Two is easier then one 1965 GMC S/W/BB build

[Robert Haas]

last shots for today, just some over views









Hope I didn't bore you. We have other stuff to show (Body work and custom fabrication going on in the engine compartment and cab) Will post that up when it looks less messy.

[slimjim66]

Nice!!!! love this build. Not over the top, you might have said it in a earlier post but how much power does that BBC have?

[Robert Haas]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

Nice!!!! love this build. Not over the top, you might have said it in a earlier post but how much power does that BBC have?

Jim, thank you for showing enough interests in our build to ask a question. It seems the builds side of this forum is mostly a place for folks to blog about their travels and what they cooked for dinner.

Motor was started and run in on a engine dyno and made 570 and change with a dual plenum intake and a 850 Holley. We will be using a open plenum air gap style intake and see if the Holley can keep up. Expect to make close to 550 at the wheels.

[pdxhall]

Beautiful work!

[slimjim66]

Originally Posted by Robert Haas

Jim, thank you for showing enough interests in our build to ask a question. It seems the builds side of this forum is mostly a place for folks to blog about their travels and what they cooked for dinner.

Motor was started and run in on a engine dyno and made 570 and change with a dual plenum intake and a 850 Holley. We will be using a open plenum air gap style intake and see if the Holley can keep up. Expect to make close to 550 at the wheels.

so awesome, are you using some sort of scoop on that trans cooler to grab the air or just relying on the fan to draw it through? im in the process of doing a trans cooler on mine, i guess a scoop and a fan wouldn't hurt.

[Robert Haas]

Originally Posted by slimjim66

so awesome, are you using some sort of scoop on that trans cooler to grab the air or just relying on the fan to draw it through? im in the process of doing a trans cooler on mine, i guess a scoop and a fan wouldn't hurt.

Transmission coolers like the one we chose do exactly what the transmission needs and that is to dissipate extreme heat. The transmission actually needs some temperature in the fluid(this is why stock coolers run inside the radiators so they can actually heat the fluid in extreme cold conditions) Our fan has a thermometer that turns the switch on at a pre-determined setting and having the cooler mounted above the exhaust system should aid if this truck is ever operated in extreme cold.

Of course this is just theory and experience speaking. I have no formal data or education in thermal dynamics or fluid viscosity parameters

[Robert Haas]

Nobody builds a instrument panel that is worth a damn for the GMC's so I will build my own.

[Robert Haas]

Little more work done, broke the X axis in the mill so have been working on that repair.

[Duncan K]

You gotta have $100 worth of aluminum chips on the floor. It always hurts to machine over 50 % of the material away to make a part.

What mill are you using?

[Robert Haas]

Originally Posted by Duncan K

You gotta have $100 worth of aluminum chips on the floor. It always hurts to machine over 50 % of the material away to make a part.

What mill are you using?

More like 85% by the time I am done.


No other way to machine it to attain the final dimensions I need.

Originally Posted by Duncan K

mill are you using?

It is a monster.



Built in the late 1970's on contract to the US Govt.

It is a DEBER US 120

has twin spindles and a compound table to do tapers (You will see that feature when I get this beast back up and running.

[88Stanger]

Goodness, what a beautiful build!!!!

[Duncan K]

That is a really sweet machine! Not much you cant do on that one. I just picked up a Bridgeport from the 60's. Having fun learning to use it making a few parts for my truck.

Keep the posts coming, love following such a custom build.

[Robert Haas]

So I got the mill back up and was able to get to the part ready to be bored for the 7 instruments it will hold. I showed a picture of the cool part of my mill where I can swing the x/y axis and cut tapers. That allowed me to machine the sides at the 7 degrees from vertical.

[Robert Haas]

Well the first phase is complete. Still need to add the bottom and get the steering column notch completed as well as final facing.

I'm pretty glad to have this off the mill for awhile.

[Robert Haas]

Machining on the dash insert is complete. Now need to get it mounted.

It is just sitting close to its final location in these pictures. It will actually be about 5/16" higher in the dash when complete.

You can see the lower panel We fabbed that will be the location of the new switch gear.

[Robert Haas]

comparison to original GMC dash insert

[Robert Haas]

What makes this so different (other then the increase in size and the ability to relocate or even delete some of the switches and knob) Is the angle our gauges will be laid back at. The original they were aimed at the drivers chest. Now they are in perfect alignment with the drivers point of view. It is subtle but very noticeable in application.

[Palf70Step]

Very nice. I really like the looks of those dash bezels/inserts.

[SkinnyG]

Will the lights from the gauges reflect up onto the windshield at night?

[Robert Haas]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Will the lights from the gauges reflect up onto the windshield at night?

They shouldn't. they have their own built in bezels as well as they are dimmable.

[Robert Haas]

Not that anyone actually looks at this thread anymore but here is the new dash bezel and the custom one off under dash rolled pan that will hold the AC ducts as well as hide the underdash.

[floormonkey]

looks great, as usual. how much does that gauge panel weigh now?

Similar to your roll pan, I saw a guy at Lone Star Nationals who took a spare dash, cut it in half length-wise, flipped the top half upside down and welded it to the bottom of the dash.this made the shape of the dash be mirrored on top and bottom. It gave him a slot/shelf to store stuff in and he put his vents in that.

[Robert Haas]

Less then 2 pounds.

30 gallon barrel of chips widdled away

[slimjim66]

man that dash looks good, great work

[Robert Haas]

Originally Posted by floormonkey

looks great, as usual. how much does that gauge panel weigh now?

Similar to your roll pan, I saw a guy at Lone Star Nationals who took a spare dash, cut it in half length-wise, flipped the top half upside down and welded it to the bottom of the dash.this made the shape of the dash be mirrored on top and bottom. It gave him a slot/shelf to store stuff in and he put his vents in that.

Comparing what we are building to what I built 20 years ago is illuminating.