Wamego: 1949 GMC 150

[joedoh]

something different. using the sheetmetal bracket on the last 41 showed me a lot of how to mount the brack pedal and steering column on these 98+ s10s, took the fear out of it as it was. when I did the big steel mount to hold the aluminum bracket it was huge and clunky and everything about it sucked, running harnesses most of all. that simple sheet bracket on the 41 was loosey goosey until I got all the braces attached and then it was solid as a rock.

I had to get MIL CRV out of the way of the garage door to push out the frame and try the cab mount, so I did the brake line and put a washer under the balljoint castle nut to line up the cotter pin, it looked a little far away. drove up the block and it squeaked and groaned like an orgy (I have been told). crud. I picked up a new loaded strut, and step ONE was disconnect the lower balljoint. it was 102 with 57% humidity (111!) and I did the strut in the sun. I thought I was going to melt like a candle. but got it done. needs a proper road test but she is standing proud again. the old strut looked ok installed but was reaaaallly bent. like a banana.

IMG_0211.JPG by Joe Doh, on Flickr

getting ready for the cab fit tomorrow, I should have my flatbed back and be using the forklift to load that 41 cab up for delivery. I thought I would measure up the mounts and see what was up, would you believe they are all square and level and the fronts are exactly 46 3/4" apart center to center? just like the mount holes in the cab. I am pretty pumped for tomorrow. except that the water heater gave up the ghost today. always something.

[joedoh]

been a busy couple days.

a long non truck warning, skip this paragraph if you dont like complaining. home warranties are not what they once were. when we had it at the old house it was amazing, water heater went out the first week and new water heater installed and brought up to code the next day, all free beyond the 40 dollar service charge and the 30 dollar monthly fee. stove and microwave went out, NEW stainless jenn air stove and microwave installed, $40. dishwasher, ceiling fan, even the AC, all repaired ASAP, $40. we got the new place and.. monthly fee started going up over the years. now the monthly fee is $75, and the service charge is also $75. and they dont replace anything any more. we have had them out 7 times for the dishwasher, still hand washing dishes. 4 times for the exact same problem with the washing machine, thats $300 we have spent in service charges and the same part keeps going bad. AC, they dont cover freon any more. so $250 in freon last trip. now the water heater went out, rusted. simple right? no, the plumber wants $990 beyond the water heater and install cost to "bring the install up to code". Well I have had only about 6 home inspections in the last 8 years and nothing was out of code. I ask him to break it down in parts and labor, he cant. only chunks. need a pan under it (no you dont, its in a machine room with a concrete floor sloping to a sump). $79 for the pan and $141 to install the drain line. its 3 feet to the sump hole, and what could possibly cost $79 for a $7 drain pan from any hardware store? "we have to install it". you mean PLACE IT UNDER THE HOT WATER TANK?. $275 for new flue piping and install. its 3ft. last I looked 3 ft of b vent is $12. the rest is "miscellaneous work". So I call the office and tell them work will not progress till they break down the quote in parts and labor. they tell me, and I am not making this up "IT COSTS WHAT IT COSTS for us to do it! You just have to agree to it". so I got more quotes. a plumber came out yesterday and installed a new 9 year warranty water heater with a permit for 2/3rd of their EXTRA work quote. I expect to get a further 2/3rd of that back from the home warranty cash out, so in total I will have spent about $200, not $990. the original plumber doesnt know the work has already been done. Their comment to me on Friday was "well we will have to see how long it takes to break this invoice down, might be sometime after the first of the week, and there is a holiday wednesday too." the implication was clear. I told them that a) running water was a necessity but heated water was a luxury, and I did not care how long it took to get the breakdown, 3 days, 6 days, two weeks. they were not getting the ok until they did it, and b) they were not the only plumber in the world or even the city. Thieving crooks.


so after the SATURDAY INSTALL no extra charge (my new plumber for life) I delivered the CRV and picked up my flatbed, then delivered that 41 cab to andy. remember andy? for guys who never followed my 41 build he had the datsun powered 46 panel truck.

IMG_9670 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_9672 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

well he wants the 41 cab for the chassis that his panel is on right now. when I dropped off the cab he showed me the NEW chassis for the panel, and so the cab I sold him will go on the datsun powered chassis. he let me take a few snaps of his new chassis, all jag running gear including the v12.

