'69 GMC Build Thread.

[samwise68]

Roger, thats a pretty nice lookin' GMC! seems solid, or are my eyes playing tricks on me?

o. and what're your plans? if you feel like devulging before your build thread...

-Sam.

[samwise68]

O!

and i almost forgot.

i picked up 2 glasspacks last night. came to just under $40, which i didn't think were too bad.

they're CherryBombs, of course, 26 7/16" (it's the longest they had) with 2 inch outlets. now, i know 2 inch might be a bit small, but my 307 isn't going to be getting much bigger, if at all, plus it still gives some backpressure.

so, we'll see how they sound behind the headers, and then it's just a matter of figuring out whee to route them out....yeahhh. any suggestions? leabing towards straight out the back with turn downs, or out in front of the rear tire on each side.

and until i can take some pics of the two boxes and such, this is it:



progress will continue...sometime. we're going on a camping trip this weekend, so it'll be a nice break. but i'm still rip-roarin' to go!

lets hear it!

-Sam.

[raggedjim]

Well, I hate to go on about mine on your thread, but since you asked! I am fixing all the problems with the cab. The pictures are misleading, it has the usual rust... I plan to keep it ochre, lower it a little and drive the crap out of it. I'm going low-buck on it so there won't be anything trick or special, just tried and true.

I'd like to get more of the work done before I start the thread so it doesn't look like I'm as slow as I really am!

Keep it up, Rg

[samwise68]

haha, i like that plan Roger. it's always good to hear about someone who is going to drive the wheels off these crates.

and i like that expression, "nothing trick or special, just tried and true." kind of a motto for our trucks, eh?

and as promised, pics of the glasspacks!

CherryBombs...o...go boom!


yup...realllllly quiet. right?


whats better than one?



two!!



lets hear it.

-Sam.

[raggedjim]

Oh, I'd take the exhaust to the back and downturn or out turn. Anything in front of the rear wheels will keep your head ringing! Ask how I know...

Rg

[samwise68]

ok Roger, just HOW do you know???

i'm thinking running it to the back, with turn downs, almost like a nova/chevelle.

Kinda like SeeTen's exhaust? maybe?


i kinda like that. and it wouldn't be the annoying ear splitter of side pipes.

my dad had almost the side pipe setup on his '68 "back in the day". 283, three speed, headers, glasspacks, and pipes right out behind the cab. he said that he used to downshift heading to a stop light, and blue flames would shoot out the pipes about 5-6 feet. yeahh....i kinda like that. .

well, let's hear it!

-Sam.

[msgross]

nice build you have going. I am looking at nearly the same cab fixes that you have. I even have a large hole under my gas tank too, but it's on the driver side. I have a link to my build in my signature.... I also need some kind of patch for the wheel well/wheel arch area. You should make a mold and market them, or make me a set at a minimum....

Keep up the good work, my build is stalled right now due to time, funding, wife, work, kids etc...

[samwise68]

Mike,

thanks for the kind words.

yeah, cab work is just..well...not fun. especially in that back dark abyss known as under the gas tank and interior cab corners. haha.

and as for the wheel arch/wheel well, what exactley are you referring to?
because on my box, all it was, was a pattern traced to the rough fit of the opening (i had tried a straight flat piece, but then realized my error...it had to be a rainbow-esque shape), and i used an old hood for the metal, cut it out with an angle grinder, then tacked in, heavier tacks and beads where possible, and seam sealed/caulked over. kind of...um..how you say..half-assed? haha. but it works.


and i remember your thread when you pulled your K10 home. thats a sweet looking truck, in pretty good shape for the part of the country we're in (thank you rust-belt!), and even better that it has a 327. yeah!

a small step forward is better than any step back, eh?

keep up the good work!

-Sam.

