The other night the SyFy Channel was showing 1986's Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home. It is the story of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, et al saving a couple of 20th century whales to bring them back to the 23rd century. At various times during the movie, Kirk, Spock, and heroine Gillian ride around in a baby blue, 1976 Chevrolet pick-up truck... a plain, beat-up truck.
I made the connection! My father is driving a beat-up 1979 Chevy pick-up -- virtually the same style as that in STIV! His is darker blue and doesn't have the fan belt squeal of the truck in the movie. Otherwise, his would be a good stand-in for that movie truck.
Maybe what I'm trying to do is justify the expenditure of $960 last week on my father's truck. The brakes were pretty bad. Soft, mushy brake pedal and the rears would lock up under normal pressure. I brought the truck to Pep Boys, and they gave it their diagnosis. Master cylinder was flaky, both rear wheel cylinders to the rear drum brakes were leaking, brake shoes were worn down to the rivets, and the wheel drums themselves were scored. Fortunately, the front disc brakes were good. I was expecting a $200 brake job. Nope. We're talking about a 1979 Chevy pick-up but not an ordinary one. This truck had an extra heavy-duty, leaf spring rear suspension and extra heavy-duty rear drum brakes. This meant finding a master cylinder for the extra heavy-duty brakes and dealing with huge rear drums which had the wheel bearing built into them and not into the axle. The special master cylinder was not in stock. The huge rear drums were too big to fit the brake lathe at Pep Boys and had to be farmed out to a machine shop. (Fortunately, the drums did not need to be replaced. If they were to be changed, it would be impossible to find such drums.) All this took extra time and extra cost. The master cylinder was finally cross-referenced to a 1982 Chevy truck and shipped in. The drums were finally turned at the machine shop. The brake shoes, springs, wheel cylinders, and bearings were installed (removal and replacement of those bearings in the drum was especially troublesome, due to the snap rings breaking).
With all that work done to the brakes, now you can confidently stop the beast. With all that work done, now the truck can be used a bit longer. However, it still needs $1,200+ in suspension work. At least, it has a strong, 350 cu. in. (5.7L) V8 with 4-barrel carburetor and 155 horsepower.
It needs to be baby blue like the movie truck,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Back in February, I bought some new aftermarket seat belts for the pick-up. They didn't fit! My father came up with a different solution; he bought some good, used belts from a junkyard, cleaned them up, and installed them.
Now with working 3-point seatbelts,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Quote from: me on January 25, 2016, 10:25:34 PM...it still needs $1,200+ in suspension work.
For about $980 I had the all the upper A-arm bushings, left lower ball joint, and sway bar bushings replaced, and a sway bar bracket straightened, all fittings lubed, and power brake booster check valve replaced. The steering is still too light, due to a problem with the steering gearbox; a replacement plus installation would have an estimated cost of $425 to $475. That will have to wait for another day.
Is the truck ready for the freeway! Not yet. The truck came with rotting, almost obsolete 9.50 x 16.5 tires. Replacing them with radial tires in a more common size would require 16-inch. 8-lug rims, not 16.5-inch, 8-lug rims. So, I have a choice - get the harder-to-find, more expensive, original size tires or get more common wheels from a junkyard in order to buy more common, less expensive tires.
In California for awhile,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Quote from: me on August 11, 2016, 11:39:11 PM...I have a choice - get the harder-to-find, more expensive, original size tires or get more common wheels from a junkyard in order to buy more common, less expensive tires.
I did some checking. Only one radial tire is made in the 9.50 x 16.5 size - the Firestone Transforce HT. Internet price is $160, and it weighs in at 40 pounds. There are many choices for the equivalent 245R75 x 16 size tire. Not the cheapest but certainly one of the lightest is from Hankook. It comes in at 32 pounds. Though its load rating is not E (which the Firestone has), that significantly lighter weight makes for less unsprung weight for the truck to lug around. Less unsprung weight makes for better handling, braking, and acceleration.
Back from filming an event for 8 hours almost non-stop,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
O.K., that's it. No more spending on the Chevy truck for awhile. Other than ordering the original ashtray/cigarette lighter compartment from eBay (the one in the truck had pieces missing and wires hanging loose), I spent money and bought a Spectre reusable air filter to replace the old, paper filter. The Spectre engine air filter was a K & N look-alike at less than half the cost of the name brand. Yes! More airflow to the 4-barrel carburetor...
How custom,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Quote from: me on August 11, 2016, 11:39:11 PM...I have a choice - get the harder-to-find, more expensive, original size tires or get more common wheels from a junkyard in order to buy more common, less expensive tires.
I went to Kennedy Auto Dismantlers on Wednesday and picked up four, used, white-painted, 16-inch steel wheels that they had scrounged from the autoyard. Price - $80.
Besides the dirt, there was some rust on the rims. The outer face of the wheels needs repainting. My decision - keep the paint white as were the wheels on the Chevy truck in Star Trek IV or paint them a more trendy silver. Well, the wheel style is not the same as what was on STIV, and so, keeping them white-painted is less necessary. Also the original hubcaps will not fit the replacement wheels; I'll have to buy hub center caps (chrome or black) and chrome-plated lug nuts (maybe acorn style?). Four wheels times eight lugs = 32 lug nuts (but the lug nuts are only sold in packages of 5, which means I will some left over). Also I'll have to buy four metal valve stems.
