Dug's 1959 Fleetside

[dsraven]

hi guys, I have a 57 gmc that i am working on. I have a bunch of stuff already done to the stock frame, but now I am thinking of using a trailblazer frame instead. Dugg makes it look so easy. by the way, dugg, have you got any pics that show the ride height with the cab and front fenders installed? did you swap the tires to be smaller so you don't have rub issues on the fenders, or was it a looks thing? i need to get some measurements before I start, my truck is a long bed and I want to keep it long because I plan on extending the cab. I am possibly going to look at a trailblazer tomorrow, we'll see if the guy calls me back.
any info on the swap would be greatly appreciated.
thanks guys

[dug224]

dsraven...the swap hasn't been too bad to date. It is still like eating an elephant though...one bite at a time. My cab is currently sitting on 4x4's and not on the frame mounts so i can't help with measurements at this time. It is a matter of stripping the frame and moving the cab and front clip around on it until the front wheels land in the fenders correctly (to your eye) and the cab is where you want it vertically. By my thread, you can see that the transmission is now up in the cab a bit. Seems to be plenty of room between frame and cab floor. No rubbing of the wheels in my case. The wheel and tire size is in my thread somewhere. Stock Trailblazer wheels are used. If you want to save a good bit of effort, you will want to buy a long wheel base frame WITH a V-8 (assuming you want the V-8) already in the frame. Get the entire SUV if possible. That way you have all the extraneous stuff required to make it work. Not sure the difference in the SWB and LWB but, if you are going to add an extended cab, could add as much cab as it takes to push the real wheel openings to the correct location. I would say my loss of bed depth is in the 6" range. Good luck...dug

[dsraven]

hey Dug,
that little honda 70 brings back a few memories. my son and i fixed one up for my kids back when they were little. he learned a lot but unfortunately didn't get to drive it much because he sprouted like a weed and it got too small. he graduated to an xl100 the following year, which he also had to go through. my daughters took over the 70. just by looking I would say you got a better one than we did to start. you have the better handlebars, front forks etc. make sure to smooth out the rusty spots on the forks before you sit on it or the rough spots will take out the fork seals. also remember to fab up a guard for the muffler or your leg will be sorry. you will have a scar to talk about at the lake though, ha ha.
good luck, there isn't that much to those old bikes, that is why they are still around.
I am waiting for a call back from the guy with the trailblazer. it is an inline 6 truck with the running gear etc still operational after a roll over. we will see if it is straight or not.
thanks for the info. maybe if I spend enough time I will be able to figure out how to start a project build thread for my old 57. lots of mistakes there...

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Kim

[OldChevysRule]

Dug.....I spent a few hours a couple of nights ago going through your entire thread. You are doing an awesome job. If I had had my truck(s) a few years ago, I would have loved to have gotten that 4X4 setup from you. I plan to convert one of mine to a 4X4 and the other will remain a 2X4. I have been toying around with the idea of the TB frame swap, but I am not sure if my finances, skills, and patience will allow it! I haven't seen any updates since November of last year, so I guess the house is keeping you busy. Hopefully, you haven't forgotten about the truck!! Thanks, Jason

[dug224]

Originally Posted by OldChevysRule

Dug.....I spent a few hours a couple of nights ago going through your entire thread. You are doing an awesome job. If I had had my truck(s) a few years ago, I would have loved to have gotten that 4X4 setup from you. I plan to convert one of mine to a 4X4 and the other will remain a 2X4. I have been toying around with the idea of the TB frame swap, but I am not sure if my finances, skills, and patience will allow it! I haven't seen any updates since November of last year, so I guess the house is keeping you busy. Hopefully, you haven't forgotten about the truck!! Thanks, Jason

Jason...still rolling it in and out of the garage occasionally and looking at it. Made a run at a 2008 Trailblazer SS the other day at Copart but was unsuccessful. Cool factor was high and would have been worth starting over. Was willing to pay $2100 plus fees but got hammered. Somebody wanted it way worse than I did. Looks like the 6.0 liter SS engines are worth in the $3.5k range. Not sure what it sold for but when I turned off the auction, it was at $3k. A wrecked TB is pretty cheap with the 6 cylinder. The 5.3's that fit it are pretty cheap too. You can do it!!! Skill is not an issue....trust me.

House is still under design. Gotta sell some rentals and such before we make it happen. Dug

[OldChevysRule]

I am glad to see that you haven't lost interest. I would like to see the finished product. There is an insurance holding yard just down the road from my house in Theodore. They hold wrecked cars until the insurance claim is processed and salvage title, etc. That is where the body shops around Mobile get their wrecked cars to fix and resell. I think you have to have a dealer's license to purchase from them. I believe they auction the vehicles as well (live auction). Just thought I would pass that along to you.
Jason

[dug224]

Jason...sent you a quick Private Message. Thx dug

[ricott]

Dug,

Glad to see your build pop back up. Did you pull the trigger on March 8, and if so , does that mean you will be spending more "quality time" in the garage? Thanks again for all your measurements, they are helping immensely on my 55 pickup. I am taking it a step further and also using the floorpan from the Trailblazer. My wife's 5.3 engine is a screamer in her 2007 Envoy - so your truck should have plenty of power with a 5.3. I will be updating my build this weekend - hope to see you doing the same.