IMG_0218 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0219 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0220 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0221 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I am staggered by his work. turns out he is a retired import mechanic, which explains all the weirdy powertrains. I would drive em in a heartbeat though.

today I cleaned up the garage, it was a clusterfreak from the teardown. got everything organized, took the shackle mounts off the bottom of the cab (old dog learning from last time), took the e brake pedal and bracket off. both of these were super easy and safe using the forklift, no more balanced cab on a cherry picker or rolled on its back. after that I plopped the cab on the mounts.

55216780568__40B35528-26EA-43B4-8AAE-311F69171016.JPG by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0231 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0232 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0233 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0235 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

mounts all line right up. still 1/2 low in the back because the s10 bushings are not on yet, I have to trim the shackle bracket. but looks great. I will pull the cab back off and move the motor back tomorrow.

for guys who want to know how far you can move the V6 back, its <9"

IMG_0236 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


I have some scrap to take away, I need to work on that this evening, cutting up the s10 cab leftovers and moving that 41 frame stub to the front to load on the flatbed. but should work all three days of the holiday. especially now that I can take a hot shower. I cant wait to hear their response when I tell them the work has been done already hahahahahaha

[Nut Case]

JD

Strong work

No grass grows under your feet!!!!!!!

Keep on keepin on

nc

[joedoh]

thanks nut! these are fun trucks to play with, and it is healthy as a gym for me too.

cut the cab up, I want seat belts in this one, its the number one request. I wanted the seat belt reel mount and couldnt get the lower torx out so I creatively cut the cab so I could keep the parts together till I could get that torx out.

IMG_0242 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

IMG_0252 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

the old sculptor saying is "chip away everything that is not the elephant", so I applied that theory to the bed.

IMG_0246 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

just because my forklift cant go to the mountain, I brought the mountain to my forklift. hooked it on the trailer hitch and drug it like a trailer.

IMG_0250 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

just imagine doing this without a forklift!

IMG_0256-2 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

any guesses on weight?

IMG_0257-1 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


get within 50 lbs and you win both showcases. tomorrow (maybe tonight) I will pull the cab back off and remove the motor/trans to build new mounts.

[rusty76]

850lbs. Unless you filled the water heater then all bets off. I’ve had some dealings with home warranties as an contractor. They can be a pain. Some are good and some are questionable. Getting paid from the companies who offer these warranties can be a chore. But I don’t like contractors who try to take advantage of people. I’ve seen and heard some crazy stuff. Local and state codes can be fun too. Especially between counties. You’d be surprised how different inspectors are from one county to the next. Even though we all have the state code to go by. Good for you for getting another plumber. That other company probably won’t even get back to you.

Still digging that panel. Man a jag power train sounds awesome.

[joedoh]

850 is toooo low. I think a 216 and trans is 700 by itself. plus that frame is about 10" tall. although the forklift didnt groan or complain a bit, just lifted it right up. truck sure squatted though!

I sent the other company notice that I wouldnt let them do the work after 4 days (business days) of emails and calls with no response. my phone lit up almost immediately! two voice mails asking to describe what I wanted to know and even a couple emails. I happened to have another appliance guy at the house at the same time and he said if I requested a new plumber then the original would not get paid and would need to refund the original service call amount, which was only my part by $75. should have picked up the phone!

[OutlawDrifter]

1780lbs.

Most warranties are garbage. I have found a couple of companies that will honor their stuff. GM really let me down a few years ago with a GM Certified Pre-owned...I will never buy another one. The extended warranty on that product is garbage.

[8man]

1500 lbs.

Wish I was closer. I'd drop by and learn. You do good work, and quick.

[Getter-Done]

1259 lbs.
Nice project I'm subbed

[joedoh]

you guys arent brave enough I guess hahaha. it was 2290! I bet that frame stub with engine was 1800 lbs easy.

happy 4th! my favorite version of this song!

