1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint

[Already Gone]

Here is a great idea for speakers especially if your in-cab tank is out like you are wanting to do.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=476976

I know these tanks are a little pricey but are made for our trucks and as you can see by the pic don't hang way down when installed. Their hidden hitches work great too as I had on my other truck.

[kehstr]

Thaks for the idea, but i was hoping to get something that was an off the shelf item, it's cheaper and easier to replace down the road if i ever need to, and would also like to not have to take more cross members out than i have to (other than that really thin pointless one i will have to take out no matter what i do). Anything else that fits with the new criteria i gave you? :P

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by kehstr

Sorry to keep asking for help, but i'm also looking for a cruise control switch that doesn't replace my turn signal lever, and looks factory, any solutions?

If you want a cruise switch that doesn't mount on the column, this is about your only option, can't say it looks real factory though. http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...prod/prd49.htm Not sure why you don't want one that mounts to the column, they're way easier to use than having to reach to the dash. If you change your mind, I have some levers that will work without any added relays like aftermarket column mounted switches.

On a side note, whats the deal with the blower on the Blazer? Interested to see more of that set up.

[jessemthompson]

I used a 25 gallon tank out of an 87 blazer when I did my LS swap. Just used a walboro 255 on the factory sending unit. For the fuel fill I put a twist cap neck on and it's under a door in my bed floor. My truck is a short bed so I had to remove the rear brace (thin one). On the long beds this shouldn't be an issue. I got the tank from classic industries for $89 and a new sending unit from rock auto. I think it was around $56. Then I used mobile home tie down straps from lowes to secure it for $13. It works well for me and as you can see from the pictures, it's not an eye sore.

[kehstr]

Thanks everyone for their help!! I think after seeing what is available, i am now open to any cruise control switch

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

On a side note, whats the deal with the blower on the Blazer? Interested to see more of that set up.

To be honest with you the only thing i know about the supercharger is that it's one for a BBC that was modified and had custom brackets built for it. Had it for a big block he was going to build for the blazer, but then decided he wanted an ls, so then the supercharger was made to fit.

[kehstr]

Have a bit of an update, I have got a TON of rust repair done on the cab, I have it to the point now where I can hopefully (as long as all goes well) start to lay so paint down on Saturday, but we all know plans like that on Christmas eve are a lot to ask for. I also got a seat that has been sitting my backyard for 5+ years torn down, got the frame painted, and taken over to an upholstery shop to have some new foam made (hopefully out of something that is more comfortable than the seat was from the factory).




The seat was in good shape other than one broken spring, after scratching our heads, and wondering what we can do to fix it, my dad came up with a great idea, use a piece of brakeline


And after some paint, you will almost never know it is there!

[kehstr]

Had another productive weekend, and was able to get a lot done!

Started by tearing down my driver's door, so I can clean it up and replace all the worn parts in it (There was quite a few). In this photo I am trying to get the door handle off, it was rusted on. What I had to do to get it off, was take the trim tools you see to push the door panel out of the way enough that I could spray some penetrant down in to help break the rust up. Then I took 2 small prybars, sticking one in each of the 2 slots that are used for the clip that holds the handle on, then wiggling the handle back and forth the whole way out, occasionally tapping it with a mallet.

I was then able to clean up and paint my door latches

Then install them in the door

I then started tearing the front clip apart so we can finish fixing the passenger fender, put the moldings on the driver's fender, and paint the core support and all of its related parts

I thought some of you might find this handy. It helped so much while I was working on the door, it helped keep both of my hands free.

[kehstr]

This week my dad had more time that he was able to work on the truck at nights after work.
Most of his time was spent fixing the passenger side fender. To fix it we used an extra fender we had, that came off a friend of mine's truck that he wrecked, and buckled the fender right in the middle of the wheel well. The pieces are not quite all welded together, my dad needs probably one or two more night and they should be ready for body work.







He also got the condenser painted black to blend in a little bit more, and then got it mounted

[kehstr]

Now for this weekend's progress
Nothing really big was done, just a bunch of little odds and ends.
Driver side inner fender mounted and hopefully there for good. Reproduction inner fenders have the right shape, but they CANNOT figure out how to get the holes in the right spot, but thank goodness someone invented a die grinder.

