My 52 GMC Build

[lower50's]

I have always wanted a early 50's GMC P/U and 8 years ago I found it, A 1952 GMC 9700 that used to be a fire truck in great shape. Just cab forward no motor or trans, but all I wanted was the body to make a hot rod.

[lower50's]

Took the 52 cab off the frame. Bought a 1989 s-10 extended cab P/U for the frame only stripped it apart sandblasted frame and primed. Then mounted cab to S-10 frame, there it sat in my garage for 6.5 years. In that time I was planning what I wanted to do.

[lower50's]

Spring of 2013 I was ready to start on my 52. The truck had been built in my head for some time now, even drove it in my dreams a few times. As some of you can relate i'm sure. I wanted to make it different in most ways but wanted it to look like a 52 GMC P/U

[lower50's]

My neighbor gave me the a motor, trans and axle from a 1994 e350 cube van. I wanted to put a diesel motor in, so this was perfect. 7.3L IDI International diesel. So first step clean up motor and build it to take what I wanted to do to it, then mount it in the frame.

[lower50's]

I wanted air bags on all corners to get running boards on the ground. D.O.M. tubular A arms should take the weight of the 1000 lb motor .

[lower50's]

I boxed in the frame and added a cross member just behind the cab. I built the transmission with some upgrades and shift kit so it can take the extra hp and tq .

[Highsider]

I can't wait for the next chapter!

Love having the photos.

[Daze57]

wow !

[Dieselwrencher]

Great project, and cool build. I can tell you from expreience, don't give that 7.3 more than 14psi of boost or you will get good at swapping engines. You need to install bigger wrist pins to go above 14psi of boost. They're great engines besides that little deal.

[lv2tri2]

What a cool project, I will watch this to the finish if you keep the pics coming.

[lower50's]

Thanks Dieselwrencher good to know!! I put ARP head studs and good feelpro head gaskets in to hold the heads on. I was planning to run 15psi on the street, then 20psi on the dyno and once and a while on drag strip.

[lower50's]

How can I post a video?

[Dieselwrencher]

Post it to youtube than copy and paste the link in your message.

I put 30psi to a 6.9 at 4200rpm pulling for a summer. I couldn't blow it up. The next owner though, got it accomplished. Haha

[lower50's]

That 6.9L must have pulled hard

[lower50's]

Friday I got the axle housing back. Then put it all together and lined it up.
It looks sweet being so short!! Its a Dana 70HD

By Saturday night I had figured out how I was going to be able to build the back frame, so it would work with the suspension and axle. Got the steel cut and tacked then ran out of welding gas

Sunday got the frame welded up. Then put truck at ride height about 5". The brackets for the axle in the 4 link kit where for a 3" tube mine is 3.5" so a bit of grinding opened it up. Ready for Monday

Monday got 4 link figured out and welded all but top frame brackets, thats tomorrow. Then air bags

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work, it's really coming together.

[lower50's]

Thanks. Ya so happy!!
So today I got upper front brackets on and made and mounted lower air bag plate.

[shopteacher]

I'm Liking where this build is going ! Keep up the good work !

[alaska gasser]

Not throwing any rocks, but I'm wondering if that 4 link is going to work properly and safely with the upper bars at that angle instead of straight above the bottom ones?

[lower50's]

No worries. Its a double triangulated 4 link, its used to keep the axle centered in the frame more. 4X4's use it in extreme. I had to use it due to my limited space and not enough angle left and right. Didn't want a pan hard bar. I talked to the shop that shortened my axle. The only down fall is it increases the height of my roll center. The truck will lean in the corner more but i figured with a 1000 lb motor up front I don' think the back will do much.

[Dieselwrencher]

Looks very nice!

[WIDE LOAD C-30]

What a cool build. I own an AD and a '94 factory turbo IDI crew cab dually. My F-350 has a 90cc injection pump, BB code injectors, waste gate adjusted for 15psi(on the stock head bolts and 216,000 mile head gaskets), Hypermax cowl induction with a K&N air filter, Banks down pipe/EGT+boost gauges and 4" straight pipe side exhaust.

What turbo is that?
What other mods got done to the E4OD?
Whats plans do you have for fueling?
A cam swap would be real easy right now.....google R&D IDI Performance.

[lower50's]

Got the frame and axle painted. Starting to look like a truck

Thanks Wide load c-30. Its a HX35 from a cummins. I found its a good size for what I'm doing. I'm running 3" mandrel bent sst out the side. I have an electric 35 gph fuel pump. Other than that I'm just turning up the lift pump. For the trans I put in a Transgo tugger kit. It was rebuilt about a year before I got it. I'm also using a US Shift Quick 1 controller that allows me to control anything the trans can do. Its going to be manual shift auto. I've looked into a cam but I want to see what the stock set up will give me first. My goal is 300hp and 500lb-ft if I get close to that I'll be happy, but who knows down the road I may do a full motor build.

[lower50's]

Amazingly my steering shaft missed the motor without any major mods. I moved the end if steering column over to the drivers door 1.5" and am going to center the column between the gauges.

[lower50's]

Finally got a vid put together, showing what I have done so far and motor running. Enjoy
http://youtu.be/N0C3SOCJPCA