Double Dingo's 1965 3/4 Ton "Crusty Biscuit"

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DoubleDingo

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Not necessarily! This is a 67-72, but the idea is there. Oh, and yes, it's a 4.8L LS, so it really is 292 cubic inches. :D

That looks nice. But to do an LS swap would cost too much. Right now all of the upgrades I have planned for the truck, I already have the parts except a few pieces, so it is actually a low budget fixemup. An LS would be a cool upgrade if the money was available.

Besides not having the money, I may be moving if I get the job I have applied for, so money will be even tighter if that happens, with finding a new place to live, traveling back and forth to get the other place ready to sell, etc. The down side of selling it, I'm upside down so there is absolutely no profit to be made on it, and I really don't want to rent it.
 

HotRodPC

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Not necessarily! This is a 67-72, but the idea is there. Oh, and yes, it's a 4.8L LS, so it really is 292 cubic inches. :D

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HMMM, Oh Wow !!! That is superclean. Almost looks like a toy in there. And that's a for real deal right??? Esplain it !!! Splain it now !!!
 

HotRodPC

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I get it now. So it's a Retro Mod kit with the valve covers and the Throttle Body intake to make it similar in appearance to an old school SBC. That is super clean. I bet not cheap at all. Though, I'd be perfectly happy with a 5.3 LS swap and just leave it looking like any other 5.3 in a 2003 up truck. Reason I say 2003, is that is the first year for the drive by wire.
 

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Is that better for some reason, or does it somehow make the conversion easier?

Not really. In fact you have to buy a whole complete gas pedal assembly to do the drive by wire LS swap and the IMO, the aftermarket gas pedal is a bit dorky looking and does not match the brake pedal at all. There may be other options now though. It does keep you from having to figure the throttle body linkage and your OEM throttle cable connection. I just figured the latest greatest technology has gone to drive by wire, so may as well just go all the way electronic if that's what you're going to do. Moreless just my opinion.
 

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DoubleDingo

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That is sweet what he did there. I don't see my truck getting all of that though. :) I may go with 305 vortec heads and a very mild cam on a 283, or add vortec heads and a mild cam to the 350 already in it. Fuel injection would be nice, but for now it will remain a simple 4MV quadrajet with a manual choke :cheers:
 

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That is so cool how he retro'd that look.

LOL I was wondering what happened to the coils
 

DoubleDingo

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Yes it is a very clean look and he put a lot of thought into what he did.
 

MikeB

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nd the edelbrock carburetor has a huge lag from when you give it gas to when it starts delivering enough fuel to get the rpm's up. You can hear it sucking air and then it catches and sends you back in the seat. That happens at any rpm range, idle, going down the road, doesn't matter

Make sure the accelerator pump is working properly. You might even try adjusting it. If it's like an Edelbrock Performer Series carb you can locate the arm in one of two holes.

I don't know about Carter AFBs, but I have worked with Edelbrocks that needed a little more initial spark advance to eliminate hesitation, so add 2-4 degrees and see if it helps. Also, check for vacuum leaks if the idle mixture screws like being out more than 2.5 turns.
 

DoubleDingo

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Make sure the accelerator pump is working properly. You might even try adjusting it. If it's like an Edelbrock Performer Series carb you can locate the arm in one of two holes.

I don't know about Carter AFBs, but I have worked with Edelbrocks that needed a little more initial spark advance to eliminate hesitation, so add 2-4 degrees and see if it helps. Also, check for vacuum leaks if the idle mixture screws like being out more than 2.5 turns.

I thought it was an edelbrock before I pulled off the air cleaner and saw it was a Carter. It ended up being the A/F mixture that was causing it to run like that. I hate this Carter carburetor. It goes out of adjustment at least once a week or two. I am putting on a q-jet so I don't have to tinker with it. And the qjet might get me a little better mpg's along with better mannerisms.
 

DoubleDingo

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I got to thinking yesterday, and I recalled the rotors I took off my 81 were just fine, it was the bearings that needed to be replaced, so I used the new rotors and bearings from the disc brake conversion kit on my parts truck. New rotors are $86 each. I can get them cheaper through rockauto, but why when I don't need to. So to save myself some money I am going to get new bearings and cleanup those rotors, and that will allow me to swap in the disc brakes even sooner. I need to get some clips to hold the brake lines I got from CPP to the back of the cross member, and I think some T's and Union's. But I have everything else to complete the conversion except maybe enough brake fluid to bleed the system when it's finished. I can get that tonight when I get the bearings and seals.

I haven't been driving it because I am scared the upper left ball joint is about to fail and I don't want the truck to slam to the ground and the left tire get ripped out if it does. Sometimes there is a loud pop from the left front end and it will pull to the left momentarily after it pops. It did it on Monday night when I went to clear out my storage unit. I was turning left so I didn't feel the pull to the left but it is something substantial making the noise. That loud pop has been happening a little more frequently than I care for it to. I just need to rent an engine hoist to lift my 283 onto the frame of the parts truck so there is enough weight to compress the springs and remove the control arms and springs. Then I can swap all of that over and start the fun part of drilling a new hole in the brake pedal for the master cylinder rod, and then remove the brake lines to the front brakes, and put everything in and bleed the system.

If it makes that popping sound after putting all new suspension stuff on it, then that would mean there is something else coming loose under the front end. I know it's not motor mounts because were just replaced.
 

DoubleDingo

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Carb'ed Vortec 350
Engine Codes

Got some engine codes from the engine on my driveway.
Stamped: FO4OJD
Casting: 3849852
 

DoubleDingo

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Carb'ed Vortec 350
Just looked up the casting number, it's a 283 with either 195 or 220 hp.
 

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