Talk me into, or out of, it...

[someotherguy]

$40 for a thermostat housing? Check ebay, maybe you'll find someone that has an nos part kicking around. Search by part number, too.

Yeah, on eBay they're stupid priced unless I wanna buy Dorman, and I don't. Cheapest price is Rock for GM #151570 is $28, the Motorad #CH3006 equivalent part is $17. Either one you gotta buy a pipe plug #444746 as well.

Just said screw it and ordered the Motorad and some Gates constant tension clamps, and a couple other small items - bam, $71... I've made a few of the big investments already (truck purchase, title work, tires) I guess now it's time for the nickle and dime me to death phase. I think I'll miss these little moments when it's time to order the drop kit as that's another big expense looming.

I also found an eBay seller with 3 of the GM #9591798 90° lug nuts for $15 so I grabbed those, too. They're the real GM with the darker finish vs. the bright gold (assumed cad plating) of the Dorman lugs, so they'll match the rest of mine better. Could've driven to the boneyard and probably found some but spent more than $15 in time and fuel.. man, how I miss my whole yard and shop full of GMT400 parts.

Richard

 

[454cid]

I Googled the Motorad part. It looks pretty good. That part number is also a hub from Blower Drive Service

 

[bluex]

I'm with ya on the nickel an dime stuff. Well it's been more like 200 here 500 there with mine. At least I do have all the drop parts though. I got most of them when everyone was doing black Friday sales last year lol.

 

[Erik the Awful]

The one win for the day? Got the title work put through and have new plates/registration now. They tried to kick it back on me due to a "lien" on the vehicle but it turns out it was an old one from 1997. Had to talk to a supervisor at the tax office but we got it done.

Nice! That's my problem with Roscoe at the moment. The title shows a lien from thirty years ago. The bank went out of business twenty-five years ago. The title holder can find the title, but he can't find the lien release. He knows someone who worked at the bank and is trying to get a letter explaining that the lien was paid and that the bank is defunct. I may end up trying to get a bench title.

 

[someotherguy]

Done today..

Replaced thermostat housing (pipe doped the plug I was asking about), thermostat, upper radiator hose, those fancy Space Shuttle clamps.. wire wheeled the housing bolts and ground lugs, too.

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Next up, the driver door hinge pins/bushings. They weren't terrible but it was sagging and I had to slam it shut. Even after replacement it sags.. but I don't have to slam it anymore. I cranked the hell out of it with the floor jack and a block of wood and it still doesn't sit even.. there's no slop in the hinge anymore, and I kinda don't want to reef on the hinges to the point I crack the door shell or break the new bushings. BTW I chose some Made in USA bushings and pins (Total Automotive) off ebay for $35 shipped. Sorry to our vendor here that makes some that look really nice, but almost $67 was too much for me on this project. Here's hoping I didn't just spend $35 on some junk, though.

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Would've got that done sooner but stepdaughter stopped by for me to replace another headlight bulb in her Subaru. FML.. it was about 1.5 years ago I replaced both of them. A couple weeks ago she came over for one that had burned out again. I bought a pair and told her if that one went this quickly, the other wasn't far behind, and I was right. Hey; I'm getting good at these. Didn't even need to jack it up.

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Other little stuff on the C3500, got the tag light fixture in place and working (all exterior lights working now), topped off the radiator and ran the truck until it warmed all the way up, periodically comparing the temp readings around the intake/thermostat housing and the dash gauge, which actually reads pretty close to correct now. Took the truck for a little drive around the neighborhood before it was time to grab some dinner.

Afterwards cut the hose off the old thermostat housing.. WOW this thing is crusty. Certain to be pitted beyond usefulness.

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Finally, unboxed something I've been dreading a little because I know it's a cheap pos.. but I figured I'd take a gamble. For $68, it's a dash cover off amazon that looks exactly like the ones another place is selling for almost double that price. It's got the defrost vent slats included which is nice. The grain/texture is way off and the color probably is too, but for the price? I'll give it a shot. My dash is absolutely destroyed. Might try installing it tomorrow if I get a chance, but it's gonna take a lot of prep work I suspect because my dash looks like broken-up dry lake bed, not even close to flat.

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Richard

 

[454cid]

That old housing sure is corroded! The clamp doesn't look too bad... could probably scrub it up and hit it with some spray paint, and it would be functional again.

 

[someotherguy]

That old housing sure is corroded! The clamp doesn't look too bad... could probably scrub it up and hit it with some spray paint, and it would be functional again.

It's busy holding the trash down in the can.

Speaking of trash.. tried to sand and polish out the headlights today, and yeah, they are TOAST. Reflectors are peeling on the inside and the lenses are so baked they're cracking at the edges of the housing. So I did the quickie sand and polish just to improve them until I decide how much I'm gonna spend on the front end. Maybe go 94-up grille and all the associated parts.. UGH, mission creep has set in!

Richard

 

[OutlawDrifter]

I vote keep the older 3 letter grille!

 

[454cid]

Speaking of trash.. tried to sand and polish out the headlights today, and yeah, they are TOAST. Reflectors are peeling on the inside and the lenses are so baked they're cracking at the edges of the housing. So I did the quickie sand and polish just to improve them until I decide how much I'm gonna spend on the front end. Maybe go 94-up grille and all the associated parts.. UGH, mission creep has set in!

I was going to hold on to my front turnsignals for polishing until I saw the silvering inside was in poor shape. I tossed them after that. I bought all new TYC lights/reflectors for my truck. It looks so much better, now.

How are the adjusters on your headlights? Mine were completely seized on the original Sylvanias.

 

[someotherguy]

I vote keep the older 3 letter grille!

Eh, I've always liked the 94-up body-color GMC grille better. Of course if I get one it likely will be used, and not the same color as my truck. Nor will the filler pieces.

I was going to hold on to my front turnsignals for polishing until I saw the silvering inside was in poor shape. I tossed them after that. I bought all new TYC lights/reflectors for my truck. It looks so much better, now.

How are the adjusters on your headlights? Mine were completely seized on the original Sylvanias.

No idea on the adjusters, but if they're like anything else on the truck, they're almost guaranteed to be seized.

More trash and mission creep: I laid that cheap dash cover across the dashboard, pressed on it gently, and a whole bunch more of the existing dash just shattered like potato chips. I dug all the pieces out and laid the cover back down again and it looks.. like crap. Man I REALLY.. REALLY DO NOT WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON A DASHBOARD!! FML. The one from LMC is just shy of $600 by the time you ship it and you still have to paint it to match, and move all your other stuff over, which at that point should also be painted to match because otherwise it won't.

A local guy is asking $350 for a used (complete) dash and these days I just think that's a bit much considering it'll be some degree of brittle, also.

Richard