About 10 years ago I also went to the local JD store and bought a 48" riding mower, it was the biggest piece of crap that I ever bought.  I would absolutely never buy another one.  Thanks for letting me give them some free advertisement and letting me vent a little, cuz I'm still PO'd at that deal.

I ordered the truck and it was supposed to come with a 3.55 LS.  It said it had one on the window sticker.  I don't think that I was ever under the truck to look at the tag on the rearend.   I just know that I was disappointed that both wheels wouldn't pull going up the driveway.
Yes when it snowed I always hoped that it would snow enough so that I could fill up the box with snow to put some weight over the wheels.  I've been driving a pickup since the 90's so I know all about the weight in the box.  That's the only way I could get up the driveway, and even then I occasionally had to leave it at the bottom of the hill and walk up to the house.  Used to tick me off when I couldn't get up the hill and my wife's front wheel drive car would cruise right up.

I know that there is a mechanical drawing of the entire bottom of the car.  It shows the measurements of all of the mounting holes and everything you would need to put the entire bottom together.  I'm not at home so can't access my drawing but surely someone on here would have that also.  From this drawing you could literally make a jig to set up how the bottom would go together.  I'm going home for Christmas. If no one on here has a copy I could send it to you then.

If I was home in Indiana I would check it for you,  Knox is about 60 miles from where I live, butt(TS)  I've already made my yearly trek to Florida so I'm probably 1000 miles away right now.

I like it............Just need a zerk fitting on the cover

I feel your pain. I have 5 vehicles and it seems like I have to buy a battery every year or so.  They just don't last like they used to.  You might get a couple years out of them.  The best thing is to have one of those trickle chargers on a vehicle that sits for a while, because the worse thing is to let one go completely discharged. seems like they are pretty much toast after that. 

Does that body buck say export to West Germany???

MS, if I am reading your readings right, your trans. is down 2.9 and your rearend is 2.7 down.  If that's the case, that will never work correctly imho.  First of all I'm no mechanic and all I know about driveline angles is what I read and what a friend of mine, who worked for Ford, told me. This friend would set the angle between tandem axles on heavy duty trucks. Yes, even that short little driveshaft had to be angled correctly. I know I have read your posts about this problem that won't go away for quite some time now.  Maybe you have tried this, I can't remember.  I would raise the trans. as much as I could and then tilt the rearend up...if the trans is tilted down say 1 or 1 1/2 then you want the rear tilted up 1 or 1 1/2.  The lines extended out from each should be parallel, they should never intersect which is what I'm reading on your angles. If I'm wrong about this please forgive my rambling on, and please someone correct me if so.  MS it would be nice if you posted a side view drawing of your angles.
 

Had to come back on and add that there is a problem...........When I click on go to forum link it comes up in 2016 posts, until I log in then it shows new posts.    Anyone else having this problem????

Nice video, lots of beautiful cars.   Thanks for posting.    Just one complaint, not enough of the blonds.

It's amazing what new shoes and a new posture will do for a car.  Went from Clark Kent to Superman.  Very nice

There is some paint made by SEM that works very well.  I used some to paint a blue convertible top boot black and also to paint some cream bucket seats black, it holds up well and looks good.

Who is the distinguished looking Vietnam Vet on the right?  Since I am one, when I see those hats I always have to ask what unit they were with.  Tell that "brother" I was in the 25th ID, 1969.