Then I got my computer bracket in. To mount it we drilled 2 holes in the inner fender, put a 1/4" bolt through the hole, using the right amount of washers and nuts we got the bracket spaced away from the fender enough so that it sits flat and doesn't bend with the contour of the inner fender. If you do this you need to be sure that you have enough washers that the computer mount is not bent at all, otherwise, the computer will not go in. Ask me how I know

Then got the TAC module mounted. I just drilled 3 holes in the inner fender and bolted it down with 1/4" nuts and bolts. Instead of using washers to space it away from the inner fender like I did with the computer, I bent the tabs until they sat flat on the inner fender.
I also got the parking brake all set up, except for what needs to be done at the wheels.

Then I got the fuse box, junction block, grounds, and battery tray mounted

Then through the passenger inner fender in to see how it fits, and oval these holes so it can be bolted up. Yes, it will be coming back off so the passenger fender can be finished up. Oh and I also forgot to say that my dad was able to get the AC lines finished up. The only thing left to do on the AC before we charge it would be to crimp the hoses on, which we don't want to do until we get the engine bay all finished up, just to make sure that they don't interfere with anything.

[kehstr]

Then we flipped the truck around so we can start working on things on the back of the truck, like fuel tank and rear brakes. While we were flipping it around, I couldn't help but get a bunch of pictures.
When I first looked at this photo, I thought for a second that the AC compressor and bracket was a turbo Hopefully, that is showing what it will one day get



I hadn't realized before now, but the alignment is a mile out, so it did not want to move AT ALL! So after getting sick of struggling to move it, we stopped and I grabbed a few more pictures, before rolling under it to adjust the alignment.
When the alignment started to come into the ballpark, the truck started to roll on its own towards me. I had a moment where I started yelled for someone to stop pushing it when I realized it was rolling on its own.
When I told this to a friend of mine who was over helping me for the day, he told me that she must not like me because she tried to run me over. But I said that is not true because she was obviously leaning in for a kiss



Then her all nestled back in

[kehstr]

Man, it has been quite some time since I have updated this thread. I have been driving the wheels off this truck whenever I get the chance. I only had a few months after we "finished" the truck (we all know they are never finished) to use it before I headed out to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for 2 years. Aug 2017-Aug 2019 I spent out in the Kansas City area spreading the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, without the truck!! I definitely missed it, but as soon as I got back home, I will say one of the first things, if not the very first thing, was go for a drive in the truck. And before anyone asks, yes I did leave some white clouds of tire smoke behind it where I went!!
Been tinkering on it, and still improving it as I go. And bear with me, cause this is going to be quite the update of the progress I have

Here is the picture of the truck off Brothers site from when we went to the truck show literally the day after we got the truck ready for the 2800 mile trip!


Then here are a couple of pictures from my time as a missionary I thought were appropriate for this forum!

[kehstr]

I decided it needed a receiver hitch to use it as a truck should be used.
I bought a hidden Hitch from CPP, which was total garbage. 4 of the 8 bolts were supposed to line up with existing wholes, and none of them did. So I had the joy of getting the hitch where it needed to be and drill all 8 holes.




With the bumper bracket where it is, I had to cut the plate that comes in the kit intended to bolt it to the side of the frame. Only using it for 2 bolts rather than 3. Worked good in the end, but I wasted a lot of time to come to that conclusion




where I had to cut the license plate piece for the receiver to go through. The hole for the electrical connector was already there. Just had to open it up a little, and a 7 pin connector went right in.


The worse part of the whole deal was opening up the receiver to fit the hitch. I spent at least 2 full hours with a small belt sander, making my hitch fit.
Now it is done, so I can move on luckily.

[kehstr]

Then after adding a hitch I, of course, needed a trailer brake controller. I kept dragging my feet about adding. Cause a traditional style trailer brake controller, was going to look completely out of place, and be super ugly.
But luckily I stumbled across the perfect one on Amazon. It is called the compact IQ by Reese and works perfectly. Just took a small piece of 1-inch aluminum angle we had sitting around, drilled 2 holes, and mounted it with some double-sided tape through one of the heater control holes.


I do not know why these pictures turned, nor how to fix them. But, this picture shows you ruffly where I mounted the control box on the brake pedal bracket. Works perfectly.




I was a little worried that the adjustment knob was going to be in the way and people were going to hit their knees on it and brake it since it sticks out a little. But as soon as I got it the seat, I realized that was not going to happen. I am 6'2" and do not even come close to hitting the knob.


Then of course a picture of it being used. I need to put air helper bags on it, cause in this picture it is about an inch off of the bump stops. luckily we did not have to go far.