Ricky

[Kim57]

I didn't have the courage to do mine.
Good luck on the mods.
Kim

[dug224]

Originally Posted by Kim57

I didn't have the courage to do mine.
Good luck on the mods.
Kim

Kim...may have to resort to your approach if I fail but the more I read about it and watch YouTube, the more my confidence goes up. Seems to be more of a book keeping effort and with my recent dramatic drop in my hourly rate, it may be near free by the time I finish!!! Stay tuned...dug

[ricott]

As you said, reworking one of these harnesses is more of a "bookkeeping" issue than anything else. With a good wiring schematic and a list to check off, you can do this. You are definitely on the right track by labeling each wire in the connector block. I like your idea to actually mark the number/letters on the junction block. My eyes nearly crossed trying to see the tiny numbers on those blocks. Looking at the weather today it looks like you have a chance to work indoors on this project! If you want to talk about any of the wiring issues send me a PM and we could discuss.
Ricky

[LSXapache]

People blow it out of proportion, it aint rocket science. I did mine on a rainy day in the shop, just spread it out on the floor or large table, keep it from becoming a tangled mess, label as you go, and I found it easier to have a printed copy of the instructions in my hands that I could consult and make notes on.

[ChuckDriver]

Very cool build, looking forward to more updates!!

[Kim57]

Looking real nice.
Kim

[dsraven]

dugg,
good to see you are back at it. I have done lots of wiring over the years and you just have to look at it a circuit at a time if you feel overwhelmed. it isn't that tough if you have a good set of reading glasses and a wiring diagram, I figured it out so anybody should be able to do it, ha ha.
I actually got to spend a couple hours on my old 57 project before another rush job came knocking. ah well, it has been 4 yrs now so what is another day, grrr.
good luck and keep posting, maybe it will get me back in the groove. just on a side note, do you think there is room for the 4.2l engine between the rad and the cab if the stock envoy mounts are used for the 4.2l inline 6? how much did you have to move your trans mount ahead to fit up with the v8 position? that may tell me if there would be room or not.
thanks,
dennis

[dug224]

Originally Posted by ricott

Your project is looking great. Love the idea of using the ford Expedition Power Steering cooler. As for fuel lines, I plan to use the ones found on a Chevy truck. They are attached to the motor/tranny and exit the back of the tranny on the driver's side. I will make up the lines from that point to the fuel tank. Does the Trailblazer PCM program have a circuit for the electric fans - or do you plan to control them with a "stand alone" system? I used a Camaro program on the GTO because I needed electric fans, and those circuits on the "truck" programs control something on the HVAC.

I hope to work on shortening the Trailblazer EXT frame this weekend - we will see. Thanks again for posting your build - it has been a real timesaver.
Ricky

Originally Posted by dsraven

dugg,
good to see you are back at it. I have done lots of wiring over the years and you just have to look at it a circuit at a time if you feel overwhelmed. it isn't that tough if you have a good set of reading glasses and a wiring diagram, I figured it out so anybody should be able to do it, ha ha.
I actually got to spend a couple hours on my old 57 project before another rush job came knocking. ah well, it has been 4 yrs now so what is another day, grrr.
good luck and keep posting, maybe it will get me back in the groove. just on a side note, do you think there is room for the 4.2l engine between the rad and the cab if the stock envoy mounts are used for the 4.2l inline 6? how much did you have to move your trans mount ahead to fit up with the v8 position? that may tell me if there would be room or not.
thanks,
dennis

Dennis: Hang in there...the time will come. Reached in with a tape and it looks like approximately 2.5" from trans mount bolts (the ones that go from trans to trans mount) to the center of the slotted holes on the top of the cross member. See photo. If you need an exact dimension, I will be under the vehicle tomorrow and can measure it more accurately. dug

[dug224]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looking real nice.
Kim

Kim...thanks...got a head of steam going now. In case I failed to mention, I put an arbitrary "drive it around the neighborhood" date of June 2014. Good to have due dates to keep me moving ahead. dug

[ricott]

Good that you got the glove box info. Look to see if the code G80 is also there. If so, you have a Limited Slip 3:73. My wifey's v8 Envoy has that gear and you will like it in your truck - plenty of power. Looking forward to a video in June of a drive through your neighborhood that isn't gravity/foot powered – although a true gearhead loves any king of ride in their project! I believe GM went to returnless fuel systems on their pickups in 2003, so a 99-02 should have what you need. I am picking up my friend's trailer after work tonight, and plan to pick up my frame (and a half) Saturday AM. It looks like I will have to do something with the brake lines, although I am hopeful it will only be the rear line.

