"Carmine" '79 GMC K15

[LEEVON]

New project alert!

Carmine is a '79 GMC K15 Sierra Grande with the factory 400 / TH350 / NP203 / 3.42 rear axle. She's nothing really special, her appeal to me was the original drivetrain, air conditioning option and really straight (restored) body in factory RPO 71 Carmine Red. I brought the truck home with no information on it's history. The prior owner had it two years and didn't touch anything. But then I discovered a piece of paper in the glovebox that was a receipt for the sprayed bedliner with a phone number. I reached the second prior owner Greg and man did I get lucky to find his info! He was really happy to talk because had the truck for almost 20 years. He said most of the time it was used around the farm, and he completed a driver restoration in 2016.

I found out that the bed has been swapped which makes sense because it has two fuel doors but one tank (it's super straight though). It used to have painted bumpers, mirrors and steel wheels but other than that it's stock original. I could tell someone with experience had it because the truck is well put together (safe), and everything works like it should. The Q-jet starts the truck with literally a flick of the key, no gas pedal required...every time. Greg clearly knew what he was doing, I like that in a trucks past lol.

The original 400, Turbo 350 and NP203 are completely intact, the only modification being a part-time kit in the transfer case. She needs nothing but I'll be treating her to a little interior clean-up, a mechanical freshen-up and some custom touches.

[LEEVON]

Here's another cool part. The truck was built at Janesville, and shipped to a dealer called Easson Sales & Service in Lockwood, MO which isn't far from me. Easson still exists as a parts store. The truck has lived within an hour of that dealer since then. I was able to get the Invoice from GM Heritage.

[LEEVON]

I have ordered a large quantity of parts for the truck already, and I'm finding almost everything is backordered. So far I have or am waiting on:

• 4" Tuff Country EZ ride lift kit
• US Mag Indy 15x10 polished slot mags
• Sport rear bumper and brackets, etc.
• Dashes Direct urethane dash pad
• Various dash-related switches, knobs, trim, etc.
• Comfort-grip steering wheel
• Tilt column (used)

I plan to do the lift, wheels and tires along with the interior refresh starting with the dash. I may add carpet and the correct door panels as well. Along the way some mechanical maintenance, re-seals, etc.
After that I'll evaluate the exterior plans. In my head I'm possibly changing the mirrors, doing some small paint work, a complete polish and possible installing trim along with white two-tone or YG2 woodgrain. I don't know who's truck is pictured here on Rallies, but it's lifted similar and has the upper trim, looks rad.

[LEEVON]

Invoice from GM Heritage Center. I am a little surprised how much A/C was at this point, $574 list. It would have been roughly half that in 1972 I think. 70's inflation I guess?

[Willowrun]

Is your plan to run 35” tires?

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by Willowrun

Is your plan to run 35” tires?

That's the plan right now, yes. After the lift is done I'm going to get both 33 and 35 BFG K02's here at my shop next to the truck and do a little comparison. I originally ordered a 3" lift planning for 33's but I changed to a 4" figuring I could go either way.

[mrtoni]

My old one. Carmine interior parts hard to find

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by mrtoni

My old one. Carmine interior parts hard to find

Nice! My buddy is convinced I should put hurricane wheels on her haha. Square body parts market has expanded drastically in the last couple of years and it looks like they're now making most of the correct '79-80 Carmine interior stuff. We'll see what the dash looks like.

[TKCR]

That looks very nice! CarmineRed is a little easier to find because USA1 Industries has the correct color. I do hate to hear your getting a urethane dash. Yours looks good, does it have cracks that I’m not seeing in the pics? The urethane dashes tend to warp. The dashes that are built over a metal frame, like to OEM would be a better choice. Or have your original recovered. I hear Corbin does just that. Someone just showed me their dash that was redone by them, and it was nice! I’ll see if I can find pictures of that dash.
Any help you need on your interior, just ask. I’ve done some CarmineRed belts in the past.

[TKCR]

Here is the oem dash recovered by Corbin’s. They are in WA.

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by TKCR

That looks very nice! CarmineRed is a little easier to find because USA1 Industries has the correct color. I do hate to hear your getting a urethane dash. Yours looks good, does it have cracks that I’m not seeing in the pics? The urethane dashes tend to warp. The dashes that are built over a metal frame, like to OEM would be a better choice. Or have your original recovered. I hear Corbin does just that. Someone just showed me their dash that was redone by them, and it was nice! I’ll see if I can find pictures of that dash.
Any help you need on your interior, just ask. I’ve done some CarmineRed belts in the past.

Oh wow that Corbin dash looks amazing. Someone recovered the dash in this truck, it's "ok" but not great. I know I'm taking a chance on the urethane, but I think that Dashes Direct might have re-vamped the product and it's supposedly be better than the old wavy/saggy ones. The USA1 units are indefinitely backordered : (

I'll be sending my belts in soon for a little love!

[Willowrun]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

That's the plan right now, yes. After the lift is done I'm going to get both 33 and 35 BFG K02's here at my shop next to the truck and do a little comparison. I originally ordered a 3" lift planning for 33's but I changed to a 4" figuring I could go either way.

