Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab

[EZ SPEED]

Awesome build. Just read it all at one sitting.

Definatly subscribing to this thread. Keep up the great work

[sparkydog]

First of all Happy New Year to all of you.

Next an administrative issue - there was a management shakeup on the project. It started several months ago when I could not find the darn chicken. Eventually I felt like he had lost interest and walked off the project but finally I found him inside the passenger's side door. But he had kind of melted into the pocket and he didn't look so good when I pulled him out.

So over the holiday season my family set me up with a new project mascot. I have always respected the sock monkey ever since I saw him pull off the wakeboard flip on TV.

[sparkydog]

Next up is to show all of you what happens when you mix fuel, air and a source of ignition.

In this case the source of ignition was probably my air-head sister-in-law. There were 17 of us in the great room after finishing Christmas dinner - all within 15' of the explosion. Nobody was hurt but some shrapnel took out a brand new ipad.

[sparkydog]

I have made some good progress on the build and will post pics in a few days. I was at the wrecking yard today for some odds and ends and stumbled into my front hood hinge equipment! So I have everything I need to wrap up the nose job now.

[71Sleeper]

Originally Posted by sparkydog

Next up is to show all of you what happens when you mix fuel, air and a source of ignition.

In this case the source of ignition was probably my air-head sister-in-law. There were 17 of us in the great room after finishing Christmas dinner - all within 15' of the explosion. Nobody was hurt but some shrapnel took out a brand new ipad.

WOW!!! I'm glad everyone is alright. I bet there was a lot of crying and yelling going on that night. This will be a story told every year at Christmas from now on I bet.

[Palf70Step]

So glad to hear everyone was alright.

[ThreeQtr]

It's good to here no one at the gathering became a statistic of the holiday injured.

Was it your house that got the instant remodel or maybe you sister-in-law's?

[67ChevyRedneck]

So what the hell happened? Pilot light went out? DAMN!

[low'n slow]

I'm glad no one was hurt. I like the monkey. Have a name? What does Sparkydog think of him?

[sparkydog]

Here are some progress shots. I was able to keep using a front trans cooler but in order to do this I had to mount a skinnier version up high and in the center so I went to the wrecking yard and found this one on something. It was an engine oil cooler. The stains are from my flushing out the old oil - at least I hope so.

Next is a shot of what I did to allow the radiator to move back an inch or so. I was fighting the four hard lines that go into the radiator end caps so I cut off their ends, flared the ends slightly and found some preformed hose with 90* bends to connect back into the radiator. This gave me the flex I needed.

And a shot of the three cores stacked together - similar to they way they were when they were inside the GM grille assy. I still have to fab up the upper attachment brackets to space them apart and trap them all but will hold off on that until I get the front tilt hood hinges installed.

[sparkydog]

Next some shots of the forward tilt hinge gear that I harvested off a Mopar car - I will be following the steps that someone on this site (maybe rokcrln?) outlined in their build. In the foreground of the first pic is the main hinge assy that I have to adapt onto the top of the grille assy. Then there are the latch point brackets that go on each side up on the cowl. And finally a shot of the brackets that go onto my IH hood (after I shave them off the Mopar hood amputations).

[sparkydog]

Finally a shot of Halfbreed back under power - but not yet road worthy. I was getting nervous having it stuck in the garage for almost 2 months. I needed to get it back to a condition where I could at least drive it out and feel like I was making progress again. I'm just not the kind of guy who can keep working on the truck for months at a time unless it can run and go somewhere. So tonight I tie-wrapped just about every part inside the engine bay (because the fender skirts are still out of the truck) and managed to get the motor fired up so I could check for any major leaks. Also a good chance to clean up the floor of the shop and blow out all the dust and dog hair.

[sparkydog]

Here is the thread by Rokcrln for a forward tilt hood. Many thanks to him for this write up!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=218253

[hgs_notes]

I thought of his build as soon as I saw you wanted the forward tilt hood. Looking good.

[theastronaut]

Awesome project!! My avatar on other forums is a sock monkey!!

Kia Sock Monkey Commercial - YouTube

[sparkydog]

Originally Posted by 71Sleeper

WOW!!! I'm glad everyone is alright. I bet there was a lot of crying and yelling going on that night. This will be a story told every year at Christmas from now on I bet.

Yes indeedy this will be a story for a long, long time!

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

So glad to hear everyone was alright.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by ThreeQtr

It's good to here no one at the gathering became a statistic of the holiday injured.

Thanks - all 17 of us are grateful for being spared a Darwin award on this one.

Was it your house that got the instant remodel or maybe you sister-in-law's?

A resort cabin on the Columbia River - owned by my brother in law (not the one married to the air-head SIL).

Originally Posted by low'n slow

I'm glad no one was hurt. I like the monkey. Have a name? What does Sparkydog think of him?

Thanks - no interaction yet from the monkey or the dog. When I get the crew seat in I will duct tape them together and we'll see what happens.

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

So what the hell happened? Pilot light went out? DAMN!

All I can say is... just like when you can give somebody a test before they get a driver's license but that doesn't stop them from driving the wrong way up a freeway... a gas stove can't be made idiot proof and my SIL proved it.

[sparkydog]

More nose job progress. First I took 3.5" out of the center of the wheel opening and then tacked the remaining pieces back together to make sure I had the blending as smooth and uniform as possible. Then I cut the whole side off and removed another 2" from the rear side of the wheel opening. I also rotated the whole thing down a bit so as to reduce the weird swoop that the flare bodyline makes.

Now it's tacked back on and I am liking the results. Driver's side will be next.

[71Sleeper]

Wow! what a difference a few inches taken out makes. Looking good!

[1985-GMC]

Its starting to tale shape, looks good!

[tecky11]

i just finished reading this form page 1. took me 3 days and you do some great work. and it looks like factory. great job

[1985-GMC]

That was supposed to be take* shape ^

But it really looks sweet man!

[jb1016]

That is gonna look SO much better

Great work, as usual!

[sparkydog]

The thing I like about the sock monkey is you can never tell when he is talking out of his a**.

[sparkydog]

Pic 1 was taken as I was fitting the new filler piece into the PS fender. After marking the front edge I popped off the tacks and took it out to make the cuts.

Pic 2 is after fitting and tacking it all the way in but before any hammer/dolly work.

Pic 3 is after getting both PS and DS sides filled in. I am very happy with this phase of the nose job.

4&5 are me trying to get a shot of how well the pieces are blending even before any hammer work.

4 hours to fill both sides. Once I wrap up the nose job I will be ready to go back and get the rear doors fitted better. I've improved my skills enough to be able to tackle them now.

[1985-GMC]

I looks like it was supposed to be that way. Good job!