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL by Ray Charles - YouTube

I did get some stuff done today too. its funny how much work it is to pull a motor, even from a bare frame. exhaust, driveshaft, all the wiring tie downs,grounds, cooler line adel clamps, motor and trans mounts etc etc etc. you even want to pull the dizzy and the oil pressure sender because the chain ALWAYS finds them

IMG_0262 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0263 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

the first lift I noticed it was lifting a little crooked. then the passenger front wheel came off the ground. oops. remembered the exhaust but forgot the hanger haha

IMG_0264 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

everyone needs one of these. I texted my wife " I need a spotter " and before she even came outside the job was done.

IMG_0266 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


even pulling the cab off was a two minute job. its crazy how fast everything is with a forklift. pressure washed the frame and moved the motor inside on that cart I got a couple years ago now. love that thing, holds engine trans like it was made for it.

oldman look! more broken clamshells.

IMG_0267 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0268 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0269 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

uppers are WASTED. I will probably replace the lowers too just to be complete about it. I am going to look at some drop spindles tomorrow, so apt timing. this sungun is gonna crawl the earth, mark my words.

[joedoh]

had some time for the motor mounts today. I use a standard SBC V8 mount from the local auto parts store, in this case I told them 1970 Chevelle with a 307. 7 bucks each. less if you order them! Then I get some pieces of 3/8 sch 40 pipe from the hardware store, and some 3 3/4" grade 8 bolts nuts and washers. I cut the pipe to fit the mounts with a pipe cutter because its cleaner but no where near as fast as the zip disc.

IMG_0276 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0277 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0278 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

then I mock it up in the right position and build the drivers mount first. to keep the mounts square with each other I cut some bars with holes centered 16.5" apart. This makes it easy to keep the proper spacing, and I measure from the floor to the mount to make sure the angle is right on the mounts. easy peasy, rice and cheesy.

IMG_0283 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0285 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0286 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0288 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0289 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

tomorrow I will do the trans mount and cut the firewall for the trans. I have a little work to do on Hannah tomorrow too, I will see where I get to.

[oldman3]

I'm always amazed at how well you make things up for your builds, and the detail to help others...Jim

[Matt_50]

I think that's one of the reasons why I like to watch your threads. Very skilled, maybe I'll learn a thing or too.

[joedoh]

high praise indeed! thanks both of you.


there are guys that dont want to share info, they think giving the answers dilutes the breed, in this case fabricating and building your own truck. they dont realize, but I do, that knowing "how" is only 1% of the work. doing it is something else entirely. you can go back 4 years in skymangs thread and find me asking the same questions about these swaps that others ask. I enjoy improvisation and thinking on my feet, so I document as much as for me as for everyone else. if no one replied, well, who cares about that? and thankfully there arent any disjointed complainers on this forum too. but the guys who reply, especially to say thanks or with a kind word, well thats just the best feeling.

enough soapbox. more work to come!

[Nut Case]

JOE

After being in the home construction industry for way to long, and watching the creation of Home Warranty rapists gouge the public. What a flaming ordeal!!! I may have missed something, if so ignore the following question.

With all your skills, why did you not do the work yourself after you got the crazy estimate?

Build looks good as always...

Keep on keepin on

Nutter than usual Case

[8man]

Joe, I'm enjoying learning from you. I am still the FNG, so here goes some more questions.

1st pic after the "I mock it up" paragraph shows a threaded bolt. Later on it appear to have been run through the old motor mount. Is this right? If so, what is the distance to the new motor mount? This is for a SBC (one of mine will be a 283, so I guess this works for it), would it be the same for a Vortec? What size is the bolt/all thread with nuts?

4th pic has two bars between the two motor mounts, these are the bars with holes 16.5" apart, right?

5th pic shows a pipe or rod standing on end. What was it used for?

Thanks.

[joedoh]

I ran all thread through the original mount to keep aligning the first mount easy.

I moved the motor mounts back 8 3/4" as seen in a previous post with a tape measure against the firewall.



this measurement is only for a 4.3, the sbc mounts are further forward on the block and roughly centered on the 4.3, so it will work out to about ~5" on a sbc. the way to figure it out though is to do exactly what I did, mock up the cab and measure how much to move the engine.

the bars have holes centered 16.5" apart, yes.

the bars were heavy and needed some support so I tack welded the mount sleeves to the bars and the forward bar to a pipe that was stood on the ground. it was one of those 30 second solutions to keeping things aligned. its actually the remnants of the 49 steering column haha, you can see the horn ground wire on it I think.

