are out of a 78' or so truck, and they used a flange fitting instead of o-rings on that one.
Bought the right pressure hose, installed it, only to realize that it was the return hose that was leaking.
So, I bought a flanged piece of steel tubing, and bent it up to fit. Problem solved. Filled up the resevoir and bled the system, and it no longer whines at me.
I'm guessing that the old pump and box were damaged when the steering box ripped off the frame earlier in this trucks life, as evidenced by the welded repair panels on the frame. To fix this problem, I installed an Off road design steering box brace. I haven't noticed any further damage since then.
To summarize:
87' Chevy half ton shortbox. Silverado.
TBI 350 with trans dapt throttle body spacer.
SM465 transmission, completely overhauled.
NP208 transfer case.
4'' lift via front springs and rear blocks.
35x12.50x15 Kelly MSR tires.
Swaybar missing (upgrade?
)Helper springs.
10b/14bsf axles
3.73 gears
High steer arm. (Came on new front axle, not sure it's needed.)
Planned upgrades:
Rear shackle flip. (eliminate the blocks.
)Remove helper springs.
York On board air.
Hydroboost brakes.
ORD swaybar disconnect and correction. (Or equivalent, and a new swaybar.)
Mount the shocks.
Relocate fuel tank to bed. (Better weight distribution, easier repairs.)
Rock rails.
Winch and bumper. (Hopefully.)
KC lights mounted to front bumper.
HD axles shafts, possibly 14b ff in the future.
Edited to add: Headlight mod.
Edited once more to add: Disc brake conversion on 14b SF.
Progress may be slow. I'm disabled and wrenching usually puts me on my cane and hurting for a few days afterward.
Pics forthcoming, photobucket is being a pain.
Last edited:
