Opinions on which direction to go with my GMC.

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

As the title suggests, I am looking for what direction to go with my 67 GMC SWB. I am at the point to where I have 3 options,each of which will cost me about the same, but I can only afford to do one of them right now.

Option 1: Air ride. Looking for a full system that includes new trailing arms (so I can replace the leaf springs), allows 4 corner manual control, but is also self-leveling. So far I am looking at:
- PB Level 2 front and rear deluxe kits combined with their Accuair E-Level kit with touchpad
- Thorbros E-Level kit with touchpad combined with PB Level 2 deluxe rear kit
- Pro Performance Pro 2 kit with E-Level, touchpad, two 3 gallon tanks and exo mounts

Option 2: Paint and bodywork. Send the truck off to someone to go ahead and do the bodywork. Would also like to get the truck painted either medium green (original color) with cream grill, wheels, and bumpers or a charcoal grey with black wheels, grille, and bumpers.

Option 3: LS Swap. This would include picking up a "low-ish" mile 6.0 with all accessories, wiring harness, and ECU. Then sending it to the machine shop to be rebuilt and beefed up a little, sending off the harness to be refit for this truck, and send the ECU off for a good tune. I would need a new EFI ready tank that would include the fuel pump and sending unit, Dirty Dingo engine mounts, and a Silverado radiator with electric fans. I'd do the install myself but farm out the other stuff.

I can only afford to do one of these options at the moment so that is what the poll is for. What would you recommend?

Where I stand: I am leaning towards air ride because the engine is in good shape and I could do the rockers, floor pans, and cab corner myself while I have the bed and cab off the frame. Currently the truck starts and runs great, shifts smooth, and handles like a runaway train off the track (read: badly). I've got the parts in the garage to add power steering and power brakes; I just need to get around to doing it.

Specs on the truck: Late 90s GM Goodwrench 350, Edelbrock intake, Vortec heads, 600 Holley Carb, pretty nice sounding carb, long tube headers, new-ish exhaust, NV4500 trans, 12 bolt rear with 3.55s, leafsprung rear, straight body, and unknown drop spindles in the front. No AC, no heat, no radio, no power steering, no power brakes. Here is the truck in question along with its current condition:













Driver side rocker:


Passenger side rocker:


Passenger side cab corner:


Gauge cluster came with the truck. Gauges are nice, but I don't really dig the look.




Only other dings on the cab. Has a bend in the drip rail right there too.


Super inconvenient gas cap.


Bike is currently for sale to help fund part of the truck.


Replacement body parts I currently have. Both front fenders have already been replaced. Waiting on hardware to put in the inner fenders.

[Already Gone]

My advice is do what ever feels right to you. Its your truck and you have to live with what you do. Remember if you decide to sell it down the road people will not have the same vision as you had/have for your truck. If you are on the fence about which direction to go drive it a while longer and take more time to decide, there is no rush.

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

My advice is do what ever feels right to you. Its your truck and you have to live with what you do. Remember if you decide to sell it down the road people will not have the same vision as you had/have for your truck. If you are on the fence about which direction to go drive it a while longer and take more time to decide, there is no rush.

Mostly what I am looking for is advice as to which would be the "proper" first step in restoring the truck.

Well, I am not "restoring" it in the true sense of the word; the truck seems to have been pretty pieced together in various stages throughout the years. It was originally medium green with a straight 6 and 3 on the tree and now its running a late 90s 350 crate motor and a 5 speed on the floor. One of the fenders I replaced was a 69 or newer fender that had the side marker hole filled. There is sheet metal riveted over the top of a couple small holes in the floor right at the edge of the door. The bed and hood look to have started life as a light blue color, while the cab was medium green; the doors were, at one point, this weird neon green color. I guess I am looking to restore/modernize it a bit by upgrading the suspension and drive train, as well as taking it down to bare metal everywhere I can and repainting it.

My initial thought is that I should do the suspension first. Start from the ground up. This way I could also clean up and paint/coat the frame, replace tie rod ends, bushings, body mounts, etc. Next, I would figure would be the engine/drivetrain. Once that is complete, then I figure bodywork and paint. This would then be followed by wiring, lighting, and then interior.

Am I on the right track? Or should my order of doing things be rearranged somehow?

[palallin]

Originally Posted by CaptainMorgan_SOS

As the title suggests, I am looking for what direction to go with my 67 GMC SWB.

Currently the truck .... handles like a runaway train off the track (read: badly).

Has it occurred to you that maybe this is the place to start?

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Originally Posted by palallin

Has it occurred to you that maybe this is the place to start?

Well, I may have over exaggerated on this a bit. In reality, it handles like one would expect for a 1967 GMC without power steering or power brakes to handle (with what looks to be many of the original steering parts still in place). Could probably use new ball joints and TREs. So if I did the suspension or engine swap, I'd likely convert it over to rack and pinion steering at the same time.

[davepl]

Make it mechanically sound before you do any of these three (by which I mean reliably and safely starting, driving, running down the highway, etc). You know, ball joints, tie rods ends, steering box, tires, all of that.

Then make it look good.

Then make it faster.

Then make it cool.

