55.2-59 '59 4x4 Build

[PuzzleTruck]

Recent photo updates:

[PuzzleTruck]

I made an inverted drill press using my floor jack and a block of wood. Work smarter not harder, right? Finished installation.

[joedoh]

i like your drill press! it just occurs to me I have one too.

[dsraven]

nice thinking outside the box. using whats onhand to get a job done, cool.
you might think about some triangulated shaped (roughly speaking) gussets on the cross member where it meets the "new" part, just for strength. maybe you don't need them but personally I always overbuild, lol.
nice clean looking project and work area. keep posting up pics as you go.

[burnin oil]

Nice work on the crossmember. I just welded a simple box up out of scrap with an open (inside the frame) so I can add tubing later if needed. Ran the bolts all the way through the crossmember, spacer and frame.

Everything is looking good. I would have mocked the body and then done the drivetrain. Each of us do it there own way. Only real reason it to ensure bed fitment on the new frame. I have read the body mounts are a chore with the blazer frame.

[PuzzleTruck]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback and compliments. I would be honored to hear someone saw my inverted drill press and used that method. My shoulders are blown out from drilling overhead, so I was pressed to find a solution.

My frame is the original 1959, so the body mounts are stock and appear predictable. I only have myself and an engine hoist, so I'm hoping to mount the body to the frame one time only.

I don't have a set order of operations, just taking whatever looks like the next item and tackling it. I think after the driveline is squared away, I will go to fuel system, brakes, etc., before the body goes on. Then it's time for the bodywork and paint. Oh boy.

[burnin oil]

Sorry for the frame confusion. I had to drill out a ton of rivets myself and it sucked. 3 sets of drill bits later. As for the jack method you use. Nice work. I own a mag drill and couldn't use it on the bottom of the frame. A good low speed drill helps as does alot of cutting oil. Keep up the good work! Waiting to see how she comes out.

[PuzzleTruck]

After some research on the square body forums, it appears GM dropped the frame mounted T case torque mount assembly in the 70s due to cracking issues and went to a rod between the T case and one of the bell housing to block bolts. I found some pics of one and made a replica. This was a Corvair steering shaft, alternator bracket and hood hinge in a previous life. I think it came out ok, but time will tell. It makes sense to me in theory that it’s better not tugging on the frame in that area, but reinforced as a unit.
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[PuzzleTruck]

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/41/01/C1B4B8EB-801E-4888-8259-C28ADB156FEA/IMG_8024.HEIC
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[PuzzleTruck]

Originally Posted by PuzzleTruck

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/41/01/C1B4B8EB-801E-4888-8259-C28ADB156FEA/IMG_8024.HEIC
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Looks like the link didn’t work. I’m in Hawaii with just my phone, so I guess I’ll have to send pics when I get back.
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[PuzzleTruck]

Originally Posted by PuzzleTruck

After some research on the square body forums, it appears GM dropped the frame mounted T case torque mount assembly in the 70s due to cracking issues and went to a rod between the T case and one of the bell housing to block bolts. I found some pics of one and made a replica. This was a Corvair steering shaft, alternator bracket and hood hinge in a previous life. I think it came out ok, but time will tell. It makes sense to me in theory that it’s better not tugging on the frame in that area, but reinforced as a unit.
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And now the pictures to go with...

[PuzzleTruck]

After some time off due to lower back pain, I'm once again working on the Puzzle. Recently, I looked at where the 25 gal. K5 Blazer fuel tank would go. I initially thought just ahead of the rear diff, but found my suspension travel would be limited, so I moved the rear crossmember to the end of the frame rails and worked from there. The next crossmember, just behind the rear axle, had to be moved forward to provide enough room. Then I had to ensure the filler tube would not interfere with the bed cross support, which moved it forward a little more. I removed the old shock top mounts as they would hit the bed in their higher location over the rear axle.

[PuzzleTruck]

The tank has a hump in the middle, so I had to cut away some of the bed support cross brace to clear that. I welded the cutout pieces back onto the sides of it to maintain rigidity.
I used the original Blazer fuel tank support straps and reconditioned them. I found a slab of heavy rubber along side the road while walking my dog, and it's the perfect material for the anti-rattle pads. I cut pieces for the straps, and made cross braces for the top of the tank to hold it from shifting, and riveted some rubber onto those. It all worked out pretty well. My fuel filler will be on the right rear fender behind the wheel. I think I'm going to use a simple stainless surface-mounted cap, like the original tank had on the side of the cab.

[PuzzleTruck]

Yesterday I mounted the radiator support and radiator to see what clearance I would have to the water pump pulley. Not enough. So I decided to move the engine and trans back 2-1/4 inches where the most aft set of holes is on my LS adapter plates. It also lines up with the first location I had determined for the T-case cross support, which means I won't need to modify the front drive shaft (See post #25)! I may need to modify the firewall for clearance on the right engine head, but I'll deal with that when I get there.

[PuzzleTruck]

Found some more pics of work I did last month. I cut out a damaged edge on the tailgate and found some thin wall tubing that was perfect for the repair. The right side welds were broken away from the panel too, so welded those. Also replaced bottom flange of front bed panel.

The wood arrived for the bed, so I set that up in the bedsides and cross supports, measured and drilled the holes for the bed bolts. Marked with a pencil through the bed support hole onto the wood to locate the bolts, then after drilling, traced the offset washers on top with the square over the hole.

I tried using dark Tung oil, but didn't like the color, so experimented and found sanding it down after applying, then using Teak oil, gave me the finish I was looking for. I don't think I took any pics of it finished, so that will have to wait till I'm actually installing them.

[PuzzleTruck]

More pics...

[PuzzleTruck]

Progress pics. Got the exhaust system welded up and installed. The X pipe was a little tricky, but I think it will clear the drive shaft. I don't have a rear drive shaft yet, so I was spit-balling it a little. I used a straight edge and calculated that I would get 4" of rear compression travel before the shaft would touch the X pipe. If I find it does touch, I'll pull the aft section of the exhaust system and reconfigure it to raise it up a little. Mufflers are from a 86-88 Corvette L-98, been sitting in the garage for twenty years waiting for a purpose.

Raining now, which is why I'm here and not working on it.

[PuzzleTruck]

DSRaven, you were right - the radiator is mounted 2" forward of where it shown in the manual. This again presents the issue of how I make it fit the fenders and still get the radiator and fan in. I have to move the rad support back 2" so the body parts will bolt together. Post #39 shows my clearance, so I'll have to come up with a really skinny fan, or change to a pusher? Not sure that would fit in front of the radiator. I searched for other builds installing an LS in a 55 or 56, but didn't find any with a truck engine. I may have to swap to the closer front accessories of an LS1 or LS3. That's a lot of extra work and $$.

[dsraven]

how about a dual electric fan set up so the fan motors are offset from the water pump shaft. thats what I had planned to do on my 57 before I did a frame swap. the other thing I wondered about is if the rad could be paced in front of the rad support. I built a new rad support for my frame swapped truck and made the hole big enough so the rad could slip right through. I just used square tubing for the upper and lower bar, some 16ga pnels on the sides

[dsraven]

here are a couple pics of my home made rad support. you can see the rad is kind of in the middle of the rad support, the top bar makes a bend around the rad cap. also, the grille support (GMC) had to be cut down to clear te
he A/C condensor.
where there's a will there's a way. haha

[PuzzleTruck]

Thanks, both are excellent ideas (dual electric fans and mod rad support). I did more careful measuring today, now that it's not raining, and came up with only a 5/8" difference. I think with dual fans and possibly cut the pump shaft and press the pulley back (LS Truck Water Pump Hack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YQNYiIvNDg), I should be able to squeeze it all in there. If not, the support mod is a good plan B.

[dsraven]

if you go for plan B you may be able to grab a rad with fans from a wreck and fit it in there, good for whatever engine you are running. check the bellavista pirate 4x4 site for a "cooling bible" for LS engines, they are a different cat than the old small block style cooling systems.

[6DoF]

really like the rad support, well played

[PuzzleTruck]

I found the difference was 1”, so I moved the support back and cut the fan shaft off the water pump pulley. This gave me 1/4” space to the electric fan motor. I went with a Jegs single speed. I was hoping to use a two speed fan I pulled from a Ford Taurus, but it sticks out too far. Thanks for the LS cooling link. I’ll look it up. Always good to learn more.
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[PuzzleTruck]

Wow, it's been over a month since I posted here. I owe you guys who've been helping and following this build an update. I've been busy, both on the truck and doing odd jobs to pay for it.

The radiator and fan worked out great once I cut the excess off the water pump shaft.

I hate the paint removal, but it had to be done. I started with the tailgate, using sanding discs and blocks. Well, that didn't really work so I tried the surface conditioning tool from HF. That thing did almost all the work for me!