First attempt at a build, 69 lwb

[Pete357]

Finally got a good start on my 69 gmc LWB build up to the point of where i think i can get a decent build thread going with my progress. I have never taken on a project like this before, so this is quite the experience.
This is what im starting with. A 69 gmc i picked up drove for a few months then it kind of took back seat to everything else going on.




Didn't look like a bad start from the get go, has what seems like a pretty stout running 350 in it and cant see a lot of visual rust, i thought i was in the clear for a simple project to tackle for my first one. First up on my list of things to do is install a 4.5/6" ece drop kit.

[Pete357]

Next up roll it outside for a few last ride height shots and clean it up and get ready to pull the motor for what was planned as a simple clean up, check it out, fresh gaskets and drop back in.




Next up, time to tear down the motor, see what im dealing with and decide what to do from there.

Got it tore down, found allot of scrap, sent it off to my builder for a nice professional job. Turns out it was even much worse than i originally thought.

[Pete357]

Figured now while the motor is out to the builder and suspension is done its the perfect time to start deciding when im going with body and interior.
So i decided im going with a stripped down all tin interior heading towards a bare bones street strip project with this truck. Strip out the interior and find...guess what more issue.

Ordering up the patch panel for that area and in the mean time i get the rest of my grill trim in to find out someone put Chevy fenders on this truck now i need new fenders for the grill trim to fit.

Figured this is the perfect time to shave my firewall to get rid of the heater stuff i wont need in my stripped street/strip truck. Plus i figure this is an excellent place to practice my sheet metal welding as ive never done it before in my life and i got the interior patch panels ordered up.

Still working on the sheet metal welding skills as this is pretty much where i sit on the project right now. As i keep making progress ill keep this updated with plenty of pictures because who gets tired of looking at pictures, right?

O yea one last update, got a call from my engine builder my motor is getting close to done, i had to head in to drop of some parts and i got the coolest update ever. My blown and stroked 383 is almost done.

[DD1]

Nice looking build. The truck looks like it is in pretty good shape. That engine looks sweet. I am doing my first truck build as well. Found way more rust than I can handle, so I am getting another cab next week. So you are using for racing, which is why you blocked off the heater box holes?

[sgaylord]

Looks like a cool build. How long before you think you will have it back on the road?

Steve

[Pete357]

Yea, its going to see the track every other week or so other wise just a daily driver for my short commute to work and truck shows. Figure i really don' need a heater for that kind of use. Hoping to have it complete and on the road by middle end of this spring at the latest.

[DD1]

Nice!! Good luck. I am hoping to get mine running by mid-spring as well. Want to take it to the car show in Ocean City, MD, in June. Is the engine a 350 or 383? You mention both numbers in the posts. I had my 350 rebuilt, and it amazed me how they were able to clean it up. Yours looks way nicer than mine did though.

[low&slow]

I'm in on this build. How much was it to do that drop kit?

[Pete357]

Ended up with a 383 motor. Started by wanting to just do a basic over bore on my 350 to make it a 355 but by the time we got into found out my stock crank was shot so upgrading to the 383 didn't cost much more. The blower on top of it is a weiand 177. I'll look into the cost of the drop kit, it's from early classic enterprise and was a simple straight forward install, I'll look for the price when I get out of the shop.
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[Pete357]

Finished welding up all the holes in the heater area of my firewall, its not perfect but like i said, ive never done any kind of body work or sheet metal welding in my life before. I think a small amount of filler and she will look perfect.

[DD1]

The weld looks good, and it's in an area that is not really seen anyway. Just grind down the bumps if you have not already, prime and paint it.

[Pete357]

It don't look bad in the picture there, but in real life just a touch of filler deff will not hurt it. I started on the friday. Then kind of got side tracked by other stuff. Somewhat good news came in over the phone today, got a call from work, im a truck driver for a construction company so i usually get laid off for the whole winter, ive been off for 4 weeks and i got the call today that they need me. This is great news because its more money in the pocket yet terrible news because i will only be home saturday and sunday to work on the truck.

[DD1]

Double Edged Sword you got there... of course working brings in money, without which you could not build your truck! I'll take getting paid and working on it slowly, over quickly and broke any day.