My 1983 GMC 2500 High Sierra

[Azryael]

Hey all!

It's been a long while since I've posted or even lurked.

Last year I bought some property and with it came a 1983 GMC Sierra that's been off the road since 1994. Based on the title, it's a one-owner truck.

It needs some work, but it's mostly complete save for lacking keys. My plan is to eventually get it up and running again, but not sure what my long term plan for it is. I still personally prefer the pre-1980 front end.

Don't have any digital photos, but I do have some film photos from when I was out on the property shooting some Kodak Ektachrome.

[Rich84]

Looks like a keeper..Along for the ride.

[straight6chevyguy]

Looks like fun project for sure.
I think you're film photos look great by the way!

[Azryael]

Originally Posted by Rich84

Looks like a keeper..Along for the ride.

I agree! I'm hoping to get out there in the next few weeks to start making some progress on it.

Originally Posted by straight6chevyguy

Looks like fun project for sure.
I think you're film photos look great by the way!

Thanks!! I just picked up shooting film again about two years ago after having called it quits back in 2007. Never thought I would go back, but there's something to be said about the process.

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A few things about it so far... it's complete, minus keys, dealer should be able to get me some but I've yet to do the title transfer and what not, and the seller signed the wrong title (there's also a camper that's fallen apart) and I don't feel like bothering him over a year later as he's an elderly gentleman.

There's fuel in it, but smells like varnish. The transmission has fluid in it and it's bright red. Also looks good on oil. Did not check coolant level. Tires look like they'll hold wind long enough to move it around when it's running.

Passenger side window somehow got busted out, so that'll be a trip to the yard for a replacement.

I think I do have some more photos somewhere, that I've taken, but I'll love and share them when I find them.

[Dead Parrot]

Nice bonus for the land purchase. Probably worth a pass around that house/building with a metal detector. A few lost silver coins would make it worth the effort.

I had a film camera as a backup for the recent solar eclipse. One nice thing about a basic film camera, push the button and it takes a picture. My DSLRs will often not take a picture because they get lost in auto focus, auto exposure, auto something.

Save that old fuel and use to pour down gopher holes. Something about bad gas they really don't like.

Should be able to do a lost title process on the truck. Your pics will help establish the 'been there a while' status.

[Azryael]

Yeah, that's the plan. Metal detect all around that area for stuff.

I used my Minolta SRT-101 loaded up with some Kentmere 100 to photograph the eclipse a few years back. This was totally handheld. Forum compression is going to kill it a bit, but the fullsize image is something I'm proud of. 1/500 at f/16 with a 200 mm lens.

I'd planed to save the old gas even if to attempt to run my old mower just to use it up. It's pretty much all rock around here to gophers are too much of a concern.

I do have the actual title in-hand, just not signed by the original owner for transfer.

[Azryael]

I just about finished up my manual swap in my 1998 Durango so I'll be able to load it up with all the tools and stuff I need to head out there soon and get working.

Can you remove the ignition tumbler without the key? I thought about just grabbing a replacement and then worrying about doors and such later. I'm actually somewhat hopeful I may just find the keys in the truck somewhere, but I'd need to bring out a vacuum to clean up all the glass before I go crawling in there.

[connorm]

Originally Posted by Azryael

I just about finished up my manual swap in my 1998 Durango so I'll be able to load it up with all the tools and stuff I need to head out there soon and get working.

Can you remove the ignition tumbler without the key? I thought about just grabbing a replacement and then worrying about doors and such later. I'm actually somewhat hopeful I may just find the keys in the truck somewhere, but I'd need to bring out a vacuum to clean up all the glass before I go crawling in there.

If you vacuum it out, check everything before you throw it out. Thats how I found the keys to my Mercury

[Azryael]

I'll do that! It will probably be a few more weeks before I get out to it since I've got some other things going on, but I will be sure to look! I'm hoping they're there and they were just left since the truck was unlocked.

They may be in the toolbox, which I'm almost certain the keys don't exist, so I'm going to drill those out. If it remains on the property, I'm not too worried about someone getting into the toolbox. Given that there is no power on the property, I'll probably take my F350 with the 7.3 instead to have the amperage to power a vacuum off it.

[SCOTI]

Nice bonus to the land purchase!

[Azryael]

Thanks! Stoked to get to work on it someday. Wish I had a shop building either here at home or there to get it out of the elements.

[Azryael]

Went out and began clearing away the branches around it so I could cover up the window and attempt to clean it out some.

Used an old canopy top to cover up the door where the window is broken.


Interior is pretty bad, mouse nests EVERYWHERE. I didn't take any after photos after scooping much of it out, but there's still a lot more to go.



The odometer shows 21K miles on it, and judging by the pedals and lack of wear, minus the left side of the brake pedal where it looks like someone drove with both feet, I do believe this could have only 21,000 miles on it. Purchased in '83, last on the road in '96, if all it ever did was occasionally haul the decaying camper on the property to and fro, then that mileage sounds reasonable over that period of time.




Just a shame it sat the way it did. Just about everything inside needs to be replaced, the mice have pulled out just about all the cushioning from the seats so you're basically sitting on a spring box.

Driver's side door also doesn't latch tightly. It closes all the way, but you can shimmy the door in and out. Passenger side is solid, what could this be?

Looked over the motor once more, there is in fact coolant in the rad, and all the hoses are still relatively pliable and not chewed through. I'll need to bring out a little generator and a shop vac to really get all of the debris out. I had plans to at least turn the motor over by hand, but I didn't bring the correct socket size for the crank (assumed it was a 24 mm) nor additional tools to disconnect the fuel hoses from the pump so it doesn't suck up the varnish in the tank. The ground was also soaked, so laying underneath it wasn't a fun idea.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Azryael

Went out and began clearing away the branches around it so I could cover up the window and attempt to clean it out some.

Used an old canopy top to cover up the door where the window is broken.


Interior is pretty bad, mouse nests EVERYWHERE. I didn't take any after photos after scooping much of it out, but there's still a lot more to go.



The odometer shows 21K miles on it, and judging by the pedals and lack of wear, minus the left side of the brake pedal where it looks like someone drove with both feet, I do believe this could have only 21,000 miles on it. Purchased in '83, last on the road in '96, if all it ever did was occasionally haul the decaying camper on the property to and fro, then that mileage sounds reasonable over that period of time.




Just a shame it sat the way it did. Just about everything inside needs to be replaced, the mice have pulled out just about all the cushioning from the seats so you're basically sitting on a spring box.

Driver's side door also doesn't latch tightly. It closes all the way, but you can shimmy the door in and out. Passenger side is solid, what could this be?

Looked over the motor once more, there is in fact coolant in the rad, and all the hoses are still relatively pliable and not chewed through. I'll need to bring out a little generator and a shop vac to really get all of the debris out. I had plans to at least turn the motor over by hand, but I didn't bring the correct socket size for the crank (assumed it was a 24 mm) nor additional tools to disconnect the fuel hoses from the pump so it doesn't suck up the varnish in the tank. The ground was also soaked, so laying underneath it wasn't a fun idea.

Might just need a piece of Pex tubing on the striker in the door jamb....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbzbYhzLJM

[Azryael]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Might just need a piece of Pex tubing on the striker in the door jamb....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbzbYhzLJM

Ahh! I think you're right. I didn't think to compare the strikers on either side to one another just yet!

The rubber door seal is fine around 95% of the door, but the bottom was chewed open and full of debris, so it'll need replacing.

[Azryael]

Going to grab a tarp and a few things to head out that way after Christmas to see if I can get it to turn over.

Calling one of the local dealers tomorrow about getting keys cut.

[SCOTI]

Good luck!

