1991 Chevy C1500 RCSB Version: I Have A Problem

[Nick_R_23]

Got the engine buttoned up last night! After a few test drives, no real issues except that the power steering pump picked a great time to die, and I’m still having the weird overcooling issue this truck has always had. But overall, it did great! Much more power and smoother running than its ever been. Rock solid 13.5 psi fuel pressure. Deleted the drop down filter adapter and installed the standard SBC bypass, and changed the oil, along with a new fuel filter and air filter.

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Next up, tomorrow‘s project! “Stole“ the core support from the parts truck. The one on this truck currently is badly damaged, even though it doesn’t look bad in the pictures. And yes, we still have a shitload of snow.

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Since I already know the frame mounts for the core support are bent too, I ordered a new pair, as well as the rubber mounts themselves.

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[92GMCK2500]

Right on keeping it TBI. So many people chicken out go different routes.

 

[Nick_R_23]

I’m not sure why there’s so much TBI hate, to be honest. It’s one of my favorite systems. It’s stupid simple, it’ll still run with about a 90% component failure, makes decent power, gets decent mileage, and is turn key in any weather. Sure, it’s not cost effective to make more power with like modern injected platforms, but for a cheap EFI system that‘s good for several hundred thousand miles and will stay running with next to zero maintenance, it’s pretty hard to beat IMO.

 

[92GMCK2500]

I’m not sure why there’s so much TBI hate, to be honest. It’s one of my favorite systems. It’s stupid simple, it’ll still run with about a 90% component failure, makes decent power, gets decent mileage, and is turn key in any weather. Sure, it’s not cost effective to make more power with like modern injected platforms, but for a cheap EFI system that‘s good for several hundred thousand miles and will stay running with next to zero maintenance, it’s pretty hard to beat IMO.

x2. This^^^

 

[Erik the Awful]

Man, that engine looks clean. Nice job!

And yes, we still have a shitload of snow.

A Texan is with a bunch of friends bragging about how big everything is in Texas, and then makes a comment about how large the state is. His friend, and Alaskan points out that Alaska is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.

The Texan pauses for a moment, then says, "Not once it melts."

 

[Nick_R_23]

Man, that engine looks clean. Nice job!


A Texan is with a bunch of friends bragging about how big everything is in Texas, and then makes a comment about how large the state is. His friend, and Alaskan points out that Alaska is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.

The Texan pauses for a moment, then says, "Not once it melts."

Haha, that’s a good one!

So quite a bit of progress happened this weekend, although it doesn’t look like much. When I bought this truck, I knew it had been in an accident previously, so I had planned on some frame repairs. Started stripping the front down!

Smoothie bumper has to go too.

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Core support finally out!

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You can see just how bad the core support mounts and bumpers mounts are. I’m amazed anything even bolted up.

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Started hammering things slightly straighter.

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I made a cardboard tempate for a guide on how far off my frame was from this straight one. Turned out it was quite a bit!

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How to commit OSHA violations 101

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After spreading the rails, I still needed to cut a few slices to bring the rails back to where they need to be. As you can see, the resulting fit isn’t perfect, but far better than it used to be!

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Cut off the old core support mounts.

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New ones welded on!

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New core support installed!

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Lots of little brackets, harnesses, and pieces installed. I’m leaving off here this weekend, as I need to install the new power steering pump, new radiator, and order new front bumper brackets and possibly a fan shroud.

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[Nick_R_23]

The 454SS mirrors that I ordered showed up today! They’re aftermarket, made by Keystone, but seem to be pretty decent quality. I also ordered an upper and lower fan shroud, and a set of front bumper brackets that should be here by this weekend.

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[Drunkcanuk]

Once you get those mirrors mounted and road tested, please let us know how they are. I hear the aftermarket ones tend to vibrate enough to make them unusable at speed. Nice project, and not a lot of people on here north of me!!! Most of our snow just left last week.

 

[Nick_R_23]

I was worried about that, but just in hand they seem to be pretty tight. I’ve bought the regular size Chevy mirrors aftermarket before, and they did vibrate pretty bad, but the glass mount was really flimsy and moved easily by hand.

 

[Nick_R_23]

Alright, somewhat of a short update today because some piece of **** parts kept me from making much progress. Hopefully tomorrow goes smoother.

Changed out the failed power steering pump and bent pulley. The pump quit working last test drive, and started cavitation shortly after, even with the proper fluid leven. Nobody had a new pump in stock, so hopefully the reman does the job!

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I also painted the clutch fan since I had it off and out of the way.

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Here’s where the day got frustrating. I ordered a brand new set of front bumper brackets since the originals were bent/missing. Whatever you do, don’t buy the aftermarklet sets, they’re complete junk (Mine were Sherman/eBay). The frame nuts are a different size than original. The stamping was very low quality. Once I sourced new bolts, they were difficult to mount since the holes didn’t exactly line up. Once mounted to the frame, the bumper was quite literally impossible to get on completely, even with force - the stampings and bolt holes were so far off, it was pathetic. The holes I was actually able to mount the bumper to, showed me that the bumper would have been tilted forward nearly two inches regardless. I ended up taking them off, spending the afternoon digging out a parts truck, and took the stock brackets off of there. Now, all of my stock hardware works, and the fit is perfect! I ended up doing a better job on the frame than I thought.

I also swapped the bumper out for the new front bumper with the impact strip I picked up quite a while back.

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