Project Billie-Bob: The Redneck Truck

[Eye of the Tiger]

I figure I might as well start a thread just to keep track of my redneck truck project for anyone who's interested, if not just myself.

So here's the progress so far:

One redneck truck from E-bay with a fairly fresh rebuilt 355 small-block w/ stock heads, mild cam, 3-on-the-tree, and 4.11 gears: $850
New Edelbrock 600cfm carbuetor: $250
Fuel pressure regulator: $20
Fuel pressure gauge: $10
4 used tires: $80
Used truck tool-box: $100
Ceramic-coated long-tube headers: $180
2 turbo mufflers: $40
Random exhaust tubing/hardware: $60
Reman Starter: $20
Starter Heat shield: $40
Spark plug heat shields: $20
10' heat-resistant wire-loom: $20
New stock radiator: $180
New heater-core: $20
Various hoses: $30
Flex fan: $40
Fan Spacers: $30
Fan shroud: $40
Freeze plug: $1
4 El-Cheapo gas-shocks: $60
Mini Sun Tach: $40
Temp gauge: $20
Uniden 510XL CB: $36
1 blue LED light strip: Free
The pure redneckness of it all: PRICELESS!

Total so far: $2187

It's amazing how fast all those little parts adds up. In my head I estimated maybe $1500 total investment... oh well. It's worth it though, the truck is up and running good. It could still use some fine tuning, and I'll be damned if the flex fan isn't loud as hell, but it's got some nice power. I'll get some more pics up after I give it a good washing!

[SaltyDog]

Sweet, so all that stuff is put on?  Keep us posted

[Eye of the Tiger]

Sweet, so all that stuff is put on?? Keep us posted

Yup, that's all the stuff on the truck so far. It's basically ready for my trip up to Maine next month. I still have to check the brakes, but they've been working fine so it hasn't been a priority yet.

The next big thing I plan on doing is to install a dual-plane intake manifold. The current single plane is good for 4000-8000rpms, but the rest of the engine is good for up to maybe 5500, so it's not a good match. Low-end power is definately lacking.

Also on the list is a new steering wheel, air-horns, new floorboards and some other minor rust repair, a floor-shifter conversion, an EZ locker, reupholstered bench seat, new seat belts, and to paint the interior panels with some plastic-adhesive paint.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I decided to drive the truck to work this morning, and it turned out to be a bit more of an adventure than I expected. It started right up, so I let it warm for a minute, then I started going. So the first thing it does is stall in the middle of an intersection. Luckily, a nice police officer saw me and stopped to help. She told me to just hold the gas to the floor and try to start it. Well, it worked, (I'll have to remember that next time I flood it).

So I get back on the road and a few miles later I notice the temp gauge is climbing past 220, then the steam starts pouring out from under the hood. Oh shit. So I pull over and look under the hood and there is coolant everywhere. It takes me a minute to figure out that the top radiator hose had popped off where it attatches to the thermostat, and spewed coolant directly into the fan which in turn sprayed it everywhere. So I'm sitting on the side of the road with a steaming truck and a nice guy pulls over to offer help. He turns out to be a pilot who was on his way to base too. He offers to go get me some water, so I give him $5 and he goes down to the closest store and buys as many bottles of spring water as he can. I poured about 3 of them in and that seemed to do the trick, tightened the hose back up. He followed me to base and all was well, I finally made it to work and I was still 15 minutes early! Thanks to a couple of nice folks that stopped to help.



On another note, that is the second time a hose has popped off. I'm pretty sure I tightened them all up, so I'm wondering if my coolant pressure is too hight (I have a new 16psi radiator cap, so...?) or maybe there happens to be some kind of super high flow water pump on this baby. I'll just make sure to carry around a few jugs of water in the future.

[heelntoe]

so, are you still taking this to maine?

[Eye of the Tiger]

so, are you still taking this to maine?

Yup. I still have a month to get all the bugs worked out before the long haul.

[heelntoe]

you better drive it daily to see how it holds up.
it's always nice to have strangers help you out. someody helped my get home after my last flat tyre.

[Eye of the Tiger]

you better drive it daily to see how it holds up.

That's what I was starting to do today   

[heelntoe]

[The Pirate]

That truck is awesome! 


So, you hope to have the Duster sold by the time you leave for Maine?  Or is that coming too, somehow?

[Eye of the Tiger]

That truck is awesome! 


So, you hope to have the Duster sold by the time you leave for Maine?  Or is that coming too, somehow?

If I can't sell it in within the next month, I'll just rent a trailer and tow the Duster up with me.

Once I get to Maine, I'll have the family's "spare car" available to me whenever I want... the 98 Suzuki Esteem wagon. 40mpg

[Secret Chimp]

If I can't sell it in within the next month, I'll just rent a trailer and tow the Duster up with me.

Once I get to Maine, I'll have the family's "spare car" available to me whenever I want... the 98 Suzuki Esteem wagon. 40mpg

And 40 seconds to get moving too, eh  :P

[heelntoe]

those things are awesome. we used to get it as the baleno altura.

