Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

cwaite12025 · 07-10-2014, 11:48 AM

Hey Everyone,

So this is my first restoration, I just wanted to ask if anyone could give me some guidance. My 72 is all original, I'd like to restore it (though it's not in horrible shape and with a few dollars and it could be), but I would like to restore it similar to a resto-mod so I can use it as a daily driver. It has the original 350 and the original 4 speed transmission and I'm thinking of swapping the motor out (Keeping it because it's the original motor of course) to a 5.3 Vortec so it has a little more reliability. Have any of you done this, I've been looking around and it's been asked many time on all of the other vehicles forums but I wanted to get an opinion on someone who's done it to a similar truck. I was also going to ask for anyone for restoring these, is that underneath has some bad rust spots but overall all of it needs to be cleaned up, what have some of you done? Get parts or clean up existing pieces and parts and painted them?

Thanks!

JointTech · 07-10-2014, 05:07 PM

we have a whole section for LS swaps.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...play.php?f=206
been done 1000 times to these trucks. good luck!!
welcome to the forum and we like pictures here

Z10 · 07-10-2014, 05:40 PM

If you have a good running original engine, have you considered installing a fuel injection system? It would really improve your trucks drivability.

cwaite12025 · 07-13-2014, 08:18 PM

Hello,

Thanks for the replies, the engine runs decent and with some small funds put to it would run great. I looked into an EFI bolt-on kit, but the cheapest one I could find was around $1,500 (if you know of a great place to search please let me know!) and I'm looking into doing a resto-mod and working on the original motor while I have a reliable truck to drive. For $800 I could have a 5.3 and it's already fuel injected, so that was the toss up for me. Being that this is my first restoration doing the research is the learning curve for me on how I want to do this. Thank you for posting that link, it will be really helpful!

So after viewing your profile, and hearing that you guys like pictures, I started a build page where I posted the pictures the day I bought the truck two weeks ago.

Also, what's a great site to look for parts where you can find original and performance parts, right now the main site I'm using is Summit Racing.

Thanks!

LSUMurse · 07-14-2014, 12:40 AM

GMC Paul's

Classic Heartbeat

Brother's

Classic Parts

Some parts places to get you started.

Look under the vendor section of the board, as those listed there help support the forum.

07-10-2014, 11:48 AM	#1
cwaite12025 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Vernal Posts: 32	Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 Hey Everyone, So this is my first restoration, I just wanted to ask if anyone could give me some guidance. My 72 is all original, I'd like to restore it (though it's not in horrible shape and with a few dollars and it could be), but I would like to restore it similar to a resto-mod so I can use it as a daily driver. It has the original 350 and the original 4 speed transmission and I'm thinking of swapping the motor out (Keeping it because it's the original motor of course) to a 5.3 Vortec so it has a little more reliability. Have any of you done this, I've been looking around and it's been asked many time on all of the other vehicles forums but I wanted to get an opinion on someone who's done it to a similar truck. I was also going to ask for anyone for restoring these, is that underneath has some bad rust spots but overall all of it needs to be cleaned up, what have some of you done? Get parts or clean up existing pieces and parts and painted them? Thanks! Last edited by cwaite12025; 07-10-2014 at 11:51 AM. Reason: Title didn't match post because I forgot to ask the original question

07-10-2014, 05:07 PM	#2
JointTech Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 1,856	Re: Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 we have a whole section for LS swaps. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...play.php?f=206 been done 1000 times to these trucks. good luck!! welcome to the forum and we like pictures here __________________ 72 C20 Long Bed SB350 TH400 14 bolt rear end Extremely boring build thread

07-10-2014, 05:40 PM	#3
Z10 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Midland, TX Posts: 1,267	Re: Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 If you have a good running original engine, have you considered installing a fuel injection system? It would really improve your trucks drivability. __________________ 1969 RS/SS Z10 Camaro Pace coupe 1972 GMC Short Step buildhttp://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post6356218 1979 Mazda RX7 1979 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 & 1979 Pontiac Trans Am 10th Anniversary 1999 Honda Valkyrie 2006 Corvette Z06 2010 BMW 650i

07-13-2014, 08:18 PM	#4
cwaite12025 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Vernal Posts: 32	Re: Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 Hello, Thanks for the replies, the engine runs decent and with some small funds put to it would run great. I looked into an EFI bolt-on kit, but the cheapest one I could find was around $1,500 (if you know of a great place to search please let me know!) and I'm looking into doing a resto-mod and working on the original motor while I have a reliable truck to drive. For $800 I could have a 5.3 and it's already fuel injected, so that was the toss up for me. Being that this is my first restoration doing the research is the learning curve for me on how I want to do this. Thank you for posting that link, it will be really helpful! So after viewing your profile, and hearing that you guys like pictures, I started a build page where I posted the pictures the day I bought the truck two weeks ago. Also, what's a great site to look for parts where you can find original and performance parts, right now the main site I'm using is Summit Racing. Thanks!

07-14-2014, 12:40 AM	#5
LSUMurse Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 406	Re: Cleaning Up Underneath on my 72 GMC Paul's Classic Heartbeat Brother's Classic Parts Some parts places to get you started. Look under the vendor section of the board, as those listed there help support the forum. __________________ It's not that I am apathetic, I just don't care. If your life is a joke, it appears death will be your punchline.



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