newbie with a quick question

[dmacs66gmc]

Been lurking on the site for a while and decided to sign up. Lots of good info on the here. Hello all from Alberta, Canada!!
I am restoring a 66 gmc long stepper that was a christmas present for my wife.I am fairly new to the world of old trucks and thought this would be a good place to gain knowledge.Started working on it last winter. It is a very solid truck with no rust issues. Just needed some mechanical tlc. The 305 v6 was too cool to remove so I took the time to freshen it up and it runs like a top. Also replaced the 3 on the tree with a 4spd. I like when people look under the hood and say ''what the hell is that?''

Been working on restoring the bed lately. New oak floor stained black.
When installing the cross braces to the frame I used some 1/8'' belting to make some pads to go between the cross braces and the frame.The bed floor was non existent when I got it and there were no rubber pads. Looks like I may need to use thicker pads because the bed is sitting too low to mount the floating brace and the rear cross sill. Was there a standard thickness the rubber bushings are supposed to be???
Here are a few pick of progress to date.

[pimpston65]

just ship it to me, it will save you grief and money. PM sent with shipping info

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by dmacs66gmc

Been lurking on the site for a while and decided to sign up. Lots of good info on the here. Hello all from Alberta, Canada!!
I am restoring a 66 gmc long stepper that was a christmas present for my wife.I am fairly new to the world of old trucks and thought this would be a good place to gain knowledge.Started working on it last winter. It is a very solid truck with no rust issues. Just needed some mechanical tlc. The 305 v6 was too cool to remove so I took the time to freshen it up and it runs like a top. Also replaced the 3 on the tree with a 4spd. I like when people look under the hood and say ''what the hell is that?''

Been working on restoring the bed lately. New oak floor stained black.
When installing the cross braces to the frame I used some 1/8'' belting to make some pads to go between the cross braces and the frame.The bed floor was non existent when I got it and there were no rubber pads. Looks like I may need to use thicker pads because the bed is sitting too low to mount the floating brace and the rear cross sill. Was there a standard thickness the rubber bushings are supposed to be???
Here are a few pick of progress to date.

Welcome! Very nice truck! And glad you kept the v6! Those are motors with a good reputation...bout the most over built engine GM ever produced.

[Ronzo]

Welcome, and hello from down in Lethbridge neighbor!

[kchampagne]

I love it! Welcome!

[dmacs66gmc]

yeah the v6 is quite a chunk of iron. I believe it weighs over 800 lbs. When freshening the motor discovered that there is nobody manufacturing pistons for these engines. It may end up being an oil burner but I just couldn't justify the cost of custom made pistons.

So does anyone know how thick the rubber pads between the frame and cross sills are supposed to be?

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by dmacs66gmc

yeah the v6 is quite a chunk of iron. I believe it weighs over 800 lbs. When freshening the motor discovered that there is nobody manufacturing pistons for these engines. It may end up being an oil burner but I just couldn't justify the cost of custom made pistons.

So does anyone know how thick the rubber pads between the frame and cross sills are supposed to be?

795 pounds dry was the GM spec. Though a friend of mine weighed one and he remembers it being around 915. Long as you have new rings it should be ok.

EDIT: Is that HEI from HEI dizzy on Ebay?

[dmacs66gmc]

Not sure where the HEI came from. It came with numerous new parts when I bought the truck. Motor sure runs nice though.

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by dmacs66gmc

Not sure where the HEI came from. It came with numerous new parts when I bought the truck. Motor sure runs nice though.

I'm sure it does! The 500 cfm holley 2 barrel mod, dual exhaust, and HEI really wakes these motors up. Or eventually you could go further like I did and find a magnum intake and mill it out to fit a 4 barrel. Put a 600 edelbrock 4 barrel on mine...Runs Really good now.