What's next 2wd JIMMY?

[RustyBucket]

..took me FOREVER to change wheels get the top off, and some cosmetic stuff inside. Got food poisioning, 5 days in the hospital and the HEAT dosen't help. Good news is it didn't fold in the middle and the doors still open and close--- pass. door binds some but the hinge is sloppy. I guess the roll bar needs to go? Have rust holes at the rear of the wheel wells...... got a good set of wheel wells from the PO. Think I'm going to plaster some an live with it awhile. Ordered a frt. bumper and have a nearly perfect grill. It needs brake shoes and pads, not metal to metal but REAL thin. Rubber grommets on top of the rear shocks are rotted off so it rides like a big baby buggy. It's got one of those BESTOP soft tops folded up in the back with the paperwork but the instructions read pretty scary.
I'd like it 2"-4" lower, with these wheels, I'm old and don't forsee 22"s in my future. Don't need it draggin' the ground. This is a LO-budget project but would like for it to drive good. Been reading about spindles, shocks, springs. I'd surely appreciate good "what to buy, how to" advice.
Will a '67-'68 hood fit my front end? I May buy a tailgate, mine has a lot of bondo. If the hood will fit I'd get 'em both painted... really like the '67-68' front.
Thanks in advance for advice, comments. Pls. excuse the LONG post.

[hotrodhomi]

For only 2" I would lower it with a drop springs in the rear, but for more I would add drop shocks and a shock relocater kit , a c notch and a new adjustable panhard bar.

For 2" in the front I would recommend drop spindles. If you want more you can add drop springs and new shocks.

[VA72C10]

Looks good. On the soft top, those things can be worth a good bit of money so take care of it and if you're not going to use it....research recent sales on here and ebay and it might just pay for all the other mods you have planned for it...

[RustyBucket]

Thanks, I'll take a good look at the soft top and see what kind of shape it's in. Looks like it's burgundy colored.. might limit the market on it.
Need to look for deals on spindles, springs and stuff. I need a bench seat for the rear and the tops of the bed/side rails are ugly and rusty where the hard top sat. Will pick up bed rail protectors cover 'em up if I trim them to fit?
It has a little cheesy tach on the steering column and it seems like it's showing about 2500rpm at 65mph on 275x60's........ maybe 3.23 or 3.08's. What was a common gear for a 2wd auto? Ordered some pkg. light lenses and a replacement horn button. Drove it around some this evening and enjoyed the MOON...... reminded me of motorcycling kinda.

[71meangreenc10]

Nice Jimmy....

Smitty

[greenhornet-1]

that's kool, was it originaly 2wheel drive?

[RustyBucket]

Thanks for the compliments.. notice my pictures are all 15' to 20' away-- it DOES have some issues. The LMC decoder indicates that it's a 2wd. VIN starts out TCE182F.. looks like a GMC, 2wd, V8, 3900-5800-GVW, JIMMY, '72, Flint. Glove box door had been repaced w/ one of those '80's wood things with the drink holder inside so there's no info. there on the options. I'm going to resist the temptation to pull it all to pieces and see if I can fix and upgrade a little and enjoy it.

[my90k5]

Nice Jimmy RustyBucket. I'm doing the same thing with mine, "see if I can fix and upgrade a little and enjoy it". I like that color. I still don't have any idea what my gear ratio is, lol. All I have to do is raise the rear and check it out, but I've been enjoying the drive. Have fun!

[RustyBucket]

Thanks my90k5, I WISH my Jimmy was as solid as your Blazer. Eventually I'm gonna have to "MAN UP" and see the ugly truth under the cruddy carpet. Still happy with your new engine?

[my90k5]

Very happy with the engine. I myself have to "Man Up" with the carpet as well, lol. I'm just enjoying the top off summer drives and will worry about that later, maybe in the spring.

Is that the original color? That would look nice with a light interior.

[RustyBucket]

No idea about the original color. I got a little tag in the paperwork from the PO, says it's a Chry. color, COLORADO RED.. reminds me of a Carmine red I've had a couple of veh's. painted. Interior is/was a mess.

[NTR72GMC]

If you want to run a 67-68 hood all you need to do is change the top grille trim to a 67-68 GMC grille trim and take off the trim on the front fenders.

[RustyBucket]

Thanks NTR72GMC,
Had to go out to look & compare the two. I guess if I take the side trim pieces off I'll have some holes to fill & paint? The more I look at the bright trim piece that surrounds the top of the grill the more it grows on me.
The tops of the bed/side rails are ugly and rusty where the hard top sat particularly toward the rear. Are there ready made trim covers or will I have to make something? Maybe pick up bed rail protectors will cover 'em up if I trim them to fit.
I need to borrow my neighbor's little utility trailer or modify my garden wagon to move the top out from under my hoist. I need to buy or make a pulley block to lift & hang the top from the rafters in in my shop for storeage. Probably wouldn't hurt it to sit outside.... it's shiny red and bumpy... look better if it faded out.