1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

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Hello,

I'm new to this forum, I just recently discovered this thread, and have read "Blank Slate" with great interest. Your truck is really awesome!!! The Build info has been very inspiring for my own efforts.

I have aquired an 1969 GMC short bed fleet in mostly original condition. It is a small block 307 & Powerglide tranny. It was a farm truck for 38 years based just outside Hot Springs, Arkansas. The guy I bought it from had it painted light Green. I believe this is the original color, however I think it was originally a two-tone, light green/white. When I had the windshield replaced, I found white paint at the sides and top of the windshield seat. The suspension, brakes and steering need rebuilding. I will convert to disc fronts. I have ordered the disc brake kit with 2 1/2" dropped spindles with 3" drop springs in the back. I ordered everything from Early.

Thanks,
Dale

Pics:

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Attachment 550992

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

That is a good looking truck. Good luck with your upgrades :metal:

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Very sharp truck! It's going to look great with that drop.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Very nice truck! Very clean!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Very nice. It kinda reminds me of 72blckbuty's truck. You'll have to check it out when you get a chance.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

great looking truck

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Really nice lookin truck you got there. Can't wait to see it a little bit lower to the ground. Please tell me your keeping it a GMC.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Wow! 67ChevyRedneck, what a project you went through! Great Build!! I read thru your build start to finish. Great Job! I'm going to read you other guys builds also as soon as I can get to them. This site really has some dedicated people doing these old trucks. Luckly I'm starting with a pretty solid, no rust truck. After crawling around the vehicle for two days, I only saw two places where any detectable rust, was a slight repair at the cab corners. The Floor boards, rockers and bed look to be ok.

MY BUILD LIST:

SUSPENSION, BRAKES & STEERING:

Rebuild the suspension front and rear with new springs, bushings and shocks. I'm going to lower the rear 3" . also new track bar. New A-arms w/ball joints.

Front Disc brake conversion using 2 1/2" drop spindles w/ new MC and rebuilt rear drum brakes.

Totally rebuild the Power Steering w/ new steering box, tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm and new hoses.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION:

I have ordered a GM Performance ZZ4 350HO cate engine complete with
carb, air cleaner, starter, fuel pump, HEI Dist., Serpentine accessory drive belt and pulleys w/ alternator, power steering pump and air cond. compressor.
(This was a amazing deal from "CrateEnginesDepot.com").

Transmission will be a rebuilt Turbo 350 w/ a mild shift kit. I going to keep the original 373:1 rear end.

Most of the parts are coing from Early or LMC.

Thanks,
Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Yes, I will keep it an GMC!!!

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Thanks :D

She gets driven too. I've put about 13,000 miles on it since Nov 2006.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Nice Truck.
Subscribing for future updates!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Great plans. I am gonna watch this one I think it will turn out nice.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

That is a killer truck, can't wait to see some progress shots. :D

Kind of reminds me of mine...

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Yeah, When I read through "Blank Slate" I thought i was looking at my truck's Bowtie twin. Have you found anything on that rubber bedmat yet?

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Oh shoot.... my fault! I was out of town until late last night and won't be home until tomorrow afternoon. I will make a note and have you some information by tomorrow night.

Sorry about that Dale!

Question.... are you keeping the 6-lug setup or changing to 5-lug?

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Nate,

I'm really struggling with that issue right now. My wheel search has been frustrating to say the least. Lolife99 clued me in on your saga trying to get the front wheels tucked in a bit after the disc brake change and getting the rear widen a bit. The wheel choices for 6 lug are somewhat limited. The back spacing offered by most of the wheel peddlers have the wrong back spacing to accomplish what I need to do (which is the same problem you had with the Rally Wheels).

I now have found a simple steel crager chrome wheel (Soft Eight) that has a 8" wide front wheel with a 4.75 inch back spacing which I think will solve the front to wide problem. Crager has this same wheel in a 10" wide rim with a 4.00 inch back spacing I could use in the rear to widen the rear stance a bit. If I need to widen the rear more, I can add a 1/2" spacer behind the wheel.
I plan on mounting BF Goodrich radial TA's size P275/60 R15 on the rear and
P255/60 R15's on the front. What do you think?

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Good News:

The GM Performance ZZ4 350 Turn Key Crate Engine arrived today at the shop thats doing the Engine/Trans swap for me! I will go there after work today and get some pics.