The weather is getting colder, and painting the wheels outdoors will be problematic. I must pry off the old wheel weights and rubber valve stems, wash/degrease the wheels, sand/wirebrush the rust, scuff up the rest of the old paint with sandpaper, wipe down the wheels, apply self-etching primer, and apply the finish coats of paint and clear gloss. Yeah, painting in cold weather is no good. Perhaps we'll have a spell of California warmth in the next weeks.
The replacement wheels are have plenty of width to accommodate wider tires. I've nixed the idea of buying a set of new 245/75-16 tires and will go with the set of 265/70-16 (about 3/4 inch wider in tread than 245/75's) take-offs that my brother gave to my father some time ago. The nearly-new tires were stored indoors, and so, they have not deteriorated from tire rot. However, there are only 2 of them, and I'll have to buy another 2 new or used. I'm leaning toward new tires. Discount Tire Center (not in my parents' town but in my town) is advertising a no-name, new tire of that size for $93 each.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
For $240, today the Chevy got a new dual-exhaust system, complete with standard mufflers, H-pipe crossover, and chrome tips. (A bit of bling on the old truck!) Everything is so nice and shiny and new!
It took the shop 3 hours to cut away the old, single-exhaust, damaged-muffler system and put in the new one. The mufflers are aluminized, but the rest of the pipes are straight steel. It would take a lot of exhaust paint and crawling on my back to paint that steel (do I want the look of rusty pipes?). I'm away from the parents' home for a couple of weeks, but if the weather is warmer, perhaps I can paint the pipes one section at a time every time I get to their house.
I had to be very specific with the shop. A few days ago when I was getting his estimate, the owner would try to lead me to more expensive mufflers and outrageously sized pipes. Then when I brought the truck in to confirm their estimate, the owner backed down somewhat but suggested a Flowmaster pair of mufflers. Sounded good until I went to the Flowmaster Muffler website and discovered he was trying to steer me into the wrong set of mufflers that wouldn't have matched the truck (he didn't have the correct model of Flowmasters in stock). So, that's when I returned and just asked for the standard, 2-year guaranteed mufflers, no Flowmasters. It's a good thing I watched the installation for the 3 hours the truck was on the rack. The owner (who did all the primary work himself) would ask my opinion on what angle behind the rear tire the exhaust pipes would be bent, how far the chrome tips would stick out, and how level would the pipes were when viewing the rear of the truck. More importantly, I had to remind him to put in that H-pipe, which he had forgotten.
Even with the bit of hassle the owner had given me, he installed the system excellently. He checked and rechecked his measurements, his pipe cuts, and his welds. After he had finished, then one of his workers went back and rechecked everything with a few touch-up welds as the truck's engine was running. Now that is being very thorough!
The truck was much quieter now that it didn't have to breathe through a damaged, restrictive, single muffler. As I drove it through downtown, I couldn't test out the new system. Finally, I got to the outskirts of town and stepped on the gas. Whoa! Instead of noisily crawling up to highway speed, the truck now smoothly accelerated briskly to speed. Still not sports car acceleration but it really showed its new energy from about 15 mph to 55. I didn't try flooring it; perhaps I should have, because then the 4-barrel carb would have really opened up (2 barrels for normal cruising and acceleration, the extra 2 barrels for power acceleration). Of course, with the iffy tires on the truck right now, I think it's a good thing I didn't floor it. In fact, with the iffy tires, I shouldn't be running the truck at 55 at all. :)
With the new dual exhaust, the truck now has an extra 40 horsepower!
A significant increase in power,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Quote from: me on December 03, 2016, 12:10:33 AM...will go with the set of 265/70-16 (about 3/4 inch wider in tread than 245/75's) take-offs that my brother gave to my father some time ago. The nearly-new tires were stored indoors, and so, they have not deteriorated from tire rot. However, there are only 2 of them, and I'll have to buy another 2 new or used. I'm leaning toward new tires.
I had accumulated plenty of points with my Sears/K-Mart rewards card, and so, I ordered two Sears Guardsman 265/70-16LT tires. Total price with my points applied - about $12! I picked them up the other day and confirmed that they were white-lettered (sporty!). I then put them into storage along with the other two tires that were already there.
Still waiting for warmer weather so I can paint the wheels,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
QuoteI had accumulated plenty of points with my Sears/K-Mart rewards card, and so, I ordered two Sears Guardsman 265/70-16LT tires. Total price with my points applied - about $12!
A couple of months ago, I had accumulated more points and ordered another Sears Guardsman tire. Total was about $8! Now all it needs is one more Sears tire, but right now I only have 38 cents in points.
QuoteStill not sports car acceleration but it really showed its new energy from about 15 mph to 55.
