Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Very nice!!! Way beyond my skill and brain level.

Originally Posted by low'n slow

a little bondo and she'll be done

Originally Posted by Effeckt

Sweet!! I see the end result on the horizon!

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Now that came out really great!

Originally Posted by Effeckt

I would be happy with the results too.. Looks great!

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Very nice. Pop in some glass and your ready to cruise!

Originally Posted by tcb-1

amazing fabrication skills. simply AMAZING!!

Thanks very much for the compliments everyone!

Originally Posted by kyull67

If I remember correctly, this was your first real welding project. You've come a long way. NICE WORK!

Yes this is my first. I am getting better - I'm in the "15-foot" league now. The truck looks OK from 15 feet away. With some more time on the MIG and the dolly I hope to get into the 5-foot league soon!

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Looking really good! What did you ever decide to do about the front wheel centering?

I still plan to do the nose job. But I need to re-direct my time and feeble cash into making the thing run reliably first. So next up is getting the glass (with new rubber) into it and find out what's wrong with the tranny and why the intermittent starting troubles.

I want to get some driving time in on her and make sure that I am really going to enjoy the truck before I keep throwing hours at the body work.

[thirdstreettito]

Sweet project! Your front wheels need to be a little more forward though, like this.

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Sweet project! Your front wheels need to be a little more forward though, like this.

Hi, thanks for the suggestions! That's what posts #62-#75 were all about. I intentionally chose not to center the front wheels in the wheel well. Give me about 6 more months and it will look different when I shorten the nose.

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by sparkydog

Give me about 6 more months and it will look different when I shorten the nose.

Can't wait ! love this build

[68GMCCustom]

nice work...looks great.

[LS1_C10]

This build is AWESOME! If I had a TENTH of the skills this truck taught you, Id never have a boring car again! My question is, is it titled and insured as a GMC pickup? Doesnt Cali still have those stupid emissions and roadworthy checks? Betcha get some funky looks from the techs.

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by LS1_C10

Betcha get some funky looks from the techs.

The DMV was a funny story with a happy ending - but I can't post it on the web.

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by sparkydog

The DMV was a funny story with a happy ending - but I can't post it on the web.

PM then? Inquiring minds ya know.

[LS1_C10]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

PM then? Inquiring minds ya know.

+1...What if a member follows in your footsteps with his own build and needs to know what to expect from the DMV?

[sparkydog]

All right... while the finance committee studies how to fund the tranny overhaul:


(And maybe helps clean up the mess from the tranny yank. Ahem!)

[33shooter]

Is that a buggy motor on the left? That boat looks fun....

[Frizzle Fry]

Is that boat in CA or OR?

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by frizzle fry

is that boat in ca or or?

Oregon

[Permafrost]

Well, and hour and a half and three beers later I've read each and every post from the beginning and I'm thoroughly impressed! You have a gift not many posses, the ability to visualize something then actually put it together. Your motivation is incredible.
Well done!

and I'm looking forward to more....

[884x4Sub]

Originally Posted by Permafrost

Well, and hour and a half and three beers later I've read each and every post from the beginning and I'm thoroughly impressed! You have a gift not many posses, the ability to visualize something then actually put it together. Your motivation is incredible.
Well done!

and I'm looking forward to more....

just read the whole thing....what he said^^^^^ X2

doug

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by Permafrost

Well, and hour and a half and three beers later I've read each and every post from the beginning and I'm thoroughly impressed! You have a gift not many posses, the ability to visualize something then actually put it together. Your motivation is incredible.
Well done!

and I'm looking forward to more....

Originally Posted by 884x4Sub

just read the whole thing....what he said^^^^^ X2

doug

Thanks Northern dudes!

[sparkydog]

I made further progress on the fuel filler area. I have smoothed out the bed sidewalls (both sides) and also the fuel door patch. Also patched up the bed floor. I thought I would post some "MIG porn" - these are my best thin-gage welds so far.

[sparkydog]

Next up was seat belt install. I wanted to re-use the belts out of the '97 GM truck. The front belts were filthy but I had read on an internet forum to wash them out in a bucket and WOW did it work. You cannot imagine how black the water got. It took me about 3 separate washes to get them clean again.

Then it was on to welding in some weld-nuts for anchor spots and bolting them up.

[sparkydog]

Next up was changing the position of the steering wheel, brake and gas pedals. These were all "stock GM" but since I had intentionally positioned the IHC cab about 3" forward - I had to eventually correct the ergonomic boo-boo this created.

The steering wheel seemed to be the most complex issue but it ended up being quite simple. All I had to really do was slice off three brackets and move them 3.25" further up the column. The brake pedal arm was the most time-consuming. I ended up cutting it in 3 locations and changing the angle of it's dangle. Still have the gas pedal to do but it (hopefully) will be the easiest of the three.

You guys can't tell from the pics, but boy is it cool to have the wheel, seat and pedal in the right position... I spent a few hours sitting and making vrrrrrroom noises with the chicken.

[NONHOG]

You are doing great work on this! Love the idea and the skill level.

[sparkydog]

With the project in the doldrums waiting for the Cash Fairy to sprinkle magic transmission cash - I've entered a dangerous phase. This is where my anal-retentive, perfectionist, ADD, OCD, DVD issues start conflicting with one another.

So after spending so much time near the dashboard while working on the steering wheel and pedal ergonomics, I decided to redo my dashboard extension because... hey, why do it once when you can do it twice? Heh?!

While this photo probably looks identical to the others of the dash - this is the NEW and IMPROVED dash - with better patch panels and a plug into the former steering column hole. I also filled in the exposed joints of the stock IH dash. (As soon as I gain access to a 2" flap wheel I will finish taking off the tops of the filler welds.)

[sparkydog]

I could also use some help locating a suitable donor vehicle for the center seat belt sections. The ones from the GM truck (buckets) will not work well with the IH bench seat. I need a GM compatible buckle unit on a cloth belt that is about 20-23" long overall. Does anyone know of a GM car/truck that might have this approx length cloth belt with the female buckle latches on them?

[sparkydog]

I also want to graft the shifter knob off my 67 IH stick onto the column shifter of the 97 GM. Does anyone know what is underneath the rubber/plastic overmold around the GM shift lever? I assume there is metal under there - does anyone know what it looks like and what diameter it is?

[sparkydog]

I have really enjoyed the past two evenings working on the truck because this was the first time I was sitting inside it, listening to music, doing something easy and that did not involve cutting, welding or getting dirty!!

I started cleaning up the wire harnesses and getting them put back in and routed and dressed out nice.

I also did my shift knob graft and went with a "lowered" profile on the shift lever.

[fryer1979]

Cool progress pictures. Allow me a simple question if you would; why is it that the GM center belts won't work with the IH bench? An answer might help locate a suitable replacement.