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Great Lookin GMC, gotta love the 4 holers

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Ok.....I took a few pics of the ZZ4 350 crate engine! Bumbera performance is doing the engine/trans swap for me. This is the most popular Turn Key crate engine from GM Performance. 355 HP/405 FT/Lbs. . It comes fully dressed out.
Holly 750 carb, starter, fuel pump, HEI Distributor, Chrome air cleaner, Complete Serpentine Accessory Drive with all brackets, pully's, power steering pump, water pump, 100 amp alternator, and a GM late model Air Conditioning Compressor. The Motor is setting just outside waiting to be moved inside the garage bay so I did not remove the plastic wrap. It looked like it might rain.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Nice choice for your new powerplant!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

:agree:.... that is a nice setup!

Maybe I could borrow that 307 and pep up my 250.... ;)

I'm still digging for the specs on the mat I have in my truck. I'm going to call the shop we purchased it from and see if they can provide me with some info. I had the information saved some place but things have been kind of crazy lately so there's not telling where it ran off too.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Hey Nate,

Was the Rubber Bedmat you used was brand name "ProTecta"? Summit has this mat.

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

man thats a NICE FREAKIN TRUCK !!!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Dale, I haven't forgot about you. I had to head out for work on Sunday and haven't been home long enough to even try to call the shop. I will give them a call tomorrow.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Hey Nate, I want know about that bed mat too. I need to get one before the Magic Dragon show.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Ok Mike; I will be sure to get you guy's the info. I could have sworn I posted it somewhere but I can't find my post. :D

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

PROGRESS PICS:
I went by Bumbera's to see if anything got done. All the parts I ordered got here except the Disc Brake conversion kir I ordered from Ecklers. I ordered all the Brake and suspension parts from these guys. Everything so far as shown up in CPP boxes drop shipped directly from CPP. I guess Ecklers is a order taker internet service that does not stock anything substancial themselves. This error in judgement on my part has cost me a couple of weeks. I did order the rear brake drum rebuild kit from Early's, got the parts in a week, no problem. Oh well, live and learn.... oh yes, the pics: The old 307 and Powerglide are no more!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

man thats clean under the hood... thats a sweet truck... nice and simple.....

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Okay guy's... sorry for the delayed response. I contacted my supplier of the bed mat and it was manufactured by a company called TrailFX. Like I mentioned before I was able to order the mat and pick it up from them for around $50-60 (w/ tax); and this thing is heavy, not like the other cheaply made mats. It will come as a longbed black (no wheel tub cutouts) which will need to be trimmed down to match your trucks bed configuration. Luckily I have a spare SWB floor that we used to make the outline of a floor and then trim as needed. A lot of measure twice, cut once mentality. :lol:

Shoot me a pm and I will provide you with my dealer's info, and maybe they can locate a supplier close to your area.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

is a holley 750 a overkill for that engine?

been following carb threads with great interest as of late....I have a 730CFM Holley on my 400 and I think it just uses unnecessary amounts of gas...

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Thanks Nate!!!! I take back everything I said about you !!!:lol:

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

D-Rat,
I really don't know if its too much carb or not, GM performance supposedly developed the specs on this engine thru Dyno work. It seems to have a good rep with the hot rod crowd. I'll let you know when I get the truck back on the street.

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

More pics I took saturday at Bumbera's: The Truck is back in the garage bay. The suspension and brake teardown in progress:

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

More Pics:

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Wow... they blew apart the entire front suspension. Prep and paint planned?

They're making nice projess Dale.

Might be ready in time for the maiden voyage the Magic Dragon show at Lake Ozark, MO (check out the show in the Missouri section of the board).

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Nate,
Yeah, they are going to clean it up a bit underneath and spray a little black touch up paint, however I can't afford for them to do a complete blast and repaint at this stage. I hope to do a frame off restoration myself maybe in a year or two. My problem right now is to find place to lease, I do not have the room to tear down and store the pieces at home. I have a two car front entry garage and my wife is not going to give up her side of the garage any time soon. I'll take a look at the magic dragon show, sounds like fun.

Dale

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

Absolutely fantastic! You are already years ahead of me! :lol:

I am subscribed!

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

I agree with you, he is years ahead of me too.

Also subscribed.

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

As I look at your truck on the lift and hearing you'll be doing a little touch up, I can only wait until I have the time/space to do the same. Luckily we installed my drop kit during the summer of '09 so my wife kindly allowed me to leave her car out for a week or so. :D

And actually, as I think of it, she even let me park my old '72 and the '69 in there just after I picked up the '69 and while I was trying to sell the '72. Gotta love um!

Hope you can make it to the show; you will not regret it, and neither will I (I want to check out your truck!)

Re: 1969 GMC Short Fleet Build
 

I went by "Stitches" uphostery shop today, they finished the bench seat. How about that matching green piping trim.