56 GMC Aussie Style

[AUSSIE54]

G'day Red,

Great work so far! (wish you'd slow down) lol.
Just wondering who you'd be using for an engineer for registration purposes? How will you go with the chassis mods? Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Trently.
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[Kim57]

I've been following your build from the start. Looks like your making good progress.
Kim

[Red Foreman]

Thanks all for encouraging thumbs up so far I don't have any progress updates but I have some pics of the cab that I'm kinda proud of showing, I was totally blown away with the original paint & condition this cab was in for its age. No rust anywhere accept for a 3/8" solid bubble in the bottom passenger door that looks like its been there for 30 years.

[Red Foreman]

[quote=AUSSIE54;4943415]G'day Red,

Great work so far! (wish you'd slow down) lol.
Just wondering who you'd be using for an engineer for registration purposes? How will you go with the chassis mods? Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Trently.





G'day Trent, Between you & me hopefully Vic Roads will be non the wiser? I mean this truck will remain left hook so as far as I'm concerned thats the way it came into the country? Failing that I will be looking for an engineer that will approve it.

[Red Foreman]

Hi Guy's, here is the final chapter of my history pages of this build, in other words I'm up to sand blasting & painting the chassis & all that was done a couple of months ago, thats where its currently at, as of today I just recieved a complete front end rebuild kit balljoints, bushes etc... so I will be busy bolting & pressing them bits together in my spare time.

Here are pics just back from the blasters & mounted it back on the engine stands.

[Red Foreman]

Carmen my work colleague of approximately 7 years is a motor mechanic but has a bodywork backround from his father so I gave hime the honour's of hittin it up with the spray gun, paint is semi gloss 2k LIC industrial coatings.
Pics don't do it justice, it came up better than expected, good job & thanks Carmen

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Kim

[AUSSIE54]

Oh, I am 100 Percent certain thats how that frame would have left the factory now that you mention it!!!
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[G&R's57GMC]

OMG ! I thought I was looking at my '56 GMC in your opening Pic's !

Keep up the great work. Great idea for locating the frame, I'll have to use that thanks.

Heres a pic of my GMC Suburban (Cameo) and my rechromed bumper guard with '57 Chevy car tits.

[Red Foreman]

Them rubber tits look a good fit, do you have a pic with the whole chrome bar fitted? It will give me an idea what mine will look like with fresh chrome.

Anyway a little progress on the chassis, started assembling the front end, replaced balljoints, A' arm bushes, tie rods, shocks...etc, had a heap of fun trying to pull through the top bump stops. I killed two brand new rubber stops, tore them apart than I opted go urethane & they pulled through nice.

[Red Foreman]

Here is a few more pictures with brakes on & my version of Camaro six lug rotors using machined down original drum hubs.

[Red Foreman]

Two more pics with my new quality control officer "Benny" our 12 week old Australian Bulldog.

[Kim57]

Looking good. really cute pup.
Kim

[Red Foreman]

Thanks Kim, since his arrival the little fella has taken over, I forgot how much attention pups need

[Kim57]

Kinda reminds me of "Yoda".
Kim

[Red Foreman]

Merry Christmas guys, for the minority that maybe interested in keeping their Camaro clipped truck, 6 Lug all the way around here it is! I did cheat by not swaping spindles & rotors but I did utilize some original components if any body can tell?


I basically used the original front drum hubs & seperated them from the brake drums. Machined the rear of the hub off flush, machined the center of the hub & the rotor snout so its a nice centered/slip fit. The rotor needs to be counter sunk to accomodate the stud bosses, drilled & tapped to take the high tensile 10mm counter sunk bolts that bolt the hub to the rotor. Bolt it together with plenty of loctite thread locker & there you have it 6 Lug Camaro rotors!

[Kim57]

That's really incredible work.
Kim

[Red Foreman]

Originally Posted by Kim57

That's really incredible work.
Kim

Thanks Kim, btw Benny does look like yoda, we kinda think he looks like a walking raisin.

Just before shutting up shop for the year on friday before christmas my mate Jonny the welder dropped in to give his christmas greetings & decided to set the pinion angle & weld the spring perches that I cut off the top back in place.

The Diff is the original Spicer 45 3:07 ratio which is ideal for what I need, just a cruiser, Plus I run my original rear brakes & most of all six lug!!!
I did a bearing rebuild on it which wasn't straight forward as no parts houses have listings for them. Dana 44 which looks the same run the same pinion seal but thats it, the rest of the bearings I had to match up at my local SKF bearing shop.

[Barney Rubble]

Nice job Red. Love the mutt.
Loving the Xmas heat, n a cold beer, or 9.

[Red Foreman]

Mate, it hasn't stopped since all the work breakups last week, I'm getting to the point of needing a little time out, then again 15 of us are going out for asian tonite so you can imagine hot night, pork dumplings & a sh*t load of beer.... not a good week to dry out

[tuffss]

Hi George

Some good reading there mate, I reckon there's abit of rocket scientist in you after all, good work.

Cheers Mick.

[2dwn4u]

Originally Posted by Red Foreman

Carmen my work colleague of approximately 7 years is a motor mechanic but has a bodywork backround from his father so I gave hime the honour's of hittin it up with the spray gun, paint is semi gloss 2k LIC industrial coatings.
Pics don't do it justice, it came up better than expected, good job & thanks Carmen

Wow!!! he still has the old style paint guns, I forgot how to use those like 20 yrs ago, looking good keep the pics coming.

[AUSSIE54]

G'day Red,
Your frame is looking beaut mate, particularly love the job you've done on the rotors and hubs!
Great stuff!!!

Trently.
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[Red Foreman]

Originally Posted by tuffss

Hi George

Some good reading there mate, I reckon there's abit of rocket scientist in you after all, good work.

Cheers Mick.

Hey Mick, Fancy seeing you on this board, welcome good to see you joined up! Hopefully your truck arrives here nice & safe. See you at the Custom Nationals this Sunday.

Originally Posted by 2dwn4u

Wow!!! he still has the old style paint guns, I forgot how to use those like 20 yrs ago, looking good keep the pics coming.

Carmen has a couple of good late type spray guns, that antique is mine or should I say my Dads from back in the 80s, I insisted he use it as its only chassis & driveline.

Originally Posted by AUSSIE54

G'day Red,
Your frame is looking beaut mate, particularly love the job you've done on the rotors and hubs!
Great stuff!!!

Trently.
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Thanks Trently, I originally had a master plan of experimenting & using Large GM 'B' body spindles & calipers then running 70s 6lug C10 rotors but as you know here in oz we cant just go to local wrecking yard & buy what we need so I just used what I had, I guess you can relate to that.

[OKGMC4]

I hope I don't come across as the dumb american but aren't there any cool Holden or Ford tidbits that can be salvaged at a yard there? I've pulled stuff off of chevy, ford, volvo, BMW, and even one porsche part in the process of getting mine together. There have been a couple of aussie cars I've dreamed about having here.