Old Blue - 1984 XL Flareside

[ckuske]

Thanks Scott, I had seen this before but kind of just skimmed over it because I thought it may not be completely applicable. *But*, at second glance, the GPD does look suspiciously similar to the Spectra on that page.  I can't be certain that its identical (though I did check the labels etc, no mention of Spectra)

I didn't catch before that the bottom brackets on the radiator support were removed to accommodate the fit.  Looks like I have some more test fitting to do...

[ckuske]

I took the brackets off the rad support and now things make much more sense.  In fact, it almost seems to me that you could get away with not having brackets on the bottom at all, but probably not a great idea.

The top condenser brackets line up nicely with the holes in the rad support.  The bottom area would be the effort - and maybe putting a little rubber cover where the tubing touches the support.

[kramttocs]

I don't have any great ideas but very interested in what you figure out. Been staring at your photos and the ones in the FTE link but nothing new is coming to mind.

[FuzzFace2]

I dont know what the big deal is you just space out the bottom of the condenser and the grill support about 1/2" and it all clears.

Dave ----

[ckuske]

Now that I understand the way to mitigate it, it’s not.

It didn’t click that the bottom brackets needed to be taken off the radiator support, and I was hoping the GPD wouldn’t have the same problems as the Spectra. It turns out the GPD is a Spectra clone.

[ckuske]

Besides snapping a u-nut while backing out the brackets on the radiator support, I have the new condenser mounted.  I wasn't totally happy with the positioning of the new holes I had to drill in the condenser brackets, but I doubt no one will even know besides me.

As Dave told me earlier this year, the basic steps for me were:

1.  Remove bottom brackets on radiator support
2.  Flip passenger side bracket from front of condenser to back side
3.  Drill new holes in top condenser brackets, about 1/4" lower than existing holes.  Trim metal above these new holes off the brackets
4.  Bottom of condenser sticks "out" (forward of the plane of the radiator support).  Top of condenser mounts as original did, just repositioned a bit via the new holes in those brackets
5.  Success... ???

[kramttocs]

Glad you are all bolted up

Maybe someday we'll find a new one that isn't the Spectra design.

[FuzzFace2]

ckuske wrote

Besides snapping a u-nut while backing out the brackets on the radiator support, I have the new condenser mounted.  I wasn't totally happy with the positioning of the new holes I had to drill in the condenser brackets, but I doubt no one will even know besides me.

As Dave told me earlier this year, the basic steps for me were:

1.  Remove bottom brackets on radiator support
2.  Flip passenger side bracket from front of condenser to back side
3.  Drill new holes in top condenser brackets, about 1/4" lower than existing holes.  Trim metal above these new holes off the brackets
4.  Bottom of condenser sticks "out" (forward of the plane of the radiator support).  Top of condenser mounts as original did, just repositioned a bit via the new holes in those brackets
5.  Success... ???

Man that is a lot more work than finding longer bolts in the left over hardware bin on the bench and finding & cutting the pipe to off set the bottom like in my picture.

Like you no one knows but me (and now everyone) once the grille is back in place.
My grille was out as part of the rebuild of the truck.
Dave ----

[FuzzFace2]

Looking at your picture are you worried that air will be pulled around the gaps on the sides & bottom?
I just seen yours and made me think I need to see what mine is like.

I know my fan dose pull air through the radiator & condenser but I wonder if it could be better?
If I sit at a light or idle for a long time, idle RPM, my AC will blow a little warmer till the RPM comes back up but my 02 Durango dose the same so ????

Dave ----

[ckuske]

Yeah, a little bit. But it’ll probably be ok as is. I imagine an air dam of some sort could be made to prevent air from getting through that gap, but probably not worth the trouble.

I’m to the stage in this project where I just want to be able to drive this thing again haha.

[FuzzFace2]

Oh I hear you on just want to drive it again.
I was in the same place after 4 years of working on my truck.

On the air dam there is one across the top between the radiator and condenser so air would be pulled through the condenser.
I have the top one and I should check to see if I have gaps like you have on mine after spacing the bottom out.
Dave ----

[ckuske]

I'm at four years as well.  I was slow in the beginning but now that I'm working from home, I find more time to trot out to the garage between Zoom meetings haha.

My goal is to be "done" this time next year, minus paint.  Major work (assuming I've not botched anything in the engine bay) that remains is:

Repaint/reinstall interior
Take bed off, repair rusted front crossmember
Replace bed wood

Then, paint!

[ckuske]

So, I'm waiting for the rubber radiator mounts to come before I can move forward in the engine bay, so I decided to start scrubbing/cleaning up the cab.  I've already stripped out all the plastic and dash, as I plan to paint everything in SEM in the next couple months so it matches.

There was some remaining glued down insulation on the passenger floor that I needed to remove, so I tore it out and had a nasty surprise.   I realize this is probably minor compared to East Coast/Midwest trucks, but I was surprised as this has been a California truck all its life.  

When the truck was still my dads, I remember that the heater core sprung a leak in the early 90s.  Back then, the original rubber flooring were installed... maybe some of the water leeched underneath the rubber flooring and became trapped and no one knew any better?







The steel doesn't seem weak, you can press on the edges of the holes and it doesn't give.  I'm thinking about just patching the small holes with something like QuikSteel after putting Evaporust on it and then spraying some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator in the affected area. Any advice would be appreciated.  

Since I'm going to be painting in the cab now anyway, I was thikning of trying to paint the floor pan etc myself with the original paint (3L) as this is what I intend to get done in the next year or two for the exterior.  Has anyone done this with the Preval sprayer?  I don't have air tools etc.  And, any ideas of where I could procure a quart or so of this paint?  I can call around locally but I didn't know if there was a known website to get small amounts of exterior paint.

[Gary Lewis]

I found similar holes in Big Blue's floor, and I cleaned it really well and brazed it.  Then I coated it with POR15.  You can see what I did starting here.

[ckuske]

I’ll check that out, I have a propane torch - do you think that’d work?  Google results seem split but “yeah, probably”

I’m not a rust expert thankfully, but this is a little different than what I’m used to seeing - it’s raised but not hollow bubbles either. Not sure what to call it. Scale maybe?  But it’s not easily removed - I took a wire brush to it in a drill and it really didn’t budge.

[Gary Lewis]

I use MAPP gas in my "propane" torch and it works well.  Easily got the floor hot enough to braze.  And I used the flux-coated brazing rods.

On the rust, I'd try a chisel on it.  You want to make sure that nothing is going to come loose, either while brazing or later when the floor flexes.

[ckuske]

Thanks Gary. I went to Lowe’s this morning and got some MAPP gas and some brazing rods. We shall see how I do!

[Gary Lewis]

Good luck, Chris!

[ckuske]

Thanks!  I got some Evaporust gel, gonna let that sit tonight and see how much it cleans up.  I'm taking my son fishing out on the ocean tomorrow, so I'll probably try to braze on Tuesday.  I'll send out an update at that point.

I was told by someone at work a few years older than me - if your teenager asks you to go do something with them... do it!  As most of us on this board remember what being a 14 year old boy was like, I can't say it's bad advice! haha

[Gary Lewis]

That's good advice!  Glad you are doing something with him.

And that Evaporust might be just the ticket for cleaning things up.