[8man]

Thank you! I understand now.

[joedoh]

nut case about the water heater, I had to have it done to get the money back from the warranty company.


the s10 frame gets narrower as it goes back so how on earth do you move the mount back a precise amount? well this is how I did it. I dropped a plumb line through the center of the mount and made a chalk mark. then I dropped a level on the outside of the framerails and drew some more chalk lines. using those I was able to draw a centerline of the mount and where it needed to be 8 3/4" back.

IMG_0290 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0291 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I decided on ear mounts, I used the stock 4 bolts before but not on this new of a frame, there was a support in the way that I didnt want to remove. I cut the passenger side roughly where it needed and closed up the cut end. the crossmember was completely full of rocks and grit, it took two sawzall blades for that one cut. I also took about an inch out of the cut on the drivers side. I need to put the gussets on and drill the holes but I think it will work out great.

IMG_0292 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0294 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0296 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0297 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


not to soapbox again, but I was disappointed by a seller again today. He advertised some wheels and tires for a good price, but when I got there the tires were gone. he said no the price was just for the wheels, well your ad pictures show tires and makes no mention of wheels only. he was 30 minutes out of town and what it came down to was he wanted 80 dollars less than brand new for some used torq thrusts with pits in the chrome. he seemed offended I didnt want them. this is the second time in a week I wasted time driving for a misleading ad, are people getting worse or are just more sellers in the market?

[Kansas T]

Originally Posted by joedoh

not to soapbox again, but I was disappointed by a seller again today. He advertised some wheels and tires for a good price, but when I got there the tires were gone. he said no the price was just for the wheels, well your ad pictures show tires and makes no mention of wheels only. he was 30 minutes out of town and what it came down to was he wanted 80 dollars less than brand new for some used torq thrusts with pits in the chrome. he seemed offended I didnt want them. this is the second time in a week I wasted time driving for a misleading ad, are people getting worse or are just more sellers in the market?

People are getting worse and there's more sellers. I can deal with the prices, but I can't stand someone misrepresenting the condition of things.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Kansas T

People are getting worse and there's more sellers. I can deal with the prices, but I can't stand someone misrepresenting the condition of things.

he described the wheels ok, just omitted that the tires werent included. I dont blame him for keeping them, but he could have said it before I drove out of town.

[OutlawDrifter]

The ol' Craigslist Gamble.

Lots and lots of dishonest people out there. I have plenty of stories from my escapades. One of the most frustrating was the last time I was shopping for a GMT400 pickup. Apparently "no rust" accompanied by trick photography wastes 10hrs of your time. I'm always very clear about my expectations. Generally when I sell a vehicle I send lots of pictures and walk around it with them on the phone and let them know the defects and blemishes I'm aware of.

Then occasionally you'll buy something from a truly honest person with integrity...and that restores my faith in the human race for a short while!

[Mains52]

Looks like its coming along nicely Joedoh. Keep the progress pics coming.Great work.

[joedoh]

outlaw I was upset mostly because I got too far down the track, thinking of having those wheels and tires on the 41 for automobilia this weekend. never count chickens before they hatch.


got the gussets on the ear mounts, painted up the trans crossmember and wire brushed the frame in the areas that would be hard to get to after the motor was in.

IMG_0304 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0308 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_0306 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

the forklift did the job, I was worried about the trans mount for a second but plop, all bolts went right through their respective mounts. easy peasy super cheesey.

IMG_0309 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I used it again to tip the cab back so I could trim the shackle channels and carve out for the trans. look at the great condition of the floor and the supports!

IMG_0310 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

then put the cab back on.

IMG_0311 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

I need some better condition cab mounts, these were trashed and I didnt have any extras. I might pick them up tomorrow. I am also planning work for the 41 before this weekend. automobilia is an awesome show/midnight street cruise every year, and they only give 50 "best of" trophies. I won one year, never expected it, I was actually out cruising instead of at the awards. after I picked it up, on the cruise a guy pulled up next to me and said "whats that piece of **** got that mine doesnt". I just held up the plaque haha. good times.

[Nut Case]

Joe

Once you have a tool like a fork lift, you'll kick yourself for living this long without it.

nc