n00b / 73 GMC Dooley project - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

73FrankenTruck · 03-05-2015, 10:42 AM

Posting my new project truck, and going from lurking here to actually posting.

I'm a novice wrench turner at best, but slowly remembering stuff from my high school days, picking up new skills. Last year I brought home a blue oval project for me and my kids to tinker on. My father-in-law, a longtime hot rodder / oval track racer, was visiting when I got it, and said he wanted a project truck as well. He went home and picked up a 73 GMC from his racing pal. We talked often about it when we visited. His health declined, and he is no longer with us, and he left me his new project. I promptly sold my blue oval truck, and am now just tearing into this to "finish" it and keep in the family.

It started life as a 1973 GMC 3/4 ton w/454, & auto trans (havent even crawled under to see which one, assuming TH400). At some point, the guy before my FIL converted it to a 1-ton dually set up. He swapped in suspension from a 1-ton donor (not sure year), trans cooler, hydroboost for the brakes. I've heard differing stories, but the rear end either came from a fleet flatbed, or a RV. The bed was tubbed, & the duals only protrude from the bed about 3". It has some rear fenders that were filleted and tack welded on.

So far I've replaced all the rad/heater hoses, new thermostat, new heater core (I found out that they started with a heater core, then built these trucks around them at the factory), fuel filters, coolant flush, and replaced a hose from hydroboost to steering gear. I've driven it once (3 kids, me and wife both run our own businesses), but am aching to get it out again. Having a bear of a time bleeding the power steering since replacing the hydroboost hose and need to get a new battery in it.

Known problems are:
-secondarys on carb not opening
-driver side tank not working (says "NO" on gas cap even)
-smoking at idle out of one side of exhaust
-ton of wires that go nowhere in engine compartment

I'm sure I'll post about these issues soon. This seems like an excellent board with great folks on it.

C
** ***** ***

03-05-2015, 10:42 AM	#1
73FrankenTruck Registered User Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 8	n00b / 73 GMC Dooley project Posting my new project truck, and going from lurking here to actually posting. I'm a novice wrench turner at best, but slowly remembering stuff from my high school days, picking up new skills. Last year I brought home a blue oval project for me and my kids to tinker on. My father-in-law, a longtime hot rodder / oval track racer, was visiting when I got it, and said he wanted a project truck as well. He went home and picked up a 73 GMC from his racing pal. We talked often about it when we visited. His health declined, and he is no longer with us, and he left me his new project. I promptly sold my blue oval truck, and am now just tearing into this to "finish" it and keep in the family. It started life as a 1973 GMC 3/4 ton w/454, & auto trans (havent even crawled under to see which one, assuming TH400). At some point, the guy before my FIL converted it to a 1-ton dually set up. He swapped in suspension from a 1-ton donor (not sure year), trans cooler, hydroboost for the brakes. I've heard differing stories, but the rear end either came from a fleet flatbed, or a RV. The bed was tubbed, & the duals only protrude from the bed about 3". It has some rear fenders that were filleted and tack welded on. So far I've replaced all the rad/heater hoses, new thermostat, new heater core (I found out that they started with a heater core, then built these trucks around them at the factory), fuel filters, coolant flush, and replaced a hose from hydroboost to steering gear. I've driven it once (3 kids, me and wife both run our own businesses), but am aching to get it out again. Having a bear of a time bleeding the power steering since replacing the hydroboost hose and need to get a new battery in it. Known problems are: -secondarys on carb not opening -driver side tank not working (says "NO" on gas cap even) -smoking at idle out of one side of exhaust -ton of wires that go nowhere in engine compartment I'm sure I'll post about these issues soon. This seems like an excellent board with great folks on it. C * *



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