1964 GMC Palomino Tan Survivor

[caseyjones]

Been driving the truck for a few months now – working out bugs and trying to determine if this one is a keeper or not.

The original Comanche shifter was too short and angled back into the bench seat. I lucked out and found a Dakota with an AX15 in the pick-n-pull so I snagged the shifter (make sure you take the whole tower and everything from the transmission). These shifters are classic truck-style straight sticks. Unfortunately, the bend at the base of the shifter still made for interference with the seat, but it gave me a reason to finally buy a real torch setup. Some heat and some leverage and I was able to bend the shifter into the right position. I ordered a rebuild kit online and now it shifts like a new unit.

I reupholstered the seat with a kit from Classic Industries. This is the second one I’ve gotten from them and both are really nice. Installed seat belts, arm rests and a new visor too. Installed all new rubber and seals for the side windows, and Civic door seals. Got a new speedometer cable, and ended up getting a new cluster from a 60-61 truck due to me breaking the fuel gauge in the original cluster. The original cluster had been painted poorly and I was looking to replace it anyway. Rebuilt the heater controls and installed new cables while I was at it too. The controls work and feel so much better now – highly recommend doing this on anything you drive a lot.

I tried to get color-matched paint from Sherwin Williams…it’s close, but not dead-on. I sprayed over my body work and tried to blend in where I made the cuts on the bed…it’s a 10-footer for sure. Maybe more like a 20-footer. I’m planning to fully polish the paint to see if I can get a good shine from it.

Installed a new bed wood and strip kit. Just painted black, I like that look and my trucks live outside. Also installed a new rear bumper and bumper brackets. Cobbled together an exhaust system from parts-store bends and straight pipe, and a couple of long glasspacks. Installed a fan clutch to help quiet down the engine bay. Leaned out the carb tuning a little bit and it starts and runs great.

I’ve been driving this truck and my 64 C10 with a 292 and NP440, and I have to say that the 292 feels like a racecar engine compared to the V6. The difference in how quickly the 292 revs, along with its lighter weight, is very noticeable. The heavy clutch in the GMC doesn’t help – if I decide to keep it I think I’ll have to buy a diaphragm clutch. The GMC bounces more than my C10, I’m assuming because of the softer shocks and the stiffer frame making the suspension work more. And with this heavy engine, I feel like power steering is a requirement. It’s a battle to turn the wheel when not moving.

Overall, I like the truck a lot but the engine and clutch combination makes it less fun to drive than my C10. I see a lot of potential in the GMC though. Wish I had room to keep both!

[jkeating1]

I saw your post about the 64 Chevrolet going away. So....is the plan to keep updating this one and drive it?

[caseyjones]

Originally Posted by jkeating1

I saw your post about the 64 Chevrolet going away. So....is the plan to keep updating this one and drive it?

That’s the plan. I picked up a Chevy 350 engine and have been collecting parts for a swap. I’d like to put a/c and power steering on the truck. The V6 is kind of a fun novelty but lack of repair parts, let alone aftermarket just makes it hard to justify building around.

[Madmartigan]

Originally Posted by caseyjones

The V6 is kind of a fun novelty but lack of repair parts, let alone aftermarket just makes it hard to justify building around.

Exactly why I took out my V6 and opted for a 5.3 / NV3500 setup.

[caseyjones]

I've been bad about taking photos of the truck. Today was nice so I snapped a couple of it in current state:



I put one of the reproduction rubber mats from Classic Parts on the floor, I think it's a pretty nice part. Fit well over the high-hump. You can see the old-style cluster that I installed too.


I also replaced the bed wood. I bought the economy pine kit from Classic Parts this time and I'm really happy with it. Pardon the dirt...this truck lives outside.



Been chipping away at this:


Goal is to have pretty close to a late 60's period-correct V8 swap would have been, using the short water pump setup, points distributor, ram's horn manifolds, etc. The motor is a .030 overbored 350, but the rest is unknown to me. Crossing my fingers they put a mild cam in it when they rebuilt it.

After Christmas I'll pull it into the garage and tear into it. Needs some rust repair in the floors and above the windshield. I bought the parts to convert over to power steering too. Figure I'll do all of that while I have the front clip off for the engine swap. Just gotta get motivated to take apart a running truck!

[350TacoZilla]

For sure the GMC v6 is much less free revving, its really more of a tractor engine in comparison to a normal car\truck engine. I would love to see one reworked if the speed parts were available for it like some of the chevy siblings had access to.

Decent aftermarket intake, Headers, Carb swap, HEI ignition (at least this ones available sorta) would probably wake it up good bit before you started getting into things like ported heads and aftermarket cams etc.

