Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

One more piece I’ve been working on for the 327

Next step on the truck: I need to finish body work on the firewall and prep for new paint. Then I can throw the cab back on the frame and drop the motor in the frame as well. Just need to get my other projects in a good place so I can focus on this one haha

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Finally

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

That looks nice! All shiny on the bottom and patina on top. :metal:

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Gaining on her. Hoping to drop the cab back on the frame tomorrow if my cab bushings show up.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Awesome updates. Keep at it.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Thanks man, this quarantine has been good for truck progress :lol::lol:

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Looking good, Graham. Hope you are doing well! Looks like you've added several to the herd since i last saw you.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Hey Geoff, things are going great! Hope you are well, it's been a while man. Yea I've been pretty lucky to acquire a few of these old trucks, I figure they are only getting harder to find right? I picked up a blue K20 recently that I haven't posted on here yet but shes another one on the list. More than likely that is what I will be driving to the PTS cruise in June.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Slight change of plans... again. Gonna make this one lay frame, I’ve always wanted to build a bagged truck so here she is. A little mock up today and started pancaking the crossmember

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Wow your gonna have it all man! Jealous over here:lol:

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

I like it! Did you say yet what you are doing for drivetrain?

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Thanks man, all I lack is finishing :lol:

I've been building a 327 for it, all painted and ready to drop in once the crossmember is done. Also keeping an eye out for a 700r to mate up to it :metal:

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Well, heck...since you're revising the build, why not go ahead and put an LS in it:D

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Come on man :lol::lol::lol: I prefer old school, carbs and factory blocks

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

I wish I knew you were changing up. I have a frame w/ front crossmember already pancaked, Porterbuilt control arms, Extreme rear, body drop mounts, custom trailing arms, fully rebuilt rear, 3.73, posi, etc.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

What is that GMC script section off of? I need to do that in a set of big block valve covers.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Early 60s gmc v6 valve covers

Thanks, I need to find a set of those.
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Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Got a delivery of parts the other day for Pearl so progress should be picking up soon.

I did play around with a potential candidate for the dash paint today. I could not find any reproduction dash pads that are the correct dark aqua color so I had to dye my own. I bought a can of vinyl dye from The Parts Place color M04 Dark Aqua. I also used SEM vinyl dye prep before applying any of the actual dye. The first picture is the new dark olive green dash pad that I bought to dye. I think it turned out pretty good, once it all cures I’ll post a pic comparing to a sample from my old dash pad for reference. Last picture is the same dash pad in different lighting

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Got to work on Pearl a little this afternoon. Between a 9 month old running around and about 6 other trucks it seems like this one keeps getting put on the back burner. Well I’m hoping to change that over the next little bit, we will see how well I can keep at it.

So my current to dos:

I really need to get the front crossmember complete and bolted in for the last time. I worked on metal finishing my welds today and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Hopefully gonna take it to work for a blast and powdercoat in the next couple weeks to call it 100% done and bolt to the frame for the last time. All in I’m pretty happy with how the 1 1/2” pancake turned out

Balance of front suspension. I was able to score a set or used porterbuilt tubular uppers and lowers. They are going to make my conversion to bags a million times easier and way cleaner. Mocked them up today with no issues, gonna put them on the list to powdercoat as well.

It looks like I have about 14” clear from “aired out” center of hub to ground. Based on eye balling my orange truck I think I can tuck 22s with really skinny tires or 20s with a fatter tire. That will probably make me go with a 20/22 setup long term but I’m still gonna get a set of steelies for now.

So I got everything mocked up in the front and I’m pretty happy with how it all fits and moves. I think next on my list is to figure out inner fenders so I can verify clearances and what else I have to modify under the hood. I really like the old hills rod and custom style of inners but I don’t think they make them anymore so I may have to do some searching.

After I get my inner fenders figured out I think I’ve got almost everything figured out up front. Gotta get some bags and run some lines but I feel like that will be straight forward (hopefully). Also figure out steering but I think I am gonna go with a rack n pinion to keep it simple.

Lastly I am on the search for rear kits. I’ve been looking at this kit my Chasis Fab https://chassisfabsuspension.com/col...suspension-kit but I’m not totally sold yet. Does anyone have any other opinions to insert here?

