1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"

[tc4x4]

I first saw this truck when i was doing tree work for a customer. I noticed it was a one ton and was rust free. I asked the guy what engine it had and he said a big block. I asked if it was the 454 and it was. So I was joking around with the guy and said well we are going to have to do some tree bartering. He said I'll tell you what, you do my tree work and pay me another $700.00 bucks and its yours. So I did the work, paid the man, and drove the truck home that night.

This '78 Sierra C35 only has 92k original miles on it. It has never seen winter in all its life. It was only used to pull a camper in the summers. The bed hardly shows any sign of anything being placed in it.

So that is how this truck came into my hands. And this is the start of the build of this truck. I have had a ton of people say I should not do a thing to it, and I have had a lot of other opinions of what I should do to this truck. "which i appreciate". But like many others, I can't just leave it alone.

This is what the truck looked like when I brought it home.

[tc4x4]

Here are some more...

[85chevy383]

Nice find, very clean truck

[Gordonr1973]

I can't believe how good shape its in!! Nice truck!

[tc4x4]

Yeah I could not believe that the truck was in that good of shape either. It did sit outside some in winter for a short period of time I found out, but never driven on the salty roads.

I had this truck for a summer and new that I could not leave it alone how I got it. This is my first two wheel drive truck that I have owned and its new to me. I have had some four wheel drive trucks and did the whole lift thing, and learned some along the way. After I got the truck I really got more hooked to the this site.

Thanks everyone who has helped and given info to me so far. I'm looking to create and unique truck and learn a lot of new skills along the way. I want to do this truck up right, no matter how long it takes.

The first things I have done on the truck was that I took off the somewhat bent white farm bumpers and replaced them with chrome bumpers front and rear. I repainted the mirrors white, but I have taken them off now. I don't have any pictures of the truck yet with the mirrors off. The truck had a gigantic hitch welded right to the frame that I cut off. The running boards and the mud flaps were nice when it was bone stock and I am sure they helped the body last as long as it has, but they had to come off for this build. They would not look good of work right anymore, as the build continues. After I got the chrome bumpers on I re did the exhaust to come straight out the back. I'm hoping that they are tucked up close enough to the bottle of the bed so that the big 14 bolt FF pumpkin will clear once I lower the rear end.

Here are some pictures that I had taken of the updates...

[tc4x4]

I forgot to mention, I also replaced the head light bezels, head lights, parking lights, and marker lights.

[tc4x4]

Now I'm working on dropping the truck. I'm thinking a 6/8 drop. I have not ordered the kits just yet, I know that I have some work to do before I install the kit. My wife and I have started on the rear end, I'm pulling out the rear axle right now because I'm doing an axle flip and I want to get a lot cleaned and painted before the axle goes back in.

She helped me disconnect the axle and as of now we disconnected everything but the stubborn break lines. Overall its going smooth. We also measured where the truck sits now before the drop.

Front measurement:

Rear measurement:

[tc4x4]

So looking at the leaf pack, should I take out some leafs in the process of the swap? Here is what I have currently.

[nerphin]

I'm in. I like the long bed and I like that you are keeping the full floater.

[tc4x4]

So I got the rear axle out, like I said I'm doing a westernchassisinc.com drop for it, but first I now am doing a rear disc brake conversion. I took the big drums and brakes off, and pounded the studs out of the hub. Now i got the seal, outer bearing, and an inner snap ring out. How do i get the inner bearing out? I can't seem to figure it out. Also how do I find out what my gearing is?

[C-10 simplex]

1) Ok, so apparently the single wheel 1 tons got the 14 bolt and the dual rear wheels got the dana 70. Although this is not 100% either. (?)

2) As far as getting the inner bearing out, i don't really know as i'm trying to learn rear axles. Are you planning on using these old bearings again? If not, maybe get a socket that is almost the same outer diameter of the bearing, but not quite. Put a piece of wood over the socket and tap it out? This is just a suggestion from someone with no experience.

i have heard of using a press for this kind of thing.

3) How much weight (if any) will disk brakes save?

4) As far as the gear ratio, the spid sticker on the inner fender or glove box should list it. Or you could count ring and pinion gears.

[tc4x4]

I got the bearings and races out using a brass draft, One bearing got damages because I could not pound it out keeping it flat but I got all new bearings and races, and oil seals anyways so it does not matter.

Now its to cleaning and painting the hub before I install the new bearings and races. I'm going to be getting a bearing driver or what ever its called to do the install this time.

[ghettoluxury]

[QUOTE=C-10 simplex;5136841]1) Ok, so apparently the single wheel 1 tons got the 14 bolt and the dual rear wheels got the dana 70. Although this is not 100% either. (?)

3) How much weight (if any) will disk brakes save?
[QUOTE]

1) All single wheel are 14 bolt, all factory dually bed trucks had the 70 and the Cab and Chassis trucks got a Narrowed DRW 14 bolt. (this is a 14 bolt axle with Dana 70 Hubs and Brakes)

[old yelr]

The label in the glovebox should tell you the gear ratio, but if it's missing all you have to do is count the teeth on the ring and pinion gears and then devide the smaller number by the bigger number and that's your ratio. It's probably 4:10 or 3:73 and it looks like a G80 rear end which is factory limited slip.

[tc4x4]

When I install the drop in the rear what are your opinions on the number of leaf springs I should keep. I currently have 9. There are 6 in the leaf pack now that are held together by those two retaining brackets, so I originally thought that I would just go down to six.

Remember this truck will not haul anything again, so there is no need to keeping the 1 ton leaf pack. (just for those who didn't know) What have others done?

Also, when i pull the springs I will be replacing the bushings all the way around, where are you guys getting your new replacements?

[bayou boy]

my half ton has only four swb of course my high school truck was a chevy just like that in met blue w/ white top awsome truck cant wait to see it when done

[tc4x4]

Any ideas on where to get a poly bushing kit?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by tc4x4

Any ideas on where to get a poly bushing kit?

Try Energy Suspension through Summit Racing.

[tc4x4]

Thanks SCOTI I'll check them out. Also keep an eye on the build thread, I know I'll have more questions coming.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by tc4x4

Thanks SCOTI I'll check them out. Also keep an eye on the build thread, I know I'll have more questions coming.

Yes sir.... I keep checking in for the updates.

[kustomrust82]

Originally Posted by tc4x4

Any ideas on where to get a poly bushing kit?

i got mine from energy suspension the whole kit for my swb was like 150, control arm bushings body bushings trans mount eaf spring bushings and tierod boots

[bayou boy]

napa has them

[tc4x4]

The rear flip it is ordered and hopefully all the POR 15 and topcoat I need are ordered.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WST-211626/?rtype=10

[Kerlijah]

Wow, sweet truck, what a find! Good luck on the build, I'll be following the thread for sure! Btw, love the way you did the exhaust out through the bumper, looks sweet

[tc4x4]

Thanks Kerlijah, I can't wait to see the out come. The build is going to take awhile because i can't do a TON at a time with my schedule but I want things done right so I'm going slowly one step at a time.

Also another thing driving this build is the help of other members. I don't know a whole lot but want to learn a whole lot along the way! Ill keep the up updates coming.

Right now I'm just trying to get he leaf springs off. The lower shackle bolt is giving me a heck of a time getting off.