Lurker OrrieG Progress Pics

[b.sharp]

Thanks for posting the detailed pics and information. This should help me out with this situation. I'm not sure I have those brackets to extend. I have the crossmember but don't remember taking those brackets off the frame. But are you saying the 4" is from the bottom of the frame to the trans cross member flange? I can make up something to bolt the crossmember to if that is where my 4" dimension should be located from.

Thanks again,

B.Sharp

[OrrieG]

I will get some measurements from the horizontal mount to the frame for your reference. Something else that might affect your trans mounting is the type of front motor mounts you are going to use. I used the stock front type, if you use side mounts it might raise or lower the trans mount a little bit to eep the intake manifold level.

A couple of other things you need to consider:

1. I left in the stock crossmember between the front rear shackles. The tranny inspection plate and fluid pan are a real tight fit in that area. I'll shoot a picture for you. Some guys cut out that which probably works ok on the street, but if you plan on using the 4wd I could see how the frame could start to spread, GM put it there for a reason.

2. I used the stock 74 front drive shaft to locate the transmission and transfer case front to back, then fabricated front motor mounts and trans mount accordingly. I then had a drive line shop modify (shortened in my case since it came out of a long bed truck) the drive line. The first time I took it out and really used the truck off road I found that the frame torques enough that the front drive line rubs the crossmember but a small notch in the back side solved the problem. I'll shoot a photo of that too.

Patrick

Originally Posted by b.sharp

Thanks for posting the detailed pics and information. This should help me out with this situation. I'm not sure I have those brackets to extend. I have the crossmember but don't remember taking those brackets off the frame. But are you saying the 4" is from the bottom of the frame to the trans cross member flange? I can make up something to bolt the crossmember to if that is where my 4" dimension should be located from.

Thanks again,

B.Sharp

[b.sharp]

All this prior experience is helping my out tremendously. I really appreciate all the detailed information. It's nice to have someone ahead of me doing roughly the same thing I'm doing. Keep me and everyone else posted on the progress. I haven't got much done on mine at all lately. I've been busy with my daughters softball team.

Thanks again,

B.Sharp

[OrrieG]

Not much progress on the truck this weekend due to installing new 60 gallon compressor wife got me for Father's Day! Here are the photos of the notch (this post) and tranny clearance (next post). I remembered this week end that I had to make a custom two piece converter cover (took two and cut them so I had overlap) because I could not slip the full size one up from the bottom. I can remember if it was impatience or fit. Next week end I am dropping in the block to fit my tranny and fuel lines and also see if I can get a full size pan to fit.

[OrrieG]

Here are the tranny clearance photos.

[b.sharp]

Hey Patric,

Man I got my 4" blocks and the rear end in this past weekend. It was just like you said, it's about half an inch higher in the rear than the front. I'm trying to get the original steering box out right now and it's not cooperating. I really like the new stance of the truck. The steps of the doors are at my knee caps, (very cool). I also got the rally wheels on. Of coarse most of this will be taken back apart once mock up is complete to paint the frame and wheels. I appreciate all the help. Hopefully soon I will get to the power steering bracket. I still have to get the power steering box off the pitman arm (loads of fun).
Chat with ya latr,
B.Sharp

[OrrieG]

Progress is good! I put in my engine to make up the torque bracket for the transfer case and look at the power steering pump location. I'm installing the finished torque bracket tonight and will take some pics. Took about 2 hours to make the cardboard template about 4 to cut, weld, grind, etc.

I had two stock power steering setups and spent an evening messing with them only to remember the engine I am using for the mock up has wrong crank pulley and old 283 heads. I did figure out I have plenty of room and will just put them on the final engine and then route the hoses.

I've been working on the cab welding up the rest of the holes where the foot starter went, patching in a couple of rusty places in the floor and prepping the bottom for undercoating.

Original steering boxes are a pain, it took me most of a day to get the steering wheel off. I think I painted mine too soon, seems like everything I have installed has slipped and scratched the paint to primer, I under estimated the amount of fabbing I had left to do. Take it easy.

