Pain and crushing defeat.

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HawkDsl

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One of these days, I'm going to post my complete Members project.. a 1989 Chevy K2500 that I bought new when I was 23. What started out as a simple paint job, snow balled into a full restoration, the likes nightmares are made of.

No money, bad friends, shady characters, all of it ... but we haven't given up yet!

Today's post is just s snippet of the luck I've had with my "Big Red". I have reached a point in the resto where the finish line is two turns away.. I'm on the back stretch, and I got a good 2 second lead on #2.

Keep in mind the resto started in 2006.

I started her up for the first time just last year.. in the fall. This is an outside project, so she was covered, and I waited for this spring to finish this thing once and for all.

Started wiring for the new gauges, and the radio, and the overhead console mod, which I've been working on (on and off) between a friends 78 Ford resto (I build the motor, a 351M), and my nephews 2002 fat boy repaint (I took it apart/rebuilt it for him).

Big red has a Getrag 5 speed manual trans, and we started the long process of of bleeding out the slave. I soon realized the clutch had a pressure plate problem.

Motor removal #3. Got it all out, installed a new clutch and pressure plate, and got it back in the truck after a couple days.

Hands are raw.. legs are swollen.. Back is throbbing. She just wanted to fight us coming in and out .. Just pissed off bad dog fought me. Cant say I blame her.. She's been moved around and left for dead so many times.. A good girl can only take so much!

Back at the ranch this evening, I got to thinking about the install.. and it bugged me that I was still using the original clutch fork. She's got 190k miles on her, but still mighty fine.

I wondered over to the U-Tubes to see what a worn out one really looks like.. It was then I realized..

I installed the throw out bearing incorrectly.

Yep, that's right.. I did the famous under the clip install on the clutch fork. God. Mother ^&@^ing Dam&%#!!!

So.. knowing it is what it is... after fuming about it for a couple hours.. I went ahead and ordered a new clutch fork... and began the mental processes of getting the motor back out for #4.

I know what your thinking.. just drop the trans.. But believe me.. in a 4X4, your just 6 bell housing bolts, and two motor mount bolts away from having it out. Yea its a little more complicated then that, but still easier then a trans drop.

So I leave you with this; Take your time.. Just because your an old pro, don't mean you can't mess it up. Fix it. Don't let "It'll be fine" creep into your mind. You know it's wrong.. Get over it, and do it right.

I'm just glad I didn't hook everything up (exhaust cross over, starter, engine harness, etc).. so not that big a deal.. Yea she'll fight me coming out and going in.. but it's gotta be right..

And believe me.. I will thank the God's when this is all over and finished!

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HawkDsl

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Thanks fellas.. The Color is a Harley Davidson Color; "Sun Glow Red".. It's way better then the photo shows. I picked it because it's really close to the original Garnet Red she left the plant with... The major difference is multi metallic of silver and gold, with a speckle of green. It was 1 grand for a gallon of just the base. I used DuPont. I got the color code somewhere if anyone is interested.

I go out Sunday to fix the fork goof.
 

The_Family_Tahoe

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It will be a nice ride when you're back on the road. You're doing the job correctly. It'll reap dividends as a dependable vehicle. I can't count the number of times I've overnighted parts or purchased over $100 to qualify for free shipping only to get dragged back in to work and let the ride sit unattended for days or even weeks before I could get back to it. Be thankful you've identified the problem and have a solution in the works. Post some pics of the new clutch install. We're all routing for you. We've been there.
 

HawkDsl

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Update: Everything is back in order.. Moved under her own power for the first time sense 2006... Have a bad miss, and running rich, fouling plugs. Replaced the ECU temp sensor, and MAP.. No joy. Brand new clutch slave is leaking (Wagner).. it only took six hours to bleed it (TIP; Raise the front of the truck to bleed the clutch system.. high as you can. You can thank me later). We'll get to that later, already have a replacement. Suspect the distributor is the cause of the miss, as it was rusted up pretty good under the cap (MSD). I cleaned it up, but think maybe the magnetic pickup is toast. Already have a replacement with cut to fit wires, and changing out the wire looms. In the middle of switching jobs, so I'll have two weeks to really get into soon. Ready for the interior soon!
 

HawkDsl

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Well the job change killed any hope of any finishing work. Unable to get to it except a few times. Godson figured out the miss... Had a couple plug wires crossed (Duh me). Slapped the seats in it to drive it on the road... Had to re-bleed the brakes, having forgotten to tighten up the right front. Now has the best brakes truck has ever had. Zero sponge.. Actually blown away by how amazing the brakes are now (replaced entire line system with Stainless). Finished the grill conversion (89 single to 89 dual headlight and grill). Was going to do the 94 swap, but acually like the original dual/composit grill look allot better. Bed light doesn't work now, and have to replace the replacement center dome/reading light fixture. Already have it. I have a roll pan, and none of the plate flips will work (Sir Micheal Steel weld in).. so am making one from scratch. Going to through the wipers back on and a set of seat belts just so I can have it for the the next mega snow. The last snow we got was almost a foot, and that's 10 inches higher then my car goes. Not doing that again.. holy smokes.
 
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