Some help on a Chevy C-10

[kasey200x]

I know it's not a atc but this is the open forum so i figured it was worth trying. I just got my first pick up and am extremely happy with it. It was bought new off the line from the original owner(the one i bought it from) and cam with a rust proof life time gaurentee. So far it is definatly holding up to that gaurentee. I have a few small things that i need help on. But i can't complain, its twenty seven years old.

Btw, 1984 swb c-10, midnight blue fleet sid, Inline six cylinder (250), And a three speed on the tree. The interior is almost flawless, aside from one small rip in the seat(the size of a nickel) and the sun visor is dry rotted.

First, the shifter. It's a three on the tree and it has problems going into first and reverse some times. It also has a major problem about getting stuck between gear's when I come to a complete stop on a slope. If i put it in the gear i want to take off in before stopped, there is not a problem. Sometime's when putting it into reverse it grinds a small bit, so i'm thinking maybe the syncho's? One of the linkage arms going from the column to the tranny had some pay on it, so i put a washer in and it helped alot. I just feel like it should be much easier to go from 1/R - 2/3

Second, it has a small oil leak on the back of the valve cover. I am going to replace the gasket soon, and was wondering if there was anything to watch out for. It also has a 4.1l Inline six (250) and runs awesome. For some stupid reason chevrolet put the intake manifold and head into one single peice. So when i decide to put headers and an intake manifold on it, on come's a new head.

This truck get's GREAT mpg. For me atleast. I'd say around 20, possibly more. It could use a tune up, for sure. So I'm betting it will go up a bit.
Also looking into updating the distributor to a HEI set up.

Any tips, or anyone who has any parts for sale/trade I have some 200x parts i could trade.

Thanks for any info guys.

[kasey200x]

Here's a couple pics.

[jeffatc250r]

I love the old chevs, all ive had for many years. As far as the shift issue, it is prob a linkage issue, i think alot of guys convert to old reliable floor shift conversion kits, i personally have no exper. with them though. Valve cover gaskets, the trick with them is dont tighten them too muck.
Nice looking rig by the way

[cattle-dog]

if you look on ebay you can find a 3 spd floor shifter fairly cheap i will bet, the three on the tree all ways have a issue once worn, with any old truck or car you will learn its quirks and find its sweet spot when shifting, its a art i think. i to will not drive anything new. nice chevy by the way.

[kasey200x]

Thanks for the compliments guys. I have learned the "sweet spots" pretty good so far lol
Getting pretty easy. But the problem is worrisome with the grinding of reverse. If i go down into first, then up into reverse, there is no grinding at all.
Isn't the HEI set up just a new distributor internals fit to work with the inlines? If anyone has any info on the subject, please shed some light and give a young lamb some guidence..
Thanks again!

[2fiftyR]

If its an 84 its already got HEI. As far as I know they stopped using points in the early to mid seventies.If the distributor has a coil mounted in the cap,its HEI

[kasey200x]

So would this set up be easier to use a msd ignition? I can't find any for this specific engine. Is there just a general six cylinder set up that will work on a wide variety?
Thanks for the respong.

[cattle-dog]

a msd will work with the six and your hei will to ,but you will likely not notice the diffrence of the msd. most all of the old manual trannys have thier little issues, many of the old chevy trucks or even my old ford you have to tinker to get in to reverse smoothly, if your not forcing it you wont hurt it.
one more thing my hats off to you for being a younger guy interested in the cool old trucks even one with three on the tree lol. hey one great thing is no one will ever want to borrow that nice old chevy.

[kasey200x]

lol yeah i like to work on my stuff, and this straight six makes it a little easier. I love the way the truck's look, if you set them up right. I think what made me this way was my father's prime in life was in the early to mid 80's and he had a super nice Oiler's edition c10 that was just amazing. Wish i had that thing.
And sometime in the future, i plan on dualing it out and putting a good intake on it. a 4bbl. and i just want to do the little things from here till then so that when i get ready for it everything will go along easier.

One of the big thing's i want to do is revert the polution system back to the way in the early 70's. It's much more simple, and less cluttered.

I will post pic's as i complete big to minor task's on this truck. It will be my main project for a year or so.

[jb2wheels]

That is an awesome old truck!!

When i was in high school I had a 64 El Camino with a 283 and 3 on the tree. It would get jammed beween 1st and 2nd unless you tickled it just right. Only my dad and I could drive it. My poor mom only tried once and got stuck. It eventually got a floor shift conversion then an M20 Muncie but that's another story.

I think you'll find, once you get the feel for it and take your time shifting it, the column shift will work fine. You could also do a floor shift conversion if you don't mind cutting a hole in your floor but it would be a shame on that truck. If you get the conversion, be sure you get the truck version because it has a longer shif handle.

Very cool!

[Thorpe]

Duals on a I6 sound weird... (just IMO) There would be zero performance gains to ditch your HEI for a MSD. New cap and rotor, it would be like new again... Alot of the manual thrannys will grind from higher gear into reverse. I always slide from 1 to reverse. (force of habit now) Have worked on lots of the old manual trannys and its a pretty common thing to get the gates and gears lined up...

[kasey200x]

Thanks guys! Talking about lining them up, is the process for mine('84) the same as the older one? I found a walk through of how to adjust the linkage on a 3 on the tree of an older chevy, but mine does not have the same bolt's as that one did. Also, i can't find part's such as bushing's for the linkage. Even Lmc doesn't have jack about the column shift. I know the dual's have there own sound on six's, but i am also going to put a decent cam in it which will give it a nice lobe. So i want it to be noticed!

If you know any trick to tighten the shifter up any, please let me know. I found one of the bushing's betweek the linkage and the "ear" was worn, so i put a washer in it to take the space, and it eliminated alot of play.

Again, thanks for the compliments!

[3-for-Me]

Hope this is not against the rules.... Check out another excellant forum @ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/ You will find great information on chevy trucks of all years... good luck...

[kasey200x]

I tried that! I was like, "Sweet! i found a forum i can use to get some help on my truck with!" And then for some reason "This email address has been blocked" What the freak??
I emailed the admin, and told them about my situation and my project. That was yesterday, still havn't heard back from them.