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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
I've been lurking for a while, thought i should start a build thread before i start asking 100's of questions. This is my first build of any kind so I am figuring everything out as i go. This board has already been a world of help. I picked up a 66 GMC 910 LWB fleet side with a non running V8 with 4 on the floor It had been sitting in a farmers field for the last 20 years.
Plans for the build are a 5.5/7 static drop, disks up front and possibly rear, power steering, 6.0 LS/4L80E swap, rear mount gas tank and chopping it down to a SWB. Cab floors, rockers, supports and fire wall all need major rust repair. This is how it sat for 20 years [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Trailered the truck home and started to tear it down. Front sheet metal is in rough shape. Ended up cutting the front fenders to get them off, they were too far gone to bother saving. Grill support and rad support are pretty rusted out as well. Pulled the cab and built a quick roller stand for it. Pulled the old motor and trans as well.
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Got to work on some rust repair on the cab. This thing is rough!! 20 years in that field was not kind to this truck. Cut out the old rocker, floor pan, cab corner and rear support. Fit the new rear portion of the floor pan and started welding it in.
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Switched gears for a bit and took advantage of an empty shop. Brought the donor truck in and got to work pulling the motor and transmission. Decided it would be easier to pull the cab before pulling the motor. I don't have an engine crane but there were plenty of excavators in the yard.
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#5 |
60-66 Nut
![]() ![]() Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Posts: 23,247
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Welcome to the forum
![]() Yes it looks like you have your work cut out for you with sheet metal repair, but it will be a nice truck when your done. Are you going to install the engine and trans as if, or go thru them? Nice shop you have there too!
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Power Steering Box Adapter Plates For Sale HERE Power Brake Booster Adapter Brackets For Sale '63-'66 HERE and '67-'72 HERE and '60-'62 HERE and "60-'62 with clutch HERE Rear Disc Brake Brackets For Sale. Impala SS calipers HERE Camaro Calipers HERE D52 Calipers HERE 6 Lug HERE Hydroboost Mounting Plates HERE |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
I will definitely be going through the motor. If budget allows it will be getting new heads, cam and intake.
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 148
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Wow- lots of sheet metal work. I'll be watching to see how it comes out. Looks great so far
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
More sheet metal work the last few days. Finished patching in in the floor support[IMG]
![]() [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() Next up was the rear cab support. The first one I ordered was way too big, no way to make it work. Tried a different supplier off eBay. Not much better, about an inch too long and the angle where it meets the floor pan wasn't even close. Are all these reproduction pieces garbage or is there somewhere better to order from? [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() Had to chop and weld this thing back together. Would almost be quicker to make one from scratch. [IMG] ![]() Eventually got it fitted and welded in. With that done i started on the front part of the floor pan [IMG] ![]() [IMG] ![]() |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Kick panel and front cab support fitted and tacked in
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#10 |
60-66 Nut
![]() ![]() Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Posts: 23,247
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Most all the aftermarket patch panels are pretty much the same regardless of the sticker on them. However the Tri Plus/Key Parts, parts do seem to be the better of all of them.
__________________
Power Steering Box Adapter Plates For Sale HERE Power Brake Booster Adapter Brackets For Sale '63-'66 HERE and '67-'72 HERE and '60-'62 HERE and "60-'62 with clutch HERE Rear Disc Brake Brackets For Sale. Impala SS calipers HERE Camaro Calipers HERE D52 Calipers HERE 6 Lug HERE Hydroboost Mounting Plates HERE |
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#11 |
But Found Her 25yrs Later!
![]() Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Oregon City, Oregon
Posts: 10,525
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I appreciate you posting that. I don't have a horse in the race, but I still like to steer people in the right direction. There are some that argue they all come from the same place but with different stickers. I would concede and say that may be so, but the TriPlus / KeyParts are an obvious better quality. There's a thread in these forums where pictures are posted showing the obvious differences.
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I lost my 65 - Found it 25 years later: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=426650 66 C20 Service Truck: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=428035 Last edited by LostMy65; 07-14-2019 at 03:30 PM. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: .
Posts: 3,104
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Glad to see someone who's not afraid to cut.
My truck was a jig saw puzzle at times. Nice work. Following along on this build. |
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#13 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Quote:
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Got back to work on the truck this weekend. Separated the trans from the motor and got the motor on the stand.Labelled and removed the wiring harness
![]() ![]() Decided to leave the rust repair alone for a bit and work on the frame. Started by removing all the old exhaust hangers. Cut off the brackets for the bump stops to make room for a notch. ![]() ![]() Next up it was time to make this thing a SWB. Removed the rear cab mounts and the first bed mount. Marked out the 12" section to be removed with a radius in the corners. Made the cuts with a cut off wheel and a plasma cutter. Fit up wasn't as good as I'd like on the passenger side. Man I wish I had more clamps for this job!! ![]() ![]() Welded it up and ground them smooth. I'll have to pick up some heavy flat bar and add some reinforcing plates on the inside. [ ![]() Clipped 8" off the back and relocated the rear cab mounts ![]() ![]() |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Continued work on the frame this weekend. Removed two bent up cross members in the front and rear along with the trans cross member.
