53 ihc

[the reverend muddy grimes]

waiting for the tire guy to mount the tires for me. I so hate waiting.

 

[ratrodney]

Im really liking this truck! RR[dr

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

tires are mounted, and the passenger side running board is finished. Planning to work under the truck the rest the day with the grinder. wont be picture worthy, but will be progress.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

was out working on the truck. My road is being torn up and curbed. Two of the guys on the crew came and asked me to sell it to them. Wife got all excited. Some things just arent for sale.

 

[Shea Laking]

WOW!! Those are some BIG, FAT TIRES!!!

Nothin' wrong with that at all, they look good on there.

Oh yeah, I really like what you've done with your floating grille emblem and those running boards are a stroke of genius, my friend![P Keep up the good work!

Regards,
Shea

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

I wanted tires that filled up the wheel wells. all 4 are brand new and cost me $20

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

cleaned out the old 3 on the tree linkages yesterday. wife caught me sneaking a beer...oops.

 

[Todd]

What beer? Ummm, the neighbor left it there when he went to get me a wrench.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

finally

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

man what a tight fit. had to chop 3 inches off each side of the mount. there goes whatever warranty jc whitney had on it. Did I mention tight....wow. This is the first motor I have ever put in alone. Usually I am helping someone else do it, or have help. Talk about a sence of acomplishment. It was just that kinda day. I got sick of waiting on my wonderful friends to come help so i cut out the crossmemebers and just did it. Needed done and i am infinatly patient, but sometimes that isnt a virtue. Here she is in the bay.

 

[Shea Laking]

SWEET! Looks good in there![cl

Regards,
Shea

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

got the floor shifter in today. Wasnt the super weird one I wanted (homemade out of welded together chain) but rather a boring stock one, but its one step closer, and now i can sit in it and grab gears while making "vroom vroom" noises.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

ok, now i have whole other problems. gonna have to get a different type of exhaust manifolds to keep from choppin the frame. The camaro ones that go above the heads may be the only option. heres some pics of it in though just cause I can. Also, gonna redo the wiring while i have it apart. Someone used lamp cord and duct tape to wire it before.

 

[rainman]

What about blockhugger headers, that might be the answer.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

they would come down right in the middle of the master cylinder.

 

[skull]

KIT?

have you thought about one of those U-build it headder kits, or modifing a set to work around stuff in the way. on mine, l took and ground off the headder flanges and redid the pipes to fit, then rewelded everything back together.

Later

 

[rainman]

Those LOG type exhaust manifolds breath good anyway, judging by you're pics I'm not sure d/s would work tho. We run those on race cars were the rules specify no ram horn manifolds. They work very well.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

After church this morning, I went out to my fav salvage yard and picked up some new manifolds. Thats right hes open on sunday. Better than that, I told him what i wanted, he said "take em, if the work, ill take $30 for em, if not bring em back." Started cleaning em up when i got home.

 

[earthman]

So did they fit?

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

They did, in the test fit. so I pulled em back off and hit em with the grinder. Took off all the casting #s and the squared off bumps. Then I painted em with 2000 degree paint, who knew that came in red? Ok, flat red (looks like chevy orange in the pic.)