Lastly just a few interior pieces that I’ve been working on to show you guys. I’m gonna hold off on any more interior work for a while to avoid getting the cart before the horse. I’m 95% sure I’m gonna be welding and grinding on my firewall again before this is all said and done so I wanna keep that collateral damage to a minimum.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Last few pics:

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Nice score on the Porterbuilt arms. Are they one inch sorter and one inch forward?

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Yes they are

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Beautiful truck, and excellent progress on the old gmc

Enjoying the photos of it all

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Looking great!

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

You had me at grandpa truck and nearly lost me at bags, haha. Not really, and to be fair, I have a squarebody grandpa sled going on to a static drop. I really like how you are spot repairing the rust and working your way, panel by panel.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Thanks man, it has been fun to work on
Thanks man

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Haha hey granpas can party too! I feel like most of my trucks start out as a granpa style to stay true to the GM design but then I usually switch it up with stance and wheels / tires. I appreciate the kind words.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Detroit Steelies 20x8 & 22x10 in the Argent Silver & those caps FTW.

These are the old Hills fenders: https://www.stonerspeedshop.com/collections/fenders

R&P might be a little more trouble w/the x-member sectioned 1.5". Maybe the POL set-up?

Was this one leafs or truck-arm?

What further mods to the firewall?

A little late to this party but came across this one today....

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Thanks for tuning in Scoti, see my responses below

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

It's been almost a year since I updated this thread so I guess its time to let you guys know where I am at. I am still plugging away on this build. It has actually been really nice just being able to tinker on it and not have any time crunch or deadline for it. In the last year I have finished the switch suspension hood hinges, I final powdercoated and cleaned up my tubular PB control arms for the front. I am waiting on upper ball joints from Moog now which have been back ordered for over a month, they are supposed ship at the end of Jan. Once those are in the front end will be a roller. I ended up buying a freshly gone through 700r4 from my buddy Adam and got it painted and in the truck. I also bought all of my rear suspension parts from Tinworks Fab (super nice stuff). It is all. mocked up and ready for powdercoat. I am also in the process of fabbing my rear bag crossmember over the rear end. I have a set of Coker tires ordered and on the way, once those show up and my ball joints get here I should have a roller.

I also finished my pancaked crossmember and bolted it in. I was about to drop the motor in the truck and during a final pass over the motor I realized that the engine builder put the #7 rod on the piston backward (or vise versa). Unfortunately I had to blow the entire motor apart to get that rod / piston out and take it back to him to rotate it 180 degrees. I previously painted the motor with VHT engine paint but I also used the same paint on the Jimmy and that paint is already failing after only about 2 years of driving. So I figured now would be the time to strip it down and paint it with something better. I am going to try out the Eastwood ceramic engine paint which I sprayed out yesterday. So far it looks great, we will see how it looks after I drive it a few times.

So my current goal is to get the truck sitting down on the ground on all 4 as a roller, wheels tires and caps done, rear bag crossmember done and 100%, and the motor / trans sitting in the truck around the end of January first of February. After that I can focus on all of the components needed to get the motor started and broken in. Here are some misc pics of the progress over the last year :gmc2:

Pics
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Pics 2
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Motor torn apart and after repaint
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Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

A step back & then a few forward. Nice.
Sucks about the extra effort required on the rod/piston issue though.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Really enjoying the build thread. Looks good. Good job on the doors, those are never fun.

Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

Thanks for the kind words guys. Ive got a little motivation on this one so I have been putting in the work on it. Some more progress pics.

Pics 1. I dropped the motor in a couple of weeks ago while it was snowing. The orange truck got a little white while I was working on the gmc.
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More
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Re: 1968 GMC Shorty - Pearl
 

I am down to just a few items before I can fire it up:

- Finish running fuel lines. I have all new hard lines from the fuel tank sending unit to the fuel pump and I will make a new line from the pump to the carb.

- Cooling system is done and ready to go

- I have my original wiring harness that I am cleaning up now. I ordered a few accessories to run the wiring properly. That all should be here this week which will allow me to finish up wiring.

- I need to install my trans cooler lines and top off the trans with atf.

- The factory throttle linkage that I have is not going to work with my holley carb. I need to order a new universal throttle linkage and return spring and that should be done.

I think that catches me up to current. Hopefully another week or two and it will be a runner. I also have new tires and my factory 15x6.5 steelies are at the blaster now. Once they are done I will throw some paint on them and mount my new tires. Then it should be a roller. My goal is by the end of February to have it sitting on all 4s and be able to hit the key and start it up. Still a long ways to go but hey these are milestones haha. :gmc2: