1990 454 SS Pickup

[78C10BigTen]

So in a last ditch effort to charge the AC and determine if the system was all ok, I shaved down the broken high side port and tapped it for an 1/8" pipe plug. It turned out, my new tap was made wrong. One of the flutes was double cut, causing 1/4 of the cutting teeth to break off because they were super thin. But it still got the job done.

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So then with that 'repaired' I hooked up the vacuum pump and went to open the valve on the gauge set and the knob broke off.

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I swear everything I touch just ends up broken, lol.

But in the end I finally own something with working AC again! The belt tensioner pulley clearly isn't happy about it, but it all works. It blows 58* at idle which is pretty good for a sunny 90* day with high humidity. Especially considering I did absolutely zero maintenance to the system, it is even still running the original accumulator.

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That interior is ugly lol

 

[bucket]

That interior is ugly lol

You hurt my feeling, lol.

Looking into the tensioner chatter with the AC on, I realized that the hack mechanic engine installer (lol) left one of the bolts out for the serpentine bracket. I also found out that the shorter belt I installed to delete the smog pump is not short enough. With the current belt, it has stretched enough that the tensioner is actually able to travel over-center and vibrate against it's own stop, which is the source of the chatter. I will try a shorter belt and report back.

 

[78C10BigTen]

You hurt my feeling, lol.

Looking into the tensioner chatter with the AC on, I realized that the hack mechanic engine installer (lol) left one of the bolts out for the serpentine bracket. I also found out that the shorter belt I installed to delete the smog pump is not short enough. With the current belt, it has stretched enough that the tensioner is actually able to travel over-center and vibrate against it's own stop, which is the source of the chatter. I will try a shorter belt and report back.

My 90 i custom painted the gauge surround black with silver inside around the cluster. My truck was red with maroon interior.

 

[bucket]

I stopped at a local parts store looking for a 6PK2445 belt (I was running a 6PK2465) and they didn't have one in stock, so I got a 6PK2440 which they did have. That one turned out to be too short, I couldn't get it installed. So I went back out to my garage to see what belts I had, that's when I realized I already had a 2440, lol. Since it was used, I was able to get that one wedged on there and it works. Belt/tensioner chatter is completely gone.

So really, when I get around to replacing that used belt, I need to find a 6PK2450 as that should work well.

 

[bucket]

The belt drive runs nicely now, no chattering or flapping.

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I'm still deciding if I want to repair the original door panels or use the newer ones. I like the newer ones better, but at the same time, I like the originality of the more dated looking ones.

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Today the parts truck donated it's dome light switches. The originals in my truck were both broken. The parts truck is working out great, it would have taken a lot of trips to the junkyard to gather up all the little trinkets I've been looking for.

 

[yevgenievich]

I started to hate the dated interior on my old 94 after every plastic piece started to break

 

[OldBlueDually]

That's a cool build you got going on there! As for you interior door panel dilemma, do what you like best! If you decide to swap door panels, just keep the originals around in case you ever decide to part ways with the truck, or who knows, maybe someone wants originals?

Years back when I picked up an old race snowmobile from a collector (he had 600+ snowmobiles) he also had MANY collector cars/trucks/toys/memorabilia...etc. Anyhow, he had a pretty much brand new SS 454 truck in his collection of vehicles, around 100 miles on it I believe...

 

[bucket]

That's the problem, I don't know what I like best, lol. I think the later panels look better, but it's kinda cool driving around in something that looks like nothing has changed since '90. Much like the gauge cluster. I'd much prefer the later cluster in place of the hokey looking one, but that hokey looking one is just what they looked like then and I like it for that. It also has the 110mph speedo compared to the 85mph of "lesser" trucks.

I started to hate the dated interior on my old 94 after every plastic piece started to break

I'm pretty lucky there, the plastic is doing ok. Everything that has needed fixed up was from neglect or misuse.

 

[bucket]

The pickup still had the original wiper motor with the original delay module, which is apparently failure prone. Mine was no different. If you used any wiper function, the wipers would just start running and wouldn't turn off until they felt like it, eventually just stopping at any point in their travel. I hadn't driven in the rain much, but I had the wipers rigged so I could use them. It was just a matter of removing the wiper fuse, then plugging in a switch to the factory fuse holder (with inline fuse holder of course) so I could cut power to the wipers when I wanted them to stop. That cheesy looking wiring was probably visible in earlier pictures.

Anyway, the parts truck, being a '94, had the updated wiper motor and it was a direct swap. I now have the Mist, Delay, Low and High settings. And they properly park too. Upon wiper removal, I found the passenger wiper arm was kind of buggered up, but I got good arms from... you guessed it, the parts truck! Lol.

Messing with this truck reminds me of when I used to part out 3rd gen Camaros. I'd buy a junker for a few hundred bucks and it would be an endless supply of good parts for whatever project car I was working on. It's simply wonderful!

 

[Vbb199]

That's the problem, I don't know what I like best, lol. I think the later panels look better, but it's kinda cool driving around in something that looks like nothing has changed since '90. Much like the gauge cluster. I'd much prefer the later cluster in place of the hokey looking one, but that hokey looking one is just what they looked like then and I like it for that. It also has the 110mph speedo compared to the 85mph of "lesser" trucks.





I'm pretty lucky there, the plastic is doing ok. Everything that has needed fixed up was from neglect or misuse.

Seems to be a thing with the generation after our squares... A nicely sun baked interior has a tendency to just Fall apart and shatter.



Wonder if it'd be possible to swap in a VFD in that truck like what my s10, and some of the others had?


Edit: I know like a caprice classic had the VFD.


Some s10's came with the black/white gauge thingies...

The wiring is slightly different for the s10's on the VFD and analog (ask me how I know)

But it'd be a cool mod...?

 

[Vbb199]

Personal preference is all, I don't like the way any of the instrument panels look except the other variation that a gmt400 would've had (needles)

Or the VFD

 

[bucket]

You mean the digital cluster?

 

[Vbb199]

You mean the digital cluster?

Yes.
Vaccum Fluorescent Display


My bad, I could've kept it simple without acronyms

 

[Vbb199]

DIS

Fun fact: did you know... At least on the s10's there's a hidden "V6" next to "tachometer" that GM decided not to illuminate?

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[bucket]

Yes.
Vaccum Fluorescent Display


My bad, I could've kept it simple without acronyms

DIS

Fun fact: did you know... At least on the s10's there's a hidden "V6" next to "tachometer" that GM decided not to illuminate?

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Lol, I'm slow and you've got to keep it simple for me.

I've got one of those digital clusters. I got it years ago to use in my S10, but when I bench tested it, there was something wrong with it. It's been so long, I don't remember what the issue was with it.