glitchwrks Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 I'll try and take some pictures later today We finally found a truck my grandfather was happy with, it's a 74 C65 gasser with a log rack on the back. If the build decal in the glovebox is right, it's a 427, if not it's a 366 -- I don't know enough about the big block Chevys to tell them apart from looking. It's been redone recent-ish, very solid frame, suspension, and driveline. This one came factory equipped with air brakes and is under CDL at 25K. We bought it in Farmville, VA and drove it around 85 miles back to Buena Vista, VA. No major issues, but even empty it's a pig on gas. It'll be going to southern West Virginia this coming weekend, but I've got a few repairs to make before then. I pulled the dash apart yesterday looking at a number of issues: speedometer, tach, fuel, and temperature were all out, as were instrument lights. Headlights apparently out, too! Fixed the temperature gauge, there was a short somewhere in the chassis harness so I disconnected the factory wire and ran a new one. It looks like part of the chassis harness had a meltdown at some point. Took the lightswitch apart and cleaned it up, now I have dash lights but still no headlights, though the switch is good. I will probably disconnect the original wiring at the firewall terminal block and relay both the headlights and additional marker lights required (no side position lamps installed). I think the fuel gauge issue is a dead gauge, it's pegged out even with the sender wire disconnected. I checked for shorts to ground on the sender wire, it's fine. Tach isn't hooked up at all, someone swapped in a HEI distributor and didn't reconnect the tach, I don't know why since there appears to be a tach terminal. I have heard that a busted tach can fry GM HEI systems so I'll probably leave that alone. The speedometer is kind of an issue, the cable is fine but the previous owner had never connected it. There was a large hex tube extension on the back of the transmission tailshaft housing where it looks like the speedo cable would screw in. It was totally full of mud, looks like a wasp built a nest in it. Problem is, the mud nest continues down into the housing on the transmission! I don't know if there's a speedo gear down in there at all, but I don't think I want to go poking mud into an otherwise fine transmission and wreck it. Any thoughts on getting it cleaned out? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyGunner Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 I worked for a ranch years ago that had a bunch of those 2 1/2 ton chevys and I loved the one with the 366. It had more power than the other bigger engines and did a dang good job of hauling 2200gal of water 2x a day to the cattle. Quote The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by the people who vote for a living.The government can only "give" someone what they first take from another. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-351243 Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 The block casting number will tell the tale for which engine you have. Sucks about the speedo drive but you might have to open it up and clean it out. Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-351245 Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayhair Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 12 hours ago, glitchwrks said: Problem is, the mud nest continues down into the housing on the transmission! I don't know if there's a speedo gear down in there at all, but I don't think I want to go poking mud into an otherwise fine transmission and wreck it. Any thoughts on getting it cleaned out? Being the lazy shade tree mechanic I am, I think I'd start with a eye dropper or turkey baster and a good shop vac positioned up close. Squirt a little water on the mud and vacuum it away as it softens up. Just a thought... Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-351250 Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 (edited) Well we decided to punt on the speedometer cable, I screwed the hex tube back on and screwed the cable onto that, so nothing else will get in there. We're going to pull the tailshaft housing off when we get a chance. It could probably use a tailshaft seal anyway, it's seeping a bit of gear oil. Drove it around 150 miles to Flat Top, WV, down I-64 most of the way. We cut over to US 19 at Beckley mostly to avoid tolls. According to Amy I got it up to 60 MPH going downhill while I was still on the throttle Most of the way we were doing 50-55 MPH. Got around 5-6 MPG which is about what I was expecting out of a big block engine. Dropped two cans of Sea Foam in the tank before we left Buena Vista, which seemed to improve running. Of course, that may have also just been shaking all the crud out from sitting for a year, and of course fresh gas. I'll be digging into the headlight issue over Thanksgiving. I forgot to check the dimmer switch on the floor so I'm wondering if it's just as crusty as the dash switch was, and is stuck in some in-between where it won't power either beam of the lights. There's a small fuel leak somewhere, you can smell it when you're idling. Haven't determined if