57 GMC, frame swap, 4wd, 454 big block, 4 speed

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Glad it fired, bummer about the seal. I've been there before. I once chased a random misfire code in my Z28 for a year.

Thanks! Yeah, I'll get it figured out when I have time again. I sure don't like to redo things haha

[jjzepplin]

Sad to hear about your oil leak. I could give you the whole story about mine but I will skip to the end. Line honed block- new seal- one piece oil pan gasket. 3 days later and the sealant was not dry... Turned out that the brand new tube of Permatex was defective! Pissed off doesn't even come close. I know you did but I will ask anyway. You did- clock the rear seal a little off so that the split is not right in the middle?

[Old57]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Sad to hear about your oil leak. I could give you the whole story about mine but I will skip to the end. Line honed block- new seal- one piece oil pan gasket. 3 days later and the sealant was not dry... Turned out that the brand new tube of Permatex was defective! Pissed off doesn't even come close. I know you did but I will ask anyway. You did- clock the rear seal a little off so that the split is not right in the middle?

I hear ya there, that would be a bad day.

Yes, I did clock the seal a little off from the bearing cap parting line. Although, I have heard several people that swear by clocking them, and several people that swear by not clocking them. I've never had one do this before, and I have built a lot of motors. I also put a bit of oil on the seal lips before assembly to keep them from a dry start, but I'm thinking maybe sitting 2 years, almost to the day, between building it and starting the motor might have not been good on the seal.

I pulled off the bell housing inspection cover yesterday, and started it up. It sure does run nice and start easy! Also, the power steering must have gotten the air out, because now it all of the sudden works great. I can turn the wheels lock to lock with 1 finger, and that is sitting still in the shop with 33" tires too. I got underneath the truck with it running and the inspection cover off. The leak is the rear main seal. I was planning to pull the motor back out to replace the seal, but now I'm thinking I may try to do it in the truck. I can get the oil pan off in the truck, but might need to pick the front of the motor up about an inch to drop it past the front bearing cap, because of the cross member. As bad as it will suck to change the seal in the truck, I think it will be a lot less work than pulling the motor back out.

I have to say that the US Radiator Desert Cooler triple pass core, and the high output dual Spal fans seem to be doing a great job of cooling the big block. when the fans are on and I'm standing in front of the truck, they pull my shirt up to the core of the radiator. it will sit in the shop running and cycle the fans on and off from 190 to 183.

I may still do something to the hood (ports, vents or louvers) to get hot air out of the engine compartment though.

Maybe this weekend I'll try to get that rear main seal replaced... ugh.

[Purcell69]

You probably had a bunch of minute air bubbles in your power steering fluid. After it was allowed to settle out, no more issues.

That's a bummer about the rear main seal and you are probably right. Sitting for two years didn't do it any favors. Oil seals like to be kept warm and lubricated. Sitting causes them to get hard and dry. We'd see this in airplanes that spent too much time as hangar queens. Once we put all the parts back on that had been cannibalized for another plane, the oil leaks would start up.

-Joe

[Old57]

Originally Posted by Purcell69

You probably had a bunch of minute air bubbles in your power steering fluid. After it was allowed to settle out, no more issues.

That's a bummer about the rear main seal and you are probably right. Sitting for two years didn't do it any favors. Oil seals like to be kept warm and lubricated. Sitting causes them to get hard and dry. We'd see this in airplanes that spent too much time as hangar queens. Once we put all the parts back on that had been cannibalized for another plane, the oil leaks would start up.

-Joe

Yes, it probably is from sitting so long before it was started up. I'm hoping to get in the shop later today to tear it apart and try to get it fixed.

[Old57]

I looked over the oil pan in the truck, and it looked like everything would clear to change the rear main seal with the motor in the truck. I started in on it, and I had to lift the front of the motor about 1 1/2" to get the pan off, but it all went good. The other seal came out with no problems. I compared it to the replacement Fel-Pro seal, and it was not anywhere near as pliable as the new one. The new one also had a bigger seal lip. I installed it, and could tell right away that it fit a lot tighter on the crankshaft. I got it all buttoned back up and refilled the motor with oil, then started it up. I reluctantly got back under the truck with it running to check for leaks, and I was happy to see that it stayed dry. I even took it around the block again, and there were still no leaks when I got back. The power steering works great now, too.

Now I can get back on track to finishing the truck... slowly.

[joedoh]

looks amazing rolled outside! glad you got the leak fixed too.

[Purcell69]

I'm glad you were able to replace the seal without having to completely pull the engine. That tends to be the advantage of the earlier non-IFS trucks. I sure do like the tire and wheel combination you are using. That has always been a good look in my opinion.

-Joe

[jjzepplin]

That is one nice piece of art you have created sir. Just WOW!

[OutlawDrifter]

Awesome on the "easier" fix. Nice to get a win every now and then!

[Old57]

Thanks guys, yes I was very happy to get the seal replaced and fixed, and also glad I was able to get it done in the truck. The wheels, hubcaps, and tires are what I wanted as soon as I planned out the project. I had to track down the hubcaps one by one, and had them painted/ restored. The one thing I still need to do to complete that part, is installing the blue hub dials that I had custom machined and anodized by GMCGrim on here.

