For old Truck enthusiasts

[59toaster]

Originally Posted by overlander63

I read somewhere above that Alan said he had a 2 barrel on it.

Missed that.
Dual jet is a great little carb. I'd stick with it. It makes good power.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

Missed that.
Dual jet is a great little carb. I'd stick with it. It makes good power.

Want me to edit out the part about the carb for you?

[59toaster]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Want me to edit out the part about the carb for you?

I cleaned it up. A dual is half a quad so most of it was still applicable.

[ALANSD]

Wow lots of good info here. The hoses and belts loook new, and the filters are very clean, it has see thru gas filter that looks barely used. the choke and carb worked fine after I cleaned both, and the thing started right up with a tiny amount of gas poured into the carb to get it going. The trans shifted smoothly although we did not drive it far. next up is fluid and filter change, oil and anti freeze etc.
The order sheet from the dealer was in the paperwork. It has the M40 Turbohydra-matic trans, N41 Power steering, extra gauge package, 3.40 rear axle, disc/drum brakes, heavy duty rear springs, factory a/c (did not see that the first time I read it), GVWR is 5300.

Interesting sheet, wished it had the window sticker, but the books and the sheet were a bonus.

[overlander63]

Some good news for you, your M40 transmission is a THM400.

M40 TRANSMISSION,3-SPD AUTO (THM400)

[59toaster]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

Wow lots of good info here. The hoses and belts loook new, and the filters are very clean, it has see thru gas filter that looks barely used. the choke and carb worked fine after I cleaned both, and the thing started right up with a tiny amount of gas poured into the carb to get it going. The trans shifted smoothly although we did not drive it far. next up is fluid and filter change, oil and anti freeze etc.
The order sheet from the dealer was in the paperwork. It has the M40 Turbohydra-matic trans, N41 Power steering, extra gauge package, 3.40 rear axle, disc/drum brakes, heavy duty rear springs, factory a/c (did not see that the first time I read it), GVWR is 5300.

Interesting sheet, wished it had the window sticker, but the books and the sheet were a bonus.

It really shows M40 in a 1/2 ton with 2bbl?
That was a very odd ordered truck. Very cool!

M4077873 SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION (TH400)

It has a great gear too. That should run down the road great.

They started calling those trucks "heavy Halfs" or "Big 10" They were nearly 3/4 tons but not quite. Some of it around 76 was to skirts some emissions stuff.

Does it show "trailering or camper special" anywhere? With the gages and gears it sounds like the guy basically made a "camper special" but I think with the camper special package you get the 3.73 rear end and I think it had to be a 3/4 ton. Sounds like he ordered it to split the economy with the power. Ie 2bbl and 3.40 More economy set up.

Does it have Cats?...probably not with that motor combination and you don't need them anyway in GA.


Here is a Special edition info.
http://www.73-87.com/Special_Edition...l_Editions.htm

Guy I know from CK5 did this site of most of the sales brochures.
http://brochures.slosh.com/

See if they locked out the linking feature yet.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

Does it have Cats?...probably not with that motor combination and you don't need them anyway in GA.

Cats didn't appear until 1975 on Federal emission trucks, and if you got the "15 series" you could register it as a 3/4 ton, and not need cats. I had to become something of an expert on them at the time, although the memory is (thankfully) fading somewhat.

[klattu]

A B&M Transpac in my '76 got the trans to 350,000
And it was still pulling fine until a long hill with a load, it would pump out the fluid.
I put them in everything now.

On the body...
Get under it and spray backwards up thru drain vent in bottom of front fenders.
Hose or pressure washer, anything to loosen up the 'compost'

That body has to be historic...
Started in '73
Was still used in Suburban into the '90s
Many upgrades are easy to come by in junk yards.

From photos, does not look like a 18000 mile truck.

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by klattu

1974 is old?

Crap...I'm getting old too then.

Hey, I agree! 1974 is new to me! I think of the 1930s and 40s vintage as "old"... the 20s are truly "vintage" and the teens are "antique"...

I remember 1974...wasn't it just the other day?

But we have a "old" (hate to use that word!) truck. A 1968 we bought from the original owner. However, it is no longer "stock".

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[scottanlily]

Klattu ,

turbo 400s did have the problem of blowing fluid out the dipstick tube on a hevy hill pull ,GM tried to overcome that with a hole in the part of the tube
down in the trans case below the o ring .still the trans was fine otherwise .
Agree on the shift kit for sure ,keeps the shifts firm and the clutch packs tight when shifting ,higher fliud pressure .One weird turbo 400 trivia thing is
that when a 400 shifts from first to second ,one spinning clutch drum stops
and another spins up to RPM in reverse rotation ,crazy but a fact with the 400 ,no other trans does this ,so if the shift to second is two hard it can
break the retaining lugs cast in the 400s case .you'll find most trans guys
do not want to go competition on the shift kit ,and second gear is not as firm
as you'd like ,mine in the cabover is this way and my trans guy would not give it a hard 1 2 shift ,blazes into third though .still the toughest trans around .

Scott

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by klattu

From photos, does not look like a 18000 mile truck.

The pedals and the seat and all are like new. The underhood area is very clean as the hood was not opened in a long time. Unfortunately it sat out under a pine tree stand for three yrs or more and got slime and dirt everywhere. The rust is mostly surface except in the bed and the bottom of the pass. door. The rubber mat in the bed held water inder it, as the drains were stuffed with pine straw.
We pulled pine needles out of every little hole.
The engine sounds like 18k when it idles. I never checked the mileage until we started pulling maintenace receipts out and they were like 1983 6000 miles, 1992 14,000 miles, 1995 17,000 miles, etc. The last was 18,100.

[Coastalview]

You guys are making think about pulling our families 1972 K5 Blazer out of the barn, where its been hibernating for the past 12 years. I was 9 when it was purchased new for $4,400 big ones, Jeff

[59toaster]

72 K5 is one of the most collectible GM trucks ever. If that truck is clean rust free good runner, OK paint and interior its worth $10k.

[Coastalview]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

72 K5 is one of the most collectible GM trucks ever. If that truck is clean rust free good runner, OK paint and interior its worth $10k.

No rust, original paint, top has never been off, and has never left the pavement. Jeff