I was troubled by the truck not idling very smoothly. A few weeks ago, my father brought it in for a recent smog check where they found ignition problems and fuel delivery problems. He bought parts I requested in order to cure the problem. I haven't gotten around to putting in the new distributor cap, rotor, and coil, because they are buried deep in the back of the engine compartment. And the in-line fuel filter is a bear to replace. I did the relatively easy fix for now... replace the spark plug cables. One at a time, I removed each old one and replaced each with a new one. The old cables looked as if they had been there forever. When I got to the cylinder 7 cable, I found that the boot around that plug had been wrapped with electrical tape! I asked my father about that crummy fix. He said that the smog guys had done it to make it pass smog! Well, that wasn't right.
With the new cables in, the idle was smoother, but still I wanted more. I had seen the Youtube video from ChrisFixIt on the best cylinder cleaners. After he tested several, the best one for removing carbon deposits on the valves and upper parts of the cylinders was SeaFoam Spray. I decided to use it on the Chevy (before trying it out on my Ranchero. See the 72 Ford Ranchero thread). I followed the instructions exactly, wondering whether it was too harsh for the engine (as reported in some car forums). I sprayed it in, which took 5 or more minutes. Then I let the SeaFoam "cook" for 15 minutes with the engine off. I restarted the truck and drove the truck up to 55 mph for a few miles (though it said in the instructions to drive aggressively. In an old truck? With its still iffy tires? Nah!)
The results -- the idle is now silky smooth!!! The 0 to 15 mph range is no longer as rough, and acceleration is smooth throughout the truck's acceleration range! I was very impressed.
I drove the truck again today. The engine is still smooth. It's hard to believe that I'm running on an old engine from 1979. Now what is the mileage on that motor?! :)
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
June 10-11 Pacific Commodore Expo NW -
http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
July 29-30 Commodore Vegas Expo v13 -
http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
P.S. More troubling is the puddle of oil I found under the rear axle of the truck. It had been sitting for several days since my father last used it. I looked at the center of the rear axle. Oil was splashed over the axle bottom. I will take it to Valley Differentials, hopefully tomorrow. (They were the ones who rebuilt the Ford Crown Vic's rear end.) If it's a bell housing cover leak, that is relatively easy to replace the gasket. If it's a leak at the front pinion gear seal, that is more involved and more expensive.
Quote from: me on April 28, 2017, 02:11:54 AMMore troubling is the puddle of oil I found under the rear axle of the truck. It had been sitting for several days since my father last used it. I looked at the center of the rear axle. Oil was splashed over the axle bottom. I will take it to Valley Differentials...
I brought it to Valley Differentials, and Miles, the shop owner/mechanic, verified that the oil was coming from the front seal of the diff. I also asked for a complete fluid change. After finishing work on a early 60's Rambler station wagon (!), he got to the truck. As he worked on the front and rear of the diff, I noticed how meticulous he was. He really knew his stuff! He drained the fluid, and with the front and back of the differential open, he even sprayed the interior with carburetor spray in order to clean out any remaining old gunk and varnish. My mechanics in Visalia who do an ordinary diff fluid change don't do that. If it weren't for two phone calls and a visit from another customer who wanted to gab, he would have been finished earlier, but at just over an hour he was finished. Total cost - about $180.
A reasonable price in my opinion,
Robert Bernardo
June 10-11 Pacific Commodore Expo NW -
http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
July 29-30 Commodore Vegas Expo v13 -
http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
Quote from: me on August 11, 2016, 11:39:11 PMThe steering is still too light, due to a problem with the steering gearbox; a replacement plus installation would have an estimated cost of $425 to $475.
I took the truck to Hewitt Alignment today, and they removed the old steering gearbox, flushed the steering system, installed a rebuilt gearbox (adequate but not perfect... the other rebuilts they tested were no good), aligned the front wheels, and lubed all the fittings. Total cost - $451. Now the truck has steering feel!
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
P.S. I got an estimate on installing a modern CD/radio in the truck from Autosound Warehouse. New Pioneer 6900 with two 6 x 9 speaker boxes (for placement in the rear corners of the cab... I don't want to cut into the doors), and a couple of 6 x 9 speakers - estimated $400. (Ouch!) Right now it's cheaper to get some new taillight lenses and a emergency brake pedal pad from LMCTruck.com :)
Quote from: me on April 28, 2017, 02:11:54 AMNow all it needs is one more Sears tire...
With points and Sears "Freecash", I bought the last Sears tire for about $54. The only problem is that they won't ship it to the Sears in my parents' town. I have to go about an hour west to the Sears in Antioch in order to pick it up.
I should get those wheels finished and the new tires installed now that the weather here in the Central Valley is spring-like (76 degrees F. during the day).
FWIW, a few weeks ago one of the old, crumbling radials on the truck self-destructed at low-speed while my father was turning into a driveway. The worn spare tire was no better, and now when stepping on the brakes hard, the truck pulls to one side.
Finally,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
P.S. Several weeks ago my father had a backyard mechanic friend troubleshoot the engine's propensity to stall. New, mechanical fuel pump installed; that helped for awhile. With more troubleshooting, it was discovered that there was a severe vacuum leak at the base of the carburetor. With a new gasket/spacer, the leak was cured.