![]() ![]() ![]() Had to fab up a new base for my engine stand, cheap bolt together one I bought wasn't cutting it. Got a smoking deal on an engine lift as well so I no longer have to use an excavator. ![]() ![]() Stripped the motor down to get it ready for clean up and paint. Got my Speed Engineering motor mounts in, just waiting for the new headers to arrive so I can set the motor in and build the new trans cross member ![]() ![]() |
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#16 |
SAVING ONE TRUCK AT A TIME
![]() Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: sherwood oregon
Posts: 1,141
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Great start on a killer project. Nice shop and big boy toys also.
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53-suburban (99% done) 40-pick up (99.9% done) 12-cc lb dually D-max (dd) 61-crew cab D-max "PAY LESS FOR WHAT YOU NEED PAY MORE FOR WHAT YOU WANT" 53 BURBAN BARN FIND:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=404091 1940 PROJECT MOON SHINE:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=551088 1961 CREW MAX: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=6957999 |
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#17 |
Post Whore
![]() ![]() Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,639
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
wow ...that's a lot of rust...glad to see your saving another old truck...you should save all those rusted pieces and then weldem all together when you get done and make a wall art outta that stuff...mini-x sure is like a bunch of extra hands...
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Mongo...aka Greg RIP Dad RIP Jesse 1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598 Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334 Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563 2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Been working on a pipe notch, used a section of 5" heavy wall pipe and some 1/4" flat bar. Plumbed a centre line up from the axle, marked out the pipe notch and cut it out with the plasma cutter. Made a cardboard template of the frame and cut a piece of flat bar to match it. Fit everything up and welded the pipe to the plate. Then I used clamps, a torch and hammer to shape the flat bar to the curve of the frame.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Still have to weld it in and box in the inside. Ill probably round off all the corners and drill a few holes to plug weld in the middle of the plate. |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Kincardine,Ontario
Posts: 80
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Love the work so far,your pile of rusty cut out body parts looked just like mine did,hard to believe how fast it piles up!
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#20 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Toms River, NJ
Posts: 5,518
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Very nice work!
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Keith 66 Suburban Burb Build Thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=751361 IG: bennett68c10 |
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Arlington VA
Posts: 359
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
great work! also working on a 6.0/4l60 excited to see your cleanup.
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lacombe, Alberta
Posts: 335
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Hopefully I'll get to see this in person sometime.
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#23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
I've been plugging away on the frame lately. Really pushing to get all the new cross members done and everything welded up so I can get this thing blasted and lay down some paint. I am really tired of rust, just can't wait to have at least one piece of this truck cleaned up and looking like new! Its been a bit like Christmas for me with boxes of shiny parts showing up at my door. Headers came in as well as my Grand Slam kit from CPP. Got my power steering kit from POL as well.
Finished up the notches for both sides and got them welded in. I'll probably box in the insides for good measure. ![]() ![]() Ground the welds flat on the inside of the frame rails where I shortened the frame. Made up some fish plates and welded them in. ![]() Fabbed up a new cross member to replace the twisted and bent one up front. Decided to get a little Tig practice in. Slowly getting better at it. ![]() ![]() ![]() Mounted up the new PS box and plates and welded them in along with the finished cross member up front. ![]() Just one cross member left to build and that is for the transmission. Got to work setting the motor and trans in. Had to move the stock V8 perches up to the front mounting holes. Bolted up the Speed Engineering LS swap motor mounts and put the old rubber mounts in the rear hole locations to set the motor as far forward as possible and dropped the motor in. As it sits right now the oil pan is sitting on the the front clip and the rubber mounts aren't quite fully seated on the perches so it looks like I will have to shim the perches up a little. I took a quick measurement and the motor is going to be really close to the fire wall, I'll have to throw the cab on to see just how close. Headers are from Speed Engineering as well. They bolted in and fit like a glove inside the frame rails. I'll have to trim one little piece on the bell housing on the passenger side to make them work. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I am hoping to get the position of the motor finalized tomorrow and start building the trans cross member. Gotta do some homework on setting the driveline angle. Plan is to use a magnetic angle gauge on the end output shaft of the trans. From the reading I've done I need to match the angle of the output on the diff. Should I zero the gauge out on the frame rail before measuring the angle of the diff? |
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#24 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: San Jose Ca
Posts: 2,871
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Quote:
Its not very hard once you are there doing it.
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David Used parts build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=638991 My brother's Nova: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=727985 Rear suspension rework: http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=750557 Instagram: myfabguy |
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Jackson, ME
Posts: 287
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Nice work, following.
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65 short step edited by staff |
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