Originally Posted by b.sharp

Hey Patric,

Man I got my 4" blocks and the rear end in this past weekend. It was just like you said, it's about half an inch higher in the rear than the front. I'm trying to get the original steering box out right now and it's not cooperating. I really like the new stance of the truck. The steps of the doors are at my knee caps, (very cool). I also got the rally wheels on. Of coarse most of this will be taken back apart once mock up is complete to paint the frame and wheels. I appreciate all the help. Hopefully soon I will get to the power steering bracket. I still have to get the power steering box off the pitman arm (loads of fun).
Chat with ya latr,
B.Sharp

[OrrieG]

Here are two pictures, torque bracket with templates and the installed.

[b.sharp]

Patric,

Man that looks good1 What type of transfer case do you have? I'm not sure my 203 has a spot to bolt up such a bracket and I've never seen such a bracket on the 73-87 trucks. Why did you feel the need to have this stiffner on the transfer case? Any how that looks like it should do the trick. I finally got that stuborn pitman arm off and the original column out of the truck. That thing was a bear. Hopfully I'm going tomorrow to the guys shop to have my bracket fabed up. I'm taking a picture of the one you made with me for a reference for him. All the help you have given me is greatly appreciated and it's helped me a lot on my progress. Hopefully this weekend I'll get the truck out of the garage and take some pics. I still haven't got around to figure out how to upload pictures to this site. I can't seem to do it straight off my computer.

Later man,

[OrrieG]

My transfer is a NP203 that came out of a 74 K10. It was supposed to be the originals trans, I drove the truck before it was taken out. I ran it before this rebuild without the bracket. Researching I found it is supposed to keep the heavy transfer case, which is essentially hanging from the back of the transmission, from torqueing and breaking the auto trans case. The TH350 is prone to cracking from the passenger side bellhousing down to the cooling fluid connections. I run a brace from the drivers side engine mount boss to the frame to limit engine movement under power, loading and unloading the throttle when hill climbing causes the engine to rotate back and forth which stresses the transmission case.

To post pictures you need to click "Go Advanced", "Manage attachments", "Browse" then find the photo on your computer, memory card, etc. Click "Upload" wait for the picture(s) to show up then close the box and post the reply. If the photo file is too large you get an error message. Took me a couple of trys to get the right sizes. Let me know how the bracket works out. Patrick

[msgross]

FYI, my torque arm on the 68 has a fixed bolted mount on the TC and rubber bushings on the frame for vibration. This isn't my pic but another board members NP205.

[b.sharp]

This is just great. Something else for me to try to fabricate or get fabricated. I don't know how much of this I can take at once. Thanks again for pointing out something else I wasn't counting on. That is exactly why I wanted to watch your thread closely and talk to you as often as possible.

Thanks again,

Bryan

[OrrieG]

Mike - Ford's run a similar set up, but since the conversion drops the transfercase and trans down 4" in relationship to the frame I needed to fab the mount. Also the 205 mount boss is in the center of the case, the 203 is on the bottom. I chose to use the angle so the rubber etc is tucked up in the frame rail a little higher and to give me some wiggle room in the fabrication.

[OrrieG]

After getting side tracked for a year (bought a building for my business which required a lot of work) I am back working on the truck. Attached are pics showing it as it sits today. Since my last post I have changed the front shock brackets, fabed the transfercase torque bracket, finished plumbing the brake line (including bleeding), dropped in the engine to figure out the power steering pump, installed the aluminum gas tank, plumbed the fuel line and filter except for line from tank to main line. I'm still debating if I want to take it out of the side at bottom or top at sending unit. I also have a pic of the bed bracket in mid modification. I think the tank which I got from Online Performance was set up using a standard bed which must have the bed supports in a different location. After I finish the cuts I am going to weld in a steel angle on the inside to strengthen it. Today I started the cab body work and will post photos as that progresses. Enjoy and ask questions if you have any.

[OrrieG]

More photos....last one is of the shop and my daily driver...

[CAL 58 GMC]

Nice work so far! Were are you at with the body?

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by CAL 58 GMC

Nice work so far! Were are you at with the body?

