UPDATED 68 sportsman pop-up roof

Itruns... I measured my 90" pickup trans and the one in the 108" and they are the same length. The one in the 108 I have is still set up for ball and trunnion driveshaft.

Okay guys/gals...... All the parts will be offered up here FIRST for my fellow vanners with the understanding that they ARE NOT [/color]for resale and are for your use or someone else you know with an "A". First one to ask for a part is first in line, shoot me a reasonable offer and we will work the shipping and payment out. A lot of you have helped me out so it is my turn. Ask for a pic of something if you want and I'll PM it to you.

RIP... The arms I'm going to use on my '67, but the 5 X 7 you can get new from GROTE INDUSTRIES in painted or stainless

Made some progress today thanks to the Gov'nor, got the new king pins in, front brakes done, NEW tie rods and adjuster bar fits great, and replaced the fuel line. So hopefully I can get it running off the tank tomorrow, bled the brakes and take a test drive.

Sounds like a good headway.

Today was another good day! Got her running offf the tank now and no more freeze plug leaks, but then the step backwards as always. Finally dawned on me what the 2 empty holes were on the bottom of the radiator, you guessed it, the trans cooler lines are missing, good thing the parts van has some. The question is why are they missing??? Hopefully this engine was swapped out and they screwed them up then and it's not more serious than that. Oh yeah anybody got a pic of where the engine dipstick mounts???? Mine is missing, don't know how the last guy checked the oil. I guess I'm lucky the damn thing isn't locked up.

The dipstick "hole" is in the block on the left (facing engine) hand side of the timing cover. Shine a flashlight down in there...you'll see it. A dipstick and tube from a car will work if you have the center sump oil pan. If you have the rear sump oil pan, you'll need a dipstick and tube from a truck or van.

thanks nate... it's a center sump pan

Well, I got the wiring harness 95% done this weekend and the carb kit should be here tomorrow so things are still on schedule to bring the camo van to milford at the end of the month. I HOPE

Made some progress this weekend..... Got the tank out and cleaned, carb rebuilt, trans cooler lines installed, harness done, and even got to put 5 miles in the old girl today before I start on the doghouse and belly pan. So far the only problems I ran into today were.... RF turn signal is dim and the LF comes on at the same time????? And I guess I need to adjust something since it will only start in neutral and not in park???? Any ideas?????

linkage out of adjustment or the neutral switch is bad. single wire switch should ground in both park and neutral. 3 wire switch not correct for this truck.

It has the single wire switch so I will check my book for the adjustment steps... thanks for the help

Still messing with the trans. only starts in N and Park doesn't seem to work right, the van still rolls when in PARK. I'm reading through the manual and will have to look at it Friday when I get back in town before heading to Baker's on the 28th. Had it out on the freeway today at 70 and seemed to run all right, need a Tach to see what the RPM is with the 3.55 gears. Started to get a little warm after 15 miles. The temp gage was up to the "P" on the word temp. I have gone about 50 miles around town and it always runs on the "M". The belly pan I have on it doesn't have the rubber lip at the very back, is the lip really needed??

Made some headway today. Repalced the rear main seal, oil pan gasket, fuel pump gasket, the water pump, and the "trunnion less" drive shaft. The drive shaft shop cut off the trunnion and welded a new slip yoke back on and rebalanced it for 180.00. Ready to go back to the muffler shop and get the y-pipe welded back to the muffler tomorrow.

Excellent! I'm swapping engines because I think the engine in Grimstone has a rear main seal leak... sprays oil all the way back to the diff! Cleaning the tranny of gunk today, and pulled the old engine last night! Good luck with the progress!

Spring is finally here.... and the freeze plugs have sprung a leak over the winter (rusted) So time to put the spare 318 in tomorrow. It's a lot easier to put the new freeze plugs in on the engine stand than in the van.

Engine is ready to go back in after changing the timing chain, timing cover, and distributer.

sweet................