The old Chevy has not been used since last September. However, I have plans to get it going again! A few weeks ago I installed new rear brake light lenses, the chromy ones instead of the standard ones! Picture a beat-up truck with new shiny parts on the rear! ;) In a few days, I'll finally install two 16-inch wheels with new tires. These are the wheels that I bought from the junkyard some time ago. When in Stockton, I would spend time getting them ready - first a wash, then a sanding, then a wash again, then Rustoleum primer paint, then clear-coat paint. This process was slow, because I was in Stockton only a few days at a time, and I could not follow up right away.
But now the wheels are ready! I'll be in Stockton soon, get the wheels out, get the new Sears tires which had been in storage, bring the wheels and tires to the nearby tire shop for mounting and balancing, bring them back to the truck, jack up the truck, and place them on the truck with new, chrome wheel nuts from Pep Boys. The wheels are silver, and with the new wheel nuts, they should be quite noticeable on the old truck! Old truck... newish parts hanging off of it!
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
P.S. The day after the wheel/tires are installed, I plan to take the truck to the local muffler shop and have some damage to the right rear tailpipe repaired. Then if there is time, it's off to the welding shop to have a support bracket rewelded to the truck bed and to patch a hole in the truck bed.
Quote from: me on September 13, 2018, 05:32:15 PMI'll be in Stockton soon, get the wheels out, get the new Sears tires which had been in storage, bring the wheels and tires to the nearby tire shop for mounting and balancing, bring them back to the truck, jack up the truck, and place them on the truck with new, chrome wheel nuts from Pep Boys.
Well, a change in plans. The nearby tire shop mounted the wheel/tires, but they couldn't balance them, due to not having the correct center fitting for my type of wheel. So, I had to go to Hewitt Alignment a few blocks away, and they balanced them.
The tire/wheel combo weighed 65 pounds and hoisting each onto the truck was not easy. Also my aftermarket hydraulic jack did not lift the truck high enough (I needed 1/2 an inch more!), so I had to buy another jack which lifted higher.
After much time, they were installed. And the chrome lug nuts did not come from Pep Boys (they didn't have 9/16 x 18 RH ones). I had to order those from SummitRacing.com
QuoteThe day after the wheel/tires are installed, I plan to take the truck to the local muffler shop and have some damage to the right rear tailpipe repaired. Then if there is time, it's off to the welding shop to have a support bracket rewelded to the truck bed and to patch a hole in the truck bed.
Nope, I couldn't do that. When I tried to start the truck, the starter rattled... a tell-tale sign that the battery was dead. I hooked up some jumper cables to it and tried again. No start. I surmised that the gas tank was empty (fuel gauge does not work). In all these months, the little gas that was in the truck may have evaporated. Off to Auto Zone to buy a gas can. Off to the gas station to fill up the little can. Then back to the truck. Repeat and repeat. Finally, after 4 gallons in the tank, the truck still wouldn't start (jumper cables still attached). O.K., open the hood, remove the air cleaner cover, pour a tiny bit of gas down the carburetor throat, and then try to start. Success! The truck first hiccuped a bit through the carb throat, but then it caught. Yeah! I warmed it up for about 10 minutes and removed the jumper cables.
But because of the questionable battery, I dared not shut off the engine. I drove the truck to the nearby gas station, put a few more gallons of gas in the tank (engine running), and then drove the truck a couple of miles. The next day I tried to restart the truck. No go. Ack! That battery! I hooked up the battery charger to it and slow-charged it for 12 hours. Then I brought it to O'Reilly's for a load test. Yeah, it was no good.
Having a conventional battery in a truck that sits for weeks or months (without trickle-charging) kills such a battery. I'll have to take the next step up and get a more expensive AGM battery (which can withstand long periods of storage). Since I'm leaving for Oregon tomorrow (in the Crown Vic), I plan to buy it there -- no sales tax! I just have to decide whether to buy from O'Reilly's (which has a gift card incentive), Auto Zone, or Sears (the highly-rated Advanced Gold AGM which is the most expensive of the three, but with customer points given).
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Update on the Chevy pick-up. An O'Reilly's AGM battery was installed, and all is well in starting the engine now. I installed another new tire/repainted wheel combo on the right front but haven't had time to install another combo on the left front. (Too much traveling with too little time to work on the truck.) Perhaps I can install that combo before I leave for Oregon tomorrow. Upon the installation of that fourth tire/wheel, I'll have one more, the last one being the spare tire. Since I only received 4 used wheels originally, I need a wheel to match those. The junkyard probably wouldn't have a matching one, but I have found new ones being sold through SummitRacing.com. After the 15th, I'll order that. When it arrives, I'll install the last, new tire that I have in storage.
After inspecting the truck bed, I see that it needs more than a small weld on the bed floor. There is a gaping hole in the front panel of the bed. That would have to be replaced with a new one that bolts on, but that would require the entire bed to be removed!
