HVAC controls are fixed and right after I finished that the Big Brown truck pulled up with my headers. Taking it down to my buddy's transmission shop tomorrow to put those on, replace my rear fuel tank strap and replace the leaking gasket on the transmission pan. Then it goes across the street to the muffler shop. The mileage on this tank won't be great because of all the jacking around with carbs, timing, etc. but it is still showing an improvement. I'll fill it up after the exhaust is on and then the next tank will be strictly "normal" driving, no test drives, no driveway tuning, etc. When I started it was getting 7.5 MPG. I can't wait to see what it gets now, it won't be good but I bet it's a lot better then 7.5.

 

Took it down to my friends transmission shop this morning, he had a bay open so I had him fix a transmission leak at the shifter shaft, service the trans and replace a front U-joint Then we replaced the rear gas tank strap, changed oil, removed the old exhaust system and installed headers.

If you buy Summit headers before you do anything else take the Passenger side header and dimple in the tube for #8 at the front bolt slot to clear the bolt head otherwise you will never get that bolt started. Don't be afraid to smack it a good one, repeatedly, be sure to give yourself as much clearance as possible. If you spend 45 minutes fighting that bolt like I did and then dimple it I guarantee you'll hit it hard enough...... Other than that and drilling out, tapping and plugging the smog passages under the exhaust ports it didn't go too badly. Oh yeah they tell you to bend the trans dipstick tube to clear #8 header tube. You can't bend it that far, we heated it with a torch and couldn't move it enough. I finally did a "Bubba" on it and bent the bracket so I could drill a hole through the flange on the firewall, swing the tube over and bolt it to the flange until we can come up with something better. It's in keeping with the type of repairs that the PO did on it so I didn't feel too bad.

After we filled it up with fluids I ran it across the street for new exhaust from the headers back in the AM. I'm having 2" pipes off the headers Y'd into a 3" inlet/3" outlet performance muffler with a 3" tail pipe all the way back. It's an "old man" truck what can I say? And then I'm done, for awhile........

 

Hey,

Did you have any issues removing the old exhaust manifold bolts? Thats one of my big fears on replacing those with headers.

Enjoy your truck when its done! What will you be working on next?

 

The old bolts came right out but they'd already been out a couple times in the past 3 years. I don't have a lot of miles on the headers and new exhaust but the truck feels a lot better, especially at highway speeds. It feels like it's breathing easier at 55. I'll fill it up tomorrow and get some highway miles on it in the next week or so. I "think" the headers may have been worth the hassle.

I'm taking a break for awhile, there are few minor items left like pins and bushings for the driver's door and I still might swap carbs but otherwise I'm just going to drive it. Time to get back to work on my Studebaker, it was sidelined most of the year with a bad rear end and I plan to get some miles on it next year. I have a fresh Dana 44 3.73 posi ready to go in and I need to rebuild the rear springs, replace the clutch and some other fun stuff.

 

Hi Rudebaker,

Well good luck with your other project and stay in touch. Id like to see your other project when its done or the progress pictures one day if you have them

 

Thanks, I'll still pop in. As far as pics that sounds like a new post. Think a post about people's "other" projects would be of any interest? Tell you what I'll start it.

 

I replaced my intermitent wiper switch, then when I started my truck and moved it I see a large puddle of water on the ground. My water pump is leaking. Stupid truck!

 

I hate those kind of surprises

Tomorrow i plan on bypassing my A/C with a longer belt i bought from work, and possibly replacing my drivers side door hinge pins

 

I think all the work on my truck has paid off. Just took it to pick up 350 Lbs. of sand for Winter ballast and it ran great, purred like a kitten. It pulled the big hills a lot easier and before I put the sand in it was spinning the tire on dry pavement if I gave it a little too much gas. Two weeks ago it couldn't do that in the pouring rain. It's a lot quieter with the new exhaust but it definitely breathes better. Before it always sounded slightly strained and had a surging drone at highway speeds, very irritating. Now it has a nice constant relaxed purr, much easier on the ears and nerves. In a few days I should be able to report what affect it's all had on my fuel economy. It started at 7.5 and I got it up to 9.8 before the tune up, new carb, carb tuning and headers & exhaust. It's still not going to be great I know but it has to be better. If nothing else it is MUCH more enjoyable to drive.

 

Helped with the body swap project more.

Need to move the cab over to the new frame and start reassembly!

Thread here: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...p-project.html