The next thing.

I got a screaming deal from a friend at work on some engine parts. For a C note I bought an almost new Weiland intake manifold and two Holley Spread bore carbs. I thought it was the deal of the century but Michelle was less than happy. That's a whole different blog.

Any how, now I have to decide how to proceed. I'm sure I'm going to use the manifold, but those carbs I'm not sure about. I had been gung ho to use the Holley with the mechanical secondaries, but since I've been reading about the Q-jet, I've found that nearly everyone says it's a better carb for street application. It's said that it'll flow up to 800cfm. That's way over the Holley's 650cfm. And it's supposed to get better mileage too. Go figure. So now to rebuild a Q-jet. Hmm, not the most attractive prospect. I've been reading and studying it for a few days and I think I have the gist but I've never rebuilt a four barrel. I'd hate to do it and be worse off that I started out.

Additionally, I figure, while I've got the distributor out I may as well convert the points over to electronic ignition. The "while I'm in theres" are the thing that's going to make this project more costly. We'll see what the CFO says.

Here's a pic of the manifold. Incidentally, Olivia took it.

The new mirrors.

I got the new mirrors on. I think the old ones may have been a factory option. The new ones are the standard for this year. You may have been able to get the "sport" mirrors as an option in '70. I like the stock ones though.

Mirror brackets. Finally!

I'm not sure if I wrote about the whole fiasco regarding the new mirrors that I've had on order, but I finally have all the parts I need to get the new mirrors on. Originally, all of the parts were supposed to arrive on the same day, but, at some point I failed to give Mane's Truck the correct mailing address, and UPS delivered to the wrong address as a result. Consequently, I've had the mirrors for almost a week and no brackets to mount them with. I walked over the other address, and found them this morning. Now I have the brackets and can, finally, put them on the truck. Not only that, but the big effing holes that are in the door from the old mirrors line up perfectly with the new ones. So that answers the question of how I'm going to fill those honking holes. Pictures later.

In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "Power!" (steering that is).

After much running around and tapping the network of friends, I finally got the part I needed to make the power steering work. Wow what a difference. What I learned: it is extremely important to make sure that the hose is on the brass fitting straight, else you will cross thread. I also found that the brass fitting that is used on the back of a delco power steering pump, is exceedingly difficult to get. That is, unless you buy the whole assembly. That having been said, I now have a spare pressure hose for my truck. Any body need a pressure hose? It's new, and cheap?