Back from the East Coast of the USA,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
All wheels/tires have been replaced on the truck, and that includes the spare. However, it still does a front "shimmy" when I brake. I took it to Hewitt Alignment for an inspection, and they say that the front brakes will have to be redone. At the end of the month, I plan to take the truck into Pep Boys for that.
Moisture has gotten into the gas tank. How do I know? Well, when I was running the truck low on fuel, that bad gas was being scraped off the bottom of the tank and made for rough idling and a smelly exhaust. Fresh gasoline would just sit on top of the bad gas (water being heavier than gasoline). I haven't decided whether I should try and keep running the truck over time, hoping the bad gas is all used up, or whether I should have the gas tank dropped and the bad gas drained out. The truck will definitely need a new gas cap to prevent moisture from getting in.
From LMCTruck.com, I order a couple of wheel caps, an owner's manual, a fender brace, and a glovebox screw. $65! That should arrive next week. From Autozone, I ordered a pair of Gabriel Ultra rear shock absorbers, and those should come in on Saturday.
Little by little,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on January 17, 2019, 06:56:51 PMFrom LMCTruck.com, I order a couple of wheel caps, an owner's manual, a fender brace, and a glovebox screw. $65! That should arrive next week. From Autozone, I ordered a pair of Gabriel Ultra rear shock absorbers...
Wheel caps and rear shock absorbers installed. The caps were relatively easy, but installation of the shock absorbers was out of my league... too many rust-frozen nuts and bolts on the old mounts of the old shocks. I brought it to the nearby tire shop where they doused the nuts/bolts with rust penetrant and got an impact wrench on them. With the new rear shocks on, the truck doesn't have the forward-and-backward pitching anymore. I'm so encouraged by the improved ride (and seemingly improved braking) that I will gather more points at Autozone so I can get a $20 discount for a pair of front shock absorbers.
Little by little,
Robert Bernardo
April 27-28 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
Quote from: me on February 06, 2019, 03:01:44 PMI'm so encouraged by the improved ride (and seemingly improved braking) that I will gather more points at Autozone so I can get a $20 discount for a pair of front shock absorbers.
I couldn't wait to gather points, so I went to Amazon.com, found the same shock absorbers (for a slightly cheaper price than the Autozone discounted ones), and ordered the shocks. They should arrive by the 15th, and then I'll have them installed.
Little by little,
Robert Bernardo
April 27-28 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
Until the broken fuel sending unit or gauge is replaced, it is a guesstimate of how much gas there is really in the truck. Well, I always try to have $20 of gas in the tank. The other weekend on a trip to the local dump, the truck ran out of gas! How can that be? Ah, somebody must have siphoned out the gas in the middle of the night. :( So, my brother rescued me with a can of gas, and as soon as I got back, I put in another $10 worth. I also put a locking gas cap on the filler pipe. Thinking all was well, I parked the car and went back to Visalia.
I returned to Stockton a few days ago and thought that I should run the truck and put in another $10. Now the truck won't start! It cranks, but it seems that no gas is getting to the carburetor. The only reason I can think of is that when the truck ran dry, it sucked up all the crud at the bottom of the gas tank, and the crud clogged the fuel filter. (Sigh)
The weather is turning rainy now, and I can't work on the truck out in the open in the rain. I'm leaving Stockton, and replacing the gas filter will have to wait until I return.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
April 27-28 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
Quote from: me on January 17, 2019, 06:56:51 PMI took it to Hewitt Alignment for an inspection, and they say that the front brakes will have to be redone. At the end of the month, I plan to take the truck into Pep Boys for that.
The brakes will have to wait. I just spent several hundred dollars getting the truck to pass the smog check! A month ago I brought it in, and it failed. Hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides were too high, and the evaporative emissions system was leaking. Advice from the smog test shop - replace the 40-year old rubber hoses on the evap. system and get a tune-up. O.K., I removed the old spark plugs, and whoever put them in before me didn't do a good job. The old plugs had a gap ranging from .035 to .043, with most of them around .035. Factory spec should be .045. I changed the spark plugs for Autolite Platinums, making sure they were at .045. Then I brought the truck to Stockton AutoCare where they replaced the evap. emission hose at the gas tank and installed a new distributor cap, distributor rotor, and coil for me (I couldn't do that last part, because Chevy 350 V-8's have their distributor way in the back of the block. A big pain, literally, to change!). With the new parts, I brought the truck back to the test station, and it passed the test with flying colors!
Whew! Stockton AutoCare thought that catalytic converters would have to be installed to lower the emissions (the truck did not originally have them). That would have been an extra $500!
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
August 10-11 Commodore Vegas Expo v15 - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
Quote from: me on January 17, 2019, 06:56:51 PMI took it to Hewitt Alignment for an inspection, and they say that the front brakes will have to be redone. At the end of the month, I plan to take the truck into Pep Boys for that.
Well, it took longer than the end of the month, but I finally had the front brakes rebuilt! Back in 2015, I had the rear brakes done at Pep Boys and I thought they could repair the truck again. Wrong! When I brought the truck in and had it inspected, the service manager started making excuses, like parts were not in their catalog, they'd have to tie up a bay waiting days for parts, the parts they would get were not assured to fit and would have to be returned, thus using up more time. In other words, he refused to work on the truck!
