New to the forum from AZ

[samuellg1977]

Cool Truck!! Welcome from Kentucky!!

[Captainfab]

If your truck has the HO52 then you won't be able to find any gears for it. In this case you will be best to find a donor rear end. Either a FF 14 bolt or a Dana 60 will be a good choice, and will retain the 8 lug wheel bolt pattern. Some of these trucks did come with the Dana 60 originally. If that is the case, gears and numerous other parts are readilly available.

With the SM420 trans, 1st gear is not used in normal everyday driving. It is typically used when you need that extra grunt to get something moving.

Originally Posted by mweishaa

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! It's good to see some other AZ guys here who are crazy enough to ride around in a steel box in the 110 degree heat.

I still have a list of things to do (I'm sure you are all very aware of that process) so I am sure I'll have some questions. And I'll be posting up pics when I get the bed in. Or maybe as I am putting it in, depending on how smoothly it goes.

wc63, although it looks much more done than before, I still have plenty left. Nothing too major though. If it were ever really "done" I'm not sure what I'd do.

losthope, I wouldn't say those wheels would be my first choice either, but since they were on there I think they worked out pretty well. Not sure how many options I have without changing out the rear axle/hub. I'd definitely have question about how to do that.

Captainfab, I've definitely thought about changing the gearing. One of my requirements for the truck was that it HAD to be a manual trans. But I don't even really use 1st gear at all. That will probably be a future project though. Again, I'd definitely have questions about that process though.

[erock805]

Originally Posted by mweishaa

Hey erock805,
I'm thinking something plain - like steel wheels, painted white (possibly blue), with moon chrome hubcaps. I don't know really, but probably nothing hot-roddish or chromey. I just don't see this truck as a hot-rod. To get anything to fit, I'd obviously have to change out the hubs. I'm 99.99% sure that can be done but am pretty clueless on what the process might be or how much it would cost. I have to watch out for buying up parts I "may" use someday, that can get me in trouble.

I know where there are two 5 lug stock steelies. I can scrounge them for free. but you will still need two more and caps. I love the look of factory caps and steel wheels on these old trucks. Lemme know

[sson20s]

cool truck ,welcome from northwest valley

[hardwaa]

Welcome. Nice truck. I have seen your truck around. I live at Pecos and Higley.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Nice ride.
I respectfully partially disagree with Clyde65, it does give a bit of rub room for stupid drivers but a clean stock chrome or white rear bumper would look cleaner.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Beau-ti-ful. Just saw your post on another thread and had to see the rest of the pix.
Do you have the color numbers they used to paint it?

[mweishaa]

DuPont Spectra Master
Blue is GS699
White is C6447

I matched it to a blue from a 1957 GMC, but thought it looked a little dark in the book so I went a couple of shades lighter. If I had to do it over I would have gone with the darker color. It's a bit brighter on the whole truck, esp in the AZ sun. But the good thing is it still looks good all dirty and dusty. Then again, these trucks always do.

[MusicMan70]

Welcome Mweishaa! I'm love that Paint scheme and Stepside of yours. Ditto on the V6 too.

[McCoyAZ]

Chiming in here a little late but WELCOME aboard from way north of you in Kingman.

Good looking paint job.

[Ta2Don]

Welcome aboard, this is an awesome site. Great looking truck! Diggin' the paint scheme...

[1966JSM]

Welcome man, Nice truck.. Im from gilbert also