Project rework

[jeffspower]

It's time to get started on the '68 GMC short fleet 4x4. I'll start with a little history. It was the summer of 1983, I was 15 and with my parents on the way to stop at the grocery store where my dad worked. Across the street was a car lot, with this blue '68 GMC. We all took notice of it. Who wouldn't, it was the only old truck on the lot, sticking out like a sore thumb with its "custom" accessories. Somebody really had some strange ideas, that's for sure. I commented that I thought it would be cool with some un- modding. So dad pulled in so we could look at it. that surprised me- dad never took interest in vehicles- never cared what he drove as long as it got him from A to B. The lot owner was our neighbor. He said they had just got it on trade & that the brakes were screwed up. I popped the hood to find a set of finned Vette valve covers just sitting on the motor. Apparently someone was pulling a late night freebie the night before & changed their mind. The T handles were laying on the air cleaner, so we buttoned it back up & took it for a spin. Which is actually what you would do when you hit the brakes- just touch the brake pedal & it would yank the wheel hard & send you towards the ditch. On the way back, the electric fuel pump went to hammering crazy loud. Man, this was going to be a project. And it would be up to me to pay someone to fix stuff (which I did some of the bigger stuff early on), or figure out how to fix everything as nobody in our family knew squat about vehicles. So, with the dealer wanting it off his lot, $500 I had saved, $500 I knew I could get out of my 3- wheeler, and $500 my parents chipped in, I limped it home.

Here's the only pics I have found of the beast from way back, in the winter of '83. I still have the dealer key tag

[Spray-Bomb]

Sweet

[jeffspower]

After rebuilding everything mechanical from bumper to bumper (too much to list, I could write a book about it) I was tired of it just out of high school. I had kept this thing going thruout high school on a $3.35 an hour part time job. In '88, I wanted something different, and had a full time job wrenching (thanks mainly to experience I gained from this truck). Dad decided to keep it. I never got much done to it cosmetically, & rust was having its way with the rockers & cab corners. Dad had it painted & fixed up to his liking. He drove it quite a bit the first few years, then it pretty much sat in the garage up till my son & I brought it to my house to start working it over for him.

Here's how it looked before we started on it. Let's just say I did the best with the mechanicals I could as a kid with pocket change, and it needs alot of reworking. BTW, don't use oven cleaner to clean up an engine unless you plan on repainting it.

[jeffspower]

Here's the wonderful crushed velvet & '68 Buick Electra POS seat. The seat sinks to the floor with my fat butt in it. It's gotta go. Going with an '88 up bench in TBD black cloth. I hate the velvet. My son likes it. Dash pad & visors will be black vinyl. He's a little in disagreement on that, but I know he will agree when he sees it done. He was the same way about the running boards. It looks SOO much better with them off, along with taking the spare out. I'm not crazy about a sunroof in a 4x4, but it had one when I bought it. At least it's not the the leaky crank- up POS it had before.

Oh yea, that's the same crankin' Kraco 8 track it had in it when I bought it

[jeffspower]

We will start on the motor tomorrow, or, eh.. today. I rebuilt it in '85. .040 over 4 bolt 350 (it had bored itself .030), Forged dished pistons w/ '63 300hp double humps and a small crane cam. Runs & sounds great (with the exception of no accel. pump in the POS '63 Buick AFB carb). Probably doesn't have 15K miles on it. But the rings never seated good. I think they were molly, & the cylinders were honed too ruff by the machine shop. Smokes a little, puffs a little, drinks a little. Has since day one. I was planning on re- ringing it, but changed my mind to save time. I bought a rebuilt 350 from Randy (teeitup) that checks out good. I had another home for it, but that project will just have to wait.

I bought a new set of 2.5" ram horns (ebay, $164), a used performer intake (ebay, $53.50), a new Pertronix Ignitor (ebay, $40), correct pullies & a fan shroud (friend, $40) so far.

[jeffspower]

Making progress. I had heard conflicting info on fittment of the 2.5" ram horns- some say they clear the frame, others said you have to trim. Cleared fine for me.

[Spray-Bomb]

Looks good

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Sweet looks better with out the running boards and spare tire in the back..

[68GMC454]

great history on this truck.. cool that yoru son wants it now.. definatly looks alot better with out the running boards... but what did you do with the huge chrome thingy on the front of it when you first got it..lol

[jeffspower]

Originally Posted by 68GMC454

but what did you do with the huge chrome thingy on the front of it when you first got it..lol

It was on on there for about the first year or so. Picked up about 2 MPG on the highway when I took it off! It bucked wind pretty bad. Best I could figure out it was an old Freightliner bumper turned upside down & modified. Dad actually found someone that bought it

Nobody wanted the padded tailgate thingy

When I took it off, I found that the tailgate looked like it had been ran over by a dump truck.

[jeffspower]

It moved under its own power again last night. Lots of little details to do underhood yet. Have to get the exhaust hooked up too. It's wierd having an automatic choke & a carb that is worth a darn, and seeing a fan shroud on this truck. I think that, a good engine & a clutch that doesn't have the jitters improved the driveability 300%

Here's a fantastic cell pic. Heck, it's about as good as what my cheap digi camera takes!

[70LonghornCST]

Nice GMC! Lookin' good!

[IvelDesigns]

right on man. glad to see you're getting it going again. are you planning to bring it to the meet next year?

[jeffspower]

Originally Posted by IvelDesigns

are you planning to bring it to the meet next year?

Maybe. One things for sure, if we do show up with it, their won't be a tow bar involved this time

Unless I find something to drag home with it

[jeffspower]

Well, now that I have a few bucks to get the exhaust hooked up, I'm having a hard time finding OE style formed flanges to attach the pipes to the manifolds. I really don't want to use those cheap flimsy flat ones

[72BlckButy]

Great looking GMC project!