So, I went to Stockton Autocare. They had the truck ready in one day!!! Both front calipers replaced (the original left one was frozen), new pads installed, rotors reground, and the left front brake hose replaced (the original was plugged). Two hours of labor at $85 per hour. $208 in parts. What was difficult about that, Pep Boys?!
Power brake booster still needs to be replaced; the original has power braking on the first brake press but loses power with an immediate, consecutive brake press. (Vacuum has to build up.) With flood insurance to pay in November and property tax to pay in December, I've delayed the $300 fix for that until January.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
P.S. When the 1990 Crown Vic had its fuel pump fail just outside of Stockton, I had it towed into Pep Boys, Again the service manager starting making excuses, saying that his store was just a training facility, that the mechanics wouldn't be able to diagnose, etc.. That did it. I told him that I'm never coming to Pep Boys again, brought my car to Stockton Autocare, and had the fuel pump repaired in a day.
Just received a new dash panel to go around the instrumentation on the Chevy truck. The old panel was cracked and dull. The new one is wood-grain! Hey, it was the same expensive price as the a replacement black one, and I thought a little more bling would be appropriate to the dull truck interior. The new one gives a more upscale impression.
The clear plastic that covers the instruments is still dull, but a new, more transparent plastic will be ordered in a few days. (Right now, with the dull one, you can't even read the speedometer at night with the lights on.)
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
August 10-11 Commodore Vegas Expo v15 - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
Quote from: I on January 17, 2019, 06:56:51 PMAll wheels/tires have been replaced on the truck, and that includes the spare.
Sadness! I was driving the Chevy at 10:30 p.m. just to warm up the engine and keep it up to snuff. I was headed south on south El Dorado Street which is on the outskirts of Stockton. The middle of nowhere! I then heard a loud whoosh of air and felt the truck slowing down and start shaking. Uh-oh, flat tire?! I pulled over under the street light of one of the few houses on the street. Too dark to see exactly but the right rear tire looked like a goner. I was without my cell phone, and so, I made the 3-mile walk back to my parents' house, walking fast just in case any strangers/homeless people jumped out of the dark at me. I made it back home with only one guy walking through the park near the house saying, "Do you have any matches? Cigarettes?" Still walking fast, I replied brusquely, "No matches. No cigarettes."
The next day I drove over to the Chevy by using my mother's Buick. There was a huge sidewall split on the right rear Sears tire. And the tire hadn't even had 150 miles on it. There was no warranty on the tire. I had the truck towed back to my parents' house and removed the wheel that night, brought it over to WalMart the next day, and had them install a no-name Dexteros tire. $127 but this time with a road hazard warranty. I put that on the truck that night.
The question is will the other Sears tire on the left rear fail, too?
There's always something,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
No repairs on the Chevy truck currently, because all monies are going to a rebuilt engine for the 1988 Mercury Colony Park station wagon!
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on October 03, 2019, 11:32:52 PMPower brake booster still needs to be replaced; the original has power braking on the first brake press but loses power with an immediate, consecutive brake press.
The brake booster was replaced a few months ago, and now when I step on the pedal hard, the truck locks it brakes... just the way it's supposed to. :)
Right now the truck is in Stockton Autocare for more work to get it ready for the freeway. The fuel sending unit is being replaced so I can have a working gas gauge, right rear inner fender brace support is being tack-welded on (so the brace can be attached), u-joints being inspected and replaced if necessary, cigarette lighter socket (power outlet) being fixed, and mysterious banging sound under the cab (when I turn at slow speeds) being investigated.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on May 07, 2020, 11:53:12 PM...u-joints being inspected and replaced if necessary...
The two in-line driveshafts were checked, and out of 3 universal joints, one was questionable, and the center carrier bearing between the driveshafts needed to be replaced. So, to be safe, all u-joints and that bearing will be replaced.
Last week I received a new, 4-row, shiny aluminum radiator from BrothersTrucks.com. What a thing of beauty (in a machine sense)! As soon as I can get some time, I'll dig under the hood, haul out the old, 3-row radiator, and install the new one along with a new thermostat.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on May 10, 2020, 11:46:18 PMSo, to be safe, all u-joints and that bearing will be replaced.
That was a big $770 for all the repairs in May. Now a pause in the truck spending until late June. :)
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on May 10, 2020, 11:46:18 PM...I'll dig under the hood, haul out the old, 3-row radiator, and install the new one along with a new thermostat.