[Eye of the Tiger]

And 40 seconds to get moving too, eh  :P

So maybe it doesn't accelarate too fast, but it'll cruise at 90mph all day with the A/C on and a pile o' whatever in the cargo hold, and still get mpg in the mid 30's.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I have discovered that in these cold temperatures, my choke was never opening fully. Once I adjusted that... ooooh man, it was like opening up a can of whoop-ass. I guess the secondaries were never opening all the way with the choke still on. Holy crap, once the tires finally hook up, the thing takes off like a raped ape on speed chasing a banana truck. Running it up to 5000 rpms has now become quite productive, power-wise. I bet it could do 0-60 in under 7 seconds if I could get that 1-2 shift down, but that's basically impossible with the column shitf (despite my fancy new shift-knob).

So naturally, all this newfound top-end power has presented another problem; when the choke is fully open, low rpm drivability is crap. Lean misfire for sure, possibly the timing is too retarded, but definatly lean. Maybe I'll play with the idle mixture some more, but I think I might have to order the calibration kit, and try some richer primary jets/metering rods.

[Secret Chimp]

the timing is too retarded

Don't be so hard on the timing, it can't help it!

[SVT_Power]

Is it actually that green color?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Is it actually that green color?

yes

[SVT_Power]

yes

Just asking

[Eye of the Tiger]

Just asking

Just sayin 

[SVT_Power]

Just sayin 

Okay 

[SaltyDog]

I have discovered that in these cold temperatures, my choke was never opening fully. Once I adjusted that... ooooh man, it was like opening up a can of whoop-ass. I guess the secondaries were never opening all the way with the choke still on. Holy crap, once the tires finally hook up, the thing takes off like a raped ape on speed chasing a banana truck. Running it up to 5000 rpms has now become quite productive, power-wise. I bet it could do 0-60 in under 7 seconds if I could get that 1-2 shift down, but that's basically impossible with the column shitf (despite my fancy new shift-knob).

So naturally, all this newfound top-end power has presented another problem; when the choke is fully open, low rpm drivability is crap. Lean misfire for sure, possibly the timing is too retarded, but definatly lean. Maybe I'll play with the idle mixture some more, but I think I might have to order the calibration kit, and try some richer primary jets/metering rods.

Ah, the problens of carburation.

[Rupert]

Carbs have never done anything for me but give me grief...

[Soup DeVille]

I have discovered that in these cold temperatures, my choke was never opening fully. Once I adjusted that... ooooh man, it was like opening up a can of whoop-ass. I guess the secondaries were never opening all the way with the choke still on. Holy crap, once the tires finally hook up, the thing takes off like a raped ape on speed chasing a banana truck. Running it up to 5000 rpms has now become quite productive, power-wise. I bet it could do 0-60 in under 7 seconds if I could get that 1-2 shift down, but that's basically impossible with the column shitf (despite my fancy new shift-knob).

So naturally, all this newfound top-end power has presented another problem; when the choke is fully open, low rpm drivability is crap. Lean misfire for sure, possibly the timing is too retarded, but definatly lean. Maybe I'll play with the idle mixture some more, but I think I might have to order the calibration kit, and try some richer primary jets/metering rods.

Just get a manual choke cable and be done with it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Just get a manual choke cable and be done with it.

Yeah, I thought about that when I was choosing the carb. The manual choke version was $30 cheaper or something, but I figured why not go with the electric. I think one problem I have is that I just can't get enough heat to the choke's thermostat. I can adjust it so it either it doesn't close all the way and makes cold running impossible, or it doesn't open all the way and saps power once it's warmed up. I can't find the in-between. They make a simple kit to convert to manual choke, and if all else fails I might just get it.

[Soup DeVille]

Yeah, I thought about that when I was choosing the carb. The manual choke version was $30 cheaper or something, but I figured why not go with the electric. I think one problem I have is that I just can't get enough heat to the choke's thermostat. I can adjust it so it either it doesn't close all the way and makes cold running impossible, or it doesn't open all the way and saps power once it's warmed up. I can't find the in-between. They make a simple kit to convert to manual choke, and if all else fails I might just get it.

Many cars had a flexible duct that ran from a heat deflector on the left side exhaust manifold up to the choke because of that.

I'm willing to bet that's missing.

Still, just get a manual choke kit- its so much easier.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Many cars had a flexible duct that ran from a heat deflector on the left side exhaust manifold up to the choke because of that.

I'm willing to bet that's missing.

Still, just get a manual choke kit- its so much easier.

There is no heat deflector from the manifold. I put headers on it. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Well, I seem to have solved my cold-driveability problem by installing a manual choke and advancing the timing a bit. It's still got a little stumble to it, but it's hardly a problem anymore.

I took a few pics of the choke install:

A shot of the modified linkage, just removed the electric choke coil and added a lever in an empty plastic cover, to which attaches the cable:




And this is where I mounted the choke knob, but I hadn't pushed the cable all the way through yet:





And just for kicks, here are some shots of the exhaust I put on it. From the headers, I ran 2 1/4" pipes, to 2 Thrush Turbo mufflers, turned down before the rear axle. I know it's not perfectly straight, but gimme a break, it's the first exhaust I've ever made:




yes, contrary to popular belief, I do not have four straight pipes sticking up out the sides of my truck

[The Pirate]

Yeah, but you should have four straight pipes sticking up out the sides of your truck. 


Seriously though, looks cool, and a fun project, not too mention the hauling capabilities.  Maybe that's what I should do to solve my issue..

[Soup DeVille]

Why do you have a fuel pressure regulator? For that motor, you should't have needed to go to an electric pump.