[OldChevysRule]

Doug..it is good to see more activity on your build. I noticed you mentioned something about PS hoses.....NAPA auto parts used to make custom hydraulic hoses. At least the one back in my neck of the woods in NE Alabama made them. I remember my dad had some made for a vehicle when I was a kid. I am sure it was a lot cheaper, too. I know we all like to save money wherever possible. I am getting anxious to get home and start back on the disassembly of my truck in a few months. Spain is getting old!! Hopefully, you will not have moved to Orange Beach by the time I get home...I would like to meet you face-to-face and check out your build. I started a thread on my build(s). Check it out and let me know what you think. Jason

[dug224]

Originally Posted by OldChevysRule

Doug..it is good to see more activity on your build. I noticed you mentioned something about PS hoses.....NAPA auto parts used to make custom hydraulic hoses. At least the one back in my neck of the woods in NE Alabama made them. I remember my dad had some made for a vehicle when I was a kid. I am sure it was a lot cheaper, too. I know we all like to save money wherever possible. I am getting anxious to get home and start back on the disassembly of my truck in a few months. Spain is getting old!! Hopefully, you will not have moved to Orange Beach by the time I get home...I would like to meet you face-to-face and check out your build. I started a thread on my build(s). Check it out and let me know what you think. Jason

Jason.....Thanks for the suggestion but sometimes I have a tendency to complicate things. Once my head cleared, I got on Rockauto.com and ordered a set of V-8 Trailblazer P.S. hoses (High $37, Low $17). Spent about as much on the hoses as I did running around town looking for someone to customize my I-6 hoses. Too bad they don't have fuel lines. Don't worry about Orange Beach.....it won't happen anytime soon. Moving my 89 year old Mom into assisted living next then fixing up and selling her house. Heard an old retired guy once say that after he retired, he was so busy now that he didn't know when he had time to work. I am there.

Can't remember exactly the direction you are taking but don't forget, they made 4x4 Trailblazers. Can get a good smashed up extended one and you can be on your way.

When you get home, lets get together. dug

[Kim57]

Sounds like you're making good progress.
Looking good.
Keep the pics coming.
Kim

[OldChevysRule]

Sounds like you have been busy. Nice work. Can't wait to see it completed.
Keep up the good work.

[ricott]

The picture of the engine compartment is the Money shot as far as I'm concerned. Looking real good, and it should be making noise real soon. If you haven't fabbed up a mount for your computer, get one from a S10 pickup, it is flat and very easy to mount. What are you doing about the exhaust crossover pipe, or will you build a duel setup?

One final question, early in your build you posted that the firewall was 16 and 3/4 inches from the center bolt of the shock tower. Your front wheels look great in opening, but I was wondering if the cab was moved forward by 3/4 of an inch, do you think it would affect the visual spacing of the wheel in the wheelwell on the front? The reason for my question is the trailblazer firewall (when bolted to the trailblazer frame) is 16 inches from the center of the shock tower bolt - (thus if I go with the current mount, my tires will be 3/4 of an inch further back in the wheelwell). The good news (if it works) is the radiator would be 3/4 of an inch further from the engine.

I used your "tire study" information and bought two 255/55/18 for the back of my truck, and I used two 245/60/18 (well used) from my wifey's Envoy for the front of the truck. Thanks again for sharing your hard work.

Ricky

[dug224]

Originally Posted by ricott

The picture of the engine compartment is the Money shot as far as I'm concerned. Looking real good, and it should be making noise real soon. If you haven't fabbed up a mount for your computer, get one from a S10 pickup, it is flat and very easy to mount. What are you doing about the exhaust crossover pipe, or will you build a duel setup?

One final question, early in your build you posted that the firewall was 16 and 3/4 inches from the center bolt of the shock tower. Your front wheels look great in opening, but I was wondering if the cab was moved forward by 3/4 of an inch, do you think it would affect the visual spacing of the wheel in the wheelwell on the front? The reason for my question is the trailblazer firewall (when bolted to the trailblazer frame) is 16 inches from the center of the shock tower bolt - (thus if I go with the current mount, my tires will be 3/4 of an inch further back in the wheelwell). The good news (if it works) is the radiator would be 3/4 of an inch further from the engine.

I used your "tire study" information and bought two 255/55/18 for the back of my truck, and I used two 245/60/18 (well used) from my wifey's Envoy for the front of the truck. Thanks again for sharing your hard work.

Ricky

Handy tip on the S10 bracket. Will pursue. One more thing I can soon strike off the list. Plan on having local muffler shot fabricate a crossover that will feed the single I-6 exhaust system. No real reason for it other than it is already there waiting on me to tie into.

Man, that's a tough question on the architecture of the wheel in the wheel opening. I know I stared and adjusted it for many hours and still not entirely sure it is right. Let me give it some thought tomorrow or Wednesday.

So you went with a taller front tire that I did. If I did my math right, your tire wall height is slightly taller in the front than in the rear. That is, 6.75mm for each wall for a total overall height difference of 13.5mm (0.55"). Did I get that right? As far away from each other as they are they will probably look the same. Looks like I went 30mm smaller per wall for a total of 60mm (2.3") overall height difference smaller. Will get back with you soon. dug