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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
That brings everything pretty well up to date on the truck build. I have driven it quite a bit and always get lots of waves and looks, and a few horrified stares. It runs and drives great, I even put it in the Christmas parade in my hometown a few weeks back!
My next steps are to wire up my trailer plug and install a brake controller. Then after that I really want to work on a set of steps similar to the driver side one, but stretched from the front fender clear to the rear one. Maybe out of polished diamond tread. I'd also like to either put a fuel tank behind those steps or somehow under the bed and maybe run the filler neck to one of the fuel doors in the bed. After that it'll be time for paint and lots of fun cruising it around and towing tractors/whatever else I need to haul. Last edited by Bigdually; 01-04-2020 at 05:01 PM. |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Montrose, CO
Posts: 328
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
You are doing a killer job. Your efforts to make everything look as if it came factory is paying off.
__________________
Jim 1972 K20 Cheyenne- 350/350/205 1972 K20 Cheyenne - 350/SM465/205 |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 99
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
I am really digging this build; thank you for sharing!
Just out of curiosity, what kind of fuel (un)economy does that thing get? |
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#4 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Quote:
Thanks for the compliment! It gets around 10 MPG, was doing about 7 before I switched to the Edelbrock. She loves the good stuff, and doesn't have much appetite for regular, likes to diesel a little when I run 87 octane. Seems very happy with 90 and up |
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#5 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Temperance Michigan
Posts: 375
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Clicking through this thread makes me want to get my truck up and driving the way I want asap. Have you checked your timing? I found playing with my timing a little made a big difference in start up and shut down on my truck running the cheap stuff.i assume your truck is already hei stock. Most of what I read the tall decks like 8 degrees of timing and that's on the high side. For some reason my truck likes (427) 10 degrees better. I also only have about 2 street miles on her since I went through the engine. My wife has a 366 and I don't recall what hers is at, she's also running an edelbrock (not a avs2) and has hei.
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#6 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Quote:
I have read your build, I'm anticipating the day you get yours going too, it's a great truck! Last edited by Bigdually; 01-08-2020 at 01:19 PM. |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Here's one I took recently from far back then zoomed in. I like it because it really shows how the bumper lines match the fender lines pretty well exactly. Kind of a Bob Ross happy accident, I noticed it several days after I'd mounted the bumper
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#8 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Temperance Michigan
Posts: 375
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
If I took a picture of my truck right now it would look almost identical to yours. From the woods, yard to the barn almost an identical shot.
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#9 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Quote:
I'm missing driving mine, but with the salt all over the road and as good as the body is on this truck, she's not moving til some rain washes all that junk off the road! |
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#10 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Temperance Michigan
Posts: 375
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
I'm in the same boat as you right now. My truck will sit there while I gather parts for it and wait for the weather to break. I did drive mine about a mile a few weeks ago.
Last edited by Pvmt-Pndr; 02-11-2020 at 11:51 AM. |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PNW
Posts: 3,587
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Good grab on the radio. I used to be so eager to swap away the factory radio in a car and now I get excited when I come across one I can use. I really like this truck and I'm glad that you're keeping it going. I think a traditional two-tone paint job would be really cool if you decide to do it. It might kind of help blend the big truck more into the pickup theme. Regardless, it's cool as it is now. Thanks for keeping us up to date.
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#12 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
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#13 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Temperance Michigan
Posts: 375
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
It looks good doing work! I've looked at those roxors before and they look like a lot of fun. The radio looks great also.
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#14 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Quote:
My future father in law bought a new tractor, and the dealership wanted a crazy delivery fee. I picked it up for him and towed it about 30 miles home. The truck did just fine towed like a champ. The need for either a) more power or b) closer transmission ratios is easier to see the more I tow, but for as heavy as the tractor was with the attachments I was pretty happy with how it did. |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 88
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Really love your build. I have wanted one of these for a long time. I do not have the skills, equipment, or space to do this kind of thing, so I contacted Mike at Big Ass Trucks. Neither of the trucks he had for sale or in progress had A/C, very important, down here, so he went on the hunt for one. On his site, under SOLD is my truck. It is the 1989 TopKick Ex-Ryder truck.