[65chevysub]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Might just need a piece of Pex tubing on the striker in the door jamb....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbzbYhzLJM

I used the blue 1/2" on mine and it's tight, and I don't have to slam it to make it latch. I work for an excursion railroad so have access to the tubing when we do remodels of the passenger coaches.

[Azryael]

Not much to report, unfortunately. Been sucked into job applications and interviews, so not much time to get anything done. Was not able to secure a key from a dealership either without title in my name, so guess I need to get that knocked out as well.

Headed out tomorrow with a portable generator and shop vac to start really cleaning it up. What's the size of the crank bolt on these? I thought a 24 mm would work, but I was wrong.

[Dead Parrot]

Originally Posted by Azryael

....
Headed out tomorrow with a portable generator and shop vac to start really cleaning it up. What's the size of the crank bolt on these? I thought a 24 mm would work, but I was wrong.

Welcome to the wonderful world of needing both SAE and Metric. While a lot of the body bolts, nuts and screws are metric, usually the drive train stuff stayed SAE, at least for a while. My 79 Camaro was that way. Body - metric, Drive train - SAE. Not sure when the switch started. My 75 was all SAE.

[Azryael]

So just like my Durango or F350 then, hah!

[Azryael]

Got around to vacuuming out the engine bay, cleaning out the air filter, and inspecting wiring and hoses.

One of the heater hoses has been chewed through, and vacuum hoses look cracked from age. Wiring looks okay.

Crank bolt is a 5/8", but I couldn't get enough leverage to turn it over by hand, and I didn't bring enough tools to remove the fan. Got some of the interior vacuumed out and used a pack of automotive disinfecting wipes to begin cleaning up the bench seat. The cover actually looks salvageable, but every time I gave the seat cushion a good whack tons of chunks of rust would fall out.

Some photos from today:

[SCOTI]

Pull the plugs & spray some penetrating oil into the cylinders now. It gives you time to possibly 'unstick' things for easier turn-over by hand.

[Dead Parrot]

Might pull the blower motor and check for rodent nests before hooking up a battery. Might avoid motor burn out if the nest is wrapped around the blower and prevent the crap from getting pushed even farther into the vent system.

Take a cheap turkey baster and bottle of fresh brake fluid. Use the baster to suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and replace with fresh.

If you haven't yet, give the hood hinges some oil. Square hoods are noted for bending due to stiff hinges.

Wipe off all the engine compartment labels and take pictures. Yours look near pristine. Folks doing an As Factory restoration sometime need pictures of original labels so they can order new replacement labels.

[Azryael]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Pull the plugs & spray some penetrating oil into the cylinders now. It gives you time to possibly 'unstick' things for easier turn-over by hand.

That's gonna be the plan when I head out there for an extended period of time. I also just couldn't get good leverage on it with the fan in the way.

Originally Posted by Dead Parrot

Might pull the blower motor and check for rodent nests before hooking up a battery. Might avoid motor burn out if the nest is wrapped around the blower and prevent the crap from getting pushed even farther into the vent system.

Take a cheap turkey baster and bottle of fresh brake fluid. Use the baster to suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and replace with fresh.

If you haven't yet, give the hood hinges some oil. Square hoods are noted for bending due to stiff hinges.

Wipe off all the engine compartment labels and take pictures. Yours look near pristine. Folks doing an As Factory restoration sometime need pictures of original labels so they can order new replacement labels.

Good call on pulling the blower motor! I'm making a to-do list on things that need doing before battery hookup.

Rear reservoir of brake fluid is dry, but front is almost full; I will replace with fresh anyway. I've got a syringe/baster just for that reason!

I put some high-temp grease on the hinges and gently worked it in. I've seen what happens when they stick

Regarding the stickers, I will do just that! One issue I'm faced with right now is that I have no access to running water on the land, and it's a good hour and a half drive one way from home. As I get to know my neighbors out there a little better I may be able to bring over a bucket and ask for some water.

We're constantly on the lookout for another piece of property close-by with a cabin or something on it to facilitate extended stays, but no luck so far.