[kehstr]

I have tinkered with a few things on the truck. (And I apologize again for the photos being sideways, still cannot figure out why they do that, even after being told more than once )

started by painting the Vortec lettering on the engine cover orange. The Silver that was on it just never quite fit the truck.


The Lower ball joints I put in the truck when I built it wore out. Supposedly there was a bad run of them at the time. The ones I replaced them with are much nicer. Hopefully, they last more than 5,000 miles


Then while I was in there replacing the ball joints, I put some KYB shocks in there. These were quite a bit more money, but well worth it for the ride quality change.


continuing on with my 5 lug project, we cut a replacement factory rotor for a 71-72, to make that into our hub. Swapped it on the passenger side at the same time as the ball joints, to take some measurements. Looks like some Jeep Cherokee Rotors will work perfectly. They are 5x5 bolt pattern, and we can use our same calipers, on the same bracket I built. Now we just need to machine the hub, so it looks like a hub, and not a hat cut off a rotor


The whole time I have been driving this truck the reverse lights never came on in Reverse, they came on in Neutral. Finally got around to adjusting the neutral safety switch (always started in Park, so it was not that high on my to-do list). While I was working on that I threw some super bright LED lights in the housings. Now I can see just about anything while backing up!

[kehstr]

The only other thing I have done on the truck is cut the backing plate brackets off the rear axle housing.

It was a little time-consuming. It took a cut off wheel, hard disk, BIG hammer, and some large channel locks, but I got it!


Then If anyone was curious, here is a better picture of the bracket we built to do the disc brake conversion up front originally. Welded it straight to the knuckle.

[kehstr]

beyond that, I have just been driving the truck every chance I get. Mostly to get different parts for my brother's blazer project

getting some remaining parts we got with a donor blazer for some parts


Here I got some parts from the sandblaster. Blasted both of his doors, and his tailgate. Then while we were at it, I blasted the tailgate I got.






But The coolest thing I went to get was This rear seat. It is in VERY good shape. In fact, such good shape that the front seat brackets look like they were painted last week! And the foam is very savable. Plus we got a killer deal on it.


Hopefully now that I have put a lot of time into the blazer project, my brother will let me work on my truck again
Hoping this Saturday to get the rear axle disc brake setup all mocked up. Hoping to that is.

[Dieselwrencher]

Dang man, your Dad's rides are sweet! Thanks for sharing them.

[kehstr]

i'm trying to find a gas tank that fits in my truck that goes under the bed, and will not hang down as much as the blazer tanks do, do any of you know of something that fits that criteria?
I'm also looking for some speaker ideas, that does't use the kicker panel speakers, or cut holes in anything. I would also really like to keep a speaker on the dash like they did stock. Do you have any ideas?
Thanks in advance

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice!

[Benny-]

Any updates?? Love you build man!

[kehstr]

I have been working on the rust repair a little. I got the passenger side mostly wrapped up, and got the driver side to a point where I need to put the door on to make sure everything fits right. I don't currently have pictures but hope to take some soon.
I started to work on the wiring harness, which is very tedious! I had to take out a bunch of connectors for sensors that I'm not going to use, then go through and find out which pin it is that goes into the computer and take it out.

There are also a few things that I have done, that I don't know why I have not posted about them.
As a lot of you have probably realized, the r12 AC systems that these trucks come with, don't work right with r134 in them. So to fix that I took an evaporator made for a 79-91ish chevy truck, and made it fit. The newer evaporator core is shorter, so I had to make a piece fit in the gap to make air flow right. Everything else is fairly straight forward when you look at the original evaporator.




Something else I haven't posted about is the wheels that I got. They are American Racing torq thrusts (mag gray and machined finish). The size is 20x8.5

[kehstr]

I did also pretty well wrap up my electronic speedometer conversion. All I have left is to connect the wires that go to the speedometer, power it up, to make sure it has parked itself so I can put the needle on and then put a connector on the wiring for the cluster.

[kehstr]

Originally Posted by Benny-

Any updates?? Love you build man!

Thanks for the push to update this, I really needed that!!

[Benny-]

Originally Posted by kehstr

Thanks for the push to update this, I really needed that!!

I'm glad you did! My wife is from Roy, Utah so I always take interest when I see trucks from there. Keep up the good work.

[kehstr]

No much of an update, I haven't been able to work on the truck much. But I did have a few crucial pieces show up! I Got a Boyd's welding fuel tank and a Current performance prewired fuse block.