Beautiful pics from the hike. Also, I am glad tosee your truck coming back together Andrew. I am curious why you are running a cat and that thin pipe exhaust? Dual exhaust and even some headers would not only give you way more power but your truck would sound cool too. In the summer I am around Kelowna so if you want a hand I can send you my tlf. nummber if you need help. Who knows maybe we could go fishing. Thanks for keeping us updated with your build. Cheers, Chilli...
I chose to run a cat because I got really annoyed by the constant backfiring out the exhaust when I would use the trans/engine to brake going down hills. Headers and opening up the exhaust side of the heads would definitely help a lot, no doubt. Just trying to stay on the budget side of things. Headers were another $500, more porting on the heads, more $$. Yeah for sure, next time your around send me a message and come by for a beer.
So. I was just looking through the start of your thread and noticed something. Your Topper isn't the right one for your truck is it? The way it doesn't fit the cab. The way the bottom protrudes out farther. Not that it matters at all. I just noticed it. Having any luck finding body parts? I admit that I miss reading about your adventures.
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Honestly no idea if the canopy was originally designed for the truck. It was original to the truck though dated 1986, and manufactured in summerland BC. Yes definitely got somewhere on finding body parts.
I found a mint oe hood at the junkyard for $60. It's tough moving stuff like this around with out a truck.
One tiny little ding smaller then a penny on the front of it but aside from that it's mint and totally rust free.
Also scored some headlights, a spare windshield washer fluid reservoir and an overflow bottle for the '84.
Picked up some aluminium pipe for the '84 to finish off the intake and also some stainless rod to make some exhaust hangers for the '86.
Really happy with how the '84's intake turned out. Miles better then the previous set up.
New exhaust hangers, should last a long time being stainless. Still so stoked on the exhaust, 2 bolts and from the cat back just slides out in one piece.
Fired up the engine for the first time and my timing gun ******** the bed. Scored a new to me (20+year old) sun pro for $20 later that day.
I was really having a hard time finding a decent core support. Finally I decided to stop waiting and grab this one from the yard. I managed to get it on a 40% off day and it came to a total of $32. The only downside is it had a bit of rot in the bottom drivers side corner (on the left side).
So I used the old damaged support to repair this one,
A thousand spot welds later,
After a lot of cleaning and some paint it turned out great,
it sat like this for a week or so,
Picked up this fender locally for $40 from a guy, brand new aftermarket fender. It'll do for now until I can find an oe gm fender.
and finally after tying up a thousand loose ends we went out for a test drive in the bush
Definitely need to get it painted sometime here in the near future but at-least we're back out there now. We lucked out and saw a nice bull moose mucking around in a swamp and then shortly later a nice cow moose. Unfortunately no rabbits or grouse tonight.