In that order. Which to me means the order should be mechanicals, paint and body, then engine swap, and then ride height change.

[onebigjohn]

First look at works together....Motor swap/mock up/install goes hand in hand with suspension. Difficult to work around a flawless body doing all that. Just my $.02

[GASoline71]

There really is no "right way" to start. It all will depend on your budget, your skills, and mostly how much free time you have.

Just wing it... it will all come together. Don't let someone else guide what you want to do to your own rig.

Gary

[projectking]

Personally I'm a fan of building it exactly how I want it and then blowing it apart for paint. Saves from having it apart for too long and loosing focus.

[nastety92]

If it were my truck I would do the LS engine swap first. Then down the line do suspension work, then body work last.

If you are ever looking to change up the look of your truck for Cheap, look into Plasti Dip.

Nick

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by projectking

Personally I'm a fan of building it exactly how I want it and then blowing it apart for paint. Saves from having it apart for too long and loosing focus.

That's what I am doing with mine. Could eben drive it around for a bit if I want to. Then when I'm gonna get ready for paint, I'll blow it all apart again.

Trying to explain this concept to my wife and she thinks I'm nuts.

Gary

[RenoKeene]

In your case I would do the suspension first. It is the base for everything else you have planned. They say "Ground Up" for a reason.

[Grumpy old man]

Start at the frame / suspension /brakes then drive line ,then paint,glass ,seals with interior last.

[OARNGESI]

Step 1 suspension step 2 drive train step 3 paint step 4 Terror in all honesty the paint and body will give you the most resale value when you do the motor be sure to budget in painting the firewall since that work best.

[mooseknuckles]

Originally Posted by onebigjohn

First look at works together....Motor swap/mock up/install goes hand in hand with suspension. Difficult to work around a flawless body doing all that. Just my $.02

I agree..paint should definitely be last. and since the motor sounds like it is decent shape I would do the air ride first. make it cool, everything looks better bagged! Then a LS swap and you'll never want to get out of it.!

[palallin]

Originally Posted by CaptainMorgan_SOS

Well, I may have over exaggerated on this a bit. In reality, it handles like one would expect for a 1967 GMC without power steering or power brakes to handle (with what looks to be many of the original steering parts still in place). Could probably use new ball joints and TREs. So if I did the suspension or engine swap, I'd likely convert it over to rack and pinion steering at the same time.

Fair enough, but my '67 Chevy w/out PS handled like a dream and went right on straight down the road without me holding the wheel (once I replaced a lower control arm u-bolt). There is no reason yours shouldn't, too, after you replace any worn parts. But none of that other stuff matters if the truck won't go where you point it.

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Thanks for the info. I thinking I am going to go with taking it down to the frame, cleaning it up, painting it, and then convert the rear to trailing arms and run bags front and rear with an Accuair e-level kit. While I am at it I'll replace the tie rods up front, the tie rod adjusters, pitman arm, the upper and lower ball joints, replace the front wheel bearings, and then convert it to power steering and power brakes. I'll also be changing out the rear gears to 3.73s and I'll replace all of the bearings and races, so include the outer axle bearings and axle seals. Will probably change out the body mounts to poly ones.

The engine is running great, so it's not necessarily something that needs to be addressed for right now. I may even look into rebuilding the current engine and throwing on a FiTech system with their sump under the hood. As for the body, while I am cleaning up the frame, I'll try my hand at replacing the cab corner, the rocker panels, and the floorboard sections right by the door and foot well.

Originally Posted by palallin

Fair enough, but my '67 Chevy w/out PS handled like a dream and went right on straight down the road without me holding the wheel (once I replaced a lower control arm u-bolt). There is no reason yours shouldn't, too, after you replace any worn parts. But none of that other stuff matters if the truck won't go where you point it.

So you are right on the worn parts. Went to mess around with it the other day and found out the passenger side front wheel bearings are shot! The lower and upper ball joints looked pretty worn out too. heard some noise on the passenger side the other day as I drove really close to a brick wall, so I jacked it up and sure enough, the wheel had a good wiggle when pushing on the top and bottom of the tire.

[Ironangel]

Originally Posted by CaptainMorgan_SOS

My initial thought is that I should do the suspension first. Start from the ground up. This way I could also clean up and paint/coat the frame, replace tie rod ends, bushings, body mounts, etc. Next, I would figure would be the engine/drivetrain. Once that is complete, then I figure bodywork and paint. This would then be followed by wiring, lighting, and then interior.

Am I on the right track? Or should my order of doing things be rearranged somehow?

I think you've answered your own question in your initial thought. Start at the bottom and work up, make it safe and reliable working your way up. Then you wont be back tracking doubling up on your work load. Try not to get to anal about it either. I think thats where alot of guys loose interest in their builds, they nit pic the damn thing to death and never get to drive it while it sits in their garage for years. Get that suspension and drive train sound and watch how many compliments your work in progress gets at the gas pump. Keep it simple and keep it pleasurable, one thing at a time..."Just Sayin"

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

And now the question is: what suspension system should I go with? I'll probably start up a thread in the suspension forum... I am just sitting at information overload at the moment. AVS, Porterbuilt, Thorbros, AZ Pro... too many options haha