He left it for me to finish the little things, and I am curious. Where did you get the step bumper? Also, what is your source for the bed lights? I have only found one source for the fender clearance lights. I would also like to know about the Christmas lights. Were they 12 volt or did you use a power inverter for 110volt? I'm assuming they are LED. Thanks, and enjoy the ride. I know I am.
__________________
Daily Driver: 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Dually 6.6L LLY Duramax Diesel and an Allison 5 Speed Currently looking for an Action Line truck, specifically 1969-1970, in very good condition. Longbed only, step or fleetside, or flatbed if C30. Must be unmolested (not modded). Last edited by STPETEBLUE; 11-06-2020 at 12:51 AM. |
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#16 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Quote:
Great looking truck! There's a TON of potential there, I really like it. I talked to Mike when I was beginning to build mine, he clued me in on a few things I'd run into and what height above the frame I would have to mount the bed to get it to line up. He was quite helpful and really knows these trucks inside out. The step bumper was tricky, I hunted EVERYWHERE for a long time and could find nobody who had one or makes one for a square body anymore. I was out of town for a week and one popped up for sale on Facebook. My girlfriend's dad drove two hours one way to go get it for me. The fender clearance lights came from USA1 Industries. They were backordered forever but I did finally get them. My Christmas setup was actually all incandescent lights, I ran them on a 2000 watt quiet Honda generator in the bed, you couldn't even hear it over the truck idling. I could have ran way more lights and this year hopefully I can. Looking forward to more pics and a build thread on yours! Last edited by Bigdually; 11-06-2020 at 12:12 PM. |
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#17 | |||||
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 88
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
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![]() Did the bumper brackets line up with the frame rails pretty good? Quote:
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Thanks for all the questions answered.
__________________
Daily Driver: 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Dually 6.6L LLY Duramax Diesel and an Allison 5 Speed Currently looking for an Action Line truck, specifically 1969-1970, in very good condition. Longbed only, step or fleetside, or flatbed if C30. Must be unmolested (not modded). Last edited by STPETEBLUE; 11-06-2020 at 02:11 PM. |
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#18 | ||
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: horseheads,ny rust belt
Posts: 2,794
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
easy to make the step bumper but it just wont be chrome unless you spend crazy money to do it or get it super close with powder coat .
look here for pics http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=755514 post # 31 is the start on making it . then 40 / 43-46 and 48 .
__________________
77-k30lb BIG truck build . 87-k30lb budget beater build . 85-k30lb the plow machine build . 85-c10sb summer fun toy . ----------------------------- HOLLEY SNIPER efi = worst case of p.i.t.a i ever had . EDELBROCK pro flo 4 = best deal going so far . love my setup works great. |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 44
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
I love these c60 and c70 trucks built into pick ups. They used to look HUGE. But now, it seems it is barely bigger than the giant half tons everyone builds.
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PNW
Posts: 3,587
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
I hope you're still having fun with this. I think you can get frost white from touch up paint dot com. You could go around it rattle canning, panel by panel to get it all one color for cheap it you wanted to. Kinda the rough and ready look for now. Regardless, I think it looks cool now and came together really well.
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Bakersfield CA
Posts: 1
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Just creepin on the various build threads on the forum for a bit, I normally stick to the 67-72 C10 stuff. But man, I am glad I clicked on this! Such an awesome build! Great work!
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#23 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Lawrence KS
Posts: 821
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Love the build! Thanks for letting us watch!
__________________
1981 Chevy C30 440 Holmes 42K one owner miles |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Elizabeth WV
Posts: 168
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Life sure has a way of getting busy and next thing you know a couple years have gone by with no progress on your projects. I did get married and we moved into a nice home with a metal building separate from the garage that has tall enough doors for the truck to fit in! That's where it spent all of 2022 except one small outing. Fuel was sky high and my normal summer cruising at 8-10 mpg just wasn't feasible. I do keep the old girl started and moved around some though, and last week I started it and noticed a fuel fitting before the filter at the carb was leaking, I'll have to fix that.
As far as my next steps, I have found this old fire truck somewhat locally about to come up for sale (potentially) and if I can snag it for the right price the low mile 427/Allison AT combo would be SWEET in my truck. Time will tell... |
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 86
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Re: 1989 GMC 6000 Pickup/Toy Conversion
Any Updates?
__________________
'84 Chevy Custom Deluxe 10 "Frankenstein" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=690587 '69 Chevy C10 |
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