Thanks for your interest Cal, I really learned a lot from your build thread.

Obviously taken apart. Bed is completely disassembled and bare metal. I welded up all the miscellaneous holes and fixed the bottom at the back where it had been cut out for a Tommy lift before I took it apart. I've smoothed the fire wall on the cab. Welded up all the extra holes in the floor, need to grind those. I have the bottom of the floor cleaned up and power washed, the original undercoating is good so I am going to reundercoat over it. Only floor rust issues were in the sloped area below the battery box. Years ago I was doing some heavy off roading and all of a sudden I lost all power right after topping a hill. Got out and found the battery hanging up side down by the grounding cable. Luckily only about half the electrolite had leaked out. Any way some of the acid got down in the floor seams and eventually rusted out. I repaired it.

Got the cab back primed this weekend, there are some minor dings that need taken care of. It needs both cab corners and lower door hinge pockets redone, there is a guy in this area that has been doing them for 20 years, I'm going to let him take care of that. I also need to plug a hole in the roof where an antenna was.

Front clip and hood need stripped and one eye brow needs fixed, I have a couple of donor fenders for parts. The donor with a good eye brow is rusted at the lower back brace, I'm thinking it might be easier to fix the brace on the donor, straight flat welding instead of curved. Inside of cab needs sanded and painted. I'm keeping all of the original exterior trim, door handles, etc., only outward appearance changes will be infilled gas tank filler and hiddle hatchs at the tail gate.

[joe231]

very nice work!!

[mr48chev]

That is some really nice work you are doing on the truck.
I really like it that you used the original frame instead of trying to cobble a later frame under the truck.
Thanks for sharing the photos and info with us.

[Yukon Jack]

It's lookin' great!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Looking good.......

[OrrieG]

Into full body work mode. Here are some pictures. First I made a jig to roll the cab around. Basically a solid core door I had cut down to 36" x 70". Added heavy duty casters on each corner. Then built a 12" wall out of 2x4 on each short end and put a piece of 1/2" sheathing on it. Added a 2x6 cross brace between the wall on each side. Dropped the cab on it, it is made to fit under the rails under the step bottom. Works like a champ.

8 years ago I stripped the body to metal and it has been sitting inside with no primer. Good thing is I live in the desert and if things don't get wet they don't rust. I used a DA with 80 grit to knock off what surface stuff there was and shot it with etching primer. Also welded up some holes I had missed the first time around including one on top of the cab. Next step is to attack the cab corners and lower hinge pockets. Then get out the hammer and dolly and putty to take care of the gross dings.

[OrrieG]

Slow progress. Got the hole in the top of the cab welded closed and primed. Also started on the first cab corner. As you can see the inner panel will need a little patch work too. Found all kinds of interesting stuff in the bottom of the piece I took off, roll of solder, marbles, match books, and general crud. Patch panel is taking some massaging to fit. Drilling out the spot welds was easier than I expected.

[ofnaman]

I just saw this thread for the first time tonight. Great job. Looks like it will be very nice when completed. Keep us informed, and Thanks.

[OrrieG]

Progress is being made slowly. I have finished the passenger cab corner, it took a long time to get the inner panel rust areas taken care of. It is now nice and solid. Yesterday I started on the drivers side, found that the inner panel rust was much worse and spent the whole day fabricating a new one from 18 ga. stock. Sure wish I had a small metal shear and brake. Wife said I sounded like the village blacksmith using my handy railroad tie anvi and big vice to bend.

Half way through the process I had the thought that I am putting in a lot of work on stuff that I will only see. I have to wonder how many corners get replaced without the attention to the underlying inner panel? I did "improve" on the original GM design so water cannot get trapped between the panel and rust out again. I think a lot of the rust came from hosing down the cab after getting the inside pretty dirty and from a couple of gas spills I had inside when a fuel line broke. Any water on the cab floor that does not flow out the door opening goes into the gaps at the back corners and ends up trapped between the inner and outer panels.

Here are two photos, first is the inner panel patch, second is outside panel after welding and first grind.