This is a 2.5” Tuff country with 33’s. If your thinking you may want 33’s go with 2.5” lift. If you want 35’s (the truck in your example pic has 35’s) then wait for the 4”. With 3.42 gearing I’d suggest 33’s but I’m sure it could handle 35’s too.

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by Willowrun

This is a 2.5” Tuff country with 33’s. If your thinking you may want 33’s go with 2.5” lift. If you want 35’s (the truck in your example pic has 35’s) then wait for the 4”. With 3.42 gearing I’d suggest 33’s but I’m sure it could handle 35’s too.

I did order the 4" lift, most likely will be going with 35's just not 100% decided. All my truck friends and my son all said shortbed gets 33's, longbed gets 35's lol!

[LEEVON]

Well the dash arrived today. I was surprised to see it does have metal framework. I bought it through CJ Pony Parts but it's Dashes Direct urethane model: https://dashesdirect.com/product/197...hane-dash-pad/

It's a little saggy on the side of one vent, but overall looks pretty good. We'll see how it installs, I'll keep ya'll posted!

[TKCR]

Looks good!

[LT7A]

That truck is nice! I look forward to seeing your finishing touches. do you mind if I ask what size tires are currently on it? Definitely understand the plan to go a little bigger. I think a 4-in lift with 35s looks really good. But those original tires fill out the wheel wells pretty well for a stock height truck so I'm curious as to what size they are.

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Looks good!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by LT7A

That truck is nice! I look forward to seeing your finishing touches. do you mind if I ask what size tires are currently on it? Definitely understand the plan to go a little bigger. I think a 4-in lift with 35s looks really good. But those original tires fill out the wheel wells pretty well for a stock height truck so I'm curious as to what size they are.

Thanks! I know they're 31's. I think 10.50's probably.

[LEEVON]

Performed a butt lift today and installed a sport bumper. I had some help from my oldest and he's really getting into this one because it's a 4wd.

Since we also found the radiator leaking last drive it had to come out. So yeah it's been on it's last leg for 20 years from the looks of it.

[LT7A]

I have just gotten into the idea of repairing radiators whenever possible. It seems so hit and miss with the replacement aluminum plastic ones. And the all aluminum ones are also either not great, or great while really expensive. That one looks to me like the upper inlet needs to be resoldered. That's where the flow seems to emanate from. If that's the case, it might be a cheap fix or something you can do yourself. Eastwood makes paint for radiators that is formulated thin to help maintain airflow. With those fixes, all that is left is to spend about 13 hours with a screwdriver straightening all those little fins, haha.

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I have just gotten into the idea of repairing radiators whenever possible. It seems so hit and miss with the replacement aluminum plastic ones. And the all aluminum ones are also either not great, or great while really expensive. That one looks to me like the upper inlet needs to be resoldered. That's where the flow seems to emanate from. If that's the case, it might be a cheap fix or something you can do yourself. Eastwood makes paint for radiators that is formulated thin to help maintain airflow. With those fixes, all that is left is to spend about 13 hours with a screwdriver straightening all those little fins, haha.

Yeah I used to do that, but man it's pretty much impossible anymore. I own a shop and we've never been able to have one repaired successfully. There are a couple old radiator shops still hanging on but they never want to do the job, there's always a reason why it can't be don't/shouldn't be done or not cost effective. Last time I inquired about a re-core they said $800 and that was pre-Covid inflation plus they said no guarantee, blah blah blah.

I'll probably just run a plastic and aluminum unit for now (as much as it pains me) and keep this one around just in case I ever have the time to repair it. It weighs a ton which also tells me the core is holding a lot of corrosion.

[LEEVON]

Lift kit is here, wheels and tires are here...sneak peak...

These wheels were on backorder for over a month, so I scoured the vendors again and found that Jegs had one set. I canceled my original order and thewe were delivered in two days. The US Mags Indy are a sturdy billet wheel for a great price. BFG K02's are on national backorder, there are ZERO 35x12.50.15 in the US along with almost every other make of tire in that size. I really had my heart set on the BFG's for the classic look. I picked up a set of General Grabber ATX's before they're all gone too.

Next update will be a whole new look.

[TKCR]

Thats going to look NICE!

[Low Elco]

Awwww yeah!

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

Yeah I used to do that, but man it's pretty much impossible anymore. I own a shop and we've never been able to have one repaired successfully. There are a couple old radiator shops still hanging on but they never want to do the job, there's always a reason why it can't be don't/shouldn't be done or not cost effective. Last time I inquired about a re-core they said $800 and that was pre-Covid inflation plus they said no guarantee, blah blah blah.

I'll probably just run a plastic and aluminum unit for now (as much as it pains me) and keep this one around just in case I ever have the time to repair it. It weighs a ton which also tells me the core is holding a lot of corrosion.

I totally get it. I'm hoping that new cores remain available. I am following mr.mud1 in the 67-72s and he has a very original truck whose radiator he resoldered the original tanks to a new core for. Anyway, those new wheels and tires are going to look fantastic.

[LEEVON]

Boom!