55 2nd serie GMC

[JML55]

Originally Posted by bensimmons_05

Car bolt pattern?? Looking good by the way!!!!!

Yes, 5 x 4.75

[mylow53]

i like your panard bar in the rear mine is below the drive line yours is above. not sure if it would get in the way of the tank but i think it would be safer...
-40 come on think warm thoughts. this morning there was frost on my grass for the first time this year. i actually had to wear a coat to work... Crazy!!
GT

[hammerdog57]

Originally Posted by JML55

Here some random pictures taking over the last three years. One with the body on the original frame and an other one siting on cliped frame. See the height difference.

I am going to clip my 55 with a camaro subframe. Did you move the front axle centerline forward when you did yours? If so how much? By looking at the one side view pic of your truck front wheel looks pretty centered. But pic was at an angle so its hard to tell.

[JML55]

Originally Posted by mylow53

i like your panard bar in the rear mine is below the drive line yours is above. not sure if it would get in the way of the tank but i think it would be safer...
-40 come on think warm thoughts. this morning there was frost on my grass for the first time this year. i actually had to wear a coat to work... Crazy!!
GT

Ha Ha !!!! These next pictures were taken Nov 07, my place, there is now twice has much snow.

I install the panard bar as per the instruction that came with the kit. My only concern is that the diff bracket is very close to the floor board. I may not be able to lower the suspension as much as i would like if i keep the original floor board.

[JML55]

Originally Posted by hammerdog57

I am going to clip my 55 with a camaro subframe. Did you move the front axle centerline forward when you did yours? If so how much? By looking at the one side view pic of your truck front wheel looks pretty centered. But pic was at an angle so its hard to tell.

I measured the front axle centre line to be exactly at the original wheel base. Did not move it foward and the rad clears the steering box nicely.

[magsnubby]

Nice fab work. That's going to be one *****in' truck when it's done.

Nice Bel Air. The GMC will make a great stable mate.

[bensimmons_05]

Thanks for that info.

[hammerdog57]

Originally Posted by JML55

I measured the front axle centre line to be exactly at the original wheel base. Did not move it foward and the rad clears the steering box nicely.

How much clearance does stock radiator have to camaro steering box? Do you have any close up pics of front wheel in fender opening? My stock 55 looks like the axle centerline needs to be moved forward about an inch when i do the camaro clip.

[Kim57]

JML
Nice looking truck and very nice fab work.
Keep the pics coming.
Kim

[JML55]

Originally Posted by hammerdog57

How much clearance does stock radiator have to camaro steering box? Do you have any close up pics of front wheel in fender opening? My stock 55 looks like the axle centerline needs to be moved forward about an inch when i do the camaro clip.

What i did was to mesure 114" (original wheel base) from the center of rear axle, then drew a chalk line on the floor below the clip front axle, with a couple pieces of string and a bar attached to the upper control arm i line up the front axle center line with the chalk mark on the floor, then welded the frame. The rad cleared the steering box a good 1/4 inch. Sorry i don't have new pictures of the front wheel and fender clearance. The body is off the modified frame and back to the original one right now.

[JML55]

Originally Posted by Kim57

JML
Nice looking truck and very nice fab work.
Keep the pics coming.
Kim

Thanks man, not doing to much to the truck right now, winter time here is so cold a guy doesn't want to do anything but stay warm by the wood stove.

[JML55]

I just like to mention that the roof and box sides came from www.callingallcars.ca . This guy has a good collection of complete trucks and truck parts. Please check him out.

[JML55]

Updates, here's what i have done in the last couple weekend. I got myself an old rusty cab, from www.callingallcars.ca cut the roof and back out of it and just keep the floor and firewall. After getting it home cut some more not needed sheet metal off.
Mounted a couple of braces to hold it together.

It now ready to be set in place. I'm using this floor/firewall to help me muckup the engine mounts. It much easier to move a floor on and off then a complete cab assembly. When i get the engine/tranny where i want them i'll be reinstalling the good cab.

[JML55]

Now with the floor in place i can see that the engine can move back about 3/4 inch which should give me little more room at the front to clear the p/steering pulley and tie rod end.

The tranny is a little tight against the firewall, so i have to cut a little there.

[Arad68]

Check out this website for engine mounts on that 5.3.

http://www.brphotrods.com/1970-1981%...0firebird.html

I dig that fab work...looking good!!!!

[OrrieG]

Looking good, had me worried for a moment I thought you might be starting with just a firewall and floor and grafting in the rest!

[JML55]

Decided to start working on building my engine stand alone wiring harness. Did a lot of reading on LStech.com and i think i can do this. I have the complete wiring from a 2002 Siverado and it in great condition. First I temporarily reinstall the wiring on the engine so I could identified and label every connectors.


Next time to strip all the tape and loom off and remove bulky fuse box. A smaller one will be install.



Now that i know what every thing is, its time to remove unwanted wires.

[JML55]

Here is a couple more pics, first all the wires i removed: oil level, coolant level, fuel tank pressure, fuel pump sender, rear h02s, AC, EVAP, fuel level, cruise. I though there would have been a lot more wires but no that is it, there are still plenty of wires left has you can see in the pic.


Next step is to install small fuse box to feed ign power to all those pink wires, bat power to the orange one, starter rely and fuel pump rely. This weekend i will zaptrap everything together and put it back onto the engine to see were i could place the pcm. I want it inside the cab as well as the fuse box.

[CAL 58 GMC]

I remember those days of wiring up my truck, how much fun that was! Your truck is coming along nicely, keep up the good work!

[1-ton of fun]

just an FYI on my nova clip i moved the axle center line forward about 1.25" but i haven't re-fit the front clip, so no pics on how that affected the overall stance of the truck. maybe this weekend i'll tackle that.

[1-ton of fun]

Originally Posted by mylow53

i like your panard bar in the rear mine is below the drive line yours is above. not sure if it would get in the way of the tank but i think it would be safer...
-40 come on think warm thoughts. this morning there was frost on my grass for the first time this year. i actually had to wear a coat to work... Crazy!!
GT

panhard bar height from the ground determines the rear axle roll center height. lower is usually better for handling. really you need to take into account the height of the front roll center height, and have the slope of the line drawn between the front and rear points (roll axis) to have a flat or slightly downward slope from rear to front for neutral to slight understeer affects from body roll in a corner.

with that said, i will be making my panhard bar adjustable for height, so i can dial it in for best handling (with reasonable ground clearance as a constraint, no lower than any other bracket on the rear axle.)

[JML55]

Originally Posted by CAL 58 GMC

I remember those days of wiring up my truck, how much fun that was! Your truck is coming along nicely, keep up the good work!

Yes a lot of fun and that is only the engine management system i still have to wired the rest of the truck later.

[JML55]

This weekend was more wiring harness work. Not very difficult but it takes lot of time. I decided to modify to harness to have the pcm inside the cab. Some wires had to be lengthen and others shorten.

[JML55]

Well wiring is almost done, fuse boxes are installed. Some wire loom and she will look pretty.

[JML55]

That is it for wiring work for now. It is pretty well done, just have to install DLC connector, MIL and feed wires from ign and bat.