[samwise68]

Well, the past few days haven't been rpductive...at all. lol.

the garage was taken over so we could fix the loader tractor.



we had the pull the top plate and replace a spring on one of the detent balls on the shift forks.





it would rattle and ting something fierce in 2nd through 5th gear, so we could only run in 1st and reverse, which got to be really old while skidding wood. so, we'll prolly slap 'er together tonight or tomorrow, and then i'll have garage back. well, atleast another stall to work in. wooO!

but, as far as the truck...i...cleaned and primed a hub cap.



they're pretty straight. so, i think they'll clean up really nice.


and i pretty much finished the passenger side cab corner.

however, i goofed, as i mentioned before, and the bottom lips don't line up right.



i dunno if it's because of my goof up, or if it's because of the patch panel itself. it was kind of cock-eyed, and oil canned a bit when tweaked. so. yeah. -shrug-.

any ideas? lol.

otherwise it'll just stay that way, and i'm going to enjoy the truck. haha.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

[raggedjim]

Sam, those d@mn cab corners... mine oil canned on the back too. It was a bear to get in there and I ended up sectioning it to get it to look right. I hope the drivers side goes easier, but I doubt it... I put in my rocker panel first and then the cab corner (Huck had mentioned this before) and I think it ended up with everything better in line than I have had them when I did the corners first.

Anyway, the corners are better than anything I could make myself, but not by much!

Rg

[samwise68]

haha, i hear ya Roger.

i put the rockers in first, and everything was going well, but i screwed up the marking on the patch. i had it clamped over the section that i had already cut out, so i didn't take into account the fact that i was butt welding, instead of just over-lapping. so..it was too big. and when i got it down...well...things got ugly.

oh well. what the hell. :P

yes, hopefully the drivers side goes easier. especially since thats the side i have to look at all the time, haha.

we'll see what tomorrow brings. i'm coming down with some nasty cold/flu stuff my sister was carrying around the house, so, kinda slowing me down. plus, with school starting on the 4th of Sept...i'm kinda crunched for time before studying and homework (wait..whats that...???) takes up my time.

but yes! back to the garage!







ok. i lied.
back to the couch with some nyquill. then tomorrow...we'll try to the garage.

lets hear it!

-Sam.

[samwise68]

Well, not too much progress as of late.

I've still been fighting this lovely illness, but it's getting better.

the tractor is out of the garage.

and i've been sanding bondo...wooo....

no pics right now, i'm just smoothing out my front fenders and tryint go feather some edges on the patches i put on them. it'll tale a while though...oh well.

and. thats about it.

i'm getting ready to go back to school, along with moving my sister back into her dorm, so, unfortunately, it doesn't look like much spare time is coming my way. so, we'll see what happens.

-Sam.

[samwise68]

well. finally got some work in.

wednesday i went on an awesome sister-brother road trip to Mount Vernon, Iowa, to move some of my sisters stuff into her dorm. 15 hours in a car...weee...

but yes! to the high light!

i got the driver side cab corner on, and it turned out MUCH better than the passenger, which makes me esctatic.







so. that takes care of the exterior patch panels on the cab.

i started to work on the inner cab corner patch.



i cut out a pattern that fit pretty well, and traced it on some sheet metal.

unfortunately, i didn't take pics of it after that stage, but i have it in the cab, tacked and pretty much all welded in. it'll be pretty solid, if nothing else.

so. thats where she stands now.

i hope to get a little more done in the up coming days, as i'm running out of warm weather up here to shoot primer and paint, and, well, i wanna drive it this year. so. we'll see.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

[samwise68]

well all, i haven't gotten a whole lot done this past week. classes started again, and i have a pretty full load, so needless to say, i'm quite swamped. plus, being rusty from having the summer off, doesn't help. so, priorities...and all that.

but!

i have got a bit done.

i shaved both side markers on the box, so that it'll match the front fenders. thanks for the advice on that. .







i've never done anything like this before, but. i'm quite happy with the way it turned out. a bit of filler (more than *should* be used) and it'll smooth it right out.

but, thats where it stands right now.

hopefully i can get going on it as i get back into the swing of school again.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

[Spray-Bomb]

Man if your gonna run Cherry Bombs, at least try and disturb the piece...
I have the loudest ones available !!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GhE6N4Y3m0I

Note: My truck no longer squeaks !

[Palf70Step]

Bomb,....What about the oil spots in the driveway?

[samwise68]

LMAO @ Bill. :P

yes, i know, my 'Bombs won't be real loud. but thats ok. as long as she crackles and hollers a bit when i get on it, i'll be more than happy. and the peace will be disturbed...don't you worry none. haha.

hopefully i can get some more done this week when i get out of class early. i need to patch the bed floor a little, then start to fill the box. then finish up the inside of cab on the passenger side. and..thats about it. cross your fingers.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

[Spray-Bomb]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Bomb,....What about the oil spots in the driveway?

