65 gmc

[wrenchjockey]

New to the Forum here, must say that it is already like a new home. I have been browsing the pages for several days and finally have decided to post. I received as a wedding gift, from my amazing bride, a 1965 GMC longbox. The truck had been her dad's and she bought it off of him for me. While he had it, he installed a 327 with camelbacks and got it into running shape, then used it as a garbage hauler.

For the past 5 years it has been my run around summer truck. In August of last year my son was born and i decided that I finally wanted to resto it for him. The only problem is that I have no clue where I should start!

Engine starts and runs like a champ (could use a tune up and carb rebuild). 2nd gear loves to pop out of gear, but I have been making due without. Body is most definitely the part that is going to need the most attention, but not sure if that is where is should start. Like most trucks of this age from SD, i have some nasty fender cancer spots and door spots too (luckily rockers seem good, will find out for sure!). Any suggestions as to where to start would be great, as you guys are as pro as can be found.

[wrenchjockey]

Couple more pics, one of the engine and one of my hammered tailgate. I love that I can walk out every spring, hook the battery up and fire it up on the first try.

And yes in case any of you are wondering, i did accidentally post this on the main board originally

[Ta2Don]

and Welcome aboard!!!
Awesome Truck and Great Story with it...

There are great people out here, and a wealth of info... Whatever you decide, take lots of pics and document all you do.

Have Fun!!!

[da_bears_da1]

Welcome to the board! Nice looking truck to start with. If your rockers are good, you are fortunate.

Are you planning a full restoration? If you plan on tearing it apart down to the frame, you have the fun job of tearing it down. It really does not take that long to do. Make sure you bag and tag everything and take lots of pictures as you go. Being able to pull up a picture to see how things were makes the assembly much easier.

Looking forward to see where you go with it. This is a great forum, so amazing people!
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[wrenchjockey]

Thanks for the support guys.

Are you planning a full restoration? If you plan on tearing it apart down to the frame, you have the fun job of tearing it down.

I wasn't originally planning to, but as the wife and I got to talking, we decided that if we are putting the time and effort into the truck, we want to do it right the first time. So, looks like we are starting from scratch.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by wrenchjockey

Thanks for the support guys.

I wasn't originally planning to, but as the wife and I got to talking, we decided that if we are putting the time and effort into the truck, we want to do it right the first time. So, looks like we are starting from scratch.

NICE!!! to you new Addiction!!!

[DPowers]

My suggestion-
Gather alot of info and ideas and decide what you want it to look like in the end and then come up with a plan.
Keep it running as long as possible while you work on other stuff.

A GMC site you may find interesting. http://www.6066gmcguy.org/

Nice truck- have fun with it.

[McMurphy]

I would pretty much have to echo the above messages.
I dont have enough fingers to count how many of us were just going to "dust it off and get it running" and ended up doing full on restorations. (though to call mine that is a stretch...)

To put it simply, tear it all down, mark and lable EVERYthing, then start from the inside and work your way out.
That in sequence would be:
Frame
to suspension
to power train
to fuel and coolant
to cab (inside)
to body work
and finally body paint

The next time I do one of these I am doing it in that order.

The problem with these is that they are SO easy to take apart, and fun to work on, they tend to spin wildly out of control and your humble build intentions turn into full on, show quality builds.

In the end, of course, it is all worth it.
Trust us on that one......why else would we all be here?

Welcome to the obsession, and good luck, we are here to watch and help

[wrenchjockey]

Thanks again for the input guys! I honestly had no idea where to start.

To put it simply, tear it all down, mark and lable EVERYthing, then start from the inside and work your way out.
That in sequence would be:
[BOLD]Frame[/BOLD]
to suspension
to power train
to fuel and coolant
to cab (inside)
to body work
and finally body paint

To get it down to start with the frame, do I need to/ should I pull the motor and trans?

[da_bears_da1]

Originally Posted by wrenchjockey

Thanks again for the input guys! I honestly had no idea where to start.

To get it down to start with the frame, do I need to/ should I pull the motor and trans?

As usual, McMurphy nailed it. The easiest way to get it apart is to start by taking off the things that are right in front of you. I started on the front end and took off the hood, front bumper, radiator, inner and outer fenders (taking off the wiring and components as you go). I then took the bed off so I just had the drive train and cab on it. Cab came off next and then the drive train. Now you are down to the frame and pull gas and brake lines, rear end, front suspension to get to a bare frame.

Take a look at some of the builds on the project pages and you can see what many of us have done to get to the frame. Remember, bag and tag and take more pictures than you think you need.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by da_bears_da1

As usual, McMurphy nailed it. The easiest way to get it apart is to start by taking off the things that are right in front of you. I started on the front end and took off the hood, front bumper, radiator, inner and outer fenders (taking off the wiring and components as you go). I then took the bed off so I just had the drive train and cab on it. Cab came off next and then the drive train. Now you are down to the frame and pull gas and brake lines, rear end, front suspension to get to a bare frame.

Take a look at some of the builds on the project pages and you can see what many of us have done to get to the frame. Remember, bag and tag and take more pictures than you think you need.

Bears is dead on with bagging and tagging!
You will need a couple boxes of plastic baggies (I tend to like the ones with the slide zipper as they are easier to manage with oily fingers), a roll or two of masking tape, and a couple of Sharpies (because you are going to set one down somewhere and waste a lot of time looking for it, until your wife finds it in the clothes dryer....)

Make sure you tag your wiring!
A piece of masking tape wrapped on itself as a tag at both ends describing where it plugged into, what it controls, is far far FAR better than having to figure it out, or trying to remember 12 or 16 months later.....

I also tend to put bolts back in threaded sockets, most especially if they are specialty bolts (like the ones with unthreaded tips on them or "guide bolts" which you will find on your door hinges)

With spare nuts and bolts, go ahead and marry them up as you go, better to take an unwanted nut off a bolt, than waste a ton of time looking for one to go ON a bolt....

As you tear her down, just remember that the first stuff off, is going to be the last stuff on, so put the hood, fenders, grille, bed and bumpers out in a shed, or the farthest away from your work area that you can. Otherwise you are going to a) trip all over them..... b) be tempted to work on them before the build is ready to take them back.

If you slog your way thru my build you will see that it snowballed on me, and spun wildly out of control. I was disorganized because I did not intend to do all the stuff that I have done/am doing.
I was just looking for something to tinker with, and soon realized I was in for the big haul !!

Good Luck, dont get discouraged or overwhelmed by anything.
I have had to do things 2 - 3 - and sometimes 4 times to get it right, or even just get it "good enough".

Oh....and dont drink too much caffine as you work on this. It may make you too impatient to get the results you want

So there is some more unsolicited advice, since you didnt ask

[wrenchjockey]

So there is some more unsolicited advice, since you didnt ask

Any suggestions as to where to start would be great, as you guys are as pro as can be found.

Pretty sure i asked

I was wondering too, what you guys know about the 327ci. I am pretty sure that is what is in mine (father-in-law installed and said it had camel back heads) but m not sure what the doaner was. I had thought that some of the c-10's had come with a 327 and was wondering if anyone had ever tuned one up/ supercharged one, or even where i should look for parts to do it.

[Ta2Don]

To my knowledge, the 327 is a quick revving motor, and they were built alot back in the day... Small block Chevy parts and pieces are readily available all over, I'm sure a quick internet search will point you in an appropriate direction.