1984 GMC Sierra Classic - Delilah

[ctandc]

I didn't name it / her. Don't ask.

Picked it up a few weeks ago.

Guy who we bought it from had it less than a year. Paper / warranty on the rebuilt 700R4. Originally a 305 truck - engine is supposedly a Jasper replacement.

Truck was painted sometime in the late 90's. Driver's rocker needs done, but cab supports and floor are great. Some rot in the bed wheel well arches, but the lowers and all look fine. Might be some stuff hiding, but isn't bad at all.

Brand new BFG AT's (32's), originally Rally wheels with rings and caps. Had antique tags on it, had it up on the lift and got it inspected no problems. From just a quick look - the front brake calipers are new, the RH gas tank is new and some other things have been replaced.

Inside is pretty nice, except for a bench seat so work out on the driver's side that I (I'm 6'3" FYI) have to use a firm pillow to sit on or I feel like I'm sitting on a milk crate.

Gas pedal is REALLY stiff. Turns out someone installed a newer Edelbrock carb, but the factory throttle cable is just a tick too short. Bolted up to the carb linkage, it takes a firm throttle return spring to counter act - thus stiff pedal. Just ordered a replacement throttle cable that is @ .75" longer which should fix that.

Old girl runs and drive really nice. 2" blocks in the rear on what look to be factory leaf springs + shocks with the coil over 'helper' springs make for a stiff ride - at least unloaded. I've got some decent shocks on the way just to let it ride a bit better.

Looks like it had a pretty good rear main seal leak - but apparently the transmission shop installed a new one. Doesn't seem to be dropping any oil now at all - but we shall see.

Also came with a brand new HEI distributor and MSD wires. I'll do those when I likely do a "top end" refresh. On the hunt for a cheap Edelbrock or other intake, maybe some new valve covers and air cleaner.

Look forward to picking all the brains here as I slowly go through this old girl.

[ctandc]

So it's finally time to start working on her...

Lots of things happened since this "build" thread was started. Got married again - moved to a place with some land and an actual shop and a garage for parking.

Worked the old girl a good bit with construction projects around the house. Changed the 3.08 gears to 4.10's.

Ended up buying a '12 F150 FX4 (couldn't pass the deal up - 44K original miles and got it for what 150K mile trucks were going for) with the 5.0 as well.

- Queue the Ford jokes -

I was a GM / Chevrolet guy forever. First car was a '67 Chevelle. God knows how many A-body's, G-Body's, F-Body's between then and now......but I ended up with a few Fords...........

So this is finally out of my shop (for my son) after a 1.5 year long rebuild:



It's a daily - so minimal paint and body, original paint isn't horrible - but most importantly - ZERO rust / rot. But everything else was horrible. I went through the engine, trans, transfer case, pretty much every wiring harness, rebuilt the interior etc etc etc.



So now after a total kitchen destruction and remodel in the next month or so - it's now time for the 84 GMC to go under the knife.

Pics





Pictures are a couple of years old. Paint job is flaking off in spots. It looks better in the pictures than it actually is - but it's still not bad. Will need rear wheel well patch panels, at least one rocker...I'm sure I'll find more when it comes apart.

It's going down to the frame.

It's going to get a mild lift, some 35's, and basically everything gone through. It's the wife's truck - so she's in charge of color selection......

After having her wade through a color book I borrowed from the paint supply guy, she has decided on a two tone.

Middle color will be a 1966 Cadillac color



Paint chip doesn't really do it justice.



Going two tone like this 84 GMC:





She wants the white to be more of an "ivory" with some pop to it. Still haven't nailed that color down.

Still haven't decided if it's getting an LS Swap or not. We'll see once it gets blown apart. A lot depends on the engine that's in it now, could be a 305 or a 350 - never checked the casting numbers. Runs good. 700R4 was rebuilt before we got it.

If the engine is good - it'll get cleaned up and gone through and will stay with a carb. If not - it will likely get a LS swap. No reason to drop $1K on an aftermarket EFI conversion when a full LS swap isn't much past that....I would likely buy a complete running / wrecked truck or SUV and pick it apart for the LS swap.

[ctandc]

Trying to catch up on house / land projects that were neglected while I was thrashing to get the 95 Bronco done and out of the shop.......

The other day I tried to put a charge on the battery in the GMC and no dice. So I went and bought a new battery and surprisingly it fired right up after literally sitting for at least a year.

Went to move it and the LH rear tire is locked up LOL. It rolls fine in Reverse, but no dice in forward gears. Locked it in 4WD and hopefully it will move enough so I can get it onto pavement so I can jack it up and persuade the brakes on the locked up wheel to unlock so I can move it around while I round up parts I'm keeping from my (2) bronco parts trucks and gather everything that's being sold..........

And not to mention the 80's JD tractor my FIL essentially gave me. The same tractor that when I mentioned "I'll change the oil" he literally starts laughing his ass off.

Apparently it's never been changed in 20 years.

Still runs good though - gotta love diesels.

Gotta replace the fuel filter / feed assembly since it likes to leak, which causes me to have to bleed the damn thing every time I go to fire it up.

[ctandc]

Got the GMC started - after sitting way too long. This engine is pissing me off. It's likely the factory 305. Trucks shows 160K on it. Fired right up and ran good. No smoke, no noises, no rattles. Hard to justify an engine swap when the damn thing runs so good.

LH rear wheel was frozen. Wasn't the parking brake - it was never on. Moves fine in Reverse. Pulled it out in 4WD - hammered on the LH rear drum a bit and it would at least try to move going forward. Backed it back in. I just need to move out of the way in the next few weeks to get to the two parts Bronco's I have from the 95 Bronco build I just finished. Need to scavange the few things I want and get them sold. No need to fix the brakes - when it gets moved in the shop it's coming apart.

Still doesn't look too bad. Outer rockers - inners actually look pretty good. No rust through the floor anywhere I can see. At least one of the cab corners and of course the bed wheel wells.

Can't wait to start tearing this thing apart.