A '54 named Busty

[dsraven]

And room for a console or hand brake.
One seat looks taller but assume they are just mocked up.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by dsraven

One seat looks taller but assume they are just mocked up.

Dang you good, yup I noticed that too, but they are just resting there and the backs are not even bolted to the bases, so I just had to throw them in there for yes mock up

[Gregski]

=== Turning Point ===

OK guys I wanted to say this because I think we have reached a significant mile stone,
what I mean by that is that I have stripped down, uninstalled, taken apart as much as I was going to take apart on this build
and it's onwards and upwards from here.

Honestly I have gone even further than I have planned for Phase I of the project,
but this being my third truck I learned grind once cry once,
plus this was never planned to be a "frame off" restoration,
so I am right where I need to be,
and excited to start putting clean, painted, shinny [ahem] (semi flat) bits back on.

Appreciate you all visiting, following along, advising, parts supplying, providing feedback and humor, this forum Rocks (thank you moderators)

[notsolo]

Way to go Greg....Nice save on the "54". Went to a good home!....you have made a ton of progress in a short amount of time. This will be a cool ride with or without Pebble beach golf pants. I like your newer seats better....thats an odd cutout in the bench, plans for 3pt belts?.I used power seats from a 93 Caprice in my 71. And 3pt belts from a 90's pickup.....using parts I have......what other glamourous interior plans?....Ed.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Way to go Greg....Nice save on the "54". Went to a good home!....you have made a ton of progress in a short amount of time. This will be a cool ride with or without Pebble beach golf pants. I like your newer seats better....thats an odd cutout in the bench, plans for 3pt belts?.I used power seats from a 93 Caprice in my 71. And 3pt belts from a 90's pickup.....using parts I have......what other glamourous interior plans?....Ed.

Thanks Ed, [spoiler alert] I am finally treating myself to some Auto Meter (pronounced: expensive) gauges. I am going for a set of retro (pronounced: Made in USA) 3 3/4 Speedo and Tach and new quartet of Volts, Fuel, Oil, and Water. I got a great deal on the speedo and got raked over the coals on the tach, ha ha but I had to be Johnny on the spot as I was buying from two different sellers and the odds of another matching Tach coming up for sale were slim.

[Gregski]

don't get me started on the sick sense of humor of the Auto Meter designer folks, but here is a mini rant:

They have an entry level (pronounced: affordable) line called Auto Gauge. Problem being they don't offer 2 5/8" Oil and Water electronic gauges, yes I found that out after already procuring their handsum 45° sweep Volt and Fuel gauges, oh well I'm just gonna have to buy another truck to put those into, I mean it would be a shame to let them sit on a shelf. And there is no way I am pulling up to Peggy Sues house with mechanical gauges, know what I'm sayin'. I am pretty sure had they offered those two in electronic form, they would not make any money on their more expensive lines as everyone including myself would just run these smart Auto Gauges (agree to disagree, ha ha)

[Gregski]

So then I decided on the Sport Comp gauges (yes with that stupid gray bezel) which by the way they will paint black for you at $25 extra per gauge, arghhhh Again I bought a couple of these only to find out the dash has reinforcement rings behind the cluster that I don't want to cut into so two of the 2 5/8" gauges won't fit along with the Speedo or Tach in each 6" opening. I just want to weld in the big 6" holes and cut holes in the filler panels only, so that you can still sorta reverse this process if you are so inclined down the road and not butcher any of the supporting bracketry behind the scenes.

[Gregski]

On to the Z Series, these are sexy little darlings since they are black on black the way the General intended. The reason I passed on them the first time around is because they do not come in 2 5/8" (see Auto Meter sick humor comment above) So we step down to the 2 1/16" size for the Oil, Fuel, Water, and Volts quartet. [Note To Self: may wanna order a new set of bifocals.] Yes already started buying these too, hope these will work.

OBSERVATION: Trying to put together a set of matching Auto Meter gauges is like trying to find a fourth matching 70s mag wheel for your three legged dog, you know what I'm talking about!!!

[8man]

Liking the seats, what are they out of.

I'm still thinking gauges, so looking forward to your solution.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 8man

Liking the seats, what are they out of.

I'm still thinking gauges, so looking forward to your solution.

90s GMC Sierras How to fold down 60/40 bucket seat from 90s GMC Sierra

[8man]

Now I see why the seats didn't look like 60/40, and there was some room between them. Interesting idea. I like it.

[Gregski]

so I knocked out da wife with some hazel nut cheese cake and snuck off to the garage to shmeer some black paint on that rear shock crossmember finally

boy it is a major PITA to paint something like this on the truck

and oh boy was my insane masking off job JUSTIFIED, there was a ton of overspray on all the white garbage bags (nothing worse than getting black paint on junk mufflers you literally pulled out of your friend's trash, ha ha)

[Gregski]

scrubbed, washed, rinsed, and baking soda water neutralized the phosphoric acid which totally did its job over night

Fun Level: -2

not looking forward to welding up the 97 holes in the floor and firewall tomorrow!

[Gregski]

yup, masked off just the ceiling and applicated some of that red rusty metal primer on it - covered well and turned out great

[mongocanfly]

I remember when I redesigned my IH dash, the difficulty I had finding gauges that I could use...my fuel gauge is the oddball to the water/oil/volts....

[dsraven]

Next time use black garbage bags for black paint, red bags for red, green for green etc. What you dont know wont kill you.......

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

I remember when I redesigned my IH dash, the difficulty I had finding gauges that I could use...my fuel gauge is the oddball to the water/oil/volts....

Wow, I feel your pain

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Next time use black garbage bags for black paint, red bags for red, green for green etc. What you dont know wont kill you.......

LOL, copy that!

[8man]

The black crossmember looks good, and the ceiling was worth all the work.

[Gregski]

today I set out to do something on the list, but first I just had to take care of something ever since I installed them, ie those Durango lower rear shock plates/brackets

the way they were installed I didn't even have 3" worth of clearance, and there was absolutely no give in the rear suspension given the redneck industry standard jump on the rear bumper test

[Gregski]

so three leafs came off on each side - yes the 1/2" nuts snapped right off whilst gently twisted with the 18" cheater bar (threads on the remaining studs were wire wheeled clean and new grade 9 nuts applicated back on with lock washers)

[Gregski]

may not be much of a difference, only 1" but we'll take it - there's some sort of line that you need to stay above I forget what it is called, I think it's so that when you get a flat tire you don't bottom out - also I realize those studs/bolts stick out but they are still not the lowest point, it's still the shock mount area

[Gregski]

then it was time to install brand new GM 3RL/S44 aka 1344 series U joints in the Camaro? 57 1/2" drive shaft and replace the TH350 yoke with the bit larger TH400

I sacrificed my large C clamp to make it a U Joint presser outter inner jobbie

[Gregski]

a few cuss words later, and job done (asked for MOOG 234s got these NAPA generics, oh well)

[Gregski]

then I plugged the 3 holes behind the bench seat under what would have been the fuel tank

here I am using a washer to cut out a perfect round patch