Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Looks like you need to swap steering columns.
Did Rocky Raccoon always have a Black/Charcoal interior, or is that a mod? Mine is the same 516 Orange, with [once-upon-a-time] Silver Fawn contrasts.
I've leaned toward Saddle as things gradually get replaced. Saddle dash pad cover, and Saddle Seat. Matches the Light Walnut stain on my plywood door panels. When the OE Fawn sunshades wore out, I replaced them with Light Blue ones, a union buddy gave me, off his '72 C/20. The idea was to trade out the Blue shades from the Stepside for the Black ones in the Jimmy [which got repainted Blue]. However, I could never get them loose. Also Blazers have a unique sunshade, different from production trucks. So that never flew.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

I'm working on rebuilding a floor shift steering column right now. Waiting on parts. Two owners back told me he painted the interior black. There are some spots that he missed, and it appears that the entire interior metal, including the dash and steering column, was painted a cream color. I am confused by that because your dash is orange. I don't know what paint scheme would have cream colored paint.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Sure a lot of REAL nice trucks, good job.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Maybe the PO's PO's PO's Wife couldn't stand Orange?
In '67 they just shot everything inside Fawn. Might have been running low by the 1968 model year.
Is there any trace of Orange under the Cream?

My whole cab interior was Orange. Orange Dash, Cab inside, Doors, Glove Box, Ceiling... Above the dash, it was Charcoal, I think. I've since shot it with Flat Black for better anti-glare.
All the Fawn stuff was bolted on. Steering Wheel and Column, Sunvisors, lizard skin vinyl Seat, Seatbelts, Door Panels and Dash Pad.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

There does appear to be some orange showing through on the glovebox hinge where the screws have worn through the paint. I have wondered if the interior looked something like this '68 truck.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

That interior doesn't really look bad. Cream and Fawn. I would expect it inside a White truck, though.

I am pretty sure my rig was a Fleet Order. Totally Standard [base] Trim level.
Was yours a fancier trim level?

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Mine was definitely a base model all around, other than having a powerglide transmission.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Strange. Must've been a case of the Fawn paint gun getting clogged up, so they shot the next ten stepsides with Cream interiors until it came back cleaned. IDK?
:chevy:

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Went back to stock KYB Gas-adjusts from the CPP lowering shocks that were put on for the drop. Rides like a dream now!

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Got my 327 block back from the machine shop and now the actual process of putting it together will begin to start the winter project of pulling the 350 and 4 speed out of the truck for this 327 and a tkx 5 speed for more fun next spring.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Cool.
At what point does an overbored 327 become a 350?

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

never because the stoke is different between them. 327s have a 3.25 inch stroke vs the 350's 3.48 inch. Rods/bore/pistons are the same only real difference is the crank and that little change makes a world of difference.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Installed my bumper, rechromed. That's the second time it was rechromed, my mom got it for my birthday early 90s, and soon after I ruined it because the frame had the wrong brackets combined with I probably tightened the brackets first, or something else wrong:metal:

It's a rare frame, rare doesn't mean desirable, though it's a SWB. OEM brackets for this are so rare, replacements don't fit despite they saying otherwise. GMs shorter inner brackets were the closest. We modified those and the outer brackets too. For what worth, who knows if it's right...Real close good enough? The bracket rear surfaces are 8” behind the frame rails. The bumper’s top is 8/10” behind the bed’s body located below the taillight bezels, and 4/10” below the bezel’s phillips screw center.

GM designed a nice product. The bumper's top outer edge and the lower side molding's top outer edge are plumb. Painter has the license plate bracket, optioned for argent silver and a clear coat.

My front bumper is pending, would you believe they gave me an imposter? Yeah. I marked the original along with a difference in grains made that obvious. They "found" it and are now "rushing it". They at least texted their goof supported by lots of pictures. The imposter even has part numbers stamped on the back. Wrong numbers and unless I'm mistaken, original bumpers aren't stamped at all, they only had a GM sticker.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Sweet!

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Pistons can't be the same

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Got the bench seat in today with the 3 point seat belts.
:chevy:

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

same bore, wrist pin location is the main difference between them. You could potentially use a 350 piston with a 327 crank if you used a shorter rod.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Some progress has finally been made. Got the seat back from the upholstery shop

https://i.imgur.com/0fHI0dgl.jpg

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

So not the same at all.
Also don't you have that assbackwards? You would need a longer rod.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

I do have it backwards, my morning coffee had not kicked in yet. The pin location is the only real difference in the piston design outside of the pop up/flat top/dish. I was taking the measurement in my head from the bottom skirt to the pin instead of from the top of the piston down like you should.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Installing a vintage air front runner serpentine kit on my 496

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Looks great! Where did you source your seatbelts if you don't mind me asking....?

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Bench seat cover and seat belts are from forum member t korinik.
Very happy with the products. :chevy:

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Thanks for the intel!

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

After a couple more test drives to chase down a rattle and squeak,
I installed the door panels.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Installed the front bumper guards.
Thanks go to member PbFut for the advice.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

very nice truck.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Today made more progress on my new 327 for my truck. Got the bottom end all buttoned up and got the heads on. Im excited to see how the heads run. This motor had 69 Z/28 2.02 heads on it. Stainless valve, screw in studs, guide plates, and some very heavy port work. Should be alot more peppy than the old 350 motor in the truck currently.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

:metal: Nice

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

That's a purty lil' engine C-Boy. She purrs still in pieces.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

We finally got new tires and wheels on the old girl.

I never get tired of this look!

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Lost the farm truck ride Friday..... front stabilizer bar off of a 2500 took care of that. I kinda miss that old truck "float". No going back at this point. Gonna try dropping it >JUST< 2" all around see how I like it.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

I found this nice temperature gauge in a spare cluster I had in my garage. The text is still green, and the hot range marker still has some orange to it. I plan on installing it in place of the one in my truck that is sun-bleached white, so I painted the needle.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Good job, Pat. That's exactly how I did the Speedo and Gas needles on mine. I mighta used Krylon instead, but it's the same regulation color.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Weather held off long enough today here to wheel the motor out and get it all painted. Pretty much done with it until I get the motor and trans out of the truck to start swapping stuff over.

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Made a video of my big block idling. Still needs some adjustment.

https://rumble.com/v3pj0m2-1968-factory-396-swb.html

Attachment 2310352

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Your truck sounds and looks awesome

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

Thanks!

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

I got my '71 GMC Jimmy back on the road in the wee small hours...
Had to call Roadside Rescue Monday night to get a guy with a jumper box.
Got home at midnight.
Back at work at 8:30 in the '68 Orange Stepside.
I had left my lights on, parked Downtown on Monday, while I was at work nearby from 12:30 to 10:30 PM. Four 5.5'' sealed beams at full blast. After work, I tried the key. Nothing. Dead flat.

Wednesday I got off early enough to drop off the Batt, a 4-y.-o. Deka
at O'RAP. A DVM reading w/o load was 12.63 vdc.
Parts store found no faults, and charged it overnight. [For free].
Stopped by Thursday and picked it up. Charged full.
While I was down, I checked the oil. It was low 1 Qt. Added one. Good catch.
Reinstalled and it cranked up good.
Ran to grocery store today.

Nominal operations resume.

:gmc2:

Re: What did you do to your truck today.The 3rd chapter
 

sounds like how a big block should.