it's in the rubber line(s) to the fuel tank(s) or if it's a carb leak. I suspect the carb could use a cleanout and reseal anyway. I was expecting more power out of a 366 or 427. It didn't seem to have the power that my '69 F600's FT 391 had, or even the power of the FT 330-HD we had in a '71 F600 dump. It did come up Sandstone Mountain in 4-HI though. Edited November 16, 2016 by glitchwrks 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-352111 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead204 Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 yes check the dimmer sw. had several throw me that curve ball as for the power good luck we have a 74 gmc 6500 w/ a 366 in a fire truck tender with a 1800 gallon tank i've been thru the carb and distributer trying to find its problem but it all checks out.........it almost can pull a 6% grade at 20 mph loaded as long as its a short grade! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-352311 Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 OK, so we got everything squared away for the inspection! Headlight issue was the dimmer switch Found out that the top-of-cab clearance lights were wired into a toggle switch, which was disconnected, so we ran a wire out to the terminal block and hooked them into the running lights. Added 2" round ICC grommet mount lights in the square tube that makes up the log standards -- we didn't have a magnetic drill so we punched them out with the cutting torch. Grommet hides all sins! Those got tied into the running light circuit as well, all soldered + taped on the connections. Fixed the heater motor wiring, ended up putting a 30 Amp fuse to a relay at the heater motor to keep the load down on the cab wiring harness, since it looks like it had issues in the past. Haven't messed with the transmission tailshaft or tach yet. Fuel gauge issue does appear to be the sender, waiting on better weather to drop the tanks. We'll probably do a single sender, eliminate the tank select valve, and put a crossover line between the tanks. There's already a port in the bottom of each tank for the crossover. Passed WV state inspection, and I don't think Grandpa even knew the mechanic He's hauled a few loads on it, loves the 427 compared to the SBC 350 that was in his old C60. Says he won't own anything that doesn't have airbrakes now! He had an issue where the start position on the key wasn't making contact, so they had to give the truck a little push with a loader at the mill. Fired right off, and I haven't heard anything else about it since. I'm sure it will be waiting for me over Christmas break. Finally found a hood hinge/spring assembly for the driver's side. I don't know what happened to the old one, but most of it is sheared off. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-354319 Share on other sites More sharing options...
70mackMB Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 On 11/16/2016 at 8:55 AM, glitchwrks said: Drove it around 150 miles to Flat Top, WV, down I-64 most of the way. We cut over to US 19 at Beckley mostly to avoid tolls. We bought our MB in Bluefield VA just down 77 from Flat Top. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-354330 Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 29 minutes ago, 70mackMB said: We bought our MB in Bluefield VA just down 77 from Flat Top. Yup, I went and looked at your MB, nearly bought it! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-354336 Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg1 Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Here's a picture of my dads 74 C60 dump. Also has a 427. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-354390 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxfymn Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 If you are looking for a parts truck I know where one is that runs and has a flat bed dump on it. Send me a PM if you are interested. Quote Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-354396 Share on other sites More sharing options...
glitchwrks Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 PM sent on the parts truck! That's a slick looking C60 -- looks like it's air brakes too, eh? I like those Dayton wheels with the chrome caps. Starting problem turned out to be a broken wire to the starter solenoid, just the low-current wire that drives the solenoid coil. They were supposed to install the hood hinge/spring assembly this week, I guess we'll find out Monday when we head in for Christmas! I will try to get some pictures this time Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-355868 Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 On 11/7/2016 at 8:56 PM, grayhair said: Being the lazy shade tree mechanic I am, I think I'd start with a eye dropper or turkey baster and a good shop vac positioned up close. Squirt a little water on the mud and vacuum it away as it softens up. Just a thought... unscrew the thing clean it out with a welding rod and screw it back in Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47599-new-to-us-74-chevy-c65-log-truck/#findComment-355870 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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