'88 RCLB C3500 "Roscoe P. Coltrane"

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Erik the Awful

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I don't see a yoke on it...
I just saw a link to an article on a slip-yoke conversion. Uh oh. Is this supposed to have a yoke? The 4L80 is splined, and my driveshaft is a splined TH400 yoke. If I get the driveshaft free I'll check it against the 4L80. I believe I'll also need to get the driveshaft shortened, right?

So you are going to run it with a TBI? I'd say that would be a good combination.
It's getting the engine from Way Cool Jr, which is too much for a factory TBI. Since I'll already need aftermarket fuel injection, I'm strongly considering a Terminator X Max so it can control the transmission as well. That's a chunk of change, so I'm going to have to really budget this build.

Then I need to build another motor for WCJr, and what I have planned is seriously rowdy. Like "How close can I get to .600" lift?" rowdy, which means I'll probably be setting my wallet on fire.
 

stutaeng

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Check your output shaft, but my transmission came with a bolt-on yoke, so I wound up not using it anyway. I bought a slip yoke (the shorter version) and it also fits the TH400; spline count is the same. I'll look for the part number of my yoke.

Yeah, you'll probably have to shorten the DS. The 4L80e is like 3" longer than the TH400...and slide and re-drill hole for the trans. crossmember.
 

stutaeng

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This is the one that worked for me.

I created this thread when I had bought it. I've got some photos/dimensions of the output shaft.
 

Erik the Awful

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One of my Reserve buddies has a '95 cab on a K2500 chassis that he's parting out. The cab was hit on the passenger side and he told me I could cut the bits I need to repair Roscoe, and I'm going to cut a few bits for him that he needs to repair the cab on the '96 K2500 chassis he's building up. He has a guy coming soon to pick up the chassis, so it's time to get the cutting done.

I went over after work this afternoon and cut out the door striker and surrounding metal. The metal around the passenger door striker on Roscoe is cracked out, and unfortunately that was the side that was hit on his cab, so I cut out his driver's striker, which will take a little work to get it to fit right.

The back glass was still in it, so we used box knives to cut the seal around one of the bottom corners of the window until we could get a paint scraper through, then we worked outward from there, across the bottom until we could flex the entire bottom of the window free. Then we cut up the sides of the glass and around the top corners. Finally we scored the top seal repeatedly until the window came free. It was two hours of work for the two of us, and it was after dark when we got it done. Now we can cut the back of the roof. He's wanting a bit of sheetmetal above the CHMSL to patch a hole, and I need the entire top of the window frame. I'm going back over tomorrow to cut that part. I may also ask him if I can take a bit of the rocker panel for WCJr.

He has a 350 TBI with all the trimmings that he pulled out of it, and if it has 4-bolt mains I'm seriously considering just dropping it with the stock-cam into Roscoe. Gas mileage is a strong consideration, and I can pull the ECM out of WCJr to run it. Unfortunately, the engine originally came from a half-ton, so it's likely a 2-bolt block. Since it's going to be a tow pig, I won't put a 2-bolt main 350 in this truck. I may see about zipping off the oil pan tomorrow.
 

Erik the Awful

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I haven't shown this yet, but the passenger side door was apparently misadjusted at some point, requiring slamming the door to keep it closed. The metal around the striker bolt is cracked.

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Both patch panels have been acquired. Roscoe doesn't have a center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL), and my buddy needed that sheet metal for his truck. The rust on Roscoe isn't too bad around the light, so I cut it closer to the channel to give him the piece he needs. I cut the piece significantly wider and longer than I need so that I have plenty of material to work with.

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Now I need to get three used truck tires that hold air so that I can roll the truck to the garage for welding. I'm going to go ahead and get decent truck tires since it will probably get driven on them a few times before I get nice tires on the newer wheels. This week I also need to get the 3/16" plate to weld into the frame for the engine mounts. I'd like to get the welding done before the weather gets cold.

The difficult part is that all the interior parts are currently stored in the bed, laid out in order(ish) for reinstallation. I'm not sure whether I'd prefer to risk leaving the parts in the bed given that the truck might be out in the weather for a week or so, or whether I want to try to find space in the shop to lay everything out in the floor. It doesn't help that some of my son's Crown Vic parts got piled on top.

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kennythewelder

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Funny this thread pops up. I had to make a small run today, in our shop truck. I crossed paths with the General Lee. An orange 1969 Charger, with 01 on the doors, and the rebel flag on the roof. Same push bumper on the front. It was very well done. Real nice car.
 
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