TireSmoke.org

Being someone who's never afraid to sell at a profit, I'd entertain a serious cash offer. I'd be happy
with a "quick buck" scenario as opposed to waiting for the long-haul and hoping to make more.It is nice
to see them gain momentum value-wise though. Hopefully I won't get sick or bored of it before the
bottom falls out of the market!!!

GM

About three months ago, my tachometer kit came in the mail. Fall clean-ups and preparation
for winter, a really snowy December, (maybe a little goose hunting, too) kept the tach kit on
the bench waiting for install. Well, we've been in a real warm snap here and the time finally
came to make it happen. I spent about three hours on the job start to finish. There were only
two surprises: 1) they didn't send screws to hold the tach in the cluster -- small sheet metal screws
worked just fine 2) whoever packed the box put a rubber oil fill cap in the package by mistake....
don't need that, but it was free! I felt the kit was very well made and it all bolted together like
a factory kit would have. I struggled a bit getting the light switch nob off. You're supposed to be
able to push a button on the top of the switch and the knob and the rod it is on just comes out.
Not so much on this truck, but after about 10 minutes of pulling and pushing the button down
( a couple of prayers and cuss words in there too!) and the shaft came out, with the lights on.
I had to disconnect the battery then... No big deal and when the job was done, the truck started
and the tach worked.... I'm not sure what the next project will be, I'm thinking dual exhaust. Maybe.

GM

Looks real good....and stock.....John.

I think your next goal should be to rev the motor to 5100 RPM....and peg the tach!

You're idling a bit high, but the tach looks great.

I think the exhaust is a bit restrictive, cause I was holding it to the floor for
over a minute when I took this pic.


GM

Today, the over-zealous snow removal guy ( me ) decided it was a good idea to push snow
into the ditch in the front yard. Way in the ditch. So far in the ditch that the left rear of
the Kubota (3 point scraper/pusher box on the back of the tractor) was almost touching water.
(That's far in) That was too far in. Couldn't get out without assistance. Being that it was 6 am,
there was only one thing for the snow removal guy to do. Get his woman helper (my wife) to
assist with the removal of the tractor. Normally, the woman helper has a 4 wheel drive that
would make this job a cinch. Unfortunately, that 4x4 was in the shop with a bad fuel pump.
Unfortunately, the Regal is not a qualified candidate for the task at hand, nor were the Cub
Cadet tractor, commercial mower or the Honda snowblower in the barn. Fortunately, there IS
a classic 1969 Custom Camper in the barn with some wicked snows on it and a battery tender
hooked up so it will start and save the day! So, with nylon tow rope in hand, the snow plow guy
and his ( REALLY HAPPY) helper drove down the drive to the helpless Kubota (which, by luck
alone, hadn't slipped to where the tire was touching water) that was patiently waiting for the
friendly tug of his barn-mate. Now, the decision had to be made -- Woman helper on tractor
(heavily listing toward the ditch, right front 18" off of the ground ) or woman helper in the
truck ( stick shift and very, very crude --- and never piloted by the female helper ).... Safety first!
"Ok, helper girl( honey ) ..... in the truck.... low range is top left on the shift pattern... when you
see the lights of the Kubota go on, pop the clutch. Don't stop 'til the Kubota's on high ground! -- oh,
and here's how you let the emergency brake off and put it on." With a mighty grunt and a twang of
nylon being stressed to the max, the Kubota was up on all fours and the truck was able to go back
to its winter slumber. Thank God I sold that Corvette!

GM

If that didn't work, you would have use the 726 to pull everything out.

Then, if that didn't work, my 844 and 765 would take the Three Rail Tri County Express and get everything out of the ditch. That's an extra five or six pounds of draw bar power right there.

Let's say that this story ended much better than when someone wound up in your parents' ditch after a poker game one year.........

The unfortunate thing with the poker party was that the truck that was stuck was off
the driveway about 40'! He didn't "slip off the drive!"

GM

ps ... Fade is always an option in a situation like this.

I'm starting to think that these may be an option:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/302213364941?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

With new tires with this size comparison --- same height as old ones, wider though:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?ti ... -265-75r16

Here's a link to a guy who had a very similar combo:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/show ... 40&page=14

I also like the "Level 8 Punch" wheels that guy has on the blue truck... They are
available in a 17" rim also, which might look cool with a little less rubber and more rim.....

Same height and all, just more rim:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?ti ... -265-70r17

Or maybe more rim yet??
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?ti ... -265-65r18

Any thoughts??

GM

DO THE DEAL.

-Dave

I like the all polished 16s. They look like slots. More sidewall belongs on that truck IMO.

-BP

It's been a while since I updated, so here goes. I just got the parts in the mail to change the ring
and pinion in the truck. I got a carrier, gears and the bearing/shim/gasket kit for under $375.00.
I talked to the install man last night, and it seems I'm a couple of weeks before I get my turn to
go in his garage and I'm behind AKRover's Nissan in line, as his schedule is a bit more tight than mine.
I'm still on a wheel hunt and go back and forth in my mind as to whether I want just hubcaps or an
aftermarket wheel. Carlisle almost netted me a set of steelies, but the owner of them and I didn't
see eye to eye on a price, so I walked. I purchased a dual snorkel air cleaner assembly from an early
70's Camaro that needs some clean up before install, but will give me a taller air cleaner and a
relatively stock, but different look. Dual exhausts may still be on the horizon as well. I'd also like to
put a clutch fan on it, as the stiff bladed steel one sings away and I'm certain is robbing some power.
( Tiresmoker .... do you have one in the basement that you'd like to sell?? ) The whole goal, still, is to
make it more drivable on a longer distance drive. More to come.

GM

Sorry if this is stuff you already know or have thought about but just in case ...

The Lincoln originally came with a thermal fan clutch which engages when temp is elevated and is calibrated to go with the original 195* thermostat. With a lower 180* thermostat installed, the clutch wouldn't engage on idle and didn't pull air thru the AC condenser so the AC didn't work well when sitting in traffic. If you've put a lower thermostat in your truck, you might have the same issue if you have a thermal clutch.

Also, if your thermostat is still the original temp, your fan can still be working at highway speed and under heavy acceleration.

The solution to the Lincoln issue was to install a centrifugal clutch that only engages at low RPMs giving good flow thru the condenser in traffic and freeing the fan at high RPMs.

Only issue with the centrifugal clutch is it's not rated for "heavy duty" and may not last as long as the heavy duty thermal clutch.

Food for thought ...

Good info, Maverick! The truck has no overheating issues or anything like that. I just can't
stand the loss of power that the fan on the truck is causing. If/when I get a clutch fan, I don't
plan on changing the thermostat. This motor is so mild, and it's a Chevy, so I'm pretty confident
that it will cool just fine. If not, I'll just live with the straight blade one that's on it.

GM

The carrier change is still on the back burner until my mechanic frees up. It looks like next week
sometime, but I'm still in no hurry. I keep eyeing up these wheels:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/282013772208?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

There's a burgundy truck on this page ( about 3/4 of the way down the page ) that I think looks pretty good:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/show ... 740&page=4

I still have plenty of studying to do so I don't make a mistake. More to come on that.
On the "closer to being completed and on the truck" list are the dual snorkel air cleaner
and trailer hitch install. The fan parts still need to be found or purchased.

GM