[caseyjones]

Couldn't wait to dig into it. Been fixing the rust in the toe boards this week. It's pretty much isolated to the seam along the side of the cowl. I'm going to wait to do the rockers/lower pillars/outer floor later.






I also opened up the cowl to seal up the seams and found some more work to do. I'm not sure how i want to handle this yet.

[caseyjones]

I patched up the rust - the under-cowl stuff isn't pretty but it's solid.

Spent the weekend getting the new engine installed:


Even got it to fire up. Needed that motivator to keep me going!

Ordered parts to cobble up some exhaust, finalize the steering, etc. Hopefully be putting miles on it in a couple of weeks...

[Braunschweiger]

Good progress

[Slammed96]

So I see you started off with a manual dual master on this. How was it? Im thinking about doing a similar setup on my 66 1 ton GMC.

[caseyjones]

Originally Posted by Slammed96

So I see you started off with a manual dual master on this. How was it? Im thinking about doing a similar setup on my 66 1 ton GMC.

There was just a little too much pedal effort required. Rather than mess around with different master cylinder bores I just added the little 7” single diaphragm booster and pedal effort feels just right. I’m using stock square body calipers and ceramic pads.

[Slammed96]

Originally Posted by caseyjones

There was just a little too much pedal effort required. Rather than mess around with different master cylinder bores I just added the little 7” single diaphragm booster and pedal effort feels just right. I’m using stock square body calipers and ceramic pads.

Good to know! Thank you sir! Also love the direction your truck is heading, looks killer!

[The Rocknrod]

Nice work, great truck.

[lolife99]

What a great truck!
Just read the entire thread.
Love everything you have done.

[caseyjones]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

[caseyjones]

Good news and bad news...

I built out the exhaust from the 2.5" ram horns - used Hedman reducers and a couple of 45 degree bends, and connected into the existing system. Filled the cooling system, ran it up to temp, bled the power steering (that was a mess). I have an oil pressure sender with both the gauge sender and a switch for a light...just had the light hooked up. Heard a lot of valve noise on one side after it had been running for a bit, it was getting oil but there was tons of lash, so I adjusted the valves, noise gone. Engine seemed to be running well, no bad noise, no leaks.

Took it out for a spin - what a night and day difference from the V6. The power steering was working, clutch felt good, no steam, no bad noises. Might even have a little baby cam in it. But once it was warm, the low oil light started coming on at idle...

Brought it home, hooked up the gauge, and it's showing really low pressure at idle when hot. As a bonus, I found coolant dripping down at the rear of the engine. I didn't look for a source...pretty much closed up the garage and spent the rest of the day with the family.

Thinking I'll buy a cheap mechanical gauge to confirm the oil pressure issue. Then try to hunt down the source of the leak. Don't want to pull the engine out again but it's looking likely.

At least the motor was cheap!

Update: cold oil pressure is 25psi at idle. I’m using 5w-30 synthetic.

[SOON2BLAZE]

I'm still waiting to see someone using that gauge set up with EFI but using the Holley larger screen. Can't say I didn't think about doing it myself... Hope your gremlins are easy fixes!

[Arne]

5W-30 seems a bit thin to me. I'm running 10W-40 in my truck's 305 small block.

[Braunschweiger]

I think so too, I also drive 15W-40,
with older, unknown engines I would try 20W-50.

[caseyjones]

I was second guessing my choice of oil at the time, but the store didn’t have any rotella in stock. Although I think heavier oil will help, I have a gnawing feeling that there is more going on. If the freeze plug really is leaking I’ll pull the engine and check bearing wear, etc. I’m going to get it up on stands tonight and go looking for the leak.

Late update-leak is definitely coming from behind the flywheel. Motor is coming out. Warmed it up and had 25psi at cold idle again, dropping quickly as the coolant temp came up.

[caseyjones]

I think I found the problem:



Definitely placed too much trust in the guy that sold me the motor. The journals seem to be OK. Planning to take the rest of the motor apart tomorrow to see if I find anything worse.

[cwcarpenter98]

Well dang, that's a bummer. Hopefully nothing worse shows up for ya

[Braunschweiger]

Oops, hopefully the Crankshaft is still intact then it's probably done with new bearings.

[caseyjones]

Crankshaft is going to the machine shop today. The cam and cam bearings look fine. Spent a day going down the rabbit hole of “while I’m in here…” and decided that this is not the core of a motor that deserves nice heads, cam, etc. I’m hoping the crank cleans up and I can just put it back together and run it. If it starts to give out I’ll put together a Vortec roller cam motor…

[caseyjones]

Spent today modifying the stock radio with a little Bluetooth receiver, using this as a guide.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ight=Bluetooth

I really like this mod because it’s totally invisible and can be reversed.