Yeah, it still does that

Besides, Tav deserves it for selling his truck

[brianthelion02]

Man we sure are spolied here with our no rust stuff!!!!!!That is a lot of work youre doin to cut all that rust out!!!!!!!Lookin good,keep up the good work!!!!!!!

[samwise68]

thanks for the kind words Brian!

yeah, i wouldn't know what to do without the rust...it's that bad! i've never seen a non-rusted out cab corner or rocker panel around these parts thats original.

i'm so deprived. . haha.

but! a bit of an update while i'm at it. i have just about completed the inner cab corner on the passenger side. so, the lower cab is almost done. i hope. haha.

i'll give a whole update with pics and such when i get a break from classes and such...yeah.

lets hear it!

-Sam.

[samwise68]

well! good news!

i think i have figured out my exhaust bending problem (in case you didn't know i had one, lol). i want to route the exhaust out the back, so it won't be the annoying and ear hurting (albeit badass) souind from in front of the rear tire.

but, i had the issue of attempting to bend the pipe, or atleast route it, over the rear axle.

elbows around here are running around 3-5 dollars a piece. and there aren't any exhaust shops around that i trust, let alone would do it for a decent price.

so, that just leaves doing it myself! with the help of my family of course.

the plan includes a piece of railroad track iron, two chains, a large hydraulic jack, and half a rim. the plan is to cut the rim in half, weld a pipe onto it that fits over the screw of the bottle jack, and with the pipe resting on the rim, while being restrained by the chains on each end wrapped around the rail road iron, which is what the jack is placed on, it *should* be in effect an effective way. i've yet to decide if i'll fill the pipe with sand to maintain the form and try to alleviate the kinks.

but, thats where she stands now.

i'm cleaning up the hub caps as well, i'll get some pics when i get a chance.

and.....thats about it.

Friday, i'm going to be taking some of my truck money (yes...i have moeny that i devote to my truck. :P) and pick up some header collectors, along with head bolts and exhaust manifold gaswkets, and we'll see what else. haha.

ok, back to homework! i have a lab report due tomorrow and i've yet to start...oh boy...

let's hear it!

-Sam.

[samwise68]

well, i went parts shopping today. which is fun! except for the spending money part.

and i ended up with!

Collector/reducers-



2.5" - 2" reducer.



header bolts.




and header gaskets.



altogether, i spent 63 dollars.

however. i'm fairly certain that i was given the wrong header gaskets. first, they're not exactley what i wanted. second, they're 1.5" round port. and i'm fairly certain that my heads are square ports, but i won't know until i pull the manifolds.

plus, at 40 dollars. thats kinda hefty for gaskets, in my opinion. idk. they're probably going back. haha.

but thats where i am after today.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

p.s. don't mind the toes. :P.

[samwise68]

Well.

it's been a week. and you guys are deserving a good update. so! here we go!

i actually haven't gotten a whole lot done, thanks to classes, along with having a night class, so it's kinda taking up some time. but, thats ok.

first, i took back those round port gaskets, as nice as they may have seemed, and got a set of normal square ports. or, so i hope.



Mr. Gasket...wooO?





but on to actualy progress!

i primed and painted my hub caps. they're not the greatest, but they'll do for now. i still have to get the black ring painted, along with the red GMC lettering.





i just cleaned them up, spray bombed some primer, and then rustoleum. just to make them look kinda nice.


and i've been welding too, don't you worry.

drivers side.



passenger's side.

[samwise68]

my kinda half-a$$ed inner cab corner.



where she stands now.





so. thats about it.

i still have to patch and plate the seat belt bolt holes, and that takes care of the welding on the cab. just seam seal and undercoat.

i have to get the bed in the garage as well, and clean the rust off it, fill the imperfections and get it somewhat straight.

the best news is, is that the garage floor is FINALLY complete! it only took 11 years from when my parents put it up, in '96, to now, '07, to finish the floor in it. cement is soooo much nicer to work on than dirt. .

but yes. she's getting close.

well. lets hear it!

any input/comments are appreciated in giving me a boost on this thing! thanks!

-Sam.

[Palf70Step]

Your making progress for sure. It's coming together.