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by Old57

Thanks guys, yes I was very happy to get the seal replaced and fixed, and also glad I was able to get it done in the truck. The wheels, hubcaps, and tires are what I wanted as soon as I planned out the project. I had to track down the hubcaps one by one, and had them painted/ restored. The one thing I still need to do to complete that part, is installing the blue hub dials that I had custom machined and anodized by GMCGrim on here.

Of all I have done with my project so far, that has to be the one regret I have with mine. My axles (1994 Dodge Ram 1500) are too wide to use the deep steel wheels and GM center caps. The offset required by my axles just barely gets the wheels under the fender lips.

Of course, this just means I get to admire yours that much more.

-Joe

[Old57]

Thanks! These 16x6.5 wheels with these tires are pretty much even with the fender lip, and I have K20 axles.

[Old57]

Yesterday afternoon, I worked on the bed. I removed all of the cross rails, bed strips, rotten wood, etc. out of the step side bed, and also heated and scraped off the old under coating on the sides under where fenders were. Then I measured for the size to cut out the ribbed steel floor out of the 80's square body donor bed. I got it all cut to size, and ready to start lining it up and mounting it in the 57 bed. After I get it mounted, the bed and rear fenders will go get media blasted and sprayed in aircraft primer like the rest of the body. I'll be spraying the bed liner on the bottom and inside the bed, and inside all 4 fenders like I did on the cab floor and bottom. When I moved all of my parts out of the way to get the bed rolled out of the shop, I had to take a picture of the fenders and doors sitting how most people want them to sit, vs how mine sits

[joedoh]

if you are mounting the bed floor where it fits best (fender alignment) dont forget the angle strips on the inside of the bed sides, they will hit the floor!

when I do a stock metal floor I hang the bed over the frame first then silde the bed floor across the frame till it bolts in, then raise the bed to fit with jacks. never takes more than a couple hours to get it tacked.

I like your lowrider haha

[Old57]

Yep, this floor and cross sills bolt and fit directly to the 73-87 frame. I'll mount it to the frame like normal, and I'll set the bed at whatever height it needs to be for lining up the steps and the bottom of the cab. The wheels will fit in the fender wells like stock, because I already shortened the frame to the stock wheelbase to work with the long bed. It'll all look like it came from the factory when I have it done and mounted. And there is quite a difference in the lowrider stance vs my 4x4 stance haha

[6BT 56]

Love what your doing. I'm thinking hard abt pulling mine apart this winter and putting on the same frame . Using the original frame it just doesn't drive a nice as I'm sure yours will. Going to read thru your build again to learn more abt how much you shortened frame and your cab mounts.

[Old57]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Love what your doing. I'm thinking hard abt pulling mine apart this winter and putting on the same frame . Using the original frame it just doesn't drive a nice as I'm sure yours will. Going to read thru your build again to learn more abt how much you shortened frame and your cab mounts.

My truck is a long bed, and I used a long bed K20 donor, but I still had to shorten the frame 8" to get the right wheelbase. I Z-cut the frame and also plated it over the joints. I've taken it around the neighborhood, and it does ride good and steer easy.

[Old57]

I welded up some small splits and fixed a couple rusted spots in the mounting lips of the rear fenders. I also removed the angle strips in the bed, welded up the old fender holes from the 60's fenders, then laid out my 57 fenders and marked/drilled holes for them to mount on the bed sides. I had to cut out 2 areas of the tailgate top rail and hammer out some dents, then welded and blended it back in. I took it all to get blasted and sprayed in primer last week. I should have it all back any day now. I'll get the bed assembled and mask it off for the bed liner to be sprayed under it and in it.

I also cut out the "S" bend in the SM465 shifter, and welded it back together with 1 simple bend so it fits how I wanted it and clears my leg good. I wanted to use the flat transmission cover instead of the humped one, because I like how it looks better. I got a new steel reproduction cover, and needed a small hump made just over the shifter top of the transmission, and cut a slot for the transfer case shifter. I was getting ready to dig through my metal pile to make a small hump, then I noticed an air cleaner cover I had from a Harley-Davidson. I held it up and looked at it, and it was the perfect size for what I needed. I cut it up and welded it into the transmission cover, then cut the shifter hole. It fits great, and after I spray the cover in bed liner to match the rest of the floor, it will look pretty good. I'll get 2 small boots for the shifters, and it will be perfect.

[OutlawDrifter]

Nice work repurposing parts. One of the many reasons I don't like throwing stuff out.

[Black_Sheep]

You put the Harley air cleaner to good use, this has been a fun build to watch...

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Nice work repurposing parts. One of the many reasons I don't like throwing stuff out.

I hear ya... I hang on to anything that I might use later for something. Just 2 weeks ago, I hauled off a load of scrap that had steel, tubing, old parts, etc. that I've had for 15 years and didn't use, then I needed one of the pieces 3 days after I hauled it off!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

You put the Harley air cleaner to good use, this has been a fun build to watch...

Thanks Black Sheep, and I gotta say your truck is absolutely beautiful! Congrats on getting it wrapped up and taking it on the maiden voyage.

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Old57

Thanks Black Sheep, and I gotta say your truck is absolutely beautiful! Congrats on getting it wrapped up and taking it on the maiden voyage.

Thanks, I'm hoping to get some miles on it before the snow flies...

[Old57]

Does anyone have the correct distance the bed sits behind the cab? I plan on mounting it where it looks right, but I'd like to know what it was from the factory to help judge it.