I started small... that is, I started with installing the thermostat. I thought it was going to be a quick job. Wrong! The thermostat housing has been bolted to the block for 41 years, and the bolts did not want to budge! I finally got a 25-inch breaker bar and began with the left bolt. After a lot of pushing, the bolt finally gave, and I got it out. The right bolt was a different matter. Attached to that bolt was a bracket with a housing that had vacuum and electrical lines going into it. When I connected the breaker bar to that bolt and started turning, the bracket started turning, too. So much so that the housing would make contact with the carburetor. I heard cracking noises; those were coming from the plastic housing! Not good! In order to prevent the bracket/housing from moving, I had to wedge a crowbar between it and the cast iron intake manifold. So, when I would turn counter-clockwise on the bolt, I had to also pull on the crowbar so that the bracket wouldn't move! After several tries, the bolt started moving ever slowly. Patience was the key. Turn the bolt, pull the crowbar. Repeat. Thank goodness the breaker bar gave me the leverage. Finally in the last threads of the bolt, I got a socket wrench onto it and got the rest of it removed relatively easy.
I examined the bolt. It was not a bolt but a stud! The stud had gone through the bracket and had a nut attached. I had been wrenching on a nut that wouldn't give. I disassembled the nut from the stud, and the bracket/housing was free.
The bracket/housing was damaged. The plastic nipples for the vacuum hoses had sheared off cleanly. Maybe I could reglue them together temporarily. For that, I bought some silicone gasket maker (silicone caulking). I cleaned off the area to be glued together (even after that, it was not perfectly clean), and I applied the silicone. I held everything together with masking tape so that pressure was applied to the connection as the silicone dried. It took 24 hours for the silicone to cure to full strength.
In the meantime, I looked on-line to find a new unit, thinking that the temporary fix was just that... temporary. But what was this unit called! I looked under carburetion. No. I looked under pollution controls. No. I consulted smog control diagrams on Google. I looked at top-of-the-engine photos on Google. Finally, I spotted the unit! It was called a TCS solenoid! Throttle-controlled spark solenoid. No regular automotive parts outlet carried it. Howver, it was new and shiny on eBay. I've ordered it. $75!
I've reassembled everything for the time being as I await the new TCS solenoid. The new thermostat was inserted, the thermostat housing cleaned of the old gasket, new gasket mounted with gasket sealent, the housing mounted on top, left bolt torqued to 30 foot-pounds, right stud inserted and torqued to 30 foot-pounds, the old , silicone-glued TCS remounted along with a new nut and lock washer torqued to a few foot-pounds (so that it can be removed easily without the stud moving out with it), and vacuum hoses and electrical connection reattached to the TCS solenoid.
I also got a new, upper radiator hose (the old one looked tatty at one end). I refilled the cooling system. Now it's off for a drive to test out the new thermostat!
That took a long time,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Quote from: me on May 10, 2020, 11:46:18 PM...I received a new, 4-row, shiny aluminum radiator from BrothersTrucks.com. What a thing of beauty (in a machine sense)!
Installing the new radiator was not easy. Everything was going smoothly in the removal of the 41-year old original radiator until I got to the automatic transmission fittings. The steel nuts which were screwed into the radiator tank were frozen. Even after squirting them with WD-40, I couldn't budge them. I couldn't get enough leverage on the nuts to remove them with a regular, open-end wrench. I finally had to resort to vice-grips and brute force. The nuts groaned noisily under the pressure, but they finally started turning. Whew... no damage to the transmission lines. I got the nuts removed, moved the lines out of the way, and pulled out the old radiator. I slid the new, oversize radiator into its location. The rubber, mounting pads, which were meant for the narrower, old radiator, were now not large enough to stretch over the new radiator. But they'll have to do. The radiator mounting panel had to have a piece cut out of it in order to accommodate the filler neck of the new radiator. The problem again was the nuts on the old transmission lines. They did not want to screw easily into the new radiator. I had to be careful to thread them in, i.e., I didn't want to cross-thread them. Even when I thought they were in, it took a few forceful tries on the vice-grips to tighten them enough so they wouldn't leak any trans fluid. But they finally were in.
The new radiator works well. The big test is when I have Vintage Air a.c. installed next year. Then I'll see how well the radiator deals with the increased heat load during a California hot summer.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Aw, in its first big test of freeway driving, the Chevy C30 failed! I was to drive the truck from Stockton to Lodi round-trip, a distance of 31 miles. I prepped the truck for any eventuality, carrying jumper cables, a floor jack, etc.. I checked and then inflated all the tires to their proper pressure. My friend in Lodi was warned that he might have to rescue me if the truck didn't make it.
I jumped in the truck and started it. The engine ran smoothly. So far, so good. I headed off to the freeway on-ramp about 2 miles away. There was a stop light that had turned red at the intersection just before the ramp. I waited at the light, and when it turned green, I stomped on the accelerator to climb up the ramp. Huge amount of off-and-on hesitation in the acceleration! So much so, that I was being jerked back and forth in the truck seat. O.K., this is not the way the truck is supposed to accelerate. I aimed for the nearest off-ramp, got onto it, and drove back onto city streets. I went back home and had to call my friend that I would not be visiting. Diagnosis off the top of my head... fuel filter clogging (a problem which the truck has had in the past). Because it was Jan. 1, none of the auto stores were open. I'd have to wait until the next day in order to buy a filter, and hopefully it won't be raining down on me when I install that filter.
My Lodi friend will be out of town for awhile. Next opportunity to test drive the truck to Lodi... this Sunday when my friend returns.
Happy New Year!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
P.S. A while later on a road leading out of the city, I was able to get the truck up to 55 mph without any troubles. However, in this short drive, I did not stomp hard on the accelerator but just slowly pushed slowly and had the truck gather speed gradually.
A few weeks ago the Chevy C30 did not pass its smog test for registration renewal. Cause -- high nitrous oxide levels. And so, I had to bring it to Stockton Autocare for carburetor adjustment. At the same time, I had the mechanics look other annoying problems -- install courtesy lights (the C30 had no dome light or any other kind of cabin lighting), remove the old oil sender and install a new one (the oil pressure gauge was reading at maximum all the time), redo the parking brake cables and adjust, rebuild the windshield washer pump, remove the old hood latch bolt and replace with a new one (so the hood would stay closed), and remove the old water pump and crankshaft pulleys and replace them with dual and triple groove pulleys respectively (for another v-belt for future air-conditioning).
The carburetor was successfully adjusted. At the smog retest, the truck passed with the nitrous oxide level far below the maximum and only a slight increase in carbon monoxide (but still far below the maximum CO level). All the other problems were solved, too, except for the oil gauge problem. Even with the new sender, the oil gauge was not registering correctly. Thus, if the sender was not the problem, the oil gauge itself was the problem. A new one would have to be installed in the future.
Total cost of the repairs = $600.90.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
New, chrome, rear step bumper installed, replacing the old, galvanized, rusty step bumper. Wow, what a difference! Shiny bling on the old truck! :)
Also I went to Street Rods Plus in Lodi, CA, and because they are the Vintage Air dealer/installer, I paid the big money for a custom Vintage Air system for the truck. The parts (a.c. condenser, compressor, etc) are supposed to come in 6-8 weeks. Then when they do come in, I will have Street Rods Plus install the system.
More big money for the installation,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Nov. 6-7 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2021 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
Quote from: me on June 08, 2021, 11:23:07 PM...I paid the big money for a custom Vintage Air system for the truck. The parts (a.c. condenser, compressor, etc) are supposed to come in 6-8 weeks. Then when they do come in, I will have Street Rods Plus install the system.
It took forever for the parts to come in... and when they did come in, it was in separate shipments. But now that all the parts have been delivered to Street Rods Plus, I have to set a time for them to install the system, which would take a few days. I wonder what their schedule is for December. :)
A Christmas gift for the truck,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2021 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
The Chevy pick-up is now at Street Rods Plus in Lodi, California! Installation of the Vintage Air conditioning will take about a week.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 25-26 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2022 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
Well, more than a week... Though I turned it in on a Monday, they won't start work on it until the next Monday!
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 25-26 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2022 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
Last week Street Rods Plus was working on installing the a.c. plus other new parts I provided -- oil gauge, dash pad, dash pad bezel, and gear shift indicator. That and replacement of all the bulbs behind the instrument cluster. It was a good thing I had regularly visited, because Tim the mechanic needed guidance. The Vintage Air vents were smaller than the original openings in the dash pad and bezel. I told him that the vents could be adapted with some sheet aluminum provided in the Vintage Air package. One vent could not be adapted (it was square but the opening in the dash was not square), and so, I ordered a new lower left a.c. vent from LMC Trucks, to be delivered directly to Street Rods Plus.
A few days later I visited again, and most of the a.c. was in and working! The dash pad and bezel had been assembled with the adapted vents; it looked beautiful! All it needed was to be installed. All dirt and grit that sat under the old, broken dash pad had been cleaned out. New defroster sealing gaskets that went between the metal dash and the dash pad had been glued down. No air leaks on the defroster anymore. The new a.c./heater/defroster control panel had been installed in the dash. The new HVAC unit sat under the dash, bolted against the firewall. The a.c. had all hoses plumbed and tied down under the hood. The modern Sanden a.c. compressor sat on the driver's side of the engine, looking shiny. I took several photos and may post them here eventually.
Ready by this mid-week,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 25-26 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2022 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
The a.c. is fully working in the Chevy pick-up now, and I've been driving around in cooler comfort during this warm month (February!) in California. However, when the mechanics took the dash apart, I told them to get all the instrument cluster light bulbs replaced. They did that, but at least 2 bulbs are still not lighting up. It could be the old printed circuit board and/or bulb holders have corroded. I've ordered a new board and 3 bulb holders from LMCTrucks.com. When the parts arrive, I'll bring the truck back to the mechanics for them to take the cluster out and replace the old with the new.
Still not right,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 25-26 Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2022 - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
I still haven't brought in the Chevy truck back to Street Rods Plus. Other expenses and computer shows have gotten in the way. It looks as if I won't make it back to the shop until November or December.
It awaits,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class
Ack! Left taillight smashed! The second time that vandals or thieves have wrecked the taillights on the truck. This area of Stockton, southside, is not good for classic/semi-classic vehicles. My only solace is the replacement unit is only $30.
I did buy some new, carpeted floor mats for